When I opened the front door, I imagined something like the night before. Mom with her arms crossed, dad sweating buckets, Mason playing video games upstairs. Instead I came home to all of the lights out and the faint sound of my parents snoring. I looked up to the hallway above the staircase. I could see my parents' bedroom door from the front door, and there wasn't a trace of light. Mason's room was lit up like the fourth of July.

I made my way up the cream colored carpeted steps to my own room. Mason and I were at the end of the hall, located straight across from the bathroom and hall closet. I wasn't coming home really late, it was only 10:00. Why were my parents asleep already?

"Della? Is that you?" Mason's voice calls out in a whisper.

"No. Just a burglar with a key." I whisper back as I turn to go into his room. I prop myself against the door frame.

He's playing video games, like always, with his headset on. I assume he's talking to Thomas or one of his other nerd friends.

"Mom and dad told me to wait up for you to get home." He says in a monotone.

"Which isn't much of a challenge for you since you'll be up for the next five hours." I roll my eyes.

He remains engrossed in his game. That's when I realize I can't take it anymore. I need an older brother right now. My heart is breaking and I can't just run off to Ash's house this late. I definitely can't go to Jonas, he'll just send me home without a word.

"Mason?" I can't believe how much my voice is cracking already.

He looks up and immediately concern floods his face as a tear flows down my cheek. He rips off his headset and jumps up from the bean bag chair. Mason's taking me to sit down on his bed before I can even tell him what's wrong. Why is he rushing to my side like this?

Wrapping his arms around me, he asks, "What's going on?" I've never felt like Mason was an older, protective brother. He was practically a hermit that occasionally came out of his room for food.

I take in a deep breath, "It's Mickey... And Jonas."

Mason flinches, "Um... A love triangle isn't really my area of expertise."

I allow myself to laugh, "No, not that. Jonas and I got in a really big fight and he told me that I didn't realize I was being played by Mickey. At the basketball game, Mickey was making out with Sophia right in front of me."

Mason jerks back, "And he knew you were there?!"

I shake my head, no. Mason rubs my back to comfort me. I wish I could tell him how I made it hail on his car. What's the harm, anyways? Mom and dad knew I had powers, Mason should know too.

"I kind of... Made it hail on his car." I murmur.

Mason tilts his head, "How do you figure that?"

I sigh, "Super powers. I can control the weather."

Mason looks at me with wide eyes, his mouth gaping open. I guess mom and dad didn't tell him.

"You have powers?" He almost shouts.

"Yeah... I'm Rapid Glare." I whisper, indicating that he should lower his voice too.

Mason blinks several times before he nods his head, "Makes sense why you were out so late after just being in the hospital. So, Rapid Glare, How should we take down Red Raven?" He becomes giddy excited to the point I think he's fanboying.

"Right now I have to get my sidekick back first." I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. Mason and I shared a lot of physical traits but it stopped at our hair color. He had raven black hair he received from dad, and I had ashy, chestnut brown hair I inherited from mom.

"Jonas is your sidekick? What can he do?" He chuckles, knowing that Jonas has always been a bit childish.

"He reads minds. But mainly he just helps keep my sanity." I tuck my feet under me and wrap Mason's superheroes blanket around me.

Mason leans back against the navy blue wall. "You're saying you miss Jonas more than Mickey right now." It wasn't phrased as a question, and I knew what he was alluding to.

"I don't like Jonas like that, Mason. But I need that knucklehead in my life. He was right about Mickey and he always knows what to do or say to get my head in the game."

Mason stares at me for a solid 10 seconds. What's going on in that genius brain of his?

"Okay, well, I'm not going to give my opinion on your love life anymore. I do know that you need to tell Jonas that he was right. You have to tell him that you need him to be your friend again."

My hands bring the blanket closer to my chin. I know what I need to do, but can I admit he was right without breaking into tears? Somehow I've managed to keep myself together in front of Mason, but all hope is lost if I tell Jonas what happened.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Mason interrupts my thoughts.

"Where?" I ask.

He rolls his eyes, "To Jonas'."

My jaw drops, "You would do that for me?"

He nods, his lips pinched in thought, "I would. But I'd only be there for brotherly support. You have to tell him what's wrong."

Closing my eyes, I think it over. Maybe after his planned encounter with Crossfire tomorrow I can tell Jonas how I feel. It would be the perfect chance. But I can't bring Mason to Crossfire's house. Crossfire may be turning over a new leaf, but he still had a villain in him somewhere and I didn't want him to get mad at me for bringing in my brother.

"How about tomorrow?" Mason speaks up. Crap. Of all the days.

"I don't know, I have to-"

"Meet with Crossfire?" He's twiddling his thumbs.

"Um... What?" I stutter out.

He snorts, "Oh, Della, come on, it can't be clandestine anymore." He scoots off the bed and turns off his tv and gaming system. Mason stands in the middle of the floor with his arms wide open.

"Take a good look." He grins as I begin to gawk at him. His dark black hair, his oddly out of character build, and the pale skin tone that matched mine.

"You're... Crossfire." I whisper. Now I know why Jonas wouldn't tell me his identity. Crossfire is my brother, and he needed to be the one to tell me this information.

His grin widens, "Yup! This is why both of us talking to Jonas will work. We'll both be there tomorrow, and he already knows it's me. He just won't know you're there, because you'll be invisible." He crosses his arms to finalize the matter.

"You're... Crossfire?" I question this time. My brother, who has permanent residence in Dork City, is one of Red Raven's minions? I guess it makes more sense now that he's converting to the good side, it suits him better.

"Yes," he says sharply, "Would you quit staring at me already?" He rolls his eyes.

"Is this why you're always so... hot-headed?" I joke. He closes his eyes, trying to ignore my stupid puns.

"Don't make me use that power." Mason warned. Even though he was called Crossfire, we didn't see much of his fire powers. Perhaps he was afraid to use them.

Mason paces around his room. Was this why I never saw him? He always stayed locked in his room, but was he really there all the time?

"Mason?" I whisper.

He stops plotting whatever plans he was mentally making to look over at me. His brown eyes meet mine with a whip of his head. It's a wonder he didn't get whip-lash.

"Do we have ice cream?" I realize it sounded rather childish of me to interrupt my brother's thoughts for a midnight snack, but I was feeling like a rug just got pulled out from under me. My boyfriend and one of my best friends had ditched me in the same day.

He shows me a bittersweet smile and nods his head. I follow him down to the kitchen where we eat ice cream and watch The Flash in the living room until midnight.

"You know what, Mason? You're not so bad."

He sighs, "Thanks, Del. I'm trying."

***

Even though Mason was going to be my support system, he didn't want to be in the middle of a fight between Jonas and I. As Crossfire, however, it was his promise to me that he would call Jonas to come train with him.

I wouldn't say I was eavesdropping the whole time, mostly because I was in the room with Mason as he made the call. It's not like he wanted me listening, but he knew I would be listening on the other side of the door if he didn't let me in.

"It's Crossfire." Jonas must have finally picked up the phone. Luckily, Mason had it on speaker phone, so I could hear Jonas' response.

"What do you want?" Jonas snipped.

Mason squints at the phone and Jonas' attitude.

"Look, I'm going to be short and quick to the point. You're the only hope I have now. Della isn't mentally able to handle the task at hand. I need you to step in."

Jonas takes a minute to reply. Can he read minds over the phone too?

"What's wrong with Della?" I let a small smile come to my face. He still cares.

Mason replies, "You were right about Mickey playing her. She had to find out the hard way, though. Now she's an emotional wreck." I glare at Mason and he throws his free hand up in surrender.

Jonas' voice is back to being stern and cold. "I'm just a sidekick."

"Which is why you're the perfect guy for the job! Red Raven won't suspect you." Again, there's a long pause.

"Okay," Jonas almost whispers, "I'll do it. I'll meet you after school tomorrow."

Mason hangs up without another word. We're both slightly in shock he would say yes. Nonetheless, I think my plan still has a shot at working out. If it doesn't, I'm afraid I have new competition: my best friend.

A/N
Whew! I didn't think I was going to finish this chapter in time to update on schedule. But here it is!

I thought it was about time we saw a little more of a brother-sister connection and I think since they're both revealed supers now, it'll get a lot more meaningful.

Also, I've been listening to this band called The Score a lot and that's why this is now a third song from them added to my book. The song added to this chapter really captures the fact that Della ran to her brother for comfort and wonders how she got by without him for so long.

Thanks for reading!
Always, Sunny