A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I've never gotten that kind of response. Because you're all so lovely, I'll blow off some math review and type this up for you all. Sorry about the slightly misspelled Greek, the computer doesn't support some of the characters I need there.

Evelyn walked into a tattoo parlor with very different hair than her usual nondescript brown. She had made enough money to afford more than one color, and had dyed it light caramel brown with black ends. She had no sooner come through the door than she was set upon by five hairy puppies.

"God, I'm so sorry," said a sleepy voice. "They're getting too big to handle all at once." Evelyn petted the one that had gotten a hold of her hand and was trying to get her to play until the puppies' apparent owner herded them back into a side room.

"So, what can I do ya for?" he asked. Evelyn looked at him. Geez, he's cute enough for two of the puppies, she thought. She was very pleased that the guy who was going to be putting more ink in her back was at least attractive. He really did have the puppy-look, with big eyes and fluffy hair. At least he isn't inspecting his ass, as puppies will do, thought Evelyn.

"One tattoo. Just writing, pretty straightforward." She handed him a sheet of paper where she had sketched out exactly what she wanted. It was a verse from Oedipus Rex, to remind her that she wasn't sure that she was done running until she was dead. It fit, though she hadn't had any problems with murder and incest in her life. Or Sphinxes, for that matter. The owner read the paper and looked at it confusedly.

"What's it say?" he asked.

"'Episkopounta meden olbizein, prin an terma tou biou perasei meden algeinon pathon.' Count no mortal happy until he has passed the limit of his life free from pain."

"Sophocles?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Evelyn smiled. "How'd you know? No offense, but you don't seem like much for Greek tradgedy." He smiled and shrugged.

"Us kids, we know about more than loud music and baggy clothes then people give us credit for. Anyway, where do you want this?" He beckoned for her to follow him into the sterile back room.

"Lower back. So, what's your name?"

"So, why did you get a tattoo with me here today, Evelyn Morrison?" he asked after he was done.

"Well, James Davis, it is a reminder to never get my hopes up about anyone I meet so I'm never dissappointed. All my tattoos are reminders of things I should remember or have learned. Some of the piercings I did myself because I didn't have the money to get it done professionally, but I try to change something every time I get chased out of a town. As you can see, I have been drummed out of quite a few places." She pointed to her three piercings in each ear and the lip piercing, then realised too late that he was bound to ask why she was being kicked out of whole cities.

Normally, she would either smirk or say something like 'I burned down the church and seduced the priest,' but she was just tired of lying. She waited for the question, but a less akward one came first.

"That's cool, you've got a whole ritual down. What's the rest?" he asked raptly.

"I call it the five-step program. I do some car-dancing, fill up the car and get food, leave town loudly, get drunk and go to sleep, wake up and for example, get a tattoo. I've had this tattoo planned since the rumours started in the old town about me."

"Rumours of what? What can you do that's that bad?" he asked thoughtfully. Evelyn sighed. Honesty time was not something she was sure that everyone was ready for.

"Well, hon, it's not so much what I do as much as what I am that brasses people off." she said.

"And that is?" he prompted, then his face lit up. "Ooh, are you a pirate queen?" Evelyn laughed in spite of herself.

"Nothing so glamorous, I'm afraid. I'm a mutant." She braced herself for any fear and hate, and was surprised by his simple answer.

"Oh. So, do you have any cool powers?" Evelyn blinked. Was he hiding his hostility? She searched his face for any obvious inclination to call the cops, but he seemed the same. She supposed that the post-college snowboarder types were less preachy and bigoted than the crowd she was usually around.

"Um, basically, I have control over electric currents. I can start charges moving. It works if I'm touching something conductive, but I can do this too." She pointed toward the silent radio and concentrated. It switched on to static.

"That's so cool," said James, amazed. "You don't seem dangerous at all."

"Not so much. If I touched you, I could shock you to death. No weapons, no fuss. Thing is, I wouldn't."

"Okay, that's kinda freaky," said James. "But I think I've got a good idea of what you're like, and you don't seem like you would."

"Of course I wouldn't. If I did, would I spend so much of my goddamn time running away from everyone? All I really use my power for is jumping my car." Evelyn ran a hand through her hair and smiled at him. An idea was forming in her head that would involve not sleeping in a motel or her truck, and that was always a plus.

"Well, I should be moving on. Can't stop running now," she said in her best weary-drifter voice. She pulled her jacket off the back of the chair and walked slowly towards the door, leaning down to scratch a sleeping puppy's belly. Any time now, she would get her invitation. Wait for it, wait for it, she told herself.

"Hey, Evelyn, wait!" shouted James. She smiled to herself and turned around to face him. He was bumbling out of his seat. "You need to stay for the night."

Evelyn could see the wheels turn in his head, thinking That was so akward, how to fix it?

"I mean, uh, you can't just stay in your truck all the time. I have an extra room, you don't need to run right now. I won't tell anyone, I promise, and..." he looked at her pleadingly, obviously wondering what to say next. Evelyn decided to throw him a bone.

"Okay,"she said, "and thanks a lot."

The next morning, Evelyn woke up early to pay a visit to the kitchenette down the hall and look around for pancake ingredients. She wasn't adverse to accepting charity, but she had to find some way to repay him. She didn't sleep with him, after all, though she wouldn't have complained if he'd asked. However, James seemed every bit the gentleman and hadn't asked for a thing.

So pancakes it is! thought Evelyn, wrenching a frying pan out of a cabinet. She managed to scrape together enough basic ingredients to make a decent batter and fished some maple syrup out of the fridge. She set the pan on the stove to heat up and crept up to James' room. She tiptoed inside and slapped his face lightly.

"Wha?" he asked, burying his face in his pillow.

"Pancakes! Wake up, you crazy boy, before I eat them all." James, who had lived on instant oatmeal and popcorn for months, leapt out of bed and followed Evelyn to the kitchen and sat down eagerly to eat. Before long, a plate was set in front of him. He dug in, pondering just how lucky he was to have had a woman who was smart and could cook delivered to his doorstep.

"So," he said mid-munch. "You leaving today?"

"Yeah," replied Evelyn. "But it was nice of you to let me stay without demanding sex or whatever." James shrugged affably.

"Sex, good pancakes, same difference. Where d'you wanna go?" Evelyn looked thoughtful for a second.

"Not sure. Maybe I could try my luck in Canada. Alberta isn't too far." She took their plates to the sink and started washing.

"Well, before you go, take my number and call if you ever need a place to crash and hide."

"Thanks." Evelyn smiled and pulled her pants on over a pair of boxers she had borrowed.

"You can keep those," said James. "And take one of the puppies to watch out for you." Evelyn smiled and touched his cheek.

"You don't need to do this. I can electrocute anyone who touches me." James looked nervous for a second, then grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.

"You don't need to run anymore. I'd take care of you. But if you do leave here, back out where people will hate you, then at least take a goddamn dog," he said quietly.

"Okay," she answered. They went back to the room with the puppies and watched them sleeping and playing. James held Evelyn around the waist, and she didn't move to push him away. A few years ago, she would have freaked out if he had gotten that grabby that fast, but she knew that he was probably the only guy she would meet for a long time that would touch her if he knew her secret.

Evelyn fully intended to keep a guy like that, and it didn't hurt that he had gorgeous eyes and she could get tattoos for cheap. It was a win-win situation for her, which was why she didn't understand why she was leaving again.

Maybe I'm just looking for more like me, so I know I'm not always alone before I stop running so fast.

"I'll take that one," she said, pointing at the one who had first leaped on her when she arrived. "And I'll come back." She turned to face James and hesitated. What was the proper decorum with a guy who she'd known less than a day and already had loads of mushy feelings for?

Fuck it, she thought, and went in for the kiss, putting her hands around his neck. He responded, smiling and kissing her back. James would remember this for a long time; there was an electric buzz to it that he was never really sure were her powers or was just there. He stood in the front of his tattoo parlor, dazed and shirtless, long after Evelyn and the puppy were gone.