The rest of Mad Science was boring. Warren never returned from Principal Power's office and he wasn't on the bus either. I would've been concerned if it was anyone other than Warren, but I figured Warren could hold his own against whatever Principal Powers was going to tell him.

As soon as I got home, I finished my homework. Layla and I were planning on going Homecoming dress shopping later because Layla still insisted that I was going to go to the dance no matter what.

I was just finishing up getting ready and was about to go down to ask Josh for a ride when my phone rang. I answered it, puzzled. I hadn't given my number to many people yet.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ryanne." Warren's voice answered.

"Oh, hey. I didn't think I had given you my number."

"You hadn't. Layla gave it to me."

"Oh, Ok. So, what's up? What did Principal Powers talk to you about?"

"I wanted to ask you something. And that is a long story. If you wanted to meet me somewhere, I could explain. And I'll just ask you then."

"Well, I was just about to go meet Layla to go dress shopping. She's determined I'm going to go to the dance, even though I have no idea who I'm going with yet. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I postpone our trip until tomorrow though. Where should I meet you?"

"Paper Lantern? At 5?"

I glanced at the clock on my wall. It was quarter to 5 now. "Sounds good! See you soon."

--------

I finished getting ready then I ran down to find Josh. I found him in the basement watching a movie with a bunch of his friends.

"Do you guys just never do your homework or something?" I grinned as I leaned against the doorframe.

Josh grinned back at me. "I try not to be a goody two shoes like someone I know, baby sis."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Well, would you like to take a break from your movie and take your goody-two-shoes baby sister to the Paper Lantern?"

Josh rolled his eyes right back at me as he got up. "Only for you sissy."

He grabbed his keys and jacket off of a chair in the corner. "You guys stay here. You can keep watching the movie if you want. I'll be back in a minute."

---------

When we got to the Paper Lantern, I didn't see Warren yet. I gave Josh a side-hug as I opened the door. "Thanks, big bro! I love you!"

I didn't see Warren inside the restaurant so I waited outside for a minute. The weather had suddenly turned cold and I shivered. I felt like someone was watching me so I turned and glanced around the empty street. There was no one there.

I sighed softly, my breath coming out in a white puff. I had been getting that feeling a lot lately and it was starting to bother me.

I shivered again and turned to go inside the restaurant. Warren was standing close behind me. I jumped and then laughed shortly as I realized who it was.

"Goodness, Warren! You scared me!"

He half smiled. "Sorry. I just got here. What are you doing waiting for me out in the cold?"

He grabbed my hand and dragged me into the restaurant. My heart fluttered slightly at his motion. Warren's hand was unnaturally warm in the cold air.

"No reason, really. I just felt like I was being watched but there was no one there. That's why you scared me."

Warren's brow furrowed and his gaze darkened for a split second. It passed so quickly, I wasn't sure it happened. Then Warren was back to his self.

He pulled me over to a booth – still holding my hand – and glanced around before lighting the candle with a flame on his fingertip.

I rolled my eyes at him but still smiled. "Warren… you know you aren't supposed to…"

"…Use my powers outside of school. Got it. Layla tells me that quite often."

I grinned. "So I'm starting to sound like Layla, huh? I guess I've been spending too much time with her."

"Yeah, doing hair and makeup and whatever you girls do. She's corrupted you and turned you into a girly-girl. And to think you were normal when you moved here..."

I blushed, suprised by the fact that Warren had actually paid enough attention to me to know that I wasn't a girly-girl, but before I could say anything, a pretty, young, Asian girl approached the table. I realized Warren was still holding my hand under the table and I blushed even deeper. The girl looked from Warren, to me, back to Warren, down at the table (I guess she somehow knew we were holding hands) and then a broad grin spread across her face as she looked back to Warren.

"Got a new girl friend, Warren?" The girl said, but in Chinese, so of course I didn't understand it.

"Shut it." Warren shot back. I looked from him to the girl, confused. I had absolutely no idea what they were saying.

I guess that Warren ordered for us, because the girl took out a pad and scribbled some stuff down. She closed the pad and put her pencil up. "Ok. I'll be right back with your drinks." She smiled and half-bowed, speaking in English, I guessed for my sake. As she was about to leave, she turned back to Warren and grinned again. She spoke quickly in Chinese again. "Real classy, Warren, bringing your girl friend to work with you for your first date."

Warren growled and muttered, "I told you to shut up. She's not my girl friend." in Chinese.

The girl just smiled and walked away. (Remember, I didn't understand any of this at the time. This is just what Warren told me had happened latter on.)

I looked a Warren, puzzled. "I didn't know you spoke Chinese."

Warren nodded, suddenly shy. "Yeah. The owner of this place hired me when I was like 12 and practically raised me. I kind of picked it up."

"Right... cause Chinese is so easy to pick up..." I smiled, teasing him. He smiled back and rolled his eyes at me.

The girl came back with our drinks and said something in Chinese to Warren, her tone suddenly serious from the joking tone she had used before. "But Really, Warren, You guys are cute together."

Warren glared at her and muttered, "thanks..."

I sipped my coke, interested. "So what did she say?"

"When?" he asked, trying to pretend like nothing had happened.

"Oh, I don't know, you just had a whole long conversation with her and left me out of it."

"Nothing... I just ordered, that's all. Oh, I ordered you dumplings, you said you liked those. And you could've joined the conversation at any time. It's not my fault you don't speak Chinese."

"Ugh! That is not all you said so quit lying to me Warren Peace!"

"Nope. Sorry. That information is for me to know and you not to find out." He grinned.

"What, are you like five?" He just kept ginning and shrugged. "Fine, if you won't tell me that, tell me what you were going to ask me. Or at very least what Principal Powers talked to you about."

"Oh..." His face fell slightly. "Well... Have you ever heard of Barron Battle?"

"The super evil super villain? That Will's dad put in jail? That Barron Battle?"

Warren sighed. "Yes, that Barron Battle." He seemed sad. "Well... promise you won't freak out?" I placed a hand over my heart, signaling that I promised. "You promise? Really? Ok... He's my dad."

My jaw dropped. "But... But... You... Him... Will... But... You..."

Warren sighed. "You promised..."

"I'm not freaking out. Really. I'm not. I'm quite calm. Just... confused..."

Warren sighed again. "Right… and this isn't freaking out… Frankly, I'm surprised you hadn't found out already. Everyone else has known within the first hour of knowing me. Even before meeting me usually. Apparently, my reputation has a habit of preceding me." He flashed a grin at me.

Just then, the girl came back and placed our food in front of us. She could tell we were in the middle of an important conversation, so she left us alone.

The food smelled delicious, but I was too distracted at that moment however to think about eating. Warren on the other hand, noticing I wasn't eating yet, nonchalantly reached over and took a dumpling off of my plate and popped it into his mouth, I guess hoping for some response. I was too distracted to lecture his for taking my food though.

"Wait, I still don't understand though. You aren't evil. At all. And that mustn't have been what Principal Powers told you. Surely you already knew that?"

Warren rolled his eyes and sighed at me. He seemed to be doing that a lot. "I explain everything in detail later if I must. And yes, I already knew that. So no, that's not all Principal Powers told me. But it regards Barron Battle. And it wouldn't seem like a big enough deal for her to tell me personally without that vital piece of information."

I decided I was hungry and took a bite out of a dumpling. "So… are you going to tell me?"

"No, I'm going to leave you at that and let you hang in the suspense." He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'll tell you. Let's eat first. Or else you may never eat."

I stuck my tongue out at him, but ate nevertheless. We made small talk while we finished off our meals, just talking about random things like our school assignments and stuff.

As we finish eating, our conversation turned to the upcoming dance. I was complaining about having to go dress shopping with Layla tomorrow and the fact that I still have no idea who to go with.

As I said I didn't know whom to go with, Warren perked up. "I've actually been meaning to ask you… and you should know, I don't do this often, if ever… Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

My heart soared. I'd actually been hoping he would ask me but had resigned myself to the fact that he didn't like me and would never want to go the dance with me. I guess I was wrong. I tried to restrain from smiling too much.

"I was meaning to ask you a while ago but it seemed like whenever I was about to ask you, we got interrupted." So that was what he had been trying to ask me, I thought. "I'll understand if you don't want to go with me, I mean you have enough options and everything…"

I placed my hand on his to stop him from talking.

"Warren… I'm really glad you asked me. I'd love to go to the dance with you. But…"

Warren's eyes had lit up at the first part but then darkened again. "But…" he muttered. "There's always a 'but…'. I waited too long, didn't I? You're already going with someone. I knew it. Just... forget I ever said anything."

"Warren?" He stopped talking. "Just stop. I said I'd love to go to the dance with you. I just think you have to finish telling me what is going on before I will."

His face lit up again but he frowned. "I was hoping you had forgotten…"

I laughed. "Yeah, I could tell. No such luck, sorry hun."

He laughed too. "I should've known, especially with you."

Warren sighed, and his smile disappeared. "Ok, if you really want to know what's going on… Promise you won't tell anyone? They'll find out soon enough…"

I nodded, suddenly scared. It must be pretty big news for Warren to be so serious about it.

"Ok… So as I said, it's about Barron Battle." I nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Well," he paused, "After The Commander defeated him, he was put into the Maxville maximum security prison. In solitary confinement, guarded by the best of the best in prison security 24/7. The cell he was being held in neutralizes all powers. Eventually, if he was kept in there for long enough, he would lose his powers completely."

I nodded, understanding but confused as to why he was telling me all of this.

Warren looked sad. "Well, last week, he escaped." My eyes widened but I couldn't say anything in reaction. "The police think he must've had outside help, and, frankly, I was a suspect. But Principal Powers assured them that it wasn't me. So he's out there somewhere, probably with who ever helped him escape and training villains for whatever revenge he's up to. Apparently, the person who helped him escape also returned his powers, and now, according to the damage he did on the prison and other buildings, he's stronger than ever. And, the best part, Principal Powers thinks he's going to come here and try to contact me."

He paused, trying to gauge my reaction. I was just staring at him in disbelief and concern. He nodded, satisfied that I wasn't totally freaking out.

"So. That was what Powers talk to me about. Was it really worth going through all that just to know?" He still looked sad.

I nodded. "Yes Warren." I took his hand. "It was. I don't want you to have to deal with this all yourself. Principal Powers probably wouldn't want you to either. So… What are you going to do?"

He smiled slightly at my response and shrugged. "I don't know… Nothing, I guess. I'll just have to deal with it."

I nodded, understanding. "Are you… are you going to…" I was going to ask him if he was going to join his father in whatever he was doing but even before I got the question out, he shook his head.

"No. I'm not. I hate him and want nothing to do with him. If he does try to contact me, I'll just move and change my number so he won't be able to find me."

I smiled. "You'll be alright." I squeezed his hand. He grinned back. "I know. Well, should we get headed out?"

"Yeah..." I said as I started to pull out my cell phone. "I'll call Josh to pick me up."

Warren rolled his eyes and grabbed my phone from me.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, trying to get the phone back from him. He just smiled and held it just above my head and out of reach.

"I do live just down the street from you. What's the point in getting Josh to come pick you up when I can just take you home?"

I sighed, giving up on getting the phone from him. "Fine. Yes, you can take me home. Thanks for the kind offer." I said sarcastically, since he didn't even ask, just told me. ­

He grinned and gave me back my phone. Pulling me up, he dragged me out to his car, laughing at my weak protests. When we got to the car, he released me and opened the door, gesturing for me to get in. I rolled my eyes and laughed at him, sliding into the car.

He closed the door behind me and ran around to his side of the car. As he started the car and drove home, I was silent, thinking about everything he had told me.

---

When Warren parked the car and shut off the engine, I realized we were already at my house. Warren looked over at me with concern.

"Are you alright? I didn't hurt your feelings or anything did I?"

I smiled and shook my head. "No. Of course not. I was just thinking. About stuff..."

Warren nodded, but still looked concerned. "OK, if you say so. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nodded. Before I got out of the car, I leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks. I had fun." He blushed and nodded slightly. As I opened the door, I turned around and said, "Oh. For the record, yes, I will go to the dance with you."

He grinned and I waved as I got out of the car.

-----

I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It's necessary to move the story to where it needs to be, but still... Is Warren too out-of-character? hmm...

So... I'm sorry? I know that's not good enough... I'll try to make up for it by updating again as soon as I can. Life has been pretty hectic recently... I'll update soon. hopefully :)