Nico had returned to her room while you went on your own, staring into your reflection. Your gaze grew intense as you glared heavily at the mirror in front of you that you noticed your eyes started glowing red once more. You scowled and slumped back into your bed, panting heavily. 'I don't understand...' You thought to yourself.
After talking to yourself in your head, you expected an answer or a response, but there was none. You sat up and crossed your legs, puzzled as to what had happened to the voice of an unknown woman within your thoughts. When you returned your gaze to the mirror, you noticed Pietro's reflection staring back at you, his eyes filling with blood. You let out a loud gasp and averted your gaze, holding your pillow for support and closing your eyes.
"(Y/n)..." Someone called your name in hushed tones. Someone said your name in a voice that was all too familiar to you. "(Y/n)..." You could feel it behind your ear as he whispered louder, sending thrills up your spine.
"Why didn't you save me?" The voice asked. You tried covering your ears, but it was ineffective. "You just watched me die..."
You slowly opened your eyes and locked eyes with dead Pietro staring right into your soul. As you maintained eye contact with your deceased sibling, your breathing became heavier. Because you weren't using your powers, you knew it wasn't an illusion. However, you were well aware that this was a ruse. Someone was attempting to scare you, and they were rather successful.
"(Y/N)!" You flinched and covered your head for safety as your dead adoptive brother yelled. You expected anything to attack or hurt you, but all you got was a buzzing phone next to you, which made you jump slightly. You instantly checked your phone, saw Alex calling, and placed your palm on top of your chest. As the ringing persisted, you stared at your phone for a second.
With a big huff, you accepted the call and hugged your pillow closer. "What is it?" You asked quietly, still shaken from the encounter of the illusion, or maybe even a ghost, of Pietro. You waited for Alex to respond. "Alex?" You asked softly, becoming concerned when he remained silent.
"So, where's Mom?" You heard Alex ask. You furrowed your brows in bewilderment until you heard the engine of a car. When you heard Geoffrey Wilder's voice next to Alex's, your eyes widened. "She's meeting us in Van Nuys. At the airport."
"Fuck." You whispered before ending the call and throwing your pillow away as you left your room. Nico emerged from her chamber with her Staff of One just as you were leaving. Your adoptive sister saw your frightened expression. "What's wrong?"
"They're kidnapping Alex." Nico's eyes widened as a result of what you said. After finishing their tasks, the rest of the team gathered in the main hall. You leaned against the rails, your gaze falling on your friends. "Gear up! We need to save Alex. He's being kidnapped."
"By who?" You heard Karolina ask, who rushed into the main hall after hearing your announcement.
"By his own parents."You responded while wearing your red oversized jacket. As they prepared, the team grabbed their belongings and valuables. Chase shifted his gaze to you and Nico. "Is it really kidnapping if they're his parents?"
"Seeing as they are teen-murdering sociopaths, I'd say yes," Gert replied to Chase's question.
Nico fixed her jacket as she faced you and her friends. "We've got to stop them."
Chase furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What's with the 180? You were just leading the charge on Team Alex Sucks Ass."
You gave Chase a strange look while Nico nodded. "He does, but he needs our help."
Karolina crossed her arms as she smiled at Nico. "It's okay to admit that you care about him." She reassured Nico. "I do."
Chase chuckled. "I kinda miss his square head and chicken legs."
"His chicken legs which are faster than yours?" Chase's smirk vanished as a result of your teasing. "What? He's a fast runner. We've all seen him."
"So you miss how he run so fast?" Molly asked as her eyebrow arched into a teasing one. "Meaning, you miss him, right?"
You gave Molly a short glare while Nico looked at you and Molly suspiciously. "Yes, Molly. I do miss him. We all do. I miss his references that we rarely even understand."
Gert smiled. "I miss his bad pitches for mission titles and codenames."
"And even though he thinks he's smarter than everyone..." Molly spoke up. "...he really is smart. And I miss him, too. Not too much like (Y/n) tho—"
You were relieved Molly had said the last sentence quietly, but you gave her a quick pinch in the arm, prompting her to yelp in pain. You, Molly, Karolina, Chase, and Gert all turned to Nico, anticipating her response to Alex. Nico scratched her chin. "What?" She questioned everyone. "I got issues. About talking about my feelings. Or just... generally having them."
Nico glanced at you as you stared at her. "(Y/n) knows that. And she and Karolina are the only people I could really open my feelings to." She sighed. "But for now, actions speak louder than words, and I say we head to the Valley and get Alex back."
Chase faced Gert in full determination. "Gert, I think you should just stay here." He suggested. "After the brain thing this morning, I just don't think it's a good idea."
Molly gave Chase a look with wide eyes as if it was a warning. Gert gave Chase a chilly stare. "That's sweet of you. But seeing as I haven't gone full Britney yet, I don't need a conservator." She took a deep breath as she briefly looked away. "I can make my own decisions, and I-I want to you join you."
"Join us doing what though?" Karolina asked. "How are we even getting to Van Nuys?"
Molly smiled. "We have a car." She announced as she glanced at Chase. Chase beamed with glee and led the group towards the garage. He removed the white dusty blanket that had been covering the vintage car he had repaired earlier after the training. "Without a key, it won't start," Chase informed the group.
"Maybe Nico's Staff can help," Karolina suggested.
Nico shook her head. "No, the Staff can't control a car. Just seems to work with the elements. Earth, air, water..."
"Fire..." You finished. Chase gasped as he came up with an idea and dashed to the driver's seat, while Nico took the passenger's seat. You and the others followed the two. Chase searched behind the stirring wheel and discovered two wires. "If I hold these together, all I need is a—"
"Spark." Nico finished Chase's sentence. She nodded and pointed the staff to the wires and the two wires sparked. The engine started and the car was ready to go. You, Karolina, Gert, and Molly sat in the backseat while Nico and Chase were in the front. "Come on. We have to hurry." Nico said. "Alex put this in motion. It's up to us to bring him home."
Chase began driving away as quickly as he could in order to arrive at Van Nuys Airport as soon as possible. You swept your thumb across your burner phone, looking for any indication that Alex was safe. Molly recognized your anxiety and comforted you by holding your hand and smiling. "We'll get him back. Again."
"What if something happens to me? I feel a bit upset that you don't care about my well-being."
"Fine, I'll cause chaos if anything bad happens to you. Happy?"
To your surprise, you arrived at your destination earlier than you expected. The group might then devise a strategy for reuniting with Alex. As you all got out of the car, you looked around with Nico, trying to come up with a plan. You discovered a hiding area as well as the plane on which Geoffrey planned to send Alex away. "I have a plan." You announced.
You pointed your finger to the side. "Chase, hide there and wait for Karolina to distract Alex's father." You moved your finger to point at the plane. "Molly, wait by the plane for Chase's signal to take Alex. I need you to be on the plane in case Geoffrey had already taken Alex inside." You faced Karolina. "Karolina, I need you to fly and blind Geoffrey for a few moments. I'll cover you and once I let go of my illusion, go do your thing." You turned around and faced Nico and Gert. "We'll stay by the car and Gert, you get to drive. And if anything goes sideways, we'll cause chaos if we have to save Alex's ass."
Nico stared at you in bewilderment while Chase and the other nodded, obeying the instructions you have told them. "Nice job, little sis," Nico commented as she patted your shoulder and got inside the car with Gert while you were standing beside the vehicle. You employed your powers by casting an illusion to conceal Karolina and the parked vehicle. To your relief, Geoffrey and Alex arrived on time.
You saw Alex grudgingly take up his two suitcases and accompany Geoffrey to the plane. Your eyes widened slightly as you noticed the new hairstyle he got while he was away. 'That guy managed to give himself a new hairdo?'
"You been okay?" Geoffrey asked Alex out loud. "You know since you ran off?"
"Thanks to Darius," Alex replied. "Until today."
You looked at Nico, who had only shrugged, in bewilderment. After Alex mentioned his old friend, you saw Geoffrey shaking his head. "Never wanted to see you mixed up with him, with his world."
Alex stopped in his tracks to face his father as the two approached the plane, right where Karolina was hiding. "His world? That world is our world, too, Dad, and there's a lot of good in it, okay? Darius and his family were kind to me."
"Yeah?" Geoffrey scoffed. "Well, your hero traded you for a mini-mall."
You knew you had to get Alex out of there when you saw his disappointment and betrayal in his eyes. When you let go of the illusion, Karolina utilized her powers to temporarily blind and distract Geoffrey from above. You sighed with admiration at Karolina and you glanced at Nico. "Nico, you have a goddess of a girlfriend." You complimented.
"What the hell?" Geoffrey groaned and covered his eyes, as did Alex. Alex smiled as he recognized the hues of the powers employed to distract his father. "They came."
Karolina came to a complete stop, and Chase emerged from his hiding location, wearing his Fistigons. "Alex, get down!" He yelled. Alex dived to the ground and rolled to the side to escape being blasted by Chase. Alex turned to see his father on the ground, having been hit by Chase's Fistigons.
"Molly!" You and Chase both called for Molly to exit the plane. Molly dashed down the steps, carrying Alex towards the car while Chase and Karolina were trailing close behind.
"Come on!" Molly exclaimed.
"Molly, I'm pretty sure I can walk," Alex told Molly.
"We don't have time. I got this."
Gert peeked her head out from the driver's seat. "Guys, hurry!"
"In the car, hurry!" Nico yelled as well. Molly placed Alex down on the ground while you sighed in relief to see Alex unharmed. Secretly, you wanted to give him a big hug. When you returned to the back seat, you discovered that the sunroof had been opened. "Oh, cool." You whispered. While the others were with you, Nico entered the vehicle and headed for the passenger seat. "Go!" Molly exclaimed to Gert.
"I'm trying!" Gert exclaimed back as she tried to start the car.
"Why'd you turn the car off?"
"I didn't. It's stalled."
"Use the key!" Alex suggested.
"No, no. We don't have a key." You answered as you and Alex looked back to see Geoffrey getting up. "The spell must have worn off..." You deduced as you glanced at the wires that Gert was holding.
"Spark!" Nico attempted to cast the same spell as before, but it failed. You gave her a sidelong glance. "I don't think the same spell works, Nico. Just like what happened after Chase shot you with his Fistigons."
Alex looked astonished, his eyes widening as he realized how much he had missed while he was gone.
Gert nodded, agreeing with your statement. "(Y/n)'s right. That's how it works! It won't do the same command twice. Hurry, think of something. He's coming."
You, Alex, and Chase exchanged glances as Geoffrey dashed towards his car to catch you and the rest of the team. Nico exclaimed angrily. "Forget a spellbook, I need a thesaurus!"
"Just say something!" Gert exclaimed.
"Hot-wire!" A spark ignited from the two wires Gert was holding, much to everyone's amazement. Nico jumped into the passenger seat as soon as the engine started up. Gert cast a glimpse over her shoulder towards Geoffrey, who was driving towards the vehicle in which you were all situated. "He's catching up to us!"
You groaned angrily and rose from your seat. You turned to face Geoffrey, who was pursuing you and your companions. Your eyes glowed as you used your powers, and you grunted as you damaged the road Geoffrey was on, forming a barrier that forced Alex's father to come to a halt. When Gert started driving, Alex and Chase had to support you so you wouldn't fall and lose your balance.
When the small wall you built worked, the group exclaimed in delight. Gert continued driving while you sat back in your seat. You panted heavily and rested your head on Alex's shoulder to the side. Alex smiled as he pressed his cheek against the top of your head.
-•-°-•-°-☆
Let's pretend that the car is big enough for everyone :3