Sun and Shadow

Chapter 16 - Not what we had planned

Connor ran off the transport platform and headed into the kitchen looking for his mom. He smiled when he saw she was already there and was talking on the phone. She smiled at him as he dashed up the stairs to grab his bags and head back down. By the time he arrived she had hung up and laughed at him as he ran past her towards the car.

"In a hurry?" she asked, amused by his behavior.

"I could fly us if you want" he looked at her with a smirk and she suddenly realized that he could carry her all that way.

"Don't think so bucko" his mom teased him. "I am looking forward to two whole hours to talk with my baby with no interruptions, your nose buried in your cell phone texting Jude, or any other distractions" she said with a smirk. They finished loading the car and were pulling out less than 20 minutes after Connor got home.

He was really anxious to be in San Diego, especially since it was all coming out today and he could have flown there in the time it took to get ready. But he had to admit that he was looking forward to talking with his mom in the car. As they headed out, he proceeded to tell her about his day and spent a lot of time talking about their turn playing Save the Citizen. He almost slipped a few times and said Jude's name, but luckily he caught himself. He noticed his mom was looking a bit green in the face.

"Mom? You okay?" he asked concerned.

She swallowed loudly. "Sorry, it's just that sounds really dangerous" she said slowly.

"Nah" Connor dismissed it. "I mean getting hit with that boulder was unexpected and the girls blasting me was irritating and Professor Wiu's blasts were tough to get around, but mostly it was because it caught me off guard. I mean none of it really hurt or anything. Even the super strong guys who piled on me just knocked me down" he said with a chuckle.

"Really" his mom asked sounding anxious.

"Really mom" Connor assured her. "Professor Sampson said it would take something pretty significant to actually hurt me. I mean, sure I can be knocked down or knocked back, but it's not easy to knock me out. Now the telepathic attack; that could affect me." He looked at her and saw that she was worried. "But if they are close enough I can flash the area with heat and light and maybe break their attack or something that would help but I didn't want to really hurt her. I asked about getting some training on dealing with mental attacks soon, so that should help me in case it happens." He sounded so positive and enthusiastic that Victoria started to relax.

"So tell me more about your partner or teammate or whatever you call the guy you are paired up with" she said after a moment. "I mean you talked a little about this Shadow person's abilities and how you are training together, but not anything about them. I mean I don't even know if it's a he or a she" she teased her son.

"Shadow is a he" Connor laughs. "He is really great; fun, smart, and cool. He has a great smile and is really funny" Connor describes happily. His mom is looking at him with a strange expression. "What?" he asks her.

"Nothing" she says quickly. After a pause she asks "Is he cute?"

"Yes" Connor responds instantly and then does a double take. "I mean, I guess so" he says and it feels kind of lame even to his own ears.

His mom chuckles at his attempt to backtrack. "So sounds like he is the whole package. Powers, looks, personality" she teases.

Connor rolls his eyes at his mom's attempt at humor. "Mom! I have a boyfriend remember? We are on the way to his house" Connor says snarkily.

"Oh I know" his mom says with a smirk "but you never know."

Connor suddenly looks very serious. "No mom...I do know. Jude is it for me" he says firmly.