"So, is everything ok?" Vicky asked as Amy walked back into the living room, putting away her phone.

"Yeah, she had to go in to see the PRT but it sounds like things got straightened out."

"Good. And now for the important question: when are you two going out again and where are you going?"

Before Amy could answer, Carol walked into the room and did so for her. "Well, you're clearly still seeing Freakazoid! despite what I told you, so I suppose I should meet her. Invite her to dinner."

Vicky stared after Carol, wide-eyed, as she walked back out of the room. "This is going to be a disaster..."

Amy slowly smiled.

"Yeah, it's going to be great! A fresh start for both of us, like Winslow never happened," I said as I checked out all the little compartments of my new backpack. "I can't believe they're letting us start next month instead of waiting until next year!"

"They probably decided that spending the rest of the term in Winslow wouldn't help prepare you any," Dad replied as he took the pens, mechanical pencils, and other school supplies out of the shopping bag and put them on my desk.

"They got that right. I hope we can catch up to their curriculum; I don't want to have to take summer classes."

Dad shrugged. "I'm sure you'll do fine, but don't worry about it too much. If you have to take summer classes, you'll take summer classes."

I made a face as I placed some pens and pencils into a pocket. "I guess… but I'd rather have the free time. And Mr. Barnes may be helping us out, but if I can avoid the extra classes—"

"Taylor, don't. worry. about. it. We've got it covered. The administration knows about Emma's situation back at Winslow and is being very accommodating about getting the two of you up to speed. I'm not even sure they'll charge us for summer school if you need it."

"Ok, now the place is starting to sound too good. What's the catch? All the other students are kids of supervillains, aren't they."

"Well, obviously. Don't worry, they gave Alan and me a formula that will let us be supervillains too. What do you think of Dockblocker as a cape name? I'll make sure all my plots end up providing more work for union members."

"That's pretty good, and with that name, you're almost guaranteed to have Clockblocker as a nemesis."

"That was my thought, too."

"Who will Mr. Barnes be?"

"We haven't come up with anything for him yet," Dad admitted.

"Will Mrs. Barnes be involved? If she is, they could be SLAPP and Tickle."

"No! Bad Taylor!"

I giggled. "Ok, fine, I'll think about it some more. Oh, is it all right if I miss dinner tonight? A friend invited me over."

"No problem. Do I know this friend?"

"No, I met her over the break."

Dad smiled. "I'm glad you're making new friends. Are you sure she's just a friend?"

"Daaad!"

O

Carol tossed a bag of hamburger buns into her shopping cart before heading to the meat department and picking up a large package of ground beef. Just as she placed it into the cart, her phone chirped with the tone for an official PRT message. As she took out her phone, not for the first time, Carol mused that being able to take cape calls while out of costume was the biggest everyday advantage of not having a secret identity. She casually skimmed the bulletin, then stopped and read it more slowly, her eyes widening at the news that her soon-to-be dinner guest was confirmed to have single-handedly destroyed the Simurgh and verified free of any influence from the Endbringer.

Carol put away her phone and stood there, absorbing what she'd just read. After a minute, she put the ground beef back into the refrigerated case and walked over to the butcher counter.

"Give me five T-bone steaks."

With a screech of brakes, the Freakmobile whipped around the corner in the upper middle class neighborhood, then slowed and carefully pulled into the driveway of the Dallon home. A moment later, Freakazoid! stepped out, strode up to the front door carrying a bottle in her left hand, and rang the bell. A few indistinct shouts came from the house before Amy eventually opened the door.

"Freakazoid," she said with a smile before stepping forward and hugging the other girl.

"Hi, Amy," Freakazoid! said, hugging her girlfriend, "thanks for inviting me."

"It was Carol's idea, but I'm glad you're here. Come on in."

"Hey, Freakazoid!," greeted Vicky as she placed bowls of chips and dip on the coffee table.

"Was that—?" Carol asked, walking in from the kitchen. "Oh, hello, Freakazoid!. Please have a—is that wine?" Carol sharply asked with a scowl. Freakazoid! held up the bottle. "Oh, sparkling apple juice. Thank you, that was very thoughtful."

Carol gave their guest a warm smile. Vicky and Amy recoiled in surprise and unease at the sight.

"I'll just put this in the fridge," Carol said as she accepted the bottle. "Why don't you have a seat with the girls while I finish up in the kitchen. Would you like anything to drink?"

"Coke, please."

"Certainly," Carol said, with another smile. "Victoria, please bring our guest a Coke."

While Vicky followed her mother into the kitchen, Freakazoid! sat down with Amy on the couch. "Carol seems nice," she said, as she reached for a chip, not noticing Amy's incredulous look.

"Here are your drinks," Vicky said, flying in with two glasses and setting them on the table. "I'm going to check outside for masters."

"Good idea," Amy said, nodding shortly as her sister flew outside.

"Huh. Do you check for masters around the house often? Ooh, clam dip!"

"Only when someone's acting strange…" She put her hand on Freakazoid!'s arm. "Are you sure you're ok after facing the Simurgh? You were out of commission for almost a week afterwards."

"I'm sure, Amy," she said, smiling softly at her girlfriend. "Once we have some privacy, I'll tell you all the details."

Both girls looked up as the door opened and Vicky flew in, giving Amy a shrug before going into the kitchen and returning with a lemonade for herself and taking a seat. Carol followed a minute later and sat down.

"My husband, Mark, is grilling the steaks; it shouldn't be too long before they're ready. So, Freakazoid!, you and Amy make such a cute couple. Tell me, how did the two of you meet?"

Amy frowned as Carol politely chatted with her girlfriend, showing friendly interest and giving the girl warm smiles. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew she didn't like it. At all.

O

"I know I've said it already, but this steak is great, Mark!" exclaimed Freakazoid! after swallowing what was in her mouth.

Mark gave her a faint smile before going back to quietly focusing on his meal. Vicky briefly glanced at the exchange, then returned to watching her sister and mother, the former's scowls and glowers having slowly but steadily deepened during the course of the meal as the latter fawned over their guest. Vicky found the whole thing both hugely entertaining and deeply disturbing. She was half-convinced her sister was going to flip the table by the time dessert was served and made a mental note to make sure hers was secured in that eventuality.

"Freakazoid!, I have to say, you've had quite the impressive career so far," Carol cooed as she picked up the bowl of potatoes she'd noticed her guest eying, "and that's not even counting single-handedly destroying the Simurgh!"

"Wait, you destroyed the Simurgh all by yourself?!" exclaimed Vicky. "I thought you just got the last hit on her! What happened?!"

"Well..." Freakazoid! started as she prepared to tell the official story. Pausing for dramatic effect, she looked around the table. Vicky and Carol eagerly hung on her words, the latter holding a bowl of potatoes, Mark glanced in her direction with a look of mild interest on his face as he cut his steak, and Amy viciously hacked at her meat while grinding her teeth. Her gaze quickly flickered between Carol and Amy before she continued speaking.

"To be honest, once we were away from everyone else, we chatted a bit, then the Simurgh faked her death and went through a dimensional portal to be with her boyfriend from another Earth. I met him; he seemed really nice."

Freakazoid! took another bite of her steak as Vicky goggled at her, Amy stopped glowering and butchering her meat, Carol froze in place halfway through passing the bowl, and Mark looked back down and finished his potatoes.

"What." said Carol, breaking the sudden silence.

"Yeah, weird, right? It was really nice of her to give me the credit for destroying her, though. Of course, that's not the official story, so you probably shouldn't spread it around."

The welcoming smile that had been on Carol's face for the entirety of the visit slowly drained away to be replaced with her customary scowl as Amy's expression brightened.

"I think it'd be best if you left now," Carol coldly stated.

"Okay," Freakazoid! agreed as she wiped her face with her napkin, then stood up. "Come on, Amy."

"Not with my daught—" Carol started, but in a blink, Amy was on her feet and in her girlfriend's arms, and then the two of them were gone in a streak of lightning. A moment later, the roar of an engine and the sound of rubber screeching on asphalt was heard from outside.

For several long moments, Carol and Vicky stared in the direction of the door until Mark finally broke the silence. "Are you done with the potatoes?"

"I can't believe you did that," Amy said, staring at her girlfriend as the world outside streaked by the windows. "Why did you do that?"

"Well, I saw you really weren't having a good time and thought it would make you feel better. So, want to go somewhere private now so I can give you all the details I promised?"

"Yeah…" Amy said quietly, still staring, "someplace private sounds good."

A short time later, the Freakmobile pulled to a stop on the side of a disused dirt road in the middle of the woods. Freakazoid turned to face Amy but the words she was about to say died in her mouth at the intense look her girlfriend was giving her.

"You told Carol that you helped the Simurgh fake her death to be with her boyfriend because I looked unhappy…" Amy said in wonder. Freakazoid! cautiously nodded, then her eyes widened as Amy leaned forward and softly kissed her.

Leaning back a few moments later, Amy lightly touched her fingertips to her lips and breathed, "Wow…" After another moment, she smiled and leaned forward to kiss her girlfriend again.

Several minutes later, after pulling back and catching her breath, Freakazoid! held up a hand. "Wait, Amy... There's someone you really should meet. Freak in."

I stared at Amy, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. "Hi, I'm Taylor," I squeaked.

"Hi, Taylor," breathed Amy. And then she leaned forward and kissed me!