Only needed a tiny help from Onyx. Thanks anyways, Twin!

Chapter 7

She woke up to Ted shaking her. "CJ, your ear is flashing."

That made her jump off him and the bed. How hadn't she heard the league talking in her ear? "Go for Firebug."

"There is nothing new with you sister's condition," Batman started through the comm. "Any time she feels angry, scared, or confused, her abilities get out of control. When she is happy she's fine. We are keeping her in quarantine. Diana has been explaining the situation to her, as much as she can, and keeping her calm. I wanted to let you know that I am bringing in Ice. Hopefully, she will help your sister control her abilities. If not…." He trailed off, thinking whatever it was was obvious. CJ didn't really know what he meant, but she didn't press him.

CJ nodded to herself. "Alright. Thanks for the update." She pulled the comm from her ear, because having it in for twenty-four hours straight made it sore. When she turned around, she was surprised to see Ted sitting on her bed, his legs over the side, forearms on his knees, head bowed. She had forgotten that she had spent the night on top of him.

As she stared down at him, she decided that she wanted to tell him why she had been so upset last night. But she wasn't ready. "Did you want something to eat?"

He looked up at her, small surprise on his face. CJ thought maybe it was because he didn't know she had ended the short conversation on her comm. After they talked she would go visit Caroline. She would find a way to talk to her without causing her to instantly freeze.

Ted stood. "Sure."

CJ gave him a small smile and the two went to the kitchen, both still in their clothes from last night. CJ was going to make eggs, because it was the easiest thing for her to make. But it turned out, Ted knew how to cook. Breakfast, at least.

As he worked, he began to talk about nothing in particular. He started rambling on about why he wore the clothes he did. CJ had to admit it was strange, yet interesting. "Mostly because of my line of work; I have to look smart and calculated to get donations to sell my work. Cotton can sometimes get itchy, in my opinion. I don't wear a suit jacket because most of the time, I get sweaty while at the conventions I go to. With just a plain shirt, I can keep the sleeves down if I'm cold, and roll them up if I get hot."

CJ felt her mouth fall open. She felt exactly the same way.

He spoke more about it, why he had his job. He reminded her about mutations, how he was fascinated by them. It made CJ think about her own mutation that allowed her to come to this world. Ted talked, and CJ listened, and before they knew it, breakfast was ready.

He added seasoning and cheese to the scrambled eggs, but some hamburger buns in the toaster, made sausage patties with a hint of honey, and strips of bacon. She sat on a stool on the other side of the island, to give him space as he worked. In the end, they had little sandwiches, and CJ almost died from the deliciousness of it. Ted stood, a towel across his shoulder, as he ate his.

Right before he could really get into his food, he said, "Thank you." He paused, where CJ rose her eyebrows in question. He had made the food, not her. "For last night. I really needed to get out." Oh. Before she could answer, he smiled at her. "I had fun. More than I thought I would."

CJ took a bite, contemplating what he had said. He had had fun. With her. Out of the apartment. Maybe they should do it more often. Knowing that she was the cause of his short happiness made CJ's stomach flip in joy and anxiety. She loved that he enjoyed her company, but…. She shook her head at where her thoughts were leading. She didn't need to think about them. She should just be glad that he had had a great time.

Then, when they finished, she began to explain why she took him to the fair; for him, but also for her. CJ told him about her sister, how she came through a portal just like she did. She told him that Caroline had abilities, too, but the opposite of her, that hers weren't as easily controlled as CJ's were. Then she told him why she had been upset, because she shouldn't see Caroline or her ability would get out of control and she'd be scared again. She hated having to leave her sister, and wanted to break down again, but held it together.

As he listened, Ted washed the few pans he used and their dishes. She knew he listened, and she was glad he did something other than stare at her as she spoke. When she finished, he leaned against the counter, his arms on it, bending down. She watched his face, then waited for him to say what he was struggling to say. She saw the way he stared down at the counter. Watched his brow twitch. "Can I-" He shook his head, like he wasn't going to ask, but then thought he should since he already started. "Would it be okay if I took a blood sample?"

CJ saw that it had been difficult for him to ask. This was her twin sister they were talking about, and since Ted was friends with CJ, so it might be a little awkward because he got a blood sample from Caroline like he did CJ weeks ago. This sounded really funny to her for some reason. She was grinning when she answered. "It's not really me you should be asking." She laughed again.

Her and Ted teleported up to the WatchTower once they had taken showers and got into fresh clothes. CJ wore her Firebug uniform, and Ted wore his usual button up shirt and slacks.

CJ had asked ahead of time if she could bring Ted up, so Wonder Woman was ready for them when they beamed up.

She smiled at Ted. "Nice to see you again, ."

"You too, Diana. Thank you for having me."

With some silent appreciation, the three fell into step together as they headed towards the quarantine room.

CJ looked up at the Amazon. "Thank you for looking out for her."

Diana smiled down at her. "Of course, CJ. Anything for a friend." She let out a small laugh. "It's quite odd, actually. She is going through a similar process you went through."

Similar process? "Like what?" Was Batman doing that stupid exercise where he pricked her with his invisible zapping things?

"Black Canary has given her clothes that change temperatures with her. If she grows just slightly colder, so do her clothes. This makes it so she does not feel the difference and get frightened."

CJ smiled, hearing that Black Canary was helping her sister like she helped CJ. She was glad most of the Justice League were nice people. At least her twin would be surrounded by safety.

Wonder Woman stopped them at a room that wasn't in the med bay. CJ looked up at the door, then her. "Where are we?"

"As we said before, it is safer for your sister if you don't see her in person. Here, you'll be able to watch without her seeing you. You won't be able to speak to her, just observe."

She opened the door to reveal a dark room lit by many screens. CJ took one last glance at Ted before she slowly crept in. The door shut behind her, leaving her in the dark room.

A man was standing at one of the monitors, and on the other end of the room there was a man in a swivel chair, typing away at a keyboard, glancing at the monitors every few seconds. The screens switched every few seconds. Standing by this man was a woman, and at first glance CJ immediately registered her as Hawkgirl. This was obvious with the wings that were seen on her back. She glanced at CJ when she walked in, then turned back to the man and spoke to him quietly.

On the other wall, where the man was standing, the screens didn't switch. They stayed on the same picture. As CJ looked, she noticed most of them were of the WatchTower, the outside, the bigger rooms like the cafeteria, and the smaller rooms down hallways that no one really went to. Was this another monitor room, only for the WatchTower? A security room?

Then she noticed who the man was. It was the Martian Manhunter. He had watched CJ walk in, and waited patiently for her approach him. "Please, call me J'onn. Or John. Whichever is easier for you to pronounce."

"Hi, J'onn." She had never actually met the man, and so introductions were expected, but it was odd nevertheless. She looked at the screen he had been looking at. It was of the quarantine room, the one she first had that was now occupied by her sister. So that was how they knew she was talking to them all those weeks ago. She had just spoken to no one in particular and then someone would appear on the other side of the glass. It was a little creepy, knowing they had been watching her, but hopefully they didn't watch her twenty-four-seven. That would be really creepy.

But now she knew why she was here. She could watch Ted and her sister, and keep Caroline safe at the same time. But why was J'onn here? Did she need supervision, or was he here to just make sure she knew what was happening.

J'onn turned to look at the screen with her. "You are aware that I have a…. weakness, for fire, which is why I-"

CJ held up her hand, which effectively stopped him. She gave him a small smile. "I understand." She gave a small laugh at his awkwardness. Or was it nervousness? "I can assure you, I will not harm you. I have control."

He nodded, then they both turned back to the screen.

Just then, Ted walked in with the very same cart of equipment he had when CJ had been a resident in the room. This time, with Caroline, he actually went into the glass room, where CJ had come out. Suddenly, she was worried, for both Ted and her sister. If Ted did anything to upset her, Caroline could freeze up. Ted could get caught in the cross fire. The two people she cared for most could get harmed.

CJ couldn't do anything but watch.

The doors closed behind Ted, which finally caught Caroline's attention. She must have been sleeping or pre-occupied to not hear him enter.

Ted left the equipment and smiled at her. "Good afternoon. I'm Dr. Wallace, I'm here to take a blood sample."

Caroline stood, and CJ could see her new outfit. She had a white jacket, white boots, just like CJ's, and cobalt blue tank top and jeans. CJ rolled her eyes. Black Canary gave her the same outfit but with different colors. And a tank top instead of a bra. Of course.

"Wait, you're Todd."

Ted blinked at Caroline, confused, but CJ, who was not in the room to explain, placed her hand on her forehead. She had forgotten that she had told her sister about him. With the letter she sent her twin when she became a member of the Justice League, she sent a postcard of Ted, Diana, Black Canary, Superman and Flash, telling her that these were CJ's friends.

Caroline continued, still surprised. "You know my sister."

Ted turned to the table and poked around. "Yes, I do."

"Is she alright here? She's not dying, is she?"

Ted let out a small laugh, and since he was angled toward the camera, CJ could see that he was smiling. "No, she's fine. Honestly, I can see that she enjoys it here. She's happy." He paused. "She helps people, even if she knows she's going to get hurt from it. It's what she loves."

CJ smiled, though she didn't understand the look on his face.

CJ saw Caroline smile, too. "Do you care for her?"

Ted dropped something onto the cart, and a clanging erupted as the object settled onto the metal. The smile was no longer on his face, and he suddenly looked shocked for a moment. He turned around to her and cleared his throat before talking. "Could you take a seat, please?"

She did, and he approached, wrapped the rubber around her upper arm, and found a vein. Then he stuck her with a needle- here, Caroline's face pinched up in discomfort- and got himself a blood sample. Once there was enough blood in the vial, he held it up to the light, then he asked Caroline to hold it as he fixed up her arm. Seeing this, CJ remembered that he had done the exact same thing with CJ. It must be odd for him to be doing this, with someone that looks exactly like CJ, who isn't CJ.

CJ blinked, her heart beat picking up, feeling sudden pricking in her fingertips, making her fists clench. There was also a burning sensation in her stomach. She suddenly wanted to set something on fire, but she didn't understand why. Realizing that Ted was in there with Caroline, and not her, had produced these feelings.

She shook her head to clear it, and rolled her shoulders. Beside her, J'onn looked down at her. "Are you alright?"

CJ unclenched her hands. "Yeah, I just…. I don't know." She swore she saw his lips twitch, but it was only for a moment, and it could have been her imagination. She turned back to the screen trying to push away her emotions. She really hated them sometimes.

Ted had went back to the cart with the vial, but turned curiously back to Caroline. "Are you alright?"

It was then that CJ heard her twin breathing more heavily. She was still sitting on the bed, but she was shaking her hands, like maybe she wanted her nail polish to dry or was waving away a bunch of flies.

CJ bolted out of the room, knowing what was happening. She vaguely heard J'onn follow her with a warning, but she didn't listen to him. She took a chance and went right, and ran. Her sister needed her. She was in danger. Ted was in danger. They both were.

As she turned a corner, she almost slammed into another person. She didn't take time to look to see who it was before she hurried out a reply and continued to run.

She let out a sigh of relief when she recognized the hall. Seconds later, she was in the quarantine room. Fortunately, Diana was still there. "CJ, you're-"

"I need you to let me in there," she told the Amazon. Ted and Caroline both looked over at her. She was breathing more heavily, but so was Caroline. Diana didn't budge. "If you don't let me in there, she's going to freak out and she could hurt Ted. I won't have either of those."

Diana stared at her one more moment before she nodded, and opened the glass.

CJ tried to give her a smile but rushed in. She turned to Ted first. "Ted, you have to trust me. Get out."

He glanced at Caroline, took in her panic, then stared at CJ, his eyebrows lowering slightly. "CJ, your cryophobia."

She had no idea what that meant, but she didn't care. Her sister was getting worse. She didn't look like she knew that she was in a room anymore with other people. She took a step closer to him, making sure he heard her words. "I can not only create heat, but take it away. I'll take hers away, so she'll feel more comfortable."

He shook his head once. "No, that won't make a difference. She'll still turn to ice, you'll just help her do it quicker than she can on her own."

"But if I can take it from her, won't she feel cold? Doesn't she want to feel cold?"

"Cynth, what are you talking about?"

CJ turned to her twin, who was looking at her with wide eyes. "Care, calm down. You're fine. So what if it's a little hot?"

Her sister shook her head. "No, it's not like that. It's worse."

"CJ, Ted, you need to get out of there. She'll take all the hot air out of the room and you'll die of extreme hypothermia." This was from Wonder Woman.

CJ already felt the air begin to grow cold. She turned and looked at Ted, pleading. "I can do this. I know it."

Their gazes met, and she saw that he understood. She also saw that he hated to leave her alone in the room, especially if it was possible that CJ could get harmed by her twin.

The door closed behind him, but he was still there, CJ could see him through the glass.

CJ turned to Caroline and took a step closer to her, but then felt the cool of the air. It bit at her, warning her to stay away.

CJ began to absorb the heat, and she kept absorbing it until she was the only warm thing in the room. It only took a few seconds. Caroline looked like she was better, but not completely fine. CJ didn't know how low the temperature needed to be. 32 degrees Fahrenheit was freezing temperature, wasn't it?

As the temperature around her- and Caroline- decreased, CJ grew hotter. If she kept this up, she would grow hot enough to catch on fire. What would that do to the air?

Caroline was becoming calm again. She blinked and her eyes focused, as if she was coming out of a daze. Now was the time for CJ to get her to calm down.

"Care, I need you to listen to me. You know you have powers, right?"

Caroline frowned at her. "Powers? What are you talking about?" She blinked and looked her up and down. "Are you okay? You don't look right."

"I'm concentrating," CJ barked out. She shook her head. "Sorry. When you get like this, when you start to get hot, you make yourself get cold. It's why you go unconscious, because you become ice; you freeze yourself. If I can control it, then so can you."

"What? I don't understand. This happens to you, too?"

CJ shook her head. "Not exactly. Haven't you spoken to Ice yet?"

Caroline glared. "CJ, would you stop talking about ice for a minute? I wanna know what happened to you, why you left me. Can't you just tell me that?"

CJ had continued to absorb the air and turn it to her heat, and it continued to build up inside her. "You wanna know what happened to me? This!" Then she let herself catch fire. But as she did that, she continued to keep the air around them the same temperature.

"I didn't come back because I can control fire, and now you can control ice. I help people here, and if I went back there, to you, I wouldn't be able to. I'm nothing there."

Caroline didn't seem at all surprised that her twin sister had just caught fire. She was too angry. "Are you serious? You stayed here to keep your powers? How selfish are you?"

CJ's composure faltered, and she forgot for a moment what she was doing. Selfish? CJ wasn't selfish, was she?

Caroline continued to get angry and yell. Frost was beginning to form on her half of the room, but she seemed to be in control of her powers for a moment. "Just because you're only my twin sister there means you had to stay here? You think that saved the world? Do you know how miserable I was? Keith doesn't want to get married anymore, because he thinks I belong in an insane asylum. I cried every night, because you had left without saying goodbye to me. You left me, and for this?"

CJ began to grow angry herself. "I didn't do this on purpose! Some crazy lunatic decided to mess with my genes and send me through a portal! He forced these powers onto me! I wanted to go back to you every day! But then I started helping people. I saved their lives. I saved New York!"

"Well, there's one person you didn't save when you came here: Me! You ruined me! Now I'm this!"

If you didn't know: Caroline kind of understands what's happening, but not completely. And now she is seriously pissed and blames her powers on CJ. Go figure.

Sorry about the cliff hanger; I felt like the chapter was getting too long with too much going on. I also didn't know how to end it.

See you next chapter!