Like A Flame {Warren Peace}

XV

It was as if he did not even know the house before him. Standing there like a stranger. Layla and their other friends had already went off, to the dance. Dorian lingered behind to meet with Will, dressed in a simple black vest with white sleeves, black dress pants and black dress shoes.

"Steve, you are NOT to show that-!"

"But it's a conversation starter!"

"Nobody wants to see, your old films, they're boring!"

He blinked curious as Steve and Josie emerged from the Stronghold house, dressed in their super attire. Before he could utter one more complaint, Steven finally noticed Dorian. "Oh! Dorian, hey bud. Uh...heh, forget you heard that. Lookin' for Will?"

"Yeah, Mr. Stronghold. He's here right? Oh and my mom's already at the dance, with Ava."

"Right in the 'You-Know-Where'. Hey by the way: Don't you worry about, those two coming for more. Turns out they were working, for Royal Paine. Safe to say, they'll be behind bars for a long time."

A faint smile of assurance was tossed Steve's way. Once they had left, Dorian exhaled slowly whilst he entered their house. Cleaned once more after that party Gwen threw. He slid down the pole, to the Secret Sanctum. And there he found Will, sitting atop the family pool table.

"Hey."

Will almost fell over, looking over his shoulder. "Hi..."

"Man, this place hasn't changed one bit. I still remember when you snuck me and Layla, in here." But he was not here to reminisce about, when they were children. He hopped onto the pool table's end. "Look. About what happened, in the hallway. And...what I said, at the party...I was, kind of...a jerk."

"You? You weren't ignoring your friends, over some girl who only liked you because of your powers." Will admitted.

"She had everyone fooled, man. Even me at one point, before those headaches kicked in. I should've been more understanding, about Warren. He did try to kill you."

"Somehow, I have a feeling we're going to carry on like this all night. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry as well. So...you gonna sit here and mope, or be with a certain Hippie girl tonight?" Dorian nudged his shoulder.

Will smirked faint in return. Nudging Dorian back, not before looking through the family yearbook once more. "In a minute, hey look at this: Dad won best smile." Dorian took a closer look. It really was contagious.

They found his mother next.

Amethyst Talbot: Best actress for their Oklahoma play. Barron Battle's photo was included. Aside from the glasses, overalls and bushy hair back then, he could see a resemblance of Warren. But they stumbled upon another face. A familiar face.

"Sue Tenny..." Dorian whispered. "Huh."

"Yeah, she looks a lot like Gwen, doesn't she?"

"Coincidence? Look, next spot."

She's in a science lab next. Standing beside a familiar ray. Both uttered what was written beneath. "The weapon in question, is known as The Pacifier."

Will's face mirrors the paleness of Dorian's. Not a second look had to be given. Sue Tenny was Gwen Grayson. And she in turn, was Royal Pain. "Shoot...shoot, we have to go. Now." Will scrambled at once, with Dorian in tow.

Ron Wilson picked them up at exact when Will called for him. Dorian's heart raced, along with an ache in his head. Flashes entered his thoughts. He could clearly see now, whom she truly had been all these years.