Disclaimer: I don't own The Gifted! But I do love the Thunderblink ship, may it sail ever onward.

A/N: This is an AU where mutants aren't hunted or anything, but there is still a lot of prejudice against them from some people. It's more like the normal X-men universe.

Chapter 2

"Are you serious?"

Clarice glared at the movers as they closed up the back of their truck. Most of her stuff was still out on the sidewalk in front of the building, including her couch, the mattress for her bed, an armchair… And now the movers were saying that they were done.

One of the movers frowned back at her as he locked up the truck. "You paid for a certain number of hours. Those hours are up."

"Hey, no." Clarice moved toward him. "That's not what your boss said. He said it was a flat rate for the move and that you would help me put everything in the apartment." She flung a hand at all of her things scattered around the sidewalk. "Surprisingly, this isn't my apartment."

"You must've heard wrong."

"I didn't," Clarice sidestepped him and held up her hands, blocking his path as he headed for the driver's side door. "I'm good to pay for those hours, if that's what you're worried about."

"Lady, we have another house to go to," the mover said, eyeing her hands warily. His gaze flicked to hers and then quickly away, focusing instead on the moving truck.

Oh. So that's how it was. Clarice silently fumed, not moving an inch. "I didn't hear wrong and you don't have another job, do you?"

"Get out of the way," the mover said, scowling back at her.

"No! I paid for you to help me move."

"Or what, you'll zap me?" the mover said. He took a step back and then surged past her, bumping against her shoulder and pushing her out of the way.

"I don't have zapping powers, asshole!" Clarice snapped as the movers slammed the truck doors and sped off. She was sorely tempted to portal their truck right back to her, but she let them go. They were done and putting them in a loop would just piss them off more. Besides, getting in a fight with the movers in front of her new neighbors probably wasn't a good way to make a first impression. Even if the movers did deserve it.

Clarice flopped down into the couch and tossed her legs over one of the plushy arms as she crossed her arms over her chest. She closed her eyes, letting herself think. Getting the stuff up to her apartment wouldn't be that hard, not if she had a little help. She could create portals, after all. But right now she was pissed off.

She should've guessed that the movers would bail on her. They had been skittish around her since they met her, and they hadn't been very enthusiastic or careful with her stuff. Not that she had much. She was just out of college and still getting up on her feet.

"Can we put our couch outside, too?"

Clarice's eyes flew open to see a little girl standing by her couch, looking up hopefully at the hot guy who was holding her hand in his. The girl was tiny, striking and eye-catching with light purple skin and pink streaked hair that was pulled back in an intricate braid. The guy raised his eyebrows at the kid meaningfully and then looked over at Clarice. Yep. Yep, he was definitely extremely attractive. Longish hair, sharp features, warm brown eyes…

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just thought I'd air out my furniture before taking it upstairs," Clarice said, crossing her legs at the ankle, feigning nonchalance. "Admire the building. Take a break."

"All right…" He looked like he didn't believe her for a second.

The girl slipped away from the guy and darted among Clarice's boxes. With an unnatural grace, she skipped up onto Clarice's armchair before unfurling bright pink and black butterfly-esque wings. They caught the air and suddenly the girl was top on top of Clarice's favorite bookshelf, sitting on the edge. "You've got a lot of boxes."

"Not that many," Clarice said, though it did look like she had more now that they were scattered all over the place.

"Riley, get down," the guy said, shaking his head at the girl. She grinned down at him and pulled her legs up onto the shelf-top. "Riley…"

"Want some help moving in?" the kid, Riley asked, peeking over the edge at Clarice. "My dad's really strong."

Oh, she bet he was, she could see the muscle definition under his long-sleeve. Not that she was looking too close. Then again, she had also noticed he didn't have a wedding ring… But maybe he just didn't wear it?

"No, it's okay," Clarice said, "I've got this." Mhmm, somehow she would hold open a portal and move stuff at the same time. Uh-huh, because that was totally going to work. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"That's where we're heading," the guy said as he stepped over to the bookshelf. He gave the girl a pointed look and she jumped down into his arms, giggling. Holding her in one arm, he turned to Clarice. "But she's right, we can help get all of this up to your apartment. I'm John Proudstar, by the way, and this is Riley." He held out his free hand Clarice and she stood up before taking his hand hesitantly.

"Clarice Fong," she said, "And thanks, but really, it's fine. I don't want to make you guys late."

"We won't be that late," John said, setting Riley on the ground again. She bent down and picked up a leaf, toying with it as he fetched his cell out of his pocket. "Let me see if anyone's still here who can lend a hand."

"You really don't have to do that," Clarice said, "I don't want to bother anyone."

"It's not bothering anyone," John replied, his fingers darting over the screen. "If they can, they will, and if they can't, then they won't." He put the phone back into his pocket. "See, not bothering anyone."

"We help each other," Riley said, still playing with the leaf, twisting it in her fingers. "We're good at it."

Clarice looked around at her boxes and furniture and then at John and his cute kid. "As long as you're sure it's not a problem."

"I'm definitely sure," John said. He put his hands on his hips and glanced around at the boxes. "Where should we start?"

"Actually, if you just want to grab something, I've got a way to make this a lot easier."

When he picked up the armchair with one arm, she tried not to stare. All right, then. Riley wasn't lying when she said he was strong. Clarice picked up a box and Riley grabbed one of the pillows.

"Lead the way," John said, giving her a small smile and acting like the armchair weighed as much as the pillow Riley was carrying.

Clarice was heading for the door when something caught her eye and she turned back to her stuff. It was one of her lamps, the metal one, drifting slowly upward. There a green-haired woman leaning over a balcony, one hand outstretched toward Clarice's lamp while she used the other to eat a bagel.

"I've got this," the woman called, "Which apartment?"

"Uh…5E…"

"That's right across from us!" Riley said, bouncing on her toes and hugging Clarice's pillow.

Clarice smiled at the excited kid. "Awesome."