Forge drew one of the chairs out of the kitchen and sat down in the main room, keeping watch down the hall.

Lucy watched him as he straddled the chair and folded his arms over the back to rest his chin on them.

She slipped up and sat on the floor, leaning back against the wall to look at him.

He smiled slightly.

"You're … not…" She swallowed. "You're not afraid, are you?"

He shook his head. "Naw. I've got you to watch my back – and a whole passel of backup just a girlish scream away."

She dropped her eyes. "I meant… of me."

"Oh." He chuckled a bit. "You could be scary if you wanted to, no doubt about it."

"I know that… But…"

He smiled. "I trust that things will work out." He explained. "And this universe put the two of us together, first psychically and then physically." He shrugged. "And I trust the universe."

"That's weird." She said before quickly adding "To me."

He nodded. "I know." He smiled and shrugged. "But you haven't had the chance to really trust the universe yet. Other people spent most of your life trying to mold your destiny to fit their purpose."

"I don't… know how to do it… on my own." She admitted.

"Me neither." He laughed. "It's why I trust the universe."

She laughed. "Really?"

Forge nodded slowly, just enjoying his time with her. "Really. You can't plan out things if you don't know what's coming. And you and I don't know what's coming. So we just have to trust that we'll do our best with what we have and trust in the universe to take care of the rest."

"What if it doesn't?" She wondered out loud. "What if the universe can't be trusted?" Her eyes were searching his for answers.

"That's why I have friends like Kurt." He said softly. "People like him keep the universe honest for the rest of us."

"Like Logan too." She added, thinking about how he had sent her there.

"And Xavier." Forge nodded. "From what I hear."

She dropped her eyes and looked considerate.

He let her take her time.

"Do…?" She smiled and paused. "Do you suppose that… Staying here… Would make us more like them?"

Forge nodded slowly. "Yeah." He swallowed. "At least… I hope so."

She sniffed. "I … I cried tonight." She said.

He was caught off guard.

She swallowed. "In the bathroom… when everyone was going to bed."

"Why?" He asked in hushed tones.

"I'm not sure." She said. "I was thinking about… What Alistaire said… About how … people can't arrest us for stuff we've done…"

Forge studied her.

"They think that… That I killed a human in New York." Her eyes shimmered. "And they were looking for me… And I thought…"

"That one day they'd catch you." He finished.

She wiped at her eyes and nodded. "No one… can run forever… I'd catch me… If I were trying to…"

"But now they're not allowed to try, are they?"

She laughed and smiled, despite having to wipe here eyes again.

"And your life… Every minute of it from now on… Is yours. To do whatever you want."

She nodded. "And it's … I should live…" Her eyes met his. "Logan is almost 200 years old you know."

"WHAT?" He said, louder than he had expected. "I mean… What?"

She laughed.

"How… How old are you?" He met her eyes.

She looked away, shy.

"I didn't mean…"

She swallowed. "I'm … old."

Forge smiled. "I'm 32 you know." He said. "Although I spent a lot of that time without a body – that's why I don't look that old."

"I'm … 22 she said. But I've only been awake for 14 years…" She swallowed. "The cloning process … It takes a while."

"How long have you been free?" He asked.

"Just under three years." She said.

"And you've never… dated?" He asked.

She laughed. "I don't … I don't know how." She admitted with a smile. "But…"

"But?" He cocked his head and caught her eye.

"I thought you could teach me." She shrugged.

"I'd like that." He smiled, flattered.

"Good." She said, with just a hint of smugness. "It's better this way."

"This way?" He asked.

She laughed. "I could have just grabbed you up by your shirt and told you that you were taking me to the movies."

He blushed slightly. "And I would have."

She smiled. "I think… " She swallowed. "I think I like this way … your way… better."

"My way?" He asked.

She blushed, a deep crimson.

"What's my way?" He asked, teasing her slightly.

She swallowed. "Like… Like in the woods… It was so… easy. And nice." She swallowed. "I don't think that…" She swallowed.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Only four people have ever … touched me… skin to skin like that."

"Really?" His forehead wrinkled.

She forced herself to nod and then met his eyes. "And you're the only one…"

He chuckled. "You didn't…Umm… How should I ask…"

"I killed two of the others." She admitted. "The other one died serving Hydra."

"So…" He swallowed. "I'm the only one… left?"

And she nodded, wondering if she had scared him off.

He shrugged. "No pressure here." He laughed. "I hope I'm worth it."

She caught his eye and smiled softly.

"You have been so far." She told him softly with a nod and a subtle gaze.

And Forge had to wonder if there had ever been a greater compliment.