Some of them are mine. Some of them are not mine. I'm not making any money off this.

*warning* There's some swear words in this chapter. I blame it all on Cal and his rotten mouth.

Growing Up A Superhero #4c/?
Angel of Death

Jessie paced the floor, Jonny doing the same in the opposite direction. Reaching the middle of the room they passed each other and continued on their way.

January and February sat huddled on the couch, one at each end. Colin was on the floor, image inducer off, and Dana was in the garage/bedroom with Chance. Race and Risk had left long ago to try and hunt down what they could about Cal's whereabouts.

Jessie fell onto the couch, between the identical twin sisters. "Chance said he was dead."

January and February exchanged looks over the mother's head before January moved to wrap her arms around the woman. "Don't worry. 'Dead' can mean many things."

*His soul, his mind, his body, his sanity,* February projected into her sister's mind. January glared at her.

"I'm sure he'll be okay."

Jessie shook her head slowly, numb. Jonny sat down, pushing January away from his wife. Carefully, as if handling cracked glass, he took her into his arms and held her, rocking back and forth slowly. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to make it okay."

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North watched the screen avidly as the boy was dropped on the side of the road. The tracking device he'd implanted was working perfectly, and as soon as the boy was found then it would lead him straight to the other twin, and the Quests. Besides, the boy wasn't any use to him until he got some sort of power. When that happened, the tracker would start humming. In the meantime, the boy should start becoming his mentally, as well as physically.

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Risk's tires screeched to a halt beside the body that lay in the middle of the unused road. Race almost tore the passenger side door open trying to get out, then vaulted over the hood. Kneeling, he touched a small trickle of blood easing from the boy's mouth. Dead? Risk felt for a pulse at the base of his neck, then smiled.

"He's alive. In fact, his pulse is strong."

Race nodded, the harsh lines that framed his unnaturally young face softening. He opened the boy's jaws and looked inside, making sure he wasn't bleeding from his lungs or something of that sort.

Cal's tongue had been bitten, almost all the way through. Race closed the mouth and, with sure hands, felt down the main bones in the young body. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Risk. "Some broken ribs, but that's it. Might've gotten hit by a car."

Risk was already on the car phone, dialing an ambulance. She nodded, then hung up and called the Quest house.

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Jessie ran into the hospital room, where Cal sat with his ribs bandaged, talking with his grandfather.

Race and Risk both looked the very same as they had almost twenty years ago, due to the bargain they had struck. Risk used her time warping powers to keep them just out of synch, preventing the aging process (although it presented some problems for the healing process as well) and Race didn't ever call her 'Daisy-May' again.

"Oh God, Cal, you're okay!" Jessie said as she ran into the room, Jonny on her heels.

Race held out an arm as they were about to descend on the boy, keeping them back. "Easy, you two. He's sore."

Jessie smiled apologetically, then came up to him slower and hugged him gently. Jonny moved her over so he could sit on the bed, pulling Jessica into his lap.

Chance hung back, standing at the door with haunted eyes.

"Chance, come see your brother," Jessie called, holding out her hand to him.

The teenager shook his head slowly, looking at the mirror image of him in the bed. #That's not my brother,# he signed slowly.

Jessie and Jonny exchanged glances, and Chance turned and walked out of the room.

"Chance!" Jessie called, starting to stand. Race pushed her back down and, grabbing Risk's hand, pulled her out the door, saying they'd talk to the boy and give these three some time to themselves.

"Cal, what happened?" Jonny asked after a minute.

The boy looked at them with hollowed eyes, the blue so deep they were almost black. "I don't remember," he said quietly.

Jessie reached forward to brush a lock of hair out of his face, and he flinched at the movement.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked.

He only nodded, watching both of them warily. Jessie and Jonny looked at each other for a minute, then back at the boy.

"How much do you remember?" Jonny asked, watching Cal intently.

"I remember putting my rollerblades on and starting into town, then I remember waking up here." He looked from one parent to the other, fear clear in his eyes. "What happened?"

Jonny started to explain their side of it, while Jessie went over what she could see of her son with a critical eye. He'd changed. His skin was almost gray, his eyes were sunken. They were darker then they normally were, and he looked older. But she could see no reason for Chance to be saying that it wasn't his brother. She leaned forward and pushed his thick red hair back, ignoring the strange looks she got from the men in her family. There was the birthmark on his neck, the half moon white spot. It was Cal. She shook her head slowly, trying to understand. Was amnesia normal for something like this? And what about the aging that seemed to have gone on? Jessie bit her lip. She'd have to ask the doctor.

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The next day Cal was sent home, much to the relief of his family. The doctor said that amnesia wasn't common, but it wasn't unheard of, either. The 'aging' would disappear with time, that was just trauma. There was nothing to worry about.

At least there hadn't been until they got him home. Chance had changed the locks, and refused to let his brother in, saying that he was a freak, and his brother was dead. When he couldn't explain anymore then that, Cal started swinging his fists. Jessie had been so stunned she was unable to react until they'd tried to kill each other. She'd never seen Cal start a fight in his life.

Chance wiped blood from his face, glaring at his image. #That . . . thing . . . is not my brother. My brother is dead.# He turned on his heel and walked out the room, leaving Cal to fume.

Jessie followed him down the hall, walking into the bedroom before he could close the door. "Just what is this all about? Your brother has been through a rough time, he's not acting normal, true, but the doctor said that this might happen. What is wrong?"

Chance just shook his head slowly. #That's not my brother.# Jessie grit her teeth, staring at the son who was taller then she was. "He is your brother, and you'll remove this lock right now if I have to stand here and make you."

Chance glared at her for a minute, then shrugged and unscrewed the lock. #There. Happy?#

Jessie turned and left.

That night Cal slept in his bed. Chance moved his things to the basement, and slept in the bed Kit used whenever he came over.

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Cal stumbled into the kitchen the next morning, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Chance picked up his bowl and left. Jonny looked at Jessie in surprise. She'd told him last night that Chance was acting strange, but he hadn't really believed her. If the twins were really having a big fight, then this would be their first.

"Do we have any 'Cap'n Crunch'?" Cal asked, digging through the cupboard.

Jessie smiled. "Sorry. How 'bout 'Kix'?" She held up the box, expecting the boy to take it. He loved 'Kix.' His brother preferred 'Trix.' They both liked 'Frosted Flakes.'

Cal took the box, smelled it experimentally, then screwed up his nose and threw it in the trash. "I'd rather have 'Cap'n Crunch.'" he said nastily.

Jessie stared. "I can't believe you just did that. You owe me three dollars, first off, and second you can eat what we have."

Cal looked away for a minute, then went to the trash can and pulled the cereal out, throwing it in the general direction of the table his parents sat at. "Here! Take it if it's so important to you! Jesus fuckin' Christ," he muttered under his breath as he left the room.

Jonny was out of his chair in an instant, following the boy down the hall. "Cal! What was that about? You owe your mother an apology!"

"Like Hell I do!" The boy yelled over his shoulder.

Jonny sped up to catch him, but Cal took off down the hall, running into his room and slamming the door. The deadbolt Jessie had made Chance take off the day before thunked into place, locking everyone else out.

"Cal! CAL!" Jonny shouted, pounding on the door.

The boy looked at the door in horror, slowly backing away. He held a shaking hand to his lips, then tripped over the phone and hit the floor hard. He just lay there, fighting back tears. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. It was like he couldn't stop. He was wary, confused, and out of control. He couldn't seem to stop shaking, and his back felt like the skin was ripping off.

He was scared.

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