Slickboy444: Yeah I knew you would love that JOTT scene in there, I figured I needed to put some of them in this story. Actually I plan on making a huge Lorna/Alex/Annie thing that will go on for a while, let's just say there will be lots of ups and downs. I'll work in some of that other stuff later on.

Winblades: Actually Logan and Ororo have been an item, just in alternate timelines and stuff like that, for now, there's a little hint of it at the moment in one of the x-books. Besides who else is Ororo going to end up with there is Beast although a nice pairing (especially in Ultimate) I got someone else planned for him.

Red Witch: Yeah I heard about that, wish I had a comic shop where I lived.

ViciousAssassin: No I don't know where to get those issues, X23 will get into a relationship in another story, the Jamie/Paige and what Sam thinks of it will start off in this chapter, and I'll keep writing the series as long as people like it and I can think of things to write.

Ruby631: Well first off I'm a hopeless romantic and I'm just in that mood. As for the new girlfriend thing, I wish but unfortunately no.

Xmenfan: First off everything you said about Jean & Scott...not going to happen...ever so don't bother trying to persuade me from otherwise. Let me just say Thor and Jean, would never happen and would never work out, and is the (no offence just personal opinion) is the dumbest thing I ever heard of. Did you read the comics lately? Lorna has gone all psycho, didn't she threaten Annie's life? As for Simon's age that I already said it when X-Force was introduced. The jet and birthday will be later. Scott isn't insecure about Jean's powers he just worries it might hurt her in the long run, since she's had problems before, like when they went nuts and she trashed the mansion. If you remember in that episode he wasn't anything like you described, I think you need to take a new look on Scott.

The Uncanny R-Man: Yeah I just had to use that gag at least once, maybe one day someone will walk in on them just for something fun to do.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Glad you liked it, and as for Jean and Scott, like I've said all that repression has to be let out somewhere. Yeah Sarah isn't exactly subtle is she but that's why I like writing her.

Ldypebsaby: Not yet for the Logan/Ororo thing, I'm just laying the ground work for now.

mattb3671: Thanks, and I'm glad I inspired you to write too.

Thanks to: X00001, Ranndie Mazda, LadyDeathStrike1, celtcath74, Aaron, Sparky Genocide, DemonRogue13

ADJUSTMENTS

CHAPTER 28: EVEN MORE RELATIONSHIPS

It was another day for Alex, well one that he was getting used to. The morning Danger Room sessions were something he would have to get used to but Scott said after a couple of more weeks he'd be used to it by then.

So far he had been put in with the New Mutants and was working on a new costume. He had this all black version that Forge was helping him with to help contain and manipulate his powers, Forge was also working on a suit for Jamie too but that still had problems. He also noticed that Amanda, Dani and Blink had gotten around to their new uniforms too. Amanda wore an all black uniform but with a yellow part in the middle with matching boots and gloves and a belt with an X in the center.

Blink was another matter. She seemed a little shy about her suit but apparently it was based on an alternate version of her had worn only with a few details. It looked like a sleeveless battle dress with long slits on the side showing off her legs. She wore black shorts under it that went down her thigh and her arms had on matching green glove like things that went up past her elbows. It really showed of her figure and was a little embarrassed seeing a few of the guys stealing a few looks.

Dani also seemed to have made a new one. She now sported a red headband with a black X on it. Her top was all red with no sleeves and her arms held red and black gloves one with a modified armband to protect her arm when she used her arrows. Those were in a quiver on her back and Forge had made a special collapsible bow for her to use that was strapped to her thigh. She also wore red boots that were higher up on her legs then normal and black pants too. She to wore an X-belt as people were starting to call them.

Now however Alex was at the mall looking around the place. He saw a sports shop and decided to walk in. It had decent equipment and he wandered over to a stack of surfboards. Sure there wasn't much surfing in this place but he liked to look anyway.

"Can I help you?" Came a female voice

"Nah, just looking." Alex said and turned around and was surprised to see the girl he had meet not too long ago named Annie Ghazikhanian. She had her long black hair in a ponytail and was wearing a blue T-shirt with the store's logo on it. "Hey Annie, I didn't know you worked here?"

Annie was pleased to meet the blond boy she had meet once before. He seemed nice and she personally thought he was really cute. "Y-yeah, I just started. A girl's got to earn a living. You into surfing?" She asked him while hoping he didn't know how nervous she was.

"Yeah, but there's not as much surfing here as there was when I was living in Hawaii." Alex admitted, he still missed his old home and his foster parents but after what had happened when it got out he was a mutant he knew he his life there wouldn't have been the same anyway.

"You lived in Hawaii?!" Annie was shocked at this, but it did explain his tan. "Why did you leave?"

Alex shrugged not wanting to get into the whole I was outed as a mutant and had to go away thing. "I decided I wanted to live with my brother in Bayville."

"Oh, your parents are divorced?"

Alex face dropped. "No...they uh...they died when I was a kid in a plane crash. Me and Scott were the only survivors and we each thought the other was dead until a couple of years ago."

"Wow...that's just...wow." Annie was at a loss for words. She couldn't even imagine what that had to be like. "I'm sorry about your parents, that...that had to be rough." She said in a caring manner and gently touched his arm.

"Thanks...yeah it was...it still hurts but not as back as it used to be." Then he got a happier look on his face. "But at least I got my brother back now."

"Well that is great news." Annie told him then she looked a little uncomfortable as she was trying to work up the nerve for something. "You know...I...well...I don't really know anyone in this town so...and if you're not doing anything...do you...I don't know, want to go out some time?" She hoped she wasn't blushing, God she hated it when she did that, she also hoped that he didn't think she was a complete idiot with the way she was asking.

Alex smiled as he thought she looked really cute when she blushed. "Yeah, I'd like that. You want to go see a movie sometime?"

Annie was overjoyed. "I'd love to." She said happily she gave Alex her number and he gave her his. She seemed really nice and as he left the store and wondered how things would go on from here.

XAVIER'S

Sam and Tabitha were walking to the living room. Tabitha wanted to watch this movie she got with Sam, he really didn't care what the movie was since he and Tabitha rarely ever actually watched the movie. He had to admit that ever since he started to date Tabitha it was the greatest time in his life. She wasn't like most girls in fact she was pretty much unique and it was one of the things he loved about this girl.

She was so free spirited and never seemed to let anyone tell her to be something she wasn't. He walked into the living room not prepared to see the scene in front of him. It was Jamie and Paige sitting next to each other in a kiss. It was the kind he and Tabitha used it was more of a sweeter innocent nature but it was still a boy kissing his sister.

"What is goin' on!" He demanded and both of the young teens pulled away.

"Sam!" Paige said in protest. "We're not doin' anything wrong! Besides he's my boyfriend."

"Since when?" He shouted.

Tabitha however was more excited." That is so cool, you're first boyfriend, nice going girl. You two just look so cute together too."

"Tabitha!" Sam said not believing this.

She touched his arm lightly. "Sam...face it, you're sister is growing up. Besides it's Jamie you know he's a good kid."

Sam thought about it and looked at Jamie. He had known the kid for a couple of years now and he wasn't that bad a kid actually. "Jamie...ah want a word with you." He walked out the room and Jamie couldn't help but gulp from nervousness. He gave Paige one last look and figured whatever was going to happen would be worth it.

Jamie sighed and walked out of the room. Tabitha meanwhile sat down next to Paige and put an arm around her. "Well girl friend it's time for you initiation into the sacred order of the girlfriend. Time to teach you the few basics like how to control your guy, wind arguments and how to make them putty in your hands."

Sam waited for Jamie to get over to him. He knew Paige was a tough girl and could take care of herself but he was still her big brother and there were a few things he had to do. When Jamie got to him he took a breath. "Okay Jamie...I can handle you dating my sister...but if you ever hurt her, no matter what you're learning under Vincent won't stop me from kicking your butt and that of your clones, got it?"

Jamie shook his head. "Good, just promise me you'll treat her right okay?"

"Of course." Jamie said. "Sam I like her too much to ever do anything to hurt her, besides...she hits harder then some of the boys here."

Sam scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah...good point."

X-FORCE HQ – A DAY LATER

The headquarters for X-Force the elite team of mutants under SHIELD was a huge complex in a valley stationed in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains. It was a nice place actually and even though there was only one way in or out it was also heavily secured. The facility pretty much had everything you would expect from a top-secret state of the art facility.

There were SHIELD agents and solders stationed there at all times. Inside the personal Rec. room of the mutant teens were currently a number of them. There was Simon watching a film with Shatterstar and Strong Guy talking about how it was done and the inside dirt on a few of the actors he had known or heard of in his old acting days.

M was filing her nails casually sitting in one of the many comfortable chairs. Lorna was also there but more like lost in thought. She was trying to work up the courage to ask out Alex Summers. Ever since she first met him she liked him, and not in the friend kind of way either.

One of the doors opened and two twin girls stormed into the room. "Monet!" They both cried out.

She looked at her younger sisters and sighed. "What?"

"Morph's hitting on us again and won't leave us alone!" They both said at the same time. Monet a little frustrated that the shape shifter wouldn't leave her sisters alone got up and walked over to them.

"Well let's go have a little 'talk' with him shall we?" She said with a predatory grin on her face and both of the slightly younger girls grinned.

The other door opened and in staggered Wes 'Granite' Johnson, Domino, Clare 'Oracle' Smith, Theresa Rourke Cassidy AKA Siryn and Susan 'Aqua' Masters walked in.

Simon turned his head to them. "Fun mission?" He said looking at them.

"Oh yeah I just loved it!" Susan said sarcastically trying to untangle her dirty blond hair. "Next time Fury wants us to check out a possible black arms market remind me to stay home."

"It wasn't that bad." Theresa the redheaded Irish girl said to them.

"That's only because you don't got a frikin' migraine from those sonic screams of yours!" Susan said angrily. "I mean did you have to aim so close to us, I still think Wes can't hear."

"WHAT?" Wes yelled out.

Susan sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll go take him to the medical ward to get that seen to."

"WHAT?" He asked again as she took his arm and dragged him out of the room.

Domino saw Lorna looking a little preoccupied since she was normally the first to ask about the missions but right now she was staring into space and a nervous twitching of her leg. He sat down next to her hard and startled the green haired girl. "Hey...what's on your mind?"

"N-nothing." She replied and Domino got a smile on her face.

"Just ask him already." Domino said to the younger girl and the look on her face was priceless. "Oh come on the way you were gushing all over him at the mansion you think anyone wouldn't have noticed? Look how about some inside information?" She turned her head over to Simon. "Hey Simon! You're dating her sister. Does Alex like Lorna?"

"How would I know? She doesn't talk about that stuff."

"Then what good are you?" She turned back to Lorna. "Alright I'll just go call up Wanda and ask her then.

"No!" Lorna said. Having her to ask Wanda about this would be too embarrassing. "Look I'll go call him alright?" She went to the nearest phone and punched in her personal code. Since this was a top-secret facility all out going calls were recorded and stuff but they were told that no one would hear it but everyone wondered it that was true.

The others were listening in on her as best they could while not trying to be obvious. "Hello? This is Lorna is Alex in? Thanks." She waited until Alex was on the phone her nerves threatening to go overboard. "Hi Alex, this is Lorna...I was just calling to see...well...if you were free tomorrow?" Then everyone saw her face fall. "Oh...you got a date...I...I didn't know you had a girlfriend...wait? You don't...just a girl you met?" That was news she liked to hear, sure Alex and her weren't in a commitment or anything but if he wasn't serious about this girl then maybe she had a chance. "Well how about in a couple of days?" She really hoped so and she crossed her fingers. "Really? That's great! I'll...I'll call later okay? Alright bye then."

She hanged up the phone. 'Okay so there's competition...I can handle that.'

It was after the date Alex had with Annie while walking her home. He had to admit he really like this girl, but there was one more problem...he never told her he was a mutant yet and didn't know how she would take it. He knew she would find out sooner or later and this had been a good night...he just wished he knew how she was going to take it. 'Well better do it now and find out.' He thought.

"Hey Annie there's something I've been meaning to tell you." Alex said nervously. Annie hoped it wasn't going to say something like he was gay or anything. "I felt you should know...I'm a mutant."

Annie froze in place. Alex saw this and figured it wasn't a good sign. "I can see it bothers you...I'll understand if you don't want to see me again its-"

"Wait." Annie cut him off. "I don't really have anything against mutants...in fact you're the first one I've met...and...well you're not like how the news makes you out to be."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Yeah well you can't really trust them."

Annie smiled. "Yeah I can see that...but...well my father isn't exactly mutant friendly." She said slightly disappointed in them.

"He's not FOH is he? And what about your mom?"

"My mom...died a few years back...cancer." Annie sadly told him. "And I don't think he's FOH but he's not pro mutant either."

"So I take it he wouldn't be pleased with me huh?" Alex said his mood falling.

Annie sighed. "Yeah...petty much." She linked her arm with his and rested her head on his shoulder. "But I don't care...you're a nice guy. Do you want to do something tomorrow?"

'Oh no...Lorna.' Alex remembered he promised her a date for that day already. "Uh...about that...see...the thing is." He really wasn't looking forward to telling her about Lorna but he didn't have a choice.

A WEEK LATER

It had been one crazy week for Alex, so far it seemed Annie and Lorna were trying to out do each other in a rivalry for his affections, but the truth was Alex couldn't decide. There was the fact that Annie was a great girl that lived near him, but her family was anti-mutant. Then there was Lorna but that was a long distance relationship.

Alex sighed to himself sitting outside. "Trouble?" Alex looked up seeing Scott standing over him.

"I'm that obvious?" He said with a smirk.

Scott sat down next to his younger brother. "Let me guess. Girl trouble." Scott and everyone else in the mansion knew about his dating two different girls.

"Oh yeah. I mean how do I pick?" He asked his older brother. "They're both great girls but I'll hurt one of them if I choose and I don't want to hurt them." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. "They're both nice and kind, not to mention I do like them both but I don't know them well enough to know which I like more...so what do I do?"

Scott blinked a few times trying to figure that out. "Wow...that's tough. Well the only thing I can think of is you need to have a talk with the both of them...at the same time about this."

Alex groaned. "Oh man...that's not going to be pretty."

The next day he was sitting at one of the coffee shops in town nervously awaiting both girls, he had told them about this and they both had agreed to meet. He saw the door open Annie being the first to arrive, he figured it would have been her. Annie sat down at the table. "I guess I got here first?" She asked him.

"Yeah Lorna should be here soon." About five minutes later the green haired magnetic powered young teen of X-Force, in civilian clothing walked in. She looked at Annie and she looked right back, both girls sizing each other up.

'I wonder if this was such a good idea.' Alex thought to himself. "Well...you girls know why I called you here. I can't just keep seeing the both of you the entire time, so I guess I have to pick one of you but the thing is...I've been trying to figure out who, I mean I don't want to hurt either one of you but staying like this might be just as bad."

"Well I have to admit...this is kind of weird." Annie admitted. Lorna had to agree with that sentiment.

"Yeah I know." Alex said. "I mean Annie you're right here in Bayville, but your father doesn't like mutants, but Lorna..."

She sighed. "Long distance relationship and I made a commitment to X-Force so I can't just quit."

Alex nodded. "Yeah...that puts kind of a strain."

"I hate to admit it...but that is tough...but...what about a compromise?" Annie suggested. Both mutant teens looked at her. "Well...we've only known each other a week right? Well how about you hold off on your decision until you know more about us? I mean you could pick one of us but then find out you don't really like them."

"I hate to admit it...but she does make a point." Lorna said. "I mean ya I like you, but beyond that...I don't know how I feel...but this isn't a permanent thing." She said seriously.

Annie leaned over to him. "I agree you will have to make a choice you can't have the both of us."

"Really?" Alex asked.

Both girls glared at him. "No!" They both said at the same time.

"Alright, alright I get it. I guess that's fair...for now." He said to them holding up his hands in defense.

"Well I hate to leave...but I got a briefing I got to be at soon." Lorna said. "So I'll call you later."

Annie got up too. "And I have to get to work too." Alex watched both girls leave, there was a part of him that was actually excited by the fact he had two girls in his life but there was a much larger part that he knew that this wasn't going to be easy.

"Maybe I should have stayed single." He muttered to himself.

NEXT UP CHAPTER 29: SAVAGE ADJUSTMENTS

See how the other half are doing as we take a look on the old Brotherhood is doing in the Savage Land