disclaimer: All characters are the property of Marvel, except Jenny who is MINE.


Human in a Mutant World
by Dizi


Chapter 4

Finally, Hank had found out Dr. Heinrik Grenislavich had a daughter. She was the same age as the girl that had died would have been. If nothing else, being as it was a small town, they would have gone to school together. There was little information about the daughter. Perhaps a neighbor would know more or point him in the direction of the dead girl's parents, as he hadn't been able to find anything on them either. The answers were there somewhere, and he did love to find answers.

But now he had finished Jenny's second book and needed to return it to her. He didn't have time to leave the mansion and Logan was still gone. He went looking for Remy, hoping he would help, and found him in his room getting ready to leave.

"Remy, might I enquire as to your destination?" hoping he was going to Harry's but doubting it by his attire.

Remy tightened his tie. "Remy got a date tonight."

Hank's reply was disappointed. "Oh, I suppose your not departing for Harry's, then."

"Non. Logan, he called. Remy not take Jenny's book to her either." He could see the book in Hank's hand and was disappointed in the man for not speaking to Jenny himself.

"You misunderstand. This is a different book. We arrived at a mutually satisfactory agreement and she is more than willing to have you or Logan convey thebooks to her as I complete my objectives. But, of course, if you're not going to Harry's..." He would like to see Jenny but he had other obligations tonight and wanted her to have it back quickly.

"You discussed it with her?" Remy asked with a frown.

"Yes." was the firm reply, and he added with a big smile. "She plied me with twinkies and offered the loan of several other books from her collection."

"Den Remy take her de book, he passing by dat way." He wanted to make sure she was okay anyway.


Walking into Harry's later, the first thing he noticed was the funeral home's invoice posted on the wall along with a snapshot of Charlie's grave. He had made a donation, and been prepared to donate enough for the entire funeral, but others had come through for Jenny.

He spotted her clearing off and wiping down tables at the back of the room.

Jenny saw him coming towards her and raised a brow at his suit and tie. "Little dressed up for this place, aren't ya?"

Remy made a gesture and offered her the book. "Remy just deliverin' today, chere."

Taking it carefully she said, "Thank you. I thought Hank would need more time so I didn't bring another with me today."

Remy made another gesture and indicated it wasn't a problem before leaving.

She supposed she could call Hank. Or she could surprise him and bring it to him, and maybe some twinkies. She was off tomorrow anyway. She was getting her nails done.


It was midmorning when the cab pulled up in front of the mansion. It took some talking but the driver agreed to wait while she dropped off her offerings to Hank.

The man who answered the door had blue eyes and brown hair lighter than her own pinned atop her head. He was someone she hadn't met. She was somewhat disappointed it wasn't Scott as she wanted to apologize for snapping at him. Besides, she was already nervous dropping in like she was.

"Hi!" she jumped in before he could say anything. "I'm Jenny, you don't know me, but I just wanted to drop off some things for Hank."

He smiled big and she could see he had a certain boyish charm that reminded her of Remy but judging by his clothes she doubted he had Remy's suave manner. "Come on in, and I'll take you to him. I'm sure he'd love to see you."

"Oh, I can't. I have a cab waiting." gesturing behind her.

"Bet you don't, they never wait here." came his answer.

"But..." she turned around looking behind her just in time to see the cab drive past the gate.

"Don't worry about it. Somebody here'll give you a ride home, you don't need a cab. Let's go get Hank out of the lab." Bobby grabbed her arm and started dragging her inside.

"But we shouldn't interrupt him if he's working. I should just leave these for him and call another cab." She reluctantly followed him through the building.

"Nah-uh. He's been in there for two days and needs to come up for air." he lead her down the hall towards the med-lab.

"But he does important work..." She didn't want to take him away from his work. She knew it was important to him.

"And he'll continue. After his break. How's he gonna keep any friends if he doesn't stop every once in while to talk to them? Trust me, I've known Hank a long time. He needs a break." He seemed very sure.

"Well..." Before she could make more protests he opened the lab door.

"HANK! YOU'VE GOT A VISITOR!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, grinning at Jenny's wince.

They heard him in a low tone. "If you could hold just a moment, Mrs. Metzger." Then in a normal voice he said, "Robert, that was quite unnecessary. I am doing research by way of the phone and will be with you momentarily." He continued on the phone in same manner he had used previously. "Thank you, ma'am ... and you say you have not heard from them since? ... I see... Yes, I imagine, it would be quite traumatic for them ... and you have a phone number? ... No, of couse, I understand ... Yes, I have his name here ... I appreciate your time, Mrs. Metzger, you have been of great assistance." and they heard him hang-up the phone.

"You have a visitor." Bobby repeated to Hank.

Jenny stepped around him. "I didn't want to interrupt..."

"Jenny! I am quite pleased to see you this morning. I had had every intention of calling you later and and you have rendered that particular resolution superfluous. And you have met Bobby?" He looked at the younger man expectantly.

"Not exactly. She wanted to leave and I couldn't let her do that, now could I?" Bobby laughed at Jenny's rueful expression.

"Oh my, of course, you couldn't. You did exactly right, my friend. Especially when she comes bearing gifts! I believe I told you about Bobby. We are compartriots in our love of those delightful treats I see in your hands. Actually, I have procured a gift for you as well, then we can retire to the kitchen for milk. Now where did I put them?" Jenny watched in fascination as Hank searched through the clutter in the room. She was happy to see him not using his gadget. She liked him the way he was.

"You work here? Maybe I should help you clean up a bit." She looked around wondering where to even start.

"You might not want to touch anything, you don't know where it's been." Jenny snatched her hand back and Bobby laughed at her again. "You never know what's innocent and what's not in here. Several of us have learned the hard way. That's why it's so messy, the ladies of the house won't clean it anymore."

"Well, I'll clean it, but if there's a chance of something happening, I expect compensation." She said firmly, making him laugh again.

"Ah-ha! Jenny, I have found your errant preferred gooey treats." Hank brandished a box of moonpies before handing them to her. "Onward to the kitchen, my friends. The milk awaits us."

A few minutes later they were at the kitchen table with large glasses of milk eating twinkies and moonpies.

"We are quite honored you have chosen to spend one of your few days off in our company." Hank started the conversation.

Glancing at Bobby, involved in his twinkie, Jenny said dryly. "Nothing personal, but it wasn't exactly what I'd planned. I really wasn't even going to take today off in the first place but Harry insisted." She pulled her shirt back into place. It was too big and kept falling off the shoulder and she didn't want to accidently show something.

"And he was quite right to do so. You do not take enough time for recreational activity." Hank said firmly.

Bobby stared at him in disbelief. "I can't believe you said that, Hank. You're such a workaholic we have to practically drag you out of the lab!"

"And Jenny has no one to do that for her and so works much too hard. Now, what were your plans? Did we interrupt some activity you wanted to accomplish today? Bobby will, of course, convey you to whatever location you require."

Bobby choked on his milk at his words then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "Me, why me? Nothing personal, Jenny."

"No worries." she waved a hand, opeining another moonpie.

"Because you were unconscionably rude to Jenny, who I might add is a guest and my friend, and also quite rude while I was on the phone speaking to very nice woman who helped my research enormously. You must be punished. Besides you would have done it anyway." Hank surreptitiously pushed the twinkie box out of Bobby's reach.

"Before you guys really get into it, I didn't really have any plans for the rest of the day. I already got my nails done." Her voice was filled with wonder. They were pretty and wouldn't last long once she went back to work, but she liked them and planned on enjoying them while they lasted.

Hank glanced at her nails and blinked several times, wondering how he had missed them. "Quite an unual choice, is it not?" He studied the design of silver with bright blue, green, and purple on her fingers.

"Is it? I've never painted my nails before and let him do whatever he wanted and... You don't think he did something too outrageous, do you?" she asked uncertainly, pulling her shirt into place again.

"They're fine, I'm sure. We're not the ones to ask, since we don't get our nails done either." Bobby said with a straight face.

"My understanding is your pleasure with your extremities is what is important, not that of other individuals. And as Bobby said, we are not the one's to judge. Do they make you happy?" He didn't understand the how something like painting fingernails could make an individual happy, but understood it was not for a man to know. For which, he was immensely happy.

"Yeah, I think they do. I'm glad Harry suggested it." Smiling at the look on their face at the source of the nail-painting idea. Though neither were very familiar with him they had trouble accepting he had come up with the idea.

Before they could question her on it, Ororo entered the kitchen and smiled a greeting upon seeing Jenny.

"Good afternoon, dear." Her eyes widened at the sight of Jenny's nails. "How lovely! The details are so intricate. They are- Are those moonpies?" She stopped and stared at the box on table.

Jenny beamed at her, saying "Hank got 'em for me, want one?", and reaching for one of the packages.

"Yes, I would love one. I have not had moonpies in years." Bobby and Hank exchanged bewildered glances as they watched their friend snatch the treat from Jenny's hand. Who could want moonpies when twinkies were to be had?

Jenny jumped up from the chair. "You need milk." She went automatically into service mode and went to get a glass. Ororo turned to stop her, as she was the guest and shouldn't be waiting on them.

As she reached into the cabinet for the glass, Jenny's shirt once again slid down and uncovered the upper part of her right shoulder blade revealing several scars. She immediately pushed it back into place but turned around quickly at Ororo's gasp to see the other woman coming towards her.

"Jenny, were you in an accident? What happened to you?" She hadn't gotten a very good look but had the feeling there was much more damage hidden beneath Jenny's shirt.

"I-I would rather not talk about it." was the answer as Jenny looked towards Hank and Bobby who had missed the incident and so hadn't see the scars.

"What's the matter, 'Ro? Don't you want some milk?" Bobby asked while Hank gave them an inquiring look.

"Come see Jenny's back, Henry. She has scar tissue on the back of her right shoulder." She ignored Jenny's pleading look, reaching for her shirt.

"No, I couldn't." Jenny clutched her shirt holding it in place.

"From what I could see, it looks as though it could still be causing you trouble, please let Henry see." tugging at the shirt.

"I am a doctor, Jenny, and would be more than happy to look at your injury." Concerned, he walked over to the pair, willing to help his new friend.

"Oh, no." Jenny looked at him in horror. "No, no, no. I know you're a doctor and all, Hank, but I ... that would be just too... I mean you're my friend... it would be... just... eeewww." She just couldn't handle the thought of her friend seeing her as a doctor would.

"Henry's a doctor, dear." came Ororo's exasperated response.

"He's my FRIEND." Jenny's was adamant.

"Ororo," Hank's tone was very understanding, "not everyone feels comfortable in a close relationship with their doctor. I am not Jenny's physician." Turning back to Jenny, he added. "However, as your friend and a physician, allow me to point out if there is any discomfort you should see a doctor, of course."

"It doesn't hurt." She stated relieved but still embarrassed by the thought of Hank being her doctor. "It's been there a long time."

"Well then, that is what is important." Giving Ororo a significant look, Hank went back to the table. "Now, I believe we were discussing your plans for the day, or rather your lack of them."

She handed Ororo the glass, avoiding her eyes. Following Hank's example, she returned to her chair. "Well, I was thinking of doing laundry..."

"I'm sure we can think of something better than that." Bobby smiled impishly. "We've got all the best toys."


Bobby was horrified to learn Jenny had only a small tv she used only to watch the news and decided to introduce her to the wonderful world of video games, satellite TV, and DVD's. Which, of course, required popcorn, pizza and beer. Though she didn't get the connection, Jenny decided to go with the flow.

Amused, Hank watched for awhile before escaping back to his lab. He wanted to make one more call today to further his search for Heinrik Grenislavich's daughter. Mrs. Metzger hadn't admitted to any knowledge of the mutant girl's parents but seemed to have been close to Anne the doctor's wife She had informed him of the private school they had sent the daughter to when she was thirteen and given him the name and number of a teacher who had been their contact there. Though it had been six years he hoped the man would have knowledge of her current location. He was prepared to go to the school since it wasn't far from the mansion but hoped a phone call would suffice.

It took seven rings to get an answer. "Hello?"

Hank release a breath of relief. "May I speak to Prof. Phillip Notheis, please."

"Speaking."

"My name is Dr. Henry McCoy. Professor Notheis, I wonder if I might speak to you about a possible former student of yours?"

"I don't know. I've had many students." the voice was cautious, which was not unusual under the circumstances.

"I am currently searching for a young lady named Genevra Grenislavich, I understood you were her parent's contact at the Bueller School for Girls."

"Grenislavich? I'm not sure I can help you. The Grenislavich girl ran away from school five years ago."

"She ran away? Was there some incident to preciprocate such an occurrence?" Hank didn't want to think he had found another dead-end.

"As I remember it, she was pretty wild. She would sneak away and stay out all night. She probably would have been expelled if she hadn't run away."

The door opened and Bobby came in, gesturing for him to hurry and go back upstairs.

"If you could wait momentarily, Professor?" without waiting for a response, Hank set the phone down. "Bobby, Jenny has work at Harry's tomorrow. Would you tell her I'll give her a ride home when she's prepared to leave? Otherwise, I should complete my calls soon and will join you both momentarily."

"Sure, not a problem. Jenny was wondering about you. We're going to watch a movie and the pizza's here. Better hurry if you want some." He closed the door behind him, message delivered.

Hank shook his head at he friend, picking up the phone again. "I appreciate your waiting, Professor Notheis."

"I understand. I am curious about your interest in the Grenislavich girl, though. I hadn't heard that name for five years until her father died a couple weeks ago. I was worried about her for a long time."

"My interest is based upon a need to review her father's research notes. I require her permission and assistance in accessing to them. If you have no knowledge of her-"

"You're part of a university like he was then?"

"I work for a private concern."

"Are you also based out of the same town as Dr. Grenislavich then?"

"No, we are based out of Westchester and have an interest in his research. However if you are not in possession of knowledge of Genevra Grenislavich's current location, can you advise me of anyone else who might be able to assist me further in locating her?"

"I'm sorry, I don't really remember who she was close to. I'm no longer at the school and have lost contact with most of the staff there." The man paused a moment before continuing. "As I said I worried about her for some time. I would appreciate it if you would let me know if you find her."

"At this time, it seems unlikely, but I will remember you, if circumstances change for the better. I thank you for your time, Professor Notheis."

"Your welcome, Dr. McCoy. I hope you find Genevra. She was a good student, despite her habits."

Hank hung-up the phone with a sigh, wondering why no one else had seemed concerned about a fourteen year old disappearing. Dr. Grenislavich had not been searching for his daughter for the past five years and no one he had spoken to while searching for her had been concerned about her except for Phillip Notheis.

Mrs. Metzger had been friends with the mother but had not seemed to know of the girl's disappearance, or if she had known it hadn't been of concern to her either, but he didn't think that was the case. He found it hard to believe the woman he had spoken to would not have told him if she had been aware of it. Which meant she hadn't known. Which meant the mother hadn't told her and left the question of if the mother hadn't known or hadn't cared that her daughter was gone.

It was a puzzle he had no way of solving at the moment. He would have to try to think of some other way to find her tomorrow. Jenny and Bobby were waiting for him.


They watched three movies, ate four pizzas between them andnumerous bags of popcorn,but she'd left most of the beer to them since she saw too much of it at work. By the end of the night, Jenny was so full she felt a little sick and was very tired, but it was a good kind of tired. She was glad she'd come, but was ready to go home.

Ororo found her waiting by the door for Hank, who had gone to search the lab for his car keys. "I wanted to apologize for embarrassing you, Jenny. I suppose I am so used to going to Henry for anything of a medical nature I did not think about how it would make you feel. I want you to know I was only concerned for you."

Jenny placed a comforting hand on her arm. "I understand. It's just that I can't think of him that way. He's my friend." she paused before explaining. "I'm saving up to have them removed, you know, but it's going to be awhile... I really am alright, you see."

"I can see that you have formed a special friendship with Henry. I would like to think we also are friends and, though I can see you are fine, if you would like to talk, I would be willing to listen about what happened." She offered quietly.

"We are friends, but... Something bad happened to me a long time ago and I've learned to live with it, but I don't want to talk about it. I want to leave it in the past where it belongs. You understand?" Her voice was filled with uncertainty.

"Of course. But if you change your mind, I will understand that as well." Ororo gave her a reassuring smile. "You are welcome to call anytime. And I know if it is important to you, then you will find a way to get the money you need. Know I have faith in you."

"Thank you." She smiled back and impulsively gave her a quick hug. "Tell Hank I'll be outside. I need some air after all that pizza. Uhg."

After the door shut behind Jenny, she heard Hank's voice from behind her, "She is correct. You need not concern yourself about Jenny, Ororo." He had overheard their conversation but hadn't wanted to interrupt.

"I cannot help it. If you had only seen her shoulder..." She trailed off.

He gave her a sad look. "I'm sure it cannot be worse than her anterior trapezius region-the area under the back of her neck. I recieved a less than clear visual of it the night I went to her apartment. She..." He did not want to betray his friendship with Jenny but it might help Ororo in some way to know. "I believe Jenny was tortured. That is the only explanation for the scarring I saw. I attempt a visual examination at every opportunity, which isn't often as she is extremely careful. From what I have seen and the way she acts, some unspeakable things were done to her. Yet she is a cheerful, kind, and remarkably well-adjusted young lady. You have no need to worry." With that, he left to take Jenny home.

Ororo watch them go, both grateful for his attempt at reassuring her and horrified by his words.

to be continued.


note:
Kudos to Beany! Sorry Elizabeth, Beany reviewed first. I really didn't think anyone would get it until this one. Was it that obvious or too many clues from other stories? Oh well, the important thing is the X-men have no clue. Yet. Not even Hank, though he would eventually figure it out.
For those that e-mailed me: Jenny is not the dead mutant girl. I told you, she's human.
Thanks for the pov input. NO POV! Unless it's maybe an epilogue. That's different.
And of course thanks to everyone for the reviews! I'm so happy everyone likes Jenny. I do have some fun stuff planned for the future. Really, I do. Promise. Logan's got to get his laughs.

Chapter 5 will probably be out tomorrow. Be warned! Bad stuff happens, but it's all for the eventual greater good. Isn't that how it works?

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi