Max spotted his parents as they pulled up and went up to his sister's room.

"Hey, mom and dad are back."

"So soon?" Said Phoebe as she stood from her place behind her desk.

"Yeah, must've finished early I guess."

As they were about to leave her room, he spotted something sitting in the corner of her desk, "What are you doing with dad's transfiguration mask?"

Phoebe froze, eyes widening as she spotted the device in Max's hand. She quickly plucked it out of his fingers, pushing it into her pockets, "Nothing, I was just going to prank you with it."

Max rolled his eyes, "Yeah right."

"Look, we can argue about this after you see (Y/N), must've missed her these few days, right?"

Max saw right through her desperate attempt to change the subject and decided to bring it up later in favor of seeing his girlfriend, "Fine"

They ran down the stairs in time to see their parents as they exited the car with very tense expressions, which once he noticed, he only had one response, "Where's (Y/N)?"

They shared an ambivalent expression and grabbed their bags from the trunk of the Thundervan, moving past their children to enter the kitchen. Phoebe grabbed a bag from her mom, following them.

"She went back to the orphanage, said she needed time to think." Replied Hank closing the door behind them and taking a seat next to his wife at the dining table.

"What's there to think about?" Max asked, taking a seat next to his sister.

His parents didn't reply, they only took out a small pouch and emptied it onto the table. Out came tumbling a few small stones in different colors.

Barb's next question was stern, "Have you ever seen these stones before?"

You stared at the crushed card in your hand, scratching your arm fiercely. You sighed and flicked it away when you remembered the conversation that followed it.

"I'm an empath, I can sense emotions and sometimes even manipulate them. It's how I got you to calm down when you were crying" Said Riley, setting a card in front of you.

"What is this?"

"My number."

"I'm not interested."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. Since I have a skill-set which is not suitable for combat or defense, I also work in the psychological department of the superhero league. I help superheroes that have suffered from losses of powers or people during their superhero life. Emotional support, if you will."

You took a quick glance at the card.

'Riley Andrews- 1234 5678'

You raised a brow, "Does a number like this even exist?"

He shrugged, "I try and keep it simple so that in any emergency my patients can remember it."

You glared at him, crushing the card in your fist and standing from your seat, "I'm not a patient. I don't need 'emotional support' or whatever that is. I just need to get home and forget this entire experience ever happened."

Riley had returned your pin after they had plucked all the maenite from it. You stared at the glimmering gold pin, only now realizing how gaudy it looked.

With a vexed grunt, you threw it on the floor, stomping on it and then kicking it to some corner of the room, hearing it strike the wall.

The next thing you know, your door is being thrown open and Max came storming in, exasperated, "You're leaving?! Because of that stupid pin?!"

You began scratching your arm once again, staring at Max's hurt expression, "I can't stay here."

"Just because of the powers?! You're ready to give everything up because of that?!"

"No, I'm willing to give everything up because I'm not willing to give Adam up."

Max's eyes widened and he took a few seconds to compose himself, looking speechless and helpless, "Well then, what-what are we supposed to do, huh?"

You sighed, sitting on your bed, "I don't know."

Max got to his knees before you, taking your hands in his but before you could say anything, you ripped your hands from his, stumbling and moving away from him.

Max stood up and gave you a look of the most heartbreaking mix of sadness and confusion. Only then did he notice that you were scratching your arm, leaving red marks and scabs in its place.

He could spot the dried blood underneath your fingernails and notice the faint traces of blood on your arm.

"(Y/N)...." He mumbled breathlessly, feet nailed to his place in your room.

You looked tearfully at him, "Please, just go."

"N-No, I want to-" He tried stepping closer to you but you backed away.

"Please." You pleaded, lip quivering and tears misting your eyes.

You closed your eyes and let the tears fall to keep yourself from seeing Max's disappointed and hurt gaze as you heard the door to your room shut.