Chapter 2 : Nice to Meet You, Again

"Here we are, Joseph! The others here are generally in your age range, you should fit right in," Zoey said as they pulled up near the house.

Watching the gates open, driving down the dusty road, she felt a sense of déjà vu. But this time, it wasn't a strange place to her.

The others were waiting for them, huddled in the grass, Simon barking and running towards the car. Zoey jumped out to greet Simon with half the enthusiasm he greeted her. Simon barked, and then ran back towards the group.

"He was mine back in the city... one of the guidelines for me coming here."

"It looks like a cow."

Zoey rolled her eyes, hearing that one too many times.

"Simon's a Dalmatian, and has at least a hundred times the energy of a cow."

The three of them started towards the others, Zoey tucking her arm in his, not bothered by the heavy feeling of his power.

She was nervous to see if he would fit in; his sarcastic attitude was something different. He didn't even argue with her arm in his, he just kept walking.

When they got within a few feet of the others, Zoey heard two different gasps. One from Joseph; the other from Janie.

She felt Joseph pull away as he started running towards Janie, who was staring back at him with a surprised look.

When Joseph reached her he gathered her in his arms and spun her around. Janie's laughter brought Zoey at ease as she and Charles rushed to greet the scene.

"I can't believe it's really you," she heard Joseph say as he gently put Janie down. Ororo jumped into Josephs' arms next, and he laughed and held onto her small body, adjusting so he could hold her easily.

Before anybody could ask, Alex's growl interrupted the friendly greeting.

"What the hell is this?" he asked.

Janie only shook her head, the smile never faltering, her gaze never leaving Joseph.

"Joey was in our foster home. He had been adopted only a week before we escaped. We didn't even know he was-"

"You escaped? How?" Joseph asked.

"I created a rainstorm that flooded the house," Ori said matter of factly.

Janie shook her head, grinning.

"She can manipulate weather, Joey. We trusted you but-"

Joseph's laugh stopped her talking, and he ruffled Ori's hair before he let her down. She stayed at his side though, hugging his legs.

"Seems fitting for you, Ro," he said, smiling at Ororo, and then at Janie, his eyes brighter.

Alex let out a small huff.

Joseph's eyes turned on him. Alex tensed up even more.

"And who might this 'bull' be?" Joseph asked.

"Alex," he replied sternly.

Zoey stepped forward, completely on edge about the tension between the boys. Janie looked flushed, and was looking down at the ground.

"This is Sean," Zoey interrupted with a bright voice, "and this is Hank."

"Nice to meet - holy shit."

Josephs' eyes widened once he saw Hank.

Hank's throaty laugh eased the tension.

"The most colorful reaction yet. Might be my new favorite."

"What…" Joseph asked, looking around, more surprised than scared.

Alex only grinned at the sight. Janie rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, relaxing him.

"Joey, it's okay. Hank is just like us."

"Are you sure?" he asked slowly, now staring at Hank.

Zoey didn't like the way Joseph was staring at him.

Neither did Hank judging by his frown. He let out a loud growl and laughed when Joseph jumped. Alex joined in.

Zoey stepped forward, between Janie and Joseph, to grasp at his arm.

"I'm going to be the mother for a moment, but even you should know it's impolite to stare. Come, let's show you your room, then we'll give a tour of the place after a nice meal."

"You guys have cooks too?" Joseph asked Zoey, seeming more relaxed. He even brought his arm to rest on her shoulders as they walked to the house.

"Nope, just us. But I have a feeling you might have a recipe or two on hand," she said, tilting her head back to look at him.

"What, are you using Charles' power on me now?" he asked.

Zoey laughed and shook her head.

"Actually quite the opposite. But I can tell a cooks hand from others," she said, squeezing Joseph's said hand. It was calloused on his fingertips, sign of 'iron hands' her mother used to say. Hands that didn't mind the heat.

"And I'm too tired and hungry to do anything, so we'll have to rely on you."

Joseph helped cook a great steak and potatoes meal, and Janie and Ori helped make the salad. Zoey didn't really have to do anything but watch as Janie and Ororo opened up like never before when around Joseph, or Joey, as he liked to be called.

Seeing Joey make Ori laugh so hard she was crying was a new sound to Zoey that she fell in love with. For Janie, Zoey likened it to spending time with a brother; laughing, hitting his arm, arguing with him constantly.

They enjoyed dinner, introducing Joey to their schedule and future plans to bring in more students. He stayed silent but would smile over at Ori or Janie once in a while.

"Joey, I have a great feeling you'll like it here," Zoey said, smiling as she finished her plate.

Alex turned the page of the Walt Whitman novel that was on the new syllabus. Maybe if he read ahead like Janie, he could find something to use to talk to her about.

He had waited in the sun-room every night, waiting and pathetically hoping that Janie would come back so they could resume their detail-for-detail.

But ever since that night he pushed too far and Sean's imperfect timing interrupted everything, she never came back. She had avoided him expertly, coming up with the perfect excuses to not be alone in a room with him.

And yet, he would go back every night. He would bring a game, a comic book, an actual book; he even spent a whole week just throwing a ball against the wall.

He knew it was pathetic, but there wasn't any way he could talk to her.

He let her know, every night. He would slip a note under her door, only writing 'Details' on a small scrap of paper. Every time he looked at her and opened his mouth, she just walked away.

It was worse than her being scared of his touch; at least she looked at him then.

When he heard a clearing of a throat, he sighed.

"Just a few more minutes Sean, I have weird feeling-"

"That I would come tonight?"

He froze for a beat and then jumped up, the book falling to the floor.

He stared at her, and she stared back, but then her gaze flitted to the open book laying on the floor.

"Shit," he muttered, and scrambled for the book, resting it on the table. "Janie…"

"I swear to god if you ask me anything about-"

"I actually already have a question for you to give me."

She stopped, and tilted her head, her light brown hair spilling over her shoulder.

He couldn't help but smile. She actually came.

"I'm intrigued to know this question," she said, walking over to the sofa and sitting down, pulling her over-sized sweater over her knees.

He took a breath.

"Alex," he said, imitating a high girly voice. Janie broke out laughing, and Alex smiled brighter, but continued with the voice, "Alex, why were you in prison?"

She gasped, and moved to stand up.

"No," he said, holding out a hand, and she stopped, settling back on the sofa.

"No, Janie. I asked something big of you… now here's my big thing. Why I was… where I was."

"Alex, you don't-"

"Janie, just let me talk. If this is what it takes for you to look at me again, then-"

"I'm looking at you now, Alex. I see you now. You don't have to do this-"

"You haven't looked or talked to me in weeks! And… well, with Joey keeping you comfortable-"

"Excuse me?" she snarled, jumping up.

"I said, that now Joey is here to keep you warm and cozy, I-"

"You know nothing!" she said loudly, stepping forward. He brought a finger to his lips.

"Hate to say this, but we need to be quiet. She tried to be sneaky, but Ori heard us yelling that other time-"

"What!?"

He grabbed her arm before she could move. She stopped, and turned her head.

"How did you know… why didn't you-"

"The air felt suddenly cold… I had a feeling it was her. Ori's not some fragile thing anymore-"

"Are you kidding me right now?!"

"Janie!" he said sternly. He stepped forward, grabbing her other arm and moving her in close to him, barely a few inches apart.

"What?" she whispered.

"Let me answer your question, okay? I'm ready."

She shook her head, yet went back to sit on the sofa.

"No, its time for me to answer your difficult question..."

He only nodded and sat at the other edge of the sofa, giving her space.

"Ori and I found each other at the foster home. She had lost her parents and was crying on the roof, my usual spot, when I found her. We... clicked, and she's been more than a little sister to me ever since.

She's my family, I consider her like a daughter even at times; I know that sounds weird but…" she faded off, and sighed. "I know Ori is growing up, but it's scary for me. What we both went through… she was a little girl with a favorite teddy bear, believing in the good of people, never seeing the bad. But what we saw, what happened to us while traveling, that girl was lost. But that little girl returned when we found this place," she said, smiling.

"And now with Joey back..."

Alex tensed and took a breath. She raised an eyebrow at him, glared, and shook her head.

"He was at the foster home, too. He became close with us, acting brotherly towards both of us. He was always kind, no matter how bad it got in the home; he would give up his bed, his blanket, even portions of food. He grew close to us; and both of us were heartbroken, though happy, when he was adopted."

"But you being with him again, older and-"

"I will never see him like that, Alex. You can just quiet that whole thing now."

He sighed, trying not to shake his head.

"Well then Alex, I asked you a question," she said, scooting a little closer to him, meeting his gaze.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Boom! Cliffhanger!

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