Author's note: Thank you to NotMarge, NicoleR85, partygirl98, babydops, Jinxofthe2ndLaw, StarlitStar, and CurbItKirby for your reviews! We learned not to mess with Zoey, didn't we? Not where Olivia is concerned, anyway! I'm just warning you, this chapter is mostly filler. Big stuff is on the way though. Just stick with me, please.

A Pushy, Nosy, Telepathic Mentor

Thankfully Olivia came running down the stairs at that moment. She went straight for her aunt, who knelt down for a hug. Two curly heads cuddled against each other for a very long embrace.

"Really?" Olivia gasped, pulling away to see her aunt's eyes.

Oh, so they were "talking."

"Yes. Would you like to go visit the school tomorrow, after my presentation is over?" Zoey asked.

"No, you can't! You have to go see your secret admirer," the little girl replied in her chirpy bird voice. "He'll be sad without you."

Zoey laughed. "Olivia, I'd like to introduce you to Hank McCoy, my secret admirer. And this is Professor Charles Xavier. He's the headmaster for the school you're going to start at."

The latter part is what caught her attention, thankfully. Apparently the prospect of an education was much more exciting than her aunt's secret admirer, saving me from scrutiny.

I could tell that Charles began to speak to her telepathically because Olivia gravitated towards him like a tiny blonde satellite.

Zoey watched them carefully, while I mostly just looked at her while I could get away with it.

After a moment her expression became one of deep contentment- like someone who had been carrying a heavy burden for so long that the sensation of being without it made them feel buoyant and euphoric.

I'd done the right thing by telling Charles. Not just for Olivia, but for Zoey, too. Hopefully her life would get a little easier now.

"Thank you for being a creepy eavesdropper," she murmured, turning to look at me with a smile.

After one heart-stopping moment I realized she was kidding.

"N-no problem," I said quietly, smiling to let her know I got the joke. "What will you do after your thesis is submitted? Will you still go to the cafe?"

"Of course. But will my secret admirer?"

"I'm not really a secret anymore," I noted shyly. "But... I'd like to still see you. Maybe even sit with you, if you wanted me to?"

Zoey smiled, which made my heart beat faster.

"I'd like that," she replied. "But can I ask you something?"

I nodded.

"Yesterday you still seemed terrified of speaking to me. But today... What changed?"

The answer was simple, if not embarrassing. But I knew I had to answer it. I was committing fully to this thing. I loved her, and I wanted to make her happy if it was in my power to do so.

"I decided to take a chance and see if you were right. Maybe we're perfect for each other and I can make you happy, the way you deserve to be. So I'm going to try."

Zoey's only answer was to flush prettily and slip her hand into mine.

I gave it a gentle squeeze. I was having a hard time believing this wasn't a dream.

You are so much prettier up close, Zoey.

I'd never seen such pure green eyes in my life. Dark malachite green around the rims of her irises gave way to an emerald color. Around the very edges of her pupils it was the color of verdelite. And her eyes were framed by thick lashes that were so long they brushed her cheeks when her lids were closed.

A small gasp pulled my attention away from Zoey. I turned to see Olivia staring at me avidly.

"You're Auntie's admirer?"

Oh, no.

I nodded, smiling a little despite my awkwardness.

"You like her?"

"Very much," I replied, flushing up.

Doesn't beat around the bush, does she?

"So my auntie was right," Olivia announced proudly. "Boys like smart girls."

"At least the good ones do, yes," Charles said, laughing at my discomfit.

We didn't stay much longer, considering the unwelcome nature of our visit. Charles promised the Grey's that he would send someone the next day to go over paperwork and such. They seemed less than thrilled, but nodded in agreement.

Zoey walked out with us, having made the wise decision to let Nicholas get used to the idea of his female child receiving an education without her presence.

"Would you like a ride home, Ms. Dubois?" Charles offered, as I got him into the back passenger seat.

She considered it for a long moment before answering. "Sure."

I opened the door for her and helped her into the front seat. I'd gotten in and put on my own seat belt when Charles said cheerfully, "I think you should drop me off first, and then take Ms. Dubois home."

"He's as meddling as my godparents," Zoey muttered.

I chuckled. "Worse, because he's telepathic."

"Thank you both for helping me this evening," she said, after a pause. "And thank you for taking Olivia in."

"It was no trouble," Charles replied. "But will you tell me... it appears that Mrs. Grey was very young when she had Olivia."

"She was sixteen. Nick was twenty-seven at the time. I can tell you that didn't exactly endear him to my father," Zoey said quietly. She opened her mouth to say more, but closed it and shook her head. "Love is weird."

At that point we had pulled through the gate, and she got her first look at the school. A sharp intake a breath told me she was impressed.

"Wow."

"This is Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," Charles announced proudly.

"It's beautiful. Livie's going to feel like a fairy tale princess who gets to live in a castle," Zoey laughed. She looked at me. "Do you live here, too?"

I nodded.

"Are you a teacher?"

"No," I replied. "I stick to lab work."

"He would be a good teacher, though. I've been trying to convince him for years," Charles supplied. It was something he liked to tease me about.

"Maybe you just need to keep trying," Zoey said. "You got him to get out more, didn't you? But at the same time I can understand why you'd never want to leave, Hank."

Charles laughed. "I like her."

My cheeks were burning as I got out of the car to help him out. "I'll see you soon," I promised as I got him in the front door.

"Not too soon, I hope. Good luck."

Could he be any more heavy-handed?

I was still shaking my head at that when I got back into the driver's seat.

"You know, sometimes it's the people who love you the most who are the ones who give you the hardest time," Zoey offered.

"Did you think of that yourself?" I grouched, before I could stop myself.

"Nope. Read it on a Hallmark card," she replied cheerfully.

I laughed and started the engine.

"Where to?"

"The corner of Second and Williams, please."

That wasn't a part of the town I knew very well, considering my lack of desire to explore Salem much. I'd held myself apart from the world for far too long.

Once again I was struck by how much Zoey had changed for me.

Look at me, participating.

There was a rather awkward silence between us. There was so much that I needed to tell her, in order to be completely honest with her.

I had no desire to hide what I was from Zoey anymore. If this beautiful woman chose to be with me, it would be an informed choice. My sense of honor would be violated, otherwise.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked, after the silence had apparently become unbearable for her.

"Yes."

"Do people in general make you nervous, or am I special that way?"

"People do, but you more than most," I replied honestly. "You are special. I mean- not in a 'short bus' way or anything."

"Is it because of your mutation?" she guessed, after she stopped laughing.

"Mostly, I suppose. I've always been rather..."

"Shy?"

I nodded. "I'm more comfortable around my experiments and inventions than people. It's always been that way," I explained.

"So I make you uncomfortable." Zoey said it as a statement, and she sounded a little saddened by that fact.

"No- well, a little," I admitted sheepishly. "I want you to like me."

She laughed, sounding a little startled. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, apparently worried that she'd offended me. "I'm not laughing at you, I'm just laughing because I'm happy."

I made her happy without even trying? That's a relief. Maybe I can do this after all.

We reached the cross streets at that moment, pulling up in front of a small Victorian-style apartment building with only four floors.

"This is me," Zoey announced. "It's not a castle like yours, but it's not bad."

"It's nice," I replied.

I quickly got out and hurried around to open the door for her. She was smiling as I helped her from the vehicle.

"Would you like to come in? Have some dinner?" she offered tentatively.

It was a fight not to hyperventilate on the spot. Spending time with Zoey? Alone? I wanted it with a fierceness that surprised me, but I was also afraid of what could happen. I might ruin everything-

Stop. Or maybe everything will go perfectly. How will I know, unless I take a chance and go for it?

"That sounds nice," I said, before the pause caused by my musings got awkward.

Zoey's smile got wider, if that was possible. "Come with me," she beckoned.

I took a deep breath and followed her inside.