I.

Seated in the backseat of a Frost Enterprises limo, Jonothon Starsmore, Jubilation Lee, and Monet St. Croix relaxed in the plush leather seats, occasionally glancing out the window. The driver had been courteous enough, or simply well-trained, and rolled up the glass divider between the front and the back, allowing the kids to talk freely, without worrying about being overheard by a complete stranger.

Outside, the forest transformed seamlessly into distant buildings as they neared New York.

"Whatcha gonna do out here, Jono?" Jubilee distractedly asked, her eyes glued to the new cell phone. She jerkily moved from left to right, physically reacting to one of the random games she discovered at the beginning of the trip.

"There's a record store out 'ere…I need some new ones. You?"

"Well, I'm goin' shopping an' tryin' to get some like real Chinese food, if M can handle it. That stuff out in Snow Valley is like shaky at best."

Monet rolled her eyes. "Really, Lee. Please, enlighten me to the frequency of which you have actually visited China. Once? Maybe? A mere fraction of the countless times I've been. If anything, I shall expose you to authentic Chinese food."

"Like I don't know what real Chinese food is…are you totally blind? Didja miss the fact that I am Chinese?! Mom and Dad…yeah, you guessed it. Chinese! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner…authentic Chinese cooking, Monet. For once, could ya stop acting like you're so damned better than everyone else an' think before ya talk?"

"An' the both of you are supposed to be spendin' the day together?" Jono moaned. "Which one of you gels isn't comin' back alive?"

Recovering from her momentary stunned expression, Monet cleared her throat and replied, "There's a new Prada store opening in SoHo. And we can frequent a store of your choosing. My American Express Centurion Card, or what most individuals denote as the coveted Black Card, will cover our expenses for the day."

Jubilee rolled her eyes, realizing that was as close of an apology as she was going to get from her—the offer to pay for whatever she wanted. But that wasn't anywhere near enough to cover the insult, and she was tempted to verbally lash out at Monet again. But with her, it seemed to just roll off her like water off a duck, and in the end, she was sure that a tirade wouldn't make a bit of difference.

Monet added, "And I had no intention of insulting your heritage. So, let's simply move on without addressing it again."

Was she tryin' to apologize? Jubilee thought, recanting her earlier assessment. She wanted to reply appropriately, but nothing seemed quite fit the moment appropriately. Instead of fumbling for words, she simply made a mental note, gave Jono a knowing glance, and then returned to her game, letting the conversation die.

Luckily, the rest of the ride only lasted a little over ten minutes, and once within the downtown area of New York City, the trio exited the limo and stretched their legs.

"Man, I had totally forgotten how awesome New York City really is!" Jubilee marveled at the skyscrapers, the busy passersby, and the traffic-laden streets. It reminded her of the hustle and bustle of L.A. "Frosty and Banshee should totally move the school here—right in the middle of Times Square!"

Noticing a trio of girls looking at him with piqued interest, Jono replied, "Brilliant idea, Jubilee."

"Mon Dieu! You act as if we've been secluded from the outside world for decades and this is your first exposure to something that resembles normal life. I'm positive that you're making a spectacle of yourselves, ogling at everything in sight."

Jono managed to chuckle at Monet's statement. "Some of us aren't used to the ritzy city life, M. You an' Jubilee 'ave fun. Call if you need me. Otherwise I'll meet you back 'ere at six." Jono gave a fleeting wave before heading down the street.

Monet wondered if he actually knew where he was going, but before she could ask, Jubilee spun around in the middle of the sidewalk.

She then said to Monet, "Psht. Whatever, M. Stop acting like the richest girl of the universe and chill out. Ya gotta learn to have a little fun and stop being stuck-up all the time."

"I wish you would stop referring to me as stuck-up."

"Then relax. And like have a good time. We're not at school, so why not let your hair down and live it up?"

"I do believe our versions of a good time are starkly different, Lee," she replied, then hailed a taxi as if she had done it countless times before. "You'll find that there are good times to be had that don't include being loud, obnoxious, childish, or the mall."

"An' like maybe one day, you'll like figure out that acting all snobby doesn't make ya better than anybody else. Underneath it all, you're jus' like everybody else around you."

Promptly, a taxi pulled up to the curb, and the two girls climbed in the back. In the next minute they were immersed in the heavy traffic, on their way to an adventure neither one of them expected.

II.

Jono headed away from everyone in the general direction of the record store. He figured that he needed to go a few more blocks then turn right, heading another few blocks. Glad for the walk, he wanted—needed—the time alone.

A cool breeze ruffled his dark brown hair as he passed by people who cast strange looks in his direction and giggled amongst themselves. Some groups of boys tried to act tough and say something loud enough for him to hear it, hoping to get a reaction from him. He continued to walk without giving them so much a glance.

He inadvertently took a roundabout way to the record store and was grateful when he finally arrived. The familiar tinkling of the hanging bells sounded as soon as he opened the door. Relived to be off the street, he managed to relax some. Just being inside made him feel a little more comfortable, and as he looked around, his comfort level increased. Other patrons of the store were dressed in mostly dark clothes with piercings or tattoos. Very Goth-like.

Feeling comfortable in his own skin, something he hadn't felt in quite some time, Jono worked his way systematically around the store, avoiding the Pop, Rap, and Classical sections like the plague. Nearing the back of the store, he spied a label in the back and lines of records just waiting to be perused.

"U.K. Punk! Absolutely astonishin'!" he rejoiced. He didn't think he would ever so easily find the music he liked. He eagerly thumbed through the records, pulling out ones missing from his collection, both old and new. Immersed in the records, he failed to notice a teenage woman standing in his vicinity until he was nearly done.

Playing it off as if he were still perusing other records, Jono surreptitiously glanced in her direction, immediately noticing her dark makeup, a multi-layered choker, black hair shaved on the sides, multiple ear piercings, a nose ring, halter top lined with boa feathers, matching fingerless gloves, a long wrap skirt, and combat boots. But just as he thought to avert his eyes, her vibrant jade eyes locked with his for a moment, embarrassing him. He looked away sharply, cursing himself for letting his gaze linger way too long. And getting caught looking. If Angelo were there, he would have probably laughed and made the situation that much worse.

But a darker perspective took over, and he started to think that the girl only looked at him in disgust or pity, having noticed a scarf wrapped around his neck and lower face. Consequently, morbid curiosity had gotten the better of her, and her gaze lingered simply to get a better look at the scarred, disfigured mutie in the back of the store.

Snap out of it! he told himself, pushing the negative thoughts out of his mind. When he glanced back up, he locked eyes with her again, but this time, didn't turn away. Instead, she gave him a beckoning smile, turned, and headed toward the front of the store.

What're you doing, you bloke? You're not datin' Paige. Just talk to 'er.

Taking a chance, something Jono rarely did, he gathered the few records he wanted and made his way to the front. He didn't want to make it too obvious, so he lingered by the CDs while she paid for her merchandise, then watched as she went for the door.

You lost your chance, he thought, dismayed. But when she lingered by the door, throwing another glance his way, his spirits rose. Pretending not to notice, Jono paid for his records, fumbling enough to elicit a chuckle from the sales clerk, who seemed to have caught the chemistry between the two. He moved faster than normal, bagging Jono's stuff and getting him his change in record time.

"Good luck, man," the tattooed cashier grinned.

"Thanks mate!" Jono replied without a second thought.

Pretending to be interested in the CDs as well, he moved closer to the girl. Unsure of how to approach her, he said, "Um. 'Ello. I was curious if you—"

Her lively eyes widened in shock as her fair face paled, and her mouth opened in a silent O.

"Eh—I…uh…didn't mean to startle you," Jono apologized, suddenly feeling uneasy and embarrassed.

Her hands shot to cover her open mouth, and before he could say anything else, she bolted out of the store. Without a second thought, he pursued her, emerging from the store onto the busy sidewalk. Losing sight of her for a second, he scanned the area until he spotted her maneuvering through the crowd hastily.

Seemingly oblivious to oncoming traffic, the girl darted into the street—right in front of a speeding van. The driver reacted quickly, slamming on his brakes as his tires skidded against the street, but it wasn't going to be enough, and Jono knew that unless he did something, she was going to be hit.

He pulled down his scarf just enough for a soft glow to highlight his face, as the biokinetic energy reacted to his command. Used to unleashing a bombardment of concussive current, Jono had to focus immensely to release only a minute bit of energy—enough to create a pinpointed stream to blow out the right front tire.

The explosion of the tire and rim skidding across the rough asphalt only managed to cause the van to careen to the right, and it continued to plow towards the girl, who stood paralyzed in its path, only able to watch in horror as it drew closer.

Jono sprinted into the street, and using every bit of physical strength he had, leaped forward grabbing the girl around the waist, then shifted his weight in midair, successfully clearing them from the danger at the last possible second. As they tumbled on the ground, the van skidded past, then slowed to a stop. Onlookers crowded around as the driver stepped out, barely able to keep his knees from buckling.

Now breathing hard, Jono and the girl made eye contact from their positions on the ground. They stared at each other for a moment before Jono made a move to help her up. "Are you okay?" he asked. He couldn't tell if she was in shock over what just happened or if whatever she saw in the store was still frightening her, but face was still pale and eyes wide. She said nothing but continued to stare blankly. "Talk to me!" he snapped, shaking her gently.

Finally reacting, she shook her head back and forth and pointed to her ear then mouth. It took Jono a moment to realize what she was trying to convey. She's deaf, he concluded. "I didn't know. But you can still talk to me. Just think about what you want to say and think about me hearing it. But you have to make it loud."

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?" the girl thought.

"Yes, just not so loud next time."

She giggled. "Sorry."

"I didn't mean to frighten you back there."

"That's okay. I was just so surprised to hear a voice that it scared me. I didn't know what to do, so I ran. That was kind of silly though." She paused for a moment, "My name is Rana."

"I'm Jono, it's nice to meet you," his face underneath the scarf formed a smile.

"You!" the driver of the van pointed accusingly at them. As if on cue, the police broke through the crowd, and he started talking hurriedly and pointing at Jono.

"I hate to start off like this, but I think we better get out of 'ere."

Rana grabbed his hand, "Follow me. I know a place where they won't find us."

They made haste through the streets, through a few alleys, and cut through a small park, not stopping until they emerged onto a completely different street, coming to rest in front of a small café with a hanging sign, Coffee Haus.

Rana led him into the small coffee house, which only had a few other patrons leisurely sipping their drinks between quieted conversation. Sliding into a booth in the back, they finally came to rest. She took a relaxing, deep breath, and smiled at Jono.

"Well, within the first ten minutes that I've met you, I've made a fool of myself, almost gotten myself killed, ran away from the police, and had to hide out in my favorite coffee shop. I can tell that there's not going to be a dull moment with you."

The waiter approached the table, and she pointed to a Cappuccino on the menu. She then looked expectantly at Jono, but he shook his head.

When the waiter was gone, Rana apologized, "Jono, I'm sorry. I didn't even think about…"

"Don't worry about it. I can't eat or drink anything."

"That must be horrible."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't change it, so I just live with it. I'm lucky to have mates around me that understand. So what were you doin' in the music store?"

"Oh, you mean, why would a deaf person be shopping for music?"

"No—er, I didn't mean it like that—"

"Look, if we're going to get along, there's no stepping on toes here. You can ask whatever you want, no matter how dumb it may sound to you. Because I'm going to do the same. Deal?"

"Deal."

"I pick up a new record every week from that place. I can listen to the music by feeling the sound waves. In that sense, I love to "listen" to music and can enjoy it in the same way as people that can actually hear it. But today, I was shopping for my little sister. Her birthday is tomorrow."

"That's why you 'ave the Britney Spears record. I was worried for a second."

They both laughed, then launched into idle conversation punctuated with silent laughter and unheard jokes. The waiter brought her order, surprised that she was smiling and appearing to be having a good time, though he hadn't seen them express any form of communication except eye contact. Puzzled, he simply resolved it as something he wouldn't understand and left the two alone.

The dialogue lasted for nearly two hours after Rana finished her Cappuccino. At the end, she suggested a walk in the park, since the commotion from earlier had probably died down. Jono checked his watch and was amazed that two hours had already gone by. He agreed, and after paying and tipping the waiter generously, the pair strolled side-by-side down the street, having an enjoyable talk no one else could hear as they neared the park.

A few minutes after settling on a bench in the pack, Rana said, "Hey, why don't we talk about you for a bit?"

"What do you mean?" Jono absently asked, obviously skirting around her request.

"Come on, Jono. I've been talking about myself the entire time. I wanna know a little more about you."

"Sorry, gel. Not much to tell. Born and raised in England. Came to America for school. Just a regular bloke."

She looked at him disapprovingly. "I can tell that you're not a regular bloke just by looking at you." A long time ago, she had learned to read body language accurately, so when he looked away, Rana knew what he was thinking. In an attempt to console him, she said, "Don't look like that. You and me…I think that we're sorta the same. We have these…these things that keep us from talking—communicating—normally with other people. So we keep our distance, willing to hide within ourselves because it's safe. And the rest of the world…it's like we are strangers to the human race…"

"Everyone looks at us as if we're the strange ones," Jono added, feeling a connection.

"Or pity. And I absolutely hate that." She turned to him and gently caressed the side of his face, noticing that he immediately averted his eyes. "Jono, you don't have to hide from me. We don't have to hide anything from each other. No judging. No awkward glances. Just us."

After a few minutes of silence, he said, "Most people I meet get scared or they want to 'urt me just because of what they think I am. I—it's kind of 'ard to meet normal mates that don't make snap judgments at first glance. And my chances at a normal life were blown to 'ell a long time ago."

He stood, feeling the need to stretch his legs. This time, Rana stayed on the bench, watching his nervous movement.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Jono. Not because of your thing. Not because of the way you look. Not because of what I think you are."

He spun around, his eyes flashing. "It's not just this thing over my face. You don't know—"

"That you're a nice guy? That you can't eat or drink, but still join me for a Cappuccino? That you saved me while putting your own secret on the line? Yeah, I don't know, Jono." She stood and closed the gap between them, poking her finger in his chest. "The fact is that I do know. And regardless of what you think, I still think that you're a normal guy. A good friend to me. Maybe, when you figure it out, I can be a good friend to you too."

They locked eyes, and for a moment, Jono felt as if he could get lost in hers. "I want to…" he whispered but his voice faltered and trailed off. "But—" he weakly said.

"But?" Rana repeated, trying to keep her tone neutral. "But what?"

"I don't have the luxury of livin' a normal life, gel. No one around me does. So anyone that I want to keep safe, I just have to keep them away from me. I can't risk anyone else close to me gettin' 'urt. And I can't change that in an instant."

"Can't change? The only thing in life that's constant is change. Everything can change, no matter how big or small."

Jono shook his head, as if refusing Rana's simple logic. "My life is risky. And I 'ave to weigh that against everythin' else, includin' people that are close to me. I trust you—you're one of the first people I've met in a while that makes me want to try to change. But I just can't—not now. I 'ave my reasons that you may not understand, but if you know me, at least you can respect them."

"Hey, I think it's getting late. Let's take the subway back to the record store."

Jono let Rana take his hand, as they strolled out of the park. The subway was only about a five minute walk, but as soon as the entrance came into view, they both stopped. Bright yellow police tape blocked off the descending stairs, and the policemen were doing their best to disperse the growing crowd.

"Come on," Jono said. Still holding Rana's hand, he cut through the crowd and made his way to the front, but there was nothing that immediately told him why the subway was blocked off. He turned to a brown-skinned man in a skull cap. "What's goin' on here, mate?" he asked.

"Not sure, man. They were sayin' somethin' about some terrorists, flying girls, and fireworks. Beats the hell out of me what really happened down there."

His stomach sank. Something had happened in the subway, and somehow, Monet and Jubilee had been caught up in it. But were they okay? And why hadn't they called him?

Jono turned to Rana. "Something's come up, and I've got to go. Are you goin' to get 'ome okay?"

"Yeah, I can get a cab," she paused. "My mom will worry if I'm out too long. You going to be okay walking?"

"Yeah."

Rana' reached in her pocket, pulling out a pen and small paper. She scribbled something down then locked eyes with Jono. "If I give you my address, will you write me?"

Jono hesitated, but Rana didn't give him too much time to respond.

"Don't let me down, Jono, because we both have been down that road several times." She leaned against him and hugged him. Then Rana drew back and before Jono could react, she leaned forward and kissed him exactly where his mouth should have been. It was a quick kiss, and then she turned and happily ran down the street.

Jono, still shocked by the kiss, felt a piece of paper in his hand. When he looked down, he saw her name and address scribbled on it. Shoving it in his pocket, he turned and took off towards the meeting point, hoping the girls were there.

Fortunately, when he rounded the corner at full speed, he saw Monet and Jubilee leaning against the limo, their bags haphazardly placed around them. They appeared disheveled and worn out.

"What the 'ell happened? I saw the subway was blocked off. Somethin' about terrorists, flying girls, an' fireworks. I knew it 'ad to be you two."

"We'll give you an explanation in the limo," Monet quietly replied. Jono helped them place their bags in the back and climbed in behind them. In minutes, they were back on the highway to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Jubilee fast asleep on Jono's shoulder.

Once Monet was finished retelling the monumental events of the day, Jono said, "You should've called me. That's what we got the bloody cell phones for, right?"

"We didn't need a knight in shining armor, Jono. Actually, despite Jubilee's gracelessness, we maintained control of the situation. No one was hurt—and our identities aren't in danger of being exposed on the news. Besides," she slyly added, "I didn't want to pull you away from your date."

"Dammit, Monet, stop readin' my mind," he snapped.

Monet softened her expression. "It wasn't my intention to pry. However, considering the emotional rollercoaster you and Paige—"

"Which is none of your damn business."

"Point taken. I just figured you desired someone to talk to. You seemed quite distressed when you arrived at the limo. I was simply…concerned."

He sighed, realizing Monet may have actually been trying to be decent. To her, he explained, "She was a great girl…all that I could 'ave asked for. She truly liked me for who I was and didn't treat me like a freak. But the truth is that I am a freak, and the life I live isn't much of a life. The constant battles, the pain, the death…she deserves better than that."

"And what about you? What do you deserve?"

"Not a girl like her. Not a girl like Paige," he somberly replied. Pulling the paper out of his pocket, he studied it one last time. Without a second thought, Jono rolled down the window and let the wind snatch it from his hand, along with any hope of being happy with anyone else.

Notes:

Generation X and all characters related to Marvel belong to them. Any other characters are fictional

This chapter is based off of Generation X #71