Forge crossed his room looking for cleaner clothes.

A book jumped off his shelf and landed open on his floor.

He paused and looked around carefully to see if there was anyone he'd have to explain this too.

No one was there.

He picked up the book and looked at the page it had fallen open to. He had scrawled a note in the margin of the page.

When did I write this? He wondered.

He read it to himself. Innocence frees innocence.

What does that mean? He wondered. Then it occurred to him: He was too innocent to know.

He smiled and began laughing quietly. The universe was messing with him. He had expected as much. It just took some time to find him after he left the U.S.

Maybe it didn't have a passport. He shrugged and sighed.

Maybe this will all make sense soon.

And he went to get re-dressed.

Kitty's encounter with Lucy had left her emotionally sensitive. It was hard for her to believe that she had been so angry at the idea of seeing Tabitha again. Somehow it seemed remarkably like how she had felt to see X23 walking down the boat ramp.

And now, that just felt wrong.

She's been in jail. She reminded herself. You don't know what that might do to her.

She might have gotten vicious… or mean

She sighed. Or hurt…

She continued standing at the rail of the lighthouse. She could see distant dots that must have been ships slipping back and forth in the distance.

You know… You really do have it good Pryde. You could be back at home, grounded in that little room with angry parents…

I wonder if we all have jails waiting just around some corner of our past, looking to swallow us if given the chance. I know 'Lucy' does… Hydra would snatch her in a minute if they could. She shivered.

Maybe we do. Maybe that's all growth really is – the effort to get away from our prisons and make sure they don't swallow us.

And I guess that… Sometimes we get caught too…

He closed her eyes and bowed her head. Lucy's words floated through her mind. "It's not easy to learn."

She sighed and her mind retreated to the past. I never should have let Logan rile me up like that. And I shouldn't have taken it out on Xavier.

I wonder why he didn't listen. Maybe he couldn't. I guess I still don't know.

She managed a weak smile. Xavier's birthday was just over a week away. A card with an apology might make a nice gift. She reasoned, and then made plans to make it happen tomorrow.

Meanwhile in Scotland a door slid open with a great metal crash that woke her up.

I fell asleep? She shook it off as she jumped to her feet .How?

"Hello Tabitha."

She blinked and brought her eyes to focus but she would have known that voice anywhere.

"Kurt." She sighed. She wanted to run and throw her arms around him, but she stood her ground. He was with a lot of strangers and looked dark and sinister.

"Do you want to leave here Tabitha?" He smirked evilly.

She nodded slowly, feeling like a child under her parents disapproving eye.

"Then you have to do something for me." He leared.

She looked at him fearfully. "What?"

"Tabitha, wake up!" Kurt shook her shoulder and she was startled awake.

Kurt stood over her but respectfully distant. "You fell asleep." He smiled. "I'm sorry it took so long."

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "You're naked." She whispered, referring to his lack of disguise.

Kurt looked to Alistaire and the guard. They had both heard her. "Ahh, Ja." He agreed.

Alistaire coughed slightly and the guard smiled.

"I missed you." She said with her eyes closed tight.

"I missed you too." He cradled her softly. "Did they treat you okay?" He asked fearfully.

The guard's smile fell away. "She's been in solitary confinement for … well… since she got here." He admitted.

She opened her eyes and looked at the guard. "Jimmy?" She asked.

He nodded as she studied him. He was between thirty and forty years old. He had light brown hair that was dotted with gray. He wore a thick mustache and a large, warm smile.

She took three steps slowly over to him. She wanted to throw her arms around his neck, but she was afraid to touch him. She wasn't even supposed to see him. Her guards were to be kept anonymous to protect them from retribution.

Jimmy stepped forward slowly to show her that it was okay and she reached out and hugged hum slowly, but with a care and tenderness Kurt had never seen in her. "Thank you!" She whispered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…" Her voice trailed off to a whisper.

Jimmy leaned back. He too was teary eyed. And he reached around his neck and pulled out what was obviously a woman's locket. He opened it and one side held a picture of him in his younger days, in his police officers uniform – and the other side held a picture of a girl around Tabitha's age – but with red hair and dazzling green eyes.

Tabitha's bottom jaw began to quiver. "Marie?" She said with a broken voice.

And the man nodded, closing the locket and tucking it back unde rhis shirt.

She hugged him again. "I'm so sorry."

He smiled. "Some good come of it. Your friends are here now, and you can go."

She hugged the man again, once for Marie, and she righted herself and wiped her eyes. Kurt had picked up her things.

"Go on." Jimmy told her. "You're free now."

And she took a large breath, braced herself, and let them lead her…

Outside!

Her first breath of fresh air came like a shock to her. The wold was so much brighter than her interior lights. There were so many colors and the air itself felt both alive, and life giving.

Kurt smiled grimly. She's so pale… And he remembered that there were no windows in her cell. Ach!

But she was smiling, wide eyed, as though seeing everything for the first time.

She swallowed, obviously still very emotional. "I just want to sit outside… someplace with a view…"

Kurt and Alistaire smiled.

"I know just the place." Alistaire smiled.

"It's just one car ride away." Kurt ventured, opening the door for her.

She smiled. "Nice car." And she climbed inside. But it's kind of small…

And she looked out the back window. Jimmy stood just inside the door of the jail. She could see him clearly through the safety glass.

He blew his nose and waved.

Tabitha laughed and waved back.

"Nice guy." Kurt had climbed in the back seat with her to talk.

She nodded. "He's a great man." She looked choked up.

"Who was the girl in the picture?" Kurt ventured.

"His daughter." She sighed. "She's been in a coma for three years." She smiled despite biting back on her tears. "He said I remind him of how she was before…"

Kurt smiled slowly and respectfully. "I bet there's no greater compliment from a loving father."

And she turned to look hopefully at him.

"I mean it." He said softly.

And Tabitha scooted closer to him, wrapped his one arm around her, lay her head on his shoulder and began to cry.