Chapter 6:

"Wake up sleepy head." Dannie-Lynn groaned and rolled over to see her cousin Sydney lying behind her and the poking of her shoulder seemed to stop. "What's this uncle Johnny tells me about you and a certain pyro?" She asked teasingly.

Dannie-Lynn yawned and rolled to face away from her again. "Go back to bed Sidders I'm tired."

"It's two in the afternoon." Sydney said.

Shooting up knocking the covers off herself Dannie-Lynn almost bellowed. "What?" She said loudly wildly looking around the room for her clock and there it was clear as day she had slept in far to long.

"It's fine Roman called and I told him you'd catch the six thirty class." Syd said. "Warren's with Uncle Johnny and the others are where they are assigned. I decided to stick behind and wait for you to wake up."

Dannie-Lynn flopped back on her pillow and stared up at the ceiling. "Warren and I are a couple I guess you could say." She said softly.

Sydney's smile grew wider in excitement. "Really?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah I guess." Dannie-Lynn yawned. She rubbed her tired eyes to clear the haze she found herself drenched in.

Sydney grinned. "You guess or you know."

"Ok I know we're a couple. I told him…I told him about mom." She said softly.

"Dannie-Lynn you never tell anyone about your mom." Sydney said flabbergasted.

"I know. I just felt like I could and he's so different from most guys. I don't know what's wrong with me Sidders."

"Nothing. I think you've finally found Mr. Right instead of Mr. Right now. And I couldn't be happier."

"Why'd you win some bet with TJ or something cause of it?" Dannie-Lynn joked wryly.

Sydney scoffed playfully and gave Dannie-Lynn a light punch in the stomach making her victim giggle. "No. You know how I felt about what you were doing before. Please don't do that with this relationship Warren really likes you I can feel it and I know you really like him."

"I do."

"So how'd it happen?"

"Actually he kissed me a couple days ago. That day you knocked on my door and I didn't know what to do so I asked for some time and then last night everything sort of just hit its limit and I exploded on him."

"Is that why you were avoiding him?" Syd asked.

"Yeah." Dannie-Lynn said. "I knew I liked him, but I want body not heart and it really freaked me out in this case cause for once I just felt different." Dannie-Lynn got out of bed in a black bra and panties and went to her closet to get dressed. She shut the door to change and came out a few minutes later in faded wash tight boot cut jeans with a white belt and a black halter vest over her 'suit' top. She grabbed her black doc martens and dropped them by her bed before leaving her room for the bathroom.

Sydney followed her and watched her as she brushed out her messy hair and swept it into a half pony leaving the underside down resting over the back of her neck and shoulders, her bangs hung to sharp points to either side. "So is he a good kisser?"

"Stop living threw me Sidder's get out there and find a guy." Dannie-Lynn insisted resisting the urge to say 'and fuck him' shocking her cousin profusely.

Sydney sighed. "I'm too shy."

"No you're scared, not shy. You fear rejection, but Syd you're hot and I'm not saying that just cause I'm family. You are an amazing person too."

"I'm more afraid of whoever thinking I'm a freak."

Dannie-Lynn turned to her cousin setting her eyeliner pencil on the bathroom counter. "Syd you are not a freak. There are plenty of teens out there that are similar to us. Maybe they didn't get their powers quiet like we did but still you are not a freak."

"I'll try." Syd said softly.

That was all Dannie-Lynn could hope for. Maybe she'd play a little matchmaker thinking of someone who would suit Sydney to a tee. "And to answer your question yes he's an amazing kisser and he has incredible hands and I can't wait to…"

"Ooookkkk that's as far as that conversation is going." Sydney said putting her hands over her ears and walking out of the room.

Dannie-Lynn grinned to herself and turned back to the mirror to finish applying her liner and mascara and lip-gloss. "Fine I'll talk with Nessa about it than. She'll listen to my sick fantasies." She told herself jokingly.

After finishing in the bathroom Dannie-Lynn put on her boots and decided to head upstairs to the lab for a bit and maybe do a little monitoring on what was going on with Warren and her father. Hopefully her father wasn't giving him the boyfriend third degree.

All though part of her wished he was. Its what fathers did even if it invaded on their daughters life a little, Dannie-Lynn could do with a little fatherly invading. He never intruded on her life unless it was life threatening because like Warren had obviously read in her blog from a year ago he was terrified of losing her.

Walking over to the computer console Dannie-Lynn typed in a series of algorithms and pulled up the camera screen for the roof. But Warren and Johnny weren't there. "Where the hell are they?" She muttered to herself.

Dannie-Lynn got up and grabbed her cell from where it was charging in its cradle on the opposing side of the room. She had forgotten to grab it the day before so now was a good a time as any. "Hello?"

"Dad?"

"Hey kiddo 'bout time you woke up."

Dannie-Lynn heard the distinct sound of a bus drive by and several cars honking. "Uh dad where are you and what are you doing?"

"Oh I just decided to take Warren for some lunch."

"Oh god, you aren't showing him embarrassing photos of me are you?" Dannie-Lynn cringed at the thought.

Johnny chuckled softly. "No Dannie I'm not. I just thought I'd talk to him a bit."

"Dad you haven't threatened him have you?"

"Yes I'm hanging him by the ankle from the Brooklyn Bridge right now, and I would have a better handle on him if I wasn't talking on the cell."

Dannie-Lynn fumed at her fathers attempt at humor, but it soon died away. "Just…"

"Torch?"

"Hothead jesus what is my father making you suffer?" She asked laughing softly.

Warren laughed lightly himself. "Nothing really we're just walking around town a bit talking."

"About?"

"Stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Guy stuff."

"You don't seem like the type to talk guy stuff Warren Peace what is going on?"

"Look really it's nothing and you're over reacting. We're just hanging out and talking."

"Oh jesus. Ok fine I'm done. Have a nice time." Dannie-Lynn bit out and hung up on him. Ok it wasn't that she didn't want them talking, but she wasn't there with them to steer the conversation and she didn't know what they were talking about or what secrets of hers Warren might accidentally be letting slip from his lips into her fathers ears.

Calm down it's nothing D. Seriously just chill out. She thought silently. Dannie-Lynn put her phone in her pocket and left.

6:00 pm:

"Nice of you to join us Dannie-Lynn." Roman said smirking at her. He was a tall African American/ Caucasian male with dark brown eyes, pink pouty lips and dark short fro hair. He wore baggy cargos and a long sleeve shirt layered under a short sleeved. Dannie-Lynn always cracked at him that he was going to over heat in his clothes but he replied that the building was air-conditioned and he never left before sun down in the summer anyways.

"Ha, ha. I had a long night."

"Oooo a long night huh?" Another dancer, Adriana said to her.

Dannie-Lynn nodded. "Yes long as in I went to visit my mom's grave long."

"Oh." Adriana said softly.

"Come on guys let's just do this." Kelsey called and hit play on the boom box. Dannie-Lynn and the other's stood from stretching and lined up where they were supposed to be. Their dance routine was a mix of hip-hop and a little southern style stepping. When the long remixed song came to an end Dannie-Lynn looked up and saw Warren standing by the door with an impressed smirk on his face.

She walked over sweat dripping down her half exposed body and face and smiled slightly. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Warren shrugged. How long was he here? How much did he see? Dannie-Lynn couldn't help but feel a little nervous about him seeing her dance. He probably thought it was really girly.

"About three minutes, enough and I'm picking you up for our date." Warren said.

Ok he obviously didn't have the power to read her mind so she really needed to work on keeping a closed off face around him. "Uh date?" She asked confused. "We never talked about any date."

"We're talking about it now." Warren said.

"Hey D who's your friend?" Adriana and Kelsey came over.

Dannie-Lynn looked over at them and then back to Warren. "Guys this is Warren my…"

"Boyfriend." Warren said giving them a casual nod. Adriana and Kelsey both got wide-eyed and silent. "So you wanna go or not?" Warren asked his girlfriend.

Dannie-Lynn smirked. "Sure, just let me get a towel."

"Oh no I like you sweaty it's nice." Warren grinned.

"Shut up." Dannie-Lynn grabbed her bag and towel and headed back for the door and Warren. "Come on."

"See you. It was nice meeting you Warren." Adriana called.

"Likewise!" He called back and they headed down the steps and out the door onto the busy sidewalk of New York.

"So where are you taking me hothead?" Dannie-Lynn asked slinging her gym bag over her shoulder and pulling a bottle of perfume from her bag. She sprits a little on and then replaced it in her bag.

"I was thinking dinner and than maybe just relaxing at the apartment." Warren said.

"Yeah that's a date Romeo." Dannie-Lynn said sarcastically and than looked over at him smiling. "And I can't wait."

Warren smiled. "Me either."

Dinner:

"This is perfect." Dannie-Lynn said taking a bit of her french fries.

Warren grinned. "Yeah it is."

"I think the waiter thought I was nuts ordering a burger and fries." Dannie-Lynn laughed softly.

"Well it is a french restaurant torch." Warren smirked at her jokingly. Dannie-Lynn just smiled back and ate another fry.

"Well than he shouldn't be so shocked I ordered French fries didn't I?" She asked sarcastically.

Warren chuckled softly to himself and took a bit of his fried salmon and pasta platter. He chewed and swallowed. "I guess you did." He said softly.

"I can't believe you're actually eating that." Dannie-Lynn said looking disgustedly at the fish. "Don't plan on any kisses from me until you brush your teeth."

"It's actually really good. I grew up eating all sorts of things. My mom loves to cook and try new things." Warren said.

Dannie-Lynn gave him a skeptic nod and took a bit of her burger, chewed and swallowed. "Yeah well stay away from me with that nasty fish. Luckily I found I'm allergic to it, but that doesn't really matter I can't get passed the smell usually and I definitely can't be around fresh fish I get nauseous."

"Finicky." Warren teased.

"And proud of it." She said back cheerfully.

Warren just smirked and shook his head a bit taking another bit of his food. "So you're a really good dancer." Warren said throwing a new topic into the mix.

"Thanks."

"Do you plan to do anything with it?" Warren asked.

Dannie-Lynn shrugged. "It's more so for fun and to keep me in shape outside of training, I want to be a writer more than a dancer though."

Conversation slowed a bit for a while with casual smiles across the table at each other until they were both finished with their meals and decided to head back to the apartment.

Apartment:

Dannie-Lynn and Warren walked into the loft like apartment that the teens were sharing and heard laughter from the living room and what sounded like a piano. "Syd's playing." Dannie-Lynn remarked. She got a grin on her face and looked over at Warren. "Go sit and I'll be back down in a minute."

Warren shrugged, nodded and obliged her casual command. Which wasn't like Warren to do, but it wasn't like she had demanded it was more so a request and one that wasn't so horrible.

"Hey guys!" Warren said plopping down on the couch. He looked over at the piano in the corner and saw that Sydney was planning what sounded like goofy-loon toons songs.

"You know those old Mickey cartoons?" Layla asked smiling. Warren shrugged. "She's been playing those silly piano tunes from it."

Warren nodded. "Where's D?" TJ asked.

"Upstairs I guess. She said she'd be right back down." Warren told them.

"And I didn't lie. I'm right here." Dannie-Lynn walked in with her candy apple red faded into black electric guitar strapped around her shoulder and pocket sized amp in a pouch on the guitar strap just over her chest.

"What are you doing?" Syd asked.

Dannie-Lynn smirked. "What we used to do remember?"

"Yeah." Syd smiled. "Name the song."

"Actually it's new (AN: I do not own this song I just really like it and wanted to put it in. Kelly Clarkson - Sober) you can catch up on the notes as I play." Dannie-Lynn said.

Dannie-Lynn sat face away from the piano next to Sydney and started to strum the guitar. Sydney began to play along softly to accompany Dannie-Lynn's playing.

"And I don't know
This could break my heart or save me
Nothing's real
Until you let go completely
So here I go with all my thoughts I've been saving
So here I go with all my fears weighing on me

Three months and I'm still sober
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers
But I know it's never really over

And I don't know
I could crash and burn but maybe
At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me
So I won't worry about my timing, I want to get it right
No comparing, second guessing, no not this time

Three months and I'm still breathing
Been a long road since those hands I left my tears in but I know

It's never really over, no

Wake up

Three months and I'm still standing here
Three months and I'm getting better yeah
Three months and I still am

Three months and it's still harder now
Three months I've been living here without you now
Three months yeah, three months

Three months and I'm still breathing
Three months and I still remember it
Three months and I wake up

Three months and I'm still sober
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers"

Clapping erupted around them as Dannie-Lynn ended the song with one last flick of her guitar pick. "I didn't know you could sing." Layla said excitedly.

"I don't. I just can't help it in some cases."

"She's being modest." Sydney interrupted turning around so she was facing the group like Dannie-Lynn was. "She has an amazing voice, but she doesn't think so."

"I think so." Warren said smirking at her.

Dannie-Lynn smirked at him. "You have to say that. Speaking of go brush your teeth and rinse with Listerine." She said teasingly.

Warren rolled his eyes. "It's fish and the taste is long since gone."

"Yeah but the buds of your tongue probably have juices latched on to them and you don't want me going into some sort of shock or seizure or something would you?" She asked sweetly.

Will looked confused, as did half the kids except Layla, Syd and TJ. "Why would Warren have his fish tongue anywhere near you?" He asked not intending to be crude but it came out a little off.

Layla smacked his shoulder. "You are so clueless in your own love life as well as everyone else's. You can't see that they are together?" She asked almost like it was public knowledge already, which they really hadn't shared it with anyone.

"What?!" Zach, Ethan, Magenta and Will chorused in shock. They looked between Dannie-Lynn and Warren incredulously before Will scoffed jokingly.

"Oh yeah saw that coming from a mile away." He said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes and Warren looked over at him and glared.

"Stronghold just cause we're friends doesn't mean I won't roast you alive." He said glaring but not as intensely as he normally would at his former enemy.

"And just cause I'm your girlfriend doesn't mean I want fry your ass if my face swells to the size of a balloon now go brush!" Dannie-Lynn insisted grinning at her boyfriend. Boyfriend? That sounds good actually, weird, but good in a strange way. She thought.

Warren bit back a retort and got up to go upstairs mumbling to himself something that mysteriously sounded like 'what if it's already swelled to the size of a balloon?' to himself.

"You're treading on dangerous ground Warren Peace!" Dannie-Lynn yelled up to him.

"Ya whatever!" Came a distant but cocky reply.

"Oh he is so in for it." Dannie-Lynn snarled. Maybe she didn't like having a boyfriend. She liked being in control and it seemed that this was so far out of control that it wasn't sitting well with her.

Layla and Syd both laughed softly shaking their heads a bit. Magenta was still smirking in stunned silence, Zach and Ethan had moved on to other topics and TJ was just playing his new Gameboy DS. "How about another song guys?" Layla asked nicely.

Dannie-Lynn shrugged and looked next to her at Syd. "Sydney it's up to you? I still need time to grill Warren about being with my dad today alone, unsupervised by me, talking freely." She dragged on for a moment and then Sydney put a hand over her mouth.

"You could've done that at dinner." Sydney said smirking at her.

"But it was so normal I didn't want to ruin it." Dannie-Lynn said jokingly. Sydney giggled and took her hand back.

"Ruin what?" Warren came in and plopped down on the couch and the smell of mint Listerine rolled into the air from his open mouth making Dannie-Lynn smirk.

"Noneya." She said sweetly and started tuning her guitar just a bit. "Sydney one more?"

"Sure. How about Avril I'm with you?"

"It's sad that I still know that." Dannie-Lynn mumbled. "If you played that damn song one more time I was going to throttle you."

"What?" Syd asked sweetly innocent. "It was a good song. Great artist too."

"Yeah but it didn't need to be played to death on high every freaking morning before school for three months straight." Dannie-Lynn said in exasperation. "Just play would ya huh?" She said jokingly low and faking irritation on her part.

Sydney giggled and started to play the familiar tune Dannie-Lynn joining in and starting to sing the song as well as play it.

"I'm standing on the bridge
I'm waiting in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now

There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening, but there's no sound

Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying figure out this life
Won't you, take me by the hand, take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are but i, I'm with you
I'm with you

I'm looking for a place
I'm searching for a face
Is anybody here I know
Cos nothing's going right and
Everythings a mess
And no-one like's to be alone

Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you, take me by the hand, take me somewhere new
[I'm With You lyrics on don't know who you are but i, I'm with you
I'm with you

Oh, why is everything so confusing
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah

It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you, take me by the hand, take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are but i, I'm with you
I'm with you

Take me by the hand, take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are but i, I'm with you

I'm with you

Take me by the hand, take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are but i, I'm with you

I'm with you
I'm with you"

It seemed like the song ended to soon after it had begun and there were more applause as Dannie-Lynn decided to make it known she wasn't playing anymore by removed her guitar and setting it to lean against the side of the piano behind her.

"Ok you fight, you dance, sing, play guitar, is there anything you don't do?" Layla asked.

"Manipulate fire." Dannie-Lynn said shrugging with a look on her face like 'whatever.' "I can't manipulate fire like Warren can. I can create fire and flame up but I can't take someone else's flame and throw it back."

Warren shrugged. "It isn't hard. You just have to master concentration on the element your dealing with and just let it flow."

"Easy for you to say. I can barely concentrate on a daily basis let alone on one thing." Dannie-Lynn retorted sardonically.

Warren rolled his eyes. "Just trying to help." He muttered. The phone rang and everyone seemed to jump. It didn't happen offend cause they all had cells and their parents just preferred to save money and minutes and call them on those. Dannie-Lynn jogged over grabbing the cordless form the lamp stand next to the sofa.

"Hello Super beings residence how may I direct your call?" She said jokingly.

"Dannie." Came a weak whisper.

Dannie-Lynn's brow furrowed she knew that voice, but from where and why was it so weak. "Um this is she." She said casually a bit mortified at the weakness.

"Help."

Ok now she was just plain freaked. "Ok who is this?"

"Dan."

"Van!" Realization dawned on her when the weak voice uttered that one word. "Help! Help what? What's wrong?" She asked scared now jogging out of the apartment and into the elevator well aware of the phones range in the building having used it several times while going downstairs and up.

Dannie-Lynn saw Warren enter the elevator and she went up still listening intently to her friend. "He…he hurt…me." She whimpered weakly.

"Who? Who Ness who hurt you?"

"Guy…party…I hurt Dan." She said a loud sob coming from her lips springing tears to Dannie-Lynn's eyes.

"It's ok stay with me. Where are you?" Dannie-Lynn asked pushing the floor button repeatedly thinking it would make the elevator go faster.

"Rome."

"Where in Rome Ness? Where I can't find you if you don't tell me where to look."

"I dunno Dannie." She cried. "I'm scared."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell. Stay with me." Warren had his hand on her shoulder trying to comfort Dannie-Lynn and she looked up at him and blinked back tears and the elevator door opened and she rushed out. "Dad! Dad!"

"What? What's burning is everyone alright?" Johnny sat up on the couch looking around warily as he opened his eyes from the snooze he had been taking.

"No dad! Nessa's in trouble!"

"What? Dannie than she needs to go to the police."

Dannie-Lynn got mad and felt the head in her palm and pulled the phone away from her ear. "Get off your ass and wake up Uncle Reed now. I can't do the entire computer shit and I have to find her she's hurt! Move!" Her voice practically boomed threw the walls.

That almost rivaled Boomer. Warren thought but kept himself silent seeing how upset she was.

"What's going on?" Sue came in wearing P.J.'s and rubbing her eyes having obviously been asleep.

"Aunt Sue please you have to help me." Dannie-Lynn was desperate. She pulled her wallet from her back pocket and a slip out of one of the slots and handed it to her. "This is the code to the tracker I put on Nessa's Christmas necklace, she never takes it off I need you to tell me where's she's at."

"What? Why?" Sue asked confused.

Dannie-Lynn held the phone up to her ear. "Nessa you still there?" She asked softly.

"Dan I'm cold…and…I hurt." She cried.

"Ok it's ok." Dannie-Lynn said trying to calm her down a bit. Johnny was by his daughter's side now and he took the phone.

"Nessa?"

"Help me?" She cried softly.

Johnny looked to his daughter with sorrow filled eyes and handed her back the phone hearing the weakness in her voice. "Sue do as she asks."

Sue nodded and went to the computer system and started a floury of keystrokes and soon a map popped up with a red dot in the vicinity of Italy. She started focusing it down until she could make-out a weak digital version of the city.

As she was doing that Dannie-Lynn remained on the phone with Nessa talking to her, cause she sounded on the verge of blacking out. Warren held her from behind back against his strong chest and she sort of settled there taking in his warmth and what reassurance he could offer to her that her friend would be alright. "And the time I kicked Kirk's ass for snapping you with a wet towel." And very weak giggle escaped Nessa.

"Yeah." She sighed in agony.

Dannie-Lynn felt her heart clench. Nessa was her best friend almost like a sister and they had known each other since grade school. Nessa was never afraid when Dannie-Lynn went all flames on her and she didn't reject her when she found out what the young fantastic could do. Other's even knowing her family heritage had turned a blind eye on her cause she was different, but not Nessa.

"And what about that time that Derrick Marcs was hitting on you and I singed the fray of his jeans, you remember the look on his face when he realized the smoke he smelled was coming from his feet."

"It was funny." Came another very weak reply.

"Ok I've got her. She's just on the out skirts of Rome. It seems she's in some sort of field area. Ask her if she's surrounded by anything?"

"Nessa can you tell me what's around you?" Dannie-Lynn asked.

"Too dark." She mumbled softly.

Fear set in. "Wake up! Snap out of it Van. I need you to tell me what's around you." There came no reply.