The cafeteria of the research center reaches just over the lip of the mountain to look over the city of Denver proper. It is also large enough to see out by the long driveway leading up to the center. The food is excellent and not just typical cafeteria fare. Which Pete and his sister Gwen, aka Aura, are finding out right about now.

"You know this is great food. Really. I don't know what they do to it, but they have to teach me. I love eating at the stadium, but this blows it out of the water," Pete says digging into his steak.

Gwen shakes her head, watching Pete eat. 'How can he have such an appetite today??' she wonders to herself. She looks down at her salad and continues pushing the tomatoes and egg-slices from one side of the bed of lettuce to the other.
"You should see the place back in Geneva! You think THIS is good..." she forces a smile. She keeps glancing out the large glass windows to see if any cars are approaching. She's also visually located a few good hiding-places nearby in case she chickens-out at the last minute!

"C'mon Gwen eat. You'll need the strength...I'm sure." Pete says with a smile. He chuckles, "After I did the Maxim interview I ordered forty copies. One for everyone on the team. I can't wait for them to see it!" he says with a big grin.

This makes Gwen smile, but for her OWN reasons! "I can't wait for them to see it, too!" she grins, keeping her little surprise to herself. "One for each person, hmm?" She taps her fingers against her leg, still grinning. "So this must have been a good interview! Did you mention me at all, hmm?" she asks curiously, taking a sip of her ever-present Gatorade.

Pete looks at her and gives her one of his best innocent looks. "Just a little, but yeah I mentioned you." he says. "Nothin but good things." he says with a wink. "So...how did your commercial go? I saw one for your friend Damage today. Made me laugh."

"Good!" Gwen laughs. "Because that's what it did for me, too! And everyone who knows him!" she grins. "I guess he didn't read his contract closely enough because he thought he was only signing on for the Damage-doll! I gotta remember to get me some Damage-hands!" she grins, flexing her hands. "I actually had to film two commercials, but from what I saw it's going to look pretty cool! I just hate sounding cheesy when I have to ask the audience if they have Gatorade in them!" she rolls her eyes.

Pete laughs. "I know how you feel. Remember when I did that commercial for the pizzeria when I was in college? God I hated doing that. Now I'm looking for any endorsement I can get. I figure if we do well this year in the playoffs, my agent can shop me around to the big names."

"YEAH he would! But why do you want to get into more commercials? Is it just for the money, or is there some kind of boy's-club that I don't know about in football where you go around bragging about who's signed you on, or compare how many sponsors each of you has...you know...the proverbial penis-measuring party?" she grins, prepared to jump out of the way if he tries to swat at her.

"Well," Pete shrugs taking a drink of his soda. "Football isn't going to be around forever. At least playing-wise. I see this as retirement money you know? I sign on, make some money and do what a lot of the other guys do. Set it aside in its own account and don't touch it till I retire."

"Aaah..." Gwen says, nodding. "Good idea! You know, I've only spent a tiny fraction of the money in my account...maybe I should be smart and put it in something that will earn interest." Then she gives a little shrug. "Although in MY profession retirement isn't something you think you're going to live to see, you know? So what about future little-Petes? You looking for a Mrs. Nielsson yet, or going to wait until retirement for that, too?" she grins, finally loading her fork with salad and bringing it to her mouth.

Pete laughs, "You sound like Mom you know that. Ah that thing with the trainer just didn't work out so...who knows. I'm not looking right now. I'm just enjoying my freedom and concentrating on the team and work." Pete says with a wink. "So how's Andre?"

Gwen laughs and wiggles her eyebrows at Pete. "You want the long, descriptive answer, or the short, polite answer?" she grins. "He's great! I think we both enjoy having our space and freedom, but we're always calling and E-mailing each other. It's really helped fan the flames, you know? But I'm keeping my options open right now. As long as he doesn't want anything official, I'm going to see who else in out there and 'test-drive' some cars!" she laughs. "Who knows? After taking a peek at the other options, I may just decide that I like Andre the best and stick by him. When you're as inexperienced with dating as I am, you have to play the field before you know what you really want, right?"

"Exactly, we think alike, Gwen." Pete says with a laugh. "You know I have really enjoyed being here with you this past month. It's been great actually. We've grown closer I think." he says. "I think the two of us understand each other quite clearly."

Gwen smiles and nods. "Yeah we do! But we always got along best!" she says, taking another bite of her salad. She leans in. "Don't worry-- I'm in no hurry to see you walk down the aisle and be your 'best man' at the wedding! It's just my duty as younger sister to be a pain in the ass!" she pokes at him teasingly. "I'm glad I had you 'imprisoned' here, or else this last month would have dragged by for me!" she grins, giving him a friendly chuck on the shoulder.

"If you're supposed to be a pain in the ass, then consider it mission accomplished!" Pete says laughing. He rubs his hands together and smiles at her across the table. "Playoffs soon, Gwen! I can't wait! We get a bye and then it's two games to the big show!"

Gwen grins happily, her big brother's excitement rubbing off on her. "I know-- I can't believe it! Everyone says the Chargers are a shoo-in! In fact, I don't know if you've noticed, but just about everyone here is totally rooting for you! Caestus even came up and started talking Superbowl with me, and I had NO idea he was into football! Even HE'S been following your career! Everyone's been so great and supportive! I'm sure it will be no problem for me to get permission to guard you during the games!"

Pete nods, "Good idea! That way you can get into the Superbowl and sit next to me on the sidelines! I'll tell the team what a good idea it is!" he says. "So Gwen...what's the word on the threat-status? Any word yet?"

Gwen shakes her head. "Nothing...not a word. Guess I scared her bad enough that she's afraid to lay a finger on you now!" she grins. "If she WAS really acting on her own like Raoul said then she's probably somewhere sulking and licking her wounds. So you showing you're not afraid and playing in the games will serve two possible good purposes: one, she'll sit and simmer knowing she's not powerful enough to do anything do you, or two-- and this is MY favorite-- it will draw her out and I'll get another chance at her!" she grins, cracking her knuckles. "Either way, we win!"

"I hope she stays where she is," Pete says darkly. "I don't want her to ruin any of the games or worse, hurt anyone. I hope she sees that you are all there and is unwilling to do anything." he says. He sighs and looks down at his plate. "You know with all that's going on in the world, I think that what you and your friends are doing is so great."

Gwen raises her eyebrows, her fork pausing on its way to her mouth. She rarely sees her brother so serious.
"Wow...thanks Pete!" she says, not quite sure what to say. "That means a lot to me coming from you. It's just lucky that for every one of them there seems to be one of us who can handle them. Things could be really bad under the wrong circumstances, you know?" She claps Pete on the shoulder. "Don't worry-- we won't let them fuck up your big day." she says with slitted flickering eyes. "You've done so much for me for the last 6 years, and I'm partly to blame for Frost taking notice of you." she says with remorse in her voice.

"No no, it's not you. She's just a bad person who needs to be taken down," Pete says waving his hand. "I'm so glad that people like you and your friends and Supreme are out there looking out for us and making sure we're safe." he says. "I hope you stay with Stormwatch."

Gwen looks at Pete with surprise again. He's really sincere about this! "Well...once Watcher is up and around we'll need to talk seriously about it. I think Damage wants to stay, and...I admit, the more time that goes by the more I feel like I don't want to leave. Aeon is starting to get more liberal with what they send us to do and how they let us go about it, so they're not rubbing me wrong like when I first signed on. There are still some things that are a little irritating, but all in all it's gotten much better...probably because we've FINALLY been allowed to fight other novas. That's why I'M here!" she grins, the dangerous flicker is still in her eyes.

Pete nods, "I'm glad to hear that. I think StormWatch is doing a great deal of good for society and I'm so proud of my sister for being a part of it." Pete says. He sighs and looks over at Gwen with a big grin. "I am, I'm proud of you Gwen."

Gwen blushes a little and looks down with a smile. "Thanks Pete." She pauses for a moment, and then looks up again. "I'm really glad you still treat me the same even though I'm a nova now. As much as the idea of people bowing to me and kissing my feet intrigues me, that's the last kind of treatment I'd ever want from you. When I'm with you I feel like my old self again...and I like being grounded so my head doesn't get too big." she smiles.

"Oh don't worry," Pete says with a smile. "If ever your head gets too big come see me. I'll deflate that sucker for you." he says reaching over and punching her on the shoulder. "I still think I could take you...like I used to when we were younger."

Gwen laughs hard, and then pretends to think. "Hmmm...and I still think I could let you win...like I used to when we were younger!" she grins evilly, punching back at his shoulder.

Pete looks at her bemused. "Let me win? Oh no I don't think so. I beat you fair and square, Gwen." he says. He laughs a little and shakes his head. "This is great isn't it?" he asks. Just then he looks over at the television set to see Governor Herman Walker's acceptance speech as congressman. "I hate that guy."

Gwen glances at the screen and scowls, her eyes turning dark. "Bet the world won't miss HIM too much when he's gone...at least we can HOPE someone does something about him..." she adds. "People may hate Divis Mal, but at least he does what the rest of us only fantasize about doing..." she huffs.

Pete shakes his head. "This guy is trouble...he's going to start a race war and he doesn't even know it." He looks over at Gwen. "Divis Mal and him are both dangerous, Gwen. They are both playing to our darker sides."

Gwen gives a little shrug and brings one knee up to her chest, hugging it as she takes a sip from her glass. "As long as there's one to fight the other. If it was just the senator running free and scaring people the world would be in a lot more trouble. With Divis Mal around, the senator has to watch his step." she reasons. "Besides...my dark side LIKES to play!" she grins mischievously.

Pete looks at his sister. "Gwen are you even listening to yourself?" Pete says looking at her with a strangled look. "That's a US Congressman. Do you know what the shitstorm would be if he were to be killed by a nova? Are you even thinking this through?"

Gwen sighs and rests her head on her knee, wrapping her arms around her leg. 'Looks like I've said too much...' she thinks to herself.
"Wouldn't he be asking for it, though? I mean, whenever I do an interview and I bash the senator everyone claps or looks approvingly at me! EVERYONE hates him! No one would blame a nova if something happened to him...I'm SURE of it. I mean, when we took out that A-Boom-guy in the Middle East everyone cheered! Just because this guy is American suddenly it's bad to take him out?" she asks curiously.

"Well there's a lot more people who sympathize with him than you know. And he's a congressman. You can't just kill him because you disagree with him. God where would it end Gwen?" he says. "You need to remember this isn't a TV show or anything."

"It's not about disagreeing, it's about survival. We can see where he's going to take this agenda of his, and it's going to lead to novas being registered, or treated badly, or even killed! This is one man affecting a whole lot of people. If there was a neighborhood dog that everyone loved, but then one day he got rabies you wouldn't let him keep running around the neighborhood just because he was cute or everyone in the neighborhood felt too bad to have him killed, right? You'd recognize that he was dangerous and that whether or not you liked him he was going to get a lot of people hurt if you left him running around, right?" she asks, trying to find a metaphor that works but not sure if she did!

"But the dog isn't an official of the US government!" Pete says. "They would start the registration program he's calling for and then you'd have all these novas fighting back. It would be chaos." Pete says.

"What would be chaos?" says a voice from behind them. There stands Supreme, his arms folded. Pete's jaw drops as he looks up at the man.

Gwen's leg drops back down to the floor as she looks up in surprise. "Ethan! Hey!" she grins. "What are you doing back in Denver?" She quickly stands up from the table. "This is my brother Pete...the football player!" she grins. "Pete-- this is...Supreme!" she says at the last minute. She's still not used to calling him by his nova-name.

"I'm here for a little while. I had to speak to Chris." Supreme says nodding. He sits down. "Good to meet you, Peter." he says offering his hand.

Pete sits there muted and shakes Supreme's hand. "Thanks...I mean nice to meet you too. This is incredible." he says. "Really!"

Gwen sits back down, brushing her hand across her mouth to hide a smile when Ethan calls Pete "Peter"! Only their mother does that! She wonders what Ethan wants her to call him...she's only ever called him "Ethan" before-- she always feels dumb calling people by their nova-names when she knows their real names. She should probably just not call him anything for now!
"Pete hasn't had any new threats from Frost or anyone else, so he's going to play in the Superbowl after all-- with StormWatch in the stadium, of course!" she grins. "So we were just talking about that senator..." she says, jabbing her thumb towards the TV. "What do YOU think should be done about him?" she asks curiously.

Supreme looks over at his shoulder at the screen and sighs. "Let him ramble. The registration bill won't pass, and if it does Caestus will sue and it will end at the Supreme Court." he says. "That will be the end of that. Why?"

Pete nods with a smile. "See he knows. Do nothing and this guy will bury himself."

Gwen sighs. "Yeah, or he'll turn out to be more charismatic than anyone predicted and lead a lynch-mob after us! Caestus could try to sue, but we'd have to rely on the supreme court justices being fair and impartial. Sounds a little scary to me. But you know what?" she asks, raising her glass. "If the bill DID pass, I'd fly my ass right on down to a nice deserted tropical island and let it stand at that!" she grins and then takes a long swallow from her glass.

Supreme chuckles. "Probably the best idea. I know what a hothead you are." he says with a smile. "So when are you leaving for New York?"

Pete looks over at his sister and laughs. "Yes she is at times isn't she? She gets that from our father." he says. "She's staying until I leave. Isn't that right little sister?"

Gwen gives Supreme a knowing smirk. "Right you are! BOTH of you! About the hothead-comment, I mean! And yes, I'm staying until Pete leaves. Hopefully that will coincide with Watcher finally emerging from his dark and stormy hospital room!" she grins. "StormWatch has a lot to discuss-- what with our contracts slowly running out." She turns back to Supreme.
"We had been thinking of starting a third group for novas who don't want to sign on with either Aeon or the Teregen...a neutral party, if you will. A place where new novas can go to learn and train and all that, and then go back into the world and lead whatever lives they choose. We'd still work closely with Caestus, of course, but I think that you being an independent nova who leads his own life would be a good person to ask for their opinion on this idea. So...what do you think of it?" she asks.

"I enjoy it, but I have to leave quickly so as not to be detained by authorities." Supreme says. "I don't need a patron, Gwen. That's the difference. I don't need any equipment nor interpol status."

"He's got a point." Pete says. "He's his own self-contained unit."

"Exactly." Supreme says smiling at Pete.

Gwen glances sideways at Supreme, smiling naughtily to herself. 'I'd like to see your "self-contained unit"...' she thinks to herself. Then she tries hard to make her smile look more innocent and less lusty!
"Ah, so THAT'S why you're always flying off in a hurry! And here I thought it was because you didn't want to be seen with those StormWatch-dorks!" she laughs. She thinks for a moment. "Well...the more I think about it the more I don't want to leave Aeon...at least in the near future. My purpose is to fight other novas, not try to run a nova-center and miss out on all the action! I think I'd get bored and resentful if I was kept cooped up in a building all the time doing administrative junk. Cero's great at that stuff...same with Pumpkin, to a degree. But we couldn't have the group split in half." she sighs. "Well...we'll figure it out!"

"I hope you do." Supreme says. "The four of you do a lot of good out there. If it wasn't for you, the world would still see only the Mals and Geryons and none of the heroes such as yourselves. You have lead the way for others to do the work you do."

Gwen raises her eyebrows in surprise. "Well thanks Eth-- Supreme!" she quickly corrects herself. Then she gets a little grin again. "You MUST be referring to the Damage dolls and Damage hands and things!" she laughs. "Don't worry-- my commercials will be out soon...at a TV near you! Caestus claims that it's us signing on with these companies that really gives a boost to nova-ratings, but I still feel a little like a sell-out! I mean, I don't see YOU signing on with any companies!" she smiles.

Supreme shrugs. "I don't believe I should do that." he says. "I want to remain out of the public eye as much as possible."

"Good luck with that. After you saved the shuttle, you were plastered over every front page in the nation." Pete says.

"I know...unfortunate." Supreme says. "But it is a small price to pay for the lives of those men."

Gwen props her elbow on the table and rest her cheek in her hand, watching the men. 'Ethan, Ethan...' she thinks. 'How can you be such a boy scout with the way you talk? I know there's an ego under there...a nice, hot temper...don't be afraid to let it out more!' she mentally urges with a smile. "Well I'm glad you two are getting along so well!" she smiles. "So...Supreme..." she says, almost stumbling and calling him 'Ethan' again! "Are you like Pete and have no interest in finding a Mrs. Supreme and having little Supremes anytime soon, or are you a family-man at heart?" she asks curiously.

With that Supreme chuckles. "I've just moved to a new city. Let me get settled there first before I start having children and a wife." he says. he looks at Pete. "Is she always like this?"

"Always. She keeps trying to get me married off with kids too. I think she just wants to have little nephews and nieces running around." Pete says shaking his head. "Why don't you settle down and have kids, Gwen?"

Gwen sits up straight. "Whoah-whoooah!" she cries, holding up her hands. "I was just asking! I wasn't trying to pressure either of you into it-- TRUST me! I just wanted to get to know Supreme a little better! Find out what his goals for the future are! MAN, you two! Jumping to conclusions!" she shakes her head, secretly kicking Pete's ankle under the table. The last thing she'd want is to see Ethan find a wife and start popping out kids!

Supreme chuckles and looks over at Pete. "I see what you mean." he says. He stands up from the chair. "Well I must go. I have a lot of moving to do." he says. he turns to Gwen. "I'll be in contact."

"It was nice meeting you, sir. If ever you're in San Diego." Pete says standing up and shaking his hand.

"Of course." Supreme says. "Goodbye," he says.

Gwen nods to Supreme. "And I promise I'll never ask you that again...nova-promise!" She raises her hand in the air boy-scout-style gives him an embarrassed, apologetic smile.

Supreme nods to Gwen and walks off towards a few of the researchers.

Pete turns back to Gwen. "He's great. I like him. Very down to earth for being so powerful. You'd think he'd be like Mal but he's not...I wonder if it's his upbringing."

Gwen groans and bangs her forehead on the table a couple of times. Then she glares at Pete and smacks his hand. "BAD Pete! Bad for making him think I'm trying to get everyone married with kids!" she admonishes, and then sinks her head into her hands. "Boy did I fuck THAT one up, huh! Now he'll never want to go out with me!"

"Oh, Gwen. Relax, he knows it was just good-natured brother/sister teasing." Pete says waving her off. "He's a good guy tho. I like him..." he says. He looks over at her and smiles. "Got the hots for him do you?"

Gwen gives him a side-glance and then a little smile comes to her lips. "Literally!" she says fanning her face with her hand. "He looks like such a calm, cool guy when he's not fighting, but in battle...?" Gwen's eyes grow dreamy. "I could watch him fight all day. He's completely different when he fights...more like me! Oh yeah...he's got a hot, passionate side under there! Before I saw him in battle I thought he was cute, but probably not my type. Then AFTER I saw the real him..." She shakes her head. "I can't stop fantasizing about what he must be like in--" Gwen quickly glances over at Pete and her cheeks flush a little. "Well...you get the idea!" she grins.

"Ewww." Pete says looking at Gwen with mock disgust. "Never want to hear you say that again." he says. He laughs and looks over to see a car pull up beyond the glass in the driveway. His mother and father step out.
"Our parents are here." he says looking at Gwen. "How do you want to do this?"

Gwen's grin instantly falls away and her head whips around to look out the window. Her face pales. She hasn't seen them since she was 15!
"Oh jesus...maybe this was a bad idea..." she mumbles, her hands shaking a little. She looks at Pete helplessly, and then takes a deep breath.
"Why don't you go meet them at the doors...I'll just stay right here...then if they don't want to see me right now then you can take them to your room or something..." she says quickly, her hands squeezing the edge of the table tightly.

Pete nods and heads out of the cafeteria and down the hall. He meets them at the doors. Gwen can see them hug and smile as they talk to Pete. Pete and her father hug and start talking as Pete takes their luggage. He motions towards the cafeteria.

Gwen swallows hard and quickly stands, but then loses her nerve again and turns and starts cleaning up she and Pete's lunches. She stacks the trays, and then starts stacking the plates and silverware on the top tray. Her head is so fuzzy! She starts humming a little to try to distract herself from her nervousness!

Pete and her mother and father walk into the cafeteria. When her mother sees Gwen she smiles and walks over to her.
"Gwen! It's so good to see you. It's been so long." she says. "How are you doing?"

Pete smiles and looks at his father who's looking darkly at the situation. He looks over at his son and changes his face to a neutral look. His eyes still look seething.

Gwen freezes a little when she hears her mother's voice, and then takes another deep breath...and turns around to face her. She has a smile ready on her face, but seeing her mother, her lips tremble and tears fill her eyes.
"I'm...fine, Mom...I'm doing really well..." she tries to say in a bright, cheerful voice, but her voice is wavering badly. She brings her fist to her mouth and coughs into it a little, and then brings her hand back down and clasps her hands together tightly to keep them from shaking. Then on impulse she leans forward and hugs her mother, closing her eyes tightly.

Her mother hugs her tight. "We've missed you, haven't we Lars?" her mother says with tears in her eyes.

"Yes," Lars says a little too short.

Pete sighs and smiles at the two women hugging. "Be nice Dad." Pete whispers to his father. "She's done more than any of us will ever do."

Lars snorts and folds his arms. "Maybe," he says.

"So how's New York? We've seen you on the news so many times. You look so well. And the way you handle yourself. You've certainly grown!" she says.

Gwen flushes a little with a tiny smile. "You've seen me on the news?" she asks, and then gives an embarrassed laugh. "I'm not the most polished speaker, but I always tell the truth!" she grins, and then hastily wipes at her eyes. She looks her mother over. "How are YOU doing, Mom? Are you feeling better?"

"Oh I was just so exhausted, you know how it is during the season. But I'm doing so much better now." her mother says. "You always were honest Gwen." she says. "Oh I wish Pete had told us you'd be here. I have a little scrapbook of all your headlines and articles." she says.

Gwen's eyes open wide. "You do??" she asks in real surprise. "Wow...I would...really like to see that! I usually avoid reading articles about myself in case they say something negative, because if they did it would make me upset and I'd just stew about it!" she smiles.
She really hopes her parents are telling the truth and that her mom doesn't have cancer. Her mom's been a coach's wife/athlete's mom for most of her life! Why is she suffering from exhaustion THIS year? Gwen still harbors a nervous unease that it's more than just exhaustion, but doesn't want to bring it up.
Then she has a quick moment to ponder that she cannot believe she's having a normal conversation with her mom!! Then she glances nervously over at her father because he's been so quiet this whole time. Funny how the idea of fighting novas doesn't scare her, but facing her father again does!

Lars stands there talking to Pete a little heatedly and under his breath. Gwen can't quite make out the words.

"Well next time you're in town stop by. I know we'd love to have you, Gwen. You father has taken an interest as well. He's taken a look at the scrapbook and whenever you're on TV he comes in the room. You really should come home sometime." her mother says.

Gwen's chest constricts when she can see that her father's upset about something...that he hasn't even acknowledged her yet. She decides to focus her attention back on her mother for now...at least that's one parent who still loves her.
She listens to what her mother says, and her eyes get a little teary again. "That would be really nice, mom...but..." She sighs and nods her head towards her father. "You're not the one who kicked me out...and from the looks of it, he might prefer things to stay the way they are..." she whispers, trying to keep her emotions under control.

"Well...your dad has his own opinion and I have mine." she says. "Now I want you to come home. And don't worry. He'll warm up to you sooner or later dear. His heart has softened over the years...although he may not show it."

Gwen lowers her eyes, blinking back more tears. She was right...her father still doesn't want to have anything to do with her...in person, at least. She really didn't know what to expect, but she was hoping it wouldn't be that. Pete gave her such hope and optimism! She's going to have to slug him when she can get him alone again.
She looks back up at her mom, tears in her eyes. "I can't come home unless he wants me there, Mom. It would be so awkward and uncomfortable, and I REALLY don't want to go where I'm not wanted. I need him to invite me first." she explains. "But me and you and Pete can do things together, right?" she whispers back.

"Of course!" her mom says. "I'll talk to your father. We'll get these things settled Gwen." she says. She looks over at Pete and Lars and sighs. "Your father can be such a hothead. But so can you too dear. You are both so alike...it's why you fight I think."

Gwen looks away. "My whole life I always tried to do everything he asked me to...because I knew he was the best track and field coach, and I wanted to be the best athlete. Because out of all of us kids I was the only one interested in HIS sport, so I wanted to make him proud. Then I make that one decision on my own..." she shakes her head. "I guess I didn't matter in the end...I lost my scholarship...my medals..." She blinks tears and covers her eyes with her hand. Then she lets out a quiet sob.

Her mother hugs her again. "But look at all the good you're doing. You've saved so many lives, and that's more important than any medal. I'm so proud of you, Gwen and so is Pete. You turned a bad situation into a greater success than just being an athlete."

Gwen nods, sniffling quietly as her mom hugs her. "I don't want to give you the wrong idea, Mom...I love being a nova...I'd never take it back...it's just been hard...the time and way it happened...and no one to talk to about it, you know? I didn't mean to cry like that..." she says all in a rush. "I know Pete loves that I'm a nova..." She takes a deep breath. "How do you and Dad feel about it? And what about Nick and Ritchie?" she asks nervously.

"I think it's wonderful. And so does your father, but he won't admit it to anyone. He's so different when it's just he and I, you know. He's said such good things about you." her mother says. "I just wish the two of you would just talk."

Gwen looks down again and her face crumples. She covers her eyes with her hand again so no one can see her face. She can't believe it...her father says good things about her? Well why won't he even LOOK at her now??
"Mom...I'd totally talk to him if he wanted to talk to me!" she whispers, looking upset. "I'm the one who asked Pete to call Dad! I'm the one who asked Pete to invite the two of you here! I've been living here with Pete for the last month! I've been so nervous for this day!" she whispers, rubbing her forehead and trying to keep her voice low.

Her mother looks at her and smiles. "That's a start! Nick and Ritchie wanted to come as well, but your father wouldn't let them. They are happy about your situation too, hun. Oh it's just your father's stubbornness that's keeping us like this. I'll talk to him tonight and see if I can get him talking to you again."

Gwen waits there with her mother for a moment, glancing towards her dad, and then finally can't stand the stupidity of the situation and gives a resigned shrug.
"This is messed up, Mom...I've got to get out of here for a little while..." she says under her breath. She puts her hand on her mom's shoulder. "I'm glad you're OK..." She looks at her mom for a long moment, and then turns out hurries out of the cafeteria. A moment later everyone in the cafeteria can see her fly out of the building and off into the sky.

Her mother watches her fly off sadly. She turns to her husband and shakes her head.
Lars purses his lips and shakes his head.

Pete watches her leave and sighs. He turns to Lars. "Why can't the two of you just talk and act civil?" he says.

"She could have said hello." Lars says.

"She's so afraid you'll be mean to her. She just wants you to accept her. You can't tell me that her being a nova isn't better than what she used to be. She's a hero...to many many people including me!" Pete says.

Lars nods, "Well I just don't like the deception. You knew she'd be here and you didn't tell us." he says folding his arms. "I thought I raised you better, Peter."

"Oh enough, Lars. Talk to your daughter when she returns. The two of you have held this petty little feud for long enough," Martha says.

Gwen flies around for a while. She's so glad that flying is one of her nova-powers! She doesn't know what she'd do without it. Whenever she's got too many emotions to deal with-- whether excitement or anger-- she always takes to the sky to burn them off.
After flying quietly for a bit, her mind a little numb, she suddenly lets out a loud scream and shoots off into the clouds. She may not be able to make the clouds turn into swirls like Ethan, but she CAN make them poof a little. She wonders if her dad even noticed she left...or if he did, if he's relieved that she left. She thought he wanted to see her, from listening in on the phone conversation! So why did he look mad when he was talking to Pete?? She'd kept herself away in the cafeteria! He didn't have to come over to where she was if he didn't want to!
She spots a mountain-top under her, and changes her angle-- flying straight down towards it with her jaw gritted. A moment later she's smashed into the rock and is shrieking and punching at it-- chunks of rock flying all around her.

There is a red streak behind her and Supreme touches down softly. "Is everything alright, Aura?" he asks.

Gwen jumps a little, and looks up. When she sees it's Ethan she gives him a sheepish look. Her knuckles are bleeding, but her healing-ability is so fast that they don't look as bad as they should.
"Oh god...I didn't mean to pull you away from what you were doing!" she says apologetically, assuming that Supreme must be one of those novas who can sense danger or trouble and come to the rescue at the drop of a hat.
"My..." she takes a breath and sighs. "...my parents just arrived." she says motioning behind her towards the center. "Dad was mad to see me there...he never even looked at me or said a word to me. I couldn't handle it anymore and so I came here." She lowers her head for a moment, and when she looks back up she has angry tears in her eyes.
"He hasn't even seen me since I was 15 when he kicked me out of the house! What kind of heartless bastard even DOES that??" she exclaims, giving another punch to the rock-face she had been working on.

Ethan nods and looks down at his hands. "I heard you screaming," he says. "I though there was a problem. I don't mean to intrude, Gwen. Would you...would you like to talk about it?" he says. He sits down on one of the rocks.

Gwen pauses, looks down at her knuckles, and then looks back up. "Sure...thanks Ethan. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to...I'd hate to bore you with my stupid family-problems..." she says. She sits down on the rock she'd been punching at, elbows on her knees with her hands hanging down between her legs. She watches in fascination as the wounds on her hands seem to heal right before her eyes.
"Should I call you 'Supreme' all the time now, or can I still call you 'Ethan' when no one else is around?" she asks. "You can call me Gwen...I don't mind."

"Ethan when it's just us, but around others, call me Supreme." Ethan says. "I have a father that I'd like to protect." he says. "And you're not going to bore me with your problems." he says with a smile. He runs his hands through his platinum hair. "Tell me about it."

Gwen sighs. "My father is the state champion high school coach for track and field. The summer before I was supposed to go to high school I told Dad that I was going to go to the neighboring high school so I could make it on their track and field team fair and square...so no one would whisper behind my back that I'd only made it on the team because my dad was the coach. Dad didn't understand. He thought-- for some god-knows-why-reason-- that I was doing it to ruin his chances at the state championships while I was in high school...that I was being a 'traitor.' He told me that if I went to the rival high school that he was kicking me out of the house."
"You know my brother Pete who you just met? He's the oldest...he'd had to endure those same whispers when he was in high school-- that he only made it on the football team because Dad had pulled strings for him. I didn't want to go through that, too! Lucky for Pete, he blew everyone away and then got a scholarship to UCLA and THEN got picked first draft into the NFL, so THAT shut everyone up! And made things a lot easier for my other brothers Richie and Nick when they were going through high school and made it on the football team, too. Now no one assumed Dad had pulled strings...they just expected them to be good because they were Pete's little brothers, you know? But me? I was actually IN Dad's sport! Not football. So I told Dad I couldn't do it...I had to prove myself and go to the other high school. Richie and Nick were mad at me because I was messing up their high school's chance at a 10-year winning streak."  Gwen sighs. "But I still signed up to go to the rival high school...and Dad still kicked me out...and Pete took me in. He finished raising me. He was my mom AND dad." she says, making a pile of big rocks next to her and then taking them in her hands one at a time and crushing them into powder.

Ethan nods, listening to Gwen. He looks at her with sad blue eyes as she recollects her story. When she is finished he rubs his chin.
"I'm sorry Gwen. That must have been awful. You haven't spoken to your father since?" he asks. "Maybe if the two of you just started talking. He has to know what good work you and StormWatch have been doing. He must be proud of that."

Gwen laughs bitterly. "That was what THAT was supposed to be!" she says, jabbing her thumb back towards the center. "I got Pete to invite them to come visit. Dad knew I was here when Pete first talked to him a month ago...I guess he was hoping I wouldn't still be here a month later or something. See, the thing is...I know I'm not at fault. How COULD I be? I tried to explain my side to him, but he wouldn't listen! I was only 15! How can you kick your daughter out of the house when she's only 15?? Dad already HAD a great career. I needed to have a great career, too, and the only way to do that was to have a faultless record that no one could look back at and say, 'Oh, she only got that because her dad was coach.' I wanted to go to the Olympics since I was a little girl! Couldn't Dad SEE that??" she cries, crushing two handfuls of rock. Then she realizes she's gotten loud and out of control, and closes her eyes-- taking a deep breath. "Sorry..." she murmurs.

"It's alright," Ethan says. He pats her on the shoulder. "You're right, he owes you an apology. But you'll only know how he feels if you talk to him. If he doesn't talk first, you do. Start up a conversation. Maybe he'll soften a bit."

Gwen shakes her head slowly. "I can't, Ethan...I just can't. I TRY to, but it's like...like my throat dries up and I can't speak or move or ANYTHING. Plus I'm still so mad at him that I just can't get past my pride and be the first one to make a move, you know? I feel like I'm the one who was hurt, and by being the first to offer my hand I'm just opening myself up to getting my hand slapped away, and then I'll be mad AND hurt, and that will be the end of that! Because I KNOW that if Dad makes the first move that I'll accept it and be so relieved, so Dad is the unknown. I don't know what HE would do if I went first." She rubs her temples. "I hope Pete's feeling dumb right now...he's the one who made me feel like there was hope, and that Dad would be so happy to see me." she sighs.
"You must be feeling pretty grateful for YOUR dad about now, eh? No wonder you want to protect him. I'm sorry for calling you 'Ethan' in front of Pete, by the way. But you don't have anything to worry about-- he was so surprised to see you that he didn't hear anything I said, I'm sure!"

Supreme chuckles. "Perhaps I could take you to meet him. My father that is. He's a good man, and I'm sure he'd love to meet a member of StormWatch." he says. "He lives in Kansas, with my dog for right now. I didn't have the heart to leave him alone." he says. "And besides he never leaves dad's side so..." he says. He smiles. "Without mom around I figured he'd be lonely."

Gwen looks surprised, and then flattered. "Well...sure! It would be an honor to meet your father! AND your dog!" she grins. "How's he taking the news of you moving away? Your father, I mean. I'm sure he knows you're Supreme...what does he think of all that?" she asks, curious about how other people's parents have taken the news that their child is a nova.

Supreme chuckles, "It is because of him...and my mother that I am wearing this," he says looking at his suit. "He once told me when I was a child, that anyone who has a great talent or ability should use it wisely and to the betterment of society. He said it was a gift and that gift should be shared." he says. "You'd like my father I believe. He is very wise...when he wants to be. He was sad to see me move but he understood."

Gwen nods. She personally doesn't subscribe to that belief-- that novas are obligated to help mankind-- but she supposes that regular humans are lucky that there are novas like Supreme around. That's why she doesn't feel like a hero. She doesn't do what she does to better mankind. She does what she does because she has a personal vendetta against the person she's sent against. Or because it just sounds like a good time! That's why she feels a little bad whenever Pete tells her he admires her or thinks she's a hero!
"Wow...so did your mom make your uniform, or did you have Aeon make it, like we did?" she asks.

"No..." Supreme says and looks up into the sky. "I know that you don't see a responsibility to others in you powers, Gwen. And I can accept that. You've done no harm as a nova. If you decided to leave Aeon and have a normal life, I would understand that as well. I think doing what we do is very difficult, and I'm sure it will see us to the grave." he says.

Gwen looks at him in surprise, and then quickly shakes her head. "No, no...I don't want anything to do with a normal life! No matter if I decide to stay with Aeon or not I'll still be flying around in my suit, doing what I need to do. I guess I'm sort of a nova-avenger. I want to make sure the world stays safe for good-intentioned novas by fighting bad-intentioned novas and regular humans who would jeopardize that. So I'm inadvertently serving humans by keeping those novas safe who feel an obligation to keep HUMANS safe, and so the circle of life is continued! See? There's a place for me in all of this!" she grins. "A good and useful place! And I'm glad to hear you don't have any designs on fighting me!" she folds her arms and cocks an eyebrow at him.

Ethan smiles genuinely. "I'd not fight you Gwen. You have been a good friend and one that I could count on in times of trouble." he says patting her shoulder. "You and Damage, Cerro and Watcher are good friends and ones that I would go to the ends of the earth for."

Gwen gets a little tingly when he pats her shoulder, and then feels even happier to hear that he'd go to the end of the earth for her! Well...for StormWatch...but he did mention her!"
She beams at him. "Thank you Ethan! And I know I can speak for all of us when I say we'd do the same for you." She looks at him consideringly. "Well...we shouldn't FIGHT, however...we could always spar sometime!" she grins. "Oh I know you're far stronger and faster than me, so it would be quite a challenge! And I rarely admit that to an opponent!" she smiles a toothily smile, arms still folded.

Ethan chuckles and shakes his head. "I would welcome that challenge one day." he says. "Are you getting stronger Gwen? Is it possible to get stronger, or are we set the way we are?" he asks. "You have done some tests and research, is it possible?"

Gwen nods. "Oh yes...it's possible! Even since the first day I was tested I am now testing higher! It takes time, concentration and training, but it happens! I'm already measuring 1 point higher on the strength-chart than when I first came in! Now YOU, Ethan...I don't think technology even has a way to measure your strength yet!" she grins. "You thinking of coming in and doing more testing or training?" she asks.

Ethan shrugs, "Mal is my equal, but he won't stay that way. He seemed...tougher this time, than the last. I need to train as well or he will surpass me. I do not want to think of what will happen if that occurs." he says. "How do I train? I don't think I've even reached the limits yet."

Gwen thinks. "Well what they do for us is like any other athlete-- the right balance of nutrition plus finding weights that make us strain to lift them...plus psychological training on how to stay focused and how to combine might with mind to lift the item safely. So they'd just need to find objects that make you strain to lift them, and then measure that weight and try to fabricate more compact weights out of them...if they can!" she smiles. Then you could take the weights home and weight-train with them until you need heavier ones! Or...you could just hang out with us and train for a while!" she grins.

Ethan shakes his head. "I doubt a building would fit into my new apartment." he says. "I see what you are saying...maybe there is away for me..." he says. "What was it like? Being in the Olympics? I saw you play, you were good. You deserved those medals, Gwen."

Gwen smiles and her cheeks pinken a little. "You watched me in the Olympics?" she asks, truly surprised. "Thanks, Ethan. I'm so angry that I had to erupt there in Athens! I didn't erupt until the night after the medals ceremony! But you know...even if I'd erupted a year later I bet everyone would still question if I was telling the truth about when it happened and would STILL have a hearing to see if they should take my medals away. I think I was stuck no matter what." She thinks back to the Olympics, her eyes faraway.
"It was my dream come true..." she says softly. "There I was, and I wasn't nervous at all! I was so confident and excited! And I threw better than even back in high school or college! I knew the world was probably watching because of all the Nike ads I'd appeared in before the Olympics, and all the media coverage of my events, so I felt like showing off, and I did!" she laughs, eyes still faraway. "It was perfect...so perfect...and I'll never forget how it felt to step onto the top platform and bend down while the officials placed the medals around my neck...the wreaths on my head...hand me the bouquets...shake my hand...and then stand there while the national anthem played...and then hear the roar of the crowd applauding me..."
She exhales slowly and then looks at Ethan again. "They may have taken my medals away, but they'll never be able to take THAT away..." she says tilting her chin up.

Ethan nods and puts his arm around her shoulders. "Exactly. They never can, Gwen, and you should hold onto that memory. Isn't that how you feel after you do something good for the defenseless? Isn't that how you feel when those who would hurt others run from your sight?"

Gwen gazes up at him, trying to concentrate on what he's saying, but all she can think frantically is 'should I kiss him?? should I kiss him??' She DOES hear the last thing he says and gives a laugh, her trance momentarily broken.
"Oh yes...you got THAT right!" she grins. "Actually, there's one person who I wish wouldn't run from my sight and that's Frost, but...it's kinda nice to have that affect on her!" she grins, slinging her arm around his shoulders in return.
"And YOU! Sounds like you know how that feels, yourself!" she winks. "Having Divis run-- or FLY, rather-- from you? Hmm?" she grins, poking his arm and relishing its firmness.

Ethan shakes his head. "I'd rather him stay. I want to finish this. Divis cannot be allowed to escape. Each time he does he attracts more and more followers to his cause. What happens when they outnumber us?" he says worriedly. "I hate to think about it, but I believe it will happen one day, and it isn't us that will be the ones to suffer for it." he says. He motions towards the city. "It is them."

Gwen looks at him in surprise. "I never knew you felt that way, Ethan...that you think the Teregen will out-number us one day. They're so much smaller than us right now...why do you think so many novas will want to join them?" she asks.

"We are human beings, Gwen. There are always selfish interests. They will see the Null Manifesto as a free ticket to do whatever they want. We have only seen seven. What happens when Team Tomorrow contracts are up? How many will resign? How many will stay?" Ethan asks. "I would bet that many of them saw dollar signs when Utopia came to them and why not, but they don't see the power they were given as a responsibility to help. They see it as a way to further their own interests...which is fine, but what happens when they won't come to the fight?"

Gwen raises her eyebrows. "Well...I guess some of them might not sign back on...but...I'll let you in on a little secret. When I first signed on with Aeon, I was very attracted to the Teregen and was actually seriously considering going to them after my 6 months was up. Mostly because I was bitter about my father and the Olympics-thing. But you know what happened? Divis Mal. That's what happened. He said so many stupid things on the air...and to us in private! I'd THOUGHT that the Teregen were a well-thought-out organization, but then they turned out to be nothing but chaos with no logical thought put into it!"
"And you know the SECOND thing that happened? Caestus Pax. He gave us everything...did everything for us...treated me like the father I wish I'd had. If *I* can feel loyalty towards Caestus, ANYONE can. I'm sure the current Team Tomorrow members will see that about him, too...and at the very least if they decide to leave they'll just go independent like you and the Fireman and GK, and NOT join the Teregen." she says simply and with a little shrug.

Ethan nods, "I hope so." he says. "I am glad that you've found a father figure in Caestus....he's a good man. I like him. He has the right attitude." he says. He looks over at Gwen and smiles. "I am sure I can always count on you and the others. I'd like that actually."

Gwen grins and looks down. She feels that great impulse to kiss him again, but she's been very wrong before about reading men, and she really doesn't want to scare him away when everything's going so well!
"Well I know *I'M* very flattered to hear that!" she smiles. "Watching you fight...one would assume you never needed to count on anyone for help!" She pauses. "Can I ask you a personal question? And you don't have to answer it if you don't want to, of course. I was just curious...how long were you with your girlfriend before she found out you were a nova?"

Ethan thinks for a moment. "I met her when I was in high school. The ninth grade to be exact," he says with a small smile. "Linda Simpson. She was very pretty...I'm surprised she even went out with me the first time...hmm to answer your question...she left me after she realized what I was. That was a few months ago." Ethan says. "Since then she moved to Seattle. I hear she's seeing someone now."

"And she never realized what you were before...you know...the airplane-incident? She never noticed how strong and powerful you are?" Gwen asked, amazed. "I mean, above a normal man? I just can't believe it, Ethan. You'd been together for so long..." she says, shaking her head. "And you never felt such rage about this that it made you consider turning your back on humanity?" she asks.

"It was one person, Gwen. She just couldn't handle the idea that I was...something else." Ethan says. "I always kept my strength in check. Same with my powers...but I couldn't let those people die. I wouldn't have cared if she was on the plane or not..."

Gwen watches him. She cannot believe that he's not holding any anger towards her! They were together for at least 6-7 years!
"Well I can understand that...I didn't mean that plane in particular, because she didn't freak out until AFTER that. What I meant was after she left you didn't consider flying off somewhere to be alone...to just get away from regular humans? What's kept you so grounded and calm about what happened to the point where you're not bitter? Are you just pushing your anger down...or do you really not feel any anger?"
Gwen wants to understand how Ethan thinks! She's seen his rage come out, so it's got to always be there underneath somewhere...like it is within her!

Ethan looks at Gwen. "I am human, Gwen. Just with a little extra responsibility. Was I sad...yes.." he says. "But it was a high school romance and frankly...I didn't think it would have worked out anyway. We were drifting apart. I was hoping that during her visit we'd see if it was still working between us, if it wasn't I was going to break up with her."

"Aaaah..." Gwen says in understanding. She'd been under the impression that the two were high school sweethearts, planning on getting married and all that. This makes more sense.
"Well her loss! That's what I say!" she grins, trying to lift the mood. "And you're crazy to think someone wouldn't want to date you! Honestly, Ethan!" she smiles. "So humble!" She slugs him in the arm playfully. There's more she was about to say, but something stopped her tongue. She'll just be content with moving ahead one inch at a time!

Ethan shrugs, "Well, being who I am isn't easy. I'm hardly home. And when I am I'm watching the news to see if Mal has come from underground. Not exactly husband-material." he says. "I don't make much money so that doesn't help either."

Gwen laughs. "That describes most of the novas I work with! Well...aside from the money-thing I guess! But...do you really think the only reason someone would want to date you would be because they saw you as husband-material?" she asks, surprised.

"No of course not," Ethan says laughing. "But let's face it, women don't date men because they aren't looking for a husband." he says. "Besides, what happens when someone learns I have a wife? They'll go straight for her to get to me."

Gwen grins, folding her arms and sticking her chest out. "So you're not considering that you could marry a nova? I hear they can hold their own, you know!"
What she WAS going to say was, 'Good! I'll be waiting with great pleasure!' but luckily she stopped herself! If THAT wouldn't scare him off nothing would!

Ethan laughs. "Now you're putting words in my mouth," he says wagging a finger at her. He sighs and looks down and then back up to her. "Well I had best be off. I'm supposed to have dinner with my father tonight. Good luck with your father, Gwen." he says.

Gwen nods, feeling disappointment that he's going, but she realizes that if he stays here she's probably going to say or do something very forward, and she doesn't know how it will be received! She HOPES it would be received well! They're getting along great!
She stands with him and nods. "Thanks Ethan. I'm really going to need it." She pauses, and then gives him a strong but plutonic hug. "Thanks for staying and talking to me. I really feel a lot better now." She looks down at her hands. "And hey! All healed!" she grins, showing them to him. "Have a great dinner with your dad and dog!" she smiles.

Ethan chuckles, "I will. You do the same," he says and suddenly flies off, leaving only a red streak in his wake.

Gwen watches him fly off, and then takes a deep breath and launches up into the sky, herself, heading back to the center.
After a short flight she lands back at the front doors, and enters the building as quietly as she can. She creeps quietly towards the cafeteria and peeks in to see if her family's still standing in there.

Pete and her mother have left. Her father, Lars, however is sitting at one of the tables by himself drinking a cup of coffee. He sits there turning the cup around over and over in thought. He looks up to look at the television and then back down at his cup.

Gwen feels her heart twinge a little when she sees her father sitting alone, deep in thought. Maybe the two of them ARE too much alike. When she's upset the only thing she wants to do is be alone with her thoughts. And a nice mountain to punch. But anyhow...
She takes another deep breath and lets it out slowly. Then she clasps her hands together tightly in front of her and walks slowly towards her father. When he's within touching-range she reaches out her hand nervously, but then quickly brings it back.
"Hey Dad..." she finally says.

Lars looks over at his shoulder and sighs. "Gwen..." he says quietly. He turns back to his cup and twirls it a few more times. "You want to sit down?" he asks looking over his shoulder. He motions to the seat across from him.

Gwen lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding and nods. She walks over, pulls out the chair and sits down across from her father. She holds her hands together on the table in front of her, looking down at them for a second. Then she finally looks up at her father.
"How are you doing?" she asks in a quiet voice.

Lars sighs and looks down at his cup. "I've been better, honestly." He looks over at her. "I see you've done well for yourself. Your mother can't seem to stop talking about you." he says.

Gwen gives a little smile. "Really? That's nice to hear." She looks down at her hands again. "I'm doing OK...this is a great company. They've been very supportive of Pete, too. My group's being sent to patrol the Superbowl...make sure nothing happens."
That's the longest sentence she's said to her father in a really long time. She's a little jittery, but she's OK.

"That's good," Lars says. He looks up at his daughter and for a moment he doesn't recognize her. So much time has passed. So much. "You look like your mother when she was your age. She wasn't as strongly built...but the face..." he says. It has been a long time since he's talked to his daughter. He sighs. "I'm glad you found something to do with that talent of yours."

Gwen's face flushes a little and she smiles, looking down at her hands again. "Thanks Dad." She sits quietly for a moment, and then looks back up at him again. "Don't be mad at Pete. It was me. I told him to call you and invite you out. I...didn't know if you'd come if you knew I was here. I just...wanted to see you and Mom again. I told Pete not to bring you guys into the cafeteria unless you wanted to see me. I didn't want anyone to get upset." She quickly looks down at her hands again.

Lars nods and looks down at his cup for a long awkward moment. He sighs and looks up at his daughter. "Your mother wanted desperately to see you. I had a feeling you'd be here...I'm...glad to see you're alright. Your mother worries about you every time we see you and your friends have been called out to fight."

Gwen nods, eyes still on her tightly-clasped hands. After a minute she looks up. "We've had some close calls but I'm still undefeated!" she tries to joke, but then realizes her dad might take that wrong...considering it was her fault his team didn't take State for 4 years. She has a moment of panic that she might have upset everything, and impulsively gets up from her chair and kneels next to his chair, holding his arm pleadingly.
"I'm sorry I made Lakewood High lose those State Championships! I didn't even think about that when I decided to go to Reid! I just wanted to show that I didn't need anyone's help to make it! I wish I could take it all back! I could have been like Pete...I could have proven myself to everyone who might have thought I got on the team because of you! And it all ended up not mattering anyway because I still would have turned into a nova and had my career taken from me no matter what! I'm sorry Dad! Please stop hating me!!" she sobs, pressing her forehead against the side of his leg.

Lars looks at his daughter with a mix of surprise, relief, and sadness for the years missed. He reaches down and takes his daughters head in his hands. "Why couldn't you prove yourself on the field? Anyone who had questions would have seen how talented you are. You could have done that...it felt like such a betrayal. I understood...but it hurt me...here I was ready to coach my pride and joy and then you left..."

Gwen sobs loudly now, closing her eyes. It's all true. Her father had been training her for years to prepare her for high school where he could be her real coach...where he could watch all their hard work come to fruition. And after her three older brothers left such legacies of being incredible athletes would have really been so hard for people to believe she made it on the track team all on her own?
She gets up on her knees and wraps her arms around her dad's waist, holding him tightly as sobs wrack her body and she presses her face against his chest. She is a jerk. And here all these years she'd felt like such a martyr...such a victim! She's too humiliated to raise her face. She wishes desperately that she could go back in time and fix everything.

Lars holds his daughter tight to him as she cries. He too begins to tear up and cry just a little. "I love you, Gwen. I am so proud of what you're doing now. I really am," he whispers and kisses her head. "You deserved those medals."

Gwen holds him tightly and continues crying, nodding her head on his chest. "Thanks Dad..." she whispers. "I love you, too..." She feels like she could just hold him like this forever...or at least for 5 years' worth of hugs. She supposes her father must have felt as bad about losing those four State Championships as she felt about losing those four gold medals. Maybe that's her karma. As soon as Gwen thinks that, she feels a sense of acceptance come over her.
After a long moment she finally raises her tear-streaked face and looks up at her dad. "You deserved those championships. That other coach was really bad. If you hadn't been such a great coach to me his team wouldn't have even made it to finals!" she says, wiping at her eyes.

Lars wipes his eyes as well. He nods, "Thank you, Gwen...it's so good to talk to you again." he says. He sighs and motions for the chair. "Why don't you sit down. I don't want anyone to think badly of us." he says. "Thanks for saying that. Damn Olympic officials is all I have to say."

Gwen smiles and nods, quickly getting back up and taking her chair. "I know...I mean, if I'd been a nova BEFORE my events, or even erupted at my events, wouldn't I have chucked the discus and javelin and shot put so far that they would have sailed out of the stadium? I may have been good, but I wasn't super-human or anything! Did you see Andre Corbin erupt in the middle of his game? He couldn't control his abilities at all! He was zipping all over the place right on TV! That's how it works before you're brought to a place like this to learn and train! You can't control it! You don't even know what it is!" Gwen sighs. "No matter how many times I've tried to explain that to the officials they just shrug and tell me the case is closed. I think they're just too busy to hear anymore facts. Well...if Athens is ever under attack, I might just be too busy to go over and help them!" she grins, folding her arms.

Lars smiles at his daughter's outburst. He sighs relieved and nods. "I agree. So you're seeing Mr. Corbin are you? How is that going? Are you serious? Have there been any plans?" he asks leaning forward.

Gwen laughs, her face flushing a little. Oh boy...she just suddenly remembered about her Maxim shoot...and her PLAYBOY shoot...oh god.
"It's going really well...he's a really great guy...but we're so busy and he's stationed over in Geneva...we've agreed to keep things open for right now. But we see each other whenever our teams meet up, and we call and E-mail each other all the time!" She pauses. "While things are open like this, I've decided to date other people if I have time. I didn't date much at all before I became a nova, so I want to make sure I know what I want before I commit-- you know what I mean, Dad?" she asks.

Lars nods, "I know. So it sounds like there's someone else on the burner. Is that true? Most women don't keep their options open unless there's someone else they are interested in."

Gwen blushes again, lowering her eyes. "Wow...you DO know women, Dad! Must be from coaching them for so long!" she teases. "Well...as a matter of fact I do! I don't want to jinx anything by talking about it, but...I want to ask Supreme out when I get back to New York. He's a big guy...probably the strongest, best fighter on earth-- literally! And he's cute!" she grins. "And Pete's already a huge fan...thinks Supreme walks on water, almost!" She watches in anticipation for her dad's reaction.

"Supreme..." Lars says tapping his chin. "You mean that guy who rescued the shuttle? Really...?" he says leaning in. "Sounds like you're pretty enamored of him as well. Why don't you just ask him out? I hear girls do that all the time nowadays."

Gwen laughs, clasping her hands together tightly again. "I've gotta get the nerve up to do it! I don't know if he'd be the type to ask first! He says he spends most of his time listening for Divis Mal-sightings, but we had a really good, deep conversation today, so...I'm 99% sure he'd say yes! But aaaaah! Where should we go on the date?? I'm so bad at this, Dad!! I mean, how do you impress a guy like Supreme??"

Lars thinks a moment, "What's he like? Is he full of himself or is he very down to earth? Tell me about him."

Gwen grins. "Oh he's REALLY down-to-earth! He thinks no girl would be interested in him because he's busy all the time and doesn't make a lot of money doing what he's doing right now! Crazy guy, huh? His last girlfriend broke up with him when she found out he was a nova. And he's got this fear that if he had a girlfriend that she'd be targeted by the Teregen in order to get to him!"
Gwen flexes her arms. "Well...how about killing two birds with one stone and getting a nova-girlfriend who's already targeted by the Teregen!" she grins.

"Well I'd suggest treating him like a normal guy. Like he's not a superhero with all these powers. Don't be in awe of him, and just act like he's an ordinary man living an ordinary life." Lars says nodding. "He'll like that."

Gwen smiles and nods. "I pretty much do that already! He was one of the first novas I met after I was flown to Geneva. He was really shy...he was about to say hi and hurry away when I let him know I knew how he felt...told him about my experience with erupting and all that, and we've been friends ever since! But I'll remember what you said, Dad! I'll just keep in mind that he's the same guy I met in Geneva, and try not to think about the Supreme he's grown into!" she laughs. Gwen ponders a moment, hand on her chin. "You know, Dad...come to think of it...he looks a little like the pictures of you when you were in your 20s!" she teases.

Lars looks at her and sneers. "No need for flattery, Gwen." he says. "So Supreme huh? I approve of that. I knew it would take a superman to win my daughter." he says teasingly. "Your mother will be so glad that we are talking again."

Gwen laughs when he approves of Supreme, and then nods her head about her mom. "Yeah she will...so will Pete!" She looks around. "Speaking of them, where did they go?"

"They went upstairs to his room. Your mother wanted to use the bathroom and unpack." Lars says. "Let's join them. Then we can all go into Denver and get something to eat."

Gwen nods, getting up from her chair. She can't wait to see their faces when she and her father walk in together.
"You'll love Pete's apartment! It's really nice-- got a bathroom, kitchen, living room...everything!" she tells him as they walk.

The two of them walk up to the elevator and take it to the floor Pete's room is on. They step out, still talking and walk down to his room. Lars knocks on the door.
"Won't they be surprised." he says.

Pete opens the door to see his sister and father standing there arm-in-arm. He smiles broadly and hugs them both. "I'm so glad you two!" he says. "Hey mom, they made up!" he says as their mom walks over in tears.

"Oh I love you both!" she says hugging them all.

Gwen laughs, hugging them back. She's gotten her crying done, and Gwen's the type of person who's not easily moved to tears, so now her emotions are quite under control and she can stand there smiling calmly and being strong for her mom.
"We love you, too, Mom...even you, Pete!" she teases. "Dad thinks we should go into Denver to get something to eat-- what do you say?" she asks, all happy nonchalance amidst her mother and brother's emotional reactions. If only they'd seen she and her father earlier.

The four of them spend the afternoon driving around Denver while Lars and Gwen catch up on old times sitting in the back of the car. The two are finally speaking to each other, and their hearts can rest knowing that their relationship is mended.