Chapter 2

I lie here paralytic inside this soul

Screaming for you til my throat is numb

I wanna break out

I need a way out

I don't believe that it's gotta be this way

The worst is the waiting

In this womb I'm suffocating

- Rebirthing by Skillet

-x- BPOV -x-

The lights were bright, very bright. I was almost blinded as I opened my eyes, blinking wildly. As my eyes grew accustomed to the light, I realized I was lying in what looked like a hospital ward, except there were only three beds. I bit my lip, and then attempted to pull myself from bed. No go.

What the hell?! I stuggled with the sheets, flaying my limbs in the air, but it felt like I was being held to the bed magnetically, if that is possible. After a few moments, I gave up. Huffing, and exhausted, I crossed my arms and pouted furiously. So I was in hospital. Damn, I hated those! There better had not been an IV stuck in me somewhere. Sickened at the thought, I started thrashing again.

"Ah, you're awake." The voice was so serene, so calming, that I temporarily stopped struggling. Then I remembered; this guy was probably my captor, and was either about to torture me to death or rape me brutally, either way, I didn't want to know, so of course the struggling resumed in full force.

"Hey, hey, easy Bella! You're perfectly safe."

I eyeballed him skeptically for a moment, but then his words soaked in. I stiffened. "How do you know my name?"

From his pristine white coat, he pulled out a folder of documents, which was so stuffed it was straining. "Medical records." he replied simply. "You know, for someone of your abilities, you get into a lot of trouble, don't you?"

"My abilities?" I bit back, glaring at the man.

"Your power, Bella. To summon force fields." he said it so calmly, as if it were perfectly normal. Who was this guy?!

"I don't know who the hell you think you are-" I started, but he cut straight across me.

"Forgive me, Bella. I am Dr Cullen, ex-nanogeneologist and currently the leader of the Warriors."

"What ever!" I snarled dismissively. "You still don't have any right to go through my medical history, only my family practioner can do that!"

The good doctor's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't have a family practioner, Bella...because you don't have a-"

"I'm well aware of that!" I screeched.

The doctor ignored me, saying "As for my ability to ask for your files, I'm am perfectly in my right as a past Doctor of yours, not to mention that you've shown symptoms that only I profess in."

What was this kook talking about?! "I don't understand, you've never been my doctor."

In answer, he simply opened the folder and started flicking through the documents. Seeing my chance, I tried desperately to free myself from that god-forsaken hospital bed. It wasn't worth even trying to do it surreptitiously, the clatter that bed made was shocking. After a couple of moments of me writhing desperately...if not uselessly...the Doctor spoke up.

"You won't be able to leave that bed until I turn off the magnetic field."

HA! So it was magnets!...hold on. I couldn't get away? Dammit. I glowered at my captor as he rifled through his papers. He finally found whatever it was he was looking for, and lifted it into my eye-line.

"This certificate shows that you had surgery when you were an infant." he said simply.

I nodded, my annoyed expression lost on the impertinent man. "I had heart surgery, because my heart was weak."

"You should have died..." he whispered softly.

That was when I realised. "OH MY GOD! You're one of those tree-hugging God enthusiasts who think modern medicine is bad, and you're gonna kill me for cheating death! Get away from me! I was only a baby! I wasn't my choice! Please ju-"

His cold hand clamped on my mouth. Why do doctor's always have cold hands?

"Miss Swan, you're getting very close to hysteria. I can anesthetise you to help, but just calm down and look at the document."

Slowly, he took his hand from my face and placed the documents firmly in my hands. I glanced at him, looking for any sign of this being a trick, but his face was cool, almost pensive.

"Patient name: Isabella Marie Swan." I read aloud. "Patient condition: Heart failure..." I skimmed the page. Most of it I already knew; my parents names, my parent's conditions, should there be any hereditary issues with my health. But then my brows furrowed. My parents never told me that I had been on life support, or that they had been advised to cut the power. It touched me that they didn't, but if that was right, then so was Doc - I should be dead.

I took a deep breath, and continued "Patient treatment:...Hysterium Administration?" I looked up at the doctor. He just nodded his head, indicating to keep reading.

"Hysterium: Nanotype E gene, known for immunity and anti-aging properties. Operation successful - certified by" my eyes widened infinitely "Dr C Cullen."

I whipped round to look at doc. He was smiling simply. "My two discoveries, Hysterium and Nastoria, were supposed to save patients from terminal illness or injury. I created eight serums which contained Nanotype E - four with Hysterium and four with Nastoria. I treated seven terminal cases with my discovery, and watched them leave hospital perfectly healthy."

"Seven?"

"I had used one serum upon myself, to cure my own cancer and to test my theory. My cancer was gone in a matter of days, and I had not lost one hair." He smiled sadly. "It was meant to revolutionise medicine, but I soon learnt the effects of the Nano-E. My patients were experiencing having superpowers - they were seen as monsters, and experiment gone wrong. They were ostracised for their powers."

He sat at the foot of my bed, and continued, still smiling. "I searched for them, one by one, and brought them back here to live in security. This is our family now - and our purpose. We found our place in society, as protectors."

I opened my mouth stupidly. Why hadn't I picked up on it before? Dr Cullen...Cullen Warriors...Duh. I paused for a moment, and then asked "So what does this have to do with me?"

Dr Cullen's smile broadened. "As I said, I've been tracking the Nano-E patients done; only I was never able to find you. Your parents did a good job of hiding your powers, so I thought it best to leave your family intact. But when they died, and you went into care..." He paused "It was damn near impossible to find you, as you were bouncing to and fro across America with your foster carers. But now you are here, and I'm offering you the chance to be with us. What do you say?"

I stared at him. He had pretty much just told me that they were freaks, and now they were asking me to join the club? It was all I could do not to laugh. I mean - why me? I'd done nothing to deserve this, nothing. I felt like laughing in the guy's face and telling him to get a clue. I also felt like screaming at him, asking him if I looked crazy. I also had a mad craving to hit him. What the hell?! What was wrong with me? Why wasn't I acting...or even thinking like myself?!
Then, suddenly, it was like the wind had been knocked out of me...and I felt less angry and...less confident...
I felt like me again.
What just happened?

Dr Cullen sighed. "Well, thank goodness for that."

I stared at him blankly. "Huh?"

Dr Cullen gave my an apologetic look before explaining. "I was worried I'd have to leave the room - to ask him to cut it out - but it looks like Alice beat me to it."

"Huh?" I said again. Very original, I know.

"That was Jasper. He get's his kicks from manipulating peoples emotions. I'm afraid he's the reason I restrained you to the bed, who knows what you would have done under his influence...I didn't want you to regret anything." And with that, Dr Cullen placed his hand about two inches above my body. His hand glowed pearly white for a second, as did his eyes. I stared, mesmerised for a moment.
All of a sudden, all the aches and bumps of my efforts to escape, plus the ordeal with Bucko and Bozo, vanished. And that weighted feeling of being stuck in bed was gone too.

"There." he said, smirking at my astonished face.

"What was that?!" I gasped.

"My claim in the Cullen Warriors; their leader and creator, as well as the world's most efficient doctor." He took my hand and helped me from the bed. "Now, I just need you to fill out some of these forms...I run this place like a proper hospital, you see, and-"

"OH Carlisle! Surely that can all wait?" A laughing voice echoed from down the hallway. A few second later, a little, pixie-like girl bounded into the infirmary. She wore black, patent boots with a black mini skirt, coupled with a black leather jacket, whose sleeves came to her elbows, with a shocking violet coloured top underneath. Stitched neatly onto her leather jacket was a number "7", in the exact same shade of violet as her top.

"Hi Bella!" she said brightly. I smiled shyly in reply. Yes, my behaviour was returning to norm. I was starting to feel embarrassed at how I had spoken to Dr Cullen. Behind her appeared another. It was Muscle-man, I recognised him from before. Only now he wore black jogging bottoms and an acid green top, sleeveless once again, of course. I'd never seen so much muscle in the middle of autumn in Seattle before. Wasn't he cold?

"Bella," Dr Cullen smiled (he's a very smiley person, I noticed), pulling me from my inner musings, "I would like to introduce you to two of my team; Mary Alice Brandon, Warrior 7, and Emmett McCarthy, Warrior 5."

I raised a hand in a weak sort-of wave. "Hi." I smiled feebly. God, this was awkward.

The purple pixie danced towards me, gushing "Oh, don't listen to him! Call me Alice, and I am warrior 7 - the Psychic with a Psych Kick!" she laughed at her own little joke. Emmett chuckled a bit too. Obiviously I was missing something. She sighed at my bemused expression and explained "I can see the future, and kick butt with tangible brain-waves."

"Oh." was my fantastic reply. That was simple enough to understand, and once again, it made my power look like parlour tricks.

"You've already seen Emmett in action, of course." continued Alice.

I eyeballed Emmett for a moment, before saying "You're the guy who broke through the wall, huh?"

Emmett chuckled, his voice deep and throaty. It suited his bulky appearance- he could easily be a bouncer; a really scary one. "Yeah. You could say I'm the team's strongman in this circus." I thought about that. A circus - it suited the place, and it's occupants; Dr Cullen the ringleader, Emmett the strongman, and Alice the petite acrobat. But if that was the case, where were the clowns, or the lions and horses? And if there were lions, who was the lion tamer?
I hadn't realised I was speaking outloud, until Alice giggled and replied "You could say Emmett fills both strongman and clown catagories. We've got Jazz too, who would be the circus juggler. God knows he juggles enough emotions!" She lowered her voice a little, continuing to say "And we do indeed have our own grumpy lion, but as for lion tamer...the place has yet to be filled."

There was a meaning behind her words, I could hear it. But before I could understand, she tore her gaze from mine, looking back at the Doctor.

"Emmett and I were hoping to give Bella a tour of the Tower. Is that okay?"

"It's fine by me." Dr Cullen replied shrugging. "As long as Bella wants it."

The little pixie looked so eager, so happy, I couldn't bear to disappoint her. I didn't have the energy to dispute against her anyway. Meaning I probably lacked the energy to be dragged around a Superhero Hideout, but what the hell. "Sure, sounds good to me."

-:-

"Whoa." I gaped. The place was HUGE. Poking from the shadowed corners were pointy, metallic contraptions, and in front of me was a computer, with a screen that filled the entire back wall.

"This is Esme's pitch – she's a techno-psychic." Explained Alice

"I.E a super-nerd." Grinned Emmett. Alice gave him a look, before continuing "Esme invents all kinds of gadgets for us to use – don't piss her off or you'll be left with the crappy inventions. Right, Emmett?"

Emmett's response was sticking out his tongue. I tried not to laugh.

Scraping his dignity off the floor, Emmett pulled me to the next door in this never-ending hallway. "This is the gymnasium."

The door slid open, and as I stepped into the room, I realised I was stood on a balcony – a balcony that over looked what looked like an arena!

"Oooh! Look!" squealed Alice, bouncing to my side. "Looks like Jazz, Rose and Edward are practicing!"

I peered over the balcony, and gasped. Blondie was there, along with this new guy, who was also blonde, but his hair, which came to his neck, was tied in a ponytail, his grey eyes concentrating.

And then I saw Goldie. I tried to look away, honest! But he was wearing brown sweat pants and a black vest. A tight-fitting vest. You don't take a sight like that for granted.

Suddenly, like a silent whistle had been blown, all three of them lunged into action. Blondie sent torrent after torrent of bright pink lightning hurtling towards Goldie, who back-flipped clean into the air, letting the lethal energy pass harmlessly beneath him. Upon landing, his eyes glowed bright gold, and gym apparatus started flying towards the girl. She spun away, dodging them by inches. But suddenly gasped, as if winded, and crumbled to the floor. I stared at her, wondering what the hell had just happened, until the weights behind her clanged to the floor.

Alice tsked. "Trust Edward to fight dirty."

"Technically, He was only using his powers." Emmett replied.

Meanwhile, Blondie had got up and yelled "TAG"

Tag? Oh, they were tag-teaming against Goldie. That's why Blondeboy suddenly began to glow...bright red? I wondered how effecting Goldie's emotions were going to help him, but then I learnt that emotions weren't all blondeboy manipulated. Blondeboy's eyes glowed ruby red, as did his hands. I must have blinked, because I can't remember at what point his hands had stopped glowing and instead were on fire!

Blondeboy started throwing fireballs like juggling balls at Goldie, who was spinning, diving and jumping like an acrobat to dodge them. A massive fireball appeared in Blondeboy's hands. My eyes widened as he threw the jugganought at Goldie.

And then Goldie smirked. Eh?

Then the fireball glowed bright gold...and started whirling straight towards Blondeboy. Before I could do anything, blondeboy was engulfed in flames.

It suddenly happened. Time slowed to minimum movement, like it does when the unexpected happens, and I'm meant to do something about it. Blondie was being sneaky; Her partner hadn't said "Tag", but she was about to end the battle for Goldie with a couple zaps. I could see the energy collecting in her fingers. I shouldn't have meddled, but it was only natural for me – I was meant to protect.

-x- EPOV –x-

"TAG EDWARD! YOU'RE OUT!" Laughed Rose. I turned in time to see her lightning flying towards me. I'd been focusing on Jazz, so I was completely unprepared. Rose was such a cheater.

I clenched my eyes, hoping Rose had set it to low voltage. But knowing Rose to be the cold vindictive person she is, I doubted it. I braced... Nothing. What?

"Hey!" yelled Rose "No help from the surveyor!"

What did she mean by that? I opened my eyes, and then I knew. The remnants of a blue shield still lingered around me, but I could tell she was trying to retract her powers as quickly as possible. I looked up at her. Her face was still pretty pale. I frowned, that could be a good sign. I didn't remember her being that pale.

She blanched a little, and recoiled. "Sorry – I did it without thinking!" she called out. She hugged her arms into herself. Confidence issues, definitely.

Rose glowered at our comrades. Emmett smiled sheepishly. "Well, lots of places to see Bella!" he laughed, pulling her towards the door.

Alice turned and glowered at me. "Real friendly, Edward."

I frowned again. Alice just rolled her eyes and stormed away. Totally confused, I shrugged it off. Women.

"Are we gonna get back to it, Rose? As I see it, that's a foul." I smirked as Rose's face turned bright red.

"No, your girlfriend protected you, so it doesn't count." Rose spat.

I glowered. "Who said she was my girlfriend?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Haven't you figured it out? The Nano-E crap that Dr C gave us was split in two, right? The Hysterium and the Nastoria. Dr C shared his N-E sample with Esme, right? And I share mine with Emmett, and Alice with Jazz. Meaning you share yours with Barrier-girl."

I shrugged. "So?"

Rose looked like she wanted to whack me. "You don't see the pattern?" she hissed.

"I'm purposely trying to ignore it." I replied coolly.

Rose bit her lip with fury, before saying "Fine Edward, be the ignorant, emotionless loner you always are and have been. Barrier girl is cute, she deserves better than you anyway. And PISS OFF JASPER, I'm pissed off enough as it is without your contribution!"

And with that, Rose stormed away. Leaving me with my thoughts.

No way in hell was I gonna let some genetic modification rule my love life the way it was the rest of my life. I had a future before that damn Malaria, I was going to be the producer of my own music, and perform in London and Paris and Rome. Now it feels like I'm performing every day – as part of a freak show. But I owe Carlisle my life, I guess I should be grateful. I have a life...it's just not the life I wanted.

-x- BPOV –x-

"I get the feeling he doesn't like me." I mumbled into my coffee.

"Ah, cheer up! Remember what I said about the circus? He's the grumpy lion, he's like that with everyone. No-one's been able to tame him yet." Alice smiled grimly "The only one who gets any real response out of him is Dr C."

"What were their names?" I asked quietly.

Emmett chuckled. "Well, the little cheater I call my 'girlfriend' is called Rosalie. We all call her Rose though."

"And my other half is Jasper, the one with the fireballs." She winced the moment she said it. Sure enough, Emmett muttered "Now there's an innuendo if I ever heard one."

I smiled. These two acted just like siblings. I guess these powers and living conditions really did make you family. "And the other guy, Goldie." I wanted to hit myself the moment I said that. What made me say out loud the name I'd been referring to him as! God I was an idiot.

Emmett was pretty much stuffing his fist down his throat to stop himself from laughing. Alice, desperately trying to keep a straight face, replied "His name is Edward."

"Bella," Emmett gasped "What is Goldie short for? Golden Balls, perhaps?!"

Oh, the shame.

"What's this about golden balls?"

Oh no. Please God, no, have mercy...

Edward walked in. Still in his tight fitting black vest, looking hot and sweaty and positively edible. Why I was thinking this about I guy I hadn't met was beyond me, but still. I was going to have to resort to a paper bag. On my head. With eye holes. I let my head slump to the kitchen table where I was sat. My cheeks were so hot I was afraid my face would melt.

"What do you want, Edward?" snapped Alice.

"Jazz burnt himself again. I came up to get ice." He paused. "Is she okay?"

"Nope." Replied Emmett. "She's dying."

Silence...then Edward asked "what's the punchline?"

Emmett snorted "She's dying from embarrassment! Do you know what her nickname was for you? Goldie!!" he abruptly burst into fits of laughter. The table shook beneath me. I raised my head and eyeballed Emmett for a moment, before saying "I referred to you as Muscleman."

Emmett smiled. "At least my nickname was manly. It doesn't sound like you're referring to your pet Golden Retriever!"

My eyebrow twitched. That's it. Enough of this, I was tired and in need of a good bath. I got up from my seat. "I'm going home." I announced.

Alice stared at me for a moment. "What do you mean? You are home!"

"Yeah, Bella! We've been waiting for you!"

I stared at both Alice and Emmett, before I hesitantly turned to look at Gol- I mean Edward. I hadn't noticed before, but his eyes were really, really green. He gave me a level look, like he was trying to read me. No, I realised, he's trying to read my mind! I immediately started thinking very loudly 'GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!' but the effort fell on deaf ears. Literally. After a moment, he shrugged. "We can't make her stay."

I knew it. He really didn't like me. I gave each of them a curt nod, then started for the door. Before I reached it, I paused. "Can someone show me the way out?"

A chair scraped behind me. "Sure." Replied Emmett, all traces of humour gone from his voice. The sound was empty and hollow without it. It made me feel sad and guilty, but I didn't belong here.

To be honest, I didn't really belong anywhere.

AQ: Sorry for not updating sooner! I have been brainstorming new stories and completely forgot about Supercharged! Plus my computer was being an eejit and wouldn't let me upload stuff onto . ¬_¬ (fumble grumble mumble) Reviews = Love! I'll update when I feel the love =)