"Why in the fuck do you have a gun?"

Roxy was verging on hysterics. Despite this not being an uncommon sight, Lydia found herself surprised. In her defense, she told her calmly, "It's not loaded."

"So? This is Nate and Brendan we're talking about!" While Roxanna wasn't shouting, her whisper certainly was frantic. "Do you honestly think they won't be able to fuck someone up with this?"

The redhead blinked at her. "You never cared before."

"I didn't know you had one before!"

Lydia's face darkened to a fair pink. "Oh. Well, my gram gave it to be for my birthday. What was I suppose to do, Rox? Tell her I didn't like it?"

Dark eyes stayed on her. For a long moment, the deep skinned beauty just stared at her friend. When she finally did speak, it was with the utmost assurance, and possibly some well hidden homicidal rage. "No. You tell her you live with two idiots who have a passion for shiny objects and are prone to fucking themselves up."

"Or, I could just keep it tucked away in the box, like I do with the other one." Lydia reasoned.

"Other one?" Roxy echoed, "How many of these do you have?"

"Like here, or all together?"

"All together?" The young woman shook her head, "Jesus, Di-"

"Oh my god!" Nate's voice tore threw the air, effectively breaking the girl's concentration. "He's here!"

They shared a look before rushing into the living room. Nate and Bren had abandoned their video games in order to greet the new comers at the door. Nathaniel was being especially affectionate, having wrapped the stranger in a tight hug.

"This isn't over," Roxy warned, sending an elbow into Lydia's ribs to drive the point home. With a wince, the fair haired woman nodded.

Brendan smirked at John, who stood idly by as his father embraced his roommate. "How'd things go with Di?"

"Fine," He said, but a twitch of his lips gave him away.

"Good," Bren nodded. He clapped the other man on the back as Wade sauntered over to the girls. "Now you just gotta get past the daddy issues and you're home free, bro."

John nodded. "Yeah…wait what?"

"Didn't think it'd be that easy, did you, Pyro?" Elbowing him playfully, he grabbed his coat off the rack.

"You must be Lydia." Wade speculated, beaming at the young women. He wasn't entirely sure which one she was, but they were both stunning(in completely different ways) so he was far from displeased. Regardless of which one she was, he could go home and brag to Amy about their boy's good taste. Which he got from his father, obviously. Roxy and Lydia were far from disappointed as well. This man was…well, handsome was an understatement. With his bronze skin that could rival a god's, and a charming, if not cocky, grin. Its boyishness was dampened slightly by the thick beard he sported, but neither minded as they shared a pleased look.

The redhead raised her hand, telling him nonchalantly, "That's me."

"No one told me you were a redhead!"

The girl barely had time to share a concerned glance with her friend before he swept her up into a tight hug. Over his shoulder, Lydia glared at John. He smirked at her, and she mouthed, you sick bastard, at him. Wade pulled back, holding her at arms length. For a moment he just smiled at her, which turned from pleased to outright elated as she forced one back at him.

"And she's a team player!" He shrieked over his shoulder to his son, who was now bowing his head in shame. "No one told me she was a team player!"

Roxy took this opportunity to sneak over to her boyfriend and slip her coat on as well. She motioned for Nate, who had taken up residency on the couch once again, but he shook his shaggy haired head.

Lydia nodded as she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Yeah, it's my secret shame."

"I knew I'd like you."

"Wade," John tried to intervene, but was dismissed as the man went on, ignoring him.

"I mean, if I didn't I would've faked it for John's sake-"

The young man tried again as Brendan and Roxy ducted out of the apartment. "Wade."

"Because he's so crazy about you, but now I don't have to! I can even say I approve!" Wade's grin widened as he pulled her in for another hug, "Amy will be so happy you're not some gutter tramp!"

"Good to know." She blushed. Nate shot her a confused look, unsure of her nonchalance. Usually she'd be psyched about anything that had to do with John. Much less being approved by his parents.

"You can let her go, now." John said. His jaw had been steadily tightening the longer they hugged. Approaching them, he pried her from the taller man's grasp. His father grinned impishly at me, throwing him a shrug as Lydia shuffled away from him. "Di, this is Wade, my father."

"Hi."

She raised her hand in greet, confusion etched on her features. "Hi." Shaking her head, she chuckled nervously, "I thought you'd be…"

"Older? Shorter? Angsty-er?" Wade offered, "Yeah, you'd think, but he gets all that from his mom. Well, not the older thing, you know," He snickered, "Healing factors and such."

"Right." Lydia nodded, blinking. "You're a mutant."

John's face flushed slightly and he looked away from his father when he was shot a surprised look. Wade's voice was laced with astonishment as he asked him, "You didn't tell her? You've known her like, two months!"

"I was gonna but-"

"What happened to the little shithead who got me off the Island!" Wade snapped, but he wasn't so much angry as he was teasing. "I mean, I know you're not one of his little cronies anymore-"

"Shut up!" Pyro snapped, a few sparks flying from his palms.

Lydia gasped and pulled away. More startled than afraid, she backed up. John's hands lost their heat instantly as shame filled him. Tucking his fingers into his palms he avoided her gaze as he headed for his room.

"John, come on!" His father called after him, "I didn't mean it!"

The only response he got was the door slamming. Wade sighed, looking down at Lydia's remorseful features. "He's got some issues."

"Yeah. I know." She bit her lip as she shrugged, "Who doesn't?"

With an affectionate punch on the arm, he led her over to the couch. "Come on, Nate said he'd teach me how to play Mario Kart."

Lydia quirked a brow at the sight of a beat up Nintendo 64 sitting on the milk crate the boys had the audacity to call a table. A pair of blue eyes cast a worried glance at John's door. Her thoughts were broken by a controller being placed in her hands.

"He'll be fine," Wade assured her, "Just give 'im some space, kid." Smirking he asked, "So. Amy expects a full review of you."

She smiled weakly at him. "Oh."

"So…" He trailed, waiting for her to go on.

"So what do you want to know?"

"Tell me about yourself! You've already passed the mutant test," His brow quirked, as did Nate's next to him.

"Mutant test?" The younger man asked. "Who's a mutant?"

Wade smirked, "Well, there's me, Amy, John…"

"I didn't know John was a mutant!" Nate chuckled. "Why am I always the one in the-" He smacked the game system, in an effort to make it load faster, "dark?"

Lydia lifted her lips, "I guess I'm okay with it."

"You guess?" Wade asked, tilting his head at her, "Why was hesitant, Miss…"

"Corvus."

His brown eyes brightened, "Lydia Emmanuelle Corvus?"

Nate let out a snort of laughter. "Emmanuelle."

"As in Warren Corvus?" Wade went on.

Her lips tightened. "Yes."

"Oh my god! That was so friggin' easy!" Wade cackled, "Oh my god, like seriously? That's like the lamest plot twist ever!" He paused. "Handy though, don't cha think?"

"What're you talking about?" She asked.

"Your dad hired me to find you!" He beamed. Not noticing the change in her expression, he went on, "He's been looking for you and your brothers for like, five years!"

Lydia stared emotionlessly at him. "Oh."

"Oh? That's it?" Wade tilted his head, his smile fading. "Aren't you excited? Daddy's home!"

She stood, her blue eyes darkening at him. "I don't care."

Nate winced as she walked away from them. He clapped Wade on the shoulder, cooing, "Poor baby."

"Damn right poor baby! What am I gonna tell Warren! He'll be crushed!"

The younger man shrugged, "Well. Di's not one to hold a grudge, and eventually her curiosity will get the better of her. She's gonna want some answers. And now that she knows where to get them, she won't be able to resist."

"Hm." Wade glanced at the door she had disappeared into. "Between her and John they're daddy issues just might even out."

"Aren't you his daddy?"

"Amy says I'm not allowed to call myself that anymore."

Nate snickered. "That's sucks." He motioned to the screen. "Ready to play?"

"Totally!"

A/N: My Birkhoff oneshot is up! Check it out if you're a Nikita fan. Also, I wanted to address that yes, Meta is Lydia's deadbeat dad. It was suppose to be painfully obvious. But the plot twists will come later! Mwahaha-ah you get the point.