Three weeks had passed of this routine life. Wake up, have breakfast, play around, have a snack, do some school work, have dinner, go to bed. It really got boring after a while, and the fact that whenever a new couple came to adopt a child they always took the younger ones didn't help. After all, wouldn't a parent want the enjoyment of raising a child from the beginning, and not when seven years of their life had already passed?

"Come on Thomas, another couple is here!"

Tom's black eyes opened slowly, narrowing as he gazed at the clock. It was only eight o'clock in the morning. He made a face as he rolled out of his bed and fell onto the floor with a slight thud. Christina laughed and pulled him up to his feet. "Come on," she urged, tugging on his arm. "Get dressed!"

Tom muttered something and pushed her out of his room, shutting the door behind her. He sighed, turning as he reluctantly pulled off his pajamas and dressed himself in black jeans and a matching turtleneck. His attire actually fit him, and it wasn't all holed up for once. He bent to pull his black boots on, stomping his foot a few times to secure the shoe before he moved to walk out of his room and down the stairs.

The pair today seemed a newlywed couple, the cliché blonde-haired blue-eyed kind. They gazed over the children with wide smiles present as Christina and Tom came down, Tom leaning against the wall as Tina took a seat on the floor. Mrs. Gillwen was already running that mouth of hers, explaining to the couple each and every child's attributes. Seemed they already favored a young blonde-haired child. Go figure.

After they was sure which kid they wanted, the rest of the children got to their feet and began to exit the living room Mrs. Gillwen presented the new parents with a pile of paper work. Christina pouted.

"We're too old. We might not get picked for a while, you know."

Tom nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah, and then we'll be even older so we really won't be picked."

Tina laughed. "I heard that some people like teens better anyway."

"No way, do you know how long we'd be here until we were teenagers? That's like. . ." Tom paused, counting on his fingers. "I dunno, six years, kinda." He smiled slightly. "I for sure don't want to hang out here for six years. I'd run away first."

Christina's eyes went wide as they migrated towards the basement once more, their usual hang out spot. She flicked the lights on with a quick swing of her wrist. "You'd run away? Why? You'd be all by yourself."

Actually, Thomas hadn't really thought about that. It just sort of poured from his mouth before he realized what he was saying. But now that it was said, it did seem like a possibility. After all, who was to stop him? Maybe Mrs. Gillwen would come looking, but big deal. She'd have to return eventually to take care of the other kids. Tom was sure he could live on his own. "It'd be better than sitting around here all day." He shrugged, but Christina had suddenly dived forward and hugged him before he could say anymore.

"You can't leave! Then I'll be lonely again. . ." Tom's eyes were wide, he wasn't expecting that. He awkwardly placed his arms around her to return the hug, replying in a near whisper.

"If I was gunna run away, I'd take you with me."

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The next day was the same as usual, up until dinner time. Thomas and Christina had spent the majority of the day in the basement, which really wasn't any different than any other day except that this time they were planning. After all, what child didn't dream of running away at some point of their life? They had decided that they would leave after the younger kids were busy getting ready for bed, that way Mrs. Gillwen would be stuck tucking them in. They now stood in the doorway, gazing out into the black night.

"You ready?"

Christina nodded as she pulled her backpack up over her shoulders. "Of course."

With those simple words, they left. Simply walked right out the door, taking small steps down the street. Well, this seemed easy. So easy in fact, that after they had walked at least five blocks they started giggling and holding a conversation. They thought for sure they would have been caught.

"Cool! So, where're we off to?" Tina had a bounce in her step as she moved wide-eyed and excited down the street. Tom shrugged as he continued along quietly. He was practically flowing from the shadows in the road due to the street lights. Tina laughed. "So, we just keep going until we find someplace neat to stay?"

"I dunno."

"Well, you didn't plan this very well, did you?"

Tom smirked slightly. "We don't need any plans." And that was all. They moved quietly through the city, ignoring any strange looks they were receiving from the passer Byers in cars wondering why a couple of children were out so late.

After a few hours Thomas plopped down underneath a tree in a silent park, Tina following suit not long after. "So, we gunna sleep here or what?" God, girls asked a lot of questions.

"Sure."

They both were quiet for a moment before Tom glanced up, locking his ebony hues with bright blue ones. "Uhm, Chrissy? I gotta tell you something."

Oh great, thought Christina. He was backing out of their plans already. She rolled her eyes and stared back at him. "Like . . .?"

"Ehh. . . the real reason why I left. . . I don't think Mrs. Gillwen likes me much." His vision swept the ground before him as his fingers played around in the grass. Tina cocked her head.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I'm different. The teachers at my old school hated me for it too."

Christina scooted over in the grass until she was sitting next to him, crossing her legs and sitting Indian-style. "Well everybody's different. Why would she hate just you?"

Tom sighed. "I have this thing . . . that I can do and other people can't. The doctor called it a 'mutation'." He sniffed slightly, hoping that he wasn't getting a stuffy nose from being outside. He lifted his hands out before him, palms facing the starry sky. Slowly a small lizard seemed to be born in his hands, only it was just the silhouette of one. It crawled down his arm, black tail swaying as Tina stared in amazement. "See, I can control the dark. I can make it do whatever I want it to."

Christina was speechless for the moment. She had never before seen anything remotely close to what she was watching now, and she was confused. After a moment or two she regained her voice. "That's . . . neat."

Tom blinked, drawing his attention to her. "Really? You don't think I'm scary or something?"

She laughed. "No! That's cool, nobody can do that!"

He smiled as he opened his mouth to say something back, but he was instead interrupted by the sound of a man coming up behind them.

"What are you kids doing out here? Where are your parents?"

They both turned only to have their vision fall upon an officer as he made his way closer. The shadow lizard fled around Tom's shoulders before disappearing, the cop staring wide-eyed. Was he seeing things? With a shake of his head he kneeled before them. "Tell me."

Now was Tom's turn to be at a lack of words, and really Christina wasn't any better. They both stuttered until Tina managed to explain.

"We were just out walking. Our Nanny said we could."

The officer laughed as he pulled the both of them to their feet. "Well, it's way past your curfew. Now why don't you tell me where you live and I'll give you a ride back home?"

Tom pressed his pale lips together and shook his head. He had been inside enough cop cars and really didn't want to ride in another, and besides, he didn't want to go back. Christina obediently climbed into the backseat, but when the officer reached for his sleeve Tom winced, pulling himself away. He felt the cops fingers wrap around his arm and then . . . let go? No, Tom had somehow disappeared through his grip, the cop still standing with a clenched fist. Tom's jaw dropped as the officer blinked, moving with both arms to grab at the kid. This time he felt his large hands wrap securely around his waist, but again the cop was left standing empty-handed as Thomas stumbled backwards through the cop's hold and into the grass.

The only thing the officer could see was this child's dark shadow now lying before him, holes of light where eyes would be wide. He cursed under his breath before withdrawing a sharp pen-like object. "You're a damned mutant, aren't you." Tom quickly scrambled to his feet and didn't waste a second before he took off running, whole and physical once more.

Christina sat in the back seat, watching terrified as she saw Tom change right before her. It didn't take long for the cop to slam the door to his car shut and immediately begin chasing Thomas down, speaking into a mic on his wrist calling for backup. With mutants you never knew what could happen, especially after the incident at the White House with a teleporter.

Thomas just fled. He had no clue what any of that was about, what had just happened. No way was he going to be questioned for hours in another station while they contemplated what the hell they were going to do with him, though. He ran fearless into the dark street as a second cop car that had come to the call had swerved to keep from hitting him. Tom let out a cry as he halted, dropping to his knees and throwing his hands up over his head. Headlights flooded over his small form as brakes screeched, the first officer catching up with him and harshly grasping the child, yanking him to his feet. Tom squeaked and thrashed about as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and it didn't take long before his entire world went black.