Author Note: Please review!
~CWA

Chapter 9:

Danny:

I would say I was confused, but I was more than that- more than just confused. Like confused was barely scraping the surface of the absolute befuddlement I felt when I walked downstairs the next morning, prepared to for the second day of school, to find Gear on the couch in the living room with an empty beer bottle and turning some sort of ring in her hand. She didn't even look up as I sat down next to her, concerned as I saw even more empty beer bottles on the floor. There was about 11 other cans of beer beside the one in her hand.

Her head was down, her purple hair falling limp in front of her face.

"Hey Gear," I asked gently as I put a hand on her shoulder, "You okay?"

"Am I o-okay," she laughed and I could smell a bit of alcohol on her breath.

"I'm dannddy," Gear scowled.

"Gear," I said firmly, "Why were you drinking? Last I checked you still had to be twenty-one to drink."

"And lasstt I checked you had to be alive to go to schoollll but nooo," Gear sloppily waved a finger at me, "Y-You're deaddd mistterrr…"

I ignored the small jab of pain that shot through me as she said that. She sniffled and grabbed my shoulders,

"Duudeee you're dead…..Why are you dead….You can't be dead….I wasss supposed to protect you….I tried tooo savvee you…. But damn….Why couldn't I save you?"

Tears welled in her eyes and I felt cold to the bone. What did she mean? Did she…Did she see me die? I knew she knew how I died, but did she actually see it? Did she try to save me and fail? I wasn't too sure what to do though since Gear didn't really seem the type to cry. She looked at the ring she was holding and put in my hands.

"I found this in onee off the boxes," she slurred, "Dooo you see this? Jazzy gave me this for my seventeenth birthday. She said that she'lll always be with mee and…she lied…"

She started to sob. I looked down at the ring. It was a simple metallic design with a purple gemstone in the center. On the inside there was an engraving, Always with you twinny ~Jazz. Why did it say twinny?

"We called each other twinny," Gear sobbed, "Cause we bothhhh had red hair…"

"Gear," I said I stood up, "Come on, let's get you to bed. You're not going to school today."

"Noo," Gear said, "I have work to do."

Before I could stop her, she stumbled as she ran towards the lab. I didn't even had to jog to keep up with her because she kept tripping. I tried to get her to go to her bedroom, but she kept refusing. I remembered that the code was Double D, 2, Jasmine so at least I could deactivate the weapons. Still, a lab wasn't the safest place for a drunk inventor. She opened the door with ease.

"Coodddee Double D, 2, Jasmine," Gear said without missing a beat.

My eyes widened just a fraction that she could remember the code. She waved me off,

"Goooo I'll be f-fine… I drrinnnkkk I a lot, dude…. Kinda hafta…"

Hesitantly, I left though I knew I would be considered about my older sister figure at school. Shaking my head, I just went ahead and flew invisible to school, finding a safe place to turn visible again. I ran out from the corner and ran into Kurt. I didn't feel a thing, but considering that Kurt landed on his butt with a loud THUD then I guessed that he did feel it.

"Hey man, watch we're going," Kurt complaining as he rubbed his head.

Wincing, I stuck out my hand. He took as I helped him up,

"Sorry, I was in a hurry. Though I'd be late cause Gear couldn't drive me."

"Oh really? Just why can't your hot cousin drive you?"

I narrowed my eyes,

"Careful Kurt," I said warned, "She's also like my older sister….And she's got the flu."

"Oh yikes," Kurt winced and then held up his hands in defense, "I didn't mean anything, man, I swear. But you have to admit that your cousin is a bit nice-looking."

"She's my cousin, when I look at her all I see is oil and explosions," I scoffed.

"Oil and…explosions?"

"You don't want to know, trust me… So class?"

"Ah-jah, class, sure…"

Kurt still looked confused as I smiled happily, eagerly heading to class with my trickster friend.

All throughout class, my thoughts strayed to Gear. Was she doing okay? Would I come back home to find her dead because of a drunk experiment? Why didn't she tell me that she had a habit to drink? She could hurt herself. I hoped she didn't do drugs as well. That would be rough and I wasn't too sure how to really deal with that, what could I do to help her if she did? Send her away? No, she wouldn't let me- even if I reported her. Get her to go to a counselor? No, she wouldn't go unless I overshadowed her and left her body when we got there. That might work… I think maybe I can set up an appointment with those Alcoholic Anonymous things because she said she drank a lot.

I shook my head. Whatever happened, happened. If she wanted help, I'd give it to her. No- if she needed help because she was too proud to ask for help herself.

"Hey man," a guy called behind me.

I turned to see Lance. He was an ass, I'd admit that much- but he was okay if he was around Kitty- not good, but tolerable. That was only at school though- I haven't seen him outside of school. Actually, I haven't really seen anyone outside of school aside from Kitty and Kurt- that was when I caught them at the pizza place though. Lance just stood there with a smirk and his arms crossed.

"When's that cousin of yours coming back? She's pretty hot, wouldn't mind giving her a ride."

My fists clenched. I hated when people talked about Gear in that tone- she didn't mind. She didn't give a flying frick that people sexualized her unless they said something to her face that was demeaning. I, however, cared- a lot. She was like my sister. I glared at Lance and I felt my eyes shift- shift into what I wasn't sure. Either way, he took a step back in mild surprise. He smirked,

"So, you're a mutant too then?"

I was glad that the halls were empty, but on the other hand I wasn't glad. He admitted to being a mutant- Gear never told me he was one. Did she even know? Of course she knew, she was Gear. She knew everything. I briefly spotted Kurt down the hall, hiding and watching us. Good. Lance did something as he put his arms up, causing the building to shake. It didn't phase me or even knock me off balance. I walked calmly towards him, using my flight to keep my balance, but I didn't use enough flight to make it noticeable. I lit up a green ecto-blast in my hand as it curled into a fist. Lance, taken off guard, took a step back as I stood threateningly in a fighting stance. My fist was raised so he could clearly see the green ecotenergy.

"Don't talk about her like that," I growled as I used my other fist to send a swift punch to his jaw.

I walked away, not wanting to really get into a fight. Plus, I needed to calm down. My heart was still thumping wildly in my chest from adrenaline.

"Woah," I heard Kurt whisper.