"This stinks."

"No duh."

"It really stinks."

"None of us like it . . . we're all under house arrest while Robin's still out on the loose, and Cissie and Cassie can go home . . . but for the rest of us, this place is our only real home . . . plus, there's some kinda crisis going on, and we should be out there helping!"

"Oh . . . well, that's bad too."

"Wait . . . what were you talking about?"

"My Dreamcast overheated . . . "

Kon-El slapped his head at the comment of his teammate and friend, Bart. As members of Young Justice, they were Superboy and Impulse. Founding members, they were both sidelined, as Superboy had complained, along with most of the team, following the negative public response about their recent battle with the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle.

They had fought to save one of their former teammates, Linda Danvers, a.k.a. Firebird, who had been telepathically coerced into becoming a member of the aforementioned secret cabal. Though they did save her, the team had been seen by many news stations, apparently trashing a very old, private, and rich club. It was with the advise of Captain America of the Avengers League that the Red Tornado, YJ's mentor, put them under house arrest. It had been just over a week, and every last one of them was getting sick of it.

"What am I gonna do now?" Impulse asked sadly.

"Umm . . . see how fast you could twiddle your thumbs?"

"Hey! That'll work!" Impulse grinned stupidly as he began to twiddle his thumbs at incredibly speeds, creating a miniature vacuum.

Superboy shook his head and walked out of the room. As he began a walk down a darkened hallway, he noticed a dim blue light appear suddenly at the end of the hall. Another second and it was gone, but his teammate Illyana Rasputin replaced it.

"Magik?" Kon asked. "You weren't violating House Arrest were you?"

"I'm not in the mood for you," she replied, turning to walk away.

"Hey now!" Kon called. "That's uncalled for. It's not like I'd report you to Reddy . . . I hate this whole thing as much as everyone else. I was just curious . . . "

"Curiosity can kill more than just felines," she answered. "Keep your questions and comments to yourself."

Another blue light dazzled Superboy as Magik made her exit.

"What is up with her?"

Jennifer-Lynn Haden rested comfortably on a floating, green chair, one made by her own powers, suited to herself, allowing for maximum comfortability. She could create almost anything with her force of will and maintain it for as long as she concentrated. A new trick she had begun experimenting with were a set of green wings. But with her being under house arrest, the regular training as a member of Young Justice had been eased up.

Swimming laps in the pool with her was Samuel Guthrie, also known as Cannonball. He was the leader of the New Mutants before they disbanded and he went to YJ. He, like Magik, was a mutant, not a super-powered human. And, once being a leader, he pushed himself far more than the others on the team. That's why he was swimming laps instead of relaxing with his pseudo-girlfriend.

"I can't believe someone used the term pseudo-dating," Jen frowned, not moving from her relaxing position and hoping Sam would hear. "I guess it's kinda hard to actually date or something, being super-heroes and all . . . but really, pseudo-dating? That's not exactly a romantic term . . . "

"Would ya prefer bizzaro-dating?" Sam asked with a half-smile as he swam by her.

"I'd prefer we were two normal teens, dating like normal kids do," she frowned again. "But I guess with my green skin, that'd be out of the question anyway. I wonder if She-Hulk ever went through this . . . "

"Well, both our lives've never been what most folks'd consider normal. Pseudo-dating fits the trend. Can't beat consistency, right?"

"Eh," she shrugged.

"Ah'm sorry," Sam said as he pulled his elbows up onto her chair.

"For what?" she asked, puzzled.

"For two things, really," he explained. "I'm mainly sorry that the situation can't be how you want it."

She smiled. "I may long for a real life, but believe me, there's nothing about this I'd change. You're a sweet, caring guy, and a total gentlemen, and I really like spending time with you. But . . . what's the other thing you're sorry for?"

He grinned. "This."

With a push, he toppled the chair over, sending Jen into the water.

"Samuel J. Guthrie!" she yelled, wiping the wet hair from her eyes after getting her head out of the water. "Sweet, caring my foot!"

Normally this room was used to work out new tactical scenarios and to build teamwork skills. But for the moment, it was being used as a research center. Inside the control room sat the team's leader, Robin, and the team's mentor, Red Tornado. Inside the training room stood Firebird, the team's recently returned member.

"Just . . . power up?" she asked.

"Whenever you're ready," Robin answered over a comm.

Linda Danvers shrugged. In another instant, giant wings of fire burst from her back and she began to hover into the center of the room.

"Did you see the power spikes when she did that?" Robin asked the Tornado, pointing at one of the various monitors.

"Indeed," the Tornado replied. "Far stronger than we expected."

Robin turned to the mic. "Now, a holographic target is going to appear. See it? I want you to start hitting it . . . start off with as little power as you can hit it with, and then begin hitting it with more. We're going to try and test your limits here."

"Alright," Firebird replied. "Here goes!"

Robin and the Tornado watched nervously.

"Alright . . . that's good news," Robin commented. "Though her power levels do seem to have increased greatly, she still can maintain the same lows she used to have. I was worried that her lows may have jumped, and that even her powers on minimal use could be severely powerful."

"She has maintained a great degree of control," the Tornado nodded.

"Okay, Linda," Robin spoke into the mic, "turn it up!"

"I would like to thank you for coming, Robin," the Tornado spoke. "I knew I needed help with this . . . and the team could really use you. I fear their morale is rather low."

"I'll say hi to everyone."

"I understand you've been quite busy."

"I suppose," Robin shrugged.

"Have you talked to Cassie or Cissie?"

"Nope . . . they're off-limits, you said," Robin replied. But . . . Cissie . . . maybe I should stop in to see her. I don't know what was starting between us . . . I knew for awhile that she liked me, but I don't know . . . it seemed like we were close to starting something. But now? I've spent this past week cleaning up the city alongside the Spoiler . . .

[[The Spoiler debuted in YJ: Manhunter Madness, and the two of them have been working together ever since! As for what they've been doing, keep an eye out for the upcoming Robin/Spoiler one-shot! And, just another important tidbit . . . Robin doesn't know that Cissie, his teammate Arrowette, is actually the Spoiler! - Paul]]

And I don't know what it is. There's something there, more than anything I was ever getting with Cissie. Even when we're fighting alongside together, there's just this vibe I get . . . I hope I'll see her again tonight, because I--

"Robin!" the Tornado pointed at the main power monitor.

"Holy birds of fire, Reddy!" Robin exclaimed.

[[Uhh . . . yeah. He said that. -Me again ;)]]

"She's putting out enough energy to power New Jersey for a week! The system can't hold much more, and her levels are increasing!"

Rob grabbed the mic. "Stop, Linda! Abort the test!"

Down below, Linda's body glowed, surrounded by the flames and the raw energy she was putting out. Her eyes burned with fury.

"Linda?" Robin called. "Linda, abort already!"

"Huh?" she asked, suddenly realizing what was going on. In another few seconds, she had stopped her assault and cut off her power. "Done so soon? I feel like I could've kept that up for hours . . . "

"That's what we're afraid of," Robin said. "You've got such immense power . . . it's dangerous. We've got to find your limits in a safer place, and then decide what to do about it."

"What do you mean, do about it?" she asked. "I like having this much power . . . so long as I'm in control of it, there's nothing you need to 'decide to do about it'."

"We'll talk later, I--" Robin paused, reaching at his ear piece. "Oracle? I read you, yeah . . . what?! Alright, thanks . . . Robin out."

"What is it?" the Tornado asked.

"Looks like the team might have reason to break house arrest."

"Why?"

"There's been a massive explosion at Cassie's house!"