xlvii. forbidden hero

——

~Common Area~

Freya sat at a cyber desk, scrolling through her Pinterest boards while waiting for the bionic team to return from their mission. Freya had been getting bored not being able to go on missions, and she misses the missions. She wants to go on missions and get back to training, but she is afraid she will get hurt again and she won't get back to how she was before.

Freya was thriving before, until it all went down the drain and now she is weaker and afraid. Chase is planning to start private lessons to bring Freya back slowly.

Freya heard the hydroloop return and she put her phone down, turning to it as the doors opened. Adam, Bree, Chase, and Juliet get out of the hydraloop, supporting an injured Leo. Freya frowned at this, getting up with worry for her friend.

"Easy, easy, easy." Adam warned as they helped Leo to a bench.

Chase paused, impatient. "You know, this would be a lot easier without you saying "easy" every two seconds."

"Sorry." Adam apologized. "Careful, careful, careful." They helped Leo sit on a bench and Freya approached them.

"Oh no, do we have another injured bionic?" Freya asked and Leo gave her a nod, holding his ankle.

"You and Leo are twins now," Juliet patted her sister's arm.

"I think Rey's is worse than mine," Leo remarked, and the blonde girl leaned her head on Chase's shoulder.

Bob walked by, noticing Leo. "Uh-oh. Did Leo blow chunks on the hydraloop again?"

"No. We were on a mission and I hurt my ankle." Leo explained.

"And then he blew chunks on the hydraloop again." Bre added with a smile.

"Eww," Freya groaned and Chase rubbed her back.

"You know the drill, Bob." Adam told Bob.

"Puke patrol. I'll grab the mop." Bob pointed at him and walked away.

Adam smiled, proudly. "I've taught him well."

"Just the word makes me feel sick," Freya grumbled with disgust and Chase kissed her head, before helping her sit down next to Leo.

"We were evacuating a steel mill when the roof collapsed." Chase started to explain, keeping his hands on Freya's shoulder and massaging them.

"We were pinned down and Leo had to jump over an industrial grinder to save us." Juliet continued and Freya glanced at her, feeling envious of her sister.

Freya wants to go on missions again. She hates just doing nothing, she wants to help, but she can't and it makes her sad.

Chase let go of Freya and beckoned to Leo. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you to the infirmary and get that leg checked out."

Leo scoffed, getting up. "Would you quit fussing? I'm a grown man. I don't need you to baby me."

Tasha walked in and Leo gasped, reaching for a hug.

"Mommy!" Leo hugs her.

"Oh, I came as soon as you texted me." Tashe remarked with concern as Leo grabbed his ankle.

"I'm not gonna lie. This is a grade-A boo-boo." Leo confessed and Freya let out a laugh.

"Wow, okay." Freya sarcastically scoffed and Juliet helped her stand up as they and the Davenport siblings approached Leo. "What's mine then?"

"A grade-A++ one." Chase shot her an awkward smile, putting his arm around her.

Freya narrowed her eyebrows at him. "For once, I do not want that grade." Chase planted a kiss on her cheek and she sighed, rolling her eyes. Freya was very on edge this week due to her period, and everything set her off now. Chase could sense her irritated behavior and was trying to keep her calm.

"We better get you to your room," Tasha told her son, looking around. "Where is your room?"

"Oh, the other side of the island," Chase informed her.

"Still can't believe you guys got your own island. For Valentine's Day, all I got was a lousy t-shirt that said "I married Donald." Tasha explained and Juliet frowned.

"Let me guess, you burned it?" Juliet asked with a grin, and Tasha shrugged with a cheeky smile.

"Wait, you guys are married?" Adam asked. "I just thought you came over a lot."

——

~Mentor's Quarters~

Adam, Bree, Chase, and Juliet walked in and saw Leo lying down on the couch, holding a smoothie. Tasha was in the room, helping Leo.

"Mom...you forgot my tuck-tuck," Leo called and Tasha jogged back over to him

"There you go...sweetie." Tasha pulls a blanket over him and tucks him in. "Now, I will be right there if you need me." Tasha gives him a smile and walks to the other side of the room.

"Tuck-tuck? Kind of milking it, aren't you?" Chase asked Leo as the four approached him.

"If Freya were here, she would electrocute you for how much you are milking it." Juliet remarked, folding her arms and Leo grinned.

"She's just jealous I'm getting milk with cookies at 3:00." Leo smugly replied.

"I'll tell her you said that." Juliet told him, walking over to Adam, who put an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm just glad you're doing better, Leo." Bree smiled at her brother, sitting on the edge of the couch.

"Yeah. You're lucky you didn't get hurt worse. You were this close to being chewed up by that industrial grinder." Adam told him with concern and Juliet looked up at him with wide eyes.

Tasha overhead Adam say this and walked back over to them as Leo looked back at her with wide eyes. "Industrial grinder? Leo, you told me you twisted your ankle jumping for joy."

"He was jumping for joy because he wasn't killed by an industrial grinder." Bree chuckled sheepishly as Leo gave her a look.

"Leo almost got ripped apart by that thing." Adam mentioned and Juliet shot him a glare, nudging his rib. "What?"

"What?! Ripped apart?" Tasha asked with horror as Leo made a cut-it-out gesture from behind Tasha wanting Adam to shut up.

"Oh, that's right." Adam makes the same gesture, not understanding. "He almost got decapitated too."

Juliet threw her arms up, walking over to Chase and Bree with impatience.

Tasha turned to her son, displeased. "Excuse me? Leo, why didn't you stay in the van?"

Chase frowned. "What van?"

"The one you take on all your missions when you're out solving all your mysteries," Tasha remarked and Juliet chuckled, amused.

"Yeah. Why super speed when Bree and I can throw on a trucker hat and be two van-driving mamas." Juliet sarcastically told her and Bree grinned in response. "This is not Scooby Doo."

"I just always thought that you guys did the dangerous stuff while Leo was in the van, saying stuff like "check" and "all clear," Tasha explained.

Leo nervously chuckled. "Check that, Mom."

"All clear, Tasha," Juliet added and Leo glared at the redhead.

"No, no. Leo does all the dangerous stuff with us. This one time, he was dangling from a helicopter on top of a skyscraper. It was super dangerous." Adam explained and Chase, Juliet, and Leo made the cut-it-out gesture from behind Tasha.

"Oh, that's right." Adam gasped. "He almost got decapitated that time too." Juliet groaned, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend. Adam grabbed Leo's head, shaking it. "It's only a matter of time before this thing pops right off." Leo sat there with irritation as Tasha was glaring at him.

Juliet gave Tasha a sheepish thumbs up.

——

~Common Area~

Freya was sitting at a cyber desk with Chase as he went over a very specific schedule with her. It was a schedule of when they would do physical therapy and have private lessons, and Freya found it incredibly sweet and nerdy.

"If we follow this schedule that I put together for you, you should be back to our normal Freya." Chase smiled at her, and the blonde girl rested her head on his shoulder.

"We can't be too sure it will work," Freya objected.

"It's a schedule designed by me, it will work," Chase grinned down at her, rubbing her leg assuringly. "Don't worry, Rey. I will make sure you get back to how you were."

"Is there cuddle time on it?" Freya asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes and he chuckled.

"There's plenty of cuddle time, love." Chase softly told her, making eye contact and the two stared at one another with adoration.

I love this boy so much, Freya thought to herself.

"Thank you," Freya softly mumbled to him and cuddled into his side.

Chase kissed her forehead and sighed in her hair.

Bob suddenly trudged in with a giant net filled with junk.

"Ahoy, mateys!"

Chase sighed impatiently as Freya lifted her head and the two turned to Bob.

"Check out all this cool stuff!" Bob called and Chase inspected the stuff using his bionic eye. Freya frowned at it as she put her arms around Chase's shoulders from behind.

"Let's see. A tire, 20 pounds of seaweed, and a broken toilet seat." Chase informed and looked at Bob. "Bob, this is just a bunch of useless junk."

"Unless we need a new toilet seat, cause Adam does some questionable things on the toilet."Freya shrugged and Chase nodded, raising his eyebrows.

"Hey, I'm gonna give this stuff to Bree as a token of my undying love." Bob protested.

Freya and Chase shared a look, before smiling at him.

"In that case, it's perfect." Chase nodded and Freya gave him a thumbs-up.

"I think it's cute he wants to give her a present." Freya giggled and touched the necklace Chase got her for Christmas. "Like you."

"Makes me happy you wear it every day." Chase gently told her, holding her hands. Their yin and Yang bracelets connected and the couple smiled at one another.

Bree walked in and Bob gave her a flirty smirk. Chase and Freya watched the scene with amusement.

"Whoa, slow down. Where's the fire? Oh, it's right here. Because you're the hottest thing I've ever seen." Bob flirted and Bree sighed with a smile.

"What's up, Bob?" Bree asked, containing her impatience.

Bob handed Bree a seaweed necklace. "Oh, this is for you. It's a seaweed necklace."

Bree internally grimaced and grinned politely. "Yeah. I'm gonna pass."

Bree walked by him and Bob turned to her. "I wrestled a manatee for this!" Bob walks out of the room and Bree turned to Freya and Chase.

Suddenly, hydraloop doors open and Caitlin walks out with a suitcase.

"Hi, everyone. I'm here!" Caitlin announced and Freya blinked with shock.

"I thought I was free of her," Freya groaned, rubbing her face.

Chase stood up with surprise. "Caitlin?"

Caitlin scanned the room. "This place is beautiful. Thanks for inviting me."

Bree stood next to Chase, folding her arms. "We didn't invite you."

"We never would anyway." Freya mumbled as she stood up with her crutches and stood next to Chase.

"It was implied, Bree." Caitlin snapped. "I had no idea where you guys went after you left Mission Creek."

"That was the plan." Chase remarked and Freya stifled a laugh.

Caitlin ignored his comment. "So I've been secretly trailing Leo's mom for weeks, hoping she would lead me to you guys."

"Wait. You've been stalking Tasha?" Freya asked.

Caitlin scoffed. "Oh, don't be so dramatic. Is it stalking to follow someone around, day and night?"

Chase looked at his sister and girlfriend for a second. "Yes!"

Caitlin sighed with defeat. "Fine. I've been stalking Tasha!"

"Wait a minute. How did you get past our hydraloop security guard." Bree asked her.

Caitlin's eyes shifted suspiciously. "Let's just say you're gonna need a new one."

"Oh, Caitlin, I'm afraid I have to cut this reunion short." Chase informed Caitlin and Freya vigorously nodded. "No outsider visitors allowed on the island."

Caitlin groaned at the boy. "Ugh, still that guy, huh, Chase?"

"Still that girl, huh, Caitlin?" Freya protested, glaring at her and Caitlin flared her nose in anger. "As he said, you can't be here."

"Oh, but Bree, wants me to stay, right?" Caitlin asked, impatiently and her and Freya looked back at Bree. Chase stood there with raised eyebrows, looking at his sister.

Bree pondered for a second, before sighing. "You know what, sure."

"Really?!" Chase and Freya shrieked.

Caitlin grinned. "Good answer, Bree."

Chase pulled Bree away with Freya following. "What are you doing? You can't stand her."

"I can't stand her!" Freya added.

"But that was back in high school. I have matured. I am a mentor now. I have changed." Bree reasoned and Freya scoffed with disbelief.

"Yeah, but she hasn't." Freya gestured to Caitlin. "She's awful!"

"I know we've had our petty squabbles in the past, but we're beyond that."

Bree walks back over to Caitlin and Freya frowned in annoyance. "We are not beyond that. I'm still petty about her cutting in line!"

Chase hushed her silently and led her back to the girls. Freya groaned, keeping an annoyed expression. Chase kept a hand on her back, massaging it gently.

"Plus, it'll be nice to have another girlfriend to hang out with for a couple of days."

Caitlin shot her a glare. "Couple weeks, Bree."

Bree hummed with irritation, but hid it. "Hmm. Good to see you too, old friend."

"This day just got 10 times worse." Freya mumbled to her boyfriend.

"Cuddle and Mean Girls?" Chase whispered and Freya smiled up at him.

"Yes."

——

~Monroe Quarters~

Cassie was busy cleaning the windows, attempting to ignore the sharp pains she felt in her breasts. It has been almost a week since the pains age started and she is getting worried it could be something serious.

Cassie's mother died of breast cancer, and so did her grandmother. She is not ruling out the option she could have it, or be getting it.

She has tender breasts at the moment, and has developed a lingering cough. Two symptoms of early breast cancer. Cassie is trying her best to ignore it, and hope it goes away soon, but deep down she knows she can't.

A sharp pain struck her right breast, and she dropped the rag, holding her chest. She groaned as she picked up the rag and trudged over to a nearby chair, breathing heavily.

Cassie immediately composed herself when she saw Chase and Freya walk in, greeting them with a smile.

"Hello," she waved and the teens gave her a smile. Freya could sense something was off, and made a face.

"You alright, mom?" Freya asked, and Cassie waved her off.

"Yes, honey, I've just come down with a cold. I'm going to take a shower." Cassie walked by them and gave Freya a kiss on her head, before walking out.

Freya and Chase watched her leave and Freya frowned with worry. "That was odd. I hope she's okay."

Chase rubbed her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure it's just a cold. Seasons are changing."

Freya hesitantly nodded, still worrying. "I guess, yes."

"Let's just cuddle and watch your favorite movie." Chase suggested, and kissed her cheek.

Freya's eyes lingered at the doorway for a second, before she followed Chase to the couch.

"She'll be alright," Freya mumbled to herself as she leaned back. Chase was getting snacks, but he could still hear her. "She has to be. Right, she has to be. It's just a cold-"

"Rey, you're spiraling." Chase interrupted as he brought a bowl of chips over to her. "People get small colds. It's alright."

"Does that mean I can't worry about my own mother?" Freya asked him as he sat down and Freya took the chips, immediately eating them.

"No, you have every right to be worried." Chase assured her, taking her hand and Freya looked at him with worry glistening in her eyes. "I'm just saying don't assume it's all negative. And if it is, we will take care of it."

Freya let out a heavy sigh, nodding. "Alright."

Chase kissed the top of her head, and pulled her into his chest. The couple leaned back and Chase turned on the movie.

——

Chase and Freya's movie session got interrupted by a mission alert. Freya was upset, but she understood.

Freya hated sitting alone while her family was out on a mission that she could be on if it wasn't for Sebastian.

Sebastian. Krane. Those two have ruined her life, and if she ever sees them again, she will not hesitate to end their lives.

Freya felt like she had the weight of the world sitting on her shoulders. The internal struggle felt so strong that even Adam couldn't lift it.

Chase and Freya are starting their private lessons tomorrow morning. It will only involve simple movements that don't require her feet, and Freya felt like a baby having to learn to walk again.

Freya's thoughts were interrupted when the hydroploop doors opened and the bionic team walked out. However, Loe came out with another injury, but this time it was on his forehead.

Freya sighed, pressing her lips together at the sight. "Oh no..."

"Wow, Leo. What are the chances you would get hurt twice in a week?" Chase asked as they all got off the hydroloop. "Actually, I could calculate them for you if you'd like."

Freya stood up, approaching the group. "Another injury? Seems like you're trying really hard to make mine look like nothing."

Leo shook his head. "Trust me, it's not intentional this time."

Freya scoffed, faintly grinning.

Bree patted Leo's back. "You okay? You hit your head pretty hard."

"Yeah, I'm all right." Leo assured her, walking by the group. "I just wanna get upstairs before my mom finds out. I'll just tell her that I have a nasty pimple."

Tasha stood against a pillar. "Good idea."

"Thanks, Mom." Leo said, and gasped. "Mom!"

Freya rubbed her neck, sharing an amused look with her sister.

Tasha stepped off the platform. "You deliberately disobeyed me and went on that mission."

"Mom, I had to go on this mission." Leo reasoned, approaching her. "Look, I'm sorry I disobeyed you. It won't happen again."

"Oh, I know it won't, because you're off the team." Tashe ordered and Freya's eyes grew in shock.

"What?" Freya gasped quietly and Julietshook her head, frowning.

"What?" Leo asked with disbelief.

Adam leaned forward to Tasha. "You might have to talk a little slower. He's lost a lot of blood."

Juliet smacked his arm, pulling him back. "Sometimes you shouldn't talk, dear."

——

"What do you mean I'm off the team?" Leo asked his mother with shock. "These guys depend on me to have their backs, right, guys?"

"Well, actually-" Chase squeezed Freya's side, motioning her to not continue. Freya cleared her throat, stammering. "Yes."

"That's why we send you in first." Juliet awkwardly smiled.

"That's not why we send him in first." Adam objected and Juliet smacked him again.

"Shh!" Bree shushed him and Juliet glared at her boyfriend.

"What am I supposed to do with my bionic arm if I can't go on missions?" Leo asked his mother, glossing over them.

"Tons of stuff. You could change light bulbs superfast or pull weeds out of the yard. Ooh, you could crack walnuts. The world needs more people who can do that." Tasha told her son, trying to lighten the situation. However, it wasn't helping and Leo was still upset.

"Tasha, I think this is a bit of a harsh punishment," Juliet reasoned.

Leo nodded, agreeing with her. "Yeah. Mom, please. I'm