He felt groggy and his head was swimming. He could barely see anything and he had no idea where he was. "Hello?"
His voice echoed back to him. Hello. Hello. Helllooo.
He reached up and grabbed his head, trying to ease the intense pain. He doubled over in agony.
"Oh my god! What's happening to me?" He looked up trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. "WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?"
That's when he heard her, the voice of what seemed like an angel. "You're changing."
"Changing? Why?" He still could not see anything although he normally had excellent night vision.
"It's your destiny."
"What? What is? This pain is my destiny?" He didn't know what was happening to him and he didn't like it.
"Yes, in a way. Pain has always been your destiny but glory has too."
He wanted to scream at the cryptic voice, release all his bottled up aggression and tension, sadness and sorrow. "WHY? WHY ME?"
"Because you have been chosen."
"Chosen? Chosen to do what? I don't understand."
A bright light filled the room and he had to cover his eyes. "You've been chosen to save the world, JC."
"I've what? Gee, that's reassuring." He looked up and squinted to see through the light. He heart jumped into his throat when he spotted the 'angel' in front of him. "Kara?"
"Hello Josh." She smiled sweetly and JC was overwhelmed with emotions.
"Oh Kara, I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I tried, I tried to save you."
"JC, it was not your fault. We each have our destinies. I've fulfilled mine. Now you have to fulfill yours."
"I don't understand, Kara. What destiny? How can I save the world? I'm just one person."
"You'll figure it out in time but realize that you are more important than you allow yourself to believe. You have to go back now."
JC shook his head. "But I just got here. I want to stay here with you. Please, Kara, don't send me back just yet."
Her face clouded over in anguish. "It's not my call, JC. You have to go back. Just know that when the time is right I'll be there. I'll be waiting for you."
She disappeared and pain shot through JC's whole body, causing him to let out a scream.
***
Chris bolted upright in bed. He just heard someone scream...
"Oh my god! Justin!"
He jumped out of bed and threw on his shirt. Grabbing his sword, he bolted out of his room and down the hall to where Justin slept. He did not knock. He slung the door open, sword in front of him, ready for attack.
"Chris? What's going on?"
Justin was putting on his pants, safe but worried. Chris sighed deeply, relieved that his friend was okay.
"I don't know! I just woke up when I heard a scream."
"Joey?" Justin raced over to his door without answering.
"I think we'd better check downstairs, y'know, just in case." Chris took off for the stairs, making sure that Justin was directly behind him.
"I hope it's not Lance." Justin had worried all night about his new friend.
They inched down the staircase. Chris pointed towards the living room and motioned for Justin to be silent.
"Well, it's not like I'm screaming, Chris." He whispered.
Chris glared at him.
They decided to run into the room on the count of three. Chris held up one finger and mouthed One, Two, Three. At three they burst into the doorway, prepared for the worst.
Joey about jumped out of his skin. "I really needed that guys. Thanks alot."
Joey was on the floor beside the couch, holding JC. "He's alive. I don't know how, but he is and he's in a lot of pain. Justin?"
Justin nodded and walked over, placing his hands on JC's temples. "Hold him still. I can't concentrate when he's thrashing like that."
"I'm trying." Joey said, getting a firmer grip on his friend.
Justin concentrated harder, trying to focus in on what was wrong. After a couple of minutes of searching, he pulled away.
"He doesn't look any better Justin." Joey said, getting defensive.
"I can't help. His body is...I don't know...healing itself. It's weird, unnatural what his body is doing. I was able to heal some minor wounds but I can't control what's happening to him. I can't explain it either."
"Dammit! Now what? If you can't help him, a hospital won't do much good either."
"Oh god, Chris, I can't stand to watch him like this. I don't know what to do!" Justin's eye gleamed with newfound tears.
Chris wanted to reassure him but did not know what to say. He didn't want to admit that he was just as concerned for JC as the rest of them.
The front door slammed shut and they heard someone walk into the foyer. "Lance?" Justin asked. "Is that you?"
"Yeah," his voice said softly from the next room.
JC lifted his head. "Lance?"
"JC?" Lance ran into the room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw how much pain JC seemed to be in.
"What...what's going on?"
"He's alive, Lance, but he's in a lot of pain. Justin can't help him." Joey motioned for Lance to walk over. "I think he wants to tell you something."
Lance walked over and dropped to his knees. JC's eyes looked up at him pleadingly. He held out his hand towards Lance. Guilt for what had happened overcame Lance and he hesitated. "I'm so sorry..."
JC shook his hand at him impatiently. Lance grabbed it. JC gripped his hand tightly.
Lance jerked backwards with surprise as the feeling of fire exploded down his arms. Every vein and muscle felt as if it was going to burst. Lance screamed.
"Oh my god, what is happening to them?" Justin reached out for Lance but Lance pushed him away. After a minute, JC collapsed on the couch. His breathing returned to normal and his grip on Lance loosened.
Lance shook silently in his spot. The pain had left but the effects of it had not. "Well, that was certainly not pleasant."
Joey looked at him in confusion. "What just happened?"
"I'm n...n...n...not sure exactly but I think JC needed to release something and he chose me to do it." He looked over at Joey and then at Chris and Justin. "There's something not right about him. He's changed, physically. I could feel it...changing him. He's completely better now - aside from the effects."
"Could you try being more specific?" Joey said, aggravated.
"I don't think I can. I don't know what it is. It's just something I know."
"Well, is he going to be alright now?" Chris asked quietly.
Justin reached back over to where JC was laying. Placing his hands on him, he looked around inside. "I think so. His body's is just resting right now but Lance is right, there's something different about his internal make-up. I can't explain it but he's not like normal people anymore."
"Do you think he's dangerous?" Joey asked, concerned.
Lance glared at him. "Of course not! He's still JC. He's just something else now too."
Everyone looked over at JC in silence, trying to piece things together and come up with a logical conclusion. The silence continued for quite some time.