"I can't do this without your help," Gwen insisted in a quiet tone so that she wouldn't be overheard. "And you know I wouldn't risk betraying you. Anything you want, if it's within my power, you can have as payment."

Baron Battle nodded, considering. "There is one thing."

"What? Tell me."

"Your Pacifier. Can you recreate it?"

"Possibly," she said in a thoughtful way. "Maybe not so portable. But I could make something like it. Why? What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I want a second chance with my son, to undo all the damage that his mother and that miserable school caused," he growled. "I want the chance to raise him like I didn't before, like I wasn't permitted." He clenched his fist. "Will the change be permanent? As I understand, your last plot involving the device was circumvented."

"A week is needed for the effects, both the de-aging and the memory loss, to settle in permanently. After that, he's yours until he hits eighteen for the second time," she smirked. "And it's no problem at all; I owe him for putting me here in the first place."

"He wouldn't have if not for that idiot Stronghold and his band of morons," Battle snapped. "I'm behind bars and that wretched duo still manages to find ways to take from me and make my life a hell! But I will have my son back, if nothing else."

Gwen suspected that revenge on the Strongholds might actually follow quite easily. But for the moment, she decided it was better to focus on escape rather than raising Battle's hopes unnecessarily.

"It's been over a week since he disappeared!" Will had to restrain himself from screaming.

"And I promise you, we've been looking all over," his father assured him. "We're doing everything in our power to find Warren and bring him home safely."

"Don't worry sweetie. We'll get your partner back." His mother tried to reassure him, but Will felt ill.

He had been nervous ever since word had spread that Baron Battle had escaped from prison nearly a month ago. Even the news that Royal Pain had gotten out didn't worry him nearly as much. The prospect of her attempting revenge paled to thoughts of Warren's unpredictable father and what he might do in pursuit of or in anger towards his son. Somehow he knew, had always known, that Warren would be in danger if his father ever managed to slip out of the cell he'd been locked in serving his life sentences.

Warren had brushed it off, tried to act casual. But then he'd gotten the worst of it in battle and Will… he'd failed him, at the moment of the worst danger, at the moment it most mattered. And what made it even worse for Will was the masquerade he had to maintain of being worried about losing merely a partner, or even a friend.

He had lost a lover; but nobody knew, nobody could know. And that made every hour worse, ever word of reassurance hollower.

A fortnight after losing Warren, Royal Pain came for him. He shouldn't have been surprised; it was only to be expected. But his game had been off since the loss of Warren and he wasn't used to acting on his own. His parents had warned him to stay out of action for a while, at least until he could find another partner or support, but he'd refused. He'd wanted action to occupy and distract him. But his mind never really strayed far from his anxiety over Warren and it had lead to his downfall.

Then Pain offered him Peace.

"I know where he is," she laughed. "But sacrifices must be made. Not going to be easy you know."

It was a connection to Warren and he grasped it eagerly. Had he been brighter or less eager at the prospect of finding Warren, he might have considered a way to outwit her. As it was, she seemed more than prepared for him, lead him bound with a power suppressing device to her lair. She explained to him Battle's demands, what they had done and why they had done it. She emphasized the permanence of her actions in particular; it had been too long, the change was irreversible. But he still had choices he could make.

Battle appeared and put Warren into his arms as Pain deactivated the cuffs. He looked down at Warren; he only had tufts of hair, but the familiar red streak could still be seen. The infant seemed to recognize will and nestled into his chest. Will thought he might break. Then Gwen gestured at the machine in the corner, her final offer.

Will stepped in.

"What is it?" Stitches asked, looking at the bundle in Gwen's arms.

"Another child for you to raise. With my help of course," she smiled, holding him out. "His name is Will. But we could change that if you like."

Thought I'd try something a little different here. The next few chapters will be how the duo get raised until they eventually come into conflict with their older former friends and relatives.