Second chapter. Tee hee, I just get so exciting writing this story.

I don't own the X-Men, just Mattie

Nothing to Wear

Despite her claims that she had nothing to do with it, Tabitha was careful not to go anywhere Ray or Paige over the following week. Paige had made her feelings about Tabby quite clear. And while everyone knew that it would blow over in a few days. It was best not to get between Paige and her target when she was mad.

School had broken up for the holidays and they were all too excited to care much about inner rivalries. Most of the Institute had some sort of plan about how to use up their free time. With doing nothing coming fairly high up the list.

X

Mattie was in her room trying to think what to pack. She was going to be gone for three weeks. But, looking at the list of things that Tara had planned for them all, sunbathing and shopping were going to be the most strenuous activities.

She'd have to get up early to do some exercise and practising or she'd suffer big time when she got back. Danger room training was hard enough without being three weeks behind and out of shape to boot.

"What do I take?" She asked Paige for the hundredth time.

Paige shrugged in reply. "Mattie they're your fiends. It's your holiday. Don't you think that you are the one who should be answering that question."

"But I don't know what to wear." Mattie moaned. She glanced across the room to Jubilee and Amara who she had begged to help her pack.

Amara shrugged as well.

Jubes was more proactive. "Alright let me at that jeans store you call a wardrobe."

Mattie rolled her eyes. "I have told you guys. Denim is hard wearing and looks good with anything. What else would I want?"

"Mattie your whole wardrobe consists of jeans and T-shirts." Amara told her. "Don't you think that you should occasionally wear something else?"

Jubilee had been counting. "…7, 8, 9, the pair you're wearing, 11, oh and here's one more. Mattie how can you possibly own 12 pairs of jeans!"

"They're all different." Mattie protested.

Jubes held up two pairs of identical jeans.

"Except them." Mattie conceded. "They were on sale and I liked them so much I bought two."

"She's hopeless!" Paige cried.

"You're only allowed to take four pairs." Amara told Mattie sternly.

"Mattie's face fell. "Eight."

"Four."

"Six?"

"Four. Ask me once more and I'll drop it down to three." Amara told her.

Mattie shut up. She sighed and turned her attention on her jeans, trying to figure out which ones she wanted to take.

"So is Bobby taking you?" Jubes asked as she kept a watchful eye on Mattie's packing.

"He can't. He's going out with the guys. They've been planning it for weeks. But he's going to drive down and pick me up."

"You two are so cute." Amara said. "Must be nice to have a boyfriend who wants to drive all that way to fetch you."

"It's only a few hours, Amara. Not the end of the world." Paige told her, throwing a pillow at her.

Amara fielded the pillow and hugged it to her. "I'm just saying it's nice."

Paige rolled her eyes. "So." She demanded. "Have you got enough money?"

"I got it out last week." Mattie told her.

"Credit card?" Jubilee asked.

Mattie shook her head. "I'm not taking that. I've got enough, and my dad gave me some too. There's not way that I can spend it all."

"What about emergencies?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, like that little black dress you just have to have." Jubes added.

"Or in your case a pair of jeans." Amara put in.

Mattie ignored them. "I've got the number of my account. If I need to I can take out some more."

She turned back to the far more pressing task of choosing outfits.

Amara lounged on Mattie's bed. "Three weeks holiday."

"About time." Jubilee muttered. "It seems ages since Christmas."

The others all nodded their agreement.

"Have you heard about the parties that are going on?" Amara asked. "We could be out every night if they all happen."

"They never do." Paige told her. "Every one says their going to have a party. But then their parents get wind of it and its just one more party down the drain."

"It would be cool if we could have one here." Amara sigh wistfully.

"Yeah, cause the last one went so well." Jubes said with a grin.

"Well, not all of our parties are planned as a diversion by Mystic." Paige said rolling her eyes.

Mattie grinned. She'd heard the story of the party the students had thrown in the Professor's absence. Too bad she'd missed it. Sounded like a blast.

"Well I bet there are still a decent number of gatherings going on." Amara said, sticking doggedly to her point.

"What's up, Amara?" Jubes teased her. "You think you're going to meet Prince Charming at a house party?"

Amara blushed and looked away. "It's possible."

"People do meet at parties." Mattie stepped in to save Amara further embarrassment. "Right Paige?"

Paige just grinned.

"Too bad your going away." Amara told Mattie.

"Yeah." Paige added. "What am I going to do with out my roomy?"

"Come on guys. Not you too." Mattie sighed. "I have to go. They girls have been begging to see me. And I should be thanking them really. I mean, they know all about me being a mutant and all. They've been fighting my corner back home."

The other girls nodded. Finding people who didn't hate mutants on sight was hard, if Mattie's friends had stood by her then they deserved a medal.

"Just don't do anything to exciting while I'm away." Mattie told them with a grin.

The girls all promised.

"Hey, is this a private party or can anyone join?" Bobby asked sticking his head round the door.

"Just packing." Mattie said, beckoning him in. Ray followed him in and settled himself down next to Paige. He had been very careful to behave himself around her at the moment. Paige had told Mattie that she was secretly looking forward to their next argument, that it made her nervous him being this considerate to her.

"We were attempting to get your girlfriend to wear something other that denim." Jubilee told him.

Mattie grumbled her as she continued to root through her clothes.

"Honestly. If you took away your jeans there would be nothing left for you to wear." Amara told her, taking out the fifth pair of jeans that Mattie had been attempting to slip into her bag.

Bobby perked up. "That sounds like an interesting experiment. Care to try it Mats."

Mattie treated him to a bored look.

"Just a thought." Bobby said, stretching out on her bed. "One I'll be taking to bed with me tonight."

"Eeeww. Bobby!" Amara cried, throwing the pillow at him.

X

Bobby dropped Mattie off at the bus station the next morning.

"See you when I pick you up." He murmured as he hugged her goodbye.

"You don't have to. I can just get the bus." Mattie told him.

Bobby shook his head. "I want to. I'm going to miss you like crazy."

"Well, I was thinking…" Mattie gave him a nervous smile. "If you wanted to come down a couple of days early…"

Bobby grinned at her. "And crash you're girlie holiday?"

Mattie shrugged.

Bobby's grin widened. "Me in a house-full of girls. I'm liking this idea."

Mattie fought to keep the grin off her face. "Hey. Earth to Playboy Mansion."

"Sorry." Bobby couldn't keep his 'cat got the cream' grin of his face. He swept Mattie off her feet. "So does that mean that I get you all to myself in a free house." He kissed her. "Whatever would we do to pass the time?"

Mattie kissed him back. "I'm sure that we could come up with something."

X

Mattie got off the bus with a smile on her face. She was home. Okay, so about an hour away from home really. But she knew this town, she and Dad had come here on day trips. She was planning to visit him while she was here. He'd told her to enjoy her holiday with her friends. But she knew that he really wanted to see her. Being here was just too perfect an opportunity to pass up. She planned on turning up early one morning to make him breakfast like she did on his birthday and fathers day. It would be great to surprise him like that.

She glanced down at the address that Tara had written out for her, then at the map she'd brought with her. Still away to go.

Glancing around to make sure that no one was watching her she started to run. No need to wait around for buses of to pay out for taxies when you'd been clocked at eighty miles per hour. Mr McCoy had been quite impressed with her latest attempt. It had been pushing it, but Mattie was sure that she could do better. At the very least she had to make it to eighty-eight. Just to see if she went back in time. Maybe if she could get Mr McCoy or Forge to whip up a flux capacitor in their spare time.

X

Keeping off the main paths Mattie made good time and soon arrived at the house that she and the five other girls were renting for the holiday. She made her way to the front door and rang the bell.

Nothing happened. She tired again. She heard the ringing, but no one appeared to open the door.

Was she the first person here? She was sure that Tara had said that she and Niki would be the firsts ones to get there. So where were they? Sleeping? Playing their music too loud? Sunbathing? Sunbathing!

Glancing nervously up and down the street Mattie vaulted over the fence. Danger room training coming in handy again. She just hopped that an over zealous neighbour didn't report her as a burglar.

She made her way round to the back of the house. "Tara? Niki? Jenny? Lisa, Natalie? Tara?

There was no sign of the girls. Peering through the window into the house she noticed that it seemed empty. Where were the girls? Maybe she was the first one here. They could have got caught in traffic. Mattie had been able to avoid that little problem.

She rounded the side of the building and caught sight of a figure by the door. Finally, maybe he had a key to this place. Mattie could open it up and be ready for when the others got there. Plus it meant she could bag the best room. With that thought in mind she headed over to him.

The man took a step back and rammed his shoulder hard against the door. He backed up and shouldered the door again. She heard the crunch as the door started to give. Mattie stopped dead in her tracks. Okay, so not the owner of this property. Was she really joking about burglars a moment ago?

She must have made a noise as the man looked up suddenly. He snarled at her and started towards her.

"I am so out of here." With a burst of speed Mattie tore back to where she had clambered over the fence. The man was shouting behind her. Mattie paid him no mind. There was no way he was going to catch her.

She grabbed hold of the fence, pulling herself up. The man was still shouting behind her. Swinging her leg over the fence Mattie felt a hand grabbed hold of her leg.

What!

Still perch on the fence, Mattie looked down. A second man had hold of her leg. Stupid. She cursed herself. Of course there would be a second man. The man tightened his grip on her leg and started pulling back towards him.

Mattie drew up her leg and kicked down at him, catching him squarely on the nose. The man let her go with a cry of pain. Grabbing the opportunity to escape Mattie leapt down. At the last possible moment she felt someone clutch at her foot.

It threw off her landing and Mattie hit the pavement. Hard. Her head bounced on the road and she saw stars. She could taste blood in her mouth, the world was spinning and she felt sick. Her view was becoming obscured, it was almost a relief when the blackness engulfed her.