AN: Look who's back(: welp, hopefully this won't be the only chapter today. To be honest, I lost interest in this story but seeing how many people still actually read it inspired me again. So I will try to update more. Oh and I rewrote the chapter before this to make Lash have a little brother since, the Reyna storyline doesn't fit into what I want to do here. Also, there's maybe 5 or 6 more chapters left here and then I'm focusing only on A Better Look and after that Bleed it Out then I've decided to continue with I'm Just Gone Beyond Repair.

DISCLAIMER : Really, are these totally necessary? Eh, Don't own.

LASH

I woke up with a splitting headache. My eyes were heavy and my mouth was dry. I groaned when finally, I had gathered strength to open my eyes only to be greeted with a white room brighter than the detention room. I moved to cover my eyes but they were above my head. I tried to move them but bit my lip to keep from crying out when spikes penetrated my skin.

"The hell?" I said out loud.

"I see you've finally woken up." said a voice from in front of me. I looked up to see a boy who looked maybe a year or two younger than me. Suddenly, it all came back. The alley, waking up here, he was on the phone with Alex, excruciating pain.

"What do you want?" I growled.

"Simple, I want control of the wizard world. I doubt Jerry has told his children that the Russo's are the most powerful wizard family, which works out for me. And you, my dear friend, are gonna help me." he said.

"What makes you think that?" I sneer and the smirk on his face grows into a devious smile. Suddenly there's a blinding pain coming from my leg. I scream out and a loud snap is heard. My chest feels constricted and I can hardly breathe through the want to cry.

"There will be more of that. Meet a friend of mine. Callia? Would you show yourself please?" he said. The door opened and a girl who seemed about my age stepped out. She was pale with blonde hair and blue eyes, she had a small waist a curved hips. She wore dark, spandex tight, skinny jeans and red Vans with a plain white v-neck. She kneeled in front of me and placed her hand on my now broken leg. She gave me a remorseful look when I flinched instinctively and closed her eyes. I could feel my bone rushing to heal itself as every bit and piece melded back together. I hadn't noticed that I was breathing heavy until she rested her hand on my face and quietly told me to relax. I nodded a bit and tried to steady it. In all honesty, I was scared shitless. No way in hell was I gonna help this sick fucker get Lex so I might just die. She turned to glare at the kid.

"Riley, why do you need him? You want Russo? I can get you Russo but leave him out of it. He won't help you." she spat. He waved a hand dismissively and walked out. She looked at me again and smiled sadly.

"Why are you helping him?" I asked, wincing when I tried to get a least a little comfortable and the spikes on my cuffs got a bit bigger. She glanced at the dried blood tracks on my arms and shook her head, glaring at the door before turning to me again.

"You don't need these on." she mumbled as she pulled a small key out of her pocket. She unlocked the cuffs and I bit my lip to keep from making a sound when the spikes retracted painfully from my skin. "I'm sorry." she winced. She made a soft cooing sound at my wrists and held them in her hands tenderly. I watched in awe as the blood stopped flowing and my skin closed up. She smiled at me and removed her hands, sitting next to me. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, looking at her. She didn't want to be doing this.. Why was she?

"You didn't answer my question." I said. She sighed and looked at me with cloudy blue eyes.

"Riley.. He helped me. I had gotten caught up with some stolen stuff and cops use disguised neutralizer handcuffs now so my powers were useless. He got me out somehow and now I owe him." she frowned.

"You go to Sky High don't you?" she nodded.

"I'm a Senior there." she said. I nodded and looked ahead.

"I'm not going to help him." I stated.

"I know.." she whispered.

"So if the cuffs are off, does that mean my powers work?" I asked. She shook her head and I gave her a confused look.

"The room is modeled after the detention room at Sky High. It neutralizes your powers only because Riley wants it to." she explained. I raised an eyebrow at her. "What? You don't believe me?"

"Not really." she rolled her eyes.

"Alright. Try it." she challenged. I looked at my hand and attempted to stretch my fingers only to find that it wasn't working. I looked at her incredulously and she laughed. "Told ya." she smirked. I pouted and attempted again as she stood.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked, almost panicking.

"I'm gonna go get you some food. You're hungry." almost on cue, my stomach growled. I fought the redness I was sure was climbing up my neck and nodded nonchalantly. She giggled again and started walking. "You know, you're kinda cute when you're not being a pigheaded jerk." she smirked.

"Hey!" I said, offended as she laughed and closed the door behind her. I groaned and leant my head against the wall, noticing just how exhausted I really was. I shut my eyes for what seemed like a second before I felt a soft shake on my shoulder.

"Lash.. Lash wake up." I opened my eyes, hoping this was all just a terrible dream but knowing I was wrong. Callia was in front of me, holding a box of pizza and breadsticks. "The pizzeria was the closest. I got pepperoni-pineapple. Is that okay?" I nodded.

"Yeah, my favorite actually." I smiled a bit. I saw a hint of pink on her cheeks as she cleared her throat and offered me some pizza. I gladly took it and we made some small talk as we ate. Suddenly, I dropped the pizza in my hand and gripped the sides of my head. I couldn't even make a sound, I was in so much pain. I heard a pained plead to make it stop and realized it was me. Callia was sitting wide eyed for a second when she sat up on her knees and started calling for Riley to stop. He walked in with that demon smirk and it stopped. I slumped against Callia, breathing heavily and holding onto her in a desperate attempt to keep myself upright.

"You know why you're going to help me Stretch?" he asked.

"Riley please.." Callia said, holding my head.

"Shut up wench!" he growled. "Well, do you?" he asked me again.

"I'm not helping you." I spat.

"Oh I beg to differ." he smiled. "Because I have your brother."

AN : What do you think? A link to Matt is on my profile.

xoxo

Scorching Roses