Author's note: Thank you to NotMarge, babydops, NicoleR85, partygirl98 and StarlitStar for your reviews! I hope you guys liked that big discussion. Today Hank learns some empathy for someone he really didn't have it for previously. Yay personal growth, right? BTW, the quote Zoey gave last chapter is from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, if you cared to know. Hope you guys like this one! Feedback is always welcome :-)

Empathy

And then a seventeen pound cat jumped into my lap, making all of my breath escape in a gasp. I jerked away from Zoey's face in reflex.

Ow. Ow. Ow. Right on the jewels, cat. Ow.

Sydney meowed loudly in our faces, as if he hadn't already completely ruined the moment.

Zoey let out a little huff of annoyance and disappointment at her cat, who appeared to be undeterred by his owner's irritation. Instead he ignored her and moled around my lap, looking for my free hand. Once he found it he head-butted me until I began to pet him.

"I'm sorry," she said, moving to sit on the couch properly once more.

"Don't be."

Your cat, on the other hand...

I released her wrist, which meant my other hand was uninhibited. Lucie immediately jumped up to take advantage of that. She sat on my other side primly so I could pet her too. Charlie jumped onto Zoey's lap demanding attention as well.

We're surrounded!

"Are they siblings?" I asked politely.

"Yes, from the same litter. Their mom was a stray and got hit by a car, so I bottle-fed them. I was planning on giving them away at first, but I raised them from a week old. I couldn't let them go if I tried," Zoey said sheepishly. "Even though I'm slightly allergic."

Of course not. Not with your gentle heart.

I chuckled. "I understand."

We sat there for a little longer, chatting about her cats while said felines traded off between us for petting. The mood had certainly cooled considerably, but the fact that Zoey had wanted to kiss me at all told me that she was fine with my secret.

I felt deliriously happy. The girl of my dreams knew what I was and was still willing to try out a relationship with me. She was giving me the benefit of the doubt after my unorthodox approach to all of this, and giving me a chance with her.

It all made me just love her more with each passing minute.

It was after eleven o'clock when I noticed the time.

"I'm so sorry, but look what time it is," I told her reluctantly. "I know you have a big day tomorrow, so I should be going."

Zoey looked at the clock and nodded wistfully. We both stood, dislodging the cats from their perches on our laps. I could barely feel my toes after having Sydney sitting there for several minutes.

"I had fun tonight," Zoey said, leading me to the door after I put on my socks and shoes once more.

"Me, too. Thank you for having me. And for being so understanding- it means more to me than I can say," I told her honestly.

She shook her head and smiled, her eyes sparkling up at me like jewels.

I want to kiss you so badly right now. And I think you'd even let me.

But I was afraid of losing control. Not only did I fear what I would do in that sort of state, I also didn't want to inconvenience Zoey by having to wait in her apartment until I calmed down again.

And besides, there was no need to test her acceptance of me so soon, was there? Definitely not. I much preferred to leave that reveal far, far in the future.

I settled for kissing Zoey's cheek, which got a little red when I pulled away. Her skin was soft and warm, like a rose petal in sunlight.

"Good luck on your presentation. Will I see you tomorrow at Marceline's?" I asked, stepping out the door.

"Of course."

"Until tomorrow, then," I said, with a smile. A real one, that showed off my (slightly crooked) teeth. "Good night, Zoey."

"Night, Hank."

I think I may have floated down the stairs, I was so happy.

That night I fell asleep with a smile on my face, and my thoughts were all of her. I hoped that she dreamed of me, too.

The next day I had Danger Room training with Alex and Sean.

The Danger Room was a simulator that I'd created, as per Charles' instructions, for practice in various scenarios that we came up against during missions. I was forever tinkering with it, trying to make the simulation more realistic and complex. Plus, working on it was very diverting.

This is my version of fun.

Though the Danger Room helped all of us be prepared for action, for me it was also an opportunity to work on keeping my head in stressful situations. I tried my best not to lose control of my feral half during the simulations as practice for my everyday life.

Unfortunately that day the stress started before I even stepped into the simulator.

"Hey there, Beast," Alex greeted me when I entered the control room.

Charles and Sean were also there already, both looking expectant. They'd been waiting for me.

Oops.

The blonde man happened to have a Cheshire cat grin on his face. "Where were you last night?" he asked, his voice dripping with innuendo.

I frowned at him. My gaze slid over to Charles, who was smiling as well- though his looked much more genuine, like he was happy for me.

"Having dinner with Zoey," I muttered finally.

Alex laughed. "So you actually talk to her now?"

"No, we just sat there in utter silence," I snapped. "What do you care?"

"I'm just surprised you finally got up the stones to speak to her. Does she know you've been ogling her for months?"

I felt my face heating up. "Yes, she does. She said she thought it was flattering."

And weird. But she's ok with it, thankfully.

"I've gotta meet this girl. What is she, crazy? Thinking that a guy staring at her for months is cute?" Alex asked rhetorically.

A snarl threatened to escape my throat, but I clamped it down. Only a low growl passed through my lips, warning him not to insult Zoey in my hearing.

"What do you know, Havok? Who's got a girl now and who doesn't?" Sean cut in, raising his gingery eyebrows.

He had a point. While he had his Maeve, I- hopefully- had Zoey now. Alex was the single one.

"Hey, I've got plenty of skills with the ladies," Alex retorted, instantly defensive.

"When did you learn those? While you were sitting in prison?"

I snorted, unable to stop myself.

None of us usually spoke of Alex's imprisonment, out of respect, but he was really getting on my nerves. I gave Sean an appreciative glance for taking the heat off me instead of joining in for once.

I knew part of Alex's teasing was because I was an easy target- I was too quiet, too retiring, and even though I had a monster inside of me all of us knew I was too afraid to let it out.

Instead I told myself that Alex wasn't worth the effort it would take to throw him across the room when he started to mouth off. Though I had a feeling the sound his thick skull would make when he hit the wall would be very satisfying.

Alex opened his mouth to retort to Sean's jab.

"Enough," Charles announced, sounding like an overworked father to a trio of unruly teens. No matter that we were all over twenty now. "Time for training. Take out your jealousy in the Danger Room, Havok."

The concept that Alex Summers, bad boy extraordinaire, was jealous of me was more than a little ludicrous. On the rare occasions that the three of us X-Men went out somewhere, it was always him that the ladies flocked to.

But they didn't stick around. So maybe he had a valid reason to be envious. Maybe he yearned for something more, too.

I'm empathizing with Alex? What's the world coming to?

It made me a little uncomfortable, in all honesty. Alex was so antagonistic towards me most of the time that I hadn't bothered to analyze the motivations behind his behavior. At least I understood somewhat, now. He was just as lonely and vulnerable as I was.

Not that I'd ever say that to him. He'd probably punch me.

My new insight into Alex's character didn't make me feel any more enthusiastic about having Zoey come to the mansion with Olivia in two days, which was the plan. The idea of Alex following us around and mocking me in front of Zoey just didn't appeal to me.

Call me crazy, but that's not my version of fun.