Max screamed in frustration. He couldn't decide whether his heart was pounding from anger or maybe something deeper, a little more painful. He felt like flipping over his work table, but the sensible part of him realized that was ridiculous to ruin months of effort over something that shouldn't bother him. Collosso sat quietly in his cage, pulling the soundproof curtain over it with his teeth. Max angrily shoved a stray project resting on a tripod out of the way. It clattered viciously to the floor, and Max found a little stray satisfaction in the noise. He took a deep breath to calm himself before he walked over to his controls and sealed his room shut.

That was against the rules, but he didn't care. He'd be in trouble no matter what he did; he was the supervillain, and it was just expected of him, no matter how hard he tried to prove otherwise.

"Max?"

Max closed his eyes tightly to control his temper.

"Yes, Phoebe?" he asked, bitterness seeping through him.

"You don't need to act like that." She said with the sisterly sternness only she could do. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why? Because of your superhero moral code? No villain left behind? You think I'm redeemable or some other ridiculous crap like that?"

Phoebe looked unaffected. "No, you know that's not why."

"No, I'm really afraid I have no idea why you're here. In fact, I think you should leave. I don't know how you slipped past the lock system."

"Mom and Dad were angry. They didn't mean what they said."

Max rolled his eyes. "Yes, they did. They've said nearly that exact same thing for years."

"Max," Phoebe sighed. "They were worried about you. They don't understand what's going on, and that scares them. They were superheroes through and through. That's all they ever wanted. They don't understand what it's like to be mischievous, crafty, or to break the rules."

Max looked at her as though she was speaking gibberish. "Are you pretending you know? Phoebe the hero, the great, the A student, the winner? What would you know about this? " He replied rising in his tone.

Phoebe rose her hands up in surrender, "I'm not claiming to know anything, I'm just saying that I'm here for you." She moved to rest a hand on his shoulder which he shoved off.

"I don't want your pity. Leave me alone." Max snapped.

Phoebe grabbed his shoulder and yanked him around.

"No, Max! I am not gonna just let you wallow in your lair and then refuse to come up for the next couple days. I won't do it!" She yelled.

Max matched her volume tenfold. "Quit acting like that! I'm not some broken piece of machinery that you can just magically fix with your ridiculous morality! I'm a villain! Just like everybody says! So leave me be!"

Something exploded in the back of the room. The tension was tangible between the two siblings. Staring eye to eye a silent battle of wills. And just like always Phoebe won. Max couldn't take it anymore and he leaned into Phoebe with a small cry. Phoebe wrapped her arms around her brother carefully and squeezed him tightly. Unwilling to stand any longer Max slowly wilted to the floor and Phoebe followed with him.

"Shh. It's okay, Max. They didn't mean it."

Releasing a cry, Max shook his head.

"They didn't. I'm serious."

Max didn't reply.

"Everybody had a rough day and they took it out on you which was unfair of them. You're not a villain."

"That's not true, Phoebe! They've said it before, and I'm scared that they may be right about it!"

"They're not right about it! Don't ever say that! You are not some evil villain. You're cunning and mischievous and a rebel but you're not bad!"

"But I-"

"No! Shh! I'm not going to listen to any more nonsense. It's late, go to bed Max. You'll feel better in the morning."

Max figured that it was hard to argue that, or maybe he had just given up arguing with Phoebe. He nodded, whatever the reason. But he didn't get up.

"Let's watch a movie." Phoebe said after a few seconds.

She used her powers to drag him over to the TV and she turned on one of Max's favorite shows. She then dragged a blanket towards them with her telepathy and set it over them. Neither said a word to each other as they sat watching the movie, and Phoebe pretended not to notice as Max's head started to bob in an effort to keep up until eventually his head just didn't look back up at the screen. Within a moment or so, Phoebe pretended that her brother wasn't asleep on her shoulder, peacefully snoring away. She'd never admit it, ever though, because she loved Max and making his weakness public would hurt him. And if Max woke up the next morning warm in his bed, alone, besides a hungry bunny glaring daggers at him, nobody ever need know. Max smiled, ready to start a new day. Maybe he could be a hero after all.