Back in their secret hideout, (which was nothing more than a hollowed out oak tree) the Lost Gang was laughing over their narrow escape.

“Did you see the look on Ev’s face?” Gaia snickered. “Priceless!”

“Just imagine how much he’s gonna freak out when he wakes up!” Paige giggled.

“Hey, anybody seen Jubilee?” Jono asked.

“Yeah, she’s still outside,” Angelo said, wishing he had a cigarette. “I’ll get her.”

As he slowly walked up the wooden steps, Angelo had to admit that he was having a very weird...whatever. He couldn’t say day, because he was positive more than one had passed. He couldn’t say week; he was almost sure it hadn’t been that long. The word he was looking for was probably “dream,” if this truly was all in his mind.

Angelo found Jubilee just outside the old oak tree, sitting on one of the lower branches. “What are you doing out here, Jubes? Even Jono’s starting to miss you.”

Jubilee glanced up at him as he walked over. “Yeah, well...I just needed to be alone for a while. Like right now.”

“No need to bite my head off. I just wanted to talk.”

Jubilee looked a bit uneasy as he sat down beside her. “About what?”

“About what happened back at the camp.”

“Ev will get over it,” she said.

Angelo chuckled. “Not that. When I kissed you.”

“If you mean when you invaded my pixie space and embarrassed me in front of the gang, I don’t wanna talk about it. Ever.”

“Hold up, Jubes. I only kissed you. And what the heck is pixie space?”

“Same thing as personal space for us pixies, ‘cept it’s much more important,” Jubilee replied. “Anyway, you shoulda asked me or at least given me a signal before doing it.”

“It was a last minute thing. I hadn’t planned on kissing you today.”

“So when were you planning to do it?” she asked, a scowl forming on her face.

“What? No!” Angelo nearly shouted before lowering his voice. “I never planned on kissing you. I just didn’t want to end up marrying Monet. This life is too weird already.”

“Whatever, Ange. The point is you were wrong. Do you even know how I felt after you did that?”

Angelo thought for a moment. “Totally surprised and somewhat honored?” he replied with a slight grin.

Jubilee frowned. “Now is not a good time for your ego to kick in, Espinosa.”

“Okay, I’m sorry, Jubilee. Next time I’ll ask before kissing you.” He looked away for a few seconds, then turned back to her. “How about right now?”

It took most of Jubilee’s willpower to keep from smacking him. It took the rest to keep from incinerating him there on the spot. “Ange, if you weren’t so cute, I’d have fried you a long time ago.”

“So you think I’m cute?” he asked, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

Jubilee placed one finger on his arm and watched in satisfaction as he quickly drew back, desperately trying to put out the tiny fire she’d started. “Whoops. My finger musta slipped.” She didn’t even have time to laugh before Angelo’s finger shot out, thwapping her across the forehead.

“Yeah. Mine, too,” he said dryly.

Jubilee growled menacingly. “Big mistake, bub.”

Angelo stared at her for about two seconds before he laughed. “Sorry, but it’s impossible for you to look dangerous with those wings and that outfit.”

“So what do I look like?” Jubilee asked, waiting to blast him if he answered wrong.

“A pixie that’s really beautiful in the moonlight,” he replied softly.

“Nice try, but I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“I’m not kidding, Jubes. You really look...um...wow.”

Jubilee blinked slowly. “Okay, now you’re startin’ to freak me out.”

“Maybe. Or maybe you liked that kiss more than you’re letting on,” Angelo suggested.

“Oh, yeah. You’re just lookin’ to get blasted, Ange. I can see that now.”

Angelo grinned. “I was joking, Lee. Calm down.” He jumped to the ground and headed back to the oak tree. “Anyway, you might wanna come inside. Mondo was probably right about Plateface coming back.”

He’d barely said the words when Jubilee zoomed past him, backhanding his head in the process. “Got ya last!” she sang out as she disappeared into the oak tree.

Angelo muttered a curse and ran after her.

* * * * *

“Caramba, my head,” Angelo groaned, touching his forehead. Then he slowly opened his eyes. The white, padded walls of the cell slowly swam into focus. Above him, a bright light fixture, behind thick layered glass, kept the room heated. Angelo sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow just before he heard the voice.

“Angie?” it asked, unsure of his identity. “Is that you?”

He noticed Jubilee for the first time. She was sitting directly across from him, her back pressed against the wall. Her ever-present yellow raincoat was gone; now she only wore a standard prison-issue outfit with a straightjacket over it. Despite the unusual heat in the room, she was shivering.

Angelo walked over and sat down next to her. “You okay, chica?” he asked, starting to loosen the straps.

“I am Ares, god of war!”

“Maybe we’ll just leave these on,” he said, letting go of the straps.

“Angie, I’m so cold,” she whispered, her teeth chattering.

Angelo extended some skin from his arm and wrapped it around her. “I don’t see how, but in your condition, I guess it’s possible.”

“Thanks, Angie,” Jubilee murmured, laying her head on his shoulder.

“Jubes, where are the others?” he asked suddenly.

Jubilee lifted her head. “Don’t you remember? They’re all dead.”

Angelo stiffened noticeably. “What?”

“Emplate got them. He hunted us down like wild animals. Poor Ev...” Tears spilled down her face as she sniffled quietly.

Angelo unbuckled the straps on the straightjacket and carefully slipped it off her arms. Then he helped Jubilee to her feet. “Maybe he got others, but we’re getting outta here.”

“Promise?” she asked in a childish voice.

He nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do it, chica.” Angelo picked up the straightjacket and stretched his arm upward, holding the cloth extremely close to the light. In a few short seconds, the jacket burst into flames. Instantly, an alarm sounded.

Angelo sank against the wall as a hidden door slid open. His heart skipped a beat when the recognized the newcomer. It was not Emplate, or even Marius St. Croix that stepped through the door. Not totally, anyway. It was M-Plate that walked in and wrapped her hand around Jubilee’s neck, lifting the girl into the air. “Time to die, child,” M-Plate said in a tone that could only be pure hatred.

Jubilee’s screams brought Angelo out of his momentary daze. Wrapping layers of skin around his fists, he ran forward and delivered an ax-handle blow to M-Plate’s back, making her drop Jubilee. Unfortunately, now he had the woman’s full attention.

“You are a brave and foolish boy, Espinosa,” she growled. “However, I might yet be persuaded to spare you, if you agree to join me. All you have to do is kill Jubilee.”

Angelo considered his options quickly. Then he sighed and approached the girl, wrapping his hands around her throat. “Sorry, chica,” he said quietly as Jubilee stared at him in horror.

“Angie, don’t!” she begged. “Please!”

Angelo shut his eyes. “Sorry, chica,” he repeated in a low whisper. “Sorry I couldn’t save our friends. But I’ll save you, if it’s the last thing I do.”

He spun around, his arms lashing out like whips as they struck M-Plate across the face. She howled and shoved him away, even as Jubilee placed her palms on the woman’s chest. “You leave my Angie alone!” she screamed, her gift of pyrotechnics lashing out with brutal accuracy. M-Plate roared in pain, stumbling back and clutching the remains of her smoldering chest.

Angelo’s fingers shot out, binding the woman’s legs tightly. “This is for our friends,” he said, thrusting her upwards. M-Plate didn’t even have time to scream as her body slammed against the glass, which shattered instantly. Angelo turned away as the smell of burning flesh wafted through the room. Then the room was plunged into darkness; the only light came from the open door.

Jubilee ran to Angelo and hugged him tightly. “Angie, are you okay?” she asked. Though the words were mumbled into his shirt, she sounded very concerned.

Angelo smiled and gently kissed her forehead. “Fine, Jubes,” he replied. “Just fine.”