His Only Hope

Champagne and Success

"Okay, so how do we do this?" you asked from your position next to Lila. Sloane stood across the glowing anomaly, and Christopher hovered above it.

What was the deal with that guy? Who the hell gave birth to him?

"Have you ever moved a nest of bees?" Sloane asked, and you raised an eyebrow. 

"Can't say that I have."

"Because that's weird," Lila added, and you snorted.

"You can't just pick it up," Sloane continued as though you hadn't said anything. "You have to keep the nest calm while you build a box around it, and then you trap it."

You stared at the buzzing, glowing orange ball of electricity in front of your face as Christopher spoke in his odd language. You snapped back to attention, however, when Sloane began floating, her arms spread wide as her hands glowed blue. "One of those black holes inside is vibrating at a different rate," she said, and you found yourself oddly impressed. Sloane really was a genius. And... apparently so were you, because you could feel the vibrations running through your hands, your brain, your body...

You closed your eyes briefly before looking up at Sloane. "I feel them, too."

"Whatever happens, don't let them speed up or change, or everything will blow," Fei said calmly from the sidelines.

"Bolstering words of encouragement," you muttered, letting your hands reach toward the anomaly, relishing in the sense of relief it brought to you. The way it soothed some deep ache within your mind. 

That probably wasn't good.

You closed your eyes, feeling the familiar (F/C) light spill through your fingertips, forming a shield around the anomaly. When you opened your eyes, you couldn't help but smirk at Ben's wide eyes. And then, suddenly you felt bad, because the real Ben never got to see you use your power.

"Lila, when you're ready, do exactly like..." Fei faltered, and, for a lack of better words, "the Dud."

You clenched your jaw but didn't say anything, and definitely didn't look at Diego's face, knowing it would be lined with guilt.

Lila obliged, and you were surprised to see the familiar shade of blue that most of your sibling's power's seemed to share join your own (F/C) force field. It was almost surreal, seeing someone else with your power.

Christopher began speaking as you squared your feet, your arms shaking slightly as you struggled to shrink the force field without disturbing the tenuous balance the anomaly held. You watched, feeling only a brief moment of pride as the ball shrunk before your muscles began to tire and you gasped in an exhausted breath. Never before had your power felt so weak.

"You didn't tell me you were building a prison for God."

Don't get distracted, you willed yourself silently as you heard your mother's voice from near the stairs.This is more important than whatever Mom - no, Grace - is doing right now.

"Mom?" you heard Diego call, and you took a deep breath, refocusing on the anomaly.

"You have no right to do that." 

You forced yourself to tune their voices out, sure that your siblings would talk to Grace and calm her down. You managed to shrink it just a little bit more, and then suddenly, a plume of bright, searing flames burst into the room. You gasped, barely able to suppress a scream, as memories of your father flashed into your mind. The oven. The holograms. And then Oliver, burning your flesh.

"Oh my God," you said instead, your focus faltering and causing the anomaly to grow slightly. "Shit!"

"Eight!" Lila shouted, and you met her eyes from next to you. You gasped for breath as she pressed her lips together, giving you an encouraging nod. You nodded back, taking a deep breath and closing your eyes to block out the sight of the flames. Finally, you could sense the anomaly shrink once more, and you sank back slightly in relief.