[Which is exactly why Casey was left out of that grouping. His situation is entirely different. He was not called upon to be hero, he was forced to survive in an environment where none of them were ever given any choice otherwise. And though Casey's sensei and Rue's Leo are not entirely the same, Rue knows their son well enough to be certain that if he had any choice in the matter, he would have chosen to kept Casey safe at all costs.

But all Rue has ever heard from Peter is about the unfair responsibility to save the world that somehow fell upon his shoulders. How the others in his life - his aunt May, Tony, even the girl he was interested in - all seemed to care more for the superhero and what he could do for them than for the scared little boy beneath the mask.

They can not help the big tears that roll down their feathery cheeks, even as they twist their head to press a loving kiss to Casey's temple, before nuzzling him gently.]

I do not know. I want so much for all of you to have that chance here. I know it is not always a possibility, sometimes we must protect ourselves and each other, but all of you deserve the chance to just be young and happy, to be silly with your friends and have the most important thing in your life be studying for a test in school.

[A bump of their head against his.]

How ridiculous that we've woken you up to this and had such a confrontation on your couch. I apologize, Casey. I did not want to disturb Leo and here I've disturbed you instead.