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ANDROMEDA JUMPED BACK as Aaron shoved Reid back, the Danvers girl let Tyler pull her further back before stepping in front of her as Bordy moved to back Aaron up. Caleb and Pogue caught the movement, feeling the overwhelming fear build within Andromeda through their link. "Hey, it's Reid and Tyler. Grab my jacket," Caleb called out to Pogue who nodded, snatching up Caleb's jacket and handing it over. "You guys need some help?" Chase asked the two.

"No man, just stay with the girls," Pogue told them before they followed behind Reid and Tyler, the two heading out the back door with Aaron and his boys following. Andromeda not too far behind, she was more hesitant but followed to make sure Reid's anger didn't expose their Power. Andromeda kept against the wall, hugging her arms around herself as Aaron stood across from Reid, his boys on either side while Tyler backed Reid up ready for a fight.

"Let's go. Bring it on, man," Aaron snapped, he was eager for a fight against Reid. "He made the shot, dickhead. You bet him he couldn't and he did," Tyler clarified despite full well knowing that Reid used his Power to ensure it. "We ain't paying you shit, so if you don't like it..." Ryan was cut off by Caleb and Pogue stepping between the opposing group. "What's the problem?" Caleb asked, he wanted to end this before it got worse. High emotions toyed with Andromeda's control, she would get overwhelmed and lose control of her Power.

"None of your damn─" Aaron's snarky comment was cut off by Reid, "He bet me I couldn't make a combo shot, and I did." Caleb sighed as he glanced at Reid before turning back to Aaron, "Everyone just forget about it, okay?" Before Aaron or his goonies could say anything, Nicky stood in the back doorway with a baseball bat in hand, "Hey! Take it someplace else, ladies. Now." Aaron backed off from Caleb, "Whatever you say, Nicky." Aaron glared at Reid before sending Andromeda a wink, leaving the scene as Nicky headed back inside.

"What were you thinking?" Caleb snapped as he whirled around to face Reid. "We were just playing them," Reid shrugged unfazed by Caleb's seething annoyance. "Yeah, come on, Caleb. They were suckers for it," Tyler backed Reid up as he sent small glances towards Andromeda who was taking steady breaths to calm herself down in the tense air that was stewing. "Why don't you stop being a pussy?" Reid sarcastically remarked towards Caleb before turning towards Andromeda, he wanted to give her a ride back to the dorms; plus, he wouldn't mind easing his anger by holding her again.

Caleb stopped him, placing his hand firmly on the side of his chest, "I'm not finished with you yet." Reid, never one to keep his temper under control, grasped Caleb's arm as his eyes filled an inky black causing the veins in his hand to start popping; Caleb gasping in pain. "Reid, stop!" Caleb ordered, his own eyes filling black before he used his Power to throw Reid away from him, hurtling him into some trash cans. Andromeda fought to keep herself calm, her own Power whispering at her, taunting her as the anger built in the air; surging electrically.

"What will it take for you to get it? It's addictive, you moron!" Caleb scolded as he tried to ignore his own Power's seduction, "You've seen what it can do if you abuse it. You want that? That's your business!" Andromeda lowered her gaze at those words, the last thing she wanted was any of them to turn out like those who lost before them. "But if you use in the open, like you did tonight, you risk exposing us all. And I won't let that happen," Caleb promised the blond, his fists clenched tight.

Reid picks himself up and starts to levitate one of the cans, his dark glare steady on their Covenant leader. "My power's greater than yours," Caleb reminded him, as the eldest of the five, his Power was indeed stronger. "Not until you Ascend," Reid snarked back, the can still in the air. "All right, go for it, tough guy!" Caleb taunted against him. Reid sends the can flying towards Caleb, but Caleb easily deflects it before sending Reid hurtling backwards once more; crashing into crates of glass bottles that were in the back alley.

"Stop it! This is crazy," Pogue spoke up, he hated seeing at each other. Tyler helped Reid up from the shattered glass, pieces stuck to his sweater but thankfully, none had pierced him. "It's for his own good!" Caleb snapped at Pogue before looking back at Reid and Tyler, "Keep using like you did tonight and last night... when you Ascend, you'll be as good as dead!" Andromeda whimpered slightly, clasping her hands to the sides of her head unnoticed by the boys in front of her.

"So I fixed her car. Big deal!" Reid replied, he didn't see the problem with something so small; he'd only been doing small things 'cause he knew if he gave in to the power he would never be able to have a future with Andromeda. "Don't play me, Reid! I'm talking about later and you know it," Caleb snapped at him though Reid was left confused. "The hell I do! I didn't use later," Reid snapped as he moved forward to attack again, Caleb prepared for it when a wave of power hit the four boys sending them to the ground.

The four boys looked over to Andromeda, her eyes were like the void and she was breathing heavily, her hands out and palms up. "Enough!" Andromeda snapped as she focused on Reid, her eyes returning to their usual colour and she lowered her hands. "Reid was with me last night, Caleb, all night. He didn't use. He isn't stupid and you automatically accusing him is a dick move," Andromeda scolded them before she stormed away from them. The boys were silent for a moment before Reid got up and moved to follow after Andromeda, he needed to make sure she was okay.

"It's not right using on each other, Caleb," Tyler added before he got up and made his way after Reid and Andromeda, he had driven Reid there but he wanted to make sure they were okay. "He has to be lying... she─" Pogue cut Caleb off, "You are not about to accuse your sister of lying, Caleb. How are you so sure it's Reid?" Caleb rolled his shoulders as he got up, Pogue joining him. "Because it wasn't you," Caleb answered Pogue before sighing, "Tyler doesn't have the balls to lie to me. And Andy hates using." Pogue lowered his eyes at that, they were missing something in the equation.

"Hey," Sarah's voice interrupted them, Caleb looked up at her and felt all of his previous anger and tension disappear. "Hey," Caleb breathed out while Pogue had a half smile seeing how whipped Caleb was for this girl; years of no interest in the opposite gender only for a Kansas girl to change that. "You okay?" Sarah asked worried, she could see how tense Caleb seemed to be. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Caleb reassured her. "Let's go," Sarah encouraged, motioning her head inside. "Yeah, let's get out of here," Caleb replied, he tapped Pogue's chest before following behind Sarah; he knew Andromeda would talk when ready.

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THE DRIVE back to Spenser Academy was tense for Tyler, Reid and Andromeda as the Danvers girl hadn't spoken after she climbed into the passenger seat of Tyler's car. Reid knew he had to let his temper fade before trying to speak with Andromeda, accidentally snapping at her would be unfair and would possibly break him. Tyler frowned as he drove, glancing back at Reid before focusing on the road ahead. Music played softly from the radio as they followed the highway, Andromeda's mind running a mile a minute trying to understand Caleb's actions but he acted out without reason from her view.

Arriving at Spenser, the three seventeen year olds headed inside and wandered down the hall towards their dorms. The two boys walked Andromeda to her dorm as they always did, she was still trapped in her overwhelming thoughts. Tyler was worried about the two walking with him, he knew Reid had a bad temper but he was highly sensitive over accusations sent his way. And Andromeda was the Empathic one out of the group, something they learned early on so when the air surged with their Power, she felt it stronger than the others.

They stopped in front of Andromeda's dorm, Tyler pulled her in for a hug that she really needed right now. "Deep breaths, Andy. They'll sort their shit out," Tyler whispered to her, she tightened her arms around him for a moment before pulling away. "Goodnight, baby boy," Andromeda replied softly, he smiled as she kissed his cheek before he put his hands in his pockets and turned to walk down the hall. "See you in the morning," Reid spoke before moving to follow Tyler, Andromeda reached out and pulled him back.

Tyler chuckled before leaving the two alone, Reid relented and let Andromeda pull him into her room; not that he would actually leave unless she wanted him too. Closing the door and locking it, Andromeda ran her fingers tiredly through her hair before turning to Reid as he sat down on the armchair she had in her reading corner. He watched as she paced the floor, her nose scrunched up and brows furrowed as she fell deeper into her overwhelming thoughts. Reid sighed before he reached out and pulled Andromeda onto his lap, she leaned her back against the arm.

"Just let it out, Doll before it consumes you," Reid told her softly, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to ease her tension. "I don't understand why Caleb accused you so willingly... I mean, yes, you play with the Power but you're careful and cautious of the use. I see that when watching you─" Andromeda was cut off by Reid's hold on her hip tightening, "You watch me?" Andromeda rolled her eyes fondly, lightly hitting his chest before curling into his embrace; the feeling that surrounded her in this moment was more addictive than The Power itself was.

"But Caleb was right about one thing... someone used last night. I could feel it but it wasn't us," Andromeda told Reid who frowned, he didn't like the sound of this as it meant someone else out there was like them; a real threat of their exposure. "We'll find answers, Rome. But right now, I'm more concerned about you," Reid responded as he moved his hand to cup the side of her face, turning her gaze to him; his heart broke at the misty tears forming in her eyes, the tension of the night finally breaking the dam she held together.

"Oh, baby... it's okay," Reid whispered, pulling her head to rest in the crook of his neck; the tears falling down her cheeks as she silently cried. A weakness. Her father always told her, emotions made you weak and tears were a waste of time. He always berated her when she'd cry as a child, even when she broke her arm; he had yelled at her for being weak. It wasn't a secret that William Danvers addiction to The Power had made him a cruel man, the kindness he once held was washed away after he had Ascended ─ But Evelyn was too in love to leave by that point.

It was rare for Andromeda to cry, her Power being stronger resulted in clouds to form above the Academy, rain falling with each tear that streamed down her face. That elemental connection was something that scared Andromeda, she feared flooding the town from her sadness or causing a blistering heat with her anger. Thankfully, the boys had learned early that they could calm her Power by being near her. However, no one could do it better than Reid who always managed to help her through these moments; memories of falling in love began with their own connection.

Reid continued to hum softly to her, rubbing her back as she calmed down; her tears came to a stop and her breathing began to even out. All of the tension in her body faded, relaxing completely against Reid who relished in the knowledge that she felt so safe with him. "Thank you, pretty boy," Andromeda whispered as she slightly moved her head, kissing under Reid's jaw; an action he thoroughly enjoyed, hoping for more in the future. "For you, baby, anything," Reid whispered to her, kissing her forehead and letting his lips linger as he added, "I'd do anything for you."

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OUTSIDE THE DORMITORY, Caleb and Sarah sat in the former's car; his focus had been on the rain falling knowing exactly who was causing it making guilt flood through his body. "Thanks again for a great day," Sarah spoke up breaking Caleb from his thoughts, "I had fun." Caleb smiled at her bashfully, "Yeah. Yeah, me too." He then sighed, "I'm sorry about Gorman. He's just not used to seeing me with anyone." Sarah nodded with a slight shrug, "I think I'll survive." The two shared another smile at that, seemingly lost in each other's eyes.

"Fact is, you're the only girl I've ever taken out there," Caleb told her honestly. "Really?" Sarah asked, her heart fluttering at the knowledge. "Yeah," Caleb muttered with a slight nod, nerves getting the best of him. "And why is that?" Sarah questioned with a subtle smirk. "I'm not sure just yet," Caleb remarked with a smile. "Good night," Sarah told him receiving the same reply, she turned to leave only to face Caleb and lean over, kissing him deeply for a moment. He grinned once she pulled away, blushing, Sarah got out of the car and headed inside leaving Caleb feeling better than he did earlier that night.

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Rosemary Speaks. . .

Okay, screw those who like slow burns... Imma get Reid and Andy together ASAP... cause even as the writer, I'm dying for them to be together already!!

Also, how are we feeling about Caleb's anger?

What about Reid's promises?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Questions?

See you in the next chapter!

Unedited