Even though he didn't see how Piper could seriously protect him, especially since Bart doubted he had any of his sonics guns or other gadgets with him, it was hard resist the feeling of safety that came with being held. And then there was Piper's tone of voice...come to think of it, had he ever really heard Piper sound like that before? Wally was usually the one calling the shots when it came to saving the day, though Linda had also been known to take charge in a crisis.

Just how many things had changed, between the time Bart knew, and Piper's time...?

For the moment, he stayed snuggled close, though he was listening carefully as Piper talked. Having Scourge along could make things kind of complicated if they ran into trouble, but Bart could hardly mention it with the man standing right there. And while he wasn't certain he knew what Piper had in mind, it wasn't as though he'd had any idea what to do with himself tonight.