HairBallX

Darek had the advantage of speed that came with his youth when running through the forest. But Andrew and Grandpa had an endurance that he hadn't acquired yet. After an hour Andrew and Grandpa found their prey. Darek was the prey running who knows where and they were his hunters. Darek himself was now out of breath, panting like a dog.
Andrew slowly approached his son while Grandpa stayed behind out of sight.
"Is she ok?"
The question caught Andrew by surprise. He had expected a snarl and maybe even an attack, but not a question.
"She cried herself to sleep. Mind telling me what happened to cause her to be like that?" asked Andrew as he crossed his arms.
"I.. I don't know," muttered Darek. And it was true he didn't know what set her off to cry. In fact he didn't even know for sure what just happened back there. That chick was telling him how ashamed mom would be of him and he nearly lost it. No one ever said that too him, not even his dad. Especially not his dad.
Than he began feeling tears come down his cheeks. Than saw her begin to cry. And she said something, but he didn't catch what it was. He was too busy trying to control the tears. Too busy trying to suppress the urge to go berserk that his blood screamed for.

F%$#! Promised myself I wouldn't cry again. Not ever again...

"If Jubilee decides to stay, I want you to go easy on her. I mean it son," growled Andrew. It seemed even Darek didn't know what he had done to set the girl off, but he didn't want to see it happen again.
"Yeah fine," muttered Darek as he headed back towards the house. Truth of the matter was that he was going to stay as far away from Jubilee as he could. What she caused him to feel.. it disturbed him. Best to just keep the chick at arms length.


"Jubes I have some tissues if you want one."
Jubilee slowly opened her eyes to find Karry holding a box of tissues.
"Thanks kid," muttered Jubilee as she took a tissue to wipe her face. She was pretty sure she didn't look her best at the moment.
"Don't call me kid," said Karry with a huff. After Jubilee wiped her eyes she was about to respond, but found Karry gone as quitely as she had appeared.
"How does she do that?" said Jubilee to herself as she sat up. She looked down at the tissue in her hand and absently picked at it. She should have known this would happen to tell the truth. She should have known she'd lose control. She should have known she'd start brawling like a baby. She should have known the pain would become too much.
She was in a house where every member of the family reminded her of Wolvie in someway. She should be trying to forget about Wolvie and how she lost him, but instead she was in a place full of reminders of him.
"How are you feeling?"
Jubilee slowly raised her head to see Andrew enter.
"Fine," said Jubilee, not moving from the bed. Andrew slowly nodded.
"I've talked to Darek. He'll not be causing you as much trouble now. I know you have to put up with a lot here. And I appreciate that you do it to help Darek study," said Andrew as he sat down on the bed next to her.
"I'm not staying here because I want to help Darek study," muttered Jubilee. She would love to stay here though to help Darek drown himself. Or perhaps burn himself on fire. Or maybe electricute himself.
"So why are you staying here?"
Jubilee slowly raised her face to look into Andrew's green eyes. Those Feral eyes that didn't seem quite human.

What should I say? I'm staying because all the wierdness here actually makes the place feel like home? I'm staying here because sometimes I can almost pretend your Wolvie? I'm staying here because finding out Wolvie's origins might actually give me a chance of getting some of that old friendship back with him?

"I need a place to stay near college," said Jubilee. They both knew he could smell the lie. They both knew she wasn't going to say anything more. So with simply a nod, Andrew got up and left the attic.


Tyna

The night turned stifling hot and Jubilee woke drenched in sweat. For a few moments she lay in bed staring at the ceiling hoping for a tiny breeze.

Without the wind it was extremely quiet. Jubilee listened while trying to grasp at the last vestiges of her troubled dreams. Althought she didn't have the Ferals' super sensitive hearing, sounds drifted in from under her door. The wood shingles above her shifted under the weight of an owl settling in for the day; it was close to dawn. Someone was snoring loudly, so loud that Jubilee could hear the windows rattling.

A soft giggle escaped her lips as she tried to figure which male Feral was giving a buzzsaw a run for its money. Shaking her head Jubilee decided to seek refuge from the heat in the refridgerator. In her present dress, however, she would catch a chill.

The only thing she had that was clean was a red-checked baby tee that did nothing to cover her blue cotton undies. Figuring it was relatively safe at this hour she changed and padded silently down to the kitchen.

Blessed coolness flowed over her body as Jubilee stood in front of the opened fridge. It felt so good she leaned her head against the freezer door and drifted to sleep...almost.

"Now ain't ya just a sight," Grandpa said from atop the freezer/fridge. He dropped down beside her and fixed her with a searching look. He was as usual, buck naked.

Jubilee blushed so hard she turned redder than her shirt. She wanted to crawl into the fridge and die. Her mouth went dry and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Worst of all she couldn't seem to move.

Grandpa brought his face close to Jubilee and sniffed. He hadn't meant to startle the girl really, and wondered why she wasn't moving. He could still hear her heart. It beat like his prey, but she wasn't on the menu.

"Not gonna eat ya, Girl. Just glad ya finally makin' yerself at home," he said and ducked under her arm to snag a beer from the top shelf. He downed it in one drough and left the kitchen on all fours.

Once he was gone Jubilee shook her embarrassed paralysis and closed the fridge door. After replaying the entire scene in her head she had to grin. Of all the Ferals to run into, Grandpa would be the least affected by her state of dress (or undress).

"Glad it wasn't Andy,"she said matter-of-factly and reopened the fridge. In the back of the top shelf she spied a tall bottle of chilled water. Things were looking up.

"What wasn't me?" a gruff voice sounded from behind.

This can't be happening. I am NOT here bending into this stupid fridge. My behind is NOT in the air with only my underwear covering it. This is a dream. "C'mon Jubes, wake up." The last she must have said out loud because Andrew responded by telling her that she was indeed awake.

As she struggled to extract herself from the fridge, she knocked over everything. Bottles crashed to the floor at her feet. Without so much as a by your leave, Andrew plucked her out of the circle of broken glass by the scruff of her shirt.

"Careful there, Jubilee. I guess I shouldn't have woken you. Didn't realize you were sleepwalking." Andrew set her down on top of the kitchen table and used a claw to nudge the door shut. He leapt onto the fridge, then crawled down over the countertops to reach the broom closet.

While he rummaged through the closet, Jubilee folded herself into a ball to cover herself as much as possible. She was also trying very hard not to stare at Andrew. He'd found a broom and dustpan and started to clean up her mess. He was also as naked as Grandpa.

Down girl, she told herself and desperately wanted out of the kitchen. If he could smell a lie, he would also smell desire. Silently she wondered if anything else could possibly go wrong. In this house, she should have known better to even think that.

" 'Mornin' Dad," Darek mumbled from the kitchen entrance a huge grin plastered across his face.