Chibiyu: I found out something today: I am a new story addict. I should be writing and finishing others, but I can't tear myself away from this one right now. Kinda sucks.

Nick: I'm ok with it. I kick butt.

Chibiyu: Yeah, you kind of have to.

Plot and Oc's are mine, JONAS is not.

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"Gave you the finger?" I finished, shaking my head at the scene. "You deserved it." I too turned and walked away from my downed brother. But I didn't go after Nick; I was just as bad as Joe. My amends to him were not ready to be heard and I wasn't ready to give them. Nick needed to something more than mere words to prove to him that we could change. And Joe and I needed to do it together.

It's the only way.

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"Kevin, wait!" I sighed loudly at the frantic call, giving into his hurt voice and stopping. I didn't face him, however; he would have to earn that.

"Why do you always do that, Joe?" I questioned, aware that I was just as guilty as he was in this situation.

I heard Joe shuffle his feet and sniff lightly. "Because he's our little brother." I turned at this, facing him, with a surprised look on my face. "I act like such an idiot because I don't want him to die!"

I dropped my gaze, knowing this descending woe as well. "I know."

"Why do you think I treat Paragon that badly? Why do you think I make him out to be powerless? I know Nick is anything but powerless. And I know you feel the same! Why else would you lie to Mom and Dad about us saving Nick? Why else would you always tell me when he is with Paragon?"

I cut off his rant with a raised hand. "Joe, I know. I don't want him to die either." I wish I could cover the shake in my voice; Joe didn't need to see that I was cut up over the expiration date on Nick's life as well. "But we can't do this anymore: protecting him this way isn't working. It worked when he was younger, but now he knows more things than we do. If we tell keep degrading him, then he will pick a fight to prove us different."

"He'll be his own downfall," Joe finished my thought, head hanging low. "I know, Kev." He started pacing, his hand rubbing his forehead, leaving a red mark after the second stroke. "But if we just drop it then Nick will be suspicious and we don't want that."

I had to laugh at the truth behind that statement. "So how do we approach this?" Joe gave an unhelpful shrug at my question. I rolled my eyes behind the obviousness of the answer. "You could start by stopping throwing stones at Paragon."

Joe kicked the ground, his face hidden. "Yeah." He breathed out, not happy by this decision. "I just…"

"She won't turn on him." I informed him. Joe may have missed the smirks and finger waves and the overall happy vibes Paragon gave off when she was with Nick, but I didn't. "She likes him, Joe, and he likes her."

Joe made a grossed out noise and banged his head against the wall. "If she starts making kissy faces with my brother then I will rip off her head."

I chuckled lightly at his reaction. "No Joe; just friends."

"You can't sense relationships, Kevin."

I raised my eyebrow and smirked. "Are you sure about that?"

Joe's mouth went slack. "Can you?"

"Can a bear fit into a bikini?"

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Joe's PoV

I carefully walked the streets, aware that it was dangerous for anyone to be out before dawn. I may have super strength, but even I knew that I wasn't invincible. Sure, I didn't show Nick this side of me, but for a good reason. When he needed me, if he ever would admit it, I wanted him to be confident that I could help him. I wanted him to know that for his safety, I would be that invincible being. But obviously the message was misinterpreted. Which was why I had to do this.

I turned the corner and neared the bridge, smelling the tainted water before I heard it lapping against the concrete edges. I grimaced at the smell of dead fish, wondering how anyone could ever live here.

A laugh pierced through the quiet, having me jumping and catching my breath, not realizing immediately that it was a happy laugh. I slowly entered the concrete and weed filled clearing, stopping dead in the shadows when I noticed the three figures.

Paragon was in the arms of my brother, him spinning her around to the beat of his iPod. She was laughing when the smaller one next to them clapped. I watched Nick release Paragon's hands, a small smile on his face when the girl lifted the smaller boy and rested him on her hip. Paragon had a brother. A younger brother.

The fact slapped me hard in the face, leaving me absolutely winded. This was why Nick had confidence in her good side; why she never did anything other than steal little things. She did it for her brother. Just as I was a douche to try and protect my own family.

I watched her gently press a kiss to her brother's cheek before setting him down and taking his hands. She twisted slightly, drawing him into a dance while Nick watched, amusement dancing in his eyes. That was when I decided to step into the flickering street lamp and reveal myself.

Paragon instantly shoved the boy behind her, hissing lowly as her eyes became elongated. But her intimidation method which worked so well in the past had no effect. Nick crossed his arms, his eyes searching my hanging face.

"Joe." My name seemed to bite the frigid air when spoken from her lips. "What are you doing here?"

I lifted my head, looking at the boy with dark hair and eyes which were so like his sisters and sighed lowly. "I came to apologize to you." Nick slowly backed up, noting how I said nothing to him or looked at him, and slipped away before I could even think to call his name.

I faced the girl and took a deep breath, unable to shake the guilt I felt at Nick's face. I had to think of a way to make it up to him later. Right now, I had to make it up to Paragon. "I didn't understand, not fully, until now," I managed to say, looking into the scared eyes of her brother. "I'm sorry." She smiled softly at this, nodding, but not saying anything. "I finally can see you as a person instead of a beast."

"So, not a beauty?" She punned on the movie title, making me smile. "Thanks, Joe. Apology accepted. For now."

I rolled my eyes as she stuck out her tongue. "You're going to hold this against me, aren't you?" This was going better than I had expected.

She pointed to herself with a pompous air about her. "Villain." She reminded me, laughter back and jaunting in her now normal eyes. I nodded, stepping closer and noting how the younger clamped onto his sister's torn jeans. "This is Henry," she introduced, nudging the boy slightly. "He's shy."

"Hey buddy," I knelt down to his level, noting how he hid again. "Is he a Normal?"

Paragon sniffled, her glare coming back in its fullest. "And why, Hyperion, does it matter?"

I looked to my feet, trying to shuffle together an excuse for my own curiosity. But all I could come up with was: "It doesn't?"

I watched the Shifter's eyes flash dangerously as she took one very precise and threatening step towards me. "You're right, Joey," she taunted, her voice low as she sneered my name. "It doesn't matter. Normals can do more than any one of us by just being able to turn away."

"Turning away?"

Her back angled at this statement and I took a half step back, recognizing the offensive pose. "The ability to turn ones back on a fight, on gossip, and on labels." Her voice was nothing more than a hiss now. Her brother, so small that he couldn't have been older than nine, looked at the exchange with interest. I stared at him for a little longer, knowing that look in the kid's eyes; Nick used to look like that too whenever Kevin and I would do something unnatural.

"We can do that."

"Really?" Her laughter chilled my bones and forced another step back from my feet. Again I questioned why Nick liked this girl when she was so clearly unhinged. "Why then, Joe, did you throw stones at me for stealing something that I need and don't have the money to afford?"

I blinked, having the answer that 'stealing is bad and Heroes stop bad things,' but it wouldn't come. Not when I witnessed where this girl lived and who she had with her. Nick always used to say that the ones who turn bad are forced into doing it by circumstance. I used to think he was bonkers, but now, I think I understand.

"Speechless?" she whispered, straightening her stance and placing her hand on her hip. "I had hope for better." Paragon looked behind her and held out her hand, the young boy instantly walking over and taking it. "You're apology has been nullified and denied."

"Wait!" I nearly screamed as she turned her back. "Paragon, please," I hated hearing myself plead, but I wasn't in control of my own voice anymore. I needed to do this and that sheer need was enough to shatter my walls of self-respect. "It's just hard for me. It's in my blood to protect Normals and to worry for them!"

"Not for them," I paused when the Villain's slick voice cut seamlessly over mine. "For Nick."

I couldn't deny this. "For Nick." I nodded, earning her face instead of the view of her back. "I'm an older brother, just as you are an older sister." Paragon remained silent though I had given her a chance to interject. "I just want Nick to be safe and if being a total jerk accomplishes that, then I will be a jerk until the end." I looked to the ground, not wanting the Villain to see the extent of my worries, of my fears. "I don't want him to die."

She was quiet for three heartbeats before I heard her sigh lightly. "I know what you mean. Henry is safe from Villains as he is my brother. Nick is only targeted so heavily because of you and Kevin and your parents. And soon to be Frankie. He is surrounded by Heroes and damn good ones. It's a wonder he is still alive."

"It's a wonder he still looks at us," I added, allowing my eyes to drift and train on anything that wasn't the leather-clad girl in front of me. I, however, did not miss the compliment in the statement. "You think I'm a good Hero?"

She smirked, catching my eye for a second. "You have potential. Just drop the jerk act and stop throwing stones at squirrels."

I smirked sheepishly and rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah, I can do that."

This time I was rewarded with a kind smile and I was able to look into her fierce eyes without cringing from the look of mischief. "Good. Be wary though, your brother is pretty pissed at you."

I nodded, finally finding an opening to what has been pestering me for a long while. "Speaking of him, can I ask you about Nick?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, giving a jerk of her head in consent. "He thinks I'm an absolute douche, doesn't he?"

Paragon smirked lightly, nudging her brother with her knee. The boy got the message and ran off, disappearing under the bridge. She saw me watching him and read the pity in my eyes correctly. "It's better than it looks." She looked over to where her friend, my brother, had earlier vanished. "Yes, he does." I closed my eyes at this, expecting it but it still hurt. "But he loves you."

"He really shouldn't."

She hummed, turning around and plucking a lone leaf from the ground, smoothing out its crinkled edges. "Love works in weird ways." She looked over her shoulder and flashed me a smile. "Especially when it comes to your family." She took a step away from me before pausing, her form stiffening with what I assumed to be anger. "And if you ever throw stones at me again," she warned, glancing my way and barring fangs, "I will rip out your jugular."

My hand went to my throat at this very valid threat. I watched her retreat, a swing in her hips that I never noticed before. And it hit me again, the very thing Nick had been trying to get me to see all along: Paragon was just a girl. She was a girl before she was a Villain. A sister before all of that.

"Hey, Hyperion?" I looked back at the use of my Hero name. I was greeted with the sight of Paragon sitting in the slightly damp grass, eyeing me carefully. "Make it right with him before he does something stupid."

"Will he?"

She smiled her mysterious smile at me. "I think you know that answer."

It was my turn to follow Nick's faded steps with my eyes. I wanted to run after him, to pull him back home, but I knew he would resent me even more. He would. He would do anything stupid to prove me wrong. So I have to prove myself wrong before this happens.

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Lilith's PoV

I looked up when I heard the bells chime, not surprised to see a bothered Nicholas enter.

"Nicholas," I greeted, feeling like he was just here to vent and for the offered sanctuary my shop offered. "Spit it out."

"I can't stand him!" he suddenly shouted sounding like what my little sister would have called a 'manly diva.'

I walked around the counter, my dusty black dress getting caught on the snags of the wood floor. "What did Joe or Kevin do?"

He told me everything of their conversation, not even an hour ago. He told me how Joe showed up at Paragon's hideaway and ignored his presence. He tried to pass it off like he didn't care about that as it would have been quite the shock for Joe to see Henry, but I knew better.

"And what are you going to do about this?"

Nicholas looked at me, uncertainty in his eyes. "Para just said to wait it out, like she always tells me too. But it's getting worse. I can barely stand being in the same room with them. I can't expect a 'hello, bro!' from them anymore. Just insults."

"They make you feel worthless?" I hazarded a guess, earning a nod in return. "You've tried to prove them wrong and yet Joe prefers to treat you like your useless and Kevin never really contributes to anything?" Again, a nod. "Has it crossed your mind that Joe only wants to protect you? That your family doesn't want you to die?"

Nicholas looked down, rather guilty. So it has crossed his mind, and more than once by the looks of it. "I know." I leaned against the counter, tapping my wrinkled temple in knowing. "I'm sick of it though."

"Sick of what, exactly?"

Nicholas turned away from me, hands threading through his hair. "I don't know. All of it!" I waited, knowing the teen had more to say and knowing pushing him would only close him off. "Of being treated like this! Of being seen as useless!" He huffed, muttering something under his breath. I leaned forward and exposed my covered ear. "Of being powerless."

So there in lies everything. "And having a power would fix everything?"

"It may." Nicholas whispered, not wanting to admit that he was envious of his family, of his friend the Villainous. "I hate being a Normal," he finally revealed in the quietest whisper he could murmur, but I caught his words anyway.

I pushed a book in front of him, searching his face in an eager manner. "There could be a way." My nail tapped the picture as Nicholas's head flew up to look at me, horrified by the idea. "I can help you find it. And then you won't have to feel this pain, this envy."

Longing flashing in his eyes and he dropped his head studying the picture. His answer rang out, loud and true, and had me stepping away from him, smile gone.

"No."

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Chibiyu: Another installment done. Not my best work, but whatever. Until Next Update!

Written on 10/24/11