Authors Note: Sorry about the short chapter, I have a lot going on with school and work. I should have a longer, more interesting chapter out later today. Thank you for reading my story!

Chapter 3

I came to a conclusion just a few seconds ago while lying in this comfortable hospital bed. I need to escape! With my abilities and the fact that I have already fully healed I can make a stealthy escape. I scan the room for any sort of sharp tool I can use to get this damned cast off my leg. I am not having any luck. I happen to glance outside the window and my plans have been derailed as fast as the Nazi regime. Across the street, in a black sedan sit two burly men in black suits. They are very obviously from the mafia. Leaving now would only result in my early death. Dick was always great at making enemies. For now I will play the sick patient. I still have my fake ID I made for school so I can get by as a regular high school student. Well most regular high school students don’t get shot twice. Oh shit, I forgot about school. I guess I’ll be starting a little late if I plan on following the unwell patient plan. I guess I need to get acclimated to living within a hospital for a while.

It’s been an entire month. The doctor is being a little bitch and is making me go through physical therapy. I played along for a while, but acting weak is something I can only do for so long. After two weeks I had enough and began using the weight I always use to workout with. Turns out it is more than most adults could lift. I may have acted a bit rashly. At least after that my physical therapy ended. The doctor still said I needed to stay in the hospital for another two weeks. I think they are trying to figure out how I healed so quickly. Even I don’t know that. Today is the last day of my month long hospital stint and this month gave me a lot of time to think. I need to stop acting so rashly, I’m still a kid. Not a normal kid by any means, but still a kid. I’ll be going to high school once I get out. I need to lay low, at least until my mom comes back from Italy. Once she returns and sees the state of our house, everything in her path will be destroyed.

Mr. Average is now standing in the doorway to my room looking very pleased with himself. Of course in the month I have been in the hospital I got to learn about the family that saved me. They are the Reed family. Mr. Average is actually called Andrew Reed. The mother is Samantha. They also have two girls, Rachel and Hannah. Rachel is the little girl I had the pleasure of hearing when I woke up in the hospital. Hannah is a sophomore in high school at Sacred Hearts. Yes, the same high school I will be going to. I still have not met her, but if she is anything like the rest of her family then ignoring her will be the best option.

“It is finally time for you to get out here. Come on, we will give you a ride home.” He seems almost too excited. Wait, I never told them where my home is. Now that I think about it, what kind of family did I give my fake identification? Shit.

“You don’t know where I live though.” I replied hesitantly, afraid of the answer I was about to receive.

“You are coming to live with us! We have all the paper work filled out and legal procedures taken care of. A fourteen year old boy should not have to live alone on his high school campus.” Damnit, I made Jacob Smith an orphan. It seemed easier at the time to simply make the parents disappear than to create fake ones. I don’t think I have much of a choice here.

I put on the best smile I can and reply with. “I would hate to be a burden to you two. You both have done so much for me already. I can’t ask this much from you.” I know this won’t change anything, but this is the right way to respond.

“Nonsense! You are already family to us! Come on we need to get going. We still have to buy you some clothes and school supplies. You are already three weeks late for school.” Samantha said all this with a voice filled with love. Love isn’t something I am familiar with. It feels disgusting. They shouldn’t have love for someone they only met a month ago. They also shouldn’t take in a stranger they just met a month ago. This family is too odd.

As we walk through the lobby of the hospital, I take a look at myself in a nearby mirror. My short black hair, dark brown eyes, and very pale skin don’t create a very welcoming visage. I also notice a scar on my right cheek. It must be from when the cement shrapnel from the sniper bullet hit me. My ability must only be able to heal until the wound becomes a scar. That means I am also sporting a long scar on my forearm and two scars from my bullet wounds. All of that will not be easy to explain to anyone that asks.

We finally arrive at their house. It is exactly what I expected. A middle sized suburban household. The house was in a cul-de-sac with many other houses that look the exact same. I can already tell it is a very boring place to live. Their house is a two story house made entirely of brick. A Honda Civic is sitting in the driveway. We are currently in a minivan, so they must own two cars. They lead me inside, talking the entire time. I am just pretending to listen at this point. We finally reach a room on the second floor and they lead me inside.

“Here is your room, Jacob. We realize it doesn’t have much, but we weren’t sure how to decorate it.” Andrew said this while looking at me, obviously waiting to see my reaction.

“This is already more than enough. Thank you both so much! This means the world to me.” I have grown pretty great at faking emotions and soon tears began to well up in my eyes. I gave both of them a hug while saying those gag worthy words.

“When you are ready, come downstairs and we can head out to buy you what will need.” Samantha said as they politely left the room. I’m sure they did so to give me time to sort through my emotions. I look at the almost empty room. It just has a bed in one corner and a desk in the other with a closet door to the right of me. This room will do for the time being. I then slowly shut the door and head downstairs towards my new family.