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Author's Chapter Notes:

Here I am, back with a BRAND FREAKING NEW chapter for this story! I ain't updated this story in THREE years!! O__O Wow. Mare, I hope I can get you back on this story!! :) Anywho, I hope this update not only calls back my fellow readers, but new readers as well! :) As always, feedback welcomed, appreciated and LOVED!! :D

“So do you want to fucking explain to us what the hell happened back there?” Nick exclaimed, waving his arms in emphasis as he stood before James, who was seated quiet on his loveseat; they were gathered in his living room. “What the fuck happened to ‘you won’t let anything bad happen to us’?!”

Howie placed a reassuring hand on Nick’s shoulder, trying to get the youngest to calm down. “Relax.” he whispered.

“I can’t fucking relax, you seen what happened back there! AJ and Kevin almost killed us trying to kill each other!”

Brian sat on the couch, head in hands as he tried to piece things together himself. Surely it wasn’t James’ fault that this all had happened, but… what exactly did make Kevin lose control of his power? And he was pretty sure that Kevin using his power against AJ is what helped to set the younger man off.

James sadly shook his head, “I honestly don’t know what happened Nick. I’m not sure if Kevin has ever used the power he brought forth before, or if he even knew the extent of it.”

“What power are you talking about?” Brian asked, breaking himself out of his thoughts.

“His elemental power is earth, and he caused the ground beneath us to crack.”

Though Howie wasn’t there at that time to witness it, he knew exactly what power James was talking about that Kevin had displayed. “Was it like an earthquake?”

James nodded, “It started off like that, and then the ground began to separate.”

Howie shook his head, “No, he has done that before… when were back at the SEC facilities. He seemed to have control of it then, though it left him weakened.”

James began to rub his head, this wasn’t making any sense. “We were communicating telepathically before he did anything, and I simply asked him to show me what he knows. But he lost focus so quickly, in a matter of seconds!”

“And what about AJ?” Nick asked. “Why did he lose control of his power if he’s done it before?”

“AJ doesn’t take threat too well,” Howie spoke out on behalf of his best friend, “I’ve known him to be like that since he was a kid. He was harassed a lot growing up by other kids, casting him to be different, abnormal, a straight up outcast. We all know how he tries so hard to fit in and be accepted, and… I guess you could say his power thrives on that attention as well, it’s what truly sets him apart. But, the fact that we all grew up with these powers, he has come to use his to ward off any threats or dangers that’s posed to him. The way he once explained it to me, his mind tends to go back to the days where people harassed and threatened him… the feeling of him standing before people, hearing their thoughts of disgust, how some feared him, and others just wanted to do harm… it’s that feeling that sets him off. He’ll start to feel enclosed and do whatever he needs to to escape that feeling, escape the threat and danger.”

“His power has become an initial reaction.” James muttered, as if finally figuring things out.

Nick flounced himself down next to Brian on the couch, “Come again?”

“Whenever Alex feels threatened or is in danger, his initial reaction is to automatically use his powers to eliminate the threat or danger. It also goes beyond him though… he’ll have that same reaction to protect those he loves… case in point, you four being his brothers.” James explained.

“So… isn’t that a good thing?” Nick drawled out. “Just like if someone were to come up and try to punch you, you automatically try to fight back, it’s your defense mechanism kicking in or some shit.”

“Not quite.” James replied, rising up from where he sat. “You all understand that the use and benefit of your power is always for good and to thwart bad, so to an extent it’s okay to automatically use that power to help those or yourself from danger and to eliminate any and all threats. In AJ’s case, his power has become a psychological initial reaction, so to speak. Not only will he react to threat and danger, but could very well at times react to anything that conjures these bad memories from his past… say, if someone teases him, or if he hears thoughts of anyone thinking him to be weird or different.”

Nick cocked an eyebrow, “This is AJ we’re talking about! He is definitely not the dullest crayon in the box! As long as we’ve known him, he sets out to be looked and considered different. He’s rocked many crazy and questionable fashions back in the day! He thrives on standing apart from us.”

“Perhaps that’s his way of psychologically coping with what he had gone through as a child.” Brian suggested, “He took something that he once considered a bad thing and turned it around, to help boost his esteem. It’s helped him to accept that being different is what sets him apart, and being in the limelight, that definitely helps to boost your ego a bit because eyes are on you nonetheless. As far as I’m concerned, that was a good move on his part… perhaps he’s come to control that feeling so that he doesn’t react to something as petty as that.”

James nodded, “Good possibility. He definitely reacted to Kevin attacking him. But, this all doesn’t explain what exactly happened with Kevin.”

“And we probably won’t know unless we ask him.” Brian stated.

“Yeah, but there’s a good chance he won’t be able to recall what he even did, let alone what he was feeling before everything happened.” James began to walk away from the group, “I want you guys to get some rest while I try to figure this out… we have long days ahead of us.”

Brian, Howie and Nick sat there, watching as James left them in his living room. “I’m beginning to second guess this whole training shit.” Nick voiced as he rose up from the couch, “I mean, if this is the shit that could happen to us every time we use our powers, then we’re best off not using them at all.”

Brian shook his head, “That isn’t true Nick, we can’t deny or ignore what we’ve possessed all our lives. AJ wasn’t doing anything when his power decided to backfire on him and land him in the hospital… the same could happen to us regardless. Our best bet is to learn the extent of our powers and learn how to control it before it controls us.”

“Brian’s right,” Howie agreed. “and if these SEC guys try to come for us again, we’ll need to be ready.”

Nick remained quiet; he knew they were right, he only hoped that this incident wouldn’t happen again. He wondered if Kevin would remember anything, or if AJ would remain mad at Kevin for something he obviously couldn’t control. The last thing the group needed now was something to divide them, and he hopes AJ can come to forgive Kevin. “I’mma check on AJ.” he said as he made his way towards the extra room where AJ was placed.

Brian looked over at Howie, “Shall we check on Kevin?”

Howie simply nodded.

~*~*~*~

Both Howie and Brian walked into the room Kevin was in, finding him to still be asleep. Brian made his way towards the bed while Howie remained by the door. Quietly, Brian began to inspect the eldest, waiting to see if he would perhaps awake at his obvious presence in the room. Nothing. Sighing, he turned away and began to make his way towards the door, where Howie still stood.

“He’s mad at me, isn’t he?”

The sudden voice caused Brian to stop in his tracks, and he turned to find Kevin now staring back at him. “Hey,” he smiled. “sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

Kevin tried to smile back, “Yes you did, which is why you stood there, staring at me for a while.”

Brian chuckled, “I forgot you can get into people’s heads.”

Kevin closed his eyes, “At times I wish I couldn’t, believe me. The one person’s mind I don’t want to get into… he’s mad at me, isn’t he?”

Both Brian and Howie now made their way to either sides of Kevin’s bed. “Well, um… we’re not sure.” Howie responded, “Nicky went to check up on him.”

“He has every right to be upset with me.” Kevin sighed. “I… I don’t even know what I did.”

Howie and Brian exchanged looks, “What do you mean? What do you remember?”

“I remember… I remember James asking me to show him what I could do. I managed to make the earth shake a bit, but that’s it… I blanked out right after that. Next thing I knew, I was on my knees, looking up at you Brian, and then… then I looked around at the mess. I remember looking over at AJ, and he was just staring back at me… anger in his eyes, but seemed to be calming down. It was hearing your guys thoughts and feeling your emotions that made me realize I did something wrong… and not just wrong, that I did something bad.”

Brian remained quiet, trying to think of how he could explain what had happened earlier. “We think you may have lost control of your power. We’re not sure how or why, but you what you tried to display became destructive and harmful. Since the ground had separated us from you, AJ was the only one that could try to stop you. He used his telekinesis to lift you off the ground, which… made you angry.”

Kevin continued to stare at Brian, trying to let everything he was telling him settle in, “What did I do?”

“You, uh… you turned your wrath on AJ. You managed to make these boulders come up from the ground, in a path that was projected towards him. It knocked him off his feet, and from there you made the boulders shatter and crumble around him.”

“Oh god, is he okay? I… I didn’t mean to, I swear!”

“Easy Kev.” Howie tried to calm, “He’s okay, and we know you didn’t mean to. When it happened though, we didn’t know exactly what was going on, all we knew that it wasn’t… you. After you attacked AJ, he reacted as well and you two were close to going all out on each other with your guys’ power.”

“Who stopped us?”

“Before it all got out of hand, we were able to inject you with this sedative-like medication, where it sedated your powers immediately. Howie on the other hand went to calm AJ down.”

Kevin closed his eyes, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing! Him being the eldest, he lost control of his powers and turned his attack on his very brothers. He truly hoped AJ would come to forgive him, but he didn’t think he could forgive himself for what he had done. “I would never want to hurt you guys.” he muttered out in a small voice. “I would never, ever hurt you guys! I didn’t mean to… I need to see him, tell him I’m sorry!”

“Slow it down buddy,” Howie eased him to remain lying on the bed, “you need to take it easy yourself! Whatever happened to you, on top of the sedatives, left you extremely weak, so give your body some time to gain it’s strength back. As for AJ, I’m sure he’s probably still sleeping.”

Kevin was really beating himself up over what he had just been told. Both Howie and Brian looked at each other, quite saddened to see their eldest brother plagued with such guilt, knowing he would never intentionally try to hurt any one of them.

Chapter End Notes:

I'm wrapping up the second chapter, so I may be posting that later on tonight! I think ya'll may enjoy it, it's a little action of powers! ^_^