A/N: so sorry it took me so long, but I had mega computer trouble and just couldn't think for a good chapter. I'm back at school now too, so it'll take some longer. I really need to pass this year with good grades.

Agent-G: the burning down was for a reason, later in the story. Yes, I'm the incarnation of pure evil ;)

Paprika90: thanks, glad you like it, sorry it took so long

ldypebsaby: not saying a thing, but considering her mutation, that'll be fun, I promise.

Aaron: all in good time, and it will be generally fun, though Sharon will be dealing more with the New Mutants then the X-Men

Red Jeanie: thankies, my computer crashed a while back and I was restricted on my internet acces, (still am), so don't tell anyone, allright?

A call changes all

Sharon did so not like her life: everything, everything was gone and since she had no insurance, because Rose Niante technically didn't exist, she couldn't get money to get a new place. The only things she had were literally the clothes on her back. Her work uniform. Dandy.

It was in the middle of the night by now and Sharon didn't feel safe walking around in the short skirt. She had got away after a while, her mind mulling over what had happened: she couldn't put her finger on it, but something just didn't sit right with her. She didn't know why, it just didn't.

The girl fiddled with the card in her fingers, debating if she should call Logan to come and get her. How bad could it be? She could fight, and she wouldn't let Xavier use her for his private mutant-army. No one used her, but she didn't like to give people an opportunity to control her, and moving in... No, no way, she stuffed the card back into her pocket, quickening her pace, moving faster through the alleys, her goal clear in her mind.

She had slept in a church not far from her block during the time she had still been searching for a place, she could go there now. Sharon coughed slightly, having inhaled some smoke while fleeing from her apartment, her throat and lungs were irritated with it, but she couldn't go to a hospital, no ID was a real downer.

Sharon wouldn't show it, but she was hurting, very much so. She had had a family a year ago, and now that had been gone, all she had left was looking for her father. And that didn't go well at all. Only thing that went well was running. And truth be told: she was tired of running, so tired.

She took the card out again, fiddling with it, rethinking her decission, then freezing in her steps as she passed a phone-booth. Sharon looked at the card, then at the telephone, back at the card, and the telephone again. She placed a step towards the phone-booth, then froze again: she had no money to call! Then a slightly impish smile worked its way onto her face: they were rich, right? They'd just have to take a collect call.

- At the Institute -

While muttering curses under his breath (A/N: PG-13, I will not repeat those -), Logan made a grab for the phone, who had the idiotic idea to call this late? Then again, it could be important.

"What?!" he snapped at the phone as soon as he had it at his ear, only to find out a telephone operator asking if he wanted to take the collect call, shrugging, he accepted it.

"Logan?" came a questioning voice through the phone.

"Yeah, whatcha want?" he growled, not recognizing the voice.

"Still the charmer," was the sarcastic reply, "Ah, I thought, middle of the night, why don' I go out into the street, find the nearest phone-booth an' call the guy I dislike more then anythin' just ta ask how he's doin'."

Logan recognised that sarcasm, very much so. That was the kid he had been sent to invite into the Institute, but had failed too. Why was she calling at this hour? And why here?

"Are ya in trouble?" he asked suspiciously.

"Now why wouldya ask that? Jus' 'cause my apartment burned down doesn' mean I'm in trouble," an annoyed tone crept into Sharon's voice, "I was jus' callin' to ask if the offer's still standin'."

"Yeah, it's still standin'. Where are ya? I'll come an' getcha," Logan grumbled, they were in for a lot of 'fun' if that girl came to the Institute. Then again, Ororo wouldn't let him live it down that he had refused to get the girl and bring her to the Institute.

"I'm gonna go an' sleep in a Church not so far away, 's safe an' warm there, so if ya could come an' get me there tomorrow or some time after that."

It took Logan a while to get the address out of Sharon of the Church she was staying at, and by that time, he was seriously doubting if it was even wise to get her. Kurt wouldn't survive pulling a prank on her, then again, that would be a good thing.

- With Sharon -

Sharon slammed down the recieving end of the phone. That guy was just so annoying, terrible, awful. What gave him the right to act like all those other 'caretakers'? With the 'were are you?' 'are you in trouble?' 'I'll come get you.'. He wasn't her father (A/N: no, he is not her dad, that would be just very tacky and Mary-Sue-ish), so he had no right!

Why was she even waiting for him to 'come and get her'? Pick a few pockets, and she would be good on the money, she was sure she could catch a train far away from this place, she would never need to bother with that Institute and she could try and find her dad on her own. Stupid jerks who thought that they should butt in just because she was in a rough patch.

Allright, a 'rough patch' generally didn't leave you with no place to go, out of money and your appartment burned down. But still, it was the principle of the thing.

Sharon knew she was being unreasonable. Knowing and caring, however, were two completely different things, for she didn't care at all about how she was being.

The church wasn't so far, more homeless people slept there. It was relatively safe there, and warm. Sharon needed the warmth, a short skirt didn't do much for keeping your legs warm.

The girl quietly slipped into the church, she wasn't religious, why would she be? She had no reason to. People said you had to have faith in something, well, Sharon would rather have faith in herself then in anything she couldn't see, hear or even knew existed. At least she knew she was real. She thought. Life was just so confusing. She should be in school! Not roaming the streets on her own, trying to find her father, spending the night in a church.

"Sharon, you just certifiably lost it. School! I never liked school!" she muttered, settling into one of the unoccupied, empty spaces.

"I see you came back, Rose," a voice interrupted Sharom's inner-seething and raging. She looked up in surprise to see an old woman, probably looking older then she really was, she had the darkest skin a grey hair.

"Didn't have much of a choice," Sharon grunted, though there was a touch of warmth in her voice.

"I was worried, you had disappeared so suddenly. The likes of us do tend to 'disappear', you know that," a sad smile whisked its way over the woman's face as she settled down besides the girl.

Sharon remembered the woman, she was a teacher at a school, but was fired after her drinking problem was discovered and even though she had overcome that, the old woman had never been able to settle down again. No money, no nothing, like so many others. The woman's name was Alice, Sharon hadn't bothered to find out her last name.

"Those punks don't get me," Sharon snorted, "I'm staying here for one night. I was invited for some 'special' Institute, am going there tomorrow."

A worried look crossed Alice's face at the mentioned.

"You're sure it's a real deal?" Alice didn't need to explain that question, there were plenty of people who would try to take advantage of a girl with no home or family, even if she wasn't vulnerable.

"Yeah," Sharon rested her head back, closing her eyes slowly. Suddenly, she fet tired, not tired of the day, just tired of always trying and always failing. Perhaps he was dead, perhaps she was throwing her life away for an unmarked grave, lost in the memories of those who left her father there.

People died, on day, she would be gone too, Sharon knew this, but somehow, she resented even thinking about that her father could be dead. It felt like she was betraying him by even thinking it. You never gave up on anyone, never left anyone behind, her father had taught her that.

It was just so easy to get tired when no one else cared about what she needed. At least, that was what Sharon told herself: no one cared. Life was hard enough as it was without having to care for someone that isn't your flesh and blood. And that only made wanting to find her father that much more important. After all, she was just a sixteen year old, and even though Sharon wanted to deny it, everyone needed someone to care for them like a family.

Next chapter: the pick up doesn't go as easy as many would have hoped.