How dare he. A slutty attention-whore my ass. But, despite that damn mallard's big beak, I wouldn't change a thing. Perhaps leaving HQ when it's cold, snowing and I didn't take my jacket I would change, but everything else: No.

I made my way towards the park a few blocks away. Shivering against the cold I tucked my arms around myself with my ears pressed flat to my back. Rev's sweater I grabbed fit well, but it along with jeans, a t-shirt and running shoes did little to keep the cold away. Even my fur seemed useless as I continued on.

The whoosh of HQ's ground level doors made it to my sensitive ears. Stepping into a jog, I hopped the fence into the park as an engine growled.

Perhaps Duck was right though. I did miss my old life and I took it too far. I stepped in behind a small tree as Ace's bike neared. A flash of red streaked across the sky. The guys were great and they were my friends too, but was it a crime to want to do something you love?

Once Rev was far enough away I continued my walk. I stepped onto the snow-covered path to follow it deeper into the park. The trees were still and cold. My toes felt like they too were beginning to take root into the frozen ground as they grew numb.

Kate, Nicka and Lite. They were my oldest friends from elementary to high school. Only college separated us and soon after that, a meteorite. Due to my new found career I couldn't really see them. And by see, I mean on a screen during the few times I could have girl time without someone disturbing us.

Tears slipped from my eyes as I walked. As a rule family and friends were kept at a distance now. Only secure network calls and only a few times a month. After the fiasco with Rip, Rev's brother, the city council deemed it hazardous to allow our families and friend's near. Rev took it hard. Tech wasn't very close to his family in the first place so it wasn't as bad for him. Duck and Slam had been on their own for awhile so they weren't that affected. Ace missed his little sister, but right from the start barely spoke of her to protect her. I only found out he had one six months after the Loonatics got together. The other guys even longer. The only family I had after my mother died were my three friends.

I stopped, broken from my reverie by breathing. Slow, even breaths quietly waiting for a sound. Ace could see in the darkness but thankfully I could hear. I skirted to the nearest tree and leapt. Catching a branch I swung to another, hooking my legs and swinging up to sit on it. A few hops and bounds later I was far from my tracks left in the snow.

"Lex?"

He stepped from the shadows scanning the path. Slowly I tucked myself close to the tree and clutched a branch. Resting my forehead against the trunk I could see him. Clearly he came after me as fast as I had left. He had grabbed his old jacket that wouldn't zipper up anymore with only a white t-shirt and striped pyjama bottoms on underneath. A breeze ruffled the fur over his cheeks as he raised his arm with his communicator.

"Rev, did you see anything?"

"She-was-heading-into-the-park-like-you-guessed,-Ace. I-haven't-seen-anyone-leave-except-that-creepy-old-guy-that-looks-after-the-cemetery-nearby. Are-you-sure-you-don't-want-me-to-do-a-full-sweep? I-can-find-her-in-one-point-eight-"

"It's okay Rev. Head back to HQ, get Tech and try to convince Duck he needs to apologize for being an ass. Again. I'll find her."

"Okedoke-Smokey!"

Another red flash streaked by. Once gone, Ace continued following my trail until coming to the tree I jumped to. Closing my eyes I quietly groaned. I loved Ace to death, but his protective nature could get old sometimes. His eyes seemed to follow the branches as if tracing the moves I had made. When they settled on my position I jumped. Straight onto the shadows away from the path.

"Lexi!"

There was a growl in his usually light-hearted voice. A mix of worry and annoyance from my childishness. He had said so himself the last time I took off without saying a word so I could get away for a while and he tracked me down to make sure I was okay.

To my dismay the snow hid a ditch I stepped into. With a small scream I hurdled into the bank of snow. A heartbeat started thrashing in my ears. Scrambling to my feet I leapt for a railing just close enough to be visible in the dark. I slid down the bank to the frozen river edge.

"Lexi!"

"Leave me alone! Just an hour or two, Ace. I'll be fine!"

Looking up, his form loomed over the rail ready to fling himself after me. His shoulders rose and fell in a steady fashion, but his heart continued firing. Despite that his posture relaxed into his well known laid back fashion. He leaned his arms on the rail while watching me.

"You'll freeze before that."

I crossed my arms against the cold again. "I didn't think that far ahead. I just want to clear my head for a few minutes. Then I'll come back and explain."

In the silence he grumbled quietly to himself, "Stubborn vixen..."

"I'm a bunny, not a fox."

He sighed. "Alright. I'll be here if you need anything though."

"A coat would be nice..." I muttered, but turned.

Following the shoreline I walked to a fallen tree stuck within the ice and ground. Finding a spot covered by one of its branches, I had a seat. The view allowed me to see the skyline of Acmetropolis. The lights twinkled in and out as the sounds of the city nightlight boomed despite the cold. A cold that was settling in my bones faster and faster.

Duck was an idiot. Blaming me for screwing up, calling me a spoiled brat for wanting to see my friends. The only family I had. Really he was just mad he wasn't getting a share of the money I was making on the side. The four of us had always been in the same dance classes and we loved singing. Talent shows, festivals, anywhere we'd get a chance to perform together; We were there. So what if I broke a few rules? No one knew it was Lexi Bunny of the Loonatics up on stage. At least until he followed me.

New tears sprung to my eyes. My one escape from the life of the hero destined to be alone, all in one night, was gone. Outed by my own team member because I wouldn't give him a cut. The guys seemed surprised overall, finding out I was a performer on the side. I had a voice and I could use it. I missed using it. Ace didn't seem to have any reaction at all. Stone cold silence as Duck spilled everything to them.

What would Zadavia think? A hero with powers that sings and dances in a bar on the side? A high-end bar, but a bar nonetheless. With great nachos. And my friends there. Katy was our DJ. A highly over-qualified DJ that would give Tech a run for his money when it came to sound wave technology. Nicka rapped and was damn good at it. Lite could sing any beast to sleep with her love songs when she wasn't teaching. And I was the dancer.

I probably wasn't a Loonatic anymore. Sobbing I hid my face in my arms. The cold had me shivering so much I could hardly breath. I just wanted to be with my friends again. Doing something only we could do together. But how could the guys understand that? Sneaking out to dance and sing? They probably thought I was a nut job. Before sneaking out I hadn't truly seen my friends, my family since the meteorite strike.

I wiped my eyes on the sleeve of Rev's sweater. Jagged breaths escaped my chest while my tears froze to my cheeks. I tried wiping them away with my hands instead before hearing a soft thud. Leaping from the tree I turned as a warm hand clasped mine.

"Lex..."

The soft thud of his heartbeat was soothing in the cold. I turned away to hide my tear-frozen cheeks only to have him step around to face me. His jacket was around my shoulders moments later as he held the front of it closed.

"We need to get you back to HQ. Any longer out here and you'll start getting hypothermic."

"Or I could just check into a hotel. It's not like I'll be staying much longer."

His eyes widened with his signature arched brow, only in confusion rather than sarcasm.

"What, you think you're gonna get kicked out?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I've broken city by-law and endangered my friends and you guys. What reason would anyone have for keeping me on the team?"

Hanging my head I pulled his jacket closer. Somehow it was warm and so was he standing in a t-shirt and pyjama bottoms in the snow. His hand gently lifted my chin so I couldn't look anywhere but in his eyes.

"Simple. I want you here. And Duck can sleep out here in the park until he apologizes for what he did. He had no right to follow you."

I pulled away, startled.

"You're... You're not mad? You still want me here even though I-"

"Stop quoting the council's garbage." He smiled as he added, "Zadavia ain't goin' kick you off the team for having a part-time job as a dancer in a bar where your friends are. There may be some repercussions for lying about it, but you're one of us and you ain't goin' anywhere unless you want to."

"Duck also did make another point. What would people think if they found out Lexi Bunny of the Loonatics was a dancer in a bar? I doubt people would take it wholesomely."

His smile wavered, but only a little. Fresh tears were working their way over the frozen trails still on my cheeks as he shook his head.

"People can think whatever they want. You're a great dancer and not what Duck said. Anyone could go and watch your performance and they'd have fun. They'd be more likely to start dancing themselves before anything else."

"How would you know?" I questioned out of curiosity, but felt my cheeks finally growing warm when his eyes guiltily left mine.

"Duck wasn't the first one to follow ya..."

Stepping back to look into his face better I could see a sliver of a smile returning to his lips.

Mortified I demanded, "How long have you known? Did... Did you watch me perform?"

"Can you blame me for noticin' you gone every weekend after ten at night?"

"Yes! Yes I can! Why would you follow me and then not say anything?"

He coolly shrugged. "I figured if you wanted to let me know you would. It was your girl time with your friends that you needed. No need for me to butt in."

All of my previous worries faded away. The leader of my team seeing me perform slowly crept further and further into my mind. My performances. Dancing. Flirting. Everything I did when I thought the guys weren't around to judge, Ace could have seen.

"How many performances did you see?"

"A few."

One particular instance sprang to mind. Right on stage a guy had caught my eye. Simply because I thought it had been Ace. It was dark and lights were flashing on and off as per that performance. I went as far as to reach my hand out and touch his cheek earning a kiss on the palm of my hand. Getting to pretend Ace had kissed me had made my entire night. My friends knew how I really felt about him, but never did I believe it was reciprocated.

"That was you!" I cried louder than I intended with anger and fear, "You were right next to the stage when I reached out to you..."

"You mean when you flirted with me on stage durin' your performance?"

I wanted to brain blast him. Between him and Duck I had enough aggression to brain blast the park off the face of the earth. I covered my face with my hands and turned away before I did just that.

"Lex?"

"We should go back now. I'm cold."

I started climbing the slope without another word. It was a partial lie given the rabbit's jacket had warmed my upper half significantly, but my feet where no longer responding to command.

"Lex, wait."

"Could you attempt to apologize when we get back to HQ and I'm in my warm, barricaded room with a door shut between us?"

The snow under foot gave way to ice. I slid back down the slope straight into Ace. With a whack against his legs he landed above me as we slid onto the edge of the frozen river. We froze. It took me a few moments to realize his arms were around me as we laid on the hard ice. He was the first to move, carefully lifting himself so his weight wasn't crushing me. He didn't go far as his body stayed pressed against mine. For the first time since meeting him a mix of apprehension and yearning appeared in his eyes as he looked down at me beneath him.

"This probably ain't what ya had in mind comin' between us, was it?" His smirk returned.

My heart swelled in my chest, so I glared and shoved him off. My feelings and daydreams about him weren't disrupting my anger with him. Climbing to my feet I marched towards the slope again. He followed close behind.