~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Biggs's apartment

Tru quietly sneaks back into the room, putting her shoes carefully back into the backpack and giving Biggs a glance. His black hair is mussed up from sleeping with his head against the couch, and his arm is still around where Tru had slept. She smiles. ~He's not so tough.~ she thinks, smiling at the womanizer looking so...well, so not-so-tough.

She sits back down on the couch, snuggling into Biggs's warm chest and pulling the blanket farther up on them. His arm pulls her closer in his sleep, and she leans up and kisses his cheek. "Thank you. For everything." she whispers, falling into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Biggs's PoV

She kissed me. Kissed me! Ok, so it was just a thank you, and I was asleep, but she still did. That counts for something, right? Manticore should have given us 'Women !01'. It'd sure as hell be more useful than this!

Ok, so that probably wouldn't even help- I never really paid attention to lessons anyway, and she definitely isn't a normal girl. I can't even think of anything good to say around her! For god's sake, we had an entire conversation about Tweety and Sylvester! She must think I'm a mindless idiot. You know, before this, I had a charm. Kinda like Alec, but now, I'm just a poor, confused fool who doesn't know how to act around women. Well, just the one woman. The rest I can handle. But, oddly enough, I kinda don't want to. Tru's just more interesting than those mindless sluts. I mean, don't get me wrong, they're fun, but who else could come to the conclusion that Tweety is a crossdresser?

And now I'm rambling....great.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tru's Dream

Daddy told me that he'd always be there to protect me. He said that I would never have to cry when he was around. But he's not around, and everything's different. Yesterday, I went to turn of my alarm clock, and it exploded. Luckily I got out of the way in time, but Momma got mad at me.

I can control electricity. I'm not a normal girl. Something that I've known ever since the Plastics informed me that I'm a mutant. But now, apparently, it's true. Leave it to the blonde, Barbie-esque bitches to come up with a rumor that actually turns out to be both ungodly cruel and perfectly true.

I told Momma that I have this, and she got angry. Really angry. She hit me...I never thought she'd do that. And then...then she told the neighbors. They really don't like people being different, so they formed a lynch mob.

I saw the torches and guns from down the street, and barely had enough time to grab a backpack filled with some clothes and my ballet shoes, grab Jessie and her diaper bag, and get out before the stormed the place. I don't think I've ever run that fast.

I could feel the heat of the torches as they passed by the bushes that we were hiding in...my best friends walked by, looking for a kill. They would have killed me, and Jessie, too...why me? I didn't do anything....

Maybe fate just made a mistake

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bigg's apartment

Tru's eyes fly open, her hand covering her mouth as pictures of that night resurface, bringing with them the horrid feeling of being someone's prey. She runs to the bathroom, making it just in time to throw up the pizza she had just eaten. She leans against the wall, looking up to the doorway as soft footsteps come closer.

"You all right?" Biggs asks softly, and she nods, trying miserably to keep her bottom lip from quivering as memories continue to assault her. He looks into her eyes and realizes that she doesn't really realize where she is fully, that she's still lost in the nightmares that haunt her. He sits down next to her, taking her hand in his in a comforting way, his thumb rubbing the soft skin and soothing her.

She closes her eyes, trying to push back the painful way her former life ended, and grips his hand tightly, needing to hold on to something to keep from letting go entirely. "Shh...it's ok. You're safe now, Tru." he says, understanding the hellish dreams that she's tangled in and trying to coax her out of her dream-state.

"I..I just wanted to be normal." she whispers, her voice strangled and hoarse. "I never asked..." she breathes in deeply, trying to gain composure, "I never asked to be like this. This is like some demented comic book, and I just want things to go back. But they can't, and...why can't life just be like.. just be easier?" she asks, cold sweat shimmering on her forehead. She doesn't bother to wipe off the tear that streams down her cheek, following the path that has been followed a million times, and probably will be a million more.

"Because mean people run the world." Biggs tells her, thinking back on his Manticore days with a shudder. She nods softly, too weak to do anything but listen. "And that means that people like you and me have to deal with the crap in life." He wraps his arm around her, protecting her from the big, scary world that's hurt them both so much.

"Life sucks." she bites out, and he wipes a tear from her cheek.

"No arguments there." he says as her breathing evens out. He lifts her tiny frame and carries her to the couch, making a mental note to make her gain some weight. ~That can't be healthy.~ He covers her up with the blanket and sits next to her, guarding her from the nightmares that resonate within her.

A soft knock on the door captures his attention, and he opens the door, revealing Max and Alec kissing. "You better not let Jessie see you two, or she might throw up." he warns, and they part, stepping inside, hand in hand. They sit at the kitchen counter, staring at Biggs expectantly.

"So, what's up?" Max asks, and Biggs points to where Tru's turning in her sleep. "Oh...so, what's up?" she whispers, and Alec rolls his eyes.

"Uh, we should probably wake her up." he says, not wanting to mess up Tru's story. He turns to the couch, where a very-much-awake Tru is folding the blanket. She looks up and them and smiles.

"Oh, hi." she says, waving at Max and Alec, who are dumbfounded by the fact that they couldn't hear an ordinary. "Um, Biggs...sorry, about before." she says, blushing as she remembers what an idiot she must have looked like.

"Hey, it's understandable. Don't worry about it." he says, truly feeling sorry for her. Max and Alec watch this conversation with confusion, not knowing what they're talking about and, quite frankly, bored.

"I kinda had a nightmare, of sorts." she shrugs, "So, why are you guys here? Am I interrupting like a morning ritual? Because I can just take Jessie to the YumYum Tree, and we'd be fi-" she stops talking as they turn around simultaneously and show her their barcodes. "Oh...well, you're probably curious about me, then." she says, lacking enthusiasm. They nod.

"Um...just a second, all right?" she asks, and they nod. She runs into the guest bedroom and reappears moments later, sleepy four-year-old in tow.

"This better be good, because I get very angry when I don't have my sleep." Jessie says, jutting out her bottom lip in a pout that's enough to break any woman's heart. Well, if you're not immune to it. Tru just lifts the little girl onto a stool

"You'll get to show them how you're special in a minute." Tru says, and the little girl shuts up, grinning happily. She starts singing "Mary Had A Little Lamb", and Tru shushes her. "Ok, well...you guys are able to see really well in the dark and, like, jump really high, right?" she asks, and they nod. "Well, me and Jessie are kind of like that, but different. I know, vague statement of the year, right? It's like this: I can control electricity, and Jessie can control fire. I don't know why, or how, but we can." she says, and they stare at her, mouths slightly open.

"You have got to be kidding me." Max says, not believing a word of what they said. Tru smiles knowingly, understanding that it's hard to believe. Then again, you'd think that a part-feline, part-shark, genetically enhanced supersoldier would take it to be possible, but whatever.

"Jessie, demonstration, please." Tru tells her, and she runs to the middle of the room. She looks at Tru questioningly, and the older sister nods. Jessie smiles and raises her hands, a tiny ball of fire floating between them. The little girl smiles happily, sticking her tongue out as she mentally orders the ball to shape itself into a heart. "Thanks, Jess." Tru says, shooting a stream of purple energy from her hand into the tv to turn on some cartoons for her. "Watch this for a while, ok?" she asks, and her sister runs to the screen.

She turns to the counter, where Biggs is smirking, and Alec and Max are still staring at me, bewilderment shrouding their faces. "Um...so, that's our freak show. Any questions, comment, concerns?" she asks, smirking a little. Alec raises his hand, closing Max's mouth for her.

"So...damn, that's-" he starts, and she interrupts.

"Freakish, weird, scary? Yup, that's me." she says, resting her hand on her chin, a little bored. "So, you two are transgenics, too?" she asks, and they nod, still not totally functioning. "Cool. Look, while you two swallow this, I'm gonna go get my sister dressed. Just ask Biggs any questions; he's pretty much caught up." she says, grabbing the backpack and herding her little sister into the guestroom.

Biggs looks at Max and Alec, who've recovered from the shock, and smiles. "Told ya." he says simply, earning him a slap on the shoulder from Max and a punch in the gut from Alec. "Ow..sorry. God, you didn't have to hit me." he whines, and they both roll their eyes.

"So, what's her story?" Alec asks, and the smirk on Biggs's face drops.

"Her mom kicked her out when she found out what she could do. Jessie was still a baby, but her mom didn't mind sending a lynch mob after them." he says, anger flashing in his eyes. ~How could anyone hurt someone so sweet?~

"Calm down, buddy." Alec says, seeing the glint in his friend's eyes. "So, I guess you guys bonded or something?" he asks, raising his eyebrow and smirking, earning him a hit from Max. "Hey, you're supposed to love me!" he cries, rubbing the spot on his arm with a pout that disappears as she kisses his cheek.

"Or something." he says, reminded of Tru's innocent 'angel kiss' from the night before, and of holding hands with her to protect her from nightmares, and of-

"Hello?" Max shouts, waving a hand in front of his face. "You there?" she asks, smiling. Alec just smirks that annoying little smirk of his. Biggs opens his mouth to respond, but Tru walks into the hallway, carrying Jessie. "So, you think it was Familiars?"

"Ok, Jessie, what did I just say?" she asks, rubbing her temple with her hands as she sets the little girl down.

"Um...to be nice, and no more special-ness, and I still can't get a pony because you're still scared of them, and that if I'm good I get a cookie?" she rambles, and Tru nods. "Ok, you sit and color, ok?" she tells the girl, pulling out crayons and a coloring book from the backpack.

Jessie immediately sits down in the middle of the room, not bothering to find a chair, just happy to color Cinderella a lovely shade of pink. Tru walks to the counter, leaning against it. "Sorry, guys. It's very hard to keep a little girl's attention for more than two minutes." she apologizes, and all of the transgenics shrug. "Ooh, I almost forgot." she whispers, casting a glance at the little girl, who's concentration is fully on polka-dotting the pumpkin coach. "Jessie gets a bit shook up when you mention the 'bad guys', so if you could not mention them, I'd really appreciate it." she says, putting bunny ears around the words 'bad guys'. They all nod.

"I just have one question, though.." Biggs says, and she looks at him curiously. "You're afraid of horses?" he laughs, and she blushes.

"Hey, you try another way to deter Jessie from wanting a pony!" she cries, and they all give her 'yeah, right!' looks. She blushes harder, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Well, they're just so huge, and their teeth are so huge! I have this improbable fear of one just biting off my head."

"Well, they do have big teeth." Max says, trying to make sense of it. Alec just snorts amusedly, and Biggs watches Tru flush impossibly redder.

"Well, in my defense, a girl I knew, her biggest fear in the whole world was Jello." Tru shrugs, smiling a bit. "Um, so, where do you guys work?"she asks, and they all groan.

"Jampony." Alec and Biggs, and Max simultaneously says, "Hell."

"Um, do you guys know if you're hiring? The bar gig alone's just not cutting it." Tru sighs, knowing that now both her and Jessie will need new clothes and necessities, for all they have right now is in the backpack.

"We could probably get Normal to hire you, if somebody mentions a certain gladiator dream." Biggs says, and Max snickers behind a hand. Tru's face scrunches up in confusion, and Biggs sends a smirk her way. "Normal, our uptight boss, is in love with Alec, and will consequently do anything to make Golden Boy happy."

"Pays to know the right people." Tru says, nodding. "So, you think I could get in?"

"No problem. I hear that Crash pays crap anyway, so maybe you won't even need that job anymore." Max says, glad to be getting some much-needed estrogen in the workplace. "Besides, I think Normal set up a daycare." she says, and Tru's face lights up.

"We're on our way now, if you want to come." Biggs says, hoping she'll come along. She nods, gathering up her sister as the others grab their messenger bags.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Street, Seattle.

"Oh, I'm bored, and I'm singing, and this is the bored song, and I still want a pony, but Tru's scared of them!" Jessie sings at the top of her lungs as they walk down the street, much to the embarrassment of Tru and the amusement of bystanders.

"You're never gonna let that go, are you?" Tru groans, hitting Biggs lightly on the shoulder when he laughs. "You know, you aren't being very nice. Mean boy." she pouts perfectly, bottom lip sticking out adorably.

"Don't look at me like that!"he shouts, sheilding his eyes as Max and Alec watch on in amusement. "It looks like someone just killed your puppie!"

Alec puts his arm around Max, pulling her closer. "Don't they remind you of someone?" he asks, wondering where he saw two people so in denial. She nods, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Yeah, but for the life of me I can't figure out who." she says, and they both shrug, going back to listening to the banter unfold between the two.

"Well, you're the one who supports a cat for trying to eat a poor defenseless bird when there's plenty of other food in the house!" Tru cries, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Hey, maybe the bird just tastes better, and the bird is so evil! Who wouldn't want to get revenge?" he asks, smirking at her getting mad. ~She's kinda cute when she's mad...the glint in her eyes, her fire...~

Max turns to Alec, who starts to hum the now familiar "Bored Song," composed by Jessie. She sings it at the top of her lungs, twirling around the entire party as they walk into JamPony. "Oh, I'm really, really bored, and I want a cookie, with sprinkles, and I want to be a princess, and I'm bored, and I'm dancing...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Sorry about update-lackage; Driver's Ed started, and is every night but Saturday and Sunday from 7-9 pm. Lucky me. BOO DRIVER'S ED!!!!

Hope you like, please review, and I'll try to have a new chapter of most of my fics up by Sunday night!!!

Luv ya to death!!!

mj XOXO