Well, here's another chapter in the CDT story. I was a little worried that people didn't want to read the story anymore when I saw that no body was reviewing but I guess school is back in full force and that explains a lot.

Good news is that I have several ideas for tthis story and they are all falling together nicely and I even have the window to make a nice little side story to explore the history of Todd, but that will be later. This chapter is like a stepping stone for the next one but I felt like it should be written.

Please enjoy and send your comments.

Classes, All Time Lows and Highs

It would have been amusing for someone to have told X23 how hard it was going to be keep her relationships secret, considering that she was a world class assassin. But she realized that she had to pretend to be his friend and while she may not have liked over the top out ward displays of affection, holding hand and hugging would have been nice. And considering that they had just gotten together yesterday, X23 was a slight bit peeved by her fourth period.

And to make matters worse, she had to sit next to him for a double period after recess and discuss the damnable book, Twelfth Night.

The clone grounded her teeth as she watched Ms. Galvin dawdle on about equations and problems, cracking her fifth pencil under the table in irritation. She took a breath and opened her mathematics book and began to work out problems. She just flipped to a page and began working out the problems, her working out and answers all clear and presented as Galvin liked.

As she worked, she found herself falling into a rhythm and eventually zoned the math teacher out. She smiled, licking her lips as she tried to recall the taste of Todd while she continued with her work. A shadow fell over her and she fought every urge to roll her eyes and instead looked up at the teacher.

"Ms. Logan, do you have a problem with listening to the demonstration?" Galvin asked in an irritated tone.

X23 decided that mincing her words wasn't on the agenda. "Well, only that it's going too slowly. I have the answers written here and these other pages are work related to exercises that you wanted us to do." X23 said calmly

Ms. Galvin was speechless and X23 flipped her pages, surprising her self that she had done five pages of equations, and showed her the answers to the examples. Galvin took the book greedily and scrutinized her every written word while X23 leaned back in her chair.

She caught the gaze of Kitty and Kurt, the two looking at her in surprise and she shrugged. She didn't have to explain herself to them and felt a little proud when Galvin gave her book back with no complaint.

Well, almost….

"Very good, but next time you could have a better attitude about it." Galvin said, X23 crushing her pencil as the teacher turned away.

The other students must have sensed how pissed off she was, because everyone felt the need to back away from her. Her knuckles popped and clicked, even her arm cracked. She hadn't been rude but instead politely frank and the teacher hadn't been able to take her answer.

"I wasn't being rude. Ms. Galvin." X23 stated coolly, her tone sending chills down every one's back. "I was merely stating the truth without any stupid and unneeded words."

"It wasn't what you said, it was how you said it." Galvin reprimand, X23 shaking her head. "What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing at all, Professor Galvin." X23 said sweetly, Ms. Galvin flinching at the use of Professor. "Please, continue with the class. I will continue with my work and then you can decide if I was out of place."

So for the rest of the class, everybody watched the clone calmly scribe through pages and pages of work and X23 hardly paid Ms. Galvin any mind. She just did what she said she was going to do, turning pages and pages in her test book.

The work wasn't even hard, it was easy for her. She had to know this stuff by the age of nine so she could start on Pythagoras theorem so it would improve her accuracy on the gun range. X23 wasn't even really thinking of the math as she worked, just let her subconscious flow with the work.

But she wondered why she was so snappy today. Galvin was annoying and she had been grinding on X23's ever since school had started but today was different. Maybe it was all the tension that had been hanging around her had finally made her face her problems. Well, it was nice to put Galvin in her place but she would have to be much more careful.

So, with neutral and confident face, X23 raised her hand and fought her urge to smirk at the look of annoyance on Glavin's face. She would have to mind herself next class she had with the woman because she looked like she was out for blood.

"What is it now, Ms. Logan?" The woman asked in irritation.

"I need another exercise book, Ms. Galvin." X23 asked calmly, amused when everyone looked at her stupidly. "I got half way through the text book and ran out of paper. So I require a new book."

The look on the math teacher's face was priceless; her face was flushed and her eyes narrowed, her jaw clenching and tightening. But she couldn't do anything that wouldn't make her look bad. Galvin curtly nodded and strode across the classroom to get her a new book, X23 letting a smile flutter on her face briefly.

The day was looking a little bit brighter.

When the bell ran, X23 was easily the third person out of the door and made it to her locker. Spinning her combination lock around, she popped the latch off and swung her locker open. She had everything neat and in place, making her locker seem very bare at times but it made life seem a bit organized.

This was why it was odd for her to see a folded note in her locker, especially when she hadn't put it there.

Curious, X23 took the note and after looking it over for anything to give it away and smelling it for any scents, she unfolded the note. As she read the little message, she felt her mouth form a small and happy smile.

Hope classes aren't boring you to death.

I'm in Otero's art room during recess

Damn work that needs effort!

Talk to you later

Todd

She changed her books over, trading Math for English with equal feelings of relief and contempt, and then head to the art room. As she walked down the hallway, she nearly cleaved a locker in half when she saw that Kurt and Kitty were waiting for her but managed to contain herself.

She really didn't want to loose her allowance over soemthign as stupid as shredding a locker and get a lecture about control and responsibility from her father and the Professor. So she would behave.

"Hey Laura, like, great way to knock Galvin down a notch." Kitty said, beaming at the other girl. "I swear she's still trying to finish marking your work."

"Ja, you really got your own back." Kurt agreed, the two joining her as she walked down the hall.

"I was just telling her the truth, not my fault she can't take it with good graces." X23 said with a grin, trying to keep herself form growling.

This wasn't what she wanted, rather she this wasn't what she needed. She wanted to go and talk with Todd for a bit before she had to endure a class of mincing her meanings. She knew if either of these two got within sight range of Todd that there would be violent arguments and then their secret would be out and everything would go to hell.

But…as she walked with her friends, she realized that they were helping her calm down and deal with the need to see Todd. As X23 chattered back and forth with her friends, she could feel herself relax and enjoy her day a little more. Maybe the day that she and Todd allowed their relationship to be known, X23 hoped that she could time with her friends like this. That being said, shoe hoped her house would take the news with some grace and not jump down her throat.

As they past the lockers closest to the cafeteria, X23 noted that the Brotherhood was there as normal but they were missing two members but had a new one. Freddy was still there, leaning against the lockers while having his lunch and Lance was reading a dirt bike magazine while Wanda sulked about, seemingly waiting for something. But the guy looked a little odd to be hanging out with them.

He was perfectly normal, like Lance. He wore less than new clothes, his hair was a wavy red and his eyes were pale blue. His build was light and thin, with an equally thin and light smile on his face as he watched the three walk down the halls.

Lance heard them walking down the hall and while his eyes may have lit up, he just gave a small wave before looking back at the magazine. Kitty rolled her eyes but smile broadly none the less while Kurt just ignored the other group of mutants. X23 smirked and nudged the valley girl with her hip, her green eyes dancing to Kitty's.

"So how are things with you and Lance these days?" X23 asked, smiling at the fact that someone else blushed regarding relationships.

She sat down in English, next to Todd, and looked around before leaning in next to him. He raised a brow and glanced at her, taking his books and notes out without needing to look.

"Hey, sweetheart, what's up?" He said quietly, the people in the classroom talking too loudly for them to hear the two.

"Who is the new guy in the Brotherhood? The one that they got you to help bring in, the redhead?" X23 asked curiously.

"Oh, him. He's Liam, a psychic that specializes in minor illusions and hydrokinetics. Really annoying British punk, yo." Todd said as he thought back. "Yeah, not the best guy in the world."

X23 nodded as the teacher came in and the two teenagers nearly felt their brains melt from the first ten minutes of the class, while their teacher, Ms. Whistler, began a speech about Shakespeare. The look on Todd's face telegraphed that he knew what she felt, that they both knew the information.

Once she finished, she assigned them back to their pairs for discussion and to pass in their work at the end of class. Todd and X23 got right on the work and X23 noticed something about Todd as he worked. He fidgeted, he looked everywhere but at the work, he doodled on his sheet, he twirled his pencil but he got his work done while doing everything else.

It was amusing, none the less.

"How did the other's like him joining the team?" X23 asked as she citied a reference.

"Freddy doesn't care, just as long at the guy doesn't eat his food. Pietro thought he was great since Liam was a player like him and they could get twice as many girls now." Todd said, X23 snorting lightly. "But Lance and Wanda hate him, absolutely, yo."

"Really? Why's that?"

"Because he takes for granted what his powers allow like Pietro and doesn't really care about the consequences, or at least that's why Lance dislikes him. Wanda doesn't like him because she was nearly seduced by the charming bastard." Todd said with a smirk, glancing at X23, who looked confused. "His appearance, it's a sham. An illusion except his surpass Mastermind's abilities, yo."

"Sounds like potentially a very big problem." X23 said offhandedly, Todd shrugging.

"Only to you guys." He said absentmindedly.

"How so?" She asked, glancing at him.

"Well, unless he does anything to you, I refuse to get involved while I'm not on any side." Todd said, waving his hand lightly. "It doesn't make any sense, yo, unless it affects you or its major problem for both sides."

X23 smiled and nodded, the back of her neck blushing lightly but not embarrassedly but rather happily. It was ncie to know that he was willing to come and rescue her like a princess in tower but at the same time…

"You know, I really hate to be thought of a damsel in distress or like Viola." X23 said pointedly, grinning as Todd rolled his eyes.

"Like I could ever see you being one of those, yo." Todd said with a snort. "I'm expecting to get rescued by you someday, even if in the most random or chaotic way."

"Ah yes, that's how it would look. 'Young Male is Saved by Brave Heroine.' Thanks but no thanks, especially, since I know you can stand up for yourself."

"Yes mother." Todd said sarcastically, missing the sour look X23 gave him.

She bit her lip and slouched slightly in her chair with her book in front of her chest. She then let her hand that was closest to Todd slide smoothly over and slither down his thigh, her nails like claws over his jeans.

Todd was so unprepared that he actually leapt up, his knees smashing into the desk and then his chair sliding out from under him. No one saw what X23 did, so all they saw was Todd literally fall from his chair and Ms. Whistler spun around as Todd stood up sheepishly.

"Mr. Tolansky, do you find the floor that much more comfortable than your chair or are you trying to imitate Festé?" The teacher asked, raising a brow and smiling to show that she was amused like the class.

"Well, with a role model like Festé, it reminds of when…I was…" Todd smirked and took a long bow like a court jester before speaking. "A little tiny boy; with hey, ho, the wind and the rain; A foolish thing was but a toy; For the rain it raineth every day."

Ms. Whistler's jaw's dropped and clapped slowly while everyone else looked at him in confusion. X23 knew why she was clapping; that was a line from Festé, when he was singing a song to one of the characters. Granted it was the first verse only and they had covered it, they had only just covered it and Todd managed to apply rhyme and rhythm to it.

She stole a quick look at his desk and his book was open to the completely wrong page, so he had to have remembered the entire thing from memory. And she confirmed this by seeing that he hadn't written it out.

"Well, Mr. Tolansky, I believe that was one of the most impressive and be it, personalized reditions of one of Festé's songs." She said, nodding. "I'm glad to see your paying attention to what I've been teaching you. Maybe you would even know what….say, the rest of 'as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes…' or am I too hopeful?"

Todd licked his lips and nervously noticed how everyone was watching him intently; he had never really spoken up in class and had always given in his thoughts written on paper. X23 knew why this was and it was because he was so shy or rather lack self confidence, hence why he was freezing up now.

Ms. Whistler smiled and shook her head, Todd's eyes narrowing as she walked back to her desk and people began to whisper about him. X23 watched as he looked down for a moment then lifted his head, glancing at her mouthing 'for you' to her with a wink. He cleared his throat, getting the teacher's and the classes attention.

What he said next, had to be one of the most beautiful things he ever spoke to a group of people. Three people walking by the classroom even stopped to listen to what was spoken.

"In heaven." Todd said firmly, Ms. Whistler slowly turning to look at him and his licked his lips again before continuing with a smile. "In heaven; would through the airy region stream so bright; that birds would sing and think that it were not night." To hear that and the silence afterwards was amazing, the clone starign at her secret boyfriend. "How was that, yo? It was right, right?"

Ms. Whistler, slowly like she couldn't believe it, smiled broadly. "Romeo and Juliet, Act II…thank you, Mr. Tolansky."

Todd nodded and as he sat down, Preston, who had been sitting beside him, reached forward and patted him on shoulder. Todd reached back and got a high five from him, then one from X23. The clone smirked as Scott eyed the green boy with curious but ignored him as she turned to continue their work.

"Man, your like a fucking encyclopedia on this Shakespeare guy." Preston said as he sat with Todd and X23 during lunch. "What did you do, read his books every night?"

X23 did like the fact that Todd was getting friends that were a part of the normal human society but she was a little peeved that this meant she had to give up time alone with him. But it was fun as annoying as it might have been.

After class, she and Preston had followed the green teenager to his locker, asking him how he did it and where he got that kind of memory. As they had gotten their food at the cafeteria, Tiffany and Erica both saw the trio and decided to eat with them outside. So the five teenagers made their way outside, the two girls getting filled in as they went.

"Eh, not so much; the orphanage that I was at just had them in the library and Sister Alexia read them to me when she took over my schooling, yo." Todd said, chewing on his sandwich that someone had decided was eatable.

"I don't care how you read them, that is some kind of impressive memory, Todd." X23 said, Preston nodding.

"Yeah, T-Man, you got some sizzling skills those books." Preston said, shrugging as he scooped at his corn. "I ain't so lucky, cars are more my thing."

"Wait, wait. Orphanage, T-Man?" Tiffany looked between the two, from concerned to worried. "Explique por favor, Todd."

"Well, because I'm a mutant, my parents abused me and social service place me in an orphanage." Todd explained, pointing to himself before extending his arm to tap Preston. "Preston's nickname for me is T-Man, one we made up when we first hung out."

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Todd." Erica said, placing her hand on his shoulder while Todd shrugged.

"The nickname ain't that bad, yo." Todd said in confusion, everyone laughing.

X23, however, saw through it. She knew that he was comfortable with people know where he came from and why, but he didn't need the pity or the question. Tiffany seemed to get it as well because she gave Preston a look and shook her head, rubbing her forehead.

"I knew it, the jock is Preston has taken over!" She wailed teasingly, Preston rolling his eyes.

They continued to enjoy their lunch and even began tossing a tennis ball that Preston had randomly in his backpack; he later explained that he helped with a kids program with teaching them baseball. As they tossed the ball back and forth, X23 slowly began to see that Todd's changes were becoming more apparent.

She knew that six months ago he would never have been caught dead with these guys in public. X23 deftly caught a ball with hand from Preston and tossed it to Erica, who stumbled into Preston with a blush. She then threw it to Todd and he jumped up to catch it, his tongue extending out when his hands missed it.

The five of them just happily enjoyed themselves and each others company, for once as normal teenagers.

The final bell ran for the day and X23 sighed with relief as the hoards of freed teenagers rushed from the classroom to their lockers and then outside. She always felt amused by that simple action, since they were conditioned to react to the bell as certain stages in the day….like Pavlov's dogs.

She shook her head as she dumped her texts books in her locker save what she needed for homework and then grabbed her gym bag, heading over to the gym. She pointedly returned the looks that the members of the X-Men gave her, brushing Scott off before he could even begin his tirade.

She stepped into the gym and smiled at the sight of her boyfriend already changed, stretching his stiff legs out. X23 plopped her bag down and smiled as he straightened up during her approach. Todd's smile was much warmer and his hug was even warmer, but the kiss he greeted her with was positively blistering.

"Hmm….one of your better greetings, I must admit." X23 said quietly as she let him hold her close.

"Well, the less frequent they are the better they must be, yo. That way you savor em'." Todd rationalized, smirking broadly as she shook her head.

"I have a sneaking suspicion that you like them just as much, but I'll accept that answer just as easily." X23 said smugly, kissing him gently again. "How long do we have again?"

"Otero said something about having to collect something and that he would be here in time for class." Todd assured her, looking at the clock and smiling. "Which will be in twenty five minutes, yo."

"Mmm, good. Plenty of time to be around you." X23 said before slipping away to change.

Once she was back, she saw Todd was laying on his side in the gym with one hand tucked under his side. He then slowly pushed up and then lifted his head and legs, suspending himself on one forearm alone as his elbow pressed in his side. He then pushed up and twisted his hand, turning himself around in a full circle.

The clone watched him with interest as he moved with semi confidence and then pushed off onto his feet. Todd glanced at her and smiled as he gave her a once over, the clone feeling a blush start on her face.

"I see that you starting to fill into the uniform, yo." Todd said teasingly, the clone look becoming a small glare.

In truth, Capoeira had actually redefined her abdominals and the constant use of needing her hands to support herself had actually added on to her muscles. Not mention reinforcing her sense of balance and rhythm, so it helped keep her figure slim and agile. The downside of this was the way the uniform reacted.

The pants literally now hung off her hips and the front of her pants were hanging just under her stomach. She had tried to pull the pants string tighter to lift them up but they still slide down lower, not mention pooling around her ankles. Even her half shirt, which was perfectly snug to her body, had begun to pull up and reveal more of her body.

"I swear, if you weren't as cute as you are, I would kick your ass." X23 threatened, Todd grinning as he stretched out his legs.

"Don't you have to be able to hit my ass in order to kick it, yo?" Todd asked, X23 waving his jibe off and she then squeaked as he picked her up.

Grinning wickedly, Todd leapt up and landed gracefully on the railing of the catwalk that was above them. It was normally used to hang banners off of, fix lights and to do other general repair work. The teenager slowly lowered himself down and sat down with his girlfriend. X23 smiled and rested her head against his chest, laying there with him in contented happiness. It was odd that such a surrounding would be comfortable for them but it was and they were happy to be there.

Leaning back and looking at him curiously, she gave him a small smile. "So how many times have you brought a girl up here?"

"Ha ha, just twice. Once, me and Rouge ditched up here to get away from the assembly down below, skipped school while playing cards." Todd told her after laughing.

"Heh, I figured that she was more that talk about breaking rules." X23 said as she snuggled against him.

"She was a cool friend, yo." Todd said as he rested his head on hers, his arms wrapping around her

"And the other time?" X23 asked, laughing when he sighed.

The two continued to talk quietly until they saw a bunch of kids walk across the gym with Capoeira uniforms and into the bathrooms. They quickly dropped down as Otero and a shorter man entered the gym, the two mutants waving to the other man and their teacher.

The other man was roughly a hair shorter than Todd and was probably proportionally built compared to Otero, long dreads falling down his back. X23 smiled as she shook his hand, noting the feeling of callousness and strength hinted that Capoeira wasn't his first martial art.

"Guys, this is Anthony Devons, or Mestre Largato, and his Capoeira group, Capoeira Camara, has come to visit us here in Bayville." Otero said, stretching his arms. "I figured that we could use the company."

"Wicked, yo. Looks like we can have an actual hoda for once." Todd said as Jamie, Rahne and other New Mutants came into the gym. "And we can show our guys the different levels of Capoeira too."

"Well, it would be really good for you and Laura, that is….if you guys are warmed up." Otero said, grinning as the two both grinned back.

Todd dropped down and swept his foot around as he leaned back and placed his hand on the ground before pushing off and into a single handed handstand, spinning around on his palm before dropping down into ginga.

X23 flipped back onto her hand and rolled on her feet, sweeping back and forth in her ginga; after a few, she rolled to the side and while one leg stayed straight, the other dropped down to the side while she held herself with one hand. She held it for half a second and then rolled back to ginga

"Oh great, two more like Justin…" Anthony said, shaking his head. "These two weeks are going to be long..."

Well, it looks like we have a interesting opening in the story coming and don't worry about Sabertooth. I will explain why he has been busy in the past few chapter and just hasn't snatched up our favorite green mutant.

The next chapter may take a little longer to write but I will do my best to get it out. One thing I can say is that the arrival of this Capoeira Camara group will bring Todd to the school's spotlight and this may will add to his growth and change as a character. But that is all I'm goanna say on it.

Please, please, please (really can't say it enough) review. I know it may seem like a tiresome thing to do, but we writers really appreciate it. Send anything and everything; comments, queries, questions, praises, flames, criticisms, suggestions, I'll even take prays….

…….Okay the last one was joke but please review

-Lin