Theresa Cassidy knew she had a drinking problem. So did her team. The rest of the household had been blissfully ignorant of that fact until she got abysmally shitfaced at the birthday party and began making out with James in full view of everyone. The big Native thought that it was his dream come true, but eventually realized the circumstances were all wrong. He finally understood (or thought he did) why Shatterstar had rebuffed her sloppy seduction attempt at Camp Verde. Jimmy wanted Theresa but not like this, and tried to pry the Irish woman off of him as delicately as possible. Siryn didn't take the rejection well. She threw her beer bottle into the air and shattered it with a concentrated scream, showering some of the partying mutants in brown glass. The music came to sudden stop, conversation ceased, and all eyes were trained on her as she burst into tears. Domino came up beside her and led her into the kitchen and the party continued out on the backyard veranda as if interruptions of that nature took place all of the time. Sadly, that was true.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Domino gave the young woman a mug of strong coffee and regarded her silently for a long moment, watching the red-haired woman struggle to pull herself together. "Theresa, this has gone on long enough."

"Och, ah know, ah know," she muttered into her cup, her accent appreciably thick.

"I'm serious. We can't have a deputy leader with a substance abuse problem. You need to get some treatment for this."

"Ah dinna want thee respons'bility!" she shouted. "'Tis tew much pressure. Shatterstar has thee training. Let 'im do it."

"Shatterstar has voluntarily withdrawn from X-Force," Domino told her, keeping her voice neutral. She had been enjoying the party until Cable had confided in her about his conversations with the Mojoworlder and James Proudstar and that quickly put the brakes on any further revelry. She had a maternal attachment to the group and didn't like to see any of the young members suffer needlessly. By accident or design, Shatterstar had managed to slip under her radar until it had proven too late to help him. She resolved she wasn't going to make the same mistake with Siryn.

Theresa looked at the other woman in shock. "Since when?"

"Since tonight. He's struggling with some personal issues that he needs to work through. So do you."

The Irish woman took her face in her hands and began to cry. "The team's fallin apart," she said miserably. "First Sam, then Rictor, now 'Star. Ah'm a mess, Dom. Ah dinna know what t'do!"

Domino grabbed one of her hands and squeezed it. "It's going to be all right. We lead a stressful life and these kind of things happen. You're not alone. Tonight, you're going to get a good night's sleep and tomorrow I want you to go into town and start going to AA."

Theresa groaned and dropped her head to the table. "Och! Ah hate those places. 'Hullo, ah'm Theresa, and ah'm an alcoholic'. God, 'tis so humiliating."

"No more so than getting drunk and making an ass of yourself in front of everybody. I'm giving you the opportunity to take responsibility for this, Terry. If you don't, you'll end up being lectured by Professor Xavier and I know that you don't want that."

"No!"

"We're X-Force. We take care of our own," Domino said, helping her friend upstairs to her room. Even as she said the words she had to wonder if that was even true anymore. Their founding members were fracturing and falling apart and tonight Cable had made her aware of an issue neither had ever thought to address. Never thought they'd have to. Among a team of racial minorities, mutants, and even non-humans, the subject of sexuality had never been brought up in conversation once. It just went to show how secretive teenagers could be on issues that dealt with them personally. Even worse, neither leader knew how to even broach the topic without potentially blowing it all out of proportion. At this point they were dealing with suspicions and conjecture, although the underlying theme of ignorance was definitely going to have to be addressed somehow. It was moments like these that Cable was left genuinely floundering. Domino didn't know how she could help. Neither of them had ever had what could be called a normal childhood.

Theresa was unaware of what was going on within her team; she had enough problems of her own. She spent the night in a sludgy, inebriated slumber and woke up with a hangover. She spent the morning alternating between her bed and bent over the toilet. Cable had cancelled manoeuvres for the day, letting the team have some free time off. By all rights, Theresa should have felt relieved but all she could do is brood over Domino's cautions. Last night's conversation had the hazy, half-remembered snatches of dialogue all drunks called memory, but Theresa remembered the basics: It was time to straighten up and fly right.

She showered and dressed and even managed to choke down some dry toast to settle her stomach. After that she logged onto a computer terminal and looked up AA meeting locations. The local town of Salem's Center had a chapter but they weren't meeting until tomorrow and Theresa could already feel the need for hair of the dog. She decided to go into New York City. At least there she could pick and choose where she wanted to go, and getting out of the mansion for the day sounded very appealing.

Domino and Cable were in a meeting with Xavier and Cyclops. Theresa very delicately plucked at the strands of the team's psi-link and Cable responded immediately. *What is it, Theresa?*

*I'm heading into the city for the day. I have a-a-* Red-faced and embarrassed, she surged on ahead. *I'm going to a meeting.*

There was no indication of surprise or condemnation, just: *Do you need company?*

*No sir, but thank you* she said and mentally withdrew, heartened by the non-judgemental tone of her leader's thoughts. Cable could be a mean son of a bitch when he wanted to be, but he had his rare moments where he could be remarkably kind and this was apparently one of them.

Theresa signed out one of the mansion's many available cars and drove the back roads of Manchester County. The city was over an hour away and she took advantage of the solitude and listened to the radio. She hummed along to some familiar tunes but was careful not to sing. She had a bad habit of hitting odd notes with her mutant-altered vocal cords and tended to disable sensitive electronics. Being stranded on this deserted back country road with a dead car would not help her frame of mind. She was in no hurry, cruising along a little bit below the speed limit. When she came around a bend there was someone ahead of her walking along the side of the road and she easily swerved around the individual, glancing in the rear view mirror as she drove past. She saw that shocking head of red hair, even brighter than hers, and slammed down on the brake pedal in surprise.

Shatterstar watched the vehicle pull to a screeching stop on the road and backed up a step, ready to defend himself. He watched the TV religiously and was aware that humans often met horrific ends on lonely roads like these. Usually it happened at night under a full moon in fog-laden areas, but he supposed anything was possible on this crazy world. He had his swords in the duffle bag that was slung over his shoulder and dropped the bag to the ground, pulling down the zipper and reaching inside. He grasped the hilts but did not pull them out into view. Not yet.

The car door on the driver's side opened and a young woman leaned out. "Shatterstar? What're ye doing all the way out here?" Theresa called over to him.

He grabbed his bag and straightened, walking over to the car. "Hello Siyrn."

"I asked ye a question," she said, eyeing him critically. The alien was wearing bluejeans and a dark jacket over his shirt, his long hair tucked inside the coat. If it wasn't for that black tattoo marring his handsome features he could almost pass for normal.

"I'm just out for a walk."

"Yuir over twenty klicks from the mansion, boyo. Looks to me like yuir running away."

'Star didn't answer.

Theresa sighed. "I'm heading into the city. Can I give ye a drive?"

"You're not going to take me back to the mansion?"

"No."

He nodded and opened the passenger side door, settling into the seat and depositing the bag between his feet. "Thank you," he said when she resumed her drive.

"Fer what? Helping ye or not snitching on ye?"

"Both."

She sighed. "Domino told me last night that yuir having some problems and had withdrawn from the team. If ye need to get away for awhile to clear yuir head, who am I to say ye can't? It surprises me that ye didn't say goodbye, that's all."

"I told Cable and Domino. Tabitha left this morning to go visit her father in Pennsylvania. I looked for Feral but could not find her. I am not close to Caliban," 'Star said, watching the road.

"What about James and Roberto? What about me?" she said, sparing him a hurt glance.

"I am finding it difficult dealing with James and Roberto."

"Since when?"

Shatterstar lapsed into his characteristic silence and changed the subject. "I didn't say good-bye to you because I figured you were still angry at me."

"Fer what?!" she cried indignantly.

"For refusing your advances at Camp Verde. I wasn't very considerate about your particular circumstances that day and rebuffed you cruelly. I'm sorry, Theresa."

"Ye don't have anything to apologize about," she said, her freckled cheeks burning with the memory of that awful day. "I had no right to throw myself at ye like that. I'm the deputy leader, fer crying out loud. 'Sides, that happened months ago."

"The fact that you never brought it up made me believe you were holding onto a grudge. Your conduct around me changed after that."

Theresa wasn't aware that she had behaved any differently but she'd be lying to them both if she said that she hadn't felt embarrassed for her poor conduct on that day. 'Star was highly intuitive and trained to read minute body language for potential weaknesses. It was very possible he was picking up on some tension coming from her whenever they were close to each other and misinterpreting it as condemnation. "I might have been angry with ye that day, but it was all me fault. I ... I have a drinking problem, 'Star. In fact, that's why I'm going into the city today; to get some help for it. What I did to ye in Camp Verde, I tried it again with Jimmy last night."

"I would have thought James receptive to such behaviour," 'Star muttered.

"He was just being a gentleman. Much like ye were on that day."

The alien shook his head. "My actions had nothing to do with chivalry. Your timing was simply all wrong."

"What do ye mean by that?"

"It means that if you had tried that action with me again, perhaps even last night, I would not have turned you down."

It was just as well they were on a relatively straight stretch of road because Theresa would have probably missed the turn completely. She was numb with shock at the other young man's casual admission. "What're ye saying, 'Star? That-that yuir ..." she nervously cleared her throat. "Are ye attracted to me?"

"You, Tabitha, Domino, Maria, Storm, Amara, Pryde, Grey, Psylocke, X'ian, Skids, even Rahne, although she reeks of canine," 'Star said, resting his elbow against the armrest of the door and rubbing his forehead. "I'm attracted to all of you. It's maddening. It's why I had to get out of the mansion."

"What brought this on?"

"I believe I've reached a state of sexual maturity that was purposely delayed in my genetic make-up to make me more competent as a warrior. On my home world, I would have bred with my genetic bond-mate by now. Here on earth ..." he fell into troubled silence.

Listening to the frank explanation, Theresa had to press a hand to her mouth to try and hide her amusement. "Are ye telling me yuir horny?"

He actually flushed a little, keeping his eyes carefully trained forwards. "I suppose that's an apt interpretation as any."

She tried to smother her amusement and failed at it miserably, laughing out loud. To his credit, 'Star did not fault her for it. If this wasn't such a personal humiliation, he probably would have found the situation as amusing as she did. "Wow. In light of that, I'm glad we gave ye those condoms when we did."

"I suppose I will have to purchase some more," he realized with a sigh. "Are they readily available or are they something I have to on the eBay?"

"'Star, we gave you a bunch the other day."

"Yes, I know you did."

"Did ye leave 'em at the mansion?"

"No, I used them all."

She was back to staring at him again. "What?!"

"As clarification, Maria and I used them."

"When?"

"Yesterday. After our training session."

"Ye mean when Cable thought ye were missing? He had all of us searching the woods for ye. Are ye saying you and Feral were off doing ... that?"

"Yes. I apologize for the deception but," he betrayed a rare smirk. "I do not regret it."

Theresa lapsed into wondering silence. Cable had called them off the search after a couple of hours but, come to think of it, Shatterstar and Feral had been missing for the rest of the day. "Holy Mother of Mary. We gave ye at least a dozen of the bloody things!"

"Some of them fell victim to my strength or Maria's claws. They are fragile devices. One got eaten." At Theresa's questioning stare, he gave his head a bewildered shake. "I don't think she was used to them either."

That was it. Theresa laughed so hard that she would have probably driven them into another car if the back roads were heavy with traffic. Or a tree. 'Star reached over and guided the steering wheel until she had herself back under control. "Och! You naughty boy!" she chuckled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"That's what she said-"

"Agh! Okay, enough. I don't need to know specifics. Ye were careful and had fun. That's all that really matters," she said, smiling. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," he said dully. Truth be told, he could have happily gone on with his life without having to entertain this particular diversion. He had a feeling it was going to add major complications he could do without.

"What are yuir plans in New York?"

"I honestly haven't put much thought into it. It seemed as good a place to go as any. The fabled City of New York seems to feature predominately in the majority of sitcom vids and movies."

"Just remember that what ye see on the TV is all make-belief pretend stuff."

"And the Fantastic Four? The Avengers? Spider-man? Doctor Strange? Are they not all living in that city?"

"Forget I said anything," she mumbled. Shatterstar had a point. New York was a focal point for strange activity, more than any other place on earth. Did it really need the addition of a homeless, time-displaced alien gladiator wandering around the streets? "Would ye like me to take you to Grand Central Station?"

"What is there?"

"Transportation. I'm willing t'bet that yuir thinking about visiting Rictor, am I right?"

The tension on his face turned to longing. "I miss him."

"I know. Ye two were really good friends."

'Star didn't like her use of the past tense and fell into troubled silence. For all of his enthusiastic rutting with Feral yesterday, Julio had not been far from his thoughts. If anything, he wished that the Hispanic had been part of the assignation. Even though he seemed physically attracted to women, 'Star was very attached to Rictor in a manner that seemed to go beyond the dictates of mere friendship. He wanted to kiss and hold him again; he wanted to try the pleasurable things Feral had done to him. It was confusing. Such conduct did not fall into the brutal black and white divisions James had felt the need to address. How can a person be both gay and straight? He probably would have asked Maria about that if he'd been capable of rational thought at the time. The opportunity was passed. Theresa, he sensed, had issues regarding liaisons she needed to address on her own. He would find no answers there. As usual, he was left on his own and, as usual, he was left floundering.

Theresa was aware of the lapse as the alien became lost in thought. It seemed to happen whenever Rictor was brought up. "'Star?" she prompted. "Ye okay, lad?"

"Yes," he said absently. "Just drop me off at any corner when we reach the city. I'll figure out where to go from there."

"'Star, I'm not really comfortable with the idea of leaving ye alone in New York without a plan," she confessed.

He flashed her a wary look and his right hand began to stray towards the door handle. "I've worked very hard to gain my freedom, Theresa. I'll go where I please. You will not stop me."

"No, I won't," she said quickly, waving her hand at him. "So don't do something stupid, like jump out of the bloody movin' car. I'll take ye wherever ye want to go. Relax."

"Oh," he murmured, calming down.

"Just do me a favour. The first payphone ye come across, ye call Rictor. Tell him what's going on. Get his advice before ye go and do anything else."

"I was planning on doing that," 'Star said honestly. He hadn't wanted to call Rictor again while in the mansion. Code 45 forced too many restrictions on him and he had questions. Personal questions of a confusing nature and he wanted to respect Rictor's desire for secrecy at all costs.

"Do ye have any money?"

"I have all that Cable ever paid me. Several thousand dollars." Unlike most X groups, Cable was well-established financially and paid the members of X-Force a steady salary. "I also have a phone card and another one with the letters V-I-S-A."

"That's sounds fine." She realized with dread that they were heading through the Bronx now. Very soon they would reach Manhattan. All of a sudden it seemed like she had an enormous amount of things to tell him and time was quickly running out. "Just try to be frugal with what ye have and don't loan anybody anything. Ye'll probably hear some real sob stories. Just ignore them. I don't know what to tell ye about ... Well, about women, now that yuir of-of age. Just-"

"Theresa-"

"Just be careful, I guess that's all I can say. Some women are just plain nasty. Don't use your swords against civilians, even if they're really stupid and obnoxious. Don't hurt anyone. Only bad super-humans. They're not easy to spot right off the bat, but I guess ye know by now-"

"Theresa, I will be all right," he soothed, brushing a finger against her cheek. "Don't cry."

She wasn't even aware that she had been. Glancing up at the rear view mirror she saw the tracks of tears down both cheeks. She wiped them self-consciously away. "It's just ... yuir one of the first to come aboard the team. Ye've been with X-Force from the beginning and I'm real sorry to see ye go. It won't be the same without ye. Please be careful, okay?"

"Okay," he said, nodded to the sidewalk. "You can let me out here."

"Are ye sure? I can drive ye all the way down to Midtown-"

"I like to walk. There's many sights to see in this place and I am in no hurry."

She pulled over to the curb and sat in her seat, squeezing the steering wheel with sweaty hands as Shatterstar grabbed the handles of his duffle bag and pushed open the passenger side door. She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket as he was twisting his body around to leave. He hesitated and looked back at her.

Theresa leaned over and kissed his cheek. He stared at her for a few seconds and grabbed the back of her head and kissed her full on the lips. Her mouth had opened a bit in a surprised gasp and she ended up moaning in pleasure. Their union lasted for perhaps ten seconds before 'Star pulled back and smiled at her. "Good bye, Theresa."

"Good bye, 'Star," she whispered and watched as he got out of the car and walked away.

She never needed a drink so badly in her life.