Author's note: Thank you to StarlitStar, NicoleR85, NotMarge, Guest and partygirl98 for your reviews. Guest, suggestions are always welcome! Right now we're going through the first crucial days of Hank and Zoey's relationship. But then later we'll be doing some time leaps. And Danger Room practice is definitely in the cards. Personally, I want to see Zoey vs. Alex. You'll see why after next chapter!

I really want to say thank you to everyone who's been reading/ reviewing and following and favoriting. When I first started I thought I'd be lucky to get one review (from my lovely NotMarge!), but now there's over eighty. I feel so honored. This is my first ever fanfic, so every review, follow and favorite I get is encouragement to keep going. I'll try not to let you guys down!

Fairy Tales

Despite my reservations in regards to her visit to the mansion, I was eager to see Zoey again. I wanted to see that her acceptance of me wasn't a dream. In the daylight, it almost seemed too good to be true.

The walk to Marceline's Cafe under the warm June sun later that day was both endless and too short at the same time. I wanted to hurry up and get there, but if I was too fast I would sit there pointlessly waiting for a while.

Billy was running the store that day.

"Hey, kid. I heard my wife ratted you out the other day," he said when I stepped up to the counter, after laying flowers on Zoey's table.

"It was an accident," I told him honestly. "She didn't know that I'd given Zoey my first initial in one of my letters. Zoey's too smart not to make the connection."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Sit with Zoey," I replied, with a sheepish grin. An idea struck me then, and I backed away to follow through with it. "I'll have the usual. I just want to pick out a book for her first."

I quickly found the book I wanted to get for her- The Metamorphoses, by Ovid. It was a collection of Greek myths that all involved transformations of some kind. It seemed to fit the situation, considering the changes in my life I'd made for myself since finding Zoey.

Oh, and I turn into a big blue monster. There's that too.

"You know, Zoey comes to dinner every Sunday night at our place. Why don't you come too this week?" Billy suggested as I got my drink and paid for both it, the book, and Zoey's mocha.

An official "meet the parents" dinner? Um...

"I'd like that. Just tell me the time and place."

"801 Hummingbird Lane. Say, six o'clock?"

I nodded, and paused.

I'm just full of brilliant ideas today.

"Sir, I know that Mr. Dubois is gone, so you're the closest person Zoey has to a father," I began hesitantly. "Do you mind us seeing each other? I mean, I know I haven't gone about this in a very orthodox manner-"

Last time I checked you're not supposed to borderline stalk women you're interested in.

Billy surprised me by chuckling. "Eddy would have loved you, kid. You've got my approval, don't worry. No one can be truly good enough for that girl, but you're pretty damn close."

"How do you know? You don't know much about me, Mr. Rivers," I argued. And then I wondered why I couldn't just take his blessing and go with it.

Then I realized I was trying to be fair to this man who seemed to have so much trust in me. Enough faith to allow his goddaughter, who he obviously cherished, to see me.

"I can just tell things. You're a good man, Hank. You have my blessing."

"Thank you, sir," I said.

We shook hands and then I sat at Zoey's table to wait for her, facing away from the entrance. Every time the door opened I tensed up and took a whiff, hoping for the familiar, delicious aroma that would tell me my love had arrived.

She was right on time, walking in like a summer's breeze. Her scent carried to me, as did a small delighted gasp. I hoped that was for me.

"Hi, Billy," she said.

"Hey, Zoey."

I heard her approach, felt a small hand on my shoulder. I looked up at her face, grinning. Her smile was dazzling.

"Hello, Hank."

She was dressed conservatively today, in a plain black dress with kitten-heeled pumps. Not her usual style at all, which I could only describe as girly and cute, having no eye for such things. Her hair was even up in a bun, though I must confess that I preferred it down.

I had a feeling she'd just finished with her presentation and come straight here.

"Hello. How'd it go today?" I asked eagerly.

"Pretty sure I nailed it," Zoey replied happily, slipping off her book bag and perching in her chair.

"That's great. Congratulations, Dr. Dubois," I said sincerely. Without thinking I took her hands in mine and squeezed.

She laughed and returned the pressure. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Very nice, yes."

"How'd it go today, Zoey?" Billy called out. "I can't tell if you're happy about your presentation or Hank, there."

"I'm happy about both!"

Zoey was practically giddy, and I didn't blame her a bit. She was an eighteen year old female with a doctorate in genetics- in 1968, she was one-of-a-kind.

"Is this for me?" she asked finally, spotting the book on the table. The bouquet of primroses was sniffed at delicately and propped up with a smile.

"Yes. I didn't see it in your library last night, so..."

"Thank you, I love it," she replied with a knowing look. She understood, then.

"Did you come straight from your presentation?" I asked curiously.

Zoey nodded, smiling again. "I didn't want you to think I forgot about you or anything by being unforgivably late."

"I appreciate the thoughtfulness. You do look very nice, though. I bet there's never been a lovelier candidate," I told her honestly, blushing furiously.

Her cheeks reddened too. "Thank you. That's very nice of you to say."

"I mean every word."

We talked for hours, holding hands, and never running out of things to tell each other. It was wonderful.

"I'd like to hear how your parents met," I said, after a while. "Your mother was from France?"

"Yes," Zoey replied. She looked incredulous. "You really want to hear?"

I nodded, giving my best attempt at a winning smile to hopefully coax her. Her cheeks immediately turned pink, leaving me in shock that I could affect her so.

I'm successfully flirting? This is doing wonders for my ego.

"Fine," she laughed. "I'll tell you."

The story went that Billy and Zoey's father became fast friends during basic training, and their friendship only deepened after the horrors of D-Day. The 101st was moving inland towards Paris when Edward Dubois saw Brigitte Lemieux standing in a crowd as they marched through a newly liberated town and instantly fell in love.

He dragged his buddy Billy to find the woman after they'd set up camp for the night and found her working at a small cantina with her friend Marceline Renard. Edward spent the next week or so wooing the lovely French girl- he had learned French in school, so he was also able to act as an interpreter for Billy, who hit it off with Marceline.

Their company soon moved out, but Edward didn't forget about his love. As soon as the war was declared over, two months later, he raced to find her and proposed to her on the spot. She accepted. It was then that she told him that she was pregnant with his child. Billy was a little slower in his own proposal, but both men returned home with war brides. They settled down in Westchester, where Edward took over the family business. He helped Billy start his own, a small cafe. Though he offered to give Rivers a position within his own company, the other man refused. He was content with the simple life.

"That's a very good story," I said. "Like a fairy tale."

I can see where you get your love of fairy tale romances now.

"Except for the part where my mother died after only seven years of marriage," Zoey replied sadly. She fiddled with her empty coffee cup.

I cringed. "Yes, but your mother lived on in her children. And I'm sure your father loved his granddaughter, didn't he?"

"Very much. Even if he disliked her father immensely," she said.

Curiosity almost made me ask why, but I stopped myself. I had a feeling questions about her father's dislike for her brother-in-law would lead to a discussion about her sizable inheritance, and I didn't want to hear about that. I already knew Zoey was out of my league in every way possible. No need to dwell on it.

Despite that, I had never felt this at ease with anyone outside of my little "family" at Xavier's- certainly not Raven. I'd admired Raven's beauty, but there wasn't much we could say to each other. No common interests, different life philosophies. The only thing we had in common was our own self-loathing.

I hadn't realized it at the time, of course. I'd been seventeen and in love. But Zoey... with her it was different.

Maybe because I was older and a little wiser now. Or perhaps I'd known her for a kindred spirit the moment I set eyes on her. For whatever the reason, now that I had found the courage to speak to Zoey, I found myself opening up to her in a way I never had with anyone before.

We talked for so long that I completely lost track of time.

"I have to go," I noted reluctantly, finally noticing the time on my watch.

I only had ten minutes to get back to the Institute before dinner, and I wouldn't impose on Zoey two nights in a row. My stomach could only take so much.

She looked sad, but nodded. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I look forward to it," I said. After all, that was mostly true.

I rose to my feet, and Zoey did as well, to my surprise. She stepped closer and stood up on her tiptoes, putting her hands on my chest for balance, to kiss me on the cheek. Her lips felt like satin against my skin, and my cheek tingled like she'd burned me. The sensation spread over my entire body, down to my toes.

There was a goofy smile on my face when she settled back down onto her heels. I couldn't move for a moment, too spellbound by Zoey's face. I was like a deer caught in someone's headlights.

"I thought you said you had to go?" she teased.

I blinked, coming back to myself.

"Right," I agreed, ruefully.

Then, with one more squeeze of her hand, I left. I had to run to make it in time, but I managed. Maybe it was because I was flying, fueled by Zoey's kiss.