For Wearingthestars

[doubled_speed]

I wish I wasn't alone.

The words were whispered from inside the relative safety of the tiny closet in Tommy Shepherd's bedroom in Springfield, New Jersey. Whispered because there was no way that he wanted Frank or Mary, fighting in the living room, shouting and screaming, to hear them.

I wish I wasn't alone.

Repeated as Tommy held his hands out before him in the darkness palms up. He put as much conviction behind them as he put into anything he said starting with those two words. He had found rather quickly that whatever this power of his was, it came more readily when he framed it as a wish.

I wish I wasn't alone.

He repeated a third time. Three times always seemed to be the right amount when it came to willfully using his power. Even now he could see the faint green glow of energy radiating from his hands, trying to catch his words and shape them into whate he was asking for. At school he didn't always need it three times. He could feel the energy building in his gut like a tidal wave and crashing over him when he wished the bullies would leave him alone, or that he'd actually gotten a good grade so Mary wouldn't yell at him, or that the shirt that got torn up and bloody was clean so Frank wouldn't hit him for wasting good clothes.

Now, though, the words didn't seem to catch, and after a moment of held breath, the energy faded back, leaving behind only the briefest flash of sparks and static that he had to shake out of his hands. Apparently even magic, or whatever this was, couldn't help him.

It was a stupid wish, anyway, Tommy realized as he pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. And then, of course, he flinched at the sound of a breaking plate. They were getting bad tonight. He didn't want to be alone, not with them shouting like that. Sometimes it turned into Frank driving off to drink. Sometimes Mary stormed to their room and locked the door, leaving Frank on the couch. The former tended to mean Frank not coming home at all that night, and when he did the next day he smelled like booze and some other woman's perfume. The latter tended to mean Tommy couldn't sneak some breakfast in the kitchen before school, or being caught if he tried and he really didn't want to be on the receiving end of Frank's belt.

“Dammit. All I wanted was someone to talk to.”

He feels the rush of power even as he feels his body go limp and the world go dark around him. It’s a strange mix between a sneeze and passing out. When the sensation passes things are weird. For one thing, he can’t feel his body. There isn’t the cold of his room or the rough drag of his scratchy wool sweater that is too small for him or even the gnawing in his belly. No, there is just the swelling feeling of his magic, a prickly energy across his skin, and this place.

This new place is nicer than his room. There is more space. There are nerdy decorations on the wall. There are no cracks anywhere or dents from fists or broken furniture. He hates seeing how much nicer this place is than his home. But he is more interested in why his magic brought him here. And in the soft green light everything around him seems bathed in. Tommy raises his hand, or maybe just the concept of a hand, and is faced with the scary truth. His whole body is green and transparent. Okay. That is a bit weirder than normal.

Welcome, Tommy Shepherd, to the world of astral projection. And Billy Kaplan? Meet the strange, glowing ghostly boy in your room.

Comments

[wearingthestars]

"We don't have time," Billy urges, "And who says he even did- w-whatever they say he did? Electrokinesis is a good bet. Element against element."

Why are they wasting so much time? The Super Skrull could have Teddy to the next star system by now!

[doubled_speed]

"My research indicates that there was an incident at his school. A violent display of power. The boy most directly impacted is still in a coma," Vision provides without hesitation.

And Eli definitely doesn't look happy with that.

"Then we see about putting him back when we're done, if he's irredeemable," Kate suggests logically. "But this is a long way to go, and we don't have much time. And Billy, you can't just go in alone. Vision, is it possible we can liberate one of Tony's cars? Temporarily?"

[wearingthestars]

Coma doesn't speak too highly to bringing him on, Billy knows, but he doesn't back down from Eli's expression, determined that he has to be the one.

And thank God for Kate, putting things much more succinctly, and Billy nods quickly in agreement, even putting up with the idea of traveling the slow way if it means they'll go get this guy.

"I can take you one at the time-" he offers, unable to help himself completely. Could be faster than driving.

[doubled_speed]

"Not doing that again," Eli grumbles. Because Billy had to do that to get them all into Stark Tower and past security. He's still queasy.

"I can drive," Vision offers. And Kate laughs.

"No offense, guy, you're clearly going to follow traffic laws. That isn't happening," Kate answers. "Tell Billy where the garage is and how to get in. Billy, you'll head down and select the fastest one. And then you can run ahead to scout only."

"Thought I was in charge here," Eli grumbles.

"You're the one that left the team," Kate counters. "My team now."

[wearingthestars]

Billy has time enough for a brief smirk, nodding to Kate and giving a brief salute just to further cement her leadership.

Once he has the information he's racing off to find the team a car, and then on ahead to scout out what he can before the team arrives.

[doubled_speed]

The place definitely doesn't look nice when they arrive. Thick brick and concrete walls topped with barbed wire, guard towers with spot lights, guard patrols? From the outside this place looks less like a juvenile detention center, and more like a full and bona fide jail. Which of course only has Eli looking that much more leery once they get out of the car.

"This is a bad idea," Eli notes.

"Relax, it's just juvie," Kate insists as Vision touches down beside them. There was no reason to have him in the car with the fact that he could fly.

"Yeah, and we want a Young Avenger, not a young Master of Evil," Eli protests, shifting his shield as Vision considers the gates.

"You want someone powerful. This is where we will find him," Vision dismisses, even as his appearance shifts. "I will use this holographic form to go inside to collect him. I should be able to manage this without difficulty. Cassie, if you would consider accompanying me? I believe a smaller size would allow you to pass unnoticed."

"The rest of us can hold things down out here," Kate says. "Backup, if you need us."

[wearingthestars]

Eli's clearly out voted, whether he likes it or not. Billy's not about to back him up on this one, shifting eagerly now that everyone's here, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I can come too-" he tries to insist, "I could go fast enough, they shouldn't be able to see." Not something they've really been able to test, and this is maybe not the ideal place to workshop that theory, but...holding down the fort is more waiting.

[doubled_speed]

"You've got to be kidding me, that's a terrible idea," Eli sighs.

"What are we supposed to do?" Kate protests. Not that it matters, given Vision and Cassie have already started inside.

It is rather easy to keep going inside, between Vision being able to sneak well and Cassie jumping people to knock them out. And with Billy as backup, it's pretty easy to keep moving.

"What do we know about Thomas Shepherd?" Cassie asks as they keep moving.

"His parents Frank and Mary are recently divorced. His powers are recently manifested. And he is a noted discipline issue at his school," Vision explains as he moves them through the area as quietly as he can.

[wearingthestars]

"Figure your whole deal out?" Billy suggests, gesturing between the two of them before bolting off after Vision and Cassie.

Thomas Shepherd. The name makes Billy's head ache with that same sense of de ja vu each time it's said. Thomas. Tommy. He frowns, pulse jumping for reasons he can't quite explain.

"He'll help us," Billy assures, sounding very sure for someone who doesn't know the kid.

[doubled_speed]

Vision leads them at last to a hallway with metal doors, the holding cells.

"If he's good with electricity, how come he hasn't shorted the systems and gotten himself out of here?" Cassie asks.

"I assume his cell is equipped with a power dampener. But once I override its security settings he should return to..."

Vision's already fussing with the controls, energy jumping from his hand to the computer in the door. And he doesn't have a chance to finish before electricity bursts from the door and walls, never touching them as it shot out, a blinding white tinged with green that never occurred in nature. Alarms started to scream as the door slid open, two points of brilliant light around the size of fists blinding all vision into the room as a young man steps forth. And then the power lances forward, two blasts of electricity licking out, knocking Vision back as he went intangible to protect himself.

"...Normal," he finished.

"What's happening?" Cassie asks, panic tinging her voice.

And someone steps forward, the light dying down as the sirens scream.

"He set me free," a tired, angry voice announces, and a teen steps out into the hall. Billy, but pale. Whose eyes look slowly over their group before finally stopping on Billy. And that tired, angry face softens. So gentle, so soft. The lightning that still sparks from his skin immediately stops as he reaches out. Grabs Billy and pulls the guy close, holding him. "Billy. You idiot."

[wearingthestars]

The light makes Billy squint, but he's strangely still, even as the electricity cracks and Cassie's voice calls out with that panic.

There's no shock at the figure who steps out, but quiet recognition as things fall back into place in his mind. It must seem strange to his friends that he's still even as the other teen grabs him, and stranger still when a moment later he's hugging him back.

"...Tommy?" Tommy. How could he have possibly forgotten? There's a beat or two where he lets them have the moment, and he glances up again as the sirens cut through his thoughts. "We need to get out of here."

[doubled_speed]

"Wiccan?" Vision asks, taking a step forward.

"Billy, he looks just like you... Do you know each other?" Cassie adds, concerned.

"I told you to stay away, Billy. I hurt those people," Tommy insists, a bit frustrated when he pulls back from Billy. But look, he's absolutely real. "And here you are, finding me instead. I thought I spelled you."

"Spell?" Vision prompts, only to be cut off by the sound of Cassie, worried.

"Uh, Tommy?" Cassie cuts in. "Are those friends of yours?"

Guards in the hall, guns in their hands, and they're raising them. All the gentleness is gone from Tommy's face in an instant, his eyes overwhelmed with green light as his hand raises before him, and a wall of green light rises up to protect them.

"No you don't," Tommy snaps, and that's definitely not electricity. "I won't let you hurt anyone again. Billy, get out."

[wearingthestars]

"Hard to explain," is all Billy can offer the others in that moment, expression pleading for Cassie especially to please just trust him on this.

"I told you I'd help you- all this time, I could've-" Billy's too frustrated to get a full thought out, whipping round in surprise at Cassie's warning.

He doesn't head Tommy's plea, in fact he does pretty much the polar opposite, taking off towards them in a blur to try and disarm them before anyone gets hurt.

[doubled_speed]

"Billy, no," Tommy snaps, and the glowing green barrier only grows thicker, to keep Billy back. "Get your friends out of here. Trust me. I can handle this."

He sneers at the guards, and before Vision or Cassie can do anything to interfere, Tommy turns his other hand toward a nearby wall.

"Open!"

The word comes with power, and the cinder blocks and bricks of the wall fold themselves back, shifting and shaping until there's an arch open in the wall, green light reinforcing it.

[wearingthestars]

He's really not used to anyone being able to stop him once he sets his mind to going somewhere, and Billy blinks in surprise, hesitating for what seems like only a few seconds to them before doing as he's told, scooping up his friend to run them back to Kate and Eli.

He's back only a moment later though, moving to try and do the same with Tommy. "Come on, we need your help."

[doubled_speed]

Well, at least his friends are safe. But with them out of the way, a dark, menacing look flashes over Tommy's face. There is violence there, and it comes with green sparks dancing around his body. The barrier stops and Tommy thrusts his hands out, lightning striking each of the guards that would have shot Billy's friends.

"No. Now it's time for me to have fun," he counters, turning and walking out through the arch, and then he's not on the ground anymore. No, he's hovering in the air, sending blasts of lightning off at a pair of approaching robots. "You have no idea, Billy, what this has been like! They've kept me locked up for months."

More blasts, these time flashes of green energy, like balls of pure energy. Somewhat like what the Scarlet Witch's powers.

"Testing me. Probing me," he snarls, more sparks as he shoots a powerful blast at the nearest guard tower, shorting out a siren. "Trying to turn me into a living weapon."

Another armor clad person or robot approaches, gun raised. And Tommy's hand goes up, another green barrier raising in front of him.

"Well congratulations, officers. It worked."

The barrier moves forward, expanding and wrapping around the armor and contracting, crushing until the machines protest and fall to the ground as Tommy releases the energy.

[wearingthestars]

"Tommy!" Billy pleads, a frightened look on his face as he displays power and anger he didn't think he was even capable of. He intervenes where he can, moving guards out of range, though they don't seem to realize he's trying to help them, leaving him dodging blasts and seizing weapons.

No killing.

"Tommy, stop! Please- We came to get you out of here-"

[doubled_speed]

"You didn't come here for me," Tommy snaps, and when he turns to look at Billy there's a flash of green light in his eyes. Green light that highlights the tears that are running down his cheeks. "You couldn't know I was here."

Betrayal in his voice. So much betrayal. The wave of a hand, though, gets a green barrier around them, a bubble rising up around them in a defensive manner. And it even manages to get Billy's team in it. And Tommy left standing there, angry.

"I told you to stay safe."

[wearingthestars]

The betrayal in that voice roots Billy's feet to the ground, and his brows creases, guilt tearing at him. He didn't know. And he had an ulterior motive for wanting to find him. A selfish reason.

"...We needed help."

[doubled_speed]

Help. Of course. Tommy sighs and shakes his head. Then he crosses his arms over his chest as he ignores the sound of bullets striking the barrier.

"Billy, what's going on?" Kate demands, coming up to them.

"Electrokinesis doesn't make barriers," Eli adds, scowling.

"I'm a witch," Tommy dismisses. "And I'm trying to figure out whether I'm just going to try teleporting you all away and dealing with these assholes myself."

[wearingthestars]

There's a guilty but pleading look on Billy's face. Clearly, whatever this is that's led him back to Tommy is important.

He looks Kate and Eli over quickly to be sure they're all right.

"You don't need to deal with them. Just come with us. No one else needs to get hurt."

[doubled_speed]

"Billy, he looks just like you," Kate observes, shocked as she comes up, reaches out to almost touch Tommy's face.

And Tommy dodges the hand.

"Yeah, I've noticed. This is how we look. Deal with it," Tommy sighs. "Now all of you get closer together. It should be easier to teleport you if..."

"If you're not with us, then we've got to deal with you," Eli counters. "Because we've just let a dangerous mutant loose."

"You have no idea," Tommy counters.

"Billy," Cassie whispers, at his side, "you've got to say something. He seems to take you seriously."

[wearingthestars]

"I know-" Billy answers Kate, though now is hardly the time or place to start explaining why.

He shoots Eli a look, and bites his lip at Cassie's whispers, nodding. "Tommy- please- I need you to come with us. I know they hurt you. I know it's not fair. But if you hurt them then you're just confirming everything they believe. And I really need your help- I can't do this without you."

[doubled_speed]

There's a long moment of silence, and Tommy sighs, the light going out of his eyes, though the barrier still stays up around them. He reaches out and touches Billy, a hand on his cheek.

"You know I'm here for you, Billy. You tried. But after, I don't promise I'm going to stick around. Just... what do you need?"

[wearingthestars]

Billy leans into the touch, the first time he's be able to really feel it, and he allows them both a sort moment to just be.

He nods then. "Get us out of here first, then I can explain."