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Disclaimer: All characters except for Peter Petrelli are mine - he belongs to the TV show heroes. So does the premise for this story (super abilities)

The rest of the day was spent taking sloppy notes in class, which Sam would inevitably copy later, but there was whispering in the hallways; Reece was disinterested in gossip, but she was not stupid. The hushed tones mostly centered around how she 'brutally attacked' Trevor Buck during arts. Apparently someone decided that knocking his chair over wasn't a grand enough story, so they spun a clever web.

One that Reece had no intention of correcting, at least not to the ones spreading the gossip. Sam knew her better than that and Max was there; the only person she felt responsible to explain herself to was Jackson Press, but he was missing in action until the very end of the day.

Sam was meeting with her music teacher afterschool so she wasn't in the courtyard when Reece arrived. Sitting down momentarily on the bench in front of her locker, she pulled her backpack onto her lap, reaching in for her wallet.

Inside there was a photo of her and her brother Mickey, from a few years ago; their family rarely took trips, and after saving up for some time they'd managed to go to Disneyland. In the picture her brother was wearing mickey mouse ears, which was supposed to be ironic, and Reece was crouched down next to him, grinning.

That was the last time she had the luxury of calling her brother "close". He'd stopped confiding in her a few months after the trip, and now that he was away at college it was even easier for Micheal Addler to avoid his sister.

Smoothing out the photograph, she smiled down at Mickey's wrinkled face, remembering how he'd worn those ears everywhere on that trip.

Thinking of tonight she made a sour face, stuffing the picture back into her wallet and closing up her backpack. He'd brought home three girlfriends since going to college two years ago, and each one had been worse than the last.

Apparently he was a walking personal ad for vapid blonds; even Sam had a little crush on him, though she was not so much vapid as she was blond.

Opening her locker, Reece gathered her things, only taking two notebooks and her science textbook, she was about to shut her locker when a hand stopped it.

"Hey Rambo. I heard you pulled a punisher today in art class." The crooked smile of Jackson Press greeted her, holding the locker door open and clutching a backpack with his other hand.

"Is that what everybody's saying? That makes me sound cool. I'll settle for that," she laughed, cheeks flushing.

"Yeah, well, if I were you I'd watch out for Mariella Fitzgerald. Her and Trev are apparently an 'item', or what'sitcalled, and she's protective of her men," he made a mock serious face, letting go of the locker so she could close it.

Reece snorted, pulling her bag over her shoulder, "Are they really? But she's taller than him."

"Well, it's not height that Trevor Buck looks for in a woman, is it," J.P. laughed, beginning to walk towards the hallway that led to the front of the school. Reece fell into step with him.

"So," she started.

"So," J.P raised a brow.

"You know I really didn't "brutally attack" anyone in class today, right?" Reece peered at him curiously.

J.P. chuckled, giving a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders. "I don't really care if you did or didn't."

"Well, I definitely didn't. I just knocked his chair, that's all." Reece nodded as they reached the front of the school.

J.P. held his hands up, starting to walk away, "hey, you don't have to explain anything to me, Rambo." Then, with a wink, he disappeared into the sea of moving students.

Reece breathed out, swallowing and feeling the color recede from her cheeks. Her car was in the parking lot, in the back row where the student cars were allowed. She'd saved up, after working at a local diner her first two years of high school, and bought an old Volkswagon Jetta.

It was beat up, but Reece liked to think of it as overly loved.

She headed for her car and, turning up the radio loudly, she made her way home.

Her parents were already both home, which was especially strange for her father, but Reece did not have time ask why; she was ushered to take a shower, clean up, and set the table.

It was half past six when the doorbell finally rang, and Reece had been sitting on the stairs waiting since five. She was clad in an uncomfortable plaid skirt and plain stockings, with a white blouse. Her mother was treating it as if it were dinner with the president.

Reece did not appreciate the outfit, but she missed her brother, so much.

She sprang up, catching the door before her father could, and clearing her throat. Being charming was never her strong suit, and unless someone had patience they found an unwelcoming bitterness from Reece; nothing she personally intended, just an air that was given off.

As if she was insulting merely by existing.

Reece was still determined, however, to figure out Mickey's new girlfriend; she would have to make herself more accessible, if even possible.

She opened the door with a polite smile, and there Mickey stood in all his glory. He looked exactly a she remembered him, and yet somehow completely different. There was a hardness in his face, one that stole from his once soft blue eyes. Reece furrowed her brows, feeling her mother and father approach from behind but she did not react; Mickey stared at her, and she stared right back, until finally…

"Mickey blue eyes!" Her father said cheerily, clapping his hand on his son's shoulder and giving him a hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Yeah, you too Pop," Mickey nodded, half smiling.

From behind him a woman emerged, wearing a dark red dress that was modestly cut and yet so seductive with its satin fabric, clinging to the shape of her body. She cast a sweeping glance, her long eyelashes making everything seem in slow motion, until her gaze landed on Reece.

"You must be Reece," she said in a low voice, smiling, "I've heard so much about you."

Reece nodded slowly, but she could not take a step forward to greet the young woman. There was a sudden constriction in her chest, and her breathing was becoming rapid. The young woman extended her hand, and Reece simply stared at it for a few moments.

Her father nudged her, and she jumped, a little startled, and then forced a hand out to meet hers.

"Ow!" Reece pulled back, holding her hand protectively against her chest.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" The young woman cried softly, looking concerned.

Reece looked down at her hand, flexing the fingers as she did so, and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Mickey looked between the two women, interjecting. "I think dinner's getting cold."

"You are too right," Mrs. Addler said, and then she took the young woman's hand, steering her towards the kitchen. Mr. Addler followed, bringing in a few plates to the dining room. Mickey and Reece were left alone, standing in the foyer.

Mickey turned to his sister and took her hand, but Reece turned away, still holding her arm to her chest.

"I know Molly can seem a little… intense, but you'll like her. She's not blond, like the rest of them," he smiled.

Reece considered him with an unreadable expression; she shrugged, "Yeah, I guess."

"Hey, why don't we go help dad bring the food in, yeah?"

"Alright."

Mickey reached out and, this time, Reece did not retract. He ruffled her hair, messing up the half ponytail. She laughed, and he laughed back. "Glad to see you're smiling."

They entered the kitchen, and Mr. Addler was just about to move a pot of rice into the dining room. Reece fell back for a moment, letting Mickey take the glasses inside. Her hand still felt funny, as if it were tingling. Stretching her fingers, she stared down at her palm, curiously.

"Hey, Ro, will you take this?" Mr. Addler held out the pot of rice.

"Sure," she said absently, taking it from him as he turned away from her.

A second later there was a loud crash, and the pot was on the floor. Reece looked up at her father, horrified.

"Ro! God, you can be so clumsy sometimes!" He laughed, but there was an undertone of anger.

"I'm so sorry dad!" She swallowed, "I thought I had it."

"Well you didn't, since you dropped it, so why on earth would you think that?" He said, irritated, and moved to get a mop to clean it up.

Because, I did have it