Summer 2012: Hepzibah

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: Hepzibah was down on all fours as she raced up to Hector's room. Kitty had barely gotten out the message that he was hurt somehow before she left the freshman in the dust, still sputtering out details. "Hector!" she called out breathlessly as she burst through the door. Her night seeing eyes went huge as she looked on the bed.

Hector: Hector was passed out in bed, his clothes still on; he hadn't even pulled off his shoes. A half empty glass of water and a likewise half full bottle of pills on the night stand was the only consolation he'd given himself since getting back to the school. His eyes fluttered as he heard the door slam against the wall. "Hmmrrahhh...." He groaned and rolled over, away from the door.

Hepzibah: "Baby??" She leapt over to the bed, snatching up the bottle of pills and looking at the label. "Baby, how many of these have you taken??" She shook him, her face paling at the dried blood on his sleeve. This was her one of her worst fears. "Hector, answer me! What happened??" She was trying to keep from shaking.

Hector: Hec shook his head to wake himself up, not even able to sleep through her tirade in his drug induced sleep. "I took 4... I'm fine... Just had a massive migraine's all..." It still hurt, and he was very grateful she'd not turned on the lights. "Over did it with the powers..."

Hepzibah: "Four??" She did the math in her head and quickly figured out that was two too many. "Baby, you're in bad, bad shape. Let’s go see Dr. McCoy." Hepz tried to nudge him up out of bed. Her tail was whipping behind her like mad, matching the distressed look on her face. "I'll help you up," she coaxed him, trying to pull him up.

Hector: He shook his head again, "No... No I'm fine... Just need sleep." He tried to push her off, but even at full strength he was really no match for her, let alone in his drug induced state atm.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah took a quick breath as she saw his hand. It had been a very long time since she'd seen Hector without skin. Was not something he'd do voluntarily. Her eyes went wide alarm and worry as she pulled his hoodie back revealing his face, seeing the facial muscles and bone. No wonder he didn't want to go the lab. He wouldn't want to be seen like this. "Oh, baby... what happened?" she whispered.

Hector: "I told ya... Over did it with my powers... Tried to do too much at a time..." Was difficult to stay awake, and difficult to focus on talking, his head was pounding and a new trickle of blood started down his nose again.

Hepzibah: She bit back a retort that she wanted to know why he'd overused his powers. Nagging him could wait; right now he needed help whether he realized it or not. Hepz left him just long enough to wet a couple of wash clothes. Sitting on the bed next him, she put a cool, wet wash cloth over his forehead and eyes and gently wiped the blood off his face. "And now we know not to do that, right?" she joked trying to hide her anxiety.

Hector: "Had too... Kitty was in trouble..." He said quietly from under the cloth, it felt good, the cool water taking some of the intensity out of his headache. He'd almost fallen back asleep but the water kept him awake. "I'll be fine in the mornin’..." He assured her.

Hepzibah: That little gossip girl IS trouble. She held back a growl. "It's ok baby. You can tell me all about it later, when you’re better." She could tell he was still in pain even with the double dosage of meds and the cool wash cloth. She'd had migraines herself years ago – they were agonizing. "Want me to lay down and keep you company?" she whispered, releasing a low level of pheromones.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah was incredibly hesitant to use her gifts. Too high a dosage and it would do more harm than good. But just the right amount... "Just relax baby. It'll pass."

Hector: "Yeah... Just need sleep... Head is pounding..." He reached out to wrap his arm around her and pull her close. He didn't even notice the pheromones as he quickly feel into a deep sleep again.

Hepzibah: "That's my baby," she whispered, laying down and getting comfortable. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and laid on the night stand in case she needed to call for help in a hurry. Tenderly, she wiped his face again to stop another trickle of blood, small this time. Part of her still wanted to haul his ass to the medlab - but the other part her knew how he'd feel if she did that to him. She kept emitting an extremely low level of pheromones, curling her tail up over him protectively.

((time passes))

Hector: He slept peacefully for hours, no dreams that he could recall, and no restlessness either as he slept like the dead. ((Or like a baby, whatever your analogy of choice.)) His eyes fluttered open the next morning, to sunlight coming in the window.

Hector: "Oh man..." He started to say his head was killing him, remembering the pain from last night, but it was no longer there. "Headache's gone." He said quietly to himself.

Hepzibah: "Good," Hepzibah smiled, brushing his hair back out of his eyes. "And look," she whispered, stroking his cheek and reaching down to take his hand. She held it up to his face. "You're back to normal. Started shifting back about thirty minutes or so after you fell off." She stifled a yawn. Now that he was awake, her own fatigue started creeping in a tiny bit.

Hector: "Hey... lookit that..." He smiled, and it didn't even hurt to do so. "Man... I feel like I've slept a week...." He was wide awake, and could feel almost every bit of pain and fatigue he'd had recently had been completely washed away. "Musta been some kick ass pills..." He joked, and noticed her yawn, "You didn’t stay up all night, did'ja?"

Hepzibah: "Naw - as soon as you fell asleep I went out and partied all night," she grinned, glad to hear him back to his normal self. "Just kidding. Didn't want to fall asleep on the job till I knew for sure that you were going to be ok. Now I know." Her grin died down to a smile.

Hector: "That'd be just like you... I'm dying and you run off to go clubbing..." He joked back, and ran his hand through her hair. "Well... Let’s get you some sleep now... I feel pretty good now, but a few more hours in bed won’t hurt. Not like we have class to worry ‘bout no, yeah?"

Hepzibah: "Like you'd have done any different," she teased him back, remembering waking up in that very same bed with him nurse maiding over her. Had taken her days to recover from her illness and he rarely left her side that whole time. "Sleep...That is the best idea I've heard all week," she nodded, yawning again and curling up next to him, purring as she listened to his heart beat. "Just glad you heal faster than me."

Hector: "Hey, maybe I gotta new power." He joked as he ran his hand through her hair, "Sleep now, we can celebrate later."

Hepzibah: "Yay you..." she grinned, loving the feel of his hand in her long hair. It played at her tired brain, trying to pick apart why a new power would just now be showing up. She shook her head; didn't matter - he was ok and that was all that mattered. Snuggling closer to him and purring like a very contented cat, Hepz reached with one hand and pulled the covers over them.

[Raven Hare]

Hector: Hec sat up soon after Hepz drifted off to sleep, and pulled the almost forgotten cell and wallet from his pockets before kicking his jeans off and throwing them across the room. "Who are you..." He whispered, as he started to go through the contact list and recent texts, most were irrelevant, but he noticed a trend, most of the numbers were from out of the country. Spain, Mexico, several Caribbean nations.

Hector: He shook his head as he went through the guys wallet and confirmed his suspicions. 3 ID's, one from the US, one Mexican, and one Spanish, and a creased frequent customer card to one of the coffee shops his father ran as a front organization. Sonava...

Hector: His head drooped, He's getting closer... Guess I should go have a talk with him. He'd been dodging his dad for years, since he'd left with a few prized possesions, to pawn for seed money for his own grow operation. His father had gotten in a bit of trouble with the family over the lost possesions. But Hec had already taken care of that part.

Hepzibah: Stretching and uncurling her tail, Hepzibah rubbed her face into the pillow and smiled contently. One hand reached out over to Hector's side of the bed, when she frowned realizing she was alone. "Hector?" she called softly, blinking and waking up more as she sat up and looked around for him.

Hector: He walked in from the bathroom, toothbrush in his mouth and the rest of his bathroom supplies packed in a small bag. "Hey baby... You up for a road trip?"

Hepzibah: Hepzibah blinked, then threw the covers back. "Sure, where we going?" she grinned, getting up and making the bed real quick. Not that it really matter to her where they were going, she was always up for a trip; especially with her boyfriend.

Hector: "Mexico." He tossed her the bath supplies bag and pointed to a mini duffle with clothes already packed next to hers in the corner.

Hepzibah: "Mexico??" she echoed, grabbing up her old worn backpack and tightening the straps. "Cool - never been to Mexico. What's in Mexico? Besides Tequila and beaches!" she laughed, getting her toothbrush out of the front pocket. Mariachi music was already playing in her head, making her sway a bit.

Hector: "Family. Figured it's ‘bout time I went and checked in, yeah? You can meet, mom and the sib's." He spoke around the tooth brush then stepped back in the bathroom to spit and rinse.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah stood there with her tail limp, stunned as Hector walked away. After several seconds, she slowly followed him into the bathroom. "Your... your mom? You want me to meet your mother?" She gripped her tooth brush tighter. He was serious when he'd mentioned taking her to meet his family. A little smile pulled at her lips.

Hector: He came out and wiped his mouth with his forearm, "Yeah, gotta stay somewhere, and there's not exactly many nice hotels in that area..." He walked over to his bag and went through it once more, making sure he was good to go.

Hepzibah: Brushing her teeth real quick, Hepz followed him back into the bedroom and put her toothbrush up and grabbed her hairbrush off the dresser, pulling it through her hair and few times, then putting it in her pack and braiding her hair. "What do you mean 'gotta stay somewhere'? We're not going just to visit?" Something seemed off in his demeanor and body language.

Hector: "Well, yeah, I mean, no since in gettin’ down there and turning right bout round. So gotta stay somewhere, yeah?" He reasoned out, his mental check list completed he drew the string tight. "Just needa text my boys in town and tell them what's up, and we can go. You wanna say bye to anyone real fast?" He asked, as he already started to send the mass text out to some of his regulars.

Hepzibah: She thought for a moment about Kyle and a few others. "If we see Kyle on the way," she nodded. "Text Farouk and let him know I might be MIA for a bit." Hepz had a feeling that might make Hector a little bit happy. She rolled up her baby quilt and tied it to the top of her pack.

Hector: "K." He hit send on his first one, and started writing the next as he slung his pack over his shoulder and headed out the door with her right behind. "And done. We get stops for gas and tacos." He warned her, "Can taste the food get better as we travel south." He laughed.

Hepzibah: "You mean it gets better than Taco Bell??" Hepz joked, following close behind. Since he'd rescued her out of the cage Kraven had kept her in, she went where ever Hector did. For most girls, a cross country road trip meant hours of planning and packing and decision making. Hepz wasn't 'most girls'. Shutting the door behind them, she grabbed her cell and shot off a text to Farouk. Dear Lard Ass…

[stjohn]

Hepzibah: It well after midnight and raining cats and dogs as Hector pulled into the motel parking lot. Hepzibah was nocturnal by nature, but she was still had been fighting to stay awake for the last 50 miles or so. The bright neon light was like a beacon as she stretched against Hec. "Looks like they left the light on for us," she joked, stifling a yawn.

Hector: "Ha... Yeah. Hopefully they're still awake..." He parked under the eave glad at least for the little things. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm as he peered inside the front window. "I'll run in and grab a room real quick, you get us some snackage?"

Hepzibah: "You got a deal," Hepz nodded, looking at her cash - fortunately there were lots of one's. There was a virtual buffet of vending machine treasures lining the wall next to the office. "Gonna get a single or a double," she teased, having to talk over the pouring rain. Before he could answer, she shot out of the car and made for the covered easeway.

Hector: He started to answer her with a smart ass comment, but she was already gone, like a white arrow across the way. He stepped into the office, wiping his shoes on the welcome rug and headed to the desk, to see a little old man behind it, asleep in his chair. "AHEM..." The man startled awake and stood up quickly, Hope he doesn't have a heart attack. Hec thought with a grin.

Hepzibah: Feeding the machines like a crazed video gamer at an arcade, Hepz loaded up on a wide variety of sweet and salty snacks and drinks. As a pair of headlight caught her, she morphed into her human for almost instinctively. Standing under the ease, arms loaded with junk food she debated on waiting there or going inside.

Hector: Hec came out a moment later with the card key in hand, "Room 17. He said that whole half of the hotel is empty sides us." He waggled his eye brow at her and pinched her bottom before running out to the car and bringing it over for her to jump in.

Hepzibah: "Really? Good thing - would want noisy neighbors to disturb us," she gave him a dirty grin. When he pulled around, she launched into the car, still drenched, but not quite so much as him. Miraculously, she managed to hang onto all the snacks. "Thanks babe," she grinned and leaned over to give him a kiss.

Hector: "Oh no, wouldn't want that." He laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled down the parking lot, reading the numbers on the doors as he did. "!3... 15... 17. That's us." He pointed to the door second from the end and pulled the car in. "Think we gamble on it, run in like this, and leave the bags in here till morning? Hope the ran stops for then?" He copped a feel from around her shoulder, "Think we can make do without the threads for one night while ruffin it, yeah?"

Hepzibah: "You have a dirty, dirty mind," she grinned, purring as he felt her up. "I love it - you know me. I don't hardly wear clothes as it is," she shifted to give him an even better angle to get at her with. "Pretend we're in a porno?" she laughed, staring at the rain and trying the determine the best way to get to the breezeway in the least about of time.

Hector: "Ha... Yeah, you take the card and get set up, I'll go grab some ice." He smirked, a little payback was in order from a few weeks ago. He kissed her neck and twisted her nipple before getting out and running down to the supply room.

Hepzibah: She sat down the drinks and snacks on the table then went to turn the air down some, it was freezing in there without her fur. Wringing her braid out over the sink, she got it as dry as she could, then grabbed a towel. Hepz had a sneaking suspicion the ice wasn't for the drinks as she stripping out of her clothes.

Hepzibah: Something nagged the back of her mind as she waited for him. In the year or more since they'd been together in one fashion or another Hector had never expressed a desire to go 'home'. Now he just suddenly decided to take a road trip spur of the moment... the day after he or Kitty or both got jumped? A little knot of worry was building in her stomach.

Hector: Hec came back, bucket of ice and a stack of towels in his arms. He kicked the door, knocking with his foot as he waited for her to answer, "Maintenance!" He called out and thought up what all he was going to do with all this ice.

Hepzibah: She put her eye to the peep hole and laughed when she saw Hector's eye peeping through at her. "But I didn't call for maintenance..." she said coyly, opening the door just a crack and hiding her near naked frame on the other side.

Hector: "Gotta check your pipes ma'am. They needa be cleaned." He nodded and shouldered his way in, feigning shock at her barely covered body before kicking it shut with a loud 'thud'.

Hepzibah: "Oh I make sure my pipes are serviced on a regular basis," she grinned, pressing herself up against him as he had his hands full and licked the rain off his neck. "Want me to prove it to you?" She said the words and went through the motions, but she could shake the feeling that he was holding out on her about something big. She normally let him have his secrets... but this was different; she could feel it.

Hector: "Oh, I'm a hands on kinda guy, but I sure 'preciate your co-operation." He smiled lewdly as he rolled his head to the side for her, and pressed the bucket of ice up between her cleavage.

Hepzibah: Hepz gasped at the cold bucket against her and picked up an ice cube, trailing it over his chin. "Do you now?" she grinned, but it faltered a little. She had a choice - keep going like this or ask what was on her mind and maybe ruin the rest of the trip. She was torn, unsure what to do.

Hector: He rolled his head again and walked over to the bedside table to set his stuff down. "Oh yes, just let me get my tool belt off and we'll get started." He grinned and started to unbuckle his belt, not even noticing her slight hesitation this evening, chalking it up to 14 hours in the car.

Hepzibah: The last time they spent the night in a motel, it had started months of hurt feelings and misunderstandings between them. She didn't ever want that to happen again. "Hector?..." she started, not even really sure how to ask as her brow creased. "Can I ask you something?"

Hector: "Sure babe." He dropped his character along with his jeans and took a seat on the bed, "What's up?" He sprawled across the bed and reached off the edge towards her.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah took his hand and sat down next to him. She curbed her blunt nature, trying to think of the 'just right' way to ask this. "Baby... is there something... 'going on' here? I mean, why the sudden road trip?" She pulled up her legs, morphing back into her feline form letting her tail wrap around her. "If you tell me it's just a road trip I'll believe you... but please don't lie to me." she said softly looking over at him finally.

Hector: He looked up at her, and sighed, but there was no way he was gonna lie to her. "Yeah... Kinda. My dad's been looking for me. Wants me to come home, help run the family. Found out I been makin’ it on my own and wants me closer." He told her evenly.

Hector: "And if there's one thing I learned from the whole dumb-ass episode, it's better to make the first move." He shrugged.

Hepzibah: She took a deep breath. She didn't know much about Hector's father, but she knew enough to know that you didn't trifle with him if you wanted to live long. She was starting to hate all men over the age of forty. At first she wasn't sure what to say. She went through a dozen possible responses ranging from 'If you wanted to get yourself killed, you could have gone to Brazil.' - to "Let's go to Canada.'

Hepzibah: In the end, she laced her fingers through his and took another breath to calm herself. For better or worse... She smiled at him. "What do you want me to do?"

Hector: He squeezed her hand, "Just, ya know, meet la familia. I'll deal with my pops. Worse case scenario, we turn around and go back to New York." He shrugged. He really had no idea how things would go with his father, he was a powerful man, and everyone in his family was used to getting what they want.

Hepzibah: She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, studying his hand intently. Her tail ticked a little. "Would he just let us leave... let you leave?"

Hector: Hec smirked, "Do you think he'd have much choice? I am an expert on getting in and out of places." He laughed, "But I don’t think he'd do anything too drastic. In his best interest to keep things under wraps."

Hepzibah: She tried to laugh, but was still worried. Given her experiences, Hepz was more than a little gun shy. "I just thought you took off because there was some kind of problem with you and your old man... didn't think you left on the best of terms."

Hector: "Well... Yeah, and also no... Problem he had was I left, I left cause a the mutation. It's... Complicated." He bit his lip, not really wanting to explain just then. "He was angry when I left cause I took some things when I left... Pawned them off for cash."

Hector: "Was why I was angry last year in New Orleans, was getting them and sending them back to him. Was hoping that'd make it even, yeah? Apparently no."

Hepzibah: "Is that what last night was about? Your old man send some of his attack dogs after you?" Hepz still didn't know where Kitty fit into the grand scheme of things - she'd worry about that later. "To 'convince' you to come back into the fold... or else?" She frowned again, pulling his hand closer to her chest.

Hector: "I don't think they were really 'attack' dogs... more like hounds. The voice mail I heard said they were supposed to talk to me, nothing more... Guess me and Kitty got just a bit... overzealous...." He shrugged again, and rubbed his fingers softly against her skin. "But all will be well, yeah?"

Hepzibah: "I hope so," she nodded slowly. "You know, I'm right there - either way right?" Hepz laid down next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

Hector: "Why you think I brought ya? Might need me some muscle, yeah?" He laughed, "I kid, but we will be fine." She gonna freak out, but will be fine. "So... where were we anyway..." He ran his fingers along her skin.

Hepzibah: Hepz managed half a laugh, her tail slapping him across the chest. "Damn straight," she nodded with mock fierceness. She started to purr a little as his fingers trailed through her soft, snow white fur. "I just have one more question..."

Hector: "Oh yeah? What's that?" He asked, making small designs in her fur as they lounged on the bed.

Hepzibah: "What were you doing out with Kitty?" Hepz asked with a suspicious look that was almost serious. She didn't really think Hec was getting any on the side. But it was... odd that a little Jewish white bread like her would have been anywhere near that part of town, especially after dark.

Hector: "Oh not much, just a little pie tastin and late night walk through the hood." He smirked as he watched her, "I was out on business, her car broke down drivin through the hood, spotted her afore she got herself into trouble."

Hepzibah: Her eyes narrowed as the green eyed monster peeked out for a moment. Then she shook her head at the rest of his explanation, grinning. "Probably a good thing you were there then. She got no business over there - that crowd woulda eat her alive." She gracefully slid over on top of him. "Just so long as she didn't try to 'repay' you in trade," she almost laughed at the thought of that.

Hector: "Oh I had to pay for her pie." He nodded solemnly. "But it didn't taste very good, only nibbled on it a bit." He laughed, "Now you on the other hand..." He got up on his hands and knees over her.

Hector: "Oh I had to pay for her pie." He nodded solemnly. "But it didn't taste very good, only nibbled on it a bit." He laughed, "Now you on the other hand..." He wrapped his arms around her as she lay on top of him.

Hepzibah: "You had better be talking about the pie from that shitty diner on East Third," she smirked, her tail trailing over his bare legs as a smiled curled up. She laid down on him. "What about me?" she purred.

Hector: "Kinda hungry... You wanna give me somethin ta munch on?" He grinned up at her, his hands rubbing her back and down her sides.

Hepzibah: "You know me - I'm open 24/7." she grinned back, leaning up and reaching behind her to unfasten her skimpy bra. There was an eager look on her face as her pheromones started filling the motel room.

Hepzibah: ((And this time, I'll be here when you wake up))

[Raven Hare]

Hector: The next evening Hec and Hepz had just pulled out of a small Mexican food joint in Brownsville Texas, only a few miles from the border into Mexico. "Alright, cross into Mexico, and we should be home in a couple of days." He reached into the back seat and into his bag to pull out his passport. "Hey... You gotta passport right?" He asked, just now thinking of it.

Hepzibah: "Naw - never liked having my picture taken," she answered, stretching her long legs and trying to get comfortable. They had been driving almost nonstop for nearly three days. Reaching into her to go bag, she pulled out another taco. "You're right, by the way, mexican food does get better the further south you go." She took a drink of her soda. "Hotter too."

Hector: "Told ya." He smiled, "And those don't even have hot sauce on 'em." He ran through the options in his head, debating on whether he should talk to the guards, or just invis Hepz and not worry about it, and decided to go with their standard fall back plan. "This is the kinda weather summer's s’pose ta feel like too. They just think it's hot up there in NY."

Hepzibah: Hepz had to nod in agreement. "Summers down here are a bitch - especially when you don't sweat." Finishing her taco, she leaned her head out the passenger window, and breathed the night air in deep. She'd never been this far south, but the carnival circuits traveled mostly in the summer and through some of the hottest and most miserable parts of the west and Midwest.

Hepzibah: She'd stayed in her human form almost the entire way since leaving the school. Only taking her true form when they were safely out of sight. "So - starting to feel more like home?'" she smiled, looking back at him.

Hector: "Ha... Kinda, yeah." He shook his head with a smirk as he pulled his car towards the border gate, and slid his field over her body, vanishing her from sight. "Just stay quiet when we get close to front a the line, I'll do the talking." He joked.

Hector: There was a long line on cars waiting to cross, so he pulled in behind them, and tossed his passport onto the passenger seat, between Hepz's legs. "Won’t take too long anyway, fairly quick, less you're suspicious."

Hepzibah: "Yeah... keep that up and I'll make it impossible for you to keep quiet," she threatened, reaching an invisible hand over to toy with his fly. The other hand picked up the odd passport, curiously. "I thought passports were supposed to be blue," she frowned. It was dark in the car, but Hepz's eyes didn't much light.

Hepzibah: "Weird," she commented. This didn't look like any passport she'd ever seen. It had some kind of crest on the first page of a crown on top of a shield with 3 trees on the right side and 2 baskets of olives on the left side. She let loose a rare giggle as she stumbled over his full name. "Hector Jesus Rendoza de Irujo y Hohenlohe," she garbled. "Your momma named you Jesus?? And what with the rest of this past Rendoza?"

Hector: "Uh huh, you can try, might be nice to not have to stop for a little fun time." He grinned, "But no, US passports are blue. I'm not from the US, and the rest of that is my full last name. Iruja and Hohenlohe are family names passed down indirectly. I just stick with my name, less of a mouth full, yeah?" He grinned, "Not that you have a problem with a mouth full."

Hector: "And it's pronounced Hector Heyzus Rendoza de Irujo y Ho hen loh ei." He said his full name, slowing it down so she could pick out each difficult syllable.

Hepzibah: No wonder he gets such a kick out of it when'Jesus' gets tossed out there while we're in the act... She kept that thought to herself. Instead, she bit her lip and focused. She knew 'Jesus' was pronounced with a 'y' in spanish, but it was just too much fun to pick at him. But the rest was a challenge. "Hector Heyzus Rendoza de Irujo y Ho hen loh ei...Hector Heyzus Rendoza de Irujo y Hohenlohei...Hector Jesus Rendoza de Irujo y Hohenlohe." Each time the pronounciation improved.

Hector: He laughed as she tried it out, over and over. "Yeah, see, why I just use the first bit. You imagine people trying to get all that out first meet?" He moved the car up a bit as the line lurched forward. Only a few cars up ahead of them.

Hepzibah: "Yeah, think I'll just stick to calling you 'baby," she grinned, unseen as they moved into the lights of the toll booth for the bridge that cross over into Mexico. "Hey, what river is that?." She whispered, looking up ahead as they got to the booth. Her hand rested on Hec's thigh as she put the Spanish passport back down on the seat where he'd tossed it.

Hector: He gave her a quick grinned and rested his hand on hers for a moment as he pulled up another car length. "On this side it's called the Rio Grande, on the other it's the Rio Bravo del Norte." He checked to see where the passport was, and reached into the ash tray for change for the approaching toll.

Hepzibah: She waited for him to pay the toll and start over the bridge before she spoke again. "Really? The Rio Grande? Like the John Wayne movie?" Hepz stuck her head out the window like an excited nine year old to be able to get a better look at it. "And Rio Bravo del Norte... brave river of the north?" she reasoned out when she slid back in the car, hoping she got the translation mostly right.

Hector: "Getting good at that." He smiled, hearing her move and trying to figure out what exactly she was doing. "It's the border between Texas and Mexico, but of course Texans aren't gonna call something south of their state the great river of the north." He smirked, and kept the car moving slowly as they got to the border patrol station on the other side.

Hepzibah: "Thanks!" Her face was invisible, but the pride was obvious in Hepz's voice. She'd really been trying hard to learn spanish and now it was paying off a little. "I don't guess calling the river to the south the NORTH river wouldn't make much sense," she agreed going quiet and tensing as they pulled up to the patrol guard. She laid a hand back on his leg. No matter how many times he invisied her to sneak her around - she always got nervous.

Hector: He shook his head and turned down the radio as he pulled up next to the guard booth. A quick 'Hello, passport please' and Hec reached for it on the 'empty' seat and handed it to him. "Hola amigo, Estoy de visitar de camino a casa a mi padre en la embajada de España." With a quick look at the seal, and family name the guard handed in back quickly with a formal nod of his head and waved them through with no further inspection.

Hepzibah: "Wow, that was..." she fished for the word. "Easy." Hepz frowned as she twisted around to see the little station and the little guard getting smaller as the picked up speed. "Seems like they'll let anybody into the country nowadays," she joked. She silently tried to work out the translation in her head. He'd said roughly that he was going to visit is father, but she kept tripping up over 'embajada'. She didn't know that word.

Hector: "Yeah... They don't much care who comes in, it's the US on the other side wanting to stop travel." He shrugged. Helps to know what to say and when also. He thought, but he wasn't going to tell her, and he was certain she hadn't figured out what he said, else she'd be asking about it already.

Hepzibah: "Hey, does this make me an illegal alien??" she laughed suddenly as the thought hit her. Her expression turned more serious again, thinking about what laid ahead of them.

Hector: "Eh... Yes and no. Not illegal for you to be here per se... but you did cross illegally. But it doesn't matter much where we're going, so no worries, yeah?" He smiled and turned onto the main highway and headed for the heart of Mexico.

[stjohn]

Hepzibah: "Oh wow..." Hepzibah sat on the hood of Hector's Impala staring out over the beach, watching the tide coming in. It was like the water went on forever. It was true Pietro had taken her to his father's beach house on the Pacific shore, but that whole time was such a tangle of lies and betrayal, Hepz spent months just trying to forget it. Now, looking out over the Gulf of Mexico - it was like it never had.

Hepzibah: She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and leaned back against the windshield, mesmerized. "It's beautiful..." She turned to Hector for a second. "And this is where you spent your time? Why did you ever leave??" she smiled.

Hector: "I know right... Specially for New York, but eh, perfect weather and beautiful sun sets get old after a while, yeah?" He laughed as she made a face, "Yeah... I guess not. Just a wandering spirit I guess... I like to find new haunts and get an inch to leave if I stay still too long." Hec crossed his arms behind his head and laid down next to her.

Hepzibah: "Yeah, I understand the whole rolling stone bit," she nodded, moving over to rest her head against his shoulder. "Time I've spent at Xavier's is the longest I've ever spent in any one place." She closed her eyes to listen to the surf and take in the smell of salt in the air. "I could stand to stay here awhile," she purred. "A nice long while."

Hector: He smiled, "Uh huh... Beautiful ocean, beautiful beaches, beautiful women, and you of course." He ribbed her a little, "Plus, cheap drinks and anything else you might ever want only a short walk away." He laughed again, "Stay here long enough, maybe I get you into the water for real this time."

Hepzibah: Hepz laughed. "Me? in there??" She nodded at the water as the beach disappeared a little bit more, the tide rising as the sat there. "Speaking of cheap drinks, you ready for dinner?" she grinned, proud of how she side stepped the water issue.

Hector: "Yeah, how's bout we lay the blanket out down on the sand, no?" He rolled off the hood and reached into the backseat through the open window to pull out the basket with the blanket on top of it. "Find us a good spot?" He asked as he pushed his shades up.

Hepzibah: "Any excuse to get me on a blanket, huh?" She winked and looked up the and down the coast line. It really all looked the same to her - miles of pure white sand and crystal blue water as far as she could see in either direction. "How about there?" she pointed to a random spot she hoped wasn't too close to the incoming water line. The sun was starting to get low in the sky. "Might need to build a fire soon..."

Hector: "Yeah... Maybe." He nodded and hauled the basket and blanket, making his way across the not-too-crowded beach, enjoying the sights as he passed several sunbathing beauties. He set the basket down in the spot she picked out and spread the blanket out in one quick flick and plopped down, "Yeah... I like this spot." He grinned.

Hepzibah: "Good, me too." Hepzibah grinned and slid down next to him with cat-like grace. Her tiny bikini that was nearly scandalous anywhere else fit in perfectly here. She stared alternately between Hector and the water, and then started digging the dinner out of the basket. "So, what's next on the agenda?" she asked, handing him his food and reaching in for her own.

Hector: Hec unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite as he lay on his side, enjoying the warm sun on his skin, and the hot women all around. "Eat, and then I work on gettin ya wet. Be easy if the sun bakes ya for a bit and ya get all hot and bothered afor it goes down." The insinuation was thick as he winked at her.

Hepzibah: On the outside, Hepz was giving him a dirty grin and ate her sandwich. But on the inside, it felt like a last meal. Tomorrow they were supposed to meet up with Hec's father and that had cost her some sleep over the past few nights. "Always wanted to try a sex on the beach," she smirked at him, reaching for her soda. The booze was in the bottom of the basket for later.

Hector: "Oh, it's not bad I guess... If you don't mind sand in strange places..." He grinned back, knowing full well what she really meant. "I'll give ya the half hour after dinners done, then you're going in that water one way or another..." He warned her playfully.

Hector: He knew this might be his last free day for some time, regardless of how tomorrow went, he was bound to be dragged back into family politics whether he wanted to or not. So he would enjoy it while it lasted.

Hepzibah: She laughed a little. "We'll see... I'm still stronger than you on your best day. I would suggest you resort to bribery... you know, make it worth my while to leave this perfectly safe sand and drop to the near bottom of the food chain out there." Hepz leaned over and kissed him in between bites, grinning. "So whatcha got that's worth the risk?" In the back of her mind, she was desperately trying to think of a way to put off tomorrow.

Hector: "Bottom of the food chain out there? What makes ya think you're on top here? Pretty sure even on this blanket you might still get eaten." He said seriously between bites.

Hepzibah: "Promises, promises...." she chuckled and finished off her dinner. "Could say the same thing about you. Speaking of which - what's for dessert?" Her voice took a dirty dip and she tossed her sandwich wrapper back in the basket and leaned back on her elbows. Her hair and her skin were more golden these days, reflecting her build up of melatonin.

Hector: "Promises, promises." He echoed with a dirty grin and pulled out the dessert he had put together. A bunch of small shot glass sided disposable cups full of Jell-O. He took one and set it on her tummy, just above her belly button and made a small hole in the top with his finger tip before pouring a small shot of tequila inside it.

Hector: "Thought I'd try something new, I'll make ya one if you like." He laughed and leaned down to suck it up and lick it clean.

Hepzibah: "I'd love one," she grinned eagerly, touching the back of his head as he leaned down and took the shot. Taking another shot, she mimicked him, putting the little disposable cup on his abs and making a hole with her finger. "Like that?" she asked sucking on her finger suggestively as she grabbed the tequila bottle with her free hand. A few people around them were starting to stare.

Hector: "Uh huh, and just pour it in, and suck it up." He smiled as he watched her suck her finger clean, and tightened his abs for the onlookers.

Hepzibah: "Whatever you say," she smirked with a submissive grin. She tossed some tequila in the cup and leaned down to suck it up as instructed. Her long hair fell over him as she did so, giving her hand a chance to wander down to his shorts and play for a second before leaning back up. "That's it - you're doing the desserts from now on." she grinned.

Hector: He laughed, "Oh yeah?" His eyes half closed as she toyed with him and back wide as he watched her back arch while she was on hands and knees beside him. "Think I can live with that. I know you have a fondness for my cream filled treats."

Hepzibah: "Uh huh, they are my favorite. One in particular. May have to load up on them tonight since -" Her smile slipped for a moment and there was an awkward silence. "Hey, you promised to get me all wet - by any mean necessary, right?" she nodded over her shoulder at the waves, forcing a joke.

Hector: He laughed a bit, "Oh yes, and I'm gonna, you can count on it." Hec laid out to soak in the last rays of sun before it set over the town behind them and they were covered in shadow, and then night. "And that's good... I might have a load waiting for ya."

Hepzibah: "Open 24/7, baby" she joked back, taking his hand and laying down herself, lounging in the warm sun. She tried to relax, but it was almost impossible. With her free hand, she reached up and ran a finger over her emerald green cat’s-eye for comfort.

Hector: "Kina like seven eleven. May not always be doing business, but I'm always open." He quoted. His head rolled over as he lay there, watching her as he felt eyes on them from the other beach goers all around, a few murmurs and mumbling as it appeared the show was over.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah laid there staring up at the sky as it turned a darker shade of blue, the sun starting to sink into the water on the horizon. Anxiety was starting to build up inside her. She was quiet for awhile, and then whispered, "Don't go."

Hector: He'd almost started to drift off, and barely heard her above the din of the crowd and the crashing of the waves. "What? In the water?" He asked confused.

Hepzibah: She turned her head to look at him, rubbing her pendent for luck. "To see your father tomorrow... don't go." Her voice was almost pleading. "We can just disappear instead - the both of us. Just keep moving - he'd never catch us."

Hector: "Ah..." His head rolled back forward again, looking up at the dark sky as stars started to appear between the wisps of clouds. "Yeah... But then we'd always be running. And I like moving at my own place, yeah? This is for the best, get it done now, and out of the way, and then we never have to look over our shoulders again." He said resolutely. Fact is, he'd had the same thoughts, many times before, and even had gone with them each time, but he didn't want to have to move along this time.

Hepzibah: There will never be a time I'm not looking over my shoulder... Hepz was obviously not happy with that answer as she sat up. She reached for the tequila bottle, looking out over the dark water, not able to look at him. Fire pits were starting to dot the landscape as night came in. "You're all I have you know..."

Hector: Hec brought his knees up and rolled forward to sit up next to her, a hand moving up her back, rubbing softly. "I know, and you are all I've ever wanted." He smirked, "Well, most of it anyway."

Hepzibah: She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hand against her skin. She took a pull off the bottle and handed it over to him. "Can't we at least wait a little while - spend a few weeks here maybe? I thought this summer we'd be able to make up for last summer... make up for the time we lost? Why does it have to be tomorrow?"

Hector: "We will! Chicka!" He took her opposite shoulder and pulled her to him, "We can spend all summer on the beach, drinking cocktails off each other with little umbrellas in your hair." He brushed a piece of hair from her face, "But I want to get this done and over with." He said softly. "And who knows... Might not be so bad, yeah? Never know until we do it."

Hepzibah: Hepz put her head on his shoulder and melted against him a little bit. She couldn't tell if he was serious or just trying to feed her a fairy tale to get her to shut up. "Little umbrellas in my hair, huh?"

Hector: "Uh huh." He nodded as he rubbed her shoulder, "Anywhere else and they might be a bit uncomfortable, no?" He smiled.

Hepzibah: "Stop it," she chuckled, pushing against him. "I don't feel like laughing...." She shivered a bit as a cool breeze flowed in from the water.

Hector: He smiled and felt her skin goosebump, despite the still warm temp. "Sorry. Habbit." He rubbed her shoulder more, warming her back up, "But things will be fine... I just don't want you stressing about anything on this trip. You relax, I will deal with dear old pops. You get it easy, get to hang with ma'ma and the sibs."

Hepzibah: "You've got to be joking. Man I love is going toe to toe with a drug lord and you want me to just sit back and relax? How would you feel if our places were switched??" She slid an arm around his waist hugging him closer.

Hector: "I'd do much better with mom." He smirked, "And I wouldn't really say 'drug' lord per se..." He laughed a bit to himself, "But it will be fine, you don't have to worry about me. You on the other hand have to pass the Sophia test..." He hugged her back.

Hepzibah: "Who's Sophia?" she asked, "A jealous ex-girlfriend I'm going to have to kill or something?" She wondered what he meant that his father wasn't a drug lord exactly. Everything she'd gathered from Hector - which wasn't much - said that his dad was the last person you'd want to piss off and the he was the kind of man who got whatever he wanted. Someone Hector had been running from for years.

Hector: "My sister..." He smiled, "I told you about her, no?" When she shook her head he continued, "Oh... She is a little terror... Probably half the reason I left in the first place..." He shook his head, and smiled where she couldn't see.

Hepzibah: "A terror... hmm, she a twin sister then? Because she sounds just like you," Hepz managed to joke goosing him a little.

Hector: "Ha ha." He mock laughed, "No, she is a bit younger than me... she will be... what?.." He thought, and counted it out in his head, "17 this year? Oh man... Almost a grown woman..." He smirked, "Maybe it's good I come back now, yeah? Maybe Hec have to kick some little Mexicano's rear while he is here." He laughed out loud then.

Hepzibah: "And here you had me believing you were a lover, not a fighter," she picked at him. "It's good to have family though... somebody look out for you..." Hepz stared back out over the water lost in thought for a moment. "So... you gonna try to get me in the water or what?"

Hector: "I am a lover, not a fighter, but I'm a fighter too, so better not get any ideas." He laughed, quoting his father. He looked at the water, it had come up the beach quite a ways since they'd started their little picnic. "Oh, I'mma do more than try." He smirked and stood and tried to pull her to her feet.

Hepzibah: "I could hurt you..." she warned him, teasing and she dug her heels into the sand as he tried to drag her towards the water.

Hector: "But then you'd kiss it and make it feel better, so still win/win yeah?" He laughed and leaned down to wrap his arms around her legs and threw her over his shoulder and took off running towards the water.

Hepzibah: Hepz shrieked, drawing attention to them until it became obvious they were just a couple of kids having fun. She kicked and beat him with her hands. "Hector! I can't swim!!" she cried.

Hector: "Oh that's not true! What about that time in the DR?" He laughed more as she fought against him, slowing down as the waves came up to his waist. "Plus, I'm practically a life guard. I practice mouth to mouth everyday." He said seriously, going out a bit deeper and then let her fall into the water.

Hepzibah: "NO!" she screamed as he dropped her in the water. Hepz clawed at the water as she flailed about wildly, unable to orient up and down. She found her footing for a moment till an incoming wave pushed her back into the water. By the time she got her feet underneath, she was sputtering out water and pushing away any attempt of his to help her.

Hector: Hec laughed as she flailed about miserably, and finally got his arms under hers and pulled her to her feet, taking a finger to the eye and a none to gentle slap to the chest as well for his troubles. "Oh come on! It's not even than deep!" He held her tight, so she could get used to the water.

Hepzibah: "I'm afraid of the ocean Hector, ok?!" she broke free, stumbling, unused to the surf as another wave lifted her up. She found her feet and made for the shore as best she could. "I can't swim and I'm scared shitless of all the damn sharks and stingrays and jelly fish and-and whatever the hell else is out here!! Why do you have to push things??"

Hector: He splashed after her, taking her hand to hold her, "There is nothing to be afraid of! I'm right here, and I wont let the sharks or string rays or jelly fish get you, ok!?" He tried to spin her back to look at him. "I'll hold your hand the whole time..." He gave her his best smile, "Pleeeeease... Just stay in for a few minutes with me..." He batted his eyes at her.

Hepzibah: The water was up to her waist as she stood in the water, trying to make up her mind. Part of her wanted to kill him and leave his carcass for the sharks. But the other part wanted to make him happy and it was usually the part that won. Pulling her hand away, she wrapped her arms around herself, imaging a sea monster sneaking up every time a bit of seaweed brushed her leg but she didn't move. "Fine..."

Hector: Hec grinned and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her in the surf as waves crashed against them. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I love you..."

Hepzibah: It was impossible to stay mad at Hector when he whispered those three little magic words under a blanket of stars in what could possibly be the most romantic place she'd ever been. Hepz closed her eyes and held onto being angry a few more moments, then laid her head back against him. "I love you too..."

[stjohn]

Hector: Hec drove slowly through the city, pointing out historic landmarks and such for Hepz as they passed them. Not much had changed in the few years he'd been gone, and he'd been about as slow making his way towards the house on the other side of town as he could without turning the other direction.

Hepzibah: Hepz was almost dizzy as she craned her neck to see the top of the 'Angel of Independence' and took a few pics with her new cell phone of the El Zocalo - the historic plaza where he said everything happened. Scooting back across the seat to sit next to Hector, she pulled the strap of her sundress back up. "So, how long did you live here?"

Hector: "Um..." He thought back, "About 10 years or so... Moved here just after my sister was born." He put his arm around her shoulders as she snuggled into him, and finally, nothing really left to see, started to make his way out of down town.

Hepzibah: There was an uncomfortable silence as they left the city limits and headed towards upscale homes and then towards stately manors. Hepzibah held her breath every time they approached the gate of an estate, sighing in relief when they passed it. She bit her lip as Hector started slowing down and turned the wheel. "Baby, you don't have to do this..." They been round and round with this, but she had to give it one more shot.

Hector: "Maybe.... But no point in driving this far to turn around." He smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss as he pulled up to a guard house, just off the road, next to a large, intricate metal gate, with a crown on top of a shield, with 3 olive trees on one side, and 2 baskets on the other.

Hector: "But we're all ready here, so might as well say, 'ello' yeah?" He laughed and rolled his window to speak with the guard, telling him he was here to see Sophia Rendoza.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah stared at the design emblazoned on the black iron gates. She'd seen it before - on Hector's passport. She pointed at it and started to ask what was up with that but was cut off by the guard.

Sophia: Sophia frowned at being summoned to talk to someone at the gate and made sure her siblings were at least somewhat behaved before she made her way to the speaker. Pressing the button, she spoke into the box, "Hello?"

Hector: "Hola Sophia, was wondering, if you weren’t too busy looking pretty that is, if you'd kindly tell these nice men at the gate that they can let me in. When did the guards get replaced anyway? These guys are new, yeah?" He winked at one of the guards when he frowned at Hec.

Sophia: She let out a sigh at the voice on the other end, not exactly sure how she felt about hearing it. She couldn't imagine their father being pleased about her older brother being back, but their mother and the kids would probably be thrilled.

Sophia: "Yes, after you left," she answered, trying not to sound too bitter. Sophia gave a signal to the guards to open the gates anyway. It wasn't like she could turn him away. He was family.

Hepzibah: "The Sophia?" Hepz raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, but judging by the tone of her voice - I think you got an ass whoopin' waiting at the end of the road here." She laughed to hide her nerves. No guy had ever brought her home to meet his family - even under the best of circumstances.

Hector: "Ha... Yeah... The Sophia... Figured either her or mom was most likely to not just sick the guards on me." He laughed and drove the car up the long drive up to the house proper. He killed the car and got out quickly to open Hepz's side for her. "Well... This is my house..." He waved around them at the stately manor of his father's. "And you might want to stand behind me, just incase Sophia changes her mind about the guards." He laughed again.

Hepzibah: "If that's going to be the way of things, maybe you should stand behind me," she muttered and gave Hector her hand to help her out. Suddenly, Hepz felt over anxious and under dressed. "I thought you told me you used to have to cut fire wood for your mom..." She stared at the house - if you could call it that. Looked more like a museum or a castle to her. Should have brought 'Jessica' clothes...

Sophia: At the sound of yelling from another room, Sophia cringed and wondered what was going on but remained near the front door to wait on Hec. She vaguely wondered what he wanted and how long it'd be until he left again...

Hector: Hec gave her hand a quick squeeze and led her towards the front door. "Well... I did... mostly punishment type thing... 'directing energy to a wholesome use'." He quoted, and smiled, and threw open the door finally to show the long front entryway. "Sophia!" He smiled when he saw her, changed as she was by the years he'd be gone.

Hepzibah: "Directing energy to a wholesome use? So what went wrong??" Hepzibah shivered as she looked into the elegant house. Somehow she'd imagined his mom's house would be more... modest. Her quick eyes caught his younger sister, trying to determine whether she should stand behind Hector or in front of him.

Hector: "I got caught." He laughed and walked over to sweep his sister up in a hug, lifting her off the ground before giving her a kiss on the cheek. He grinned, "Miss me?"

Sophia: A grin made its way to her face as she returned the hug. As unhappy as she'd been about him leaving, she couldn't say she hadn't missed him. "Of course. How couldn't I?" Sophia eyed the girl with Hec, then looked over to him, "Who's she?"

Hepzibah: Hepzibah watched Hec spin Sophia around and couldn't help but smile. When Sophia acknowledged her, Hepz touched the cat’s-eye at her throat. "I'm Hepzibah." She answered back, glad her voice was steady. All Magnus' 'training' had been good for something. Inside she was a jumble of nerves but on the outside she was calm. "Your brother invited me."

Hector: "This is my girl friend, Hepzibah. Hepz, this is my sister, Sophia." He made the introductions quickly, and smiled as he set her back on the ground. "Be nice." He whispered as he leaned into her before looking around quickly, "Is father home?" He was a bit apprehensive still, but best to get it out of the way.

Sophia: "It's nice to meet you," Sophia gave the girl a smile as she was returned to the ground, then shook her head in response to her brother's question. "He's working, but I can't imagine he'll be thrilled when he gets home... especially about that," she added and gave a nod in the direction of the necklace.

Hepzibah: At first Hepz smiled when Sophia greeted her, feeling a little more at ease. But that was short lived at the mention that their father was going to be unhappy when he got home and pointed in her direction, mistakenly thinking Sophia was pointing at her instead of her necklace. Hepz looked between the siblings for a moment, then wasn't sure where to look or what to say.

Hector: "Ah... Yeah... I almost forgot about that..." He shook his head and saw Hepz's confusion, "Not you." He smiled, "The necklace..." He clarified. "I'll handle him..." He coughed, "But... if you wanted to butter him up first...." He turned his smile on Sophia, "You were always better at dealing with him..."

Sophia: "I'll consider it. Depends on how nice I'm feeling," she returned the grin, "Plus, I can't imagine he'll be as scary as the others."

Hepzibah: What about my necklace?? Hepzibah added that to the growing list of questions she wanted answered. This just didn't jive with any of the impressions she'd gotten about Hector's past. She slipped her hand into Hector's and laced her fingers through his. Her curiosity got the best of her. "The others?" Other what? Other bad guys?

Hector: "Where is everyone? The kids, mama?" He looked around again, as if he could see any traces from the hallway. "Is my room still there? Or did he really use it to make room for his dogs in the house?" He asked, joking. He still wasn't certain if he father had been or not though.

Sophia: "The kids are around. I'm not sure where anymore since it got oddly silent. Mama's out," Sophia shrugged slightly but smiled a bit at the question about his room, "Do you really think mama would let him touch your room?"

Hector: Hec smirked, "No. Always good to be a mama's boy." He laughed and turned to Hepz, "So... Grand tour? Or straight to the room?"

Hepzibah: "Um... how about we put our stuff up and then you can show me around." Maybe see if I can find a kiosk that sells maps of this place... It suddenly occurred to her that they might be in separate rooms - entirely separate wings.

Hector: "Nah, don’t worry bout our stuff... Probably already waiting for us in my bedroom." He smiled, "Well... Sophia... You round up the young ones, and I'll show her around, meet in me in the kitchen in a few? Don't tell them I'm here... Wanna make it a surprise." He laughed.

Sophia: "You sure you even remember where your room is?" she teased, "Sounds like a plan. Try not to get lost."

Hector: "Ha... I still remember how to sneak in and out of everywhere here. Remember when I snuck into your room to put that rubber snake next to you while ya slept?" He grinned, and took Hepz's hand and led her down the hall to show her the sights, quickly, to get away from the look he was sure to receive by bringing up that memory.

Hepzibah: "Nice to meet you!" Hepzibah called, waving at Sophia as she was dragged down the hall. "You're lucky you didn't get that ass whoopin'. Sounds like you got one coming," she told Hec, cringing a little as her voice bounced off the floors and walls.

Sophia: "You too," Sophia called back, shaking her head as she watched them walk away. Now she had to gather the kids and figure out how to explain to their father why she let him back in the house. She got the feeling that wasn't going to be a fun conversation.

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: Hepzibah opened and closed the dresser drawers a few dozen times. Looking around the room the staff had hastily made ready for her, she sighed. Hector's room was down the hall. She couldn't sleep without Hector - at least not without his scent nearby. This was going to be a very long trip at this rate. She tossed her old worn pack on the bed and flopped down on it.

Sophia: Sophia made her way down the hall and toward the room Hector's... girlfriend was occupying. She stared at the door for a few moments, debating how this would go over. She didn't know the girl, but she'd been with Hec so she'd know how he was doing and everything. Lifting a hand, she lightly knocked.

Hepzibah: Sitting back up, Hepz felt her heart jump a little. She checked her reflection in the large mirror, smoothing down her sundress. Really should have brought my 'Jessica' clothes... Hector loved his family and she loved Hector - so she wanted their approval. "It's open," she called, rubbing a her fingers over her necklace for luck.

Sophia: Opening the door, she took a step into the room, shifting uncomfortably. This was slightly awkward. She supposed she should've thought that through before she decided to come talk to the other girl. Sophia put on a smile and reminded herself to speak in English, "Um, hello..."

Hepzibah: "Hi," Hepz smiled in what she hoped was a friendly - but not too friendly smile. There was another awkward silence as she tried to interprete Sophia's expression. Was she trying to make her feel welcomed or had she come to size Hepz up and determine her intentions. "You... you have a lovely home. Very... very big..." she fumbled for conversation.

Sophia: Sophia glanced around, giving a slight shrug, "Gracias. I mean, uh, thank you." She supposed she should get to the point and avoid as much awkwardness as possible, "I wanted to see how you were settling in... and talk about Hec..."

Hepzibah: "De Nada. Yeah, the maid showed me where everything is..." Hepz nodded, looking around. "What about Hec?" She sat back down on the bed, a little wary.

Sophia: She nodded, then shifted her weight again at the mention of Hec. "Um... Well, how long have you, uh, known him?"

Hepzibah: "Oh..." Hepz relaxed a little - just a background check. She could handle that. "We meet January before last. About a year and half ago." Wow... had it really been that long? "We are both students at a little university in New York." She tried to put as nice a polish on things as she could.

Sophia: "Oh," Sophia echoed. University, New York, and Hec weren't things she would've thought went together. "I guess that's good."

Hepzibah: She nodded, biting her lip a little. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that. "It is. Hector's a really good student. Me?... Well...maybe not so much," she laughed. "So - what about you? You're Hector's sister..." She studied Sophia's face. It was easy to see the resemblance.

Sophia: She gave a grin, "I'm pretty sure I'm better than him, but he'd probably tell you otherwise."

Hepzibah: Hepz laughed, "That would be exactly like something he'd say!" She scooted over and slapped the bed beside her, impulsively feeling more at ease with her grin. "Boy's got a lot of talents - but modesty isn't one of 'em." Hepz gave Sophia an almost conspiratory look. "He always been like that?"

Sophia: Sophia moved to sit in the indicated spot and nodded, rolling her eyes, "Of course. He has to know everything because he's the oldest."

Hepzibah: Tucking her legs up to sit indian style she chuckled. "He liked to play the 'I'm older' card? Imagine that." She tried to imagine Hec and Sophia as bickering kids. "You know... Hec doesn't really talk much about his past or family. I think it's because his... I mean, your father and all..." Her voice trailed off. She looked at her watch a little worriedly.

Sophia: They didn't talk about him much either, but she wasn't about to admit that. At the mention of their father, Sophia just nodded and looked down to the blanket as she thought of what to say, "They've... never gotten along, really..."

Hepzibah: Hepz wasn't sure how she felt about that. Relieved maybe? If they didn't get along - meant they couldn't be much alike right? "Well, he told me a little bit about it... I mean, who your father is and everything." She bit her lip again and took a breath worried about Hector alone with a drug lord - father or no.

Sophia: She just shrugged. It wasn't extremely unusual for people to know who their family was. "He's not bad. They just clash, and I doubt they're having a nice conversation now."

Hepzibah: Not bad? Hepz started to make a retort, but bit her tongue. She'd been raised in this family, she probably either didn't know any better or was too scared to speak against them. She shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. I wish I knew where they were. That they weren't doing anything... you know - rash."

Sophia: Her brow furrowed, "He didn't tell you where the room is? I can. I mean, if you want..."

Hepzibah: "No, he-he just asked me to relax and freshen up a little. Maybe go hang out with you and your mom and the 'sibs'," she grinned then got serious again. "You mean, you know where they are?" Her expression got consipatory again. "Are they here? In the house?"

Sophia: "I don't know why he'd want to subject you to our younger siblings, but if you want..." Sophia trailed off with a shrug, then nodded, "Probably. They're most likely in an office or study or something..."

Hepzibah: "Oh, I put up with Hector - how bad could the rest of them be?" Hepzibah joked, torn between doing what Hector had asked her to do and what she wanted to do. "Well... which do you think we should do?"

Sophia: "Imagine another Hec or two, and I think we should go find him." The answer didn't take much thought. As much as she loved her younger siblings, a break was always good.

Hepzibah: Hepz started to like Sophia more and more. A relieved smile spread over her face. "I think that's a great idea!" She hopped off the bed gracefully. "Which way??"

Sophia: Sophia looked up and down the hall, debating which way was quicker, "Uh, this way, I guess."

Hepzibah: Nodding, Hepz followed Sophia, then got in step beside her. "So, Hector said you've lived her most all your life?" she tried to make conversation to keep her nerves in check, all kinds of nightmarish images going through her mind of what might be going on behind closed doors.

Sophia: "As far as I can remember," she nodded, glancing over at Hepz, "Where are you from?"

Hepzibah: "Lots of different places," Hepz gave a half hearted smile. "I call Kansas home though." Her smile turned a little more geniune. Their foot falls made echos against the tile floor. She looked at the wall, covered in portraits and that same crest. She'd seen it over and over. First on Hector's passport. Then on the gate. Now on the wall.

Sophia: "Ah. I've never been there."

Hepzibah: "It looks alot like here - only with corn. Lots and lots of corn..." she answered distractedly. "Sophia? Can I ask you a question?" She stopped infront a intricate rendering of the crest handing on the wall.

Sophia: "Of course," Sophia nodded, carefully listening for the sound of her father's or brother's voice being carried from one of the studies.

Hepzibah: "What... what is this?" She motioned at the crest. "I have seen this thing EVERY where."

Sophia: "It's our family crest," she answered, "Why?" Didn't everyone have one?

Hepzibah: "No.... I mean, I've seen that thing online where you can, like, buy a crest or some such bullshit..." she was too distracted to watch her language. "A crest? Like a royal crest? How does your family have a crest??"

Sophia: Hector really must've avoided talking about the family. Sophia just blinked at her for a few moments before simply answering, "Yes, our family has Spanish nobility."

Hepzibah: Hepz's attention was suddenly completely fixed on Sophie. Her green eyes were wide, with a confused expression. "I beg your pardon?"

Sophia: "Nobility. On our father's side." She wasn't exactly sure how to explain it, "He's the Spanish ambassador, but our grandma in Spain or something was a big deal."

Hepzibah: "The Spanish Ambassador?" Hepz repeated very slowing feeling the hallway start spinning. "The Spanish fucking Ambassador?!"

Sophia: Sophia gave a nod, not quite sure how she was supposed to deal with this reaction, "Um, yes..."

Hepzibah: Hepzibah put one hand against the wall and leaned against it. "So... let me see if I got this straight." She rubbed her eyes and took a took a breath. "Your daddy is the Spanish ambassador. And your entire family is Spanich Nobility. Like with titles and everything?" Her fingernails tapped against the terracotta walls like little knives.

Sophia: "Yes," she gave another nod, "Is there a, uh, problem with that?"

Hepzibah: "Is there a problem with that?" Hepz pondered that for a moment. I'm going to kill him... "Let me take a wild guess... your father isn't a drug lord is he?"

Sophia: Sophia shook her head, "Nooo..."

Hepzibah: "Of course he's not." Hepzibah beat her head against the wall for moment. Stupid, stupid, stupid. After a moment she turned back to Sophia. "I'm sorry, hun. I didn't mean to insult you family name or anything... I just..." She stood there completely at a loss for a second.

Sophia: "It's, uh, fine..." Sophia inwardly sighed, vaguely wondering whether she should smack Hec for this or not since he probably could've explained it a lot better than she did.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah shook herself back to reality. Forcing a smile, she reached out and gave Sophia arm a friendly pat. "Thanks. You know, I think I'm just going to go back to my room. But, if you can do me a favor? Can you tell Hector I'd like to see him whenever he gets things squared away?"

Sophia: "You're welcome," she replied and gave another nod. She was starting to feel like a bobblehead. "Sure, I'll let him know. Do you need me to show you the way back?"

Hepzibah: "No, I got it. But I appreaciate it." She'd memorized the way back. "Just - if there is anything left moving of Hector when your father is done with him - send it my way, k?" She barely supressed a growl. Hepz turned to go before she started breaking things.

Hepzibah: Hepz took her anger out a passing curtian, slapping at it and fuming as she stalked away. Spanish Ambassador! The fucking Spanish Nobility!! "That sonuvabitch!!"


[Edited on 12/5/10 by Raven Hare]

[stjohn]

Hector: Hec made his way slowly through the halls towards the guest wing, hoping to catch Hepz before dinner so they could talk. His head was still reeling from the talk with his dad, and he hoped this one at least went a little better...

Hepzibah: Leaning her head against opened the window; Hepz's sensitive ears heard Hector's unique footfalls getting closer. She'd stopped actually looking the beautiful landscape a while ago and was now just staring off into space. Folding her arms tightly, she waited.

Hector: Hec found himself in front of the door to her room and waited a moment, trying to collect his thoughts enough to go through with it. Finally he knocked softly and without waiting for an answer, slipped in quickly and closed the door behind him, "Hepz?... Hey baby." He said with a smile.

Hepzibah: She didn't turn around. "You and your old man get things squared away?" Her voice was blank.

Hector: "Mostly... He's still not happy... but don’t think he is going to throw me out yet..." He smirked, "Told him why I left, and he still doesn't know what to make of it..."

Hepzibah: "Me either," she answered.

Hector: "You either what?" He asked, confused for a moment as he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, watching her at the window. "Are you ok?"

Hepzibah: "I don't know what to make of this either..." She slowly turned around face him, gripping a small tabard with Hector's personal coat of arms. "Hector Jesus Rendoza de Irujo y Hohenlohe... Caballero de la real Maestranza de Sevilla." She flung the piece of fabric to land beside him on the bed and waited to see how he'd react. She swallowed hard, trying to rein the anger and the hurt.

Hector: "Ah..." He winced, he knew she was going to find out sooner or later, was most of the reason he had brought her, he hadn’t found out a way to tell her, so decided immersion would be best. He fingered the cloth, "You don't sound too happy..." He commented, testing the waters as it were.

Hepzibah: "And why do you suppose that would be? Come on - give me an answer. You obviously know me a Hell of a lot better than I know you!" She felt her temper starting to flare and struggled to contain it.

Hector: "Hepz... Please..." Her voice was rising, which did not bode well for him. "I am sorry I didn't tell you... But it's not like I could go around telling everyone... First off, no one would believe me... and even if they did it could be even worse if they tried to take advantage...." He worked this over in his head a long time ago, and hoped it was enough to at least abate her inclement verbal onslaught.

Hepzibah: "You LIED to me Hector! To me!!" She motioned emphatically to herself, anger and tears rising up at the same time, barely holding back both. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to trust anyone after - " She stopped short, burying her face in her hands for a moment, then pushing her long hair back out of her face.

Hector: "I... I did... I am sorry... I just did not know how to tell you... I tried... but something got in the way each time... That hotel in Pennsylvania... New Orleans... Was even going to bring you here last summer.... but..." No need to go into that. "And then I saw your attitude with Monet... Even after I got you back, you hated her because of what she is... And thought you would think the same as me if you knew..."

Hepzibah: Hepzibah bowed her head, hands still tangled in her hair. "Monet is different..." But she wasn't sure how much she even believed that. Hepz was already looking at Hector different - like he was a stranger to her. "But now I see why the two of you get along so good." Two little privileged peas in a pod.... "I thought we were the same; I thought you understood. I thought... I thought I could trust you."

Hector: "Do you really think we get along so well?" He laughed, but it had no mirth in it, "Me and you... we understand each other. I am not a title... I am a person... You can trust me... I trust you... Why do you think I brought you here? Do you think I believe you are too stupid to know what this means? I am proud of you, and I love you... and I wanted to show them what I have done since I left."

Hepzibah: "You can't understand... you've never been little and alone and scared. You've never been four years old and dragged to a crack house in the middle of the night because your foster mom needed her hit. Or sat there while she 'paid' for it." She wanted to believe him. More than anything she wanted Hector to be telling the truth now. But she just shook her head. "I don't know why you do what you do Hector. I've never been able to figure you out."

Hector: "That's because you try to think I am much deeper than I am... I don't have hidden motives, no reason to string you along. I do things for you, because I love you. Anything else is just an afterthought." He shook his head. "And no, I will never know what it is like to be that small child... but I did live on the streets for years, alone with no one because no one could stand to look at me. That part I do understand, more than anyone you will be able to find." He voice had found some fire in it finally.

Hepzibah: She felt her heart pull; she did understand what that felt like, to be a freak. "I looked at you. You had pretty eyes and a nice touch," she said softly before the bitterness came back. "But how can you love me, if you didn't even trust me enough to just tell me the truth?" She crouched up in the window sill, balancing herself thoughtlessly. "I bared my soul to you... told you things nobody else knows - and you do this to me?”

Hepzibah: She was fighting a losing battle against the tears as she shook her head resolutely. "I could never figure you out, because you're a stranger to me. I don't know you at all."

Hector: "You know everything there is to know about me... You know what I like, what I do, what I eat... I am sorry I never told you about my family... I truly am, but you know me ." He walked over and squatted in front her in her chair, "You know my touch, my eyes, you know what I am. And I am sorry... I probably did this poorly... just bringing you here without a word... But I knew no other way..."

Hector: He smiled up at her for a moment, "You do have a slight tendency to loose your temper... and or make a break for it." He tried to joke, hoping her could crack her with humor since his pleading was doing little if anything.

Hepzibah: "You lied to me Hector! You lied to me about all of this-" She swung her arm at the expansive grounds. "What else have you lied to me about?? Have you really been faithful to me? Did you ever really want a future together - or where you just stringing me along till you got tired of the bad boy deal and skipped back home to paradise?"

Hector: "I didn't lie! I was just waiting till I could show you... I thought this would be best... Would you have believed me if I had told you a week ago?" He didn’t wait for her answer, "And of course I have been faithful, I want you, and no other. If I did not want a future with you, do you think I would have fought tooth and nail to get you back each time I lost you? Or even still, brought you here in the first place? You should ask mama how many girls I have brought home for her!"

Hepzibah: "I don't know!!" she yelled back. It made no sense to her. Why lie to her all this time and the drop her on the front steps? Hector was impossible to fathom or predict. He always had been. "And do you really think for one fucking second that your mama is going to have let you keep me for anything other than a bed warmer?! No!! Because, people like me do NOT end up with like you!"

Hepzibah: She didn't wait for him to answer. Crawling off the sill, she held the door open, "Get out," she said in a deathly calm, stern voice.

Hector: Hec started to round on her, but was visibly startled at her voice when she told him to leave. He stood slowly and walked to the door, pausing for a moment in front of her. "I do love you." He said softly, hoping he would break through her icy countenance. "Dinner will be ready shortly..." He stepped quickly through as the door slammed on his heels.

Hepzibah: "And I hope you choke on it!" she spat, slamming the door. Then she put her back to the door and started crying as she slid down to the floor.

[stjohn]

Hector: Hec pulled the chair and held it for his mother, dinner was just about ready and the family was starting to gather. "There you are, mama." He smiled and pushed it in behind her and went to do the same for Sophia, on his best behavior.

Sophia: "Thank you," Sophia shifted in her seat, getting more comfortable as they waited for everyone else to come for dinner.

Gloria: Gloria Rendoza's smile couldn't have been wider as she looked at her two eldest children. Sophia, her smart and beautiful daughter who made her so proud. And Hector, her firstborn, the son she thought she'd lost forever. Reaching out, she took took each of their hands in their's. "My family is whole again," she squeezed gently, beaming.

Hector: Hec couldn't help but smile at his mothers soft touch and words, and sat next to her across from Sohpia at the long table. "Again... I am sorry mama..." He said a bit sheepishly.

Sophia: She gave a grin and nodded, "About time you showed up."

Gloria: She shook her head, blinking away another tear. She hadn't cried this much since the first days after Hector had dissappeared. "No more of that," she shook her head. "Todo está bien que manan los extremos..." She did squeez Sophia's hand a little harder. Gloria would not have gotten through the last few years without her help.

Gloria: ((spanish: Todo está bien que manan los extremos - All's well that ends well))

Hector: Hector nodded, "How have you been, mama? I see you have done well with the house it looks lovely, and the kids... they look... um... special?" He smirked at Sophia.

Gloria: She withdrew her hands and took a sip of watner. If she noticed the look Hector gave Sophia, she overlooked it. They had been best friends and bitter rivals since they both could walk. It was simply another sign that her home was back as it should be. "I've been well," she lied. Hector's disapperance and the turmoil it had created had taken years off her life. "With Sophia's help, we hold this home together."

Sophia: Sophia shot a look at Hec, rolling her eyes, then gave their mother another smile, "I don't do that much."

Hector: "I don't doubt that." He laughed, poking fun at Sophia, "But I am glad that you are doing so well..." He shifted his smile to his mother.

Gloria: Gloria laughed, her lion and her lamb. She shook her head, not always sure which one was which. "You are not to old to be sent to your room without supper, Hector," she mock warned her son. "And you, hija... how many times need I remind you that a lady accepts a compliment with 'Gracias'."

Sophia: It was better not to comment on how he hadn't done anything around the house to help lately, so she held back the retort, snickering at the idea of Hec being sent to his room. She gave a slight shrug, still grinning, "As many times as it takes...?"

Hector: "Should send her to her room... Maybe she would learn quicker then?" He offered in a very polite voice, holding his urge to kick Sophia's shin under the table.

Gloria: "Not tonight!" their mother announced triumphantly. "Tonight, all my children will sit at the same table." She toyed with her water glass. "Your father as well," she smiled. She'd had already warned Luis what would happen to him if he didn't come to dinner - or made a scene at the dinner table. Gloria had her family back. She would not allow it to be jeopardized again.

Hector: Hec grinned, and it only faultered for a moment when she said their father would be joining them, he'd thought he was going back to the city for work. Oh well... "Will be nice to have the whole family in one place again." He nodded, "So... What have you been up to lately mother? I saw your garden on the way in, looking very well."

Sophia: As she gave Hec a weak kick for the comment, Sophia tried to remember the last time the whole family had sat down for a meal together. Nothing came to mind, but the idea of it was nice. Well, as long as their father heeded their mother's warning.

Gloria: Gloria beamed, "Gracias, mi hijo," she gave a tiny frown. "I'm a little dissappointed in my roses this year. But I will not complain. Next year they will be twice as beautiful." She was quiet for a moment, then gave Hector an appraising look. "Sophia tells me that you are at university in New York, now..."

Hector: "I am certain they will be, but not nearly as beautiful as the two Spanish roses at the table." He smirked across at Sophia, "And yes... I am, Xavier's University. I have been studying very hard there." He nodded, not sure how much to tell her, she would surely take the news no better than his father, and that would not do atm. Maybe later he would tell her the full truth.

Gloria: Always the flatterer... She gave him an approving nod, just the same. "You are both very blessed to have the opportunity to study and become educated." She looked at Sophia, her imformant, for a moment with a little grin, then back at Hector. "Sophia also tells me that you have brought a guest - a novia with you. Says she's blanca... but she's very pretty..."

Gloria: ((novia - girlfriend))

Sophia: "Gracias," Sophia mumbled at the compliment and returned the smirk.

Hector: Hector laughed, "Yes... Very pretty." He nodded, and answered the implied question, "She is spending the evening in her room... She does not feel well..." A small lie, but he did not want to upset her. "She is a student with me at University. Her name is Hepzibah... I think you would like her." He smiled and turned his attention to his cup, hoping they didn't find out she was absent from the dinner table because of him.

Gloria: Gloria barely repressed a chuckle at Sophia. She sat back in her chair, checking her watch. "She is ill? Should we call for a doctor?" She hoped the child didn't drink the water in town. "What an unusual name," their mother mused. "I don't think you would have brought her if you didn't think your father and I would approve." Now it was her turn to smirk.

Sophia: She reached for her drink, adding to the conversation before taking a sip, "I think you'll like her, too. She's very nice."

Hector: "I believe she will be fine..." Once she calms down... "And yes... Her name is very unique." He laughed, "And I do hope you approve." He cut a grin at his mother, "And if not, I at least hope you are nice to her. I will have to hear it all the way back to New York if not."

Glora: Her smile waivered for a moment. "Back to New York? But, you only just got here." Gloria looked to Sophia for help.

Sophia: She caught her mother's look and her gaze went to the table. She hadn't expected him to stay, and she doubted they'd be able to convince him. Chewing on her lip, Sophia looked back up, "When are you planning on leaving again?"

Hector: He felt the uncomfortable, but breif pause, "I am not leaving immediately... The summer vacation has only just started... But before the next term, I will be leaving to return to my studies." He said diplomatically, hoping that would forstall any attempts to force him to stay.

Gloria: Gloria could see father in him as he answered her. She was not happy and couldn't pretend she was. Hector's place was with his family; as eldest son he knew his obligations. And he'd have to be blind not the see how much he had been missed. "We can talk about it later," she smoothed over, just liked she'd done many time with her husband.

Gloria: She put a happy smile back on, filing away their 'chat' for later. "But for, lets celebrate our prodigal son's return. Cook has made your favorites, beef enchilada's with rice and beans, carne esada tacos, and a sophapia for desert."

Hector: He nodded, nothing more than he expected. On both counts. He smiled, the smells from down the hall confirming his mother's words. "Yes... Time to celebrate me." He smirked, "And I will be home for my birthday this year... So should make up for the ones we've missed while I am here." He smiled to her and then to his sister, "You owe me a few years worth of presents..."

Sophia: Sophia rolled her eyes, "If you want to do it that way, you owe me for a few years, too."

Hector: "Yeah yeah yeah... My presence alone should suffice you, no?" He laughed at the look he got, "Maybe I can find something shiney to hold you over..." He smirked.

Sophia: Her eyebrow raised, "My approval of your girlfriend isn't enough for you? And, I doubt you have enough shiny things to hold me over."

Gloria: "Ése es bastante. Ambos usted." she ordered, looking at both of them sternly. Gloria Rendoza did not raise her voice. She didn't have to. "I am not quite ready for things to be this normal again." Her stern look melted into contented look. "Let your poor mama have one night of peace in her house, no?"

Gloria: ((Ése es bastante. Ambos usted - That is enough. Both of you))

Hector: "Yes mama..." He almost blushed from embaresment, almost. Sheepishly he added, "I am sorry Sophia... Your approval and your's too mama are all I really wanted anyway." He smiled winningly for both of them. Flattery got you everywhere with these two.

[Raven Hare]

There was a full moon out. A very human looking Hepz sat on a bench in the garden, curled up around a tub of ice cream she’d lifted from the kitchen. Her eyes were still red and swollen as she sat there feeding her hunger and her hurt feelings. She looked up at the sound of someone coming around the corner.

Gloria had come out to the garden to seek a little solace after a heated discussion with her husband. Luis had ‘spoken’ with Hector. She knew he knew why her son had stolen from his own family and ran away from home, but he wouldn’t tell her.

“You must be Hepzibah,” Señora Rendoza smiled as she realized she wasn’t alone. Her eyes were drawn to the necklace around the girl’s throat and smiled wider. So, that is what had become of her grandmother’s pendant Sophia was right – she was very pretty. Beautiful even. But the expression in her eyes were angry and hopeless. “You’ve been crying, child. Hector said you were ill.”

Hepz had hoped to avoid Hector and his family until she found a way out of this compound and back to the states. “Hector said a lot of things. Doesn’t make them true.” She was past believing she had any kind of chance to being accepted here.

Her first instinct was to jump to her son’s defense. But, for a moment, Gloria studied the girl closely. She recognized that hurt expression. She motioned to the bench. “May I sit?”

Hepz shrugged, her guard up. “Your garden.” Your house, your bench, your son, your life…

Gloria nodded and sat down slowly. “Let me guess. Hector never told you about any of this did he?” She motioned around.

Hepz shook her head. She felt like a complete idiot. Drug runner who speak five languages! My God, why didn’t I just buy a bridge from him… “Don’t worry. I’m not going to pollute the royal gene pool a store brand blanca,” she said scornfully

“My son loves you, Hepzibah. This is not the dark ages; when the time comes, Hector is free to choose his own wife.” There was a faint smile on her lips as the girl’s eyes widened at the mention of that last word. But, Gloria understood too well how overwhelming this had to be for her.

“I was not born into this life either. In fact, I was born in a slum in Guadalajara . My mother was a canteen dancer. She had no idea who my father was. By the time I was a teenager, I learned the fastest way to make a living was on my back. And by the time I met Luis – I was in prison.” Gloria let that sink in for a moment.

Hepz sat on her side of the bench dumbfounded. The sound of crickets in the garden and children playing somewhere off in the distance with Sophia’s muffled voice yelling it was time to get ready for bed was the only sound that could be heard.

“Money can buy anything in Guadalajara . Luis used his to buy my freedom.” She laughed at the memory and shook her head. “My head was still spinning when Luis proposed - and I had all the same doubts then that you do now. But I knew I loved him and I didn’t ever want to imagine life without him. We married that same day… and he has loved me every day since.”

“But… Hector…he - he lied to me,” Hepzibah faltered, the tub of ice cream sitting in her lap completely forgotten.

“Perhaps he just needed to know that you loved him and not his titles.” Gloria sighed and looked up at the stars. “Do you love him?”

Hepz was quiet for a moment. “Yes,” she finally admitted quietly. “More than anything.”

“Then why are you here and not with him?” She looked at the girl again. “You can’t begin to imagine how difficult it was for him to come here and face his father after all this time. There is I can only do so much for him. He needs you.” Gloria stood up and turned a shrewd eye on her before she left. “If you love him – then act like it.”

[tears~fall~like~glass]

Hepzibah: It was dark in Hector's room as Hepzibah opened the door and slipped in. She could see Hec in the darkness, laying on the bed asleep. Shutting the door behind her, she sat her backpack down and stripped. Pulling one of his t-shirts on, Hepz climbed up in bed and spooned up against him, quietly.

Hector: Hec's eye cracked as he heard the door open, the creak of the door the only sound untill he heard clothing hit the floor. His night vision sucked, but wasn't difficult to tell who it was really, and wrapped his arm around her as she climbed in beside him and started to drift back to sleep.

Hepzibah: This is where she was supposed to be. With a purring sigh, Hepz snuggled closer and within seconds, she fell sound asleep.

Hector: ((Time passes and the sun rises over Mexico.))

Sophia: Sophia stood just outside the house, eyes closed, as she slowly inhaled and exhaled. Early morning was the perfect time because nobody was awake. Well, none of her family was anyway. Focusing on the air around her, she managed to lift herself off the ground without much difficulty.

Hector: Hec rolled over in bed, the sun, just coming up, shining through the window. He tugged on his arm, and felt Hepz on it, his fingers tingly with numbness. He had always thought his father had given him this room on purpose, you couldn't help but be woken bright and early each morning.

Hector: He looked over at Hepz, still sleeping like the lazy cat he knew her for. Unless you are a cat... He smirked and laid still, looking around his room as he flexed his fingers trying to wake them.

Sophia: She twirled a bit for the fun of it, grinning stupidly as she glanced down at the ground. Flying was always so much fun. Sophia took another deep breath and put her attention on the air particles around her, chewing on her lip as she shifted them. She still hadn't quite gotten the hang of blasts of wind, so practicing sounded like a good idea.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah shifted a little and gave a protesting mumble in her sleep as she slowly woke up. She pulled closer to Hec, reaching a blind hand down to pull the covers over her head.

Sophia: As the pressure of the air increased, Sophia found it more difficult to control and cringed when she slipped up, sending a blast at one of the windows. She wouldn't have seen it as a big deal, but it was Hec's window and he was actually around... and probably sleeping. Well, not sleeping assuming the glass blasting inward woke him up.

Sophia: She hovered and chewed on her lip as she debated what to do, eventually muttering, "Oops..."

Hepzibah: Her hand had just found the covers when Hepzibah heard something impact the window like a bomb. Instinctively, she lunged into the floor on the the far side of the bed away from the bullet like shards of glass pulling Hector down with her. "Holy Shit!" she cried, keeping her head down. Maybe they were drug lords after all...

Hector: Hec had instinctively shifted his field to cover the two of them when he heard the impact, and fell in a pile ontop of Hepz. "What the fuck?!" He said quietly, just incase. He poked his head up to look over the side of the bed to see small pieces of glass still tumbling down from the top of the broken window to shatter on the ground below. He could see their attacker floating off in the distance. "Can you make out who it is? I cant tell from here..."

Hepzibah: Hepz cautiously looked up over the bed and out the window. Her eyes went wide with disbelief. "Your sister..."

Hector: "Sophia?" He squinted, but he still couldn't make out the form. He let his field drop and walked to the window in his boxers, hoping there was a better explanation than she was just trying to kill them. He stood at the window, his hand on the railing as he called out, "Hey!! What the hell are you doing! Get in here before someone sees you!" So I can whoop you ass all over the room... He muttered and thought to himself angrily.

Sophia: Sophia gave her brother a sheepish smile and wave as he appeared in the window. She slowly made her way over to the window and surveyed the damage as she hovered just outside before glancing back up at him, "Uh... Buenos dias...?"

Sophia: ((spanish - good morning))

Hepzibah: Making her way careful among the broken glass, Hepz stood beside Hector, wearing nothing but his t-shirt and staring at the dark haired girl. "Damn... You all take this sibling rivalry shit pretty serious down here..."

Hector: "What were you thinking?" He asked, still a quite a bit peeved at being woken up in such an egregious fashion. "And since when could you do..." He motioned to the glass covered room, and her hovering outside the window.

Sophia: She carefully made her way into the room, watching for any glass. Touching down on the floor, she stared down at her feet and gave a slight shrug, "I was thinking I'd like to be able to control this..."

Hector: Hec shook his head and kicked a bit of the glass out of the way, glad suddenly his feet were tough from hours in his garden barefoot. "So you decided to try to kill me?" He laughed to take a bit of the sting out of it.

Sophia: "I wasn't trying to kill you!" Sophia protested, "It was an accident."

Hepzibah: "It's all right Sophia. Why don't you just have a seat over here and tell us what's going on." She motioned to one of the chairs that had not been littered with broken glass. "When did all this start?" She tugged on the bottom of the tshirt, trying to make it longer.

Sophia: She plopped down in the chair and frowed, shoulders slumping as she answered, "A few years ago."

Hector: "A few? Does father know?" He asked, his frown started to fade a little as his irritation subsided. He took the top sheet off the bed and flung it to the side to give him and Hepz a place to sit as well.

Sophia: "More specifically... after you left..." Sophia thought over the question about father, "If he does, he hasn't said anything. There's been a few incidents, but nothing huge to give it away, I don't think..."

Hepzibah: Hepzibah took a seat on the edge of the bed Hector had cleaned off for them and watched between the brother and sister. She wondered in Sophia knew about Hector, but held her tongue for the moment.

Hector: "I don't think he does." He shook his head, "He said nothing of it when we talked yesterday..." He looked around and smirked at the wreakage of his room, "Think he might notice this?... You know... He might actually blame it on me..."

Sophia: "It's just a bit obvious," she leaned back in the seat, not liking the idea of Hec getting blamed for someting she did. "I'll tell him it was me."

Hector: "Sophia... Do you know of anyone else who can do things like this? And does anyone else know about it?" He asked, his father not knowing is one thing, he didn't know lots of things. Hec pointed that out a lot. But if even one of the gardeners knew, the family could be in for a huge fiasco.

Sophia: Sophia shook her head, "No, and I'm pretty sure no one else knows."

Hepzibah: "Hector...does she know?" Hepz gave Hec a meaningful look.

Hector: He shook his head, "None of them did..." He turned to look back at Sophia. "Well... That is good at least... We will have to keep it so. Would not do to let people find out about us."

Sophia: She understood why it was better for no one to find out. She'd watched the news. She didn't know what Hec or Hepz were talking about though."Know about what?" Her eyebrow raised, "And... us?"

Hepzibah: "The x-gene. It can pop up spontaneously. But... it tends to run in families." Hepzibah nodded, waiting on Hec to explain the rest.

Hector: "I am a mutant Sophia." He let it sink in for a moment, "Was why I left in the first place... There was no way for me to hide it back then like I do now."

Sophia: Sophia sat for a few moments before nodding. She wished she would've known that in the first place. "Well, I guess that's good. It means I'm not alone."

Hepzibah: Hepzibah shook her head, taking Hector's hand in hers. "No, your not Sophia. There are more of us than you would think. More of us than I ever imagined."

Sophia: "Makes sense," she gave a shrug.

Hector: Hec squeezed her hand, and smirked, shaking his head, "We sound like a made for halmark movie or something..." He laughed a bit, "But yeah, it's fine, the school I attend, that you and mama don't want me to go back to, is a school for mutants, like us. They could teach you how to use your powers better. There are a few telekinetics there, just like you." He smiled.

Hector: And then frowned for a moment, "You are not telepathic also are you?..." He thought hard about dumping a bucket of cold dirty water on his sister to test her.

Sophia: "I can see why you're going back now," she rolled her eyes and shook her head at the question, then glanced to Hepz, "You go to this school too, right?"

Hepzibah: She nodded. "I do. It really is where we met. Hec and I... we had a lot in common." Sophia seemed to be taking this very well and Hepz was glad for that. She wasn't sure she'd be so calm in her place. "Our mutations were both really, really obvious." She looked up at Hec and smiled a little. A lot had changed since then.

Hector: Hec nodded, and held out his hand so Sophia could see, and then made it vanish, quickly moving the field to her own hand, and then the floor between them. "That's my little trick." He smirked, "Wont show you what I looked like when I left... It's not pretty."

Sophia: Sophia gave a grin, "Whoa, how come you get the cool super powers?"

Hector: "Oh yeah, flying and telekinetic blasts are just the dregs huh?" He laughed.

Sophia: "Because being invisible isn't cool," she rolled her eyes again.

Hepzibah: "Am I going to have to go get your mother?" She mocked warned them, laughing at both of them. "Speaking of your mother... what are you going to tell her?" Suddenly, Hepz was glad she'd never had to deal with this part of being a mutant, having been born with her mutations.

Hector: "I don't know if we should... Think it might break her heart... I know father didn't take it well... and I asked him not to tell her about me. Best she think I'm just off galavanting like father did..." He said quietly.

Sophia: Sophia sat for a few moments as she took in what he'd said about their parents. "Well, that works for you, but what am I supposed to do?"

Hector: "Hm..." He laid back on his bed, and looked at the ceiling of the room as he tried to think out what they could do. "Well... Do you want yo leave with us? Or stay here with the family?" He asked finally.

Sophia: "I don't know," she shrugged, "I mean, who'd watch the others and stuff?"

Hepzibah: "Well... how about your mother?" Hepz looked between them. "I mean, they are her children. Surely she doesn't expect you to raise them..."

Sophia: "I guess, but we'd have to figure out what to tell her if I'm going as well..." Sophia sighed. She wasn't sure how her mother would take both of them leaving.

Hector: "Can just tell her you miss me deeply, and wish to stay with me for a while..." He smirked, "Can let Mama and Father know where we are, so they will no be worried." Hec shrugged, "You can do things for yourself you know."

Sophia: She nodded, "Yeah, I suppose that'd work."

Hepzibah: "Well... that's settled then." Hepzibah nodded, leaning back on her elbows. Her keen ears heard the house starting to come to life downstairs. "So... when are you going to tell them?"

Sophia: "I don't know. I guess it'd depend on when you two want to leave."

Hepzibah: "I don't know," Hepz grinned. "I kinda like it here. But, I think Hec might get disowned again if we leave before his birthday."

Hector: "Agreed..." He laughed. "Think we can stay till a few days after that, and then make our way back north. Sound like a plan, yeah?"

Sophia: "Sounds good." At least that gave her time to think over how she was going to tell them.

Hepzibah: "Sure. So long as we make a detour home for a couple of days. I need to make sure my house is still standing." She stood back up and walked over to grab her pack off the floor.

Hector: "Sweet action." He sat up and nodded. "That'll work." He smiled as he watched Hepz walk over, and caught himself as he realized his sister was still there. "Think maybe later when we can get alone, can go out and work on those powers of your, yeah? See what you can really do."

Hepzibah: "Preferably somewhere without breakables." Hepzibah turned around and caught that look on the look on Hector's face and smirked a little at it. Brushing a few bits of glass off her bag, she looked around for a place to change.

Sophia: "Yeah, sure. It'll be good to have someone around for once," Sophia nodded, rolling her eyes at the breakables comment. She had a feeling she wasn't going to be living this down anytime soon...

Hector: Hec pointed to the walk in closet when he saw Hepz looking around, completely missing her real meaning, and smirking. "Ha... Yeah... But for now... Scram. I gotta get this cleaned up and come up with an explanation for father and Mama as to why the window imploded." He shoo'ed his sister, thoughts of other things he needed to do quick on his mind as well.

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: Hepzibah stepped into the walk-in closet and shut the door to let Hector and Sophia have a little privacy. She looked around feeling a little curious. The clothes were all hanging neatly as if he'd never left. A bit too small for him now - but still... No wonder you never pick up after yourself - you never had to... In one corner was a finely crafted Spanish saddle with his crest embossed in the side. Well, that's something they'd never do together. Her scent spooked horses.

Hepzibah: Stuffed away in a corner, her keen eyes picked out the corner of a glossy magazine. Picking up the items laying on top, she found a stack of Playboy type mags titled in Spanish. She flipped through them. So, you've always favored blondes I see. She chuckled a little and sat them back down.

Hector: Hec waited for just a moment after Sophia left and jumped up and quickly locked the door. He made his way over to the closet, carefully, tip toeing through the glass, and put his hand on the door, making a small part invisible so he could see inside.

Hepzibah: Hepz heard the door to the bedroom shut and then Hector moving about quietly. Light shined into the dark closet (Hepz had no need to turn the light on) as Hector made a 'window' in the door. Quickly stepping to the side, Hepzibah leaned against the door frame and waited.

Hector: Hec frowned as he saw her disappear from view, and went ahead and opened the closet door, stepping in looking around in the dark trying to find her, "Baby... Where are you?" He asked in a sing song voice.

Hepzibah: "Gotcha!!" She lept foward and grabbed him around the waist. Laughing she nommed on his neck and hugged him tight.

Hector: He grinned and wrapped his arms around her as well, "Worst vampire impression ever."

Hepzibah: "I could bring out my fangs if it would help," she grinned back.

Hector: "Oh... No. Think I'll pass." He laughed and gave her a quick kiss. "So..."

Hepzibah: "So..." she echoed, taking a breath and biting her lip a little. Hepz looked around, clearing her throat. "This, um - this is a lot to take in." She still wasn't sure how she felt about it all.

Hector: "I know..." He squeezed her a bit, "So what now?" He didn't know why she had suddenly changed her mind during the night, but he was glad she had.

Hepzibah: Hepz laid her head against his chest and sighed as he hugged her close. "I don't know baby. I don't even know what to make of most of this." She shook her head and sobered little. "Still hurts that you hid this from me all this time. But I think I understand why you did..."

Hector: "Yeah?..." His brow furrowed, "That what last night was about?" He walked his fingers across her skin, "And I showed you in the end..." He smiled at her in the dark, trying to charm her.

Hepzibah: "That doesn't get you off the hook, Hector. The angriest you ever got with me was when you found out I was keeping secrets from you," she reminded him quietly rubbing her head against him. "But - you should really thank your mom. We talked last night."

Hector: "Ah... Yeah... That explains things a bit..." His smile faded a bit, "I was going to tell you about that too... But you were not really in the mood to talk last night..." He bit his lip.

Hepzibah: "No, I wasn't," she admitted. "Wasn't really in the mood to talk to you mother either. But... it helped." She pulled back and stared up at him. "But, I swear to God, if I find out you are ever keeping secrets from me again - especially something like this... your father won't have to disown you. Understand?"

Hector: He looked down at her and nodded solemnly. "I won’t... Don't think there is much else to know ‘bout me, yeah?" He smirked. "Glad we have an understanding..."

Hepzibah: "I hope not. Not sure I can take many more surprises like this one." She smiled up at him, seeing the earnest look on his face. "But, yeah... so... what now? This is totally your turf - I'm the fish outta water here." She didn't even know what the rules were anymore.

Hector: "Oh yeah, like I totally know what I'm doing here." He smirked again. "My parents know we're together... So no need ta break that to them. Think we'll just have to go with what's natural..." He ran his hands across her back, trying to gauge how much she'd managed to put on already.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah purred as Hector rubbed his hands over her, still bare beneath his t-shirt. "I couldn't agree with you more, Caballero de la Maestranza de Sevilla," she smirked and reached up kiss him as her hands slid up his bare chest.

Hector: "Uh huh..." He kissed her back, his hands sliding up her back, lifting the edge of the shirt as he went. "You know what that means?" He asked, smiling as they were finally getting back to what they knew best.

Hepzibah: "Tell me, " she whispered, her breath coming quicker as his fingertips glided over her skin. Hepz pressed against him and kissed Hector fully on the lips, pulling his lower lip in between her teeth for a moment. Her fingers played with his hair at his shoulders.

Hector: He laughed and pressed his lips to hers again, pulling the shirt up and over her head and tossed it towards the door. "La Maestranza de Sevilla, the armoury of Seville. One of the great Spanish orders of Knighthood." He kissed down her neck towards her chest as he whispered to her.

Hepzibah: "You are my knight in shining armor," she smiled softly, her eyes rolling back in her head at the feel of his lips against her. She laced her fingers through his hair as his head drifted further down. Her free hand stroked over his shoulder and his back holding him close.

Hector: "Well... Maybe not shining..." He laughed softly and flicked his tongue against her as he toyed with her. "I've always been a fan of the black knight stories myself." His hands ran down her body and brushed lightly between her legs.

Hepzibah: Hepz felt her pulse quicken, a jolt going through her as Hec's fingers traced over her panties. Her hand went from his shoulder to his shorts cupping him and rubbing for a moment. "Yeah... can't see a white knight doing some of the things you are soo very good at..." she grinned.

(( Some time later…))

Hepzibah: Smiling, Hepz laid down on top of him, careful to keep him inside her as she spread her legs out and stretched out over him. "Yeah... nice way to wake up, nice way to go to sleep..." she laughed, then quieted. The pain in her tit faded almost instantly when he let go, relaxing her. She put her head against his chest and purred softly.

Hector: "Nice way to spend the day...." He led, but followed up, "Not that they'll let us..." He smirked and wrapped his arms around her, running them up and down her back and ass.

Hepzibah: Hepz was quiet in response, not wanting to think about 'them' or the fact that Hector was one of 'them'. She laid there, focusing on his touch, but her purr dropped off and after a few more moments she finally answered. "Don't guess so."

Hector: He fondled her a bit, and even he was able to pick up on her lack of response. "What'sa matter babe?" He asked softly, his hand trailed up her back and running through her hair.

Hepzibah: "Nothing. Everything." Hepz answered, watching her fingers play over his chest. "We should probably get dressed before your father comes looking for you and finds me here," she pushed herself up a bit.

Hector: "Oh he wouldn’t come himself..." He smiled and held her waist, holding her still on him. "Stay, talk. What's up?" He was concerned.

Hepzibah: She wasn't even sure how to put it into words. "Everything is just upside down. You're still you... but you're not," she said quietly, putting her head against him again.

Hector: "I am still me, and you are still you, and we are still us... The rest is unimportant. I wanted you to meet my family, you have, they like you, that's that. There is nothing to be worried about, yeah?" He massaged her back as he spoke.

Hepzibah: "I don't suppose so," she answered unconvinced. She let him soothe her with his hands as he rubbed her back for a few moments before speaking again. "I'm just being stupid. Only girl on earth who finds out her man really is Prince Charming and worries it's a bad thing."

Hector: "Ha... ha... yeah." He laughed lightly, "You would." He smirked and ran his hand through her hair and continued to work her back and shoulders. "It is no a bad thing, and it is no thing to worry about. So don't." He said confidently, "Now, we gonna get up, get dress, eat breakfast, and have an amazing day, yeah?" He raised his eyebrow in a small, mock challenge.

Hepzibah: Hepz nodded and managed a smile for him. "Well, it's off to a good start," she answered wriggling her naked body against his. She sat up and looked down at him, keeping her nagging worries to herself. "And we'll see if this horse of yours is as brave as you think he is."

Hector: "Oh baby, you know it." He grinned and rubbed her hips, "Bet ya do fine, probably not even saddle sore from all the practice you got in the saddle." His cock twitched as she sat up.

Hepzibah: She laughed and squeezed as he twitched inside her then leaned down to kiss him. "Practice makes perfect, right?" Standing up, she grabbed her bag and dug out some clothes. "You know, if you'd told me about this I could have at least brought some of my nice clothes with me..."

Hector: "And you do love to practice." He grinned and watched her sway as she walked, "Well... Yeah... Actually. Check mine. I might have grabbed some of yours while I packed." He propped himself up on his elbows and shifted his power to the ceiling to make a small skylight to shine a spotlight on her, and a small one on his bag by the door.

Hepzibah: "You are one sneaky little shit, you know that?" she laughed, blinking at the sudden bright light shining down on her. She pulled on a pair of panties and a strapless sundress, making a show of it... kinda like a strip tease in reverse.

Hector: "Yes... Yes I do." He smiled, "But you love me for it." He grinned, and enjoyed his show. "You are one sexy little babe, you know that?" He mimiced her.

Hepzibah: "Yes... Yes I do," she smiled back, "But you love me for it." She found herself staring at Hector's naked body for a few longing moments before shaking herself out of it. "Come on," she held her hand out for him. "You promised me breakfast and an amazing day."

Hector: "But if I do that we'll have to wash it, and it looks so good on ya." He joked and took her hand, pulling himself to his feet. "But I did promise... So guess I wont keep ya in here all day." He smiled and went about getting dressed himself. "Can continue this later. Work on a matching night for you."

Hepzibah: "Tonight? I was hoping we could find some quiet place later on today..." she semi-joked. "Anyway, I have a feeling when they find out my bed wasn't slept in last night, they are going to send a dorm check around tonight to make sure we're all one to a bed." Hepz listened for any sounds outside the closet then opened the door.

Hector: "Well, that'd be part of the amazing day I promised, now wouldn't it?" He smirked and led her out the door. "And like that'd stop either of us. I specialize in B&E and you're stealty lika cat." He rubbed her ass through the dress as he passed her by.

Hepzibah: "I do have some cat-like tendancies," she admitted, giving a grin as he palmed her cheeks. It had been almost three days since she'd been in her feline form. "Just have to be creative I guess." Shaking the glass out of her sandals, she slipped them on.

Hector: "I like creative." He smiled, pouring glass out of his shoes and onto the floor. "Well, let's get breakfast, gonna have to think up something for why my room is a wreck my first night home..."

[Raven Hare]

Hector: Hec pulled out and waved one last time to the family. They'd all crowded at the front steps to watch Hec and Sophia leave, a mixture of tears and smiles on their faces.

Hepzibah: The passenger window was rolled down as Hepz leaned back, getting ready for the long trip home. She tied off her braid and took Hector's hand. Looking into the backseat, she smiled at Sophia, "You sure about this? New York is a long way from Mexico," she joked.

Sophia: Sophia stared out the window as the house started to disappear and turn to nod at Hepz with a grin, "I think so."

Hector: "Good, cause I ain't turnnin' round." He laughed, "Gonna drive all day, and we can stop once we hit the border, yeah?" He squeezed Hepz's hand and checked his sis in the rear view.

Hepzibah: Hepz chuckled and talked over the wind as the car picked up speed. "Yeah, your brother doesn't believe in pit stops," she shook her head, hesitating a moment, then slid across the bench and leaned up against Hector.

Sophia: "That would've been nice to know before we left," she shifted so she was stretched across the backseat.

Hector: "Life is better with the surprise still in it." He laughed and put his arm around Hepz's shoulders and settled into the seat.

Hepzibah: "So, you think your parents are really ok with their first born son and daughter heading off to XU?" She looked at the long straight road ahead of them.

Sophia: Sophia closed her eyes as she laid her head back against the window. That'd been an uncomfortable conversation. "Well, they let me go, so they have to be somewhat okay with it..."

Hector: "Yeah... Might not be too happy ‘bout it... But least they know where we are, should help some, yeah?" He shrugged, "Wouldn't doubt they send people to check up on us from now on too."

Hepzibah: "Let's hope they call ahead first..." Hepz cringed inwardly, trying to remember how many times the school had been attacked in one way or another since she had been there. "Sophia, I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to stop by my house for a day or so. Make sure no pipes have burst or any vandals I have to hunt down and execute." Her tone didn't make it clear if she was serious or not.

Sophia: She opened her eyes and gave a smirk, "I'm not the one driving, so I don't think I get much of a choice."

Hector: "Nope. Not a bit." Hec laughed again. "And it's not that far outta the way, so no worries, yeah? Just up 35 and then over after that..." He mapped it out in his head.

Hepzibah: "I'm afraid it's not much to look at - at the moment at least," she admitted. "It sits empty most of the time. It's my father's house. He left it to me. Farmhouse... sits on a few hundred acres... where I'm planning to head back to once I get done with school." She smiled to hide her nagging worry about the future held.

Sophia: Sophia gave a shrug. Geography wasn't her strong point, so she wasn't quite sure exactly where it was or whether it was on the way. "I'm sure it doesn't look that bad."

Hector: "Oh no... After all the free slave labor she got outta me last time we visited made it look loads better..." He grinned.

Hepzibah: Hepz laughed, "Oh.. it wasn't free - trust me!" she blurted out, then remembered that was his sister in the back seat. Clearing her throat, she tried to think of something else to talk about.

Sophia: Her eyebrow raised, but internally she cringed. "I wasn't aware you were capable of doing work..."

Hector: "I am capable... Just not willing most the time." He laughed, "Just cause father couldn't get me to do what he wanted all the time doesn't me I won’t do what I should occasionally...." He grinned, "I work hard... sometimes."

Hepzibah: "When it suits him," Hepz grinned, ribbing him a little. "It'll be good having an extra hand to help keep him in line, back at school though." She looked back at Sophia. "You had any college classes before?"

Sophia: "Not sure if I'll be any help with that, but I can try," she grinned, then shook her head, "Not yet, no."

Hector: "No, they let her off easy I bet... Made me take advanced studies with the Order's tutor..." He smirked, "C'est la vie... Mama said you'd finished secondary, so you should be fine at Xavier's..."

Hepzibah: "Yeah, they pretty much take anybody. They'll work with you if you're behind of stuff," Hepz nodded. "Some of the kids there are runaways or never went to school..." Her voice trailed off. She spoke back up. "So how much did he bribe the tutor to keep from having to study?" she asked Sophia, laughing.

Sophia: "I think I'll be fine." She snickered, "Which one?"

Hector: "You can't bribe a member of the Order..." He shook his head, he'd tried. Repeatedly.

Hepzibah: "And you would know that how exactly?" she teased. They picked up speed as the huge Impala turned onto the open highway and headed north.

Sophia: "Or you just aren't good at it..." Sophia mumbled with a smirk.

Hector: He gave each of them a dirty look in turns and then focused on the road. "Think maybe we should turn the radio on if you two are just gonna keep talking nonsense..."

Hepzibah: "Oh, come on baby! We're just teasing... you know... mostly," she laughed, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Not our fault you’re such an easy mark." Hepz was really starting to like Sophia if she could get a dirty look out of Hec so easily.

Hector: "Uh huh..." He kept his eyes on the road, sulking as he drove.

Sophia: "The radio would mean I don't have to listen to you... so, sounds like a plan," she grinned.

Hepzibah: "Rebuttal? Witty comeback?" Hepz offered, having seen their back and forth verbal matches before. She tried hard to hide her own grin.

Hector: "I'm not going to dignify that with a response." He sniffed, a slight mocking grin for their jibs and taunts on his face.

Sophia: "Because you don't have a response?"

Hector: "None that I want to say infront of you..." He eyed her in the rear view.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah laughed, looking between them. "So, this is what it's like to have a sibling, hm? It gonna be an interesting next few years..."

Sophia: "Pretty much." It's what it was like when siblings were around anyway, but she wasn't about to voice that comment. "And how annoying they are depends on the age..."

Hector: "Uh huh... Specially ones about 17ish or so... Bumming a ride cross country..." He said stoically as he passed a car going too slow.

Hepzibah: "Come on, Hec. You're not going to be a spoiled sport all the way to Kansas are you?" she asked, reaching up to squeeze his hand that was wrapped around her shoulders. She was still trying hard not to grin too much.

Sophia: "He's not always one?" Sophia shot a glance toward the front seats and slumped down some more to avoid looks from the rearview.

Hector: Hec resisted the overwhelming urge to stick his tongue out at his sister. "Don't answer her..." He told Hepz, "She's just trying to goad me..."

Sophia: She rolled her eyes, "I can still hear you. You're only, like, three feet away."

Hector: "Be quiet, not you can't. Don't make me turn your ears off." He scolded her from the front seat.

Hepzibah: "Turn off her ears?" Hepz wasn't sure if she was more curious or tickled by that threat.

Sophia: "Oh, I'm so scared," Sophia deadpanned. "I don't think you can manage that while driving."

Hector: "Oh you'd be surprised what I can manage..." He resisted the urge to use his power on her, "Better be glad I don't wanna school ya till we get to XU..." He grinned.

Sophia: "Pfft, like you actually could."

Hepzibah: "Alright you two!" Hepz broke in before Sophia actually did goad Hector into doing something that would end badly no matter what. "You know what? I think that radio thing was a good idea after all." Reaching forward, she turned the knob and got some music going before either of them could object.

Hector: "Now look what you did... Made her mad." He said over his shoulder to Sophia. "You should apologize..."

Sophia: "She's your girlfriend. You make it better," she shot back.

Hector: "Oh I will... Just gotta wait till I put you to bed first." He grinned, at her in the rearview and squeezed Hepz's shoulder.

Hepzibah: Hepz shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to see why you mother prays for peace so much," she chuckled. "I thought she meant, like world peace. I think Xavier 's gonna be praying for peace too in a few weeks..."

Sophia: "I think I can tuck myself in," Sophia stuck her tongue out at him.

Hector: "Uh huh... We'll see... Father and Mama told me to keep an eye on you..." He trailed off, let her think he was going to be the overbearing big brother.

Hepzibah: Hepz had to bite her tongue to keep from making a flirty reply to Hector's insinuation of 'making it better'. Then she turned up the radio as the two started bickering again. It's going to be a LONG drive to Kansas...

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: Hepz dragged the last of the laundry out of the antiquated dryer. Resting the basket of clean sheets and towels on her hip, she came out of the laundry room and into the kitchen. "You know, new curtains and a fresh coat of paint and most of the house would look good as new," she commented, snapping a towel out and folding it on the small kitchen table.

Hector: Hec finished the last of the dishes and cleaning of kitchen counters, "Yeah... Hah... New as in 1800's?" He joked, tossing his rag into the sink and collapsing into a chair. "Sophia better hurry back with something for dinner. I'm bout ready to eat the baking soda in the fridge...."

Hepzibah: A clean pair of pair of rolled up socks hit Hector is the side of the head. "Keep that up and you'll be eating out in the barn!" she joked. Hepz scratched underneath her ponytail and looked around. "Ok... a few of the appliances might need to be updated," she agreed begrudgingly. The house looked almost exactly like it did when her papa was alive and she was reluctant to change anything of it.

Hector: "Uh huh..." He picked the socks up off the table and threw them back at her. "Maybe just a bit. The 1950's had some awesome new inventions that I think have caught on a little..."

Hepzibah: Hepz caught the socks easily and made a face at him. "You're just bucking for a dish washer," she smirked. "What's the matter? Washing them by hand too good for you now that the secret is out that your really not Mexican trash?" she joked. Her grin faltered for a second as she focused her attention back on the laundry, folding the rest of the towels.

Hector: "That would not be amiss..." He grinned and the sobered a bit, "But ya know... Been thinking ‘bout that... Still gotta talk with Sophia... But think it'd be best no one at the school finds out who we really are..." He drifted off, and picked back up, "Never know how those people will react..."

Hepzibah: "That's cool. Mum's the word, you can trust me." Hepz nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the basket as she dug around for more laundry that needed folding among the sheets. Not finding any, she put the folded towels on top of the sheets and put the basket back on her hip. "Yeah, you never even told me, so... yeah..." That was still a sore spot for her and probably would be for a long time. "I'm gonna go make the beds," she announced heading up the back stairs.

Hector: "I'll help..." He followed her up the stairs, he'd caught the change in her voice, "Yeah... But can you imagine what Monet or Pietro'd do if they found out who I really am? In spite or just for fun?" He smirked.

Hepzibah: "Naw... you'd be one of them," she made herself laugh. "They'd probably give you a 'welcome to the club' badge or something." Hepz opened the door to the guest room Sophia was sleeping in. Setting the basket on the floor, she pulled out a fitted sheet. "Grab that side?" she pointed to the far side of the bed.

Hector: Hec nodded and did as instructed, helping her with the sheets, "Oh dear God, I hope not. I don't mind Mo so much, but if Pietro turned friendly I've have to kill myself." He said seriously.

Hepzibah: "If Pietro turned friendly it would only be because he was after that photo album again. If Monet turned friendly, it would probably mean Hell had just frozen over." The fitted sheet in place, she grabbed the top sheet. "So, what are you going to do about your weed 'n seed business? Can't see Sophia or your parents thinking much of that now that you’re back in the family."

Hector: "Most likely keep gardening on the side... Might still go turn a profit if I need to, but eh, we'll see." He'd been thinking of that for a while now himself, still wasn't sure exactly how he was going to handle it.

Hepzibah: "Ok," she said noncommittally keeping her eyes on the bed. He already knew how she felt about it. And now - with him being who he was, it wasn't like anything was written in stone for them; he could do whatever he wanted. The top sheet tucked into the mattress, she grabbed the bedspread she'd washed earlier and flung it over the bed. "Well, one down one to go." She grabbed the basket back up.

Hector: Hec smiled, "Uh huh..." He walked around the bed and wrapped an arm around her waist as they headed for her bedroom. "Think we can dirty them up a bit real quick afore sis gets home?" He whispered conspiratorially.

Hepzibah: "Sure," she nodded. "You know me - always up for a good time." She winked, but her voice was lacking a little bit of its usual enthusiasm whenever the two of them talked sex. Opening the door to her bedroom she sat the basket down.

Hector: "Uh huh..." He smiled and picked out the sheet from the basket, tossing it across the bed with one quick motion. He moved to one side to tuck it in, "Babe?..."

Hepzibah: Hepz grabbed the other side and tucked it in as well. She scratched at her ponytail again, grabbing the top sheet, "Yeah?"

Hector: "You ok?" He watched her carefully, she'd seemed out of it ever since they'd gotten to the farm. He was afraid she was still pissed at him, and would rather have it out in the open if she was sulking. "You seem a bit... distracted, yeah?"

Hepzibah: Nodding, Hepz flung the top sheet over her bed. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired is all," she lied. "There's always a lot to do here since I'm hardly ever here. That will better though once I'm back home full time." There was a distinct lack of the word 'we' in her answer. She grabbed her bedspread and stopped to rub the back of her head. "Got a headache... never stayed human this long before."

Hector: Hec nodded, "Yeah... I understand..." He watched her rub her head again, "Think maybe ya overdoing it? You can take a break... Let me handle some a this stuff, yeah?" He took the bedspread from her and put it on himself before turning back to her and walking her to the edge of the bed.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah sat down and smiled up at him, but shook her head. "Thanks, but you don't have to. You've already done too much." She looked over at the doorway and remembered him leaning against it when he'd brought her home after being rescued from that maniac sadist, Kraven. She scrunched up her face as a spike of pain went through her temples.

Hector: "Nonsense..." He smiled for a moment, and frowned as she made a face, seeing her body tense. "Seriously... I want you to take a break..." He forced her to lay back on the bed, "You want me to get ya somethin?"

Hepzibah: "Got anything for a headache?" she asked, rubbing her temples. With a defeated sigh she closed her eyes. "Sorry, Hector. I think I'm going to have to drop the human act for a little bit." Her human facade morphed away as her feline body reappeared, tail and all. Her shoes fell off, no longer fitting on her hind claws.

Hector: "Hey yeah, no worries..." He watched her shift, and picked up her shoes from where they fell, putting them away. "That feel better now?" He asked as he walked over to his bag, not every drug he carried was illegal, and came back with some high powered Tylenol and muscle relaxers. "Here... Take these. Want me to get ya some water ta go with?"

Hepzibah: She took the pills in her hand and nodded, feeling a little less strained although her head was still pounding. "No, you know how good I am at swallowing," she smirked a little and popped the meds down her throat not even asking what they were. "I'll change back before your sister gets back..." she promised, hoping that she'd be able to.

Hector: "Hey... No worries, I'll just tell her ya sleeping." He smiled and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. "Also... Wouldn't hurt if ya showed her this. I won’t tell her if ya don't want, but she'll find out at school sooner or later anyway yeah? So no real needa keep it secret..."

Hepzibah: "I know," Hepz said quietly, closing her eyes. "I just don't want her to freak out... be all worried that she'd gonna have kittens for nieces and nephews some day," she joked, but her hope of having children with him ‘someday’ was feeling more and more like a pipe dream. She reached out and felt for his hand, squeezing it.

Hector: Hec squeezed back, "Ha... Yeah... Well, ya know... Might happen?" He laughed, "God knows she almost had one already..."

Hepzibah: "What? A kitten or a nephew?" she chuckled, feeling the meds starting to kick in a little. She smiled a little at that light headed feeling as her tail tapped against his leg a little. "Thought you were more careful than that baby..."

Hector: "Oh, I am careful, but we did have that scare a few months ago..." He smiled again, hearing her loosen up as the meds kicked in. "You feeling better now babe?"

Hepzibah: "Yeah babe, thanks..." She nodded and sighed, the meds relaxing her tongue as well as her muscles. "No wonder you were so relieved. Wouldn't do to show up on that fancy door step with a knocked-up mutant freak in tow, huh?" She laughed humorlessly.

Hector: "That's not what I was thinking at all..." He said slowly, "If I have a child out of wedlock, it would be considered a bastard, and not part of my family proper. If/when I do have a kid, I'd rather have it granted all the privilege and good grace I can offer it. No need to have ta start off with any more setbacks that the kids gotta, huh?"

Hepzibah: "Setbacks are a bitch. I would know..." Hepz opened her eyes and looked up at Hector. She was quiet for a while before she spoke again quietly. "We're never going to have a baby... are we?" Or any of the other plans she'd dreamed up.

Hector: "Why not? Think it's going to be a given someday..." He smiled softly, "Just needa wait till after we're married." He cleared his throat, "But... yeah... No need to rush into all that, yeah?" He smiled again softly.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah blinked a few times. Those muscle relaxers must be kick-ass... I'm hallucinating... She gave herself a minute to daydream and almost smiled, then shook her head, feeling worse than ever. "Hector... don't...." Her head was starting to feel foggy. "I'm a big girl. You don't have to make believe a happy ending for me ok?" She patted his hand. "I'm still your sex crazed kitty till... till I'm not, k?"

Hector: Hec smiled as he watched her, looked like the pills were kicking in hard, "Alright... I won’t make believe a happy ending." He smirked and ran his hand through her hair. Probably won’t remember this when she wakes up anyway...

Hepzibah: "Good... cause fairy tales are for losers," she laughed softly. "Stopped believing in 'em a long time ago." A purr rose up as he stroked her hair. She fought the urge to fall into sleep. "But if we did get married... would I get to wear one of those little crowns?" She pantomimed and little coronet on her top of her head as she laid there with a silly grin on her face.

Hector: "Ha... I'm not a crowned prince, but you would be able ta wear something like that at formal occasions." He told her softly. "Why don't you get some sleep now, ya barely keepin’ your eyes open..."

Hepzibah: "Just like Cinderella, huh? Too bad I hate mice..." She laughed, shaking her head. "Don't wanna sleep... Wanna stay with you..." She couldn't quite make the thoughts connect into intelligible sentences.

Hector: "I know... But you needa sleep, and I'll finish off the chores. Wake ya up when Sophia comes back with food, yeah?" He ran his hand through her hair again and squeezed her hand. "Sleep now..."

Hepzibah: "Don't leave," she whispered, holding his hand close to her chest. "Not yet..." She wasn't sure if she meant right the second or when the time came for him to go back to his world and away from hers. It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open.

Hector: "K... I'll stay right here..." He smiled again as he watched her, laying down beside her on the edge of the bed. Quick nap won't hurt... chores will be there when we wake.

Hepzibah: Hepz nodded and curled up to Hector. Her tail wrapped over them as she laid one leg over him. "Promise?" she yawned, snuggling into his shoulder.

Hector: "Promise." Her yawn was infectious, and Hec followed suit holding her as he stared up at the ceiling. "Now no more talking, sleep." He said quietly, but insistently.

Hepzibah: For once she didn't argue with him and just nodded, sighing contently. "Love you," she whispered.

Hector: "I said no more talking..." He mock chided, squeezing her a bit, "Love you too..." He whispered softly, and gave her a kiss good night.

[Raven Hare]

Kyle: Kyle's mouth was hanging a little open as he concentrated on the tv, his thumbs and forefingers working at the gamepad in his hands. A tniy bit of drool was forming at the side of his lower lip.

Hepzibah: Silently, Hepz crept towards the rec room. There was one thing that could make her smile even on a bad day. With a grin, she spied Kyle fixated on the TV screen, his fighter jumping and kicking. The tips of her ears were all that were visible as she snuck up behind the sofa.

Kyle: When the drool was getting a little too heavy, Kyle snapped out of his daze, back of hand quickly wiping his mouth, and then his palm rubbed at the side of his nose. He took a sniff of the air, then went back to playing the game.

Hepzibah: She froze as Kyle sniffed the air. Peaking up over the cushions, Hepz's tail twitched as she got ready to pounce... And a one, and a two and a three! With that she bounded over the sofa and snagged Kyle, tumbling into the floor with him howling in laughter! "Gotcha!!"

Kyle: Kyle's reaction, however, was just giving a quick but long soppy wet lick from her chin to her forehead. "Smelled you when you got in." he grinned.

Hepzibah: "You are such a liar!" she grinned back but knew he was probably telling the truth. Kyle's nose was even more keen than hers. Giving him a friendly bite on the cheek, she leaned back wiping her face. "Speaking of smells... smells like we got some new students in." There was at least one new feral - female if her senses could be trusted.

Kyle: "I think two. I met two new ones; girl and guy." Kyle said while still lying on the floor looking up at Hepz, "Umm, one's like a cat, and the other is..um...just a little bit feral, I guess."

Hepzibah: "A cat? Another one??" She cocked her head at him and sat back, offering him her hand to pull him out of the floor. "And here, for years I thought I was the only one," she smirked. "I haven't had time to make the rounds yet - meet all the newbies. Hector's been keeping me occupied since we got home." She gave him a dirty grin.

Hepzibah: "We haven't had much 'alone time' on the way home since his sister - oh! His sister, Sophia, came back with us. Turns out mutants run in Hec's family." She frowned a little at mentioning Hector's family and wrapped her tail around her feet, the tip ticking a little.

Kyle: Kyle looked at her frowning for a second then had to ask, "Something wrong? Doesn't his sister like you?"

Hepzibah: Hepzibah sighed and shifted into her human counter self. "She likes me.... at least like this." Hepz got an embarrassed look. She knew Kyle preferred her she way she truly was. "She's, um, she's not seen me in all my furry glory..."

Kyle: "Then... how do you know she prefer you like this?" he asked, "I mean, um, if she hasn't seen you normal... how do you know she prefers you like this? "

Hepzibah: "Because all 'normals' prefer us non-furry. Unless they are paying money to come gawk at us." She got a sour look then shook her head. "But, speaking of which - What in the Hell happened to YOU?" She pointed at his bald head. If Hector hadn’t been with her the past few weeks, she had accused him of giving Kyle another hair cut.

Kyle: "Me? Umm, I stayed here for a while. Then, err, then, then I went with Cess and Matt on this nature hike thing. And, um, now I'm back." he shrugged.

Hepzibah: "Kyle!" she growled comically. "I mean your fur! What happened to all your fur?? You were significantly furry at the beginning of summer..."

Kyle: "...oh, yeah. It fell out." he answered looking down at himself, even though he was wearing a shirt. He looked back up at Hepz.

Hepzibah: "It fell out? What do you mean 'it fell out'??" Her eyes got huge. "Why did it all fall out??" If this was, by some chance, a prank Hector had pulled, she was going hang him up by his toenails...

Kyle: "Oh, yeah, the, umm, the stuff we had to take, what's the word, umm, vaccine, for the virus thing. The doctors said it sometimes causes side effects." Kyle said. "Temporary side effects." he quickly added. "Like Jay. Jay's blue. Except for his feathers. And hair."

Hepzibah: Her big green eyes got even bigger. "The vaccine made all your fur fall out? Holy shit, what are monkeying around with down there??" No way was she getting that vaccine!

Kyle: "Well... it's... it's temporary, it'll grow back. I think." He said, his head looking back down at himself again, at his arms, then lifted his shirt up, " 'least you can see my six pack now." he grinned goofily at her.

Hepzibah: "Yes I can," she grinned back, goosing his ribs. "Hard to show off all those hard muscles under all that fur, huh?" Hepz really, really hoped his fur grew back. A furless Kyle was just... unnatural.

Tigra: Tigra strolled down to the recroom, curiously sniffing at the brand new scent and Kyle! She burst through the door, "Hi Kyle!" She stopped. Uhoh... Her ears went back.

Kyle: Still holding the shirt up with one hand, the other came up higher for a wave, "Hello, Tigra, Hepz, Hepz, Tigra". He said with the grin still on his face.

Hepzibah: "Tigra?" Hepz was still in her human form, but the hair on the back of her neck stood up in response to the other feline's posture.

Tigra: Tigra shook herself. Not threatening. "Uh... hi..." she waved, "Hepz? That short for Hepzibah?" Her tail swished behind her as she edged a little further into the room.

Hepzibah: Hepz nodded, "That's right, Hepzibah." She saw Tigra relaxing her stance a little bit, but she felt instinctively on gaurd. The feral in the back of her mind was growling and pacing in it's cage.

Kyle: Kyle just eyeballed between the two girls as he sat there on the ground.

Tigra: She nodded, "People mentioned you... said you were like me?" She stayed near to the door, skirting the furniture, watching the other woman closely.

Hepzibah: "Uh huh..." Hepz hesitated a moment, then morphed back into her true form. The feral was even louder now as she felt Tigra's eyes on her. "Different breed maybe, but same species."

Tigra: Tigra blinked, her posture changing again. Oh crap. Still not threatening. She was trying really hard to stay on top of this. Outside she probably would have given up already, but there were so many breakables in here..... "Huh... bet that fur's hard to keep clean..."

Kyle: "Umm...excuse for a second." Kyle said and quickly got up and doublestepped his way into the kitchen.

Hepzibah: "Kyle?" Hepzibah looked startled as he scooted out of the killing zone. Kyle!! Get your furless butt back in here! She heard drawers opening and closing in the kitchen. She refocused on Tigra and her comment on her pristine white coat of fur. "It can be..."

Tigra: Tigra saw the movement of Kyle and felt a little abandoned. Typical guy. "That why you were all human looking....?" She took another tentative step forwards, testing out the space, wondering if the other feline was going to get defensive.

Hepzibah: "What do you mean?" Hepz's ears flicked as Tigra got closer. "I can change my appearance at will..." She stayed still, still crouched on the floor next to the sofa.

Tigra: "Which form do you like best?" She hopped up onto the back of the chair, peering down at Hepzibah, her tail in the air behind her, flicking from side to side as she sniffed to try and gauge the response from the scent.

Hepzibah: "Depends on where I am and who I'm with," she answered feeling tense and wary. Her own tail was starting to swish behind her as she stood up. She was reminded of her first meeting with Mayhem. "Why?" Her claws flexed in their sheaths.

Tigra: "Curious....." She watched her tail then looked up at her face again, sitting up, "Think it's sad you wanna look like everyone else... boring..." she cocked her head on one side, "Don't you think so?"

Kyle: Kyle came back, carrying a tray with a variety of cookies, chips, coldcuts, strawberries, and other fingerfoods, along with a couple glasses of juice. But what really stood out was what was next to the buffet. A spritzer bottle full of water. Kyle put the tray down on the coffe table, shoved some chips into his mouth, grabbed the spritzer and sat down on the couch.

Hepzibah: "Then you've obviously not had as 'interesting' a life as I have. Maybe if you'd been abandonded as a toddler, spent eight months living in a cage being tortured, left to starve death as a child and had to work as a whore and a circus freak as a teen because you couldn't find any other work - all thanks to this." she motioned to her feline appearance. "Maybe you'd long for a little boredom too," she growled.

Hepzibah: Her eyes caught Kyle coming back into the with the food and spritzer bottle. Don't you even dare think about it Fido... She looked between TIgra and Kyle, her tail swishing more violently.

Tigra: Tigra felt the hair on the back of her neck rise in response to the shift in scent and she lowered her posture again. "You have no idea what I've been through as a result of this." She gestured at herself, "But I wouldn't change it for the world. I would hate to give it up." Her tail started up again, tapping against the back of the chair.

Hepzibah: She climbed on the back of the sofa hovering over Kyle. No wonder everyone thinks ferals are idiots... "You born that way?"

Kyle: Kyle ate some more and watched the show of the cats intently.

Tigra: She decided a long time ago how she'd answer that question if she was ever asked. So long ago that she fully believed the answer herself. "Yes." She narrowed her eyes.

Hepzibah: "Really? So, tell me - pretty kitty," she smirked, seeing Tigra's eyes narrow. "What have you been through as a result of this?" Hepzibah felt insulted and enraged at the other feline's flippant disdain for this mixed blessing she'd prayed for all her life; the ability to at least look human.

Tigra: "I lived out there." She pointed out the window, "And I've been attacked. Repeatedly. By other Mutants as well as humans. I killed for food, stayed out in the snow, you don't look like you could kill anything if you had to."

Kyle: This was one of the best shows he watched in a long time. Kyle stuffed some more food in his mouth as he watched.

Hepzibah: A strange, almost psychotic smile curled at Hepz's lips. Her green eyes sparkled as she ran the body count up in her head. If you only knew, pretty kitty.... "I've never killed for food," she answered enigmatically. Reaching a hand down, she scritched Kyle behind his ears.

Tigra: "Yeah... didn't think so...." she frowned, her tail swishing from side to side, "Probably don't wanna get blood on your fur..."

Hepzibah: "No." Her smile turned into a smirk. The only blood she'd ever gotten on her was her own and... "Never got anyone else's blood on me, except Kyle's. Never even thought about it, to be honest. I'm not that sloppy. Maybe it's a good thing you are colored the way you are - to hide the mud and the blood. Kyle has that same problem too sometimes."

Tigra: Tigra growled, "You wanna try staying clean when you're living in the woods? Be my guest." She narrowed her eyes again, "You wouldn't last a week."

Hepzibah: Hepzibah morphed back into her human facade. "Fortunately, I don't have to." She hopped off the sofa gracefully, landing with barely a sound.

Kyle: "You two gonna be good friends," Kyle interrupted. "Have some strawberries." he added.
Tigra: Tigra watched Hepzibah change appearance again, "Coward..." she muttered, shaking her head. She looked over at Kyle, "Sorry, Kyle... I don't eat fruit yet..." They did smell nice though.

Hepzibah: "Come again?" Hepz was a lot of things, but she was no coward. "Care to say that again?"

Kyle: "Then have some of the ham." He suggested. "Or else." he added shaking the spritzer. "Goes for you too." He said smiling at Hepz.

Tigra: Tigra turned her head to look back at Hepz, "I said: Coward." She repeated, "Hiding behind that facade just to make life easier for yourself. It's pathetic. You should be proud to be different."

Hepzibah: "Kyle, you aim that thing at me and so help me God - I will shove it up your ass and shoot water out your nose!" Hepz hissed. She stepped right up to Tigra, her face inches away, staring her down. "Big talk from a Thunder cat wannabe who spent her time hiding in the woods."

Tigra: Tigra hissed, a low growl escaping her, "I wasn't hiding." Her eyes narrowed dangerously and her claws extended into the fabric of the chair she was perched on.

Kyle: Kyle snapped with a bark at both of them as he stood up, sprizting water at both of them. "Bad! Bad! Down!" he said. "Doesn't matter how you look. Both still act like animals. Get treated like animals." Kyle mumbled as he turned and headed for the door to the patio.

Hepzibah: Even though she was in human form, Hepz still shrieked and hissed as Kyle hit them with the water. "KYLE!!" she yelled. "You sonuvabitch!! I'm going the kill you!!" She instinctively shifted her feral form and launched herself at him eyeing the spritzer bottle and intent on making good with her threat.

Tigra: Tigra sneezed as the water went up her nose, the shock nearly throwing her off-balance. She blinked and shook her head, then watched Hepzibah chase Kyle. "Wha-?" She hopped off the back of the chair and followed them to investigate. Why was her face wet?

Kyle: And Kyle ran for his life out the back. Iris out on all three heading out the door.

[Scumfish]

Tigra: She decided a long time ago how she'd answer that question if she was ever asked. So long ago that she fully believed the answer herself. "Yes." She narrowed her eyes.

Not what she told Adam

Good instance and <3 Kyle! Throw your alpha around!

[steyn]

Good thing he hasn't gotten angry with them. Then he would have REALLY thrown his alpha around.

[Svartfreja]

Tigra: She decided a long time ago how she'd answer that question if she was ever asked. So long ago that she fully believed the answer herself. "Yes." She narrowed her eyes.

Not what she told Adam

Yeah but when she spoke to Adam, the Feral wasn't out.

[Raven Hare]

lol! Here's hoping that Adam and Hepzibah never get together and compare notes... If so, Greer and Tigra got some explaining to do


Just trying to imagine Kyle mad at Hepz. Puts me somewhere between and

[Edited on 4/6/10 by Raven Hare]

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: In her human guise, Hepzibah made her way into the rec room on her way to the kitchen. All the food that Kyle had dragged out earlier was still on the coffee table. With a sigh, she shook her head and started gathering up the food to take it back to the kitchen. Pushing her long blonde hair out of her face, she straightened up and picked up the serving tray.

Adam: "They have room service now too?" The voice came from behind a large, leather-bound book on which the title had been long worn away. "Wow, I knew as soon as I saw this place the guy was rich, but seriously..." The book was lowered and bright blue eyes regarded the girl. "Though he could have at least got you a uniform."

Hepzibah: Looking over her shoulder, she spotted the new kid hiding behind his book. "Nope, what we got is an adorable, but messy canine who doesn't always remember to clean up after himself," she answered shaking her head. She stopped short of mentioning that she did have a uniform - but it was her ass-kicking, name-taking X-man uniform... not exactly appropriate for taking out the trash.

Hepzibah: "I'm Hepzibah. Most folks call me Hepz or Hepzi," she nodded at him, resting the tray against her hip. "You're one of the new students," she smiled taking him in. He seemed to pale and too thin for his age.

Adam: "How observant." Adam grinned at her. "Adam. And I've met the canine - Kyle, is it?" He closed the book carefully, putting it down on the arm, resting a gloved hand on it. "I'd say he's closer to being simple then adorable - but then I've never been a dog person myself."

Hepzibah: She laughed, not sensing any real animosity from the new kid. "Yeah, me neither at first. Scared the living shit outta me the first time we met. But, Kyle -" She smiled fondly. "Kyle grows on you. Hell, sometimes I think he's the only person here with any 'smarts' at all." She chuckled. "So you got a name?"

Adam: "I just gave it." Adam smiled, actually relaxed for real thanks to the drugs. "He's...alright. For a dog." He sniffed, eyes narrowing a little at her scent. "You kinda smell sort of like Tigger, but you don't look like her. Now why's that...?" Another feral that looked normal like him? This was...promising...

Hepzibah: "Oh, sorry." She shook her head, embarrassed. She was still a little frazzled from her encounter with Tigra. "Tigger?" she furrowed her brow a bit, before it dawned on her. "Tigra! Yeeeeeaah...." she trailed off, heading towards the kitchen. "You'll find out around here... almost nothing is what it seems," she smiled enigmatically over her shoulder.

Adam: Adam got up to follow her, intrigued. "I'm already learning that." He followed her into the kitchen. "But...I haven't met anyone else with the...whole...feral package looking normal, like me." He smirked a little. "I haven't had a good impression so far. Tigger's dumb and Kyle is...well...simple."

Hepzibah: "Ferals usually get the short end of the stick," she laughed self-depreciatingly. "God knows I did." She gave him a speculative smile and sat the tray on the counter. "You got a good nose there to pick up that I'm feral."

Adam: "Like I said, you kinda smell like Tigger only different." Adam eyed up the coffee machine before shaking his head. "And my nose is very good. Really good. Just like the rest of my so-called 'talents'." His tone was bitter as he air-quoted.

Hepzibah: Hepz picked up on his bitter tone, understandingly. "Yeah, I think TIgra likes to push my buttons - not that it's hard. I have a rep for being hot tempered and a little impulsive anyways." She picked up a strawberry off the tray eating it. "So, I'll show you mine if you show me yours - powers that is," she grinned with a wink.

Adam: "Better just be powers." Adam eyeballed her, though he gave her a small smile before spreading his hands. "What's to show? I mean, there's this-" The blade snapped out of the undersides of his wrists. "-And I'm speedy, strong and I have enhanced senses. Including taste and touch." He pushed the memory of his eyes and the pillow firmly away.

Hepzibah: She eyed the blades with a mix of caution and interest. "Don't worry, you're safe. I don't play like that anymore. Used to, but I've settled down some, might have even grown up a little being here," she joked. "I'm a one man cat nowadays." She morphed into her true feline self, extending her own claws to show him.

Adam: Adam took a step back as she changed, staring at her. "...Wow. I take it back - you're nothing like Tigger." He pulled in his blades, eying her up. She looked seriously soft. Really soft. "Wouldn't matter even if you weren't. I'm not interested." He rubbed his hands together.

Hepzibah: She laughed again. "Well.... that's my other 'gift'." She finger quoted just as he'd done and almost as bitterly. "Pheromones. I can make someone 'interested'. But don't worry," she added quickly. "I don't play that way." Her tail swayed behind her as she reluctantly threw the ham away. "So, where you from Adam?"

Adam: "I have a gas-mask." He half-threatened. "And you mean the accent didn't give it away? Some tiny little village in County Galway, Southern Ireland. Travelled around it, though. Five years in the foster system'll do that."

Hepzibah: Hepz smirked at his gas mask comment, then winced at the last part. "I guess that's something else we got in common. Nine year veteran of the system, myself," she thumbed at herself with mock pride. "Hell of a thing growing up in the system looking like this. But I suppose just being a mutant period is enough to get the shit beat out of you in the foster system."

Adam: "You as well?" Adam's face softened a little, becoming slightly less guarded. "Only if you don't get in there first. I developed a nasty reputation - helps that people thought I was a nutcase. Well...guess I am a nutcase. I am when I don't take my medicine, anyway. So what's your story?" Someone like him! Someone who knew what it was like!

Hepzibah: "Then we'll make sure Dr. McCoy keeps your pill box full," she joked gently. Putting the rest of the food in the fridge, she sighed. "I was abandoned by my parents when I was two. I must have been shuffled around to a thousand different shelters and halfway houses. Stayed in the system till I was eleven." She shook her head. "Then I was kidnapped and spent the next several months in Hell."

Hepzibah: She climbed up on the bar stool and was quiet for few moments. "Nearly died, but eventually I was rescued and nursed back to health. A human doctor took me in." She smiled. "Only human I've ever trusted. When he passed away, I was thirteen and on my own again. Eventually Xavier's people found me and brought me here." She looked at him, and asked quietly. "What landed you in the system?"

Adam: Adam looked down at his hands. "House fire." He said tensely, staring at his hands and refusing to look up. "Parents died in it. I didn't. No other living relatives, manifested in the hospital by putting my blades through a copper's hands by accident." Not a lie, not a lie, please believe that it's not a lie.

Hepzibah: Hepzibah's green eyes watched Adam. It wasn't too hard to tell he was hiding something. But, who the hell here wasn't hiding something. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "I don't know which would be worse, losing your parents or never having had them at all."

Adam: "I miss them." Adam said simply, before raking his hands through his hair. "But it's the past, now. Shit happens, and it happens to the best as well as the worst of us. Guess all that matters is the here and now." He shrugged, smirking. "And here and now, I could go for a tea. You?"

Hepzibah: She smiled, glad he didn't dwell in the past. She should learn how to do that herself. "Shit happens," she agreed, nodding. "Tea with cream and sugar?" she smiled, almost grinning

Adam: "If that's how you take it. I just have mine black and plain - can't handle it otherwise." Adam was glad she didn't try to pry, blurring to the kettle and putting it on, using his speed automatically to get out cups and set it up before solidifying leaning against a counter.

Hepzibah: "You are fast," she blinked. She tried not to think how much that reminded him of another speedster who made her fur want to stand on end. "I can't help it, would be against my feline nature not to like cream, right?" she joked.

Adam: "So I've been told." Adam smiled. "And true - though what does that say about you and the liking of sugar? You're not sweet?" He grinned. "They say the things you eat and drink always reflect who you are, after all - in which case I'm bitter and plain."

Hepzibah: She snorted, "You might have something. My boyfriend likes hot stuff, and he is pretty hot stuff," she teased. "If you are bitter, I can understand why. But nobody who ends up at XU is 'plain'."

Adam: Adam just snorted as the kettle boiled. "Got to admit, I agree with you there. This entire place reads like an asylum, seriously. You're one of the most normal people I've met here so far."

Hepzibah: Me... normal. Who'd have ever thought someone would think I was normal? She smiled, taking the cup of tea as Adam pour it. "Well... I suppose 'normal' is a relative term around here."

[Raven Hare]

Hepzibah: Hepzibah knocked on the open door of the dorm Sophia had been assigned to. The younger girl looked like she was putting the last of her things away. "Hey, how are you settling in, Sophia?"

Sophia: Sophia looked around the room and gave a shrug, moving to take a seat on the bed, "Not bad, I guess. I've only gotten a little lost a few times and have no idea how to use anything in the kitchen..."

Hepzibah: Picking up a knickknack off the desk, Hepz sat on the other bed, nodding. "Now you know how I felt at your house," she laughed. "Not much of a cook myself, either." She was still in her human guise. Hepz knew eventually Sophia was going to find out the 'truth' about her but she was still looking the 'right' time. "Fortunately, we got some students who love to cook and share - like Rogue."

Sophia: "You'd think this house would be easy when you compare it to mine," she grinned, "Yeah, that's what I was told. I got lucky and met someone in the kitchen. He cooked something quick for me."

Hepzibah: "He?" Hepz mentally went down the list of male students at the school. None immediately struck her as being culinarily inclined, but she was glad Sophia was making friends. She idly ran her fingers over the knickknack.

Sophia: "Uh," Sophia took a moment to remember his name, "Pietro. He made me an omlette. It was pretty good."

Hepzibah: Hepz went numb. She'd just assumed Hector would have warned her! The knickknack fell out of her frozen fingers. "Pietro?.... Pietro Maximoff?..." Like there could another one.

Sophia: She nodded, "Yeah... Is there another Pietro I don't know about?"

Hepzibah: She shook her head, almost desperately, standing up. "Stay away from him, Sophia! Don't go anywhere near him!" The fear and near panic was written all over her face.

Sophia: She blinked, not exactly sure how she was supposed to take the mood swing. "Um... why?"

Hepzibah: "Because!" She took a deep breath, trying to get herself under control. Sophia wasn't just another student, she was Hector's sister. "Because... he's the devil's son...the things he has done..." She shook her head, covering her face with her hands for a moment.

Sophia: "He seemed pretty nice to me..." Sophia bit down on her lip as she watched Hepz, still taken aback by the reaction. He'd only made her an omlette. It didn't seem like it was that big of a deal...

Hepzibah: Sitting down next to Sophia, she took a few more breaths to calm herself. "I'm not surprised. He seemed pretty nice to me too when I first met him." She saw the other girl's expression and made herself calm down so she could explain herself. "Pietro comes from a very powerful family... his father is a 'scientist'" she finger quoted. "He... he experiments on mutants."

Hepzibah: "When I was 11 years old, Magnus Maximoff kidnapped me, put me in a cage and tortured me for eight months." It was hard to talk about and her expression showed it, but she wanted Sophia to fully understand just how evil the Maximoff family was. "I was beaten, tazed, cut on, mentally 'conditioned', kept in a cage the size of a dog kennel. And when he was done... he left me in that cage to starve to death - I very nearly did."

Sophia: She listened carefully, brow furrowing as she took in the information, "That... That's awful..." Sophia couldn't think of much more to say on the topic other than that, but she supposed she could tell Hepz more about the conversation they'd had, "We talked about powers some, and he mentioned his dad a few times."

Hepzibah: Hepz growled under her breath, " No matter what he told you - Magnus Maximoff is a monster. He enjoys hurting others - even animals and children." She smiled bitterly at the inside joke. "Last year, Magnus found me again. He kidnapped myself, Pietro and another student, Mayhem."

Hepzibah: She shuddered and tried to stay focused. "Mayhem and I were kept in the lab - in cages. Pietro got to stay upstairs in the lap of luxury. At first, Pietro would sneak down at night, bringing food and stuff. Had us convinced he was trying his best to get us out. But in truth... he was helping his old man." She looked at Sophia then hung her head. "Mayhem was the gentlest creature I think I've ever met - and they tore him apart. His body and his mind."

Sophia: Sophia shuddered slightly at the idea. "He mentioned that his dad researched mutants, but he didn't really give details like that..."

Hepzibah: "I bet he didn't," she said angrily, before getting herself back in control. "As for me... they strapped me down to a table - injected me with serums, rewrote my dna." Hepz looked back over at Sophia, there were tears in her green eyes. "This isn't easy for me to talk about Sophia. Magnus... he - he let the other mutants rape me... and then... then Pietro, he -"

Hepzibah: She stopped for a moment and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. "He gave me an injection... I begged him not to... I flat lined. I was clinically dead for three minutes." She took a moment to gather herself back together. "I came back, but - I didn't remember anything. Not my name, not Hector - nothing."

Sophia: "So... how'd you, uh, get your...um, memory back?" she hesitantly asked, not sure if the question was appropriate.

Hepzibah: "Your brother," she managed a smile. "For whatever reason, Pietro smuggled me out and Hector was there to bring me home. Him and Mayhem... at least what was left of Mayhem." Her smile slipped a little. "But Hec never gave up on me, not once. Not even when he found out - " She bit her lip and flushed with shame. "While I had amnesia... Pietro and I became lovers."

Hepzibah: She gave the dark haired girl an earnest look. "I swear to God, Sophia - I had no memory of Hector. I would NEVER have betrayed your brother willingly. But Pietro... he knew. He knew that Hector and I... and he still -" she censored herself at the last second.

Sophia: Sophia nodded and managed a smile, "I believe you."

Hepzibah: Her smile made Hepz visibly relax and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Sophia, that means a lot to me." She fidgeted for a moment. "There aren't many people at the school who know what all happened while I was kidnapped. And I'm not crazy or lying or having psychedelic flash backs or some such shit. Hector has the paperwork - he can prove everything I just told you."

Sophia: "I don't need proof," she shook her head, debating how she was supposed to deal with Pietro now. He'd been really nice to her, but he did all those things to Hepz... "Is there anyone else I should look out for?"

Hepzibah: Hepz thought about it for a moment. "Watch your step around Monet. She's not 'dangerous' but she's got a superiority thing going on. She and Hec get on pretty well, though, so you probably won't have any problems out of her," she smiled. "Other than that, most everybody's pretty cool. We're all kinda in the same boat here. We're all mutants," she smiled, glad Sophia had taken her warning seriously.

Sophia: "That's good. I'd rather not have problems with people," she grinned, "And, I kind of gathered that last part since everyone I talk to asks me about powers."

Hepzibah: She laughed. "Oh yeah. It's like comparing clothes or hairstyles for a normal school." She cleared her throat, "Speaking of which... I never actually got around to telling you about my powers."

Sophia: "Oh, yeah," Sophia realized that she hadn't explained her's when Hec had, so she asked, "What are they?"

Hepzibah: "Um... well," she shifted uncomfortably. "Have you ever heard of - or seen a mutant called... called a 'feral'?"

Sophia: She shook her head, "I don't think so."

Hepzibah: Hooboy... That didn't make this any easier. "A feral is a - a type of mutant." She was quiet for minute then stood up a few feet from Sophia. If she hadn't freaked her out already, this should do it for sure. "A feral is a mutant who has animalistic features and/or traits." She morphed into her pure white, furry, feline form. "Like this..."

Sophia: "Wow. That's..." Sophia blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't just seeing things, not exactly sure what she was supposed to say next, "...really different."

Hepzibah: Hepz watched Sophia's reaction carefully. "I'm sorry, Sophia. I know I should have told you this sooner. Hector tried to get me to - but I know how people react when they see me like this. Just took me a while to find my big girl panties." She bit her lip, exposing a little bit of one of her fangs.

Sophia: She shot her a smile, "It's fine. I can see why you'd be hesitant to tell. It's a lot to take in."

Hepzibah: She relaxed a little at the other girl's smile. "Thank you, Sophia. I promise I'm not trying to scare you back home to Mexico," she semi-joked. "I just wanted to get all the cards out on the table. I love your brother, so what you think of me matters a lot." She admitted sitting back down on the edge of the other bed. "And he's going to have a coronary if/when he finds out Pietro was buddying up with you," she cringed.

Sophia: Sophia grinned, then gave a cringe at the thought of an overprotective older brother, "We could not tell him?"

Hepzibah: Her tail ticked behind her. "I promised Hector I wouldn't keep secrets from him, but... I won't bring it up if you don't," she smiled conspiratorially. "Just watch your back around Pietro. I'm not going to tell you what to do but I'd feel a lot better if you weren't alone with him and I know it would make Hector feel better."

Sophia: "That sounds like a good plan to me," she nodded, "And, I'll be careful around him."

Hepzibah: "Good," Hepz smiled broadly and morphed back into her human form. "So... I've unearthed most of my skeletons, showed you what I really look like... trying to think if there is any other way I can totally freak you out," she joked.

Sophia: Sophia snickered, "You'll have to let me know if you think of anything."

Hepzibah: She laughed, picking the knickknack up out of the floor and returning it to the desk. "Will do. So, you made any other new friends?"

Sophia: She gave a shrug, "I met another guy, Chris, after you two ditched me when we got here."

Hepzibah: "Chris?" she grinned. "He's a sweetie. Hector gives him grief, but Hec gives everybody grief. Chris is all right. He show you his fish?"

Sophia: "Nope, but he showed me his tattoos. Oh, and he gave me a tour of the city."

Hepzibah: "Very cool," Hepz nodded. "Glad you were able to get out for a while - think place can make you stir crazy if you're not careful."

Sophia: "It's not that bad so far. My house is better, but it's still pretty nice," Sophia grinned, "The city isn't bad either."

Hepzibah: Hepz laughed but didn't disagree. The Rendoza estate was beautiful. "So, you about settled in? Want to go grab some food ….or maybe paint Hector's toenails while he's taking a nap?" she grinned.

Sophia: "Pretty much," she gave a quick glance around the room, smirking, "Hot pink?"

Hepzibah: "Hot pink," Hepz agreed with a slightly maniacal grin.

[Scumfish]

D'awwww! Awesome instance, guys ^^