Jeff smiled at his girlfriend.

"I believe in you, Candy. And I know you're gonna do fantastic things."

  She blushed, and kissed him on the chest as she said "With your help."

Jeff smiled as Candy kissed him on the chest.

"We're a team..and we'll help each other do some awesome things.'

  She giggled, and said "We make one heck of a team!  Fyre and Ice!"

"That we do.." Jeff agreed. "Weston is a pretty crazy place sometimes, though, and it needs peeps like us to keep the sanity level in check."

  Candy laughed, and said "I hope we manage it well!"

"Me too...I know Machinesmith was going to help train some of us in the use of our powers. I don't know if there's anyone else around though that can help make us better.."

  Candy said sadly "I'm sorry he won't be around to do that now.  I think I would have liked him a lot."

Jeff nodded.

"I feel the same. Its guys like him that paved the way for us."

 Candy said "I am sure he had so much more he could have done too.  But that creep interfered!!"

"Yeah...that creep..." Jeff said, thinking back to the murder of Machinesmith. "And that's why we have to stop them...and put them away.."

  Candy nodded, and said softly "Those who can, protect those who cannot.  It's a responsibility."

Jeff looked at Candy for a moment.

"Y'know....I used to think of this whole thing as a game. Stop a few criminals, nab a few supervillains, jail a few prison escapees...I'm sure you probably heard about the big breakout a short while ago. But then...after Machinesmith was killed...I realized this wasn't a game. This is for real...I've got powers...and apparently there's some sort of tradition in my family which ties to being a Cryomancer. And now...now, I've got an awesome girlfriend...who I couldn't bear to lose.."

  Candy blushed, and said softly "Another good argument for me knowing Meg.  With the mindworm net, she can send me where she is, and I can 'port there if I need medical attention."

"I know, I know.....just...please be careful, OK? Please?"

  Candy nodded, and said softly "Don't worry, I don't want to get myself dead either."

"Me neither...not after finding you..."

  Candy blushed, and said softly "I can understand that.  But we DO have a responsibilitiy.  To ourselves, and to everyone else."

Jeff nodded at that.

<aqua>"Yes we do..I mean, it doesn't matter how we got these powers and abilities..the fact is, we DO have them."</blue>

  Candy nodded, and said "The facts are, we could LEARN any mundane job there is.  Might take us a LOT of work, but it could be done.  We wouldn't necessarily be good at it.  But we could do it.  But not everyone can defend themselves against people who shoot ice from their hands, or fire, or can sonic scream.  Or reverse gravity.  It's up to people like us, and Ozzy, and Meg, and Excelsior, and Fluid, and Iris, to DEFEND the ones that can't do it."

"Which is why we're the New Age Defenders. And I certainly hope that our group stays together for a long time."

  Candy nodded, and said "I think we will.  We've formed good, solid bonds.  We're allies, and friends, and in some cases, we're sort of all each other have."

Jeff nodded at that.

"You are certainly right about that. And I daresay we complement each other very well. Though I haven't seen Ex or Darren around for a while.."

  Candy chuckled, and said "They've sort of got a lot to deal with.  Each other, a long lost Mom, a daughter that hasn't been born yet . . ."

"Plus Ex has the whole Guardian of the Earth thing going on for him too. I'd say we're pretty well sane compared to that.."