Death isn't pretty

"HOW COULD WE LET THIS HAPPEN?!" Layla yelled for the third time as she paced back and forth. She covered her face with her hands in frustration before she pulled at her hair.

"LAYLA!" Warren yelled, Hippie was a friendly greeting, Nature meant he was mad, Layla meant he was down right pissed off. The entire situation had him on edge and Layla's constant ramblings were not helping his mood.

Layla dropped down on the only couch that didn't have glass, lowered her head to her hands and cried. "I promised her I'd keep him safe," she hiccupped between sobs.

Will threw a look at Warren before sitting down next to Layla and holding her comfortingly. Layla cried into her boyfriend's neck while everyone else sat quietly.

Ice shifted uncomfortably as she watched Warren as he stared out the window and listened to Will try to calm Layla down. She felt not unlike a fifth wheel. She chewed on her bottom lip and lowered her eyes to the floor. Not two feet away from where she stood was a small puddle of a silver substance.

Ice stepped closer, crouching down to look closer, squinting slightly to try and figure out what the substance was. "Hey, what's that?" Ice asked pointing to the puddle while she looked up to Will and Layla.

Warren looked long at hard at the silvery liquid. "It's liquid metal." He answered; the confusion in his tone did not go unnoticed.

"Wait, isn't there a metal factory around here?" Will piped up. Warren, Ice and Layla looked up to Will with a surprise covering all of their faces. "What? I'm smart sometimes!" Will yelled defensively.

Layla smiled so wide her face almost broke in two. "You're a genius." She said lovingly before planting a kiss right on his lips. Ice and Warren made gagging sounds and turned to look away.

"Could we stop the make out session and, I don't know, save Jenny and War?" Ice said with sarcasm dripping from her words.

Layla seemed to ignore Ice's tone as she jumped up from the couch, pulling Will with her. "Oh, yes! Let's go!"

They all rushed out of the home and scrambled into a car. Warren drove the three miles to the metal factory, not even blinking at the stop signs or speed limit signs, making it to the monstrosity in less than two minutes. Of course, Will, Ice and Layla all clung to their seats, there bodies molded to them from the sheer force of speed.

Warren shoved himself out of the car and was about to storm into the factory when he realized the others were still in the car.

"Come on!" Warren bellowed, shaking them all out of there fear induced trance.

They scrambled out of the car and gathered around Warren.

"Um, question… do we have a plan?" Ice asked nervously.

"Yes, we get baby War back." Layla said confidently with her head high.

"Oh, that makes me feel better," Ice said, too scared to add sarcasm.

"Come on, we have to do this, for Jenny and War." Will said seriously, trying to hide his own fear.

They all shared a determined look and made their way quietly into the factory. Warren and Will were stealthy enough, but stumbles and hard breathing gave away Layla and Ice.

"Now, where do you think you're going?" taunted a cold voice behind them.

Warren spun around to find Dark Raven, Royal Pain, Underworld, and the mighty famous Athena, well the once mighty Athena, behind them. All four held their heads high and tried their best not to look frightened.

This was not going to be good…

Not two minutes into the fight, they were loosing, badly to the insanely powerful villains who had kidnapped Jenny and War. Will was off ducking it out with Underworld and actually matching him.

Layla, however, was not fairing so well. She yelled in pain as Athena slashed her shoulder with a dagger. Athena laughed coldly as Layla tried to take control of the plants around her.

"LAYLA GET DOWN!" Warren yelled from the other side of the room where he fought with Royal Pain. She ducked just in time as Warren threw Royal Pain into Athena.

Ice was fighting a losing battle against Dark Raven, who had her black wings out and was fighting Ice with fire ropes. To say she was frustrated was a bit of an understatement. She grunted and growled as she tried to wiggle free from the burning ropes.

Layla was just starting to recover from Athena when fire ropes wrapped around her arms and torso and around her knees forcing her to the ground. Dark Raven pulled Layla next to Ice and smiled victoriously down at them.

"I hate it when the bad guys win." Ice growled indignantly.

Somehow Will, who had been winning there for a while, found his powers gone and was stuck in a steel cage.

"What's going on?!" Will yelled, pounding his fists against the cage, only to have his hands flare with pain.

"Hello brother," said a cold and eerie voice from the shadows. All attention turned to the area and a familiar face walked out of the shadows.

"Steven," Warren hissed.

"You can let them go Judith," Steven said to Dark Raven. She pursed her lips together and as slowly, and as painfully, as she possibly could, let her hold on the two heroes go until they were free. Layla and Ice rushed to Will and set him free from his iron cage.

"Pick up the sword, brother," Steven said pointing to the sword lying on the floor.

"You're funeral." Warren spat as he ran for the sword and took it from the ground.

The fight raged on, with Warren in a heated battle with his brother. Warren was knocked to the ground from a kick to the gut by Steven. For the second he had, he looked at his friends. Layla fighting Gwen Grayson, and Will fighting some of Underworld's illusions. Ice didn't fare so well…

A piercing scream filled the air and Warren's heart fell and his stomach clenched as her head hit the ground.

"NOOOOOO!" Layla screamed as Ice lay motionless on the ground. Ivy grew fast around the room and soon most of the villains were choking on it.

Warren was the first by her side, pulling her into his lap. He looked at the black stain that marred the white shirt. Dark Raven had hit her square in the stomach. Her head lay on his shoulder as he gently rocked her. She couldn't die, she was like a little sister to him, and he was supposed to protect her. Will took her body from Warren's arms and examined her. He gently shook his head, she was indeed… dead.

Warren looked up, glaring at his real little sister. He was surprised to find Judith in tears.

Then it hit him, Steven had three powers:

Fire

Flight

And… mind control.

Judith had never been in control and now she was free of the hold Steven had on her. She'd never killed before, and after seeing her victim the shock sent her to tears.

Warren turned to face his brother who was laughing at the situation; anger molded his face into a menacing scowl.

"NO! ICE!" screamed a familiar voice.

Warren turned around to see Jenny standing in the doorway, tears sliding down her face and her hands clasp over her mouth in utter horror.

She ran to her friend's side. She sobbed as she dropped her head to her friend's stomach, praying she would just take one more breath.

"I'm sorry sweetie but it had to be done," Steven said suddenly appearing next to her.

"Don't call me sweetie," Jenny growled before she roared and attacked Steven with her fists.

What the hell is going on? Warren thought vehemently.

A/N I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait. I hope you like it.

REVEIW!!