" 'A franc for your thoughts,' " Domino said leaning against a tree just behind Nathan. He didn't even turn around to face her. He just kept staring out across the lake, but she felt him smile slightly. She walked to the edge of the dock and sat down beside him. They sat silently gazing out at the swans swimming in the lake. Domino took her shoes off and dipped her feet in the cool water.

"Are you falling in love with him?" Nathan asked.

"Who?"

"McCoy."

"Is that what all this brooding is about?" Domino sighed heavily.

"You didn't answer my question, Dom."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I love you , Nate."

"But isn't he a lot like Milo?"

"Just because he was my first love doesn't mean he was my greatest love. And, yes, Hank is like him in ways, but I don't love him. Hank reminds me a lot of Theo and maybe I can help Hank where I couldn't help Theo." Domino closed her eyes trying to will away the memories of Theo dying by her hand.

"What happened to Grizzly wasn't your fault, Dom."

"I know. I miss him. Damn, Nate, now you're going to get me brooding. Anyway, during the 'grand affair' you imagined I was helping Hank go through the databases to find a mutant that might be able to repair Trish Tilby's face."

"Did you?"

"Yeah, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills that can manipulate bone, skin, and muscle. He's coming next week."

"That's good."

Domino elbowed Nathan playfully. "You can stop brooding now, Nate. C'mon, they're going to play "Butch and Sundance" in the theater at 8:00. You know how I love Redford."

"I don't know, Dom. I don't know if I can be around so many minds tonight."

Domino sighed and her voice was weary. "It's getting worse."

"It's okay for short periods of time, but after a while I have a hard time tuning all the minds out. Logan has a pretty isolated cabin in the woods. I think I'll stay there until I get this sorted out."

"Oh," she said softly, pulling her feet out of the water and hugging her legs to her.

"I'm not trying to push you away, Dom. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want you afraid of me. I know you are."

"Nate, I'm more afraid for you. Don't shut me out. I can't stand that anymore. I'm tired of being alone."

"Me, too." Nathan reached out and pulled her to him. "Stay with me?"

******************************************************************************************

"Hey, check it out, Nate," Domino peered down at the unconscious Havok. "You and your uncle almost have matching scars. That's kind of cute."

Hank put down the test results and twirled around in his chair to face them. "So, Nathan, Jean tells me you've come a long way in controlling your powers over the past couple of weeks."

"My telepathy at least. My TK is still a not where it should be."

Hank leaned back in his chair. He pulled off his glasses and began cleaning them. "Well, Nathan, it's no wonder you're having difficulties. The only power readings I've seen higher than yours are that of the Phoenix. You are by far the most powerful mutant I've ever run into. And this new healing power- well, it's not new. In the past, I theorized that your time traveling and T-O virus had retarded your aging, but now that I've had a chance to examine you I have a new theory. Your healing power works by touch and every time you touch someone you take a little bit of their life force, not enough to hurt them. It's a miniscule amount, really, and you wouldn't even realize it. I believe this has also helped keep the T-O from advancing as well and helped you rid yourself of it. Now that it is no longer in your system the healing power has gone out of wack with the rest of you powers."

" 'Out of wack'? Is that a technical term, Dr. McCoy?" Domino asked irreverently, sitting down beside Nathan.

Nathan's horrified expression was quickly replaced by a blank one as he calmly asked ,"Are you saying I'm now drawing on others more?"

"No, not at all. I'm merely saying you've never been able to share your life force with others before now that it doesn't work to the virus at bay."

"So I'm not a danger to anyone?"

"Well you could consciously use it for malevolent purposes, but not unconsciously. Not in the amounts it would take to seriously harm or kill someone."

"Are you sure? What about over time?" Nathan glanced at Domino.

"Quite sure. In fact, the lady in question's "luck" power, for lack of a better term, prevents you from tapping into her life force."

"Hey, I'm here, guys!" Domino waved to them. "You can include me in the conversation."

"Sorry," Hank apologized a little sheepishly.

"What about the teleportation?" Nathan asked .

"That requires further study to determine exactly how it works. But I do know you are not jumping into another dimension as Nightcrawler does."

"And no sulfur stench either, thank God." Domino interjected.

"I guess we're done then for now, huh, Hank?" Nathan said getting up.

"With the exam, yes. But, Nathan, I'd like to ask a favor."

"Sure, Hank."

"Trish is stable enough for a telepathic scan and I'd like you to do it."

"Isn't she completely recovered? Why not just wake her up and ask her?" Domino asked.

"Because I'm not sure I want her to remember what happened to her."

"Why me? Why not Jean or the Professor?"

"You did find her and you and Logan are investigating the attack so logically you are the best choice. And I believe the Professor and Jean would find it morally wrong to mind wipe even such a painful incident."

"So what are you trying to ay about me, Hank?"

******************************************************************************************

Hank looked up anxiously as Nathan entered his office. "Well did you find out what they wanted with her?"

"Yeah. They wanted you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, they knew they couldn't get to you here at the Institute, but if they could draw you out it would be easy. They knew she had a device to get in touch with you if she were in trouble, but they didn't know what it was. She wouldn't call you so they tortured her, but she wouldn't give in. So they decided to beat her to death in the hopes that you would come out seeking revenge. That was when Dom and I came in."

"What did they look like?"

"All in black, with black masks, nothing to place them."

******************************************************************************************

"Nathan , how could you do that?" Jean railed .

"She's better off this way," Nathan replied coolly.

"You don't know that!"

"What if they attack her again?" Scott asked, as always thinking strategically..

"They won't," Logan put in. "They've figured out that they can't use her."

"What if she finds out about her cybernetics?" Scott questioned him.

"Then she will be compelled to seek me out, so I can explain."

"And where will you be?" Jean asked barely getting a handle on her anger.

"Hong Kong. I've built my shields back up, so I won't mind a city. And I want to be with Dom. This is our chance for a fresh start."

"You could stay here and teach," his father said.

"What ? How to defeat an evil immortal Egyptian?"

"Law, civics, something like that."

Nathan shrugged, "Maybe one day, but not now."

"Leave 'im be, Slim," Logan told Scott. "Let 'em have their honeymoon."

Jean perked up and stopped glowering. "Are you two getting married?"

Nathan smiled at the thought, visions of an insane wedding running through his mind. "Not right now at any rate."