Hello, my little chickadees! How is everyone? Good? Good. Well, here is the next chapter for 'Watch Me'. In this chapter, we are still in 1st person POV and we are sticking with Rory. Here we go!

Warning: Rated T for language and suicidal thoughts

Disclaimer: I don't own HHE or any of its characters. Rory is mine though.

Stressed is desserts spelled backwards.

While we all sat, or stood, and talked, I found my mind drifting. I kept coming back to Stabber and where he might be. I hadn't had the chance to ask anyone if they knew where he might have gone and I was beginning to worry. What if he was hurt and needed help? What if Hades found out about his plan and went after him? Or us? So many things ran through my head. I mostly feared for Stabber, though the idea sounded ridiculous. I kept trying to convince myself to stop caring for him.

'Come on, Rory, wake up! He is a killer! A KILLER! He has kidnapped you! Why do you care about him so much?' I yelled mentally at myself.

'Because he has shown nothing but kindness and caring for me. I owe him the same.' The small irrational side of me whispered.

'No, you don't! He won't let you leave! That isn't caring.'

'He said it was for my protection.'

'Oh, so listen to the crazy mutant and not reason? Sure, makes perfect sense...'

"Rory!" My head snapped up and I looked around for who had said my name. Everyone in the room was looking that me again and I blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. What?" I replied, playing with my pinky once more. Amber shook her head and laughed.

"I was asking if you wanted waffles? Mama is making some."

"Oh sure thing! That sounds wonderful. Sorry I didn't hear you."

A loud female voice rang out from the hallway.

"Wha' was that?" I shied at the voice and looked to Amber. She waved a hand at me as if to say 'Go on'. I gulped and projected my voice so I could be heard.

"I would love some! Thank you very much!"

"Alrigh'! Syrup?"

"Yes please! Thanks again!" I smiled and watched everyone as they interacted.

Missy and Chameleon were the most lively, playing with Clyde and his little toy cars. The young boy would, every so often, pick up one car and tell Chameleon the make and model. He was very animated when he spoke. The mutant listened and seemed to actually enjoy learning about them. He would ask about the little Ferrari and the tiny Volkswagen and Clyde would answer all of his inquiries. It was endearing to see them engage in such light conversation. I couldn't help but smile.

Amber and Letch on their couch were rather quiet, seemingly off in their own universe. Letch had pulled his mate into his arms and she had her head leaning on his shoulder. Every once in a while she would lay a soft kiss on his jaw or cheek and he would merely smile. I barely noticed his thumb as it rubbed the exposed skin of her arm. I felt the need to look away, not wanting to ruin their moment with my staring.

Brenda and Lizard didn't really interact at all. He stood behind her, arms folded and his gaze not focused on anyone or anything in particular. Rather, he appeared to be completely disinterested. Every few minutes or so, however, he would lean down to her ear and nip at it. Brenda would giggle and shoo him away. Their gazes snagged and they would stare for a moment, both radiating something warm and wonderful before they went back to their stagnant gazing.

I felt a small twinge of loneliness while watching everyone. I felt a bit of envy. I wanted what they all had. I wrapped my arms around myself, sighing quietly and letting my thoughts gallop away with me like a unbroken mustang.

I thought of my friends, dead in the desert. Were they being eaten by birds? Or coyotes? Or...mutants? I shuddered at the idea and tried to force my thoughts away. I thought of the essay that I should have been writing and the fresh homemade firehouse chili that I should be eating with my parents. It pained me to think that I would never see them again. My mother must be so worried about me. She was the type to fret all the way into the wee hours of the morning and fall asleep on her rocker on the porch. I missed her and I wished terribly that I could at least tell her that I was alright. My mind strayed to thoughts of escape once more. It wouldn't be too hard, not with everyone sitting around to paying me no mind. No one would miss me. No one, but...him. I thought of Stabber again.

I remembered his face, the patchy mutations and the sharp shark teeth. I remembered his long dark hair and his strong hands. Oh, his hands. The way they ghosted over my skin when they touched me. I recalled his voice, rough and coarse like sand. I closed my eyes and I saw his, those steel coloured orbs. They were always so clear and observant, like he was always calculating something or another. I felt like I would give anything to have those eyes look at me again. I knew I shouldn't feel this way, that it was wrong to feel like that for one's captor. I repeated to myself, over and over again, that I could not let myself feel this way for Stabber. I barely knew the guy anyways.

I caught myself before I started thinking about how much I missed him, again. Just then, the female voice from the kitchen broke through my thoughts.

"Waffles are done! Come on!" At that, everyone stirred into motion. Clyde whooped and ran from the room, muttering 'yum yum yum' under his breath. Missy stood and stretched before taking Chameleon's hand. The two walked past me, but, as they moved, the mutant's eyes met mine. His hard blue eyes seemed questioning, but he didn't say anything. Amber and Brenda followed them, talking to one another, then Letch and, lastly, Lizard. As he passed me, hands in his pockets, he held me in an intense stare. I couldn't look away from him. I tried on convey a note of confidence in my answering gaze, but it only made him smirk with those misshapen lips. He rolled his shoulders as he passed and they crackled, making me flinch. Chuckling darkly, he left the room, leaving me alone.

I held back, feeling strange and out of place. I bit my lip and stepped backwards, dropping my eyes to the floor. Homesickness made me feel heavy, as if iron ran through my veins instead of blood. 'I don't belong here.' I told myself. I turned to stare out the window, mind wandering back to my home and my parents. My life was so different from the one that was lived here. I wasn't sure I could adapt. I wasn't sure I wanted to. These people, mutants and humans alike, were nothing like the people I had grown used to living with. Where my family was full of tough people, too, this family was a whole different level of tough. My family was a bunch of rugged cowfolk, strong, but nurturing and this family was more like a bunch of bully breed dogs: intimidating, but could still be lived with as long as you didn't fear the bite. Unfortunately, I did fear the bite. Badly.

Suddenly, a hand waved in front of my face. I started and turned to see Brenda staring at me. Her quizzical look was coupled with her hip cocked to one side, a look that read 'What's up?' and 'What's your damage?' at once. I looked back at her, an unsure smile turning my mouth.

"I'm sorry, what?" I said, politely. The blonde woman rolled her eyes.

"I was calling you. You didn't hear me?"

I shook my head and rubbed my neck. "Guess not. Sorry...Brenda, right?" She nodded once.

"You do know that waffles are waiting for you..." The sentence trailed off and she jerked a thumb over her shoulder. I nodded, feeling embarrassed once more and glanced back out the window.

"I just don't feel...hungry, ya know?" The blonde looked at me hard for a few moments, then turned on her heel and left. Her departure was so sudden and silent that I felt a bit shell shocked. I stood, watching the door, a part of me hoping she was coming back. After a few moments, a small note of delight sang in me as she did walk through the door again. This time, she held to plates stacked with waffles in her hands, one in each hand. I moved to help her but she weaved out of my reach and set both plates down on the couch.

"Sit."

The command was not mean or loud, but simply said in a way that I knew I couldn't refuse. I sighed and sat down, picking one plate up and setting it in my lap. Brenda did the same, curling her legs underneath herself in a pretzel shape and bringing a waffle to her mouth. She watch me, an expectant expression on her pretty face. I waited, not completely sure what she wanted. Then, with an exasperated groan, she explained.

"Look, chicki, I know that something is bothering you. I had that same look at one point. Fess up. You can tell me anything." Her openness was unexpected. I bit my lip and stared at my waffles before I answered.

"I just don't feel...like I belong here. I miss my family. I want to go home...not find a new one." I told her straight out. Brenda put the back of her hand to her forehead and pretended to swoon.

"Oh gosh, not homesickness! God forbid! No one here has ever felt that before!" She said in an overly dramatic voice. I giggled a bit at the jab. Brenda smiled and shook her head, ponytail swinging.

"Look, Rory, in all seriousness, I understand how you're feeling. I felt that before too. So has Missy and Amber. Hell, my brother did and so did Clyde a bit. This place isn't like anything we have ever experienced and it isn't easy getting used to living here. I didn't want to stay either. I wanted nothing more than to run into the desert and never return. I tried once. Lizard found me, dehydrated and sun burnt all crispy and he brought me back." My eyes widened at that.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. I hated it here. I hated him, God only knows how much. But, it got better. He got better. There is a side to him that no one knows, except maybe myself and Ruby."

"Ruby?" Brenda nodded, taking a bite of her waffle.

"His little sister. She's, like, 16 now. Cute girl. You will meet her soon. She is probably with Bobby, my brother. Anyways, Rory, what you're feeling is totally normal. None of us wanted to be here at first. But, it isn't so bad once you get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it...I want to go home. I still don't get why I can't."

"It's simple, really. You can't because you have seen too much and now that you are 'claimed' they won't let you leave unless you are released by whoever claimed you. By the way, who did claim you? I mean, who is your 'mate' now." She made air quotes around the words claimed and mate as she spoke. I thought about that for a minute. I knew who had me now, but I wasn't sure if I should, or could, even say that it was him. I toyed with the idea of just saying it was Stabber, but then, I knew the truth would come out eventually.

"...Hades, I think." I said, quietly. A sharp intake of breath from Brenda spoke volumes. Her blue eyes had grown wide and she stopped chewing her food. I couldn't force myself to meet her eyes so I picked at a waffle.

"Rory..." She said my name with such emotion that I had to look back at her face. Sadness and pity were written all over her features. She laid a hand on mine and the gesture made tears well in my eyes. "Oh, Rory...I'm so sorry."

"Well, hopefully I won't be for long." I whispered. Brenda cocked her head at that.

"What do you mean?"

"You know Stabber?"

"Yeah...the tall one with the long black hair and messed up face?" I nodded and scooted a bit closer to her so I could speak in hushed tones.

"The reason I'm here is because Stabber wants to claim me from Hades so he went to see someone called the Keeper." Brenda's jaw dropped. She moved closer to me as well and glanced over her shoulder and looked back at me.

"Rory..." She paused, her face serious, "I have no idea who that is."

I ended up explaining what I knew to her. The Laws, the Keeper, and Stabber's plan to take me away from Hades. Brenda listened, never stopping me once, her head bobbing every once in a while. When I finished, she leaned back against her end of the couch.

"Jesus...that's heavy stuff. How do you feel about all this?"

"Tired. Just...very tired. And I don't really want to deal with it. I just want it all to go away." I sniffed. Brenda nodded again and rubbed my knee. I ate the last of my waffle and smiled through the tears that were forming in my eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, I just realized I didn't thank whoever made these waffles. I feel kind of rude eating out here." Brenda laughed at me and stood with her plate.

"You are so ridiculous. Come on! I'm sure Mama won't care that you ate in here." I followed her, winding through the couches to the hallway. The sound of plates tapping on one another could be heard now. As we came into the room, I noticed immediately that the room was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be.

The kitchen was long and in the middle sat a rectangular table. Missy sat at the table, with Clyde on her left and Amber on her right. Clyde was chatting with his mother, a grin plastered to his face. Amber was using her finger to wipe leftover syrup from her plate. Behind them, leaning against the wall, was Chameleon and his brother. They stood close to one another and spoke so quietly that I could not make out what they were talking about. Chameleon looked up when we entered and nodded once to me before turning his sharp eyes to Letch again. Lizard stared out the window near them, looking lost in thought again. He didn't even glance up as we entered the room. I looked back to the table and its other occupant.

At the opposite end of the table, munching on the remains of a waffle, was a large man. I froze in place, staring at his back. He was broad shouldered and had wispy blonde hair much like the Goggle mutant I saw earlier. He didn't use a fork or knife, but merely picked up the waffle and bit into it. As I watched, he chuckled to himself quietly. I turned to look at Brenda, the look on my face conveying my confusion. Brenda chuckled and patted the man on one strong shoulder.

"Hey, Pluto. Say hi to Rory." She said these words like she was speaking to a child. The man turned his face to her and smiled before looking at me. His face was not what I was expecting. It was slightly lopsided, like someone tilted it to one side, and he was missing most of his teeth. It would have been a frightening sight if not for the happy smile that made his face soften and glow. He waved at me, prompting me to wave back shyly.

"'Lo, Ro-ree." His voice was deep and his speech was a bit like a child's. The words were slurred and choppy. It made me grin back despite myself.

"Hello, Pluto. Nice to meet you."

"Niice ta meet chu." He went back to eating. Brenda tugged my sleeve and led me to the small island that was attached to the stove. Leaning over the sink was an obese woman and Brenda went up to her and slipped her plate into the sink around the woman.

"Mama, those were delish. Thanks!" She said and the woman gave her a one armed hug.

"Oh, thank you, sug. You are always so sweet." The woman, Mama, was completely bald and clad in a simple white dress. She seemed like a typical lady, no mutations or anything. I approached to put my own plate in the sink, but was stopped when Mama whipped around to stare at me. Her eyes were hard, but not mean. They reminded me of the way a horse eyes a riding whip. I stopped, holding my plate close to myself as if it could protect me. Her mouth curled into a sneering expression that was almost a smile. She held her hand out and waited. I assumed she wanted my plate so I laid it in her waiting grip. She took it and laid it in the sink with a clink and turned back to me.

"Thank you..." I mumbled, unable to raise my voice under her intense look. She made a sound that I interpreted as an acknowledgement and went back to cleaning the dishes. I couldn't unpin myself from the spot. I stared at the woman's back and tried to keep my breathing calm. I felt a shiver run through me. Brenda seemed to notice my stressed stance and she nabbed me by the elbow and steered me out of the room.

Once in the hall, I exhaled loudly and began to shake. The young woman patted my shoulder, looking almost bored. I was sure she had done this before.

"It's okay, Rory. You are fine. Chill out, chicki." I nodded and ran my arms over my skin. I felt the goosebumps that rose there. I couldn't believe how bad I felt.

"Brenda...I'm sorry."

"For?" Her hand stopped and she tilted her head to look at me, her ponytail tipping of the side.

"For...being such a chickenshit. You handle this so well." She shook her head, giggling.

"Not at first, I didn't. You'll be alright. Let's just get your mind off of all of this. Oh!" Her exclamation startled me and I jumped. Brenda had a large smile on her face and she grabbed my hand.

"W-what?" I asked, nervous.

"Let's get you some new clothes! We can try out some of the stuff in the old wardrobe!" With that, she ran up the stairs, dragging me behind her.

At the top, she slipped around the railing and booked down to the last door on our right. She wiggled the handle and the door squeaked open.

"Come on!" She urged me through the door and closed it behind us. The room we stood in was nothing like the rest of the house. The walls were not painted the bright buttery yellow that the hallways were. They were a dully mousy brown, almost mud coloured, and spiderwebs clung in every corner. There was a single window, through which a miniscule amount of light peeked in around the dust. In the back corner, there was a door that led to a bathroom, I assumed. I could see a shower through the bit of the door that was open. Turning back to where Brenda was standing, I laid eyes on the wardrobe.

A large reddish-brown thing, the wardrobe looked almost out of place in the dull room. It sported little silver knobs and curling eyebrow-like fixtures on top. Brenda grinned at me and opened it, revealing piles of different types of clothing.

"Come here, Rory! Pick something out! I wanna see what kind of girl you really are." I stared, confused, at her.

"How will this help you figure that out?"

"Well, this is YOUR choice for clothes. It will show me who you are. Tomboy, girly-girl, prep, dike. We will see." I shook my head, but went to rummage through the piles regardless.

The first thing I came upon was a flowery spring dress. It was a light shade of pink, almost periwinkle, with red, yellow, and orange flowers and birds on it. I tossed that to the side. 'Oh nay, nay!*' I thought to myself. The next item of clothing was a large polo shirt. It was bright red, like a cardinal, and that was added to the pile of No-no clothes, as I had dubbed it in my head. I picked up a pair of jeans, light blue with small metal studs on the back pockets. I stared at them, turning them over in my hands before nodding and putting them to the side.

"Ah ha..." Brenda said and I glanced at her. She merely waved her hand in a sign for me to continue. I continued picking around the bright dresses and overly-large slacks and t-shirts. I came across a dark gray wifebeater type shirt which was immediately added to my good pile. I found a red bra which I grew a bit suspicious about, but then noticed the tag still clipped to the strap. That was added as well as a pair of similarly coloured panties. As articles of clothing were added, Brenda made little sounds of affirmation, small mumbles that I tried not to notice. I felt like I was being judged on my choices and my final score would be revealed.

I went to try on the clothes I choose, padding my way to the bathroom. Brenda had a Cheshire grin on as I looked to her.

"Go on! I'm can't wait to see if they fit!" I nodded and closed the door. The pants I wore were the first to go. They were grungy and way too big for me. I laid them on the sink counter and slipped into the new jeans and panties. I almost groaned at the feeling of clean cloth on my skin and I had to jump a bit to get them on all the way. 'Oh yeah, feelin' sexy! Nothin' like jeans that are a size too small for our ass to make us feel hot.' I giggled as I buttoned the pants. They did fit me rather well, although they were a bit tight. I didn't pay it any mind. I knew they would stretch the more I wore them. Next, I discarded the filthy shirt I had been given. It was large as well, with huge gaping holes in the sides so my makeshift sports bra was showing. I was glad to be rid of it and, with it, the constant self consciousness I had felt. I took the ragged bra off, too, and replaced it with the red one. It was a surprisingly prefect fit, as was the tank top. I brushed some dust off the tank and turned to look at myself in the mirror.

My hair was still dirty, the red beginning to fade at the roots. My natural brown looked strange to me. My face was streaked with dirt and sweat beaded just below my hairline. I wiped it away and leaned over the sink. I turned the right handle and held my hands under the flow of water that trickled out. I was a bit surprised that any water came out, but I was thrilled. I splashed it on my face and wiped away the grim. I spent a few minutes doing this, even untying my hair from its ponytail and washing that as well. I glanced at myself again in the mirror. My dark complexion looked much better without the dirt. I had almost forgotten the natural colour of my skin. I pulled my hair back again and sighed. Feeling good, I made my way out of bathroom.

Brenda was perched on the windowsill when I emerged. She snapped her head to me and instantly bounced up.

"Oh my gosh! You look so much better! Like, way way better!" She raked my new appearance with her eyes, thoughtful.

"So, you are definitely a tomboy. No doubt about that. Maybe a motorcycle chick? Or a grease monkey?" I laughed at her and waved her guesses away.

"No, no. Country girl. 'Cowgirl', if you like." I grinned. Brenda nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, I like that! Finally, a new type of chick to talk with. So, you ride horses?"

"Yes, ma'am. Own my very own AQHA certified roping horse." Brenda's face went stoic, the same look from earlier that told me she didn't understand. "American Quarter Horse Association. My horse is bred for roping cattle."

"Oooooh." She said. "What's its name?"

"His name is Too Reckless Ruckus. I call him 2R. He's my baby."

"He sounds cool! What does he look like?" Brenda asked, waving me out the door. I stopped her, quickly.

"Wait, wait! What about shoes?" I asked, pointing to my feet. I had been wearing a pair of old converse and they were totaled. Brenda hmmm'd before waving me out again.

"You can wear a pair of Missy's old boots. They are in Clyde's room." We moved out of the room and back down the hall. I counted 4 doors before we entered another room.

It was obviously a bedroom, with a small cot in the corner. A few toys were scattered around. Little G.I. Joe figures were lined up and leaning against the wall. I recognized Snake Eyes and Long Range among them. I mentally saluted them. A poster was tacked to the wall, too, with a tall man in leathers in the forefront. On the bottom of the poster, big yellow letters read 'Dio'. Clyde apparently had good taste in music. Brenda was already at the closet and she chucked a pair of dark brown boots at me. They seemed similar to the work boots I would use at the ranch. I slipped out of my old ones and into the new ones. Missy and I were about the same height, so they fit pretty well. I smiled at Brenda and wiggled my toes.

"Rock on." I said. She skipped up to me and dragged me back out the door. We made our way back downstairs and she wound her way into the living room where everyone was sitting again.

"Ta da!" She exclaimed, causing everyone to look up, "Doesn't she look fab?" Missy clapped and nodded.

"Whoa, Rory! Nice new threads!" Chameleon even smiled a small smile at me.

"You do look good." He said, softly. Amber wolf-whistled at me and Letch groaned, making her giggle. Clyde stood up and clapped at me, so I curtsied as best as I could to him.

"Thank, kind sir." He laughed at that. Brenda left my side and slipped her hand into Lizard's. The man gripped her hand and kissed her head, but his eyes never left mine. I shrunk away and went to sit on the arm of the couch where Amber sat. Just then, Pluto came into the room, his arrival announced by his thudding footsteps. I met his eyes, slightly fearful, but he grinned largely at me.

"Ro-ree! Look purty wit new stuff. Papa wans ta talk ta youuu." He told me. I swallowed and stood again, walking over to his side.

"Okay, Pluto. Lead the way." This was inevitable. I had to talk to him. It was going to happen sooner or later. I just hoped it was going to be later.

Jupiter was sitting at the table in the kitchen. I followed behind Pluto, nerves making me queasy. He stomped over to Jupiter, who nodded. The large man then left the room, leaving me alone with the Clan leader. He kicked a chair out from under the table and motioned to it.

"Sit."

I gulped and did so, trying my best not to appear afraid. Jupiter watched me intensely for a long moment, his eyes reminding me a lot of Stabber's: calculating and intelligent. I waited under the stare, fidgeting with my fingers. I could hear my heart beating in my ears. Silence poured between us. A bit of wind rattled something metallic outside, making a clanging sound in the otherwise quiet span of time. Jupiter rubbed his mouth with a hand and I saw that he wore a thick golden band around one finger. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.

"So, boyo...I hear tha' you were claimed by my brother. That true?" I stiffened. 'His brother? That evil monstrous...'

"Yes sir. If Hades is your brother, then you are correct."

"Has he mated wit' you yet?" The term was spoken nonchalantly, but it made me wince. I remembered the horrid act he had done to me and I shivered.

"...yes. Yes, he did." My voice cracked.

"Did he get any child from you? You carrying?"

"No!" I yelled, then quieted. "Well, I don't think so..." I felt sick at the idea. I might be pregnant with that psycho's child. I laid a hand on my stomach, nausea making me dizzy. Jupiter frowned and leaned forward.

"There's a bathroom upstairs. The drawer has tests. Use one, then come back an' tell me."

"Yes sir. Uhm...sir? What happens if I am?" Jupiter looked at me, not a trace of sympathy on his face.

"We give you back ta Hades. If there's a child, then by the Laws, I can't keep you here."

"And...if there is none?"

"Then you can stay. You would still be up for claimin' if Stabber manages ta convince the Keeper." My heart went leaping into my throat and I swallowed. I stood and tilted my head to the Clan leader.

"Thank you..." My voice sounded so small then. I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. I glanced to the door at the end of the hall. It would be so easy to run to it, to throw it open and leave. The urge pounded into me and I halted, eyes boring into the door. I glanced at the golden handle and my fingertips itched. Then, rationality hit me, hard. There was no where for me to go. I was stuck in the middle of the desert, no food or water. I wouldn't make it far. I sighed and began my slow trudge up the stairs. They moaned and groaned underneath me, each step sounding like the toll of a death bell. I felt heavy.

At the top, I turned and entered the first door I saw. A toilet and a small shower met me as I entered. I closed the door and locked it with reluctance. I stared at myself in the mirror. My face was pale and the expression was one of dread. I inhaled and exhaled before opening the only drawer with a handle. Inside, as Jupiter said, were pregnancy tests. Some were white, some were blue, but they were all the last things I wanted to use ever in my life. With shaking hands, I pulled one out, a blue one. I slipped it out of the packaging and gasped as I dropped it in the sink. I grabbed it and held it up to my face. It looked like such a harmless little thing. After mentally slapping myself, I finally sat down to use it.

After I finished, I set the little stick on the counter top and I waited. Pink if positive and blue if negative. 'Alright.' I told myself, 'This is it. 1 minute. Here we go.' I sat and pondered my fate.

If I was pregnant, I knew I couldn't live with it. I just couldn't. I would have to kill myself. There was no way I would go back to the monster and be his mate and mother to his devil child. I shuddered at the thought and my mind slipped to suicidal thoughts.

Drowning wouldn't work, though it would be quite poetic. Drowning in the desert. It was almost laughable. I wondered how long it would take me to starve. I couldn't remember ever knowing the answer. Maybe I could go out like Juliet and stab myself. Bleeding out would work, but it would be painful and I had a very low threshold for pain. 'Or,' I thought, 'I could just go the common way and slit my wrists. Down the lane, not across...' My shook myself out of these thoughts. I didn't want to die, not really. Sickened by my own morbid thoughts, I looked at the test. Nothing yet. I went back to thinking.

What if I wasn't with child? Then, Stabber could still claim me. I was almost elated at the thought. Sure, it wasn't the perfect scenario. I always imagined myself settling down with a rough and tumble cowboy and lived the rest of our days running our very own ranch. Living forever in the mines with a mutant and his strange ragtag family wasn't the fairytale ending most girls wanted. I tried to convince myself it wouldn't be so bad. Stabber was nice enough. He cared for me and he was uprooting his whole lifestyle to protect me. Most regular guys wouldn't even dream of doing that. I smiled at that. Stabber wasn't really a bad guy. He was just misunderstood. Sure, I could go with that. Feeling calmer, I looked at the test.

There was a small strip of colour present on the little square.

I braced myself and peered down at it.

Cliiiiiiffy! Ha! Sorry about that one, chickadees! Couldn't resist! So, is Rory preggers? What will happen when Jupiter finds out? .See.

*Oh, nay, nay!- From John Pinette (sp?) the comedian. I love him :)

TTFN, ta ta for now!