A/N – So I would like to take this moment to thank everyone who read this story. Everyone who read and review. Everyone who read without reviewing. It means a lot to me that you're all continuing to maintain interest despite the lack of frequent updates. I know I promise this a lot, but I really will try an update more often. Thanks to everyone who read Chapter 4, all 101 (Dalmatians!) of you. I also advance apologize for any spelling and grammar mistakes, and what may not seem to some as an accurate depiction of Warren. I also have pictures of what the OC Cast of this story looks like in my profile.I don't own Sky High, Disney or The Plain White T's. The title of the story is form a song, and same for the chapter titles. Can you guess which ones?

Hey There Delilah – Plain White T's

Chapter 5. I would give everything for some hope // Are you different, could I be different too?

I had cleaned up the mess I had main in the entrance hall. I tried to think about school. I tried to think about Patrick and the mess I had unknowingly created for Warren and myself. But none of these thought trains lasted very long. The memory of the kiss – or the 'mistake' as I fondly dubbed it – was imprinted my memory. When he kissed back he might as well have branded me with his lips. This particular thought sent flutters down my stomach, and against my will I found myself thinking about Warren and I hanging out in public places, going on dates in public places, kissing in public places which inevitably leads to other things... that caused a stupid grin to work itself on my face and heat to rush to my face. Those things were not meant for public places. Warren and I were not meant for public places; Warren and I were not meant for anything. Not after this pseudo heroic collaboration of ours. That was another dead end for me. The more I looked back on it, attempting to go after Patrick without Warren was a bad idea. Like it or not I was labelled sidekick for a reason, I didn't have the destructive and physically coercive capabilities that Warren's powers gave him. I need him to help me.

I had pondered different ways of cornering Warren and approaching him for help, the problem was once I had him I had no idea what to say. It was too awkward now. I know all I'd be thinking of was how I had been kissing him and hoping to God that he wasn't thinking about the same thing. Technically, I reasoned with myself, I shouldn't be pinning too much of the disastrous results of this afternoon on my back. He kissed me back didn't he? If he didn't want to kiss me he could have pulled away in the few seconds it took me to close the space between us. But he kissed me back, and then bolted. I was confused and disoriented, having absolutely no idea what kind of shaky footing I left standing on with him. It seemed like it was going to turn into one of those elephant-room type things, where you spend all your time thinking about it but never talking about it. Not that I frequently had in depth conversation with Warren about feelings, or had conversations with him in general. I wasn't sure if that was a pro or con at this point in time. I made a move to pick up the phone and order some pizza. I unexpectedly shuddered and my vision became hazy, my hand was in a vice grip on the phone.

There was a slow and steady beeping that slowly faded into the background noise of the bustles of carts and doctors. She couldn't notice it, her eyes were only for him. She'd spent a good amount of effort over the summer trying to contact him since the last dance. He wouldn't have any of it. He said he wasn't looking for a relationship, he wasn't looking for her. But if that was true he wouldn't be with her would he? She explained this to him in her soft voice. Despite the fact that her normally straight blonde hair had been reduced to tangles and frizz from be neglected she looked very pretty in an unkempt way. Like some sort of water nymph for a mythological story. Her hand moved onto to his and she gave it small squeeze, taking no notice at his lack of a reaction. Fire and Ice - complete opposites.

This was more than unusual. This was not my typical area of precognition. My powers stemmed from an extra sensory perception to danger and injury. I didn't see how some vision about Kate getting cozy to Warren should be dangerous. My hand was still clenched around the phone. Maybe I should phone Emily and let her know Kate would wake up? After all they were cousins. But no, as far as Emily was concerned was visions were more help than hinder, it's not like I saw a lock or calendar in the background, there was not telling how far in the future this vision could take place. Usually my visions were fairly close to the inevitable danger. But like I said before this wasn't my usual type of vision. And since we were delving into the unusual before why was Warren cozying up to Kate? I knew she had some sort of little crush on him that she built up for a few days under the influence of the hot summer sun ever since they had danced together at homecoming. But I thought she had gotten over that. Maybe I was wrong, Emily certainly hadn't gotten over her little obsession with Captain America Jr. And it's not like there was anything holding Warren back from hooking with Kate once she woke up. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl hook up. There was nothing strange about that. Somehow though, I had the nagging feeling that I should keep my guard up around my former best friend.

- X -

I wished that I was at school. Not that I couldn't be at school if I'd wanted too but I missed the classes, and eating lunch in the cafeteria. I was school-sick. One of the best things about Sky High was it was small. There wasn't exactly an abundance of super powered kids running – or flying or whatever – around North America. The small population made it easy for everyone to know everything. Who is a Hero, who is a Sidekick, who won Save-the-Citizen, who dating who. High school was the physical embodiment of the adolescent grapevine. And right now I needed access to that grapevine so bad. I had been restless all night thinking about Kate, and Warren, and Emily, and even a little about Will, and then Layla. The problem was there was no way for me to know what was going on. It was too awkward to approach Warren about schoolwork much-less his dating life. And ever since those first Sky High days my circles of friends had been small but tight or so I thought. Not that I wasn't on speaking term with Emily, and unsure footing with Kate I could hardly go asking around whether or not she was awake and with Warren. I would need someone to tell me, someone who would bring up the topic so I wouldn't have too, someone who was connected to those different groups and would know. Finally, I realized the person I really needed was Layla.

I know it sounded bad. Like I was this parasite that was just feeding off her. But I truly did value Layla as a friend. She was just so her. She knew all the right people, and all the right things. And she was just a really nice person. I felt bad for using her when I did, but it just seemed like the better alternative at the time than telling her truth about why I wanted to go shopping with her, or have a sleepover. Some things are just better kept to yourself.

It was cold and snowing hard by this time of year. Quickly shuffling along the sidewalk I ducked into the nearest coffee shop I could find in Maxville Shopping Centre. The coffee shop also served as my rendezvous location for meeting Layla. It was just a few days before December and Christmas shoppers were taking a break from the weather outside. I order a tall decaf latte and huddled over to our usual table. Layla was already there.

"Hey Lay" I greeted her.

"Hey Bethany"

After we had gotten caught up with each other I was eager to start the Christmas Shopping that I used as the pretence for meeting her. Naturally, during our amicable chatter we drifted to the conversation of our friends. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to get them. I wasn't even sure if they expected or wanted me to get them something. I didn't want to put them in the awkward position of receiving a gift with nothing to give in return. But Layla reassured me.

"Don't sweat it, I know for a fact that Zach and Magenta were shopping for you two days ago. I'm surprised you don't know. Zach has such a big mouth…" She trailed off and smirked at me. I grimaced. She wasn't amused because of Zach's inability to keep secrets, but my powers had become sort of running joke. Everything now and then someone would throw in a comment like ' bet you didn't see that one coming' or 'you know what they say hindsight is better than foresight' and I would even get asked on the odd occasion – mostly by Zack – how the weather would look on a certain day. It was all to my mild chagrin. I guess they expect me, being a psychic, to know well, everything about the future. It was there constant disappointment when I was surprised at everyday occurrences.

We kept walking on till Layla came to a stop in front of store window. I peered to see what had caught her attention. It was a jacket. A men's jacket to be specific. In royal blue, with a thick red and white stripe going across the shoulders.

"For Will?"

Layla just smiled, and bowed her head. I didn't hear her sigh, but I saw the cloud of her breathe float into the air.

"I..I think. I don't know what I think. Something is wrong with Will. And me. With us. I think he.. might break up with me."

I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to tell Layla, there was nothing wrong with her. That everything was wrong with her dirt bag two-timing boyfriend. But that part reveled in her friendship, and if I told her that and how I knew.. well, there wouldn't be a friendship to revel in much longer. So I said nothing, kept my peace. The could guiltily offer was to put my arm around. Her. She enveloped my into a hug, and gave me a small self-deprecating laugh.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I'm just, it's different. But what happens happens right? If were supposed to be together fate will make it that way." And now she gave me the real Layla, cheesy, over the top smile. I didn't have the heart to tell her that fate lost its mystique when you could see the future, and when you saw her boyfriend cheat on her.

As a means of a distraction I casually mentioned the underlying I had come shopping with her.

"So, do you think I should get Emily anything? I mean we were friends, even though she's completely ignoring me now for things I can't control."

"Well, I'd say no, that would just make the situation between you guys more awkward," She shot me an assessing look, "besides if you got her one I'm sure Kate would be expecting one as well."

I nodded as I got my confirmation, "Right, I heard she's all lucid now."

Another deep sigh came from Layla.

"Look, Kate is not stupid. She know you can't help what you see. None of us can help our powers. It's just who we are. If you were to go talk to her I'm sure you could patch things up. I know Warren did... but what I also mean to say is that I will totally understand if you decide that you want to go hang with them more. Although I can't say the same for Zack."

She said that last part in a rush all while throwing me a furtive look. I pretended I didn't hear what she had to say about Warren and Kate. In truth, I didn't want to know the details of it. Though I wouldn't admit it out loud I might have been harbouring/developing the teensiest of crushes in the pyrokinetic and the validation that he was more into my ex-best friend than me cut deep. How Layla knew, or may have guessed my unspoken feelings for Warren – which I would bet my life he would never mention to her – was another mystery that I wanted no light shedded on.

"Don't worry Lay. Me and you, I like to think we're tight," I linked arms with her and beamed, "you're like my best friend. Besides you know what they say. Once you go Zach you never go back."

"Hey there Delilah
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me girl
Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar
We'll have it good
We'll have the life we knew we would
My word is good"