The wings were folded awkwardly around me when I woke up on Dylan's living room couch.It confused me at first. Everything ached. I tried to sit up, but the whole world started spinning.

"Woah there." Dylan's mother ran over and pressed me back down. "You've been through a lot, honey.

Seeing Mrs. Bean there made me panic. My wings shed, and birds started flapping all over.

Mrs. Bean hurriedly opened the windows and shoed all the squawking birds out. "Goodness! I already knew about your wings. Since when would shedding them indoors be a good idea?"

"Sorry." I rubbed my head in an attempt to get rid of the migraine I had, but it didn't do much good. "How did you know about my powers?"

Dylan walked into the room with a sandwich. "I swear I didn't tell her until today. I didn't really have a choice. It was my mom, or the hospital and then the whole world."

I looked down at my legs. The shot one was bandaged up well. I was pretty lucky to have a doctor as a friend. "How long have I been out."

Dylan shrugged. "Just about a day."

I tried to sit up again. "What?"

Mrs. Bean eased me back down again. "We called your mother and asked if you could sleep over. It's ok. The only thing we can't cover is why you'll be limping around for a long time."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and my stomach growled.

"I'll get you a sandwich," Mrs. Bean said. She left the room.

Dylan looked down at his shoes. "Listen, I'm sorry I sent you on that death mission. Risking you over my dead dad was a dumb idea."

I waved him off. "It's ok. It actually felt good, using my powers for something for once."

Dylan raised his eyebrows. "Even after you got shot?"

"Not so much after that, no," I admitted. "Thank goodness your mom is a miracle worker."

Dylan smiled. "You chose the right best friend when you became a super hero."

I tried to shrug, but it came out as more of a wince. "I'm not a super hero."

Dylan nodded seriously. "Right. I'll stop pushing you about that."

"Thanks."

We stared across the room at each other in awkward silence until Mrs. Bean brought me a sandwich. She also had a cane. I was in too much pain to really be able to taste the food, but her sandwiches had always been good before.

"Right," Mrs. Bean said as I finished the last bite. "Now, why don't you try walking? Just take it easy."

I slowly sat up and waited for the dizziness to go away, then got to my feet. The instant I put my left leg on the ground, pain shot up the whole joint and it gave way.

Thankfully, Mrs. Bean caught me. "Oh dear. I did the best I could, but I'm no miracle worker."

Dylan snickered, probably in reference to my earlier comment.

"It's ok," I told her. "You probably saved my life. I have the whole walk home to come up with an excuse."

Mrs. Bean nodded and handed me the cane. "Try not to put much pressure on it."
"Thanks." I smiled and limped over to their door, using the cane to remove some of the pressure. I was so exhausted, I just wanted to be alone.

I stepped onto the street with a deep sigh. I had the whole walk home to come up with an excuse, but I was gosh dang awful at excuses. The chances of me coming up with one that would fool both my mom and Cardi was slim. I didn't even want to think about them finding out about my powers and the stunts I had pulled. I would probably die.

As I walked, a shadow shifted in a nearby alleyway, which made me jump. Pain shot up my leg again. I clutched it and tried to breath.

An old lady covered in scars, bandages, and bruises came into the light, almost crawling out of the alley. She looked horrible. A ragged eye patch covered one eye, but the other one didn't look like it could see much, either. She was missing three fingers. Her right arm hung limply at her side. "Oooo, yes, that leg looks like a doozy!" She squealed. She definitely had throat or lung problems. "I bet it hurts a lot, eyyyyy?" She tipped her head to one side. Some puss dribbled out of her ear.

I leaned away from her, so grossed out I could barely speak. "I- I- uh.... Tripped... over a sandwich..."

The lady grinned. Her gums were bleeding, and the few teeth she still had were cracked, chipped, and yellow. "I've been watching that building. Thought a super hero would check out the break in. Saw you fly up, then fall down and into the trash. Bang! Followed you here."

I decided I should leave before I threw up. Things were getting too creepy.

As I limped away, the lady did something sort of like leapfrogging to follow. "Not all with powers super heroes, no. Some just want money. People injured who want to keep their wounds a secret come to me. I transfer their wounds from their body to mine." She waved he live hand around. "Others need service to survive. Found homeless man in winter. Frost bite. Miracle the rest of my fingers didn't go as well."

Almost against my will, my pace slowed. I started to listen. "You could heal my leg?"

She nodded. Wisps of hair rained down from her scalp. "Friends and family would ask questions. Tripping over sandwich not correct. All find out your secret. Super hero's worst fear, mmmm?"

"I don't have any money."

Robin wasn't sure if the lady laughed or coughed, but she did something. "I can make deal. Cane, to help me walk. You go to train yard at midnight in three days."

"Why do I have to go there?" I asked.

"Meet little sister. She hires heroes. Business for her, business for you, business for me!"

At first, I was going to say no, but then I saw my apartment building off in the distance. Sometimes heroes had to take risks to protect their secrets. I didn't want my family to see me like this. It wasn't like the lady could force me to go to the trainyard, anyways. If she tried, I could easily fight her off. She could barely even walk.

"Sure," I finally said.

The lady suddenly clamped her hand around my injured leg. I yelped and tried to shake her off, but she was already on the sidewalk, howling in pain, and laughing at the same time. A gash was growing on her left leg, right where mine had been. I dropped my cane and ran. My left leg felt fine, besides the fact that her nasty, grimy hand had touched it. I was going to take a long shower.

I burst through the door of home, breathing hard. Cardi was on the couch, reading a book. She didn't look up from it. "Hey big bro, had fun playing hero?"

I froze. "What?"

Cardi turned the page. "Dylan always plans your get togethers at least a month in advance."

I was speechless.

"Don't worry, I won't tell mom," Cardi said.

I plopped down next to her. "H-how?"
Cardi shrugged. "I have my ways. I don't think your secret is too obvious, though. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who's found out."

I threw my hands in the air. "'I have my ways?' Come on, you don't have to be cryptic." Despite her assurances, I was worried.

Cardi smiled. She was having too much fun holding information from me. "Hey, if I can figure out your powers, you can figure out mine."

I blinked. "Wait, you have powers too?"

Cardi just winked.