This chapter is centered a lot around Chase and his anger. There's another Spike appearance, and let's just say things go down and get real. A lot of emotion and Hannah slowly but surely realizing her humanity. Episode tags to "Brother Battle" and "Spike Fright."

You know, you guys are slowly getting to me. I had always planned to just post what I had on my pre-written stories and write anything new whenever it came to me. But now, I'm thinking about changing a lot of things because of all the suggestions and tips from you guys. I know that's probably the point, but I never expected to actually consider it (cuz I'm stubborn and lazy at the same time). But now...I've got a lot of ideas. My creative juices are flowing because of you, thank you very much. You guys are such good influences. Give yourselves a pat on the back.

And now...

"I just wish he would…ugh!" Chase sighed angrily. He had been pacing my room for several minutes now. "He is so inconsiderate. Ha, I bet he doesn't even know what inconsiderate means!"

"I know that Adam isn't the best person to talk to or be around or anything, but you need to calm down," I told him. "Complaining isn't going to help."

He stopped suddenly, his face lit up as he thought of an idea. "You're right. I'll just have to take action."

I knew that look, those words. They never meant any good. "What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"I've got to go. See ya." He walked out the door, but I followed him.

"Whoa, hold it. I know that look. What are you thinking, Chase Davenport?"

"Nothing." He was completely ignoring me.

"Chase, stop! Whatever you're thinking, I know it's not going to end well."

"How do you know?" he snapped, finally turning around to face me.

I stepped back as if he had slapped me. I had never seen Chase so angry, especially not at me. "I was three when they started telling me to trust my knowledge and my instinct. I don't know if it's going to end badly, as in I don't have solid evidence. I just know things like this, as in I've seen these things happen and know how they end," I said quietly. I wanted to run. I wanted to get out of there and break down. But I didn't. It wasn't in my nature to flee from a complicated situation. Besides, he would just run after me and try to comfort me when I cried. And that's not what I wanted or needed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, his head hung. His tone was a lot softer. "I'm just tired and worn out with this whole thing. I want it to end, but…but I know it won't. Sibling rivalries are a part of society. I just…want it to at least tip a little in my favor for once. I'm not trying to make excuses. I'm just telling the truth."

"I know. Adam isn't the most thoughtful person in the world, but he does care, believe or not. He'll protect you and Bree when the time comes. He looks out for you, even if you don't see it."

"I know he does. But at any other time, he's insulting me or throwing me around or whatever. I don't know what to do."

"Just be thankful that you have a brother. Siblings may be annoying or ignorant at times, but they come through when it most matters."

He raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like you don't have any."

"I don't."

"You have us. You'll always have us."

"I know. I feel really close to you guys, but I just don't have the connection. There's a line between feeling like you're my siblings and you actually being my siblings."

"I guess that's true." He leaned against my doorframe. "Well, I have to go. See ya, Hannah."

I thought I had taught him something, and maybe I did. But in the end, his resentment got in the way. Douglas unlocked each of them new abilities, which upset the balance of the whole family. But they eventually worked it out. At least for a little while.

"Spike's back!"

I heard a voice shouting downstairs and winced in sympathy. I had been trained with a Commando App and knew how it felt. I had also seen the results. Neither side was pretty.

I ran down, taking two steps at a time. "Chase!" I called.

"Chase isn't here!" he said in his low Spike voice. "Spike's come out to play!"

I almost groaned. Spike's voice was already getting on my nerves. But I knew how to handle this.

I walked confidently up to Spike. Adam was on the ground, and Sabrina was hiding behind a chair. Spike grinned and winked mischievously at me as I tried to move faster. When Sabrina yelled, "Don't hit the molecule!" he lunged at it. I shoved him to the side, and we toppled to the floor.

"You don't want to do this, Chase," I told him, still grappling. He pushed me off and stood.

"I'm not Chase," he growled.

I rose as well. "Yes, you are," I insisted. "And, Chase, I'm really sorry about this."

I slapped him across the face.

The anger in his eyes when he looked at me again was clear. He clenched his fists and bared his teeth at me. I closed my eyes and waited for the blow I knew was coming. Several seconds later, I opened them again and saw Chase breathing hard. "What…what happened?"

"Spike happened," I replied, my face breaking out in a grin.

He gave me a confused look. I was still smiling as I said, "Come on, I'll explain everything." I grabbed his hand, and we ran up to my room.

After I had explained everything, he only had one question. "Why did you slap me?"

I was a bit taken aback at the abruptness of the inquiry, but I had expected him to ask something like that. "I've been tested myself with the Commando App, and I know how to deactivate it from the outside. I knew that you would never hurt me. Spike would, and your subconscious mind knew that. So you overpowered the app and took control again so you wouldn't hurt me. Your Commando App is a defense app that is activated by anger, and once that anger is replaced by another emotion that is stronger, it can overpower it. In short, the human side of your mind, the compassionate one, can overpower the computer part of yourself, the emotionless one."

I stopped. As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I realized that I had just spoken to myself as much as to him. It was like…some part of my unconscious mind had realized something about myself and then said it out loud.

I was trying to convince myself that I could overcome all the years of training to be an emotionless robot and be…me, a human being full of emotions and individuality and personality and thoughts.

"So, in even shorter, love triumphs all?" Chase asked, grinning weakly.

I stared at him. A slow smile crept across my face. "Yeah, that's exactly it."