ic Save Tonight [IC]

[Gizmo]

Trevor screamed inwardly as Erin and the others continued their attempts to subdue Mike. He wanted to be helping them, but knew he was little match for the paragon and was unwilling to let the saboteur escape in the chaos. The dark haired young man composed his thoughts with a simple sureness that his date was entirely capable of protecting herself. The cold, calculating side of his personality moved to the fore, recognizing his target as Shinnosuke Koyama, the gadgeteer known as L33T. One of Daisy Gibbons' minions, he recalled. Gibbon's feud with Zoe was well known around the school, and the night's events fell into clear order.

Reaching the projector, he bent over to roughly drag L33T from the floor while the hacker was disoriented from Alex's mental intrusion. Holding him by the front of his suit jacket, Trevor took advantage of his imposing height to lift him a few inches into the air, drawing him to eye level, where the popular student was met by a narrowed gaze that brought him back to terrifying focus.

In that instant, the Mustang burst into existence, crashing into Mike in an explosion of sound and shrapnel just behind Trevor. The wreckage burst into flames, the flickering back light casting the fedora wearing teen in imposing silhouette. "You've miscalculated, Shinnosuke," he noted is a voice so calm and quiet that L33T couldn't help but strain to hear it in morbid fascination. Each syllable was a needle of pure, precise chill, and the other student found himself unable to look away from Trevor's piercing stare. "Badly. Tell me where Daisy is."

[Avenger Assembled]

Suddenly, everything was happening at once! Mark smiled with relief when Mike stopped his rampage, glad that everything had turned out OK, before suddenly a car appeared in a flash of light and came tumbling down at him. Before he could react, Mike threw himself in front of the car and took the full impact, saving Mark from what would surely have been a painful, unpleasant injury. "Holy cow! Isn't that Eddie's car?" Mark scratched his head. "Someone must have tossed it here. Mike, you okay?"

[Cyroa]

James blinked as the rest of the student body was...changed. He wasn't surprised. He'd always known Alex, despite her 'cute and brainy' exterior had a damn hard edge when needed. He couldn't question her actions either; that would be a tad hypocritical after all. He wasn't the one she needed at the moment though. And there was little doubt she'd need someone after that. James just shook his head at Mike. "It's ok. I unders..."

Which is about when the car appeared out of nowhere, aimed right for him. James had one clear second of awareness, seeing Eddie's face at the wheel, contorted in anger as the music roared along with the engine. James didn't move a muscle in that one moment, though whether out of surprise or guilt or sadness no one could say. It was only a moment however as he suddenly found himself flung clear by Erin. Even as James rolled to his feet, the car slammed into Mike and crunched like an accordion. James didn't fear for Mike; the young paragon hadn't even moved an inch from the impact. Eddie however was not nearly as tough.

He rushed back over, completely brushing over what Eddie had just done. To James, what mattered was that his friend was badly hurt in there. Everything else...would be dealt with later. He didn't hesitate. He reached down into the depths of his power and slapped a hand on the car. The wreckage was quickly lined with fiery red creases and cracks. A second latter, massive sections of it just vaporized in a flash and smell of brimstone, leaving a very wounded Eddie lying on the floor. "Don't you dare be dead, damn you. Don't you dare." Alex was much better at this than he was but she was a little incapacitated at the moment. He reached out laid a hand gently on the bloody chest and whispered words to healing spell he seldom needed, flooding Eddie's body with healing magic. A wave of fatigue washed over him causing him to wobble and blink as the energy left him. Still, he had the presence of mind to mutter to the towering hero above him. "Mike...think Alex needs you." He slowly tried to lever himself to his feet, wiped out.

He had plenty of sins he realized. This was just the last straw. It was time to start making some amends and to be better. Not screw up and wreck his friends trust and faith in him. He shook his head to clear it as he looked around. "Some party," he said to himself. "Last party."

[quotemyname]

As the car disappeared around Eddie, he dropped unceremoniously to the floor with a thump. His body lay in a limp bloody mass. He had cuts and scrapes everywhere. His nose was broken, and it had looked like he had more than a few shattered ribs. The car had evidently made impact with Mike at such a high speed, that even the airbag hadn't had time to react.

Eddie was a mess. Then James laid a hand on him and his wounds sealed up instantly. Bones righted themselves, and lacerations sealed up. Even his nose looked like it was back in the right place. Eddie opened his eyes, blinking them rapidly as he was jolted back into consciousness.

For a second, he had no clue where he was or what was going on. His vision was blurry, and every part of his body was screaming in pain. His ears were still ringing from the crash. Through his blurry vision he was just able to make out James' face as he knelt above him. Then everything came rushing back. The video. Zoe. James. The car. Every soul crushing moment of the last few minutes rushed back into his head like a breaking dam.

Eddie reached up shakily with his left arm and clutched at James' sleeve. "James..." He managed to croak, holding onto his friends arm.

He quickly brought his right arm off the ground and punched James in the face. Then both of his arms went limp, he rolled to the other side, and coughed up a wad of blood the size of his fist onto the floor. "AAhhhh ha ah haaooooooooowwwwwwwww!" He howled in pain that was not entirely physical.

[N/A]

For the longest time, Zoe just stood there, silent, motionless, completely overwhelmed by the events of the last few minutes. When the Terminus energies fueling her powers clashed with those of her father, the resulting backlash had left her disoriented. She was aware of her surroundings, but felt as though she was underwater, or looking in from outside a window - detached from everything. She recovered just as Eddie punched James, and she appeared kneeling at Eddie's side a half-second later. [bg=#0000FF]"Back off, J. I got this."[/bg]

Zoe held him close for a moment. [bg=#0000FF]"Shhh"[/bg], she murmured comfortingly into his ear. She put one hand against his cheek, pulled him around, and kissed him softly and briefly upon the lips. Then she pulled slightly back on her hand, balled it into a fist, and slugged him viciously across the face, wiping his blood from her lips with her other hand.

[bg=#0000FF]"Are you farking INSANE?! Have you lost your FARKING mind?! I hope you enjoyed that kiss, Eddie, because it's the last one you're ever getting from me."[/bg] She savagely punched him in the groin while his face was turned away. [bg=#0000FF]"How about that, BABE? Was it good for you, too? HOPE so, 'cause it's the last time I'm ever touching THOSE, either!"[/bg]

Zoe stood up, looking down on Eddie in more ways than one. [bg=#0000FF]"I farked up, Eddie. I farked up BIG TIME. It was a one-time thing, and I figured lying to you wasn't as bad as breaking your heart. When that vid started up, I had this whole big speech worked out in my head in a second. I was totally gonna take the bullet on this one, tell you how I got drunk, J got drunker, and I pounced him. I took advantage of him, not his fault, you guys should stay friends, all that bro's-before-ho's crap. I was gonna talk about how you deserved better than some farked-up extra copy of Z who's probably just gonna disappear someday anyway, 'cause her parents did it on a Saturday instead of a Sunday or something. How I'm not the girl you thought I was, and how you're this GREAT GUY who deserves a girl who'll be as GREAT to her as you were to me. How you should totally ditch my cheap ass and how I wouldn't respect you if you didn't."

"But you're not who I thought you were either, Eddie. You're just as farked-up as I am. We really are the perfect couple. It's a good thing we found each other when we did, 'cause I can't see how anyone else would want us. But I can't even stand to LOOK at you anymore, so I guess we're both outta luck."

"Look around, Eddie. All our friends have been to Hell and back. Some of 'em LITERALLY. But none of them ever pulled sprak like this. None of 'em ever tried to KILL EACH OTHER. You coulda killed a lot of people tonight. And you weren't being mind-controlled by some supervillain. You're just an asshole. A selfish piece of sprak who can't look past his own pain. Who doesn't care who he hurts. You tried to MURDER YOUR BEST FRIEND. Then he SAVED YOUR LIFE anyway, 'cause he's a REAL hero, and you STILL threw it back in his face. Congratz, Eddie. I am officially OVER your dumb ass."

"I totally thought I was the bad guy here. Thanks for leveling the playing field."[/bg] Zoe slowly walked away from Eddie, toward the elevator. Her shoulders were slumped over slightly, and her face hung frozen in a sad deadpan expression. She stopped halfway across the room, turned to Alex, and said matter-of-factly [bg=#0000FF]"I'm sorry I ruined prom. You did a really good job. But like you'll keep finding out, there's nothing you can do that I won't mess up."[/bg] Then she turned and continued dragging her feet toward the elevator.

[alderwitch]

Alex had covered her face when the car crashed through prom and crunched into Mike before slowly pushing herself up and pulling herself back together. Someone had to after all.

"That is entirely enough. Mark, if you would please be so kind to help me clean things up here so that everyone else can continue to enjoy their party," she said, her voice quiet but reinforced with her telepathy to touch everyone in their group, "As for you, Zoe, if you run away from this one I am not going to be pleased or impressed. Mike, I think the time to have that talk is now, if you would please."

She made her way to the group and touched Erin's shoulder first, repairing both her dress and helping her regeneration along before she crossed to Mike to do the same. Alex turned to look at the damage to her floor and the walls now that there were no more injuries to see to. A fact that could entirely be laid at the quick actions of some of their teammates. "As for Eddie.... James, why don't you take him to my office. I suggest we all meet there once things here have been set to right again."

[alderwitch]

L337 panicked, grabbing at the wrists that hauled him up and his gaze flicked back and forth, looking for aid from his usual group of friends but unfortunately for Shinnosuke, everyone else was distracted by the exploding wreckage and nearly no one was looking over at the much more subdued scuffle, "Oh, man, oh MAN..."

He hesitated before shaking his head and forcing back his obvious fear. "Look, man, I'll tell you, okay? Cuz, this isn't right. I mean, I get what she was trying to do and all that but people could get really hurt! That was totally not what this was about. We're heroes! We don't hurt people..."

Then with trembling hands, he wrote down the information for the feeds he'd been transmitting all of prom to. "Just - dude - don't let this escalate any further, okay?"

[angrydurf]

Mike was still recovering from the impact when the tangled mass of metal which had all but enveloped him vanished in a puff of brimstone. He looked on in shock concern still creasing his face as James knelt to heal Eddie and got a solid shot to the face for his trouble. Mike looked away to Mark, "You ok?" he asked as Zoe spouted off on her tirade against Eddie.

When he was sure Mark hadn't been hurt he started to limp over toward Alex blood seeping down his leg from the gashes left by the car and came up short as she as always pulled herself back together first. As the wounds on his leg healed he nodded to her and turned to Zoe sternly, 'No more running Zoe. Follow me.' his thoughts sounded in her mind as he walked out and down the hall to an empty conference room and leaned easily against the table therein waiting for her.

[N/A]

"As for you, Zoe, if you run away from this one I am not going to be pleased or impressed. Mike, I think the time to have that talk is now, if you would please."

Zoe stopped walking, but didn't turn around. She glared at the elevator in front of her.

No more running Zoe. Follow me. his thoughts sounded in her mind as he walked out and down the hall to an empty conference room and leaned easily against the table therein waiting for her.

[bg=#0000FF]Fine.[/bg] She spun on her heel and darted directly toward the walls between her and the conference room. She faded to a blur, which passed right through the wall as if it wasn't there. She appeared in the seat closest to Mike, leaning back. [bg=#0000FF]Go ahead. Let me have it. Both barrels. Fire away.[/bg]

[Electra]

It took a few moments after the collision for Erin to pull herself together and climb to her feet for a look at the wreckage. "Eddie?" she murmured in disbelief, not quite able to parse what she was seeing, even as she watched James pull the unconscious teenager out of the crushed sports car. "What the hell?" The motivation there became clearer as she watched Eddie bite the hand that healed him, then Zoe's impassioned speech. Shaking her head, Erin busied herself looking the car over, making sure it wasn't leaking gasoline or other noxious fluids that could hurt anyone or catch fire.

She didn't even notice how oddly she was walking until Alex came over and mended her dress and the broken heel of one shoe. "Thanks," Erin murmured, then walked over to James and Eddie. "I'll get him," she told James, leaning down and scooping Eddie up into an arm carry, with one of his arms over her shoulder. It was an awkward hold, but she wasn't going to put him into a fireman carry when he might still have broken ribs, no matter how mad at him she was. "Don't bother trying to punch me," she advised, walking towards Alex's office.

[quotemyname]

Eddie's eyes briefly opened in shock when Zoe kissed him, before she promptly punched him in the face, shutting them. "Ahhowww..." Eddie moaned. Then Zoe punched him in the groin, "OH! Ho. Awww, God!" he clutched the sensitive area with both hands, pulling up his legs and rolling to his side and then returning to his back in front of her.

Eddie listened to her speech silently, his guilt building and building with every word. What have I done? he thought suddenly, the magnitude of the situation finally hitting him full in the face, as hard as the steering wheel had only moments earlier.

Suddenly, Zoe was walking away. She was walking out of the room and possibly out of his life for good. From his position on his back, he tilted his head backward and watched her go. Unconsciously, music began playing through him. It was quiet, barely above a whisper, but it was there nonetheless.

[groove]21797485[/groove]

When Alex suggested the trip to the office, Eddie covered his face with his hands and took a deep and audible breath through his nose. It promptly caught in his throat as he accidentally breathed in the blood caught in his nose from when it had been broken. Eddie leaned to the side, to hack it back up once more.

The clot of blood divested, Eddie pulled himself into a sitting position pulling his legs up, he rested his elbows on his knees. Taking another deep breath, he turned his head up toward James, "Go ahead," he nodded, "I promise I won't hit you this time."

Then Erin offered to carry him, "Yea, that'll work. Thanks."

---

Once in Alex's office, Eddie hobbled over to one of the chairs and sat. He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees once more, and dropped his face into his hands. Defeated, utterly and entirely, he silently waited for everyone else to arrive.

Erin was about to leave the room and close the door behind her when Eddie spoke up. His voice filled with sadness he said, "I really screwed up big this time. I mean, I've done some stupid things in the past, but this... This is different." He looked up at Erin, still standing in the doorway, "I have some things to say, but I want every one of us to be here for it. And yes, that includes Zoe. She might not want to listen, but she needs to hear this. I need her to hear this. I can't say it without her here."

[Electra]

Erin leaned against the wall near the door, looking incongruously like a bouncer even in womens' formalwear. She didn't seem impressed with Eddie's apologetic attitude. "Haven't you guys aired enough of your personal business in front of the rest of us tonight?" she asked coolly. "I kind of doubt we all want to hear any more, though I'm waiting with bated breath to hear what the hell you possibly could've been thinking. Do you know how many people you could've hurt or killed?" She shook her head, holding up a hand to stop him answering. "No, let's save it. As for Zoe... we'll see what Alex thinks about her being here."

[quotemyname]

"Please, Erin." He begged her. "I've never asked you for anything before. And you still kind of owe me a favor from when I got that ball out of the tree for you last year. Do you remember that?"

Eddie's head fell into his hands again, "Please. I need this."

[Avenger Assembled]

Inside the ballrom, Mark gratefully focused on the opportunity to actually do something useful by Alex. "Okay, on it!" he called. Concentrating on the room around him, Mark closed his eyes and said, "Everyone hang on, I'm going to fix everything!" And with that he began to do just that, or at least as much as his power allowed, walking back and forth as tendrils of inky black energy came from nowhere, passing over broken floors and tables, reshaping everything into its original, unbroken state. Except, of course, for the still-smouldering remains of James' car.

[Cyroa]

James was feeling pretty darn groggy. He hadn't quite processed everything that had happened. So when Eddie called his name, he instinctively turned back and crouched next to the bloody youth. And was taken completely off guard as Eddie clocked him right across his jaw. That certainly cleared up the groggy feeling right quick. James' gaze cleared right up as he focused back on Eddie, eyes smoldering now. Literally.

Before he could even open his mouth, Zoe was there...and venting something fierce too. He could definitely empathize with some of her words but had to disagree with more than a few others. Still, he was feeling a might ticked off as Alex pulled herself together and force herself to speak up when she was hurting just as much as anyone else. He really had little desire to do the chatting thing at this point, but he'd done enough damage so far. He wasn't going to run out on them, regardless of the coming fallout. All the same though, he was glad Erin moved over to help Eddie up and to the room rather than having to do it himself. He nodded in thanks, trying to both clear his head of the fatigue and calm down a little as he watched her go.

Despite his intent to deal with it all, he had little desire to follow them in. Instead, he looked around the room for a few moment. He gestured, incinerating the last of the wreckage from the car that was left behind. It felt kind of good to destroy something, even just a little. He watched as Mike followed Zoe into a different room to have their 'talk'. He idly wondered if they knew how bad Zoe was really doing and handling everything. Probably, given their telepathy, but something to follow up on after this whole fiasco of an evening ended he supposed.

James moved over towards Alex a moment. He wasn't sure what to say or how this would all play out or even if she still could stand him. Just because she was the genius and voice of reason for all of them, didn't mean she wasn't hurting. She wasn't the type to suddenly play with dozens of people's minds and then feel nothing, to save nothing about the drama that caused it all. "Alex, I..." He paused. "If you need it, take some time. We'll wait. None of us are going anywhere." He turned started walking to the office. Rather slowly and reluctantly, but he was still moving.

[Electra]

Erin gave Eddie a look of blank disbelief. "You just tried to run me over with your car, Eddie. I don't owe you a damned thing. I trusted you with my life, and you tried to kill the whole team because Zoe cheated on you. I saw what you did to Mike. Do you know what that would've done to Mark? To Alex? I don't know what everyone else has to say to you, but you and I are totally done. You stay here." She walked out and shut the door behind her, then went to look for Trevor.

[angrydurf]

Mike simply shook his head and lowered himself into the seat next to her. His face was soft as he searched her face concern plainly on display in his eyes. "Zoe I'm not going to tell you how angry or disappointed I am about all of this." he finally said, "You already know that. But I need you to understand that all of this has got to stop." he said gesturing at her petulant posture and walls he knew she was already reinforcing. "You are not alone and what you do effects the rest of us we deserve better than this." he further explained.

He took a deep breath holding up one hand for her to hold off her response, "I need you to understand that when Alex found out who you really are we fought over what our role with you here was going to be." he said evenly, and fought was an understatement, thanks to their mental connection the fight had been short in time but hard fought on both sides. "I was able to convince her that we needed to step back and let you handle things. That we are not the parents you know and its not our place to try and pretend like we are." he finished a little sadly.

Mike looked into her eyes, "You have decisively proven me wrong on at least one point. We may not be the parents you know but we are the ones you have and you do need us." he laid one hand gently on her shoulder, "I had hoped you'd come to us, trust us, even lean on us. But you haven't and we see where that has gotten us."

[Gizmo]

As Erin exited the office, Trevor was already approaching, the black clad teen dragging a clearly rattled Shinnosuke Koyama roughly behind him, vice like grip on the other student's arm. When Alex arrived from the opposite direction, he threw L33T bodily to the floor at the feet of the young women. "Koyama has something to tell you," he informed his hostess casually, voice as light as if he were commenting on the clement weather. Turning to Erin, however, a shadow of emotion crept onto his stoic expression. "Everyone's alright?" Despite his wording, it was clear he was less interested in the well being of the group as a whole than her own condition after the chaos on the dance floor and was simply didn't want to give the impression that he doubted her capability. Knowing Erin could handle herself was a very different thing from quelling the sharp pang of horror he'd felt as she was thrown about, and his inability to held in the moment was a red hot frustration in his gut.

[alderwitch]

Alex sighed and knelt down in front of the young man, holding out her hands in supplication, "May I?"

At his shaky nod, she reached out to touch his brow. It wasn't contact she needed, but it helped set others not used to her powers at ease as it made it very clear when her contact with his thoughts started and stopped. Rapidly, she rifled through the information she needed and rested one hand on his shoulder, "Please go back to the rest of the party. I'm very sorry about all of this. And, yes, of course I promise."

After that very one-sided conversation, Alex stood up and left the couple to do the fretting over each other, excusing herself with a polite nod. Alex was making no effort to hide the expression of mingled guilt and strain on her face but she did answer Trevor's question, "Physically, everyone will be just fine. No one is injured at this point except for Eddie and I'll go attend to him now."

[Electra]

"I think everyone's fine," Erin told Trevor, echoing Alex's sentiments. "How about you?" She herself was looking better than when Trevor had last seen her, with her clothes repaired, if not her hair and makeup. "I put Eddie in your office," she told Alex, tossing a disgusted look back in that direction. "He wants to talk to everyone, including Zoe. I said that was your call, but I think it's a bad idea. He's managed to do enough damage tonight already."

[Avenger Assembled]

On the dance floor, Mark found his date, his head swimming with fears and ideas. This was a night where everything was going to change, everything was going to be different. Friendships were falling apart, romances collapsing like a wedding cake someone had set on fire, like maybe with a blowtorch, and who knew what the future would bring? He swept Zarana up in his arms, his date looking briefly confused for a moment before returning his kiss. "Let's get the hell out of here," he suggested. "We'll make our own party. And light our own fire." It was almost exactly what she'd said to him at prom last year, when her date had dumped her and she'd grabbed him hanging out in the corner. This time, though, it was Zarana who grinned and nodded, just as he had back then. Together, they went and headed for the door.

[quotemyname]

Minutes passed as Eddie sat in solitude, his only company was his own crushing misery. He was reminded of a song by Metallica, but for once he couldn't even bring himself to play it.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Alexandra Albright pushed through quietly and shut it behind her. Before she had the chance to say or think anything, Eddie face snapped upward out of his hands to see who it was, "Alex! Oh thank god." His face was streaked and red. It was obvious that he had been crying. Badly. But something inside him told him that if there was anyone, anyone at all that he had a chance of winning to his side for even a second, it would be Alex. He saw a brief glimmer of hope, just for a second, and he began to clutch it desperately, clawing at it in a furious attempt to try and make things right. "Alex, what have I done? I can't believe that I," he sniffled back a sob, "Erin was here. She's already left. I ask her for help, and she turned around and left! And I don't think that she's coming baaa-haaaack! Oh god!" His face fell into his hands again and he was no longer capable of holding back his sorrows. His entire body shook with his sobs.

After a few longs seconds, he stopped. He forced himself to sit up. As he did so, one of his cracked ribs popped out of place just a little more and he winced furiously with the pain. He stared at the ceiling with his back against the chair, "I want to apologize. I need to say I'm sorry. I asked her for that, and she walked out on mee-hee-heee!" He cried, "What do I do, Alex?" He asked, he turned to look at her, "I can't time travel like Zoe can, but if I could I'd go and take this all back!" He leaned forward to cover his face again, "What do I do?"

[alderwitch]

Alex sighed and crossed over to him. She didn't bother to ask permission as she set about healing his injuries with an air of weariness. Quietly she said, "Eddie, you can't go back. I rather think that if Zoe could go back, she would have erased her actions with James but we can't go back, we can only go forward. I'm not going to force everyone to come listen, I will, however, convey your request for everyone to come in here so that people can talk things out. Some of them might not come and you need to be prepared for that."

She sent her thoughts winging out to the members of Young Freedom, touching each of them in turn and passing along a message, 'Eddie would like the chance to apologize and speak with everyone. I told him I would pass the message along. The choice, of course, is yours.'

After that message to the group, she focused on her private link with Mike. He could feel the weight pressing down on her emotions as she touched in to see how the conversation with Zoe goes, 'He specifically requested Zoe's presence. I think it's best if she comes now and deals with it but I won't force her. I could use your support, however, when you're finished.'

[Gizmo]

"Fine," Trevor assured Erin, a stab of irrational guilt lancing through his gut. Of course he was alright; he'd been well away from the worst of the chaos. Reflexively, he reached out to touch the auburn haired girl's cheek, hesitating halfway there, suddenly unsure of himself. "Sorry I wasn't much help," he told her, suppressing a wince. "Didn't think anyone could-- Didn't realize how strong Mike really was."

[Cyroa]

James leaned against the wall of the hallway near her office. He had little desire to go in there; his emotions were a little jumbled up. Sadness, a little guilt, remorse, anger. Jealousy was in there too as he had seen Erin and Trevor together with Trevor caressing her cheek lovingly. That had been a nice little twist in his gut. Happiness or anything remotely close to it was definitely absent from his emotional gambit. Still he was here, despite wanting to be elsewhere. Anywhere else.

Still, when Alex called, he just nodded. He had no desire to talk to Eddie at all. What was the point, besides touching off a fight. But he owed it to everyone to at least stay a couple more minutes. He gave a final sigh, let his customary poker face slide back into place and stepped through the door.