Joey shivered as the stirring of air at someone’s passing brushed across his skin. He bit back a whimper and even that small motion hurt.

Someone lay next to him, he could feel it, but he didn’t know who and he’d learned not to pick at the mask Chris had pulled over his eyes, though the weight of it on his face was almost too much to bear.

The light was far worse.

He curled into himself and spread out just as quickly and then lay still, trying as much as possible not to move. He heard someone next to him shuffle and then, over that, voices.

Pink said, “They’ll be fine,” and since Joey heard the brush of skin on fabric, he thought Pink might have placed her hand on someone’s shoulder, maybe JC’s.

“How much longer?” he heard JC whisper.

“Not long.”

“How will you know what they are?”

Joey could hear more shuffling, fabric moving across fabric and the faint stirrings of air, and thought Chris might be signing again. But Pink should know, so she spoke over him and the noise was almost too much.

“The computer will tell us. We’ve managed to intercept shipments of equipment several times, which is where we got those.”

Chris signed again and Pink watched this time, instead of talking over. “We’ll move away. JC, Joey and Lance are awake and can hear us.”

“But we’re whispering, and we’re across the room…”

“You should remember what it was like.”

“But I thought you said…”

“Only the worst of it. They’re still hypersensitive until the drug picks their abilities.”

JC said something more but they’d closed the door with a soft thud that felt more like a harsh slam and Joey winced, scrunching up his face and whimpering again when the folds of skin hit the mask.

He closed his eyes and told himself not to breathe.

Joey stared down at his hands, twisted them around each other and gripped so hard the ends of his fingers turned white. “So I can…”

Control the weather, yeah.

“Great. And you can…”

Talk. Joey looked up and Lance was smiling but his lips weren’t moving and Joey didn’t know what to think about that yet. He felt like he’d walked into a comic book.

“It’s just…”

Weird, I know.

“Look, would you stop? I can finish my own sentences.” Lance winced and Joey felt bad but he really didn’t like it so he didn’t say anything except, “how far away does it work?”

I haven’t tested it, but since I don’t have to be in contact… pretty far I guess.

“Yeah. What’s Justin’s super power?”

Something about electricity. I didn’t really pay attention.

“You could ask him.”

Lance frowned and then smiled and said, “yeah” aloud before he closed his eyes. Concentrating, or something, but Joey just thought he looked silly. Then Lance opened his eyes and he was Joey’s again.

Conducting electricity. Hey, I can talk to Chris now.

“Yep.”

Lance closed his eyes again and Joey wondered if he’d ever learn to do it with his eyes open.

Chris says we’re going to patrol with him tonight and not to bother him anymore.

Joey nodded and dropped his eyes to his hand and Lance placed his hand over Joey’s, pulling them apart and threading their fingers together. Joey?

“It’s nothing.”

Lance’s free hand cupped his chin and Joey raised his head to meet Lance's eyes. “It’ll be okay,” Lance said aloud. “Different, but okay.”

Joey nodded but he wasn’t sure he believed.