He was cold and alone. Lance awoke with a shiver to feel cold springs against his back. He had spent a gruesome night in the stone room. The night air chilled the concrete making the room cold. Lance felt his stomach growl and remembered he hadn't eaten since dinner the pervious night. As if on queue, the small opening on the door opened.
"Here's some food, boy." The mutant's voice called.
"Thanks." He said quietly. It consisted of a sandwich and warm water. Lance took the sandwich. It was peanut butter and jelly. The filling was skimpy and the bread was stale, but it was edible. After eating it slowly, he drank the water. It tasted much like plastic, but he didn't care.
Lance then went back to the bed and drew up his knees. He tried to warm up, but the stone didn't help. 'Why did that mutant do that to me?' He thought. Sounds of thunder rumbled outside as rain began to pour through the high window. A small white mouse found his plate and began to eat the crumbs.
"Hey little guy." Lance said. The mouse looked at him with big black eyes. "You're stuck here too, huh?" the mouse shifted its nose. "Yea, I know how you feel." He sighed again. The mouse stayed and continued eating his crumbs. "I wonder if I'll ever see them again." He said out loud. "Mom's probably worried to death. I want to see her again. I miss her so much. And Wes..." Lance trailed off. He thought about his past few days with Wes. From the moment he saw him to the moment he saw Wes stick up for him, and his mom. "Wes has become so much of a father for me. Too bad he isn't. I want him to be my dad." Lance said. "Besides, he loves Mom, and Mom loves him."
Lance listened to the rain pounded the concrete. Thunder rumbled as lightning flashed. Lance let a few tears slip out of his eyes as the thought of seeing his Mom and Wes again stayed with him.
Lance smiled to himself as the memories of Wes came to him. The first night he came to the past and Wes offered his bed to him. Wes gave up everything for Lance, then when his mom came back he did the same. The soccer game where Lance got a goal past him, then throwing his mom into the lake. Then walking in on his mom and Wes in Wes's room. He laughed to himself as he thought of the panicked look in his mom's eyes. A thought occurred to him.
"What will happen when we return to the future?" Lance said out loud. "I'll have to leave Wes."
Thunder banged loudly as Lance jumped and covered his ears. He was afraid of thunderstorms. But as the thunder died away, Lance took his hands away and listened to the echo of the storm through the walls. He watched the lightning flash and the thunder clashed. He remember something Wes told him nights ago when there was a storm.
Lance jumped down the stairs at the sound of the thunder. He was going to get a drink when he heard it. Tears began flowing down his face and he was about to run up to his mom's room when someone called out his name.
"Lance? Is that you?" Lance saw Wes sitting on the couch watching the storm.
Lance sniffed. "Yea."
Wes looked at him curiously. "You okay?" Lance didn't answer as the thunder clashed and he covered his ears. Lance saw Wes motion for him to sit down and Lance did. "What wrong?" Wes asked.
Lance sniffed again. "I'm afraid of thunderstorms."
Wes smiled. "Why is that?" he asked.
Lance shrugged. "I don't know. I just keep thinking that it's going to get me. Lightning is coming to grab me but then it stops. The thunder is yelling at me like something's wrong."
Wes was silent. "I used to feel the same way when I was your age." He said.
Lance's eyes shot up. "Really? What did you do?"
Wes closed his eyes. "Just think about it. All thunder is clouds bashing each other, like they got into a fight. Lightning is just, well, light. The clouds are fighting and the lightning gets out of the way before one cloud hits another. By the time it's over everything's so quiet and peaceful. I wanted to go to that place and just sit and watch the storms. Their amazing and they seem to take your mind off of things, and inspire you. Now I watch them practically every time. All my problems just seem to disappear. Then I feel brave, and like I can do anything I set my mind to. Just think about it, Lance. Just think about it."
Thunder roared again. But this time Lance didn't close his ears. He closed his eyes and let the flash in gulf him.
"Lance," a voice said. "You need to stay strong." The voice was vaguely familiar. "We're waiting for you, Lance. Stay strong."
Thunder banged again and Lance's eyes shot open. "I need to stay strong." He repeated the words. "It was Wes's voice." He told himself. "Wes needs me to be strong."
He sat down on the bed a new fire burned in his soul. "I'm not going back." He said. "I want to stay here with Wes. When I'm old enough I'm joining the Silver Guardians and helping people the way Wes helped me. That's what I'm doing."
Lance sat down on the coil mattress wondering if he'd ever get out of this place. But he smiled to himself as the thunder banged and the lightning flashed. It brought a warm sensation to him. He knew that he was going to get out of here; someone was going to get him, or he was going to escape. Thunder crashed, lightning lit up the room.
Suddenly Lance didn't feel so alone...
