Special thanks to Rogue Star, without her help this would have never gotten posted

"Did you feel that?"  Cyrus asked, looking through his cowl at the horizon.

"Yes, it's defiantly similar to one of us."  Sage commented, the blowing sand stinging her eyes.  "But different somehow."  She looked back to her partner.  "Kurt porting maybe?"

"No, his powers are nowhere near that strong."  Cyrus dismissed.  "I pray it is not who I think it is."

"You mean her?"  Sage questioned.  "But you said she disappeared twenty years ago."

Cyrus looked down at her.  "Where do you think he would have sent her?"

"Good point.  Should we investigate?"

"No, it's just a distraction from our main goal."  Cyrus turned back to the large half-man half-lion statue jutting out of the Egyptian sands.  "There will be time for her after we stop her master."

~~~:*:~~~

Tabitha Smith stood outside the large iron gates at a place that she had briefly considered her home. But she never fit in, never was one that could fit in at most places anyway. She knew from the start that the institute was a lost cause but she tried it out. Cause that was just her, she would try anything once.

Tabby took in a deep breath and punched in the key code to open the gates. Amara had told her the new code as a just in case thing, not so she and the other members of the brotherhood could barge in and attack them. *Like we're that stupid.*  She thought.

But her reasons for being here tonight had nothing to do being an X-Men or a Brotherhood member.  A human or a mutant.  A wild child or a social outcast.  Nope tonight was all about being a girl.  Tabby thought with a smile as she walked in and closed the gate behind her.

She looked up and saw that there were no stars tonight, which made her frown.  Not fair she thought.  She fumbled a bit with the bag in her arms.  She had every single piece of make-up she owned in this one bag, well almost all of it, she left he favorite items at the Brotherhood house.  Someone had to bring the outrageous make-up and be willing to share.  Little miss Rogue refused to let anyone touch her make-up, talk about being paranoid.  Actually, she was the same way.  She left her favorites at home in a locked trunk.  She didn't trust Toad when he was on a sugar high.  And seeing how he found Pietro's supply of Pixie-Styx earlier this evening, Tabby checked her watch; Fred would be doing his best to peel Toad off the ceiling, literally, by now.

She looked up to see Gabe sitting alone on the front steps. She had seen him a few times when she stopped by to hang out. Never really talked to him much just the basic, hi how you doing type thing, plus her little impromptu 'X-Men 101' course in the kitchen the other day.  She smiled and walked up to him.

"Hey Hygeia, why so blue?"  She asked standing right in front of him.  He looked up from his feet and looked up to her bright smile.

"I'm not blue. I'm just enjoying the peace and quite."

"Yeah, Yeah. You're a horrible liar you know that. Now come one and tell lil ol' me why you're sitting out here like you don't belong."  Tabby instructed tapping the top of his head lightly before she took a seat next to him putting her stuff down.

"Did you call me Hyg... whatever?"  Gabe asked after a moment, Tabby just shrugged.

"You got a problem with that? And it's Hygeia."  Tabby corrected.  "Now tell me what's wrong. No one should be that blue but Kurt."  Tabby told him shaking her head.

"I'm not depressed."  He told her, and Tabby giggled lightly.

"Sure you aren't."  Tabby told him.

"I'm not."  He told her in a semi threatening tone.

"Fine."  She told him.  "I was just trying to help you but I can tell when I'm not wanted."  Tabby said gathering up her things.

"No wait."  Gabe stopped her.  Tabby smiled and sat back down.

"Alright then spill."  Tabby instructed him.  He said nothing.  "Okay. Don't worry I won't tell anyone, It'll be our little secret."

Gabe paused for a moment.  "I don't feel like I belong here. Like I stick out, I have nothing to give here."  He told her.  Tabby smiled.

"Oh come on. We all stick out; Rogue sticks out more then you. You dress normal, look normal, you're a little shy but hey who isn't, and what do you mean you got nothing to give, you got the healing touch.  You're in a new environment of course it's going to be scary and your going to feel like you don't and do belong.  These people have known each other for almost two years what do expect?"  Tabby lectured him.  Gabe frowned.

"But you left."  He stated.  Tabby was a little shocked by his statement and her eyes grew wide a bit.

"That's different Hygeia. I'm different."  Tabby told him truthfully, smiling a little as she looked at her feet.

"How so?  You stayed with them for only a few months and left." Gabe said to her. Tabby shook her head and looked off towards the Institute's raud-iron gate.

"People like me don't do well in places like this."  Tabby told him gesturing towards the mansion.  "I'm a free spirit."  She told him her spirits lifting a bit.  "I need to have room to grow you know?"  She told him and he nodded.  "I gotta be me and here I'm just a caged bird."

"That's commendable."  He told her and Tabby nodded in agreement.

"I always told myself that."

"So I have to ask, what is a Hygeia?"  Omen asked her and Tabby laughed.

"Hygeia is the name of the Greek goddess of health.  She had the power to heal, give people life. So seeing as how you have that same gift I thought it was fitting." Tabby explained to him.

"Huh. Never would have guessed you'd come up with that."  He told her and Tabby frowned.

"Hey yeah know I'm not just some completely up beat wild child ya know. I do pay attention in school sometimes, they just don't teach the stuff I'm into."  Tabby told him, a little offended.

"Whoa, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just never pictured you like…."  He raised his hands up in defense.

"Hey no sweat, I hide it anyway."  Tabby told him patting his shoulder.

"Why?"  He asked.

"Cause I don't want people to treat me different. I don't want people to see me as a little miss know it all. I like being a party animal to."  Tabby said waving her hands around as she spoke.

"That's understandable."  Gabe commented, watching he finish waving her arms around.  "So how do you know about the Greeks? They don't teach that stuff at school."  He asked.

"Oh well that, I was trying to figure things out about mutants and then I came up something.  You see I have this theory that we mutants get our powers from the Greek Gods.  It's not a fool proof theory because there are a lot of exceptions, but you kind of have to read between the lines and bend them a bit.  Such as Hephaestus the God of fire and forge, well there you have Forge and John.  And then there is Hebe the Goddess of youth well there you have Logan, the man isn't going to die of old age for another 200 years the way he ages.  Hecate the God of dark magic I think Wanda fits that role seeing as how I'm not totally positive what her power is.  Then this is kind of mean but I think Rogue fits under Mors the God of Death and then…."  Tabby stopped in realization.  "Oh sorry I'm rambling like and idiot."  Tabby apologized.

Gabe shook his head.  "No I find it pretty interesting.  Can I say something to you though?"  He asked.

"What?"  Tabby asked a little unsure.

"You sound like you've been dieing to share your ideas with people but you seem afraid to let people see the real you."  Gabe told her truthfully.  Tabby held her mouth open a gap.

"No I just… it all just came to me."  She lied, and Gabe just raised an eyebrow.  "What you think I've been dieing to talk to people and show my stupid teachers I'm not just some airhead.  To prove to them that I'm not just a rebel?"  Tabby started talking to herself at this point.  "Well yeah it would be nice to have people come to me with their problems and not have them just brush past me.  I would like for people to actually look at me and not threw me.  But I'm not going to change into some preppy idiot just to prove that all mutants are not just goof offs. I won't."  She said as she shook her head.

"Are we finished talking to ourselves?"  Gabe asked, and Tabby suddenly realized she was not alone.

"Huh? Oh Sorry. I tend to do that."  Tabby told him, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Hey problem. Now why don't you want to be like that?"  Gabe asked.

Tabby looked at Gabe.  "What are you, my physiatrist now?"

"No, but hearing your problems might help me with mine."  Omen told her giving her a faint smile.

"Well if it helps."  Tabby said frowning, taking a deep breath.  "Okay. Well I just don't want to be part of that whole group.  The ones that fret and worry about their grades, the ones that are so obsessed with following the rules.  It's just not me, I enjoy being wild, I enjoying breaking the rules, I just want people to think I'm special.  I…I am a total hypocrite aren't I?"  Tabby asked putting her head down in shame.  Omen nodded with a small smile.  "Oh God."  Tabby said putting her head down on his shoulder.

"Hey it's not that bad.  You just have conflicted feelings about this and you're confused." Omen told her a little weirded out with Tabby's head on his shoulder, but he patted her head lightly anyway.

"Really?"  She asked, and felt him nod in response.

"Yeah, you're what 16?"  He felt Tabby nod and continued.  "Your life is just beginning; you have so many options a head of you.  Places to go people to see, I know you've heard this all before but it's the truth.  Tabitha you have a gift; you bring joy to others by just being you.  When people look at you they see this young woman that isn't afraid to be herself, she is willing to take some risks and isn't afraid of what other people think.  But under that Tabitha you're still only 16 and a confused teenager to boot, but that's what makes you special."  Gabe had just finished his little speech and heard Tabby sigh.

"First off that was beautiful.  No one has ever said that about me, and second you've got something to give too."  Tabby told him, slowly getting up removing her head from her shoulder.

 Oh yeah what's that?"  He asked as Tabby bent back down to pick up her things, giving him a big smile and a quick peck on the cheek.  Gabe started to pull away as he felt his power pour into her, but she herself didn't let the contact last more than a second.

"Hope."  She told him and Omen found himself smiling for real for the first time since he got there.  "What you did just there, that is what you're here for.  That's what you can give."  She told him with a smile as she began to walk up the steps.  "Hey do me favor."  She called back over her shoulder.  He nodded.  "Try to relax a bit. You're to tense okay?" He smiled and nodded.

"Hey Tabitha."  He called to her as she reached for the door.  "Try and let the other side of you show a bit more, okay?"  He asked, standing up himself.

"For you I will Hygeia."  She smiled and walked into the mansion.

~~~

Tabitha smiled upon reaching the door to Rogue's room.

~BANG BANG BANG~  "Stripes, Half Pint, Fireball!  Can it and go to sleep!"  She yelled gruffly, hoping to pull off a believable impersonation of Logan.

The voices halted, and a moment later Kitty's face phased through the door.  "That is so not funny."  She deadpanned, looking at the smiling Tabitha.

"Can I come in?"  Tabby asked, still proud of her little joke.

"No." 

Tabby proudly held up her overstuffed bag of makeup as a peace offering. 

Kitty's eyes glassed over at the sight of all the products.  "Well, alright."

"Jeeze Kit why the secrecy?"  Tabby asked as she was quickly pilled through the door.  "Hiding weapons of mass destruction in here?"

"Yeah, Sodamn Insane shipped em here for us to hide."  Rogue answered, sitting on her bed and trying to look like she was reading a book.  Amanda and Amara sat at the foot of the bed, cotton balls stuffed between their toes.  Both started drooling as Tabby dumped out the bag of makeup before them.

"Where the men at?"  Tabby suddenly asked, peering around the room.

"Their downstairs in the game room."  Kitty filled her in, picking up a tube of mascara.  "Poker game."

"Good."  Tabby sat on the floor between Kitty and Amara.  "Wouldn't want any interruptions."

"For what."  Rogue asked.

"Makeup and Truth or Dare."  Tabby proudly exclaimed, thrusting her fist into the air.

Rogue shut her book.  "I am NOT playin truth or dare."

"Why not?"  Amara asked.

"Are we in middle school again?"  Rogue sighed.

"AH HA!"  Tabitha pointed an accusing finger at Rogue.  "So you admit you played it when you were in middle school."

Kitty started laughing.  "Imagine, little Rogue in pigtails and no makeup."

"Alright, fine!"  Rogue tossed her book to her nightstand and crawled to the end of the bed, overlooking the other four girls.  "I'll do it if it'll shut ya'll up."

"Good."  Tabitha looked around as Kitty continued to rummage through her makeup bag.  "Normals go first."  She smiled, cutting a glance at Amanda.

Amanda rolled her eyes.  "How did I know that was coming?"

"So Amanda, Truth or dare?"  Kitty prompted, opening a stick of lime-green lipstick and quickly putting it back into the pile.

"Truth."

"You got a thing for fir, don't you?"  Kitty asked.

The girls laughed.

Amanda crossed her arms and leaned back.  "Just goes to show you, all these girls who pass up a guy with a minor physical flaw…"

"Wouldn't call a tail and blue fir minor honey…"  Tabitha jokingly interrupted.

"…and never get to know what a great personality they have."  Amanda finished.

The girls laughed again, and Amanda looked over to Magma.  "Truth or dare Amara?"

"Truth."

"Bobby or Ray?"  She asked.

Amara was taken aback.  "What?" 

"Come on, even you got to know they are foaming at the mouths over you."  Kitty prompted.  "So, which one."

"Bobby and Ray chase anything that wears a skirt."  Amara spoke up, hoping to deflect the question.  "Besides, they both got a thing for Jubilee."

Kitty looked around.  "Well I don't see Jubilee in here, so which one."

Amara hid a blush.  "I don't know…"

Rogue rolled her eyes.  "If you had to be trapped on a desert island with one of them."

"Neither."

"Neither?"  Tabitha looked at her friend.  "What kind of an answer is that?"  She leaned forward, almost touching Amara's face.  "You got someone else in mind don't you?"

"If I'm not mistaken."  Amara answered.  "I have already answered the question."

"Got you there Tabby."  Amanda filled in, picking up an eyelash straitener that looked like a medieval torture device.

"Kitty."   Amara asked.  "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

Amara leaned forward.  "Just how far have you and Pete got?"

Kitty immediately became re-enthralled with the pile of makeup.  "Just look at this blush…"

Rogue shook her head.  "It's a fair question Kitty…"

Kitty sighed, defeated.  "Couple of bunts…"  She shrugged.  "Never made it to first…"

"No way!"  Tabby exclaimed.  "Thought the quiet ones were always wild not mild."

"Tabby!"  Kitty chided.

Tabitha held a hand up to stop her.  "Since we have determined Kitty is a cold-fish, Rogue's next!"

"Truth."

"Bunch of wusses."  Tabby commented at everyone's decision to stick with 'Truth'.  "What really knocked Remy out that night?"

Rogue smugly smiled as all the girls leaned in.  "Do I really need to tell you?"

"Yes."  All four girls chimed in at once.

"He kissed me."

"Scale of 1 to 10?"  Amanda asked.

Rogue smiled and shook her head.  "Cant answer that."  The girls groaned, but Rogue continued.  "Scale's got to start at least a 100."

Tabby looked up to Rogue on the end of the bed.  "Always the ones you least expect."

"SO Tabby…"  Rogue smiled.  "Truth or Dare?"

Boom Boom cracked her knuckles.  "Dare me baby!"  She yelled out.

~BAM BAM BAM~  All five looked to the door just before it was flung open, reveling Logan.

"Stripes, Half-Pint, Fireball, Boom-Boom…"  Logan looked over at Amanda.  "And whoever the hell you are, Can it and go to sleep!"  He yelled into the room, before shutting the door back and stalking back to bed.

ishandahalf:  All hale eixid, King of the Kitchen.

ChaosCat:  There's some more Omen for you.  As for what he may be up to later, he never tells me anything…

Yagirl-123:  Didn't need to research, been a drag racing fan for awhile.  Figured since she was from Nawlins, it would be a good little side note.

Arekanderu:  Speak of the devil, the chapter started out with Cyrus and Sage.  As for the rest, you just got to keep reading.

Rogue Star1:  Thanks for the essay review, and please don't kill me for not reading Drifters until so late.  (Quickly thumbs through yellow-pages looking for Hitman Hitmen.)  Once I get some time off I start writing for this, and then write for the RPG, and then I'm too tired to do anything but sleep.  If it's any constellation, I haven't read anything in FF.net in about a month.  As for John breaking up Kitty and Piotr, did you think it would be that easy?  Ha Ha Ha. 

Rurouni Tyriel:  I'm glad you're enjoying it.