Claimer: I own my characters and any other original materials I use in my stories.

"Life Happens"

Chapter 2 "Change of Plans"

Cassandra could lay across the couch eating a pop tart for breakfast without being yelled watching the morning news. She yawned stretching out a little bit before looking at the clock for a moment. She peered over the side of the couch into the kitchen.

"Dad, where's Layla? It's getting late," said Cassandra.

"Layla!" John called as he finished packing another cold lunch.

"Coming!" called Layla coming down the stairs "dad you forgot to water the plants again."

"Well dear, I don't exactly have time to be watering all the plants in this house. I am a lawyer after all," said John with a weak smile.

"Layla, give it a rest already will yeah. Dad's a layer not a gardener," said Cassandra. Layla glared towards her sister who waved her off with a flick of hand.

"Thank you dear, but I will try to remember to water them more often," said John.

"It's okay," said Layla making cereal.

"I'm proud of both you. Layla for you sticking your ground for what you believe and Cas for you having such a controlled display of your powers," said John.

"Thanks," the girls replied in near unison.

The girls rushed out the door with only a couple of minutes to spare this morning making it right on time. Ethan was sitting with Zack when they got on so Layla and Will sat together, which made Layla in a good mood to start the day. Magenta made room for Cassandra to sit with her. The ride went a little better than yesterday's ride with a smooth ride and landing.

"I guess this is where we part," said Cassandra holding a hand to heart pretending to be crying.

"Won't miss ya," teased Layla.

"I'm truly wounded sister, truly," said Cassandra unable to keep a straight face and burst out laughing getting a few strange looks.

Odds have it Cassandra ended up the room next to her sister and all her friends, Mad Science. The lab was empty besides for the teacher, whom was rather average man besides his heads was to be frank about it huge. Cassandra blink for a moment before she sat down towards the middle of the room.

"Early but not one of eager ones. Interesting," said the teacher making Cassandra jump.

"This is one of the Freshmen Mad Science classes and we don't have lockers let so where are we going to hang out before class," said Cassandra.

"I would have taken you for the type to be very social and would have found a place to be," said the teacher.

"People aren't always what they seem," she replied resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Very true in need deed Miss..." said the teacher.

"Williams," she said.

"Right, right. Stormy's kid that Beast Tamer took in," said the teacher.

"Yup," said Cassandra pulling out a notebook drawing on the front inside cover.

Students slowly filed into the classroom Cassandra looked up from her notebook to find the boy from the bus sitting next to her again she shrugged.

"Mornin' Eric. I thought I would have scared of you and all your friends after I told all ya off yesterday," said Cassandra.

"Nah, Lucas and them are a bit full of themselves. They were asking for it. They were being kind of stupid talking about sidekicks like that when your sister is one. It's like they want you to kick their asses," grinned Eric.

"Is that how I really come off?" asked Cassandra.

"To be honest, I'm not sure what I think of you. You are different from your sister but yet not so different that you want to follow the typical path. My mother was friends with yours and said she was a complicated person too," said Eric.

"Listen here, if you are going to sit next to me get this straight," said Cassandra her voice dropping an octave or two "do not mention anything about my mother. Got it."

"Okay. Okay. Got it," said Eric throwing his hands up.

"Is there a problem over there?" asked the teacher.

"No," Cassandra and Eric replied in unison.

"Morning, freshman. Welcome to Mad Science where you will be learning not only about hero technology but also how to make hero technology. My name is Mr. Medula," said the teacher "this class meets twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday. I do not tolerate tardiness. Show up on time or do not show up at all."

"Where you have chosen to sit you shall remain for the rest of the semester and most likely the rest of the school year unless any of you happen to move into my advanced class," said Mr. Medula.

"Let's begin with the fundamentals of mad science stun rays. Here is an diagram of an stun ray and momentarily I will pass out your stun ray parts. For the first two days of class you have the diagram afterwards you will not. You have five minutes," said Mr. Medula walking around passing around trays.

"Any good with technology?" asked Eric.

"Long as I don't fry it I am," said Cassandra. She reached into her pockets to find them empty. She searched around her bag not finding the familiar leather cloth she was looking for. She frowned significantly. She was in for a very bad day.

"What's wrong?" asked Eric as Mr. Medula gave them their tray.

"I don't have my gloves," said Cassandra trying to take deep breaths.

"You mean those leather ones you wore yesterday?" asked Eric.

"Yes," she replied.

"Why..."

"I need them because otherwise my powers randomly pulse out," she said "and I'm in a room full of chemicals and technology that can super activate my powers. My powers can activate on its own with just normal electricity."

"Okay, not good. We are heroes. No need to panic. I'll do the touching of the technology and you tell me what to do," he said.

"We got this," she nodded.

She pointed to the different pieces and tried to give an general idea of how the piece went together since they didn't have directions only the diagram. She did notice as their time was running up something was wrong.

"We made a heat ray not a stun ray. Give it here. I can fix it I think," she said.

"What about..." he said.

"It's not like it's activated," she said.

Eric hesitantly passed it over to his lab partner who quickly pulled apart the ray part to access the part she needed to get to. She pulled the piece out turned it around to face the other direction and twisted back on.

"I think that should make it a stun ray," she said "I hope."

Right as she was putting it back down on the tray she could feel ever hair on her body stand on end. She let go of the gun so it made loud clattering sound. ZAP! She hadn't let go quite fast enough. She felt a powerful surge of energy pulse through her finger tips through her entire body. She was only aware of the room shaking and going pitch black for a second before she knew nothing.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

A low hum of a machine slowly lulled Cassandra awake. She blinked a few times starred at a very white ceiling. Her eyes drifted to both sides of her. A certain divider to one side and to the other windows that looked into the school courtyard. Right, she was at Sky High and she was in Mad Science well she had been.

"You will not be needing to make that call Principle Powers. She is awake now," said an older female voice.

Cassandra's vision began to focus in and she could make out the fact the older woman was the nurse and the Principle was standing next to her. Her entire body ached. It hurt a bit to breath.

"Miss Williams everything is quite alright. Don't strain yourself. No one else besides yourself was injured in the incident in the lab," cooed the nurse.

"You have us quite a scare Miss Williams," said Principle Powers.

"What happened?" asked Cassandra finally finding enough strength to speak.

"From what we gathered from you lab partner Mr. Howell you mentioned to him a problem with your powers and need gloves to control them and you didn't have them so he was doing the actual working of the stun ray but towards the end you guys ran out of time and made a mistake and you thought you should be okay to fix it but when you put the stun ray down your powers activated," said Principle Powers "caused a minor explosion but here at Sky High we are built to handle electrical based powers."

"I sort of remember that. But I don't know why that happened. It shouldn't have happened. The stun ray had no power," said Cassandra.

"That is what I would like to speak to you about if you have strength to speak about it," said Principle Powers pulling up a chair with a blue cushion on it as the nurse sat down on her stool.

"I think I can," Cassandra said.

"I want you to know anything you say is confidential between the three of us unless there is any concern for your health," said Principle Powers.

"I get it. Everyone just wants to protect me. I just don't understand what I need protecting from," sighed Cassandra.

"I'm probably not the person the explain that you," sighed Principle Powers.

"Okay, so since my question isn't going to get answered what is yours?" asked Cassandra.

"I need some more information about these gloves you use. Let's start with how long have you used them?" asked Principle Powers.

"Ever since I moved in with the Williams," said Cassandra.

"How often do you wear them?" asked the Principle Powers.

"Every day pretty much all day long unless I'm asleep or in the shower. But if there is a storm coming through the area I have to wear the gloves," Cassandra replied.

"Why is it you have to wear these gloves?" the principle continued.

"Random pulses of electricity, of energy, in general. When I'm asleep it's usually controlled but if there is a storm while I sleep it will activate my powers while I'm asleep and I'll use them in my sleep sort of like sleep walking or sleep talking but with my powers," said Cassandra.

"I'm guessing this is what Laura and John tell you what happen," said Principle Powers.

"Well, yeah, but Dr. Luna at the Maxville General Super Division is my doctor. He is the one my parents took me to deal with my power outburst when they took me in. My parents asked about the gloves and he was the one who got them," said Cassandra "why are you asking questions about the gloves?"

"These gloves may not be helping but rather hurting you. It may be the reason for incident today. But only the Bureau can tell," said Principle Powers.

"I will not go back to that damn facility again," said Cassandra clenching her fists "I rather be dead."

"Let think reasonably here Miss Williams," said Principle Powers standing up.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. This school was supposed to be a chance. But it isn't. It's just another way to track and control supers.

"Nothing about being a hero is reasonable. Why don't you people just leave me alone? Consistently meddling with my life is not going to help you. It just makes me hate you more. I won't be your puppet. So go call the bureau and tell them to shove it up their ass for me."

"It is unlikely they were completely aware of what they have done. But it doesn't change the fact you have six years of suppressed power that nearly killed you today," said Principle Powers.

"This is just the shock of everything talking. It must be very alarming to you. But your powers are unstable and we can help," said the principle.

The machines attached to Cassandra flickered. She tried to take deep breath. Her fingernails dug into her palms. The dull pain of her nails breaking skin on her palms would be nothing like if she got sent back to that place. She made an oath to herself that if she ended up back there she would end it all, one way or another.

"That's enough," said new voice "I don't know what you think you are doing but unless you are getting the Bureau involved don't say another word. You are over stepping your boundaries here."

"Boomer," said Principle Power standing up.

"I may not have much power here, but I think you should leave before you say something you will regret. If you have something to report go report it. Leave the girl alone and let her rest," Boomer said.

Cassandra leaned back against the bed as the principle left. She took a deep breath closing her eyes. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest pleading against it. It felt like it was going to burst right out. She could feel a knot raising in her throat. She knew deep in her gut something was very, very wrong long before she heard the beeping and the blackness engulfed her.

"Damn it! Let me see my daughter!" shouted Laura outside in the hospital ward of the Super Hospital in Maxville.

"Ma'am, we cannot let you in the room by orders of the Bureau," said a firm male voice.

"John, do something?!" she turned pleading to her silent husband.

"Laura, this goes over my head. They took our rights away," sighed John looking at his shoes. The words felt like a bullet through his heart. Seven years they had Cassandra. Nothing about this was just or fair. It was cruel.

"This is fucking ridiculous! We would have never gave her those gloves if we knew they were hurting her," said Laura fighting back tears.

"I know, we will get the people responsible to setting us up. We have to go by the book for now. I know it hurts, but we are going to fight this. We should get home to Layla," said John.

"It's not fair," mutter Laura muttering to herself "nothing about this is just. Nothing about this is what we fight for every day."

John wrapped his arm around his wife holding her tight. He would fight this with everything he had no matter the cost. A faint grin grew across his face as he thought of an idea of how to Cassandra out from the under the thumb of the Bureau.

((Line Break))

White. White walls. White floor. Everything was white. It took a minute for Cassandra's eyes to adjust. As her mind woke up from the fog it was trapped in terror set it. Where was she? She tried to set up but couldn't. She tried to pull her arms up but they too were heavy and couldn't move. The only thing that moved was her head. She looked down towards her arms. Fore field restraints. She knew exactly where she was. What the hell had happened and what had she done when blacked out? If she could move she would curl up in pieces.

"Crap. What the hell happened?" she muttered to herself.

"I see you are awake. Good...good. We can get down to business. The faster we get through this the faster you can get out her," said a woman in a lab coat walking into the room. A metal door clicked behind her as she approached the bed and picked up the clipboard at the end of the table.

"Good morning, Miss Layre," said the woman pushing her glasses higher up on her nose.

"I'm Doctor Fritz and I'll be overseeing your stay here," she continued.

"First off lady, don't call me Layre. Second off where am I?" asked Cassandra. Her throat screamed in protest with every word.

"You're at Maxville General Hospital," said Doctor Fritz.

"You're a terrible liar. I'm in not Maxville. This is one of the Bureau's secret research facilities," said Cassandra "not the first time I've been here."

"You must be mistaken dear," said the doctor with a kind smile.

"Doctor Fritz, get out," said a man opening up the doctor "I moved you to the Amai twin case."

The young female doctor opened her mouth to protect but the man was having no such thing. He had a good foot on the other doctor. His eyes icy stoic grey and his dark brown hair was carefully groomed back besides a stray curl that stuck up behind his left ear.

"Well, Cassandra, we meet again. Though I was hoping we could keep you out of here," said the man "but the Bureau has their own thoughts."

"Hello uncle," said Cassandra.

"These lighting powers really aren't working for you are they," he said pulling up the charts on the computer.

"Of course, not. Only a moron who think giving a random power to super wouldn't end in disaster," said Cassandra "I'm lucky not to have killed someone."

"I wouldn't call you lucky," he said.

"Not really, am I. If I was lucky the power outburst would have killed me and I wouldn't be here," she said.

"I am sorry. None of us ever wanted to bring you kids into this. But this is bigger than family, justice or right vs wrong," he replied.

"Save it. All of you and the Bureau can take their damn apologies and shove it up their asses," said Cassandra "Sorry doesn't help a damn thing. I'm still a freaking time bomb waiting to explode."

He sighed slouching in the chair looking at the screen. He reached over and rubbed his neck.

"Look kid, I ain't going to lie to you. You are in a tough spot. All of you kids in this program are and it's our fault. We are trying to find a solution. Just be prepared the possible solutions aren't going to be black and white, easy or painless," he said.

"We don't have many choices do we. I know it's possible to remove a power. I also know it can be very dangerous. A lot of supers have died trying. And there is no guarantee of powers of any kind returning or of the power actually being removed. Or we have to learn to control it the old fashion way," she said.

"I don't know what they are doing. You have every right to hate me, the Bureau, supers in general, and rest of the family. But please don't just shoot down this program. The world is going to need heroes like they were trying to develop. You have potential and I'm not talking about power wise," he said.

"I don't hate you or anyone. I'm just scared," she said looking up at the ceiling tiles.

"You have to face your fears," he said.

"I know. But I can't pretend anymore. It's eating away at me," she said.

"If all this is going down the way they say you won't have to," he said.

"Sounds reassuring," she replied.

"Being here may not be the worst place in the world to be. Take advantage of this place while you're here. Don't forget the biggest resource that is here," he said.

"Let me take a wild guess, other supers," she sighed.

"This isn't a game and it isn't something you can blow off. The other kids in this program are depending on you and few other of the older kids. This isn't about you, keep that in mind," he said.

"How much longer do I have to keep these on?" she asked.

"I can release you, but they can put you back in them if you can't figure out how to control it," he said.

It was as if an elephant had been lifted off her. She took in a deep breath closing her eyes realizing her entire body wasn't trapped anymore was good enough. She didn't have the strength to sit up.

"Sorry about that. Just a side effect it will wear off in a few minutes," he said "they don't just contain you but also drain your powers."

"Let me guess. The next few days or weeks of my life are going to be hell while I get to play chess with lives," she said.

"You didn't get to choose to be a hero. You were born one. Better figure it out quickly," he said getting up "watch yourself. People are tricky creatures, they are never as they seem."

"That is human nature," she said. He grinned to himself as he got close to the door.

"Today your on bedrest. The bathroom is to the right of me. If you need anything just press the intercom button. A nurse will be in soon to remove the IV and give you lunch," he said.

Cassandra held onto the tiny bit of hope she wouldn't end up taking some sort of experimental drug or attached to some sort of torture machine come tomorrow. She knew it was probably stupid to hold onto the hope that this time wouldn't be the hell it always turned out to be, or that there was even the slightest chance of her getting out of here soon. She sighed as she looked back up the ceiling tiles before letting her eyes roll back as she drifted back to sleep since she had nothing better to do.

Author's Note: This took way longer than I had hoped. I rewrote several times and lost one version and rewrote again and I'm still not one hundred percent happy. But at this point I have to just post it or it will never get posted. I do want to point out at this point my story at this point will not involve anymore of the events of the movie until quite a few chapters down the road. But I think you guys will enjoy my interpretation on the way too cheerful and perfect world that Sky High was in.