Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville/Sky High

A/N: This oneshot features the winning pairing of my Chloe/Bad Boy poll on facebook, in which Warren Peace (Sky High) went up against Tate Langdon (AHS) and Dylan Massett (Bates Motel).

AU, obviously.

Power Placement for first years in Sky High was probably the most terrifying thing ever, it determined the most important things about them: who they were and who they would be. Everyone standing there with Coach Boom were scared, but none had been more than Chloe Sullivan. Sure, it was tough on those with superhero parents, but at least the other students here didn't have the Principal as a mother. Principal Powers, or mom, hadn't been a part of Chloe's life. The blonde had grown up living with her father, knowing only that her mother had abandoned them when she was nine years old. It was only when her superpower manifested itself that she found out her mother had left them to fight crime, as being with her family only put them in danger.

Knowing it hadn't made things easier though, it just opened up a world of more questions. At least she'd discovered that she wasn't the only metahuman. Her best friend, Clark Kent, was one as well, and he was most definitely going to make Hero with his super-strength - and he had. She'd hoped that she could make Hero as well, but hadn't been able to think of one superhero who was a healer. Healers were usually relegated to less active work, which was more Sidekick oriented.

Even her beyond-average intelligence hadn't been able to help her land Hero. Her consolation was supposed to lay in the fact that Coach Boomer had announced she was "top class" Sidekick, that he knew quite a lot of Heroes would petition for her to be assigned to them at graduation. At that moment she hadn't understood why he thought that and had supposed he was just trying to suck up to her mother, but after she saw the rest of the Sidekicks she'd begun to understand what he was talking about. The people in her class had either extremely useless powers (like being able to turn into a puddle of water, or glowing... faintly) or didn't have powers at all.

Being smart meant the Hero didn't have to be, and being able to heal meant the Hero could get as many scrapes and breaks as needed because you were their backup bandaid. To be honest, when Chloe realized that she didn't feel "top class", she felt usable. It pissed her off, especially since no one seemed to care that she took on the injuries of those she healed. If her Hero broke his or her arm Chloe was supposed to take on that injury so that the Hero could continue battling and save the day. No one cared that she would be inflicting that sort of injury onto herself. And that only made her more pissed off.

In order to further cultivate her power (her mother believed that in time she could grow numb to the pain if constantly exposed to it) Chloe was put to work with the School Nurse. She had two classes a day dedicated to just being with Nurse Spex, and if there was any injury at school (such as a fight between students - or a Save The Citizen gone wrong) Chloe was pulled from her classes to handle it. She saw many "repeat offenders" as she liked to think of them, but she only looked forwards to seeing one of them.

Warren Peace, son of super-villain Barron Battle, was unlike anyone else in Sky High. His father was the greatest super-villain of all times, but he hadn't started out that way. From Chloe's research into Warren she'd found out that Warren's mother had been a human who hadn't known her husband's alter-ego as a superhero, and she'd died during a fight between The Commander and the alien threat Farshield. It was this which had caused Barron Battle to effectively turn to the dark side and become The Commander's (and later on his wife/partner Jetstream's) arch nemesis. The Commander had eventually won, though, and Barron Battle was in deep lock up.

That meant that Warren had lost both parents to The Commander, and knowing this she understood his great hatred of Will Stronghold (the Commander and Jetstream's only child) who was Clark's good friend. She'd known Will until his own Super Strength had kicked in, and she supposed the fact that Clark and Will were both super strong was why they'd become fast friends when Will had been transferred to Hero classes once his power had finally kicked in - ironically during a fight with Warren.

Looking up from the notebook she was doodling in, Chloe noticed the guy standing in the doorway and smiled as she sat up straighter. "Warren Peace, I was starting to wonder where you were." She glanced up at her clock. "You've usually already seen me by now."

He raised an eyebrow. "Can't have you saying I'm predictable, can I?"

"You? Predictable?" She matched his raised eyebrow with one of her own. "How can I dare say that when it seems that every day you're in here with some new sort of fascinating injury?"

His eyebrow remained raised. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a sadistic streak to you?"

"Considering I'm about to take on your pain shouldn't you mean masochistic?" She motioned for him to sit down on the bed as she stood.

Warren hoisted himself onto the edge of the examination bed, his gaze meeting hers, his dark hair falling into his face. "You don't like the pain you feel, so no."

She hesitated a second before smiling once more and standing in front of him. "So, what is it today?"

He merely raised his finger in response.

At first Chloe didn't understand what was wrong, but then she saw it, and what she saw caused a confused expression to appear on her face. "How did you get a splinter?"

Warren shrugged

Intrigue growing, Chloe searched through the nurse's tools and found a tweezer before returning to Warren. She once more hesitated before she cradled his hand with one of hers. It was so much bigger than hers, and so incredibly warm. That, uh, should make sense given the fact that he could create fireballs in his hand. The blonde worked quietly to remove the splinter and get rid of it. There wasn't a hint of blood when she was finished, and she glanced up at him with narrowed eyes when a curious thought came to her. "Your hands catch on fire."

"Gee, Sullivan, your attention to details astounds," he snorted as he pushed off of the table and made his way towards the door.

"You could've burnt that splinter out, Warren," she called to his back.

He froze in the doorway, back to her. "And your point is?"

She actually had no idea what her point was.

Warren must've realized that because he continued out through the door, leaving her alone to her confused thoughts. It didn't hit her until later that this was probably the first "injury" she'd healed that hadn't cost her anything at all.

"Why does she have to be so perfect?" Layla asked softly as she stared at Will Stronghold and his new girlfriend, the ever perfect Gwen Grayson. The couple had become almost instant when Will had been transferred to the Hero class, and while Will did his best to stay friends with his old classmates the divide was definitely being felt, especially by those being left behind. It didn't bother anyone as much as it did Layla though, but considering she'd been best friends with Will even before all of this it made sense.

Chloe stared at the hippie and wasn't exactly sure what to say. She'd felt the same way before joining Sky High. Once upon a long time ago she' d been in love with Clark Kent and had had to watch him with Lana Lang. Sure, that relationship had ended when Clark had been unable to explain to Lana why he couldn't go to her high school, and why he was always so busy, but while it'd lasted Clark had truly loved Lana. It'd hurt Chloe to watch it, but like Layla, she'd been the best friend of her love interest and hadn't been able to ever get him to see her as a woman. Unlike Layla, though, Chloe had been able to get over her feelings for her best friend.

"She's not perfect." That was Clark, who, despite being in Hero classes, seemed to get along better with the Sidekicks he'd met while hanging with Chloe.

Layla turned her gaze on him in depressed disbelief. "What part of her isn't perfect?"

Clark glanced over at the pretty brunette princess clinging onto Will's arm and clearly enjoying the attention being with The Commander and Jetstream's son got her. Not that she hadn't had attention before Will had come to the school. no. Gwen Grayson had been the queen bee way before Will, but being with him only seemed to cement that she was Alpha Girl.

"See?" Layla sighed and glanced back at the power couple. "You can't even think of one thing."

Clark returned his gaze to Layla. "You don't need to devalue her in an effort to value yourself." When Layla turned to him in shock, Clark hurried on. "I, uh, I think you're pretty awesome yourself, I just wish you'd stop comparing yourself to her. She's nice in her own way, but she's not you, Layla."

Layla gulped, brown eyes filling with tears, visibly touched. She reached out and placed her hand on Clark's. "Thank you."

He blushed and ducked his gaze. "Anytime."

Chloe eyed Clark in shock. Wait. Was he? She peeked over at Layla, who was once more watching Will and Gwen. Another peek at Clark proved he was sighing while watching Layla. Oh. Wow. He was!

She turned and caught Magenta's eye, mouthing: Since when?

Magenta merely rolled her eyes and mouthed: You're so freaking oblivious, Sullivan!

Usually she'd get annoyed by that, but considering it was apparently true, Chloe let it slide. She was going to have to corner Clark and get him to talk about his feelings for Layla. If they were real, if they weren't just a vague attraction, she was going to start plan: PROJECT CLAYLA.

Wondering what else she might've failed to notice in her oblivious haze, Chloe glanced around the cafeteria and paused when she found Warren Peace seated by himself at his table. No one ever dared sit there. A freshman had tried it once. It hadn't ended nicely. Warren had been sent to solitary while Chloe had had to heal the burns covering the freshman. She'd carried them on her own body for weeks later. They'd been terribly painful, and ugly, but because the touch of fabric against them caused thousands of nerves to scream in agony she'd been unable to cover them up and forced to keep leave them in plain view. That was probably the first time she'd really paid attention to Warren Peace, she'd been in agony for weeks because of him.

Now that she thought about it, it was around the time after her wounds had finally healed that Warren's sudden accident-proneness had started. She'd been somewhat terrified when he'd stalked into the room with a sprained wrist, she'd instinctively reached for her arm which had borne his burn marks, but they'd already healed. Chloe wasn't sure what she'd expected of Warren Peace, but he hadn't been that. With each visit she might've ended up hurt, but she was less scared of him, in fact, she'd started looking forwards to him getting hurt. That sounds bad. Also, the injuries got less and less severe - the splinter was a great example of it.

It was the first time I helped someone without hurting myself in the process.

She didn't even realize what she was doing until she sat down across him at his table.

Warren frowned, dark eyes on her, the red streak in his hair falling into his face. "What are you doing?"

"I have a small project that needs a Hero's help to complete," she responded. That was true, she actually did need to team up with a Hero for this task, and while the plan had always been to do the work with Clark…

"Then work with Kent," Warren told her, frown still etched on his face. "Everyone knows you're vying for the spot of his Sidekick on graduation anyway."

"Clark won't do," she informed him as she leaned over the surface of the table. "I know him better than I know anyone else. It wont be a challenge."

Despite the fact that he obviously wanted to scowl at her, the corner of Warren's lip twitched. "Are you calling me a challenge?"

"Would you have it any other way?" She countered.

Warren just stared at her for a moment before he held his hand out to her, the whole hand in flames. "Let's shake on it."

Gulping, Chloe stared at his hand. This was such a Warren Peace move! She glared at him and, despite the memory of the agony of the burns still fresh in her mind, she put her hand in his.

Warren's eyes widened in shock and he doused his flames quickly enough that all she felt was a second of heat and nothing more. "Are you an idiot? My hand was on fire!"

Shaking his hand, Chloe smirked as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen. Without giving Warren much time to react, she used her grip on his hand to pull him close and wrote her number on the inside of his wrist. "Call me. We'll set up a date." With that she shoved her pen back in her pocket, smiled at the utterly bewildered expression on Warren's face, and then returned to the table, where all of her friends were watching her in awe.

Clark just looked shocked. "I don't believe it."

"I know, right?" Ethan squeaked as he pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "She touched Warren Peace! And she didn't die!"

Zach had a hand to his heart, glowing faintly. "I thought I was gonna have a heart attack, man!"

Magenta and Layla exchanged looks.

"No, that's not what I meant." Clark ran a hand over his hair. "I heard every word they said." His eyes widened as he glanced around the table. "Guys… I think I have a second super power!"

"This is stupid."

She couldn't stop the smile that touched her lips at that groan, but she didn't look up from her book. "No it's not."

Seated on the loveseat in his jeans and black leather glory, Warren Peace looked incredibly out of place in her living room, but that was kind of cute. Her father had nearly had a heart attack when he'd come home to find Warren there, and Chloe had a feeling that if the business at work wasn't so pressing he would've stayed and kept an eye on Warren, but Gabe Sullivan worked nights all the time, and late into the night, and tonight wouldn't be different just because some guy in leather was in the house with his daughter.

"Your father hates me," Warren pointed out helpfully instead of actually doing what he was supposed to be doing.

"No, he's intimidated by you," she responded truthfully, finally glancing up at him. "You're the first guy other than Clark that I actually brought home. He's okay with Clark, but you?"

"Right." Warren made a face. "Mr Goody Two Shoes." He raised an eyebrow. "I bet your father loves him."

"Oh, he does," Chloe assured him. "Especially since he knows that Clark has never seen me like a woman so my virtue is safe with him."

Warren paused and tilted his head as he observed her. "Are you saying your virtue isn't safe with me?"

She flushed. Had she been saying that? "Is it?"

Warren continued to eye her. "So you and Kent aren't a thing?" He must've read something on her face because he leaned back on the loveseat in response. "Really? Because that's the rumor."

"People think Clark and I are a thing?" Chloe asked in genuine surprise.

He looked disgusted at her. "Of course they do. From the moment you two got put in separate classes you've both made it obvious you want each other for your partner once you graduate, and he hangs out with you and the Sidekicks instead of his own Hero classmates."

"Well, we're best friends," Chloe informed Warren. "Plus, I believe he has a thing for Layla."

"And I care because…?" Warren wanted to know.

"Never said you did," she countered.

"Then why are you telling me?" He leaned forwards once more, eyes on her intently.

"You asked," she reminded cheerfully.

Warren opened his mouth, closed it, and then frowned.

"So, your Hero is fighting someone who has the ability to control minds," Chloe read off of the textbook in an effort to get them back to the project/homework. "Hero - you can slowly feel that you are losing control of yourself, what do you do to keep from falling prey to the mind control? And why? Sidekick - answer the same question, except how do you keep your Hero from being mind controlled?" She looked up at him. "Why isn't the Sidekick trying not to be mind-controlled as well?"

"Because this is stupid, like I pointed out earlier," Warren answered with a sneer.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe thought about the situation for a moment. Her mother had temporary mind control abilities, it was part of what made her so powerful. No one was sure why exactly she'd retired from the superhero business to become the Principal of Sky High, even Chloe had no clue. She peered up at Warren, trying to imagine him fighting her mother. How could she keep him safe? What would I do? What could I do? And then it hit her and she started writing her answer immediately.

There was movement, a shadow fell over her, and then Warren choked. "You'd break one of my bones?" He turned his dark eyes on her, looking both confused and amused. "I thought you were on my side in this hypothetical situation?"

"I am." She continued to write. "When it comes to mind control there are very few things that can snap you out of it, but pain, especially intense pain, is the best way to do it."

"Right." He snorted. "And you know this because…?"

"My mother controls minds," she reminded him. "I didn't know it at the time, but she accidentally used her ability against me when I was a kid." She licked her lips and paused, not sure if she should do this, if she should tell him. She hadn't told anyone, doubted her mother wanted anyone knowing. "When I was seven years old I did something, I don't remember what, but it angered her, a lot. She snapped and told me to scrub my hands until they were sparkling clean, so I did. Neither of us realized that in her anger she'd accidentally used her power on me." Chloe took in a deep breath as her gaze went to her hands. "I went to my bathroom and washed my hands over and over again, but I didn't feel that they were clean… so I grabbed a scrubbing sponge and took it to my skin… but it made me bleed… which meant I was dirtier than I had been before."

Warren was completely silent above her.

"I then got the one with the stainless steel bristles, it was supposed to be a heavy-duty for the dirtier dishes so my seven year old mind thought that it would be better - that it would get me clean." She laughed darkly, embarrassed by how stupid she'd been. "The pain was terrible, I was bleeding everywhere and ripping apart my skin, but no matter how much it hurt I had to continue because I wasn't "sparkling clean" like she'd told me to be." Inhaling deeply, Chloe brushed her fingertips together. "Finally the pain grew too much and I blacked out. I woke up bleeding out on my bathroom floor. I was confused. I remembered doing what I did but couldn't understand why I had gone to those lengths." She rubbed her hands together. "I started crying and screaming, and when my mother appeared in the doorway I blacked out again only to wake up in the hospital, patched up." She licked her lips. "So yeah, I'd break your fingers."

Warren was still incredibly silent.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe finally looked up at him, finding his face emotionless. "I'd heal your fingers afterwards, so you could fight her. Once you've successfully fought off mental control once, it makes it easier to continue doing so."

"You'd have broken fingers though," Warren announced emotionlessly.

"So?" She asked, head tilted back to look at him.

"So you think you can just break your fingers and be useless afterwards?" Warren's voice was odd as he returned to his seat and collapsed in it, something off in his expression. "Let's figure out a way to do that without leaving one of us not only out of commission, but vulnerable to attack."

"That's the easiest way though," she pointed out in confusion.

"I thought you said you liked a challenge," he countered in frustration as he grabbed his book and appeared to be reading it. "If you're going to be my Sidekick in this scenario then you and I will come up with something not so half-assed."

She stared up at him in confusion. "But in this scenario I figured out how you can defeat our enemy, and healed you and thus helped you be in prime condition to do do what you have to do."

Warren snapped his book angrily. "I thought the whole purpose of having a Sidekick was having someone always there to have your back, to be part of a team." He glared at Chloe, eyes impossibly dark, voice a hiss. "So as my hypothetical partner in this scenario, how about we come up with a solution together, one in which we both walk out of there safely?"

Chloe found her heart racing, her mouth dry as she stared into his pissed off face. Her chest rose and fell as her heart hit her ribs painfully. Unlike the others he didn't expect her to come up with the solution or hurt herself so he could continue on. She gulped. "Fine." She cleared her throat and glanced back at her book. "Brain storm away then, Hero."

"A, don't call me Hero," he informed her. "If I ever got into the business, I'd be an Anti-Hero at best."

She couldn't stop her smile as she glanced up at him at that. "You don't say."

"Yes, I do say," he responded. "Also, B, we're gonna wear lots of black. I don't do color, and since I get to choose my Sidekick's colors and costume so we don't clash…." He leaned back and eyed her thoughtfully, lips twitching in a smirk. "What do you think about a black spandex bodysuit with little hints of red on it?"

"I'd think you seemed to have given some thought to it," she responded.

"Don't you?" He asked curiously. "What would you want your suit to be?" He then sneered in disgust. "If you say red, white and blue—!"

"No!" She laughed. "Let's leave that color-scheme for the Stronghold Three." Considering Heroes decided what the Sidekicks wore she'd never quite given her costume much thought, but now that Warren had asked her… "I like the idea of black and red, but it can't be just spandex. What sort of protection is that?"

"Armor would make movement restrictive though," Warren reminded her.

"True," she admitted thoughtfully. "But kevlar isn't too heavy, and it's customizable."

"The bad guys wont be shooting bullets at you." Warren rolled his eyes. "They'll be shooting death rays, and kevlar doesn't stop death rays."

That, of course, started a huge debate.

They didn't finish the project that night and had to reschedule for another night.

"A third super power?" Chloe just looked at Clark in shock as she sat on her chair in the nurse's office. Nurse Spex was out smoking, which she'd been doing more and more lately. Chloe honestly felt that the woman was skipping school and leaving the blonde to do her job for her, but saying so would probably get the old woman fired, and Chloe wasn't ready to do this job full-time.

"I know." Clark looked just as shocked. "I can't control it though. I mean… I didn't mean to find out you are wearing matching pink underwear."

Chloe went to cover herself but then stopped, he'd probably just accidentally x-ray vision through her hands anyway. "Having two superpowers is rare, but three? Clark, when people find out you're going to be a bigger deal than even Will Stronghold."

Clark looked ill. "Can we not? Tell anyone, I mean? I'd prefer if only you knew, if only for now."

"Why?" She asked in confusion.

"You're the only one who won't treat me differently," he responded softly.

Placing her hand on his shoulder, she squeezed it.

"So, uh, where's Warren?" Clark wanted to know curiously. "Doesn't he get injured a lot?"

She eyed the clock. It was way passed the time for Warren's visit. "He's actually not been getting hurt lately."

"Since when?" Clark asked curiously.

Very good question. "Since a week or so ago?"

"So, since you guys became project buddies and see each other every night?" Clark smiled teasingly.

Actually, yes. "And your point is?"

Clark laughed. "You sounded just like him!"

She flushed because she'd thought the exact same thing the second that had come out of her mouth.

The door opened without a knock and Warren was there. He raised an eye at Clark and nodded, his expression showing no hostility whatsoever. "Kent."

"Peace." Clark smiled brightly.

"Hippie asked me to tell you she's looking for you," Warren muttered, looking disconcerted. "Since when did the Sidekicks stop being scared of me?"

"Since Chloe basically doesn't stop talking about you," Clark responded cheekily as he turned to his best friend. "I'm going to go see if Layla's alright. I'll leave you two alone." With that he grinned at Chloe, grinned at Warren, and then patted Warren's shoulder on his way out.

Warren turned to watch Clark go, looking horrified. "What the—?"

Chloe groaned, embarrassment coloring her cheeks as realization hit. "He thinks we're going out in secret. He's showing us we have his approval."

"Why would we need his approval?" Warren wanted to know, yet instead of annoyed he just sounded dumbfounded.

"Because Clark and I are best friends," she reminded him. "I wouldn't want to date anyone he didn't approve of, and he's the same way with me."

Warren raised an eyebrow. "Is that even healthy?"

"Shut up." She rolled her eyes. "So. What did you hurt today?"

Warren eyed her in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You came to the infirmary." She motioned all around her. "I assumed you'd hurt yourself again."

"Well, you know what they say about assuming," Warren retorted as he plopped down on the bed, hands behind his head. "I came to get some zzzz's. Lash and Dash are getting on my nerves and I'm about to fry them with how tired I am and how annoying they are."

Worry bubbled inside of her. "Are you not sleeping well at night?"

He hummed a response, eyes closed, breathing already betraying he was falling asleep.

Shocked, Chloe just stared at him. No one else might find this surprising but this was Warren Peace. Him allowing himself to go to sleep in front of her… that said so much. He was allowing himself to be vulnerable in front of her. That was so humbling!

When his breathing completely changed to that of someone sleeping, Chloe rose, picked up a blanket and covered him in it. She then went back to what she'd been doing, and when Nurse Spex finally returned she hushed the woman and made sure she didn't disturb Warren as he slept.

"WARREN PEACE!" Chloe snarled as she threw the door open and stepped inside of the classroom to angrily scan the group of surprised students. Ignoring Coach Boomer, who was telling her this was Hero class and that she had Sidekick class to get to, Chloe fixed her sights on the guy glaring unhappy at her from his seat in the back of the class. "Get to the infirmary. Now."

"No." He sat hunched over awkwardly, obviously in pain yet face pure defiance. "Go away."

Anger and confusion continued to soar inside of her as she stalked towards Warren only to be cut off by Coach Boomer.

"I do not think you heard me, Sidekick." He stood tall, chest puffed out. "If Hothead says he's okay then he can take it. Now go."

Chloe made to go around him, and when she saw the coach take in a deep breath to use his booming voice against her, she moved on instinct, grabbing his arm. She could feel her ability react and didn't know exactly why she felt taking on his injury would help her in any way, but it had been an instinctive response that she hadn't been able to control. Coach Boomer's mouth opened but no sound came out, his eyes widened behind the shades he always wore, and with a confused look the man who'd labeled her a Sidekick dropped to his knees.

Not sure exactly what he was doing, or why she felt so good, Chloe continued to stare down at him, not noticing the Heroes all standing up from their desks and staring at them in horror. Finally, when Coach Boomer hunched over, the palm of his free hand pressed against the floor, did Chloe let go. Her gaze went over the class and landed on Warren, who was staring at her in open shock. "Don't make me say it twice."

Warren's gaze went to Coach Boomer, who was coughing, still on his knees on the ground - to the the other Heroes, who looked shocked and confused - and then back to Chloe. Taking in a deep breath he stood gingerly and grabbed his side with a flinch of pain. "Whatever." With that he moved passed her, storming out the door.

Turning to watch him limping away, Chloe shook her head and followed, ignoring the way the classroom broke out in loud murmurs the second she did. Considering how badly Warren was limping she wasn't surprised by how easily she caught up with his long-legged stride. "Why didn't you come to the infirmary?"

"I can handle pain," he muttered unhappily. "The only reason I'm coming now is because you're in enough trouble as it is to add the murder of a professor to your plate." Warren sidled her with a glare. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Oh please, I'm a healer, what exactly could I have done to Coach Boomer that could kill him?" She rolled her eyes. "I don't know why he reacted to my power that way, but it worked to my advantage so I don't care."

"That's still attacking a professor." Warren shook his head, clearly frustrated with her. "Even I haven't done that. You could get expelled!"

Realization hit her shockingly. "You're worried about me."

"Please, as if." He rolled his eyes.

"You are, though." She stopped walking and eyed him, realizing from his body language that he was in a lot of pain. "Why didn't you come to the infirmary?"

"I didn't want to," he snapped.

"Why?" She pressed.

"It's none of your business what I do or don't do!" He turned and snarled in her face as his hands instinctively caught on fire, the flames reflected in his dark orbs.

Anyone else would've backed down, would've known how dangerous it was to be around volatile flames, and yet Chloe stood her ground and stared into that scrunched up, utterly pissed off face in bone-shattering shock. "You were worried about me."

"No I wasn't," he denied in a hiss.

"You didn't want to come to the infirmary because if I healed you I'd take on this pain," she realized, voice breathless. "You're enduring it so I don't have to."

He glared at her viciously yet couldn't keep her gaze, his own slanting to the side. "That's not true."

Her heart hurt, it hurt so incredibly! Chloe reached forwards and, taking advantage of him looking elsewhere, cupped Warren's face and turned him to face her in time for her lips to meet his. He froze under her but she didn't care, kissing him. The second her lips moved over his, he cursed into her mouth and his good arm curled around her, drawing her closing while he kissed her back.

Keeping his face cupped, Chloe felt her power seeping into him, healing Warren, but she didn't feel the pain that would usually accompany the healing process. Not sure what was happening, but thankful anyway, she eased Warren back against the wall and took the kiss deeper.

"I what?" Chloe blinked as she sat in solitary, which was part of her punishment for 'attacking' Coach Boomer. "That's impossible."

"Not according to Nurse Spex," her mother announced, hands on her hips, clearly unhappy and surprised as well. "You drained him of a lot of energy, energy which you apparently used to heal Warren Peace."

"That's why it didn't hurt?" Chloe wanted to know in shock. "Because I wasn't using my own energy?"

"It would seem so." Her mother sighed. "You should be expelled for attacking Coach Boomer, this is a school for young superheroes not super-villains, but you'll spend the rest of today in solitary and then tomorrow you'll be transferred to Hero classes."

"What? Why?" Chloe couldn't understand.

"Because your power has expanded. The ability to suck the life or energy out of a Hero is not a Sidekick ability," mother replied.

"No." She shook her head. "I mean: why aren't I expelled? I know it's not because I'm your daughter. You wouldn't risk your position over me like that."

Moira sighed and glanced around the room which neutralized people's superpowers. "You'll hear about it from him anyway." Her blue eyes met Chloe's green. "Mr Peace let me know in no uncertain terms that if I expelled you he would let everyone know exactly how he got his injuries today."

"They were because of Save the Citizen gone wrong though?" Chloe asked in confusion. That was the story she'd heard at least.

"Only part of the injuries were due to that." Her mother took in a deep breath. "And the only reason he got hurt as much as he was was because he was already injured when he started Save the Citizen."

Chloe's eyes widened as she went pale. "What did you do?"

Moira wouldn't meet her gaze. "I tried to use my power on him to get him to leave you alone. People were talking and I did not want you associated with Baron Battle's son. But, unfortunately, I was unable to completely control him. He broke free."

Chloe's gaze lowered in understanding. "He hurt himself so that the pain would break him out of the trance."

"Yes." Moira looked like she'd swallowed something sour. "He broke two fingers."

Nausea filled her. "How could you? He's a student!"

"He's Baron Battle's son!" Moira snapped at her. "How do you think it will look if my daughter is hanging out with someone like that! Someone who has such great potential to turn villain when he graduates?"

"Well you're definitely pushing him towards it!" Chloe snarled as she jumped to her feet. "Mother, I know you think you're doing the right thing, but whenever you think you're doing the right thing it is never the right thing for me!" She felt gratification at her mother's flinch. "Stay out of my life like you have for so long of it. And if you try to do something to Warren again…"

"Is that a threat?" Moira wanted to know softly.

"It's a promise." Chloe sat back down.

"It would seem Warren isn't the only one with potential to turn villain on graduation." Moira took in a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and left.

When she emerged from the room later on that evening, Warren leaned against the wall, but he wasn't alone. Clark and Layla were both by his side. The three of them were having a normal conversation with no grunts or rolled eyes or glares. It made the whole day worth it.

Layla noticed her first. "Chloe!" She hurried over and hugged her. "Are you okay? I hear its horrible up in that room."

"It's not that bad," Chloe assured her with a small smile as they turned to face the boys.

It was Clark's time to hug Chloe. "From what I'm hearing, the whole of Hero class are kind of scared of you. Will and I are probably the only ones happy you're getting transferred."

"I wont go," she whispered as she let go and pulled away. "They didn't want me before, I don't want them now." She turned to smile at Layla. "I'm happy in the Sidekick classes." If there was anyone who'd understand that it was Layla, whose powers were also Hero-worthy, but the brunette had kept them hidden so she could stay amongst the Sidekicks. Chloe was almost sure her and Will (and maybe Clark) were the only ones who knew the extent of power Layla had over plants, which she could grow, kill, or cause to attack if need be.

Her green gaze met Warren's dark one. "I heard what happened with my mother." At Clark and Layla's confused looks, she clarified: "She tried to use her power to get him to stop hanging around me."

Warren shrugged. "I don't like being told what to do."

Slipping away from Layla and Clark, Chloe hesitated a second before she moved to Warren's side. She glanced down at the hand hanging at his side, seeing steam rising from it. He wasn't as coolheaded about it as he pretended to be. Chloe placed her hand in his, feeling his hand warm to the touch but not unbearable as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "Me neither."

Warren tensed for a second before relaxing and flinging an arm around her shoulders casually. "What you smirking at, Kent?"

"Nothing?" Clark was smiling hugely with Layla. "So. You guys going to Homecoming?" At the lack of answer he turned to Layla. "Layla and I were going to skip and go see a movie and eat somewhere instead. Wanna join?"

"You need to come!" Layla grinned at them.

Warren groaned. "It's not a chick flick, is it?"

"Nope. It's a sci fi!" Clark responded quickly. "You in?"

Warren sighed and turned his gaze on Chloe in question.

Smiling up at him, the blonde turned to her friends. "We're in."

The Homecoming was attacked and Gwen Grayson revealed to be a supervillain who planned on turning everyone into babies so no one could stand in the way of her ruling the world, but Will and the Sidekicks were able to save the day.

Clark, Layla, Chloe and Warren wouldn't hear about it until the next day. They didn't miss being part of the action, and when they'd find out about it the next day the foursome would just take it in stride and be glad that the good guys had won.

The night had been quite eventful for them as well, with Clark and Layla finally kissing and Clark finally asking her to go out with him, which she obviously accepted. Warren had rolled his eyes at them and muttered at how sickening sweet everything was… until Chloe had shut him up with her lips and he'd hadn't had time to be sarcastic after that.

"Kent snores like a bear," Warren complained as they ended the night watching a movie in the loft in Clark's parent's barn. He wasn't exaggerating. Clark was really having a go at it, having fallen asleep during the movie. Layla slept with her head on his lap, breathing softly.

Yawning into his chest, Chloe rearranged herself to get more comfortable, her body half on Warren, half on the sofa. "Yep."

"Do you snore?" Warren wanted to know curiously.

"A lady never tells," she mumbled into his chest, barely keeping awake herself. "It's for men to discover once its too late."

He snickered. "So basically, you snore."

Chloe chuckled. "I won't tell. Especially since you don't snore."

Warren paused. "How would—?"

"You slept in the infirmary that one time, remember?"

His body shook with laughter. "Were you creeping on me while I slept?"

Chloe didn't answer, already having fallen asleep. Within five minutes she began to snore.

They walked down the hallway of the newly saved Sky High, hand in hand, Warren holding her books and Chloe wearing his leather jacket, which was always toasty warm. People now looked at the both of them in apprehension but neither cared, instead they exchanged small smiles. They were probably the most talked about couple in Sky High, especially now that Will-and-Gwen were no more, and while neither enjoyed people talking about them they just let it happen with no retribution.

Chloe had refused to transfer to Hero classes, and everyone thought she was insane for doing so - Heroes and Sidekicks and Faculty alike. Layla had understood and stuck up for Chloe when people harassed her about it. Plus, with Magenta, Ethan and Zach having played prominent roles in saving the school from Royal Pain the whole Hero/Sidekick thing wasn't as defined as it'd been before. The divide wasn't as great. Sure, it was still there, but it wasn't like before.

Now that Gwen was gone Will was trying to mend his relationship with Layla, which caused some friction and discomfort, mostly because Clark was a little jealous and insecure due to the fact that Layla had been in love with Will for years, and the fact that Warren hated Will's guts due to his parents.

"I can't believe I didn't know about this." Chloe eyed Warren Peace in awe.

Magenta eyed him as well. "It's scary."

Zach and Ethan looked like they agreed.

Layla merely grinned. "When I found out I knew I had to bring you, so I figured tonight would be the best time since we were all getting together at my house to go over homework."

Warren had a job at a Chinese place called the Paper Lantern, and he knew Mandarin.

"Why didn't I know about this?" Chloe wanted to know as she eyed him refilling glasses of water for a table three tables down from them. Since Chloe's table was being served by some other person Warren had yet to realize she or the others were there. He looked so different with his hair up in a pony-tail, no leather jacket, and an apron wrapped around his waist.

"He probably doesn't want you to know he wears an apron to work," Zach theorized seriously.

"It's not surprising that he has to work though." Ethan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "His mom's dead and his dad's in jail. How else is he supposed to earn money for himself?"

Chloe frowned immediately. She hadn't thought about that. A glance over at Layla showed the girl had stopped smiling as well.

Warren noticed them at that second and visibly froze. He eyed the Sidekicks and sighed as he moved towards the table. "Sidekicks, Layla, Chloe."

"Hey Warren," the Sidekicks said in unison.

Layla grinned and waved.

"So, you speak Mandarin," Chloe announced instead of returning the greeting. "You're going to have to teach me."

Warren eyed her in silence before he smirked. "You know, I'm starting to think you're stalking me."

She grinned. "And what if I am?"

His smirk grew. "Maybe I like it." With a small wave he returned to work.

Chloe admired him from behind as he did so.

A couple of days later during school, while no one was watching, Warren yanked Chloe into an abandoned classroom and sat her up on the teacher's desk. He moved between her thighs and stared into her eyes. "Are you going to stick to being a Sidekick?"

She nodded, a little surprised by the question. Warren had never seemed to care either way before. "Does that bother you?"

He shook his head. "The only person who isn't half bad in the Hero classes is Clark." Just the fact that he was calling him 'Clark' instead of 'Kent' was telling.

Chuckling, Chloe paused and took in a deep breath as she glanced up at him. "I know you're going to graduate before me, but when you do, do you mind petitioning for me when I graduate instead of someone else?"

Warren raised an eyebrow. "I don't know… Do I really want someone as bossy and stalkery as you?" He laughed when she slapped his arm. "If I'm being completely honest, that was already the plan. It's why I brought you in here."

Her smile grew as her heart skipped a beat. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." Warren nodded as he ran his long, lean fingers through her hair. "I've talked to Clark, and he's okay with it. He's going to petition for Layla."

Chloe's smile vanished in shock. "You really did plan to petition for me? You've asked for Clark's blessing?"

He nodded silently.

Biting down on her bottom lip, Chloe suddenly grinned and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, yanking him down to face her. "I think I'm in love."

Warren rolled his eyes. "It's about time." When that was only met with silence he eyed her once more. "You're an idiot if you feel the need to ask how I feel." At her raised eyebrow he grinned. "I might have a thing for bossy stalkers."

"Well, if you're going to be that way…" Chloe trailed her hand down his chest. "Just remember that there'll be a full year between you graduating and me graduating. I could very easily find someone else to stalk and boss during that—." Her words were silenced by his lips as he kissed her deeply.

Goosebumps and shivers of pleasure raced up and down her spine as Chloe drew him closer, kissing him with just as much passion and desire. He left her breathless, and she was glad she was seated otherwise her legs wouldn't be able to keep her up.

Finally Warren pulled away and smirked as he stared down at her flushed face. "What were you saying?"

"Shut up." Reaching for him once more, Chloe pulled him back to her and kissed him, swallowing the sound of his pleasure. Even when the bell rung they remained in that classroom with each other, missing their next classes.

When Warren pulled away to whisper: "I love you" against her lips, Chloe whispered back "I love you too."

These were the series of events which would one day lead to them becoming Inferno and Siphon (as well as Clark and Layla becoming Superman and Flora), but that is a whole different story.

Hope you enjoyed