Returning to school was a... unique feeling. There was a slight tinge of nervousness, mixed with excitement. He could have waited another week before coming back to "full health" as the story went, but he really didn't need it. He could control his powers enough that it wouldn't activate unconsciously or for small pains, and honestly? He kind of liked school.

"Aye! Rex, my man!" Cole walked up behind him and slapped him on the back. He looked like he had gained five pounds of muscle in the time he was gone, although that should have been impossible.

"Cole, it's good to see you." Kind of. Almost. The words from Jason Sevens were still burned into his mind, repeating themselves wherever he went.

"We're all glad you aren't dead. Had us worried for a few days there."

"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't fix me not being on the team, though."

"Still whining about that? Don't worry man, you've still got soccer to play in the spring. There's Charles."

His head perked up as he saw Rex, and he came over from his locker. "Welcome back, dude."

"Thanks." He paused for a second. "Anything I miss in school?"

"Nah, it's been boring. Practice started, but our team's gonna be pretty ass this year. Sucks, too, cuz it's our last year." Cole complained.

"Not much more interesting for me at home, either." Rex sighed, then spotted Coach. "Gotta go deal with something real quick." Coach was making a beeline for his office, the hordes of students giving way to him, so it was hard for Rex to catch up, but he made it before the office door closed. "Sir-" He began.

"Get inside."

They both sat down, Coach with an angry glint in his eye, made all the more scary by his physique like those you'd find on a poster spouting a cliched line like "Go get 'em, tiger!"

"Sir-"

"Shut it. The disrespect you showed me and your classmates on Tuesday was unacceptable."

"Sir, I don't even remember Tuesday. Or Wednesday, and then I was in a coma for a few days."

"I don't remember asking." Coach crossed his arms. "And this happened before all that, so you have no excuses."

"Coach. I'm just trying to figure out what happened. Look, I'm really sorry for whatever happened. But can you please explain?"

"Don't call me Coach anymore. And sure, I can actually send you the clip."

His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out, then watched the video attached to it, morbidly curious. It was taken from the security cameras, so it didn't have any sound, but it was pretty clear what was happening.

A basketball bounced off the rim and hit him on the head, who got pissed off and, by the looks of it, was trying to figure out who did it, holding his ball in a somewhat violent position.

Some beanpole of a kid raised his hand casually, apologizing, so he threw the ball. Coach came running as the kid stumbled back a step, holding his nose as it spewed blood. Coach was kneeling next to him, and literally ripped his shirt off and handed it to the kid for his nose, before standing up and roaring at Rex.

Rex actually had the gal to yell back. Coach pointed at the door and said something else, and then Rex stormed out of the gym.

This isn't me, was Rex's first thought, but it was obvious it was. The words of Jason Sevens bounced around in his head. Be better. Than that? It wasn't that hard to beat. He stared at the screen for a few more seconds after the video was done. What could he say to that?

He took a deep breath. "Sir, I'm sorry for how I acted. I know that's not enough, and I get it. I don't deserve to be on your team if that's how I act. But I will change. I promise." He looked up into Coach's eyes which were cold as ice and hard as steel.

"Then prove it. You have until soccer try-outs." Coach pointed at the door. "This is your final chance."

"Yes sir."

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he thought he heard a whispered "Go get em', tiger."

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Rex was left standing outside Coach's door, watching as Cole and Charles walked through the hall. It was interesting, now that he looked at it, the differences between how they navigated the maze of students to other people. Most normal people would dodge and weave through the gaps if they were in a rush, while many just followed the vague current. But Cole and Charles were not like most students. They set the pace, and the current moved for them. It didn't even look conscious for the two, it was just natural. Heads high, talking to each other like best buds and nothing else mattered. And when someone was in the way, that someone got moved.

He watched as tall stick of a kid was elbowed out of the way, just about losing his grip on a pile of textbooks and papers piled on top of his laptop. And his nose all crooked. He grunted in surprise, realizing who he was. The basketball kid, from the video. He navigated his way through the crowd, and placed a hand on his shoulder from behind. "Hey man," Rex started. He turned around, eyes widening. "I just wanted to say sorry for what happened during try outs. Good luck on the team."

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"Oh, shit." He breathed. "You ain't mad?" He asked, surprised.

Wait, what? Was he expecting me to punch him? "Nah. Can't even remember it happening, honestly. You might have heard of my accident. I was out for a few days, and the two days before that I can't remember at all."

"Huh. Gotta be totally honest, I was wondering why you weren't here at school trying to knock my teeth in."

"Is that... really what was going through your mind?" Rex asked, quietly.

"I was watching my feet for when you would try trip me, that's for sure."

"Sorry, man." Rex looked at his two friends, who were just about out of view, but were now terrorizing some other kid by his locker. "I really am an ass hole, aren't I?"

"Am or was?" Lanky asked. "I'd say you changed. Old you would have been... doing something to me by now."

Rex shook his head in wonder. "How are you so chill about this?"

Lanky shrugged as the bell rang. They had a few minutes before class, so they split ways... only for Rex to realize they shared home room. He sat down behind Lanky, or whatever his name was, no room beside Cole and Charles.

"Names Johnny, by the way." He said, not even turning around to check Rex was behind him.

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It was a cold December night, small wet flakes of snow falling from the sky as he went on his daily run. The cold didn't bother him anymore, partially phased as he was, so he wasn't surprised to be one of the few on the dark streets. No one enjoyed walking through slush when they could be warm inside, celebrating Christmas with family. But his parents were present, which would have been a gift by itself; no, they were off somewhere on vacation, so he had no plans. Hence him running.

He heard an odd beat in his song and frowned. That wasn't part of his music. He pulled out an earbud and paused his running, listening. There it was again, a half-muffled scream of absolute terror, the type of thing that gives you nightmares. He looked around again, only but the only people he saw was a man and young woman getting into a car. He did a double check, and saw an absolutely horrified look on her face. He went completely incorporeal before sprinting across the street and jumping in the trunk of the car, listening to the talking in the car.

The man was speaking, a madness tinging his voice. He couldn't make out the words, but it was clear this guy had problems. There was a heavy bass song playing, akin to what he was listening to while running, but he never heard that higher voice again. What was going on here? Was she being controlled? He shuddered to think about it.

He waited for quite a while as the car drove through the city, before it finally came to a stop. Rex peeked outside and saw he was in a parking garage, no one in sight.

Two doors opened then shut, and Al 'appeared' from behind a pillar, walking towards the two of them, as if he were going to his car.

"Having a good evening, you two?" He asked. He looked at the young woman and realized she wasn't much older than him, maybe a couple years out of high school.

The man nodded with a wide smile on his face. "Its a wonderful night."

She started blinking rapidly, but didn't say anything. "How about you, miss?" He asked, turning to her.

"Oh, she's having a wonderful time." The man said.

"I was not asking you." Rex said, staring him down. "Drop your power. Let her speak."

The man looked at Rex, smirk on his face. "Or what?"

"I might beat the shit out of you." He responded instantly.

The man pulled a pistol from his pocket, a dull black, and raised his brow at Rex. "You should leave." His voice was layered, like a choir coming from one person. Yeah, he should leave. This wasn't his fight. He turned on his heel but saw the woman's face as he did so, horrified, so he spun another 180 degrees and winked in her direction.That face gave him the resolve he needed to break the charm.

"Nah." There was a loud crack from the pistol, and the car's window shattered. "Huh. You shouldn't shoot your car. It's kind of irresponsible."

There were more cracks from the gun, then a click. "Aaaand you're out." Rex smiled and slowly walked forwards. There was panic across his face as he swung, a horrible right hook. It passed through his face, and the man stumbled, not expecting that. "Oh, so close!" The woman was still glued to the spot on his right.

Rex stepped closer and punched, unrestrained, at the man's liver. He collapsed instantly, rolling in agony. He always wondered if a liver shot worked as well as they said they did.

He pulled out his phone and dialed the cops, watching the man as he did so. They didn't have to wait long before they came, slapping some electronic restraints on the man's arms.

They scanned the offenders face, finding him to be a repeat offender of his powers and took him into custody, no questions asked. People with powers were held to higher standards and harsher punishments, and even if Rex did something technically illegal like hopping in the car, then later, punching him, it was seen as a necessity to take certain people down.

It all went pretty quick, and the cops seemed to be interrupted by another call as they all shot off, leaving them in the dark parking garage.

"So, uh, do you need a ride home?" Rex asked, somewhat uncertain of what to do next.

She sighed. "Yeah, that'd be great. Can you order me one? That douche tossed my phone out the window."

She punched in the directions, and Rex peered at them. "Oh, hey, that's a block from where I live. Mind if I hop in?"

She shuddered, then nodded. "Please."

They ended up stopping at Rex's favourite cafe, since it wasn't far from either building, and it was still open. "Uh, can I get a Caramel Macchiato double double with that candy cane stuff on top. Please? And whatever she wants, as well."

"Changing things up, I see?" The barista said with a raised brow.

"People can change."

"Uh, can I just get the same, please?" She asked.

"Sure, sure." A short while later, she had the coffee ready.

"Thanks." He sat down by the window. "Do you have any family here for Christmas?" He asked.

"No." Both of them replied, and the barista, Helen, continued. "My parents bought my this coffee shop a few years ago and sort of just... left. As if money is what I wanted."

"Sounds familiar." Sighed Rachel, the one he saved from the creepy dude. "My parents are in Italy, sipping wine."

"Same. I think." He chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know where they are."

Helen's phone buzzed. "Oh! And that marks the anniversary of this coffee shop."

Rex looked at his own phone. "It's midnight already? I should probably get going."

"Rachel, you want to stay the night?" Helen asked.

"Sure, I'd love that." He heard, as he left the place, intent on finding his bed.