Song: Try by P!nk
~~~
Jordan's p.o.v.

"C'mon fat ass, you can carry more than that." There was a grenade launcher thrown at me and if it hadn't been intercepted by Tucker, it probably would've blown up in my face. I'm carrying enough already, why is he piling all of this stuff on me? A bow, a bag of arrows, a fifty ton bag of food, three different water bottles, and two pets on leashes were quite enough and there was no way I could carry anything else unless it was with my teeth. Mot was just being extremely irritable today because we had to walk all the way to the wizards place to recover weapons and food, and since the wizards themselves seem to have disappeared into thin air, we have to carry all of it by hand. And it's a lot of stuff.

"Do you have to bring those things?" Tucker asked in disgust, glancing down at Terrence and Franklin. While everyone else was scavenging through the tower and searching for weapons, I sneaked off to Tom and I's old place to recover some of Rosie's baby stuff. What I didn't expect was our old family pets to be waiting for me at the front door, still as loyal and eager as ever, jumping up and down and running around my feet in excitement. There was no way I could've left them there. Who's to say this world might collapse before I could get to them again? So I brought them along, despite the huge amount of stuff I had to carry with me.

"I'd feel like a murderer if I didn't." Mot and the others were loaded down at this point. I think we'd reached the limit on the amount of stuff we could carry. Although Wag seemed to be just fine with carrying more, with his trusty floating wheelbarrow. Mot was sending him dirty looks occasionally for it, most likely because he was using up the last of the mana for something as simple as carrying things. Martha was the only one keeping him from saying something, her intimidating stance in front of Wag was probably the funniest thing I'd seen today.

"You don't see Sonj taking her whole crew of pets, and she's got a zoo."

I was already in a bad mood, so I immediately got sassy with him. "If my daughter asks what ever happened to her pets, do you want me to tell her that they died because I left them on purpose?"

Scoffing, Tucker stalked off to go help Mot unload a particularly large looking axe, which I was sure nobody would be using during battle with Botan. Who could lift an axe that heavy? Certainly not any of us. Poor Gaines was struggling to keep one bag on and carry a sword without falling. He looks like he's having a worse day than any of us.

"Someone's sassy today..." I heard Sonja sing quietly from behind me. I could say the same about you, I wanted to say. Earlier, she'd been carrying around tons of bags and a huge covered basket that looked way too heavy for her, but she insisted that she carried her things and sent dirty looks to anyone who offered. In my current mood, I would've flipped her off if my hands hadn't been weighed down by the food bag made out of titanium lead. It's my own fault I'm in a bad mood, I refused to talk to Tom last night and I only texted him maybe twice before ignoring him altogether. I hope he's okay, wherever he and Rosie are right now.

"I think that's all," Mot announced to us, "Somebody grab the last of the potions and we'll get going to Dagrun."

Champ, who'd quietly been standing in the corner with Nicky the whole time, made to go grab the rest of the potions off the stands, but Declan mumbled something to him as he walked past and got them instead. Champ looked very relieved and hugged sleeping Nicky a little closer to his chest. He's been really nervous ever since we left the lab, sticking close to Declan the whole time and never saying two words to anyone. I think he's petrified something's gonna happen to Nicky and I could understand that fear. I'd felt it a million times before and I still feel it now, if I'm being honest with myself. I have a weird feeling about Rosie right now, and I'm not sure why.

"Who has the artifacts?" Declan asked the group, and multiple hands raised. I zoned out as he gathered them up and put them in a single black bag, only to toss them over his shoulder with the rest of the bags he was carrying. What could be wrong with Rosie? Tom hasn't called or anything, neither has any of the others that she's with. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. But that's usually what I always say before something horrible happens...

"Let's go slackers!" Mot yelled over the small chattering, making everyone snap out of their thoughts and conversation to glare at him. "Ten miles till we get to Dagrun!"

There was a collective groan. Ten miles on foot with fifty pounds loaded onto us would most likely take hours. Yay.

~
Tom's p.o.v.

"Hey batta batta, hey batta batta, swing!" Nade sang for the fifth time in a row while I tried, with failure, to get a good grip on the ragged piece of wood we were using for a bat. I sent a death glare his way, even going out of my way to curl up my lip to add more nastiness.

"Will you shut up with that?" I hissed at him, "Throw the damned baseball and let me swing if you're so eager about it..."

Rosie giggled from third base and the Modesteps cackled insanely from their bases, while Nade stuck up his nose and threw the dirty baseball with all his might. It wasn't much might, I hit it flawlessly and probably could've ran around the whole base twice by the time Tony finally recovered the ball. Nade pouted and claimed that baseball was a stupid game, as he did with every game I was better at than him.

"My turn!" Rosie yelled when the baseball finally reached the pitcher, taking off towards the spot I was in. She didn't stop when she ran flat into me and knocked the breath out of my lungs in the process. Gods, how much does she weigh now? "Oh, sorry daddy! Not used to all this weight, y'know?"

"S'fine," I wheezed out, still clutching my chest. "Just...remind me not to ground you, ever."

After she finished another giggling fit (one that just about melted my heart), I hobbled over to third base with both Modesteps grinning ear to ear at me. While I was a little shocked and emotional about Rosie's growth secret, Nade and the others seemed completely unfazed by it. Apparently they knew the whole time, and, said that they were actually glad they didn't have to watch pathetic old me take in their professional acting any longer. I punched them all at least once before they scurried off into hiding. I can't believe they knew this the whole time and never bothered to tell me. When we used to share bases, no secrets were kept, even if you asked for them to be. Rosie must have threatened them pretty good to make them shut up so well.

"Hey batta batta, hey batta-"

"Nade I swear to gods if you say that stupid phrase again-" I started, but was interrupted by my daughters voice.

"Shut up and throw it!" Rosie whined from home, and Nade turned his attention back to the game. He threw harder than he did with me surprisingly, but Rose took it like a pro. She hit it dead on and took off at the speed of light, while the rest of us watched the ball soar straight across the field right into...my husbands face.

"SPARKLEZ!" I yelled in delight at the sight of his figure. He stumbled for a minute, dazed by the force of the ball when it hit him dead center in the nose. He acted as if he didn't know where he was for a moment but then Rosie yelled, "POPPY!" at the top of her lungs, and he smiled right away.

He didn't notice at first. It might've been because his vision was blurred or maybe he was too dizzy to actually see her, but he didn't react at all when Rosie ran up and hugged him tightly around the neck. He only smiled and hugged her back. Hugged our daughter, who was now almost two feet taller than us both, without giving it a second thought.

But then his eyes shot open and he pulled away quickly, scanning her up and down with the most priceless expression on his face ever.

"Rosie...have you gotten taller?" I heard him ask. Everyone, including Rosie and I, burst into laughter. I hope his reaction to all of this is way better than mine.

~

We were sparring. Again. But this time there were no safety mats or safety precautions of any kind, only grass and soft dirt outside Nade and the Modesteps place. Knowing his mistake from last time, Mot didn't pair me up with Sparklez, but with Tucker instead, which was much worse. Sparklez got paired with Gaines, Wag with Martha, Sonja with Josh, Nade with Rosie, and Declan with Champ (which both were very uncomfortable with). I couldn't help but think about T and Lola while Mot picked out partners. They could've kicked ass for sure, especially T. I can't wait to chop off Botan's head and mount it in my future living room.

"Medics first," Mot announced loudly. "I want you both out of the way so that you can help the others after their matches. Up you go."

Dec looked at Champ and Champ held on to Nicky's bundle so tight, the kid must've been squished to death under there.

"Do they have to?" Sparklez asked in a small voice. "They aren't going to be doing anything while we're there, except taking care of Nicky and whoever gets hurt." There was a murmur of agreement through the field, and Mots temper flared a little.

"They need to know how to do something besides slap bandages on people and make a bottle of milk." He looked at Champ pointedly and Chanp went red in the face, looking back down at Nicky in embarrassment. Mot sighed and looked at Delcan. "Priest, how hard can you punch?"

"Want me to show you first hand?" Declan growled. "I'm quite sure I could punch the dirty spots right off of you."

The field went completely silent, except for Tucker who lowly mumbled "OooOoo kill 'em" under his breath. If looks could kill, Mot would've been gasping for last his last dying breath by now. I'd never seen Dec so angry in all my life.

"Perhaps you don't understand this because of how youthful and clever you are, but allow me to kindly explain for you. I am over a thousand years old with bones on the near edge of breaking and Ryley refuses to let go of the child he's been sworn to protect by its dead parents. I will gladly slap a bandage over your fat mouth and shove a milk bottle up your arse, but I will tell you right now we are in no shape to fight each other. You can choose to accept that in a mature fashion or pout about it, I really don't care, but I refuse to let you stand here and insult someone who is trying their hardest not to fall apart. I think now would be an appropriate time for Sonja and Josh to go, wouldn't you think so Mot?"

It was so hard not to laugh. I had to bite down on my fist with all my might not to burst out in a fit of laughter, and almost everyone else (Champ looked on the verge of tears) was sharing the same problem. Sparklez was using my shoulder to muffle his barely audible giggles and Rosie was cackling silently behind a grinning Nade. Mot was not at all amused, but he nodded anyway. Sonja and Josh, both smiling ear to ear, and the first of the sparring began. Mot kept his mouth shut for a full thirty minutes after that. It was the funniest thirty minutes I'd ever sat through.

After everyone had gone, including Tucker and I with an unfair victory on his side because of his stupid Mage armor, it was Sparklez and Gaines' turns. My powers weren't working in their full momentum today and I had no one to blame it on but myself for not practicing like the wizards instructed me to do. The worst thing I'd done during the match was burn a tiny hole through Tucker's bloody armor, and it had almost no effect at all on him. He squashed me into the grass in two minutes time.

But I'll get him back for it later.

I wasn't expecting much of a fight with Gaines and Sparklez. Gaines barely had the strength to carry a weapon, let alone withstand Jordan's powers when he goes nuts. But the way Sparklez kept eyeing him, like he was actually afraid of him...that weirded me out a little.

"I'm gonna set the timer to five minutes," Mot told the both of them in a monotone voice. "If you're still going after that, I'll set the time back another five minutes if you aren't maimed too badly. That alright with you two?"

They both nodded wordlessly and stepped back a little, Sparklez widening his shoulders and preparing his fighting stance while Gaines weakly put up his fists and tried to make a brave face. I feel so bad for this kid. Why did Mot pair him with the strongest person we have?

"Alright. Five minutes are starting...now."

The noise was deafening. It sounded like wind was fighting with lightening, and it was damn well terrifying. The first thing that happened after Mots final word was a purple ball of fire thrown by Sparklez, which made me gasp in shock because what the hell, the kid could've died from that, and the next was a duck from Gaines, followed by a strike of lightening that sounded as if it had split the earth in two. And then I realized why Mot picked Gaines as Sparklez' sparring partner. The kid could do some crazy shit.

What had been a sunny day with birds chirping and butterflies swarming all around, turned into a hurricane of unnatural lightening and wind that knocked the breath from your lungs, and it all seemed to be focused around the fight that was happening in front of us. Sparklez grew a tree straight out of the ground that deflected a shower of light that aimed for his head, but then the tree was split in half by yet another random bolt of lightening and he was out in the open again. And throughout all of this chaos I felt something odd that made me feel pretty guilty. Longing. I wanted to have the kind of power Gaines did. What could I do? Summon a flame or two, burn a tiny hole in a piece of armor, maybe cause somebody to have a stubbed finger or a small scratch? My powers were nothing compared to Gaines and Sparklez' powers. It made me irrationally jealous.

"ALRIGHT!" Mot screamed over the racket. "HEY, STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU! YOU'RE TEARING THIS PLACE APART!"

They stopped, reluctantly so, and flopped down on the ground panting their hearts out. Everyone clapped and cheered and yelled, and I was the only one who remained completely still and silent.

I was the only one unhappy about Gaines new abilities, and I was the only one who loathed him so much my fingers twitched with flames of hatred.

~

"Hey, why'd you leave so early? You only had like two marshmallows. That's not like you."

The bed shifted as he laid down beside me, but I didn't turn over to greet him. I was selfishly wallowing in my own loathing, and I wanted to take out the anger I felt on him for some reason. My hands still burned and I had to clasp them together under the sheets to keep the flames within extinguished.

"I wasn't hungry," I answered shortly. I was hungry, starving actually, but I couldn't stand to sit and watch while Gaines eyed Sparklez like he was his next meal. I went inside to mope instead.

"You sound tired. Guess all that fighting wore you out didn't it? I'm really tired too..." He yawned, arm curving around my waist and pulling me against him. I wanted to hug him so badly, bathe in his warmth, kiss him to death, because it feels like it's been years since I've seen him...but my stubbornness outweighed that and I kept quiet and still.

"I didn't get to fight at all," I replied snappily, "Remember?"

"Oh yeah. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it sometime."

"Mm. Gaines seems to be gettin the hang of everything lately. 'Specially you."

The arm around my waist went rigid. "W-What?"

I smirked, pleased that I'd gotten under his skin. "You know what I said."

He bolted upright and stared at me with wide, panicked eyes. "Who told you?"

"Told me? Told me wh-"

"That Gaines kissed me?"

My jaw locked in place before I could say anything else. The blood rushed to my head, my palms felt like they were scorching, and all hell broke loose inside me. Gaines kissed him. Gaines kissed him.

"Tom! You're catching the sheets on fire!" Sure enough, the sheets underneath me were black and I could smell smoke. Sparklez was quickly patting it out with a pillow, but my hands were still blazing and my temper was higher than ever. I'll kill him. Everyone knows Jordan is mine, he knew Jordan was mine and he kissed him anyway. I will kill him.

"I know what you're thinking and I swear to gods Tom if you hurt Gaines, I won't speak to you ever again. Calm. Down. It was a silly kiss, Mianite hurt him and he needed the comfort."

"I don't fucking care if he needed the comfort-"

"Tom, please..." He grabbed my shoulders iinstead of my hands and looked at me with watery blue eyes.

I would've done it if it weren't for the tone he'd used when pleading with me. It was the one he'd used in rare occasions, when he really wanted something from me and would get majorly pissed off or extremely sad if he didn't get it. I always melted with it. I always bended to his will when he used that tone, and with the added tears in his eyes, there was no way in hell I could resist. But I had to try.

"So while I was worrying my ass off about you, you were making out with someone better than me?" I sounded extremely bitter, but that's how I felt. Angry, bitter, depressed, embarrassed, and ashamed that I couldn't give my husband what he deserved. Did Gaines kiss better than me? Does he give Sparklez what he wants, a powerful man to lean on?

"It wasn't making out. It lasted five seconds and I didn't even move. Please calm down, you know I only love you. It's been a really long day, we're both tired, and a fight isn't what we need right now. Let's just go to sleep. Okay?"

I said nothing. My hands were still burning and the image of Gaines sucking on my Sparkly Pants made me furious.

"Tommmm...stop being on fire." He blew a stream of cool air on my hands, but it only seemed to fan the flames higher. I'm glad I wore a short sleeved shirt today.

"I can't control it. Goes with my temper. If you ever cheat on me, I'll probably burn the house down."

He looked at me severely, like I'd just called him fat or something. "I'll never cheat on you. You know that."

You're gettin' real close to it, I felt like mumbling. A small yelp of pain snapped me out of my gloomy thoughts and I looked up at Sparklez, who was holding his hand against his chest with wide eyes. "What?" I asked impatiently.

"You burnt me, you meanie..." He let go of his hand and leaned it down for me to see. And there were burn blisters already springing up on the side of his palm. I burnt him. Oh my gods, I burnt him.

"Shit, gods, are you okay? I-I'll go get Declan, I think he's got burn cream-"

"I'm fine, Tom. Look." When held out his hand for the second time, the blisters had vanished and his hand looked perfect. Ugh...thank god he's got healing powers. The flames on my hands and arms vanished along with my temper, and I grabbed Jordan around the waist and pulled him close to me.

"I love you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. At least you can burn things pretty quickly now, yeah?"

"True. I really missed you. Can we start this whole thirty minutes over?"

He smiled at me. "Sure." Then he got up, went to the door, opened it and closed it back, and climbed into bed with me. "I'm tired," he said sleepily. "Wanna cuddle?"

Sighing as his arm curved around my waist again, right where it fitted perfectly like it was made just for him, I closed my eyes. "Yes please..."
~~~
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- Lee