Danny came to visit the X-Men more often now. They didn't realize it, but he found himself almost dependent on them for his health, mostly mental. It was nice to know that he was still capable of maintaining a friendship, and it was amusing to listen to their different personalities. Only two weeks ago, they had rescued Scott's girlfriend finally, and he sounded far less depressed already. Unfortunately, one of their number had died in the attempt, or so he'd heard, as he no longer watched the news. He heard enough of it on the streets. Something about a major catastrophe in New York that he had almost been oblivious to. He could almost guarantee that he would hear the full story when he arrived. He was taking a long time today, however, because he had to bicycle and walk the entire way. It took more that thirty minutes. At last, he arrived. He pulled up to the mansion, and parked his bike, after warning Scott that he was coming in soon. Scott was with the Jean Grey lady, a name that resounded for some reason inside his mind. He had the distinct feeling he should know her name from somewhere, before he'd met Scott.

He opened the door and entered, quietly making his way down the hall, and into the main room, as had become his custom. Almost everyone except Scott was there, the distinct lack of red head ladies aside. He'd seen a picture of Jean, and she had absolutely beautiful red hair, though he privately thought that Jazz's hair had been prettier. Scott entered a second later, grinning like a raccoon, and telling him that it was time that he finally met Jean. Moments later, the lady herself walked into the room, smiling a little shyly, but mostly acting as if she owned the place.

"So, this is the Daniel I've heard so much about?" she opened the conversation with a question that Danny couldn't help but feel had an obvious answer. Where were any other Dannys?

"Yes, Jean. Here he is." then, switching to look at Danny, "Meet my girlfriend." He almost looked smug. Logan looked amused. Danny was sure there was a story behind that.

"Hello, Dan." The red head said. Too bad she gave him the wrong title. Everyone in the room except her winced slightly. Last time someone had been stupid enough to call him that, Danny had looked like he might punch someone. For Danny though, something else entirely happened.

Laughter swelled from his lips as helpless humans scurried about like confused, frightened ants, looking for shelter against the weight of his onslaught. A small group of men, such ones as thought they could stand against him, was spread out. One fired a red beam from his eyes as the female beside him suddenly collapsed, grasping her head, and trying to contain herself. A second later, in front of her terrified eyes, he reached forward, and plucked the glasses off of the male's eyes. The beams increased in brightness, and he assumed that they did the same in terms of strength. Dan reached forward and allowed his hand to solidify inside the man's chest, before yanking it back out. This was his favorite method of killing them. Short, painful, but long enough lasting to give him the pleasure he sought.

Once, he'd kept a female in a small place of his, and watched her terror every time he kissed her, shortly before he'd ripped her body apart, shredding it as she screamed, all dignity taken from her, and barely any scraps of sanity left. Her fear and pain had been...delicious.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts to watch the human clutch his chest, blood starting to stain his clothes as he choked, before the beams he produced dimmed, fading out. The woman screamed a name, soon to be lost, the same way the memories of his victims absorbed into him in their final moments of life, before being pushed aside. Suddenly, he had more pressing concerns to attend to. The woman appeared to suddenly light herself on fire.

"You don't kill people I care about and not pay the consequences. Say hello to your death, Dan."

Danny managed to pull his thoughts back into the present, the memory still shifting through his mind. "Please, just call me Danny." The others were looking at him curiously, and he realized he'd been subconsciously digging his fingernails into his skin. "Sorry. I kind of lost track of where I was." and when, he added mentally.

"How can you possibly lose track of where you are?" Scott asked, looking a little worried.

"I actually haven't figured it out entirely yet." He laughed softly. "So, this is your girlfriend. I approve."

Scott looked a little bit amused. "I somehow doubt I needed your approval."

"Well, you've got it anyway. Besides, now, I think you look way better than you did last month. In fact, you looked horrible." Danny forced a grin onto his face, and fought the memory he hadn't thought about until that moment. He absently wondered why he recalled it from Dan's perspective, because normally he saw the death from the victim's perspective.

"Thanks." Scott deadpanned. At least he hadn't noticed the downward plunge of Danny's mood, and keeping the conversation going was remarkably easy. Danny finally got a full account of what had happened on the day New York managed to get itself nearly burned to cinders in some areas.

It turned out that Jean had a second personality within her, and it had wreaked the destruction in the city, until it had been defeated by Emma Frost. She'd given her life for people who barely trusted her. It was quite amazing, really, Danny reflected, as he bicycled home. He got the feeling that there had been something starting to go on between Emma and Scott, and Emma had given up a man for her rival. He pulled up to the most recent place he'd been living, and curled up in it, falling into a fitful sleep after some tossing and turning.

D' ya like it? Please review it. Reviews are the best thing since candy. In fact, sometimes, I like them better than candy. By the way, does anyone out there speak Classical Latin? I own nothing.

-Miaulin