Don't stop me now! I'm having such a good time-

Blaze's phone rang waking him up to the sound of "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen. He groaned but picked it up anyway. It was 8:57 A.M.

"Hello? Blaze?" A familiar, sweet voice answered.

"Hello?" Blaze groaned groggily. "Who is this?" The voice was so familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on who it was. Probably because he just woke up.

"Lira Matthews? You remember me right? We've only known each other for fifteen years."

Suddenly he was awake. "Lira! What a surprise!"

The voice on the other end giggled.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

"What? No, of course not." Blaze lied as he began to get dressed. He searched for a fresh pair of pants.

"Okay, well I was wondering if you want to... Er... Get some coffee and catch up? Today?" Lira wondered in a tone that made it sound like that wasn't what she was originally going to ask.

"Sure that would be great!" Blaze told her, nearly falling over as he struggled to put on pants as he held the phone with his neck.

"Really!? I mean... Awesome! How's three sound?"

"Three sounds perfect. Have you been to Espresso Patronum?" Blaze asked.

"No but now I have to!" Lira said on the other end excitedly. "I'll meet you there at three. See ya, bye!" Lira hung up.

Blaze couldn't stop smiling at his phone. He had missed Lira awfully bad over the past couple years. It was like he was missing part of himself. He had been missing his partner in crime... Well his other partner in crime. Michael would not be happy if he claimed that Lira was his one and only best friend.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Michael wondered as Blaze entered their sitting room/kitchen area.

Blaze found it odd that he could here the shower running when Michael was standing right in front of him. He ignored it.

"Lira and I are getting coffee later." Blaze told his roommate.

"Ooh coffee. Everyone knows what that is code for." Michael gave a wink.

"What do you mean?" A flash of confusion crossed across Blaze's face.

Michael took a sip of his coffee. "Oh come on. Coffee? Everyone knows that that's code for going on a date."

"What? Me and Lira? Date? Pfft, what?" Blaze exclaimed, shocked.

"Admit it, you like her." Michael smirked.

"I don't like Lira, like that. She's just my best friend."

Michael raised an eyebrow. "What am I? Your sister?"

"I meant ex-best friend." Blaze said, sitting at the counter.

"Yeah whatever. It's a date. I've been on a lot of dates myself so I think I can tell whether or not something is more than just two friends getting coffee." Michael stated.

"Yeah about that. Who's using our shower right now?"

Michael smiled. "Just a girl I spent the night with."

"Yeah I heard. These walls aren't that thick you know."

Michael laughed. "Yeah... You're avoiding the subject."

"I'm not in love with Lira!" Blaze exclaimed.

Michael sipped his coffee, a smirk growing on his face. That was an interesting word choice coming from Blaze.

"I never said anything about love. I said it was a date."

Blaze's face turned bright red. "Well, I- shut up!" Blaze spluttered.

"I told you! I'm always right."

The bathroom door opened revealing a drenched girl. She had wet, brown hair and was wearing black jeans and a purple blouse. She glanced awkwardly at Michael, before rushing out of the bathroom.

"Ihadagreattime. Let'sdoitagainsometime." The girl said very quickly. She avoided making eye contact with Michael and kept her head down as she rushed out of their apartment.

- - - - - - - - - Apartment 21 - - - - - - - -
"Okay, Rokin, I know. It's going to be fantastic. Okay I got to go." Zeke spoke into his cellphone. He hung up as Ember stepped into his sight.

"What's going to be fantastic?" Ember wondered.

"Oh you heard that. Uh... Rokin and I are going to a gadget convention. It's going to be pretty cool." Zeke stated.

"Ooh that does sound awesome! Can I come?" Ember asked. Gadgets were pretty neat and she had been wanting to spend more time with her best friend.

"Oh er..." He had to tell her no. He had to let her down, but it was hard when she was given him her green puppy dog eyes. He had never been great at telling her no. "Are you sure you want to? There's going to be a lot of guys there. You know how these nerdy types are. There will probably be a lot of unwanted attention."

"I can handle guys gawking at me. Besides it probably won't be that bad." Ember stated. "Please, Zeke!"

"No, Ember!" Zeke said. He couldn't bring her along. It would all but expose his secret identity.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"What is she doing here?" Rokin hissed as soon as he saw Ember and Zeke walk up to him.

They were outside an abandoned underground club called, The Occult.

"Where's the convention?" Ember wondered.

"Will you excuse us?" Rokin pulled Zeke aside before Ember could even say a word of response.

"What the hell, man?" Rokin flicked Zeke in the brow. "You're bringing an innocent person who you actually care about into our territory! The others aren't going to be cool with this. Do you know how violent they can get? Ember is your friend. These villains might kill her if they find out. And do you really want to expose all our secrets? Seriously-"

"Calm down, Rokin. She'll be fine. She really thought the idea of a convention sounded awesome. Besides no one will know. Everyone is supposed to be wearing their regular clothes to this one because of the location just in case an innocent stumbled in."

"It's your life you might f*** up, not mine. Do whatever you want." Rokin grumbled.

"Thanks?" Zeke wondered. He called over to Ember. "You ready?" She nodded. "Okay let's go.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"Don't listen to Michael. It's definitely not a date." Blaze mumbled to himself as he sat down at a table waiting for his high school best friend. He could see the entrance from here.

Lira walked in, wearing what in his opinion was a bit too dressy for simply coffee with an old friend. She wore a simple blue sundress that matched her icy eyes. Her black hair was up in a curled ponytail and it laid on her shoulder. If she had worn that to somewhere in high school he would have asked who the lucky guy was.

She spotted him, smiled and waved, and walked over to him before taking a seat at the table.

"Blaze, it's so good to see you!" She chimed cheerfully.

"Yeah, you too." Blaze stated. Michael was in his head now. Was this a date?

"Are you still drinking those Americanos?" Lira wondered.

"Yeah, I am. Are you still crazy for mint frappechinos?" Blaze wondered.

"My mind has been opened to other types of coffee, but those are still my favorite." Lira laughed. It was like a beautiful song when she laughed.

Blaze slid out of his booth. "Why don't I get us our drinks."

It wasn't a date, he kept having to reassure himself. But the real question was did he want it to be? Was he telling himself that as to not get his hopes up or because he didn't want to reject her. Blaze didn't know.

He returned and immediately sat back down. He handed Lira her mint frappechino. She flashed him a sweet smile.

"Thanks! How have you been?" The pretty raven hair girl wondered, her blue eyes sparkling with joy. They were both overjoyed to be reunited once more.

"Oh... Good. Busy, you know, but good. Things have been pretty tame. Boring but busy, you know?" Blaze stated. "But what about you? You finally get to work at a hospital!"

Lira looked down at her hands. "Yeah it's great. I like doing the internship. It doesn't pay much and it keeps me busy, but I enjoy it."

"That's great! You were a pretty great doctor from what I remember, back in the day." Blaze reminded her.

Lira shook her head. "I still don't know how you were that clumsy. Seriously you had new injuries every week."

Blaze coughed. Of course Lira wouldn't know. He had never told her about his past as a crime fighting alter ego. Now he strictly stuck to fighting injustice in the court room. That was the one thing he had never told her... Well one of the two things.

"Yeah... I've gotten a lot better about it! See no bruises!" Blaze joked.

"I see that!" Lira nodded, looking at him all over. "It's weird to see you as an adult. I mean, you seem so grown up!" She laughed.

"Well, I think you're mistaken. Growing out of being accident prone doesn't equal is able to be a functional adult." Blaze joked.

Lira rolled her eyes. "You passed your bar, didn't you?"

Blaze shrugged. "I did. But that's not the adult test." He laughed.

"Well, you look more mature." Then he heard her grumble, "You don't act like it though."

"Are you calling me old?" The ex-superhero wondered.

Lira ignored the question, teasingly raising her eyebrows as if to say 'you know exactly what I meant, but I'm not going to state it'.

Then their coffee meet up was oh so rudely interrupted by,

"Lira, we need to talk!"

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"This place is a little shady... Don't you think?" The blonde girl stated, looking around The Occult.

It was surprisingly dark and felt very closed off. Some of the lights didn't seem to be able to make up their minds about whether they wanted to be on or off.

"Nah... What you scared, Ember?" Rokin teased.

"I am not scared!" Her face grew red with anger as she glared. She calmed herself down before the smoke showed up.

"Um, let's check out over there!" Zeke tried to distract everyone.

"My latest invention! The Snow Exploder! At the slightest change it temperature it'll go off, covering all of Olivex City in ice!" A bearded man with blue googles laughed maniacally. "It is just a prototype of course..."

"Why does he seem familiar?" Ember mumbled. "Uh, why would he want to do that? It seems like a horrible invention!" Ember wondered.

"Er- no clue! What's that over there?" Zeke rushed Ember to the next gadget.

It was a giant odd orb with red plasma inside it. It was larger than a person.

"One touch!" Said the brunette woman standing by it. "And energy spikes will shoot out in every direction! They are nearly fatal."

She demonstrated. Everyone ducked. Red bolts of electricity shot out in all directions.

"Oof!" Zeke had been struck. He had been the only one not to duck. He shook it off.

Ember's eyes widened and she ran over to her best friend. She grabbed him, worriedly.

"Zeke, oh my gosh! Are you okay?" She exclaimed. Nearly fatal! Those spikes were supposed to be more dangerous, yet she was relieved to find that he was fine.

"I'm fine, Em. Don't worry." Zeke flashed her a calm smile, but she continued to look worried. Inside he was too, but for different reasons. What if she discovered his secret?

"But-"

"Electricity has always been pretty relaxed with me. Don't worry." Zeke tried to convince her.

"You just absorbed like a thousand volts or something. I think I should worry." Ember stared at him.

She was certainly glad he was okay, but why was he okay?

This was clearly not a normal convention. It was something much more sinister. Based off the odd gadgets and creepy atmosphere she only could come to one conclusion. They had stumbled upon a villain convention!

Of course Zeke and Rokin would be naive enough to not be suspicious of this! Ugh she had to get these two dorks out of here before someone got hurt.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"Lira, we need to talk!" A man exclaimed running up to their booth. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was short compared to tall Blaze and had some stubble.

Blaze and Lira shared a look. Blaze was confused as hell while Lira seemed more startled and apologetic.

"Please, Lira, take me back! I'm sorry. I love you, baby!" The man cried.

Lira's face was suddenly flushed with frustration. "I'm kind of in the middle of something, Lysander."

"Just give me a second chance!" Lysander whined.

"Oh is this ex-boyfriend Lysander?" He didn't know why he put so much emphasis on ex-boyfriend. The words had just come out like that. Maybe nobody noticed?

Lysander turned to look at him, a snarl of a glare shadowing the man's face. Blaze glared back. Whoever this guy was Blaze could tell he definitely didn't deserve Lira.

Lira took a deep breath as she looked at Lysander. "Yes this is ex-boyfriend Lysander. And that's all he'll be." Lira hissed.

"You're dating again? Already? Please, forget about this guy and take me back!" Pleading was written in Lysander's eyes.

Blaze gripped his coffee cup, causing imprints in the surface. The amount of steam quickly began to grow. If he wasn't careful with his emotions it would probably catch on fire, but Blaze didn't notice. He was to busy eyeing Lysander with a fiery hatred.

Lira eyed Blaze's cup, suspiciously. How had the amount of steam increase? It didn't make sense.

"First off, Lysander, I'm not ditching Blaze. He's my best friend from childhood. We lived right next door our entire lives. You would know that if you payed attention to my old pictures, but whatever. Second off, this isn't a date."

Blaze tried to smile, knowing he had been right and that Michael had simply been a doofus like usual. Something kept him from doing it though. Was it his current anger at Lysander or did he... Had he wanted to be wrong?

"Third off, I'm done with you. It's been a month. I'm done with you." Lira stood up. "I'm sorry about this, Blaze. I really am. I've got to get out of here. It was great seeing you." Lira said, picking up her cup of coffee.

"Lira, wait!" Blaze jolted to his feet, picking up his burning americano. In his rush brown liquid splattered, sizzling onto Lira's ex.

Lysander hissed in pain. Smoke started to erupt from his now coffee stained shirt. Blaze's eyes widened as he realized what his anger had done. Orange flames had erupted from the smoke.

"Oh my god!" Lira rushed back over, her eyes the size of dinner plates. She covered her mouth, shocked.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"I'm so sorry." Blaze repeated for what must have been the hundredth time.

They were in a hospital room where Lysander laid after being emitted with bad burns.

"It was an accident, Blaze. You bumped into him. And besides I'm pretty sure it's illegal to make coffee so hot that it causes second degree burns. It's on Expresso Patronum for that." Lira stated.

Blaze scratched the back of his head, awkwardly. It definitely hadn't been the coffee place's fault. It had been his. Why must he have been born with these blasted powers?

"Well I think the second degree burns were really caused by the fire that was created after I spilled the coffee." Blaze suggested. The flames were definitely his fault.

"Whatever it is I should sue those assholes!" Lysander noticed Lira frown at his words. "Or I would... But it's okay. Lira, can you please think about giving us a second go? Please, princess?"

Blaze rolled his eyes at the hospitalized man and tried to disguise his obvious snort of laughter as a cough.

Lira's gaze softened. Her expression was hard to read. Somewhere between pity and reluctance.

"I don't know... I guess we could give it a second chance." Lira gave a weary smile as Lysander beamed. Blaze internally groaned.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"Um, guys, I might sound crazy but I don't think this place is safe." Ember stated, as Zeke and Rokin looked at all the inventions.

"You're right, Conley. You do sound crazy." Rokin laughed.

Ember frowned, a slight scowl forming mostly where her eyebrows were. Zeke took notice.

"Ember, do you not feel safe?" Zeke wondered.

Her face became a full blown glare. "I've already told you that I can handle myself! It's you I'm worried about."

Zeke and Rokin looked at each other. Rokin rolled his eyes. "We can handle ourselves. It'll be fine."

"But," Zeke stated, sensing Ember's discomfort. "If you're really worried we can leave." Zeke gave his best friend a little smile.

Her smile seemed to read 'thank you'. Zeke threw his arm around her shoulder and gave her a slight squeeze. She squeezed back.

"Oh come on, dude! I told you not to bring her. You did anyway! Now she's making you leave? No way! We're staying, Zeke."

A plan formed in Ember's mind. It was risky but certainly get them to leave. "Actually I'm alright. Let's just enjoy ourselves here."

"Are you sure, Ember-" Zeke began. He just wanted her to be safe, comfortable, and happy. If she wasn't they should fix that.

"I'm fine, really." Ember lied, her green eyes shining.

"If you're sure." Zeke shrugged. Rokin tugged on his sleeve.

"Dude, check out that phaser!" The two ran off to one of the gadgets.

Ember stayed back, watching them carefully. They didn't look back at her. Nobody was looking at her. She glanced at the rusted sprinkler system on the ceiling. She hoped that they would work.

She leaned against a wooden post that was supporting one of the stands where gadgets were being displayed. A tiny flame sprung to life at the tip of her finger. She felt its warmth but it didn't burn her. She smirked and let the flame leap from her hand to the post.

She controlled the size of the flame, until she was able to back away far enough from it that she wouldn't be suspected. Then when she was right next to Zeke again she let her power release.

The flame quickly grew in size, devouring the post. Smoke rose to the ceiling where the old sprinkler system rested.

Water poured down on them as someone shouted "FIRE!"

Just as quickly as the water had begun to sprinkle a frost sheet of snow dropped down on the entire convention. The stupid Snow Exploder was to blame.

Oops... Ember glanced at Zeke and Rokin's astonished faces.

Well at least that did the trick.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
"I can't believe that just happened!" Zeke exclaimed. They were just getting back to their apartment after that whole situation.

"Yeah strange, wasn't it?"

"It totally was. Want a towel?" Zeke wondered, unlocking the door.

They were both completely drenched. Their hair hung in wet strands and their clothes hung of their body, soaked and stretched. Ember's mascara was smudged as was her red lipstick. The snow hadn't helped.

"A towel would be nice." Ember grinned as they entered the apartment. Zeke opened a cabinet, pulling out a red towel and a yellow towel. He tossed Ember the red one.

"I got to say," Zeke said as he threw the towel over his head. "That was fun, even if it was a little wet."

"Yeah it was." Ember grinned, ringing out her hair some more. "We should have more adventures like that."

"Yeah we should." His breath seemed to slow as he noticed her. She was cute even when her hair was a wet mess and her makeup was smeared. He smiled.

Zeke stepped closer to her, noticing that she had some ice in her hair. She stepped forward, towards him. He softly pulled out the ice. They only had a slight height difference. They could feel each other's heat.

"Your makeup is kind of smudged." He told her.

"It's okay." Ember looked up into his eyes. Green met green. Her breath halted.

Zeke brushed the red lipstick away. Ember shivered at his touch. He leaned down, slightly. Ember bit her lip, before standing on the tips of her toes to be at his level. She pursed her lips and they both closed their eyes. It felt natural to do this.

They sprung apart, avoiding what they almost had done, at the sound of someone knocking on the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - Time Skip - - - - - - - - - -
Blaze flopped down on the couch with a sigh as he just got how from his meet up with Lira.

"So how was your date?" Michael wondered, pausing the video game he had been playing.

"It wasn't a date." Blaze snapped, glaring at Michael.

"Two people who have feelings for each other having coffee together is a date." Michael rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't like me! And I don't like her. Actually it was interrupted by her ex-boyfriend." Blaze told him.

"Yikes, how'd that go?"

"I, uh, accidentally set him on fire." Blaze rubbed his temples.

Michael burst out laughing. Blaze shot his a hissing glare. "I didn't know you were the jealous type."

"I'm not!" Blaze exclaimed. "It was an accident. He clearly isn't good enough for her anyway and well it's been so long since I've used my powers they are started to become a little unruly."

"Yeah and you're jealous."

"I'm not. I don't like Lira!" Blaze groaned.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

Blaze opened his mouth to argue but no words came out. Obviously he was trying to convince Michael! He wouldn't shut up about it. Just because he had had a small crush on the girl back in high school... He decided to change the subject.

"Hey do you know where Ember's been living for the past week or so? Cause the other day Lira told me that Ember wasn't staying with her." Blaze wondered.

Michael shook his head. Blaze was pretty oblivious. Ember had been living across the hall for the past two weeks and he hadn't noticed.

"Uh maybe Zeke knows." Michael suggested, smirking. This should be good.

"Good idea. Thanks, man." Blaze got up off the couch and threw open the door.

He strode across the hallway and knocked on Zeke's apartment door. He waited a minute before someone flung open the door... His soaking wet sister. Her smile vanished instantly and he couldn't help but look confused.

"Oh crap." She mumbled.