Don't own Xmen Evolution Character, Marvel character, G.I. Joe characters or the Misfits. If you think I do, then you're delusional.

Cold facts of life

Running, away from the danger. No other choice but to run.

"We've got to get the stone out of here!" Even as he gives the order, it sounds so fake. He should be fighting, not escorting a stone. But that's his job, his duty, and he'll do it. It's just the three protectors now, running through the halls. They almost reach the exit.

Then the betrayl. His friend kills their companion, leaving him holding the stone, that won't activate for any of the three of them.

"Give it to me!" He fights back, still numb from the realization that his best friend has joined the enemy . . . He's not sure when he drops the stone, the last thing he's aware of is getting run through, and falling through a hidden trapdoor. Seeing the Destiny Stone glinting in the hands of a traitor. The last thought is a promise to get the stone back and avenge the fallen, then all is dark.

The destiny stone has seen countless betrayls for its power, unmoved by what has become a common sight for it, death and destruction. But it does feel for the loyal ones that it has lost, ones that it adds to its already countless power . . .

"Hurry up Mainframe, I don't like this." Leatherneck shifted on hs feet. The base did exist, but it was a ghost town, and so far, the only things they'd found was a bunch of decaying synthoid glop and several old computers that were still active.

"What's a matter gyrene, scared?"

"Not now you two." Duke shook his head. "Well mainframe?"

"You're not going to like this, Duke. This base was part of a mutant experimentation program. Only worked on animals, and animal like mutants."

"What else?"

"There's hints about a new project both Destro and Cobra Commander are working on. I'm downloading as much as I can. They sure didn't do a good job of disconnecting the computers from the main network when the left."

"Who says we left?" All four men turned to look at a Crimson guardsman with a squad of vipers behind him. "Save yourselves the trouble and surrender."

"No, thank you." Mainframe moved behind a computer to finish the download as his teammates started to shoot.

"98 . . . 99 . . . Done!" He disconnected. Then joined the firefight.

"Well, here we are, home away from home." Mutt sighed as he entered his families ranch. They were into dogbreeding, as well as taking in strays that no one wanted. Junkyard barked as he entered, wagging his tail.

"Mutt! You're home!" His mother came bustling in. "Who's this?"

"Mom, this is Terri." Mutt's explanation got cut off as his mother cooed over Terri.

"She's adorable!"

"Yes . . . she's also a mutant . . ."

"A mutant?" His mom blinked. Mutt unveiled Terri's ears. "Oh . . . How cute!" Mutt blinked, and then smiled. "Well, I don't know what the men on TV are talking about when they say Mutants are awful . . . this one is adorable."

"She's also your granddaughter." Mutt shifted Terri. "I adopted her."

"Well, she'll fit right in with the other children. Princess had a litter of puppies a month ago. Oh, hello Junkyard!" She gave the dog a treat. "Dinner's at seven as normal. Why don't you take little Terri on a tour. You can see the puppies . . . how long are you three staying?"

"Just a week. It'll take that long for them to fix my new rooms so Terri can stay with me." He smiled. "Where's dad?"

"Oh, getting Valiant certified for the upcoming Dog show. It's the first he's elegible for. He'll be back by dinner." Mutt nodded. "Oh, and the hands already fed the dogs, so everyone's all set for the night. You don't have to worry about a thing." She bustled off into the kitchen. Junkyard looked up at Mutt.

"Alright, Junk, you can go with her." Junkyard trotted off after her. "C'mon Terri, let's go see the puppies." He smiled as her ears perked up. As they exited, they were unaware of Mutt's mother watching.

"She's got him wrapped around her little paws doesn't she?" Junkyard wolfed an agreement. "Well, maybe he'll find a woman soon. At least I have a grandchild to spoil now." She looked down at Junkyard. "Now, would you like some steak?"

Mutt's father only raised an eyebrow when he saw Terri playing with the puppies. But he was equally accepting of the puppy/toddler.

"Why'd you name her Terri?" His father asked at the dinner table.

"At work, we give each other codenames, either by personality, job or looks. Since I'm Mutt, and Terri had the ears and tail, they decided to name her after a Terrier." Mutt smiled. "It doesn't help that she gives a high pitched bark either." As if to demonstrate, Terri did bark. Followed by junkyard who got up and went to the door. "I'll get it." He opened the door afeter moving Junkyard back. "Hello?"

"Um, hi . . . I was wondering if I could use your phone, my motorcycle died on me, and my cell isn't getting service out here." A girl in a biker's jacket and jeans stood there, absently pushing some of her hair back. "Or do you have some gas I could use . . ."

"We have a few cans in the garage." Mutt grab his jacket as he called back what he was doing. "C'mon." They walked in silence, before Mutt asked what he was thinking. "Are you running away from home?"

"Huh? Oh, no. Getting back home actually." She sort of hesitated. "Do I look like I'm running away?"

"You look pretty young to be riding a motorcycle at night."

"I'm out of highschool." There was obviously a hit nerve. Mutt looked at the motorcycle in the driveway.

"Nice bike. Yours?"

"Mom's actually. She let me borrow it." She shifted, wary.

"I'm not gonna hurt you kid. I have a daughter of my own." She glanced at him, then gave a wr smile.

"Not what I'm worried about." She glanced away. "There's a storm coming." He frowned as he passed her a gas can.

"How can you tell?"

"Other than the clouds in the sky?" She started to fill up her tank. "Just a feeling I get."

"Well, be careful. If it gets to rough, you could come spend the night here."

"No, thank you." Moments later she was gone, and Mutt frowned as he went back inside.

"Hell." Naomi quietly cursed to herself as she took off. The job had gone over fine, minimal death toll . . . so why did she feel so drained? "Probably because the guy stabbed me with a rusty spike. Did I look like a vampire?" Now she was talking to herself. Sighing, she turned on the radio in her helmet. She paid attention to the streets, noting the drop in temperature. It took her an estimated three hours to get back to the cabin. By the time she did a snowstorm was in full swing.

"You're back!" She was tackled by Jess and Rick, which knocked most of the snow off of her.

"Yes, and I'd like to get warmed up." She noticed most of the group was in the living room. "What's up?"

"Movie night! We're watching Cinderella and Snow White!" Jess moved to sit next to Zandar, who barely even flinched as she dove into her spot. Rick automatically moved to Zandar's other side.

"You going to join us, love?" Zarana held up a bowl of popcorn.

"After I dry off. Where's Alex?"

"Upstairs moping." Crash called out, the blindfold gone. Naomi raised an eyebrow as Quickstrike tapped his shoulder, clearly rebuffing Crash. "See if you can get him to join us, too." Marina was cuddling with Techno, obviously still cold.

"I'll try." She walked upstairs, and didn't even bother knocking on Alex's door as she walked in.

"I could have been changing, ou know." He looked up from where he was reading a book.

"We lived in a basement for a few months. Privacy isn't much of an issue." She moved so she could lay down on his chest, arms crossed, head on her arms. "What's wrong?"

"Techno confirmed the fact my dad sent out a contract on me." He sighed. "It's been accepted. Only thing I have going for me is that none of them know I'm Long Range, or what my other aliases are." He put the book aside and wrapped one arm around her. "What's eating you?"

"What makes you think there's something wrong?"

"You only seek out cuddling if there's something bothering you, Naomi. The rest of the time you're distant."

" . . . am I that predictable?"

"No . . . I just know you very well." He sat up so he could wrap both arms around her. "Now, spill."

"I think something's missing. Being a mercenary is all very fine, so is working for myself, but . . . sometimes I think that there's more that I'm supposed to do. For awhile having everyone around me was great . . . but now . . . I just don't know. I'm not that great emotionally, the time in the lab definetly killed most of my emotions . . . I'm sure I'm supposed to feel something, but there's nothing to feel. I can remember reading stories where the person who killed someone else goes crazy from guilt, but I don't feel guilty for killing anyone. I hear about all these emotions, and I just . . . wonder why I can't feel them like everyone else."

"But you're still seeking comfort and love."

"I've felt them before, and I'd like to feel them again." Naomi buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"You don't have to be anything other than what you are, wildcat. We all love you. And we'll all follow you. You don't have to change for us." Alex smiled. He really didn't mind it when she was affectionate, even if they didn't do anything other than snuggle. "Though it might help if you stop being such a realist."

"Mm . . . can't help it." She shifted. "You do realize this is the first time we've had any real alone time since we brought in Techno?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "What do you want to do?"

"Others are watching Cinderella and Snow White, so wake me up when they start the latter, kay?"

"Deal." He returned to his book, ignoring the part of his brain that was telling him to start something he couldn't finish. The two had a good mutual close friendship, even if they did occasionally call each other boyfriend and girlfriend in public, that was all it was going to be. That, and neither could understand the idea of sex as being fun. For him, he'd gotten it drilled into his head that female assasins used it to stab men in the back when they weren't ready for it, and he was pretty sure Naomi thought about it the same way. Of course, if I got her to marry me, things would be a lot simpler. Bad idea Long Range, don't even go there! Shaking his head, he shifted so he was more comfortable, and then returned to his book.

Sorry, this chapter refused to be written for some reason, and my 'y' key has been kinda upset with me. So if you see a 'the' somewhere in the chapter that would have made more sense as 'they' that's the reason. (Spellcheck's no good when that happens.) More misfit insanity in the next chapter, I promise. In the meantime, please note that I am trying to finish three stories, and have accidentally started a new one. I can't help it if hanging around my friends inspires plot bunnies, nor can I help having trips down memory lane to my favorite TV shows.

Panthera: Breathe, and no one really cares how your mind works.

Hey, I'm just explaining sporadic updates and why my life isn't getting any better. I've wound up creating five new outlines for stories that I'll probably never post. Speaking of which, I've got to clean up my computer . . . It's not my fictives that drive me crazy, it's the plot bunnies that develop.

Please, Read and Review and flames will be given to Pyro to play with.