A/N: So I was thinking, wouldn't it be cool if fanfiction was like facebook? Like it gave you clear alerts at the top of your sign-in, like 'you have one new review', 'one of your favorite authors has published something'. Epiphany. Well, enjoy the story is getting a little more intense now. Review please :) really...please.

The TVs blinked off, and the cafeteria was silent. The silence seemed to directly contrast the screaming in my own mind. I knew it was serious, I was attacked, my grandfather was attacked, but I thought it would go away. Just the supers in Maxville were in a state of emergency. What did that even mean? Was anything going to change?

"Hey! Maybe they'll cancel school!" Someone yelled jokingly from across the cafeteria. Several people whooped in happiness and other relaxed enough to resume eating. Other students started talking with their neighbors nervously, but I had a feeling it wouldn't last long.

They didn't have first hand experience with what was going on. They didn't know what it was like to not be able to control their power the way I had. At least things made sense now. Why my powers went all crazy in the first place after being attacked, because some of the stuff in the syringe had gotten into me and started trying to get rid of my power entirely. I don't know what I would have done if I lost my power, it was part of me and losing it would be like losing my personality. This is not how I expected my Friday to go.

Under the table Warren squeezed my hand. It was a caring, boyfriend-ish thing to do. We seemed to skip that awkward flirty phase and adapt well to being in a relationship.

"This would make dad happy, he probably would have signed us up to be attacked." Lia huffed, stabbing her salad with a fork. Her and Greg had gotten into a fight so she moved lunch tables for the day.

My head snapped over to Lia, and she met my eyes with a disbelieving look. "Don't even, Mina. I hate him too, but where would he get the money to create something like this." She said, shaking her head.

I guess in some weird sisterly way she knew exactly what I was thinking, that maybe my father was the reason I was attacked first. "But then, why me? Why was I the first to be attacked? And don't you think it's a little weird that both when you and Nate's powers stopped working Greg was there?" I babbled. There was a little bubble of hysteria in my chest that made me blurt out thoughts I would typically keep to myself until I had solid evidence.

"Oh that's real nice, Mina, accuse our father and my boyfriend. You need help, your not fucking Sherlock Holmes." She snapped, and stood up, tossing her stuff in the trash and disappearing into the nearest hallway. I felt stupid. Stupid, scared, a little embarrassed.

"Did Lia and Nate's powers really stop working?" Layla asked, her eyes wide.

I nodded and began to recant the too nights.
"Maybe you really are on to something, Mina…That doesn't sound normal." Layla leaned back in her chair, looking thoughtful.

"Dude…things just too a way serious turn." Zach said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Why do we always get caught up in something dangerous?" Magenta sighed, taking a big bite of a celery stick. Guinea pig food.
That lightened the mood slightly and the topic was changed for now. But Warren kept ahold of my hand under the table, the constant pressure of it there kept me grounded.
School passed quickly after lunch, the teachers drifted in and out of each others classrooms, holding discussions in the front of the room in hushed voices while the students were rowdy behind them.

"I'll meet you at your house in 10." Warren told me as we approached my bus afterschool.

"Don't walk over, its dangerous." I said, biting my lip.

"I'll see you soon." He assured me and walked away toward his own bus.

The masked Hero was still guarding the bus, and I stood there silently as her searched me for whatever he thought was dangerous. Agressively he patted my pocket, and the reached in and pull out a small cylinder object. "It's a pen." I snapped, grabbing it and walking toward my usual seat. Lia had moved to the back of the bus.

"Wanna come over after school?" Will asked me, leaning over Layla who was intensely text messaging.

"I think Warren might be coming over, but you guys can come to my house. I don't really want to leave Nate and Miss Bitch home alone either if my moms still at work…" I said, taking my iPod out of my bag as the bus drove toward the edge of the school.

"Sounds like a plan." Will said, leaning back.

"Text Zach, Magenta and Ethan too, maybe they can get a ride over." I said, putting in my earbuds and turning up the volume.

"One of you useless children come help me!" My mother called lightly from the front door. Warren, Layla, Will, Ethan, Magenta and I (Zach's parents wanted to keep him home since the announcement) looked behind us at my mom struggling to carry in an enormous Christmas tree. And I mean enormous. It was easily 9 feet tall, bordering 9 and a half and even all wrapped up to keep the branches from unfolding it was wide.

"I got it Ms. Rossi." Will volunteered, hoping over the couch and grabbing the tree easily from my mom.

"Thank you, Will. You can set it in the corner there." She said, pointing to the far left corner of the living room, near the wide windows.
Will flew over the couch with the tree and set it down, stand and all in the corner.

"You got the tree early this year, wont it die before Christmas?" I asked. It was only December 5th.
"I thought about that, but this looks like a hearty tree, I think he'll last. And if not we have our very own plant whisperer." My mom smiled at Layla who beamed back.

"You kids unwrap the tree and put on some Christmas music while I get the Christmas decorations out of the attic. It's snowing, by the way!" she yelled as she walked up the stairs.

We all jumped up, me tugging a reluctant Warren, to the window. The snow was falling steadily to the ground; at least 2 inches had accumulated already. I smiled, I loved snow.
Warren scoffed, "I don't understand why people like snow so much. Its just frozen rain."

"You're just jealous it doesn't snow little lava droplets, hot head." I teased, and he rolled his eyes at me but squeezed my shoulder lightly. We watched the snow for a little longer, perched on the long window seat. Warren, who stood behind me placed a kiss on the top of my head and my heart melted.

"I'm gonna go help your mom carry down boxes." Will said, standing up and unwrapping Layla from his arms.

"You four are sickeningly cute." Magenta said disapprovingly. Layla giggled and followed Will up the stairs to help my mom.

"Your just sad cause Zach couldn't come." I teased, elbowing her lightly.

"Shut up. Let's go find some not-cheesy Christmas music, E." She said to Ethan.

I pushed over a little on the window seat as Warren carefully melted the plastic enclosing the tree branches. The plastic netting fell to the ground and the branches bounced into place. They weren't fully dropped, but something told me Layla could easily make the tree spread its branches enough to hang ornaments from.

Warren kicked the plastic to the side and took a seat next to me. "So, what do you want for Christmas?" he asked, trying to sound casual but there was a little uneasiness in his voice. It was cute.
"What do you want?" I asked him back, I hadn't even thought about what I would get Warren.

"I asked first." He said adamantly.

I thought for a second and absently rubbed at the scar from my attack. "I want this whole 'state of emergency' thing to be over."

Warren sighed and watched Ethan and Magenta tearing through CDs. "I wish I could give you that," he said with a tight expression on his face. "Really though."

"Surprise me." I told him with a devious smile.

"You have to be difficult, Elingson." he complained, but gave me a smile anyway.

"Of course." I smiled back and leaned in to kiss him.

"Awe!" Layla cooed from the steps after seeing our kiss. She carrying one large box with lights dripping out of the side. Will was carrying about ten large boxes behind her.

"Shut it, hippie." Warren said, rolling his eyes, but a smile was still on his lips.

He slipped out from next to me and went to help sort through the boxes. I met my mom on the stairs to help her carry down a large manger scene. "Mom," I began, hastily telling her the pieces I'd tried to make fit together.

My mom shook her head smiling, "Don't worry sweetie, I'm certain your father wouldn't try to kill you. And Greg is only 15, he probably doesn't even know how to be evil. Now, no more talking about this, try to relax."

She tried to make it sound like I was looking to far into things, but I could tell by the way she pursed her lips that my words had her thinking. And shortly after I could hear her talking on the phone in the kitchen in a stressed tone. I felt proud someone was taking me serious, but it wasn't something that I wanted to be true.

The rest of the night was spent decorating. And it was perfect. Lia came out of her room and helped. My mom made us hot chocolate and cookies. Nate joked around with the boys. Will flew up to the ceilings to drape garland and hang mistletoe. Layla did her part and convinced the tree to spread out its branches so we could hang a hundred mismatched ornaments, some homemade, others bought from its branches. Magenta made us all laugh by chasing the toy train around the tree in her guinea pig form. Ethan patiently fixed the blinked-out bulbs on the multicolored lights which we wrapped around the tree and hung from the window panes. Warren lit a fire and most importantly, stuck by my side and stole kisses when no one was looking. I wouldn't have wanted to spend a snowy Friday any other way.