A/N: Forgive me if they are not in character, I've only seen three episodes and not into the characters yet. Read and review! Tell me what you think. A beta-reader is needed, so if you want to, email me.

"In sleep he sang to me

in dreams he came...

that voice which calls to me

and speaks my name.

And do I dream again?

For now I find

the Phantom of the Opera is there-

inside my mind... "

Jesse couldn't help but smile as he stood in the back of a high school auditorium as he heard the voice of the girl playing Christine in the play of the Phantom of the Opera. His face was covered by a black hat with the only thing showing were his blue eyes.

The actress on stage, she too had blue eyes. Her long brown hair was swept up in a bun with several loose curls on each side of her face. Her dress was white and reached the floor, it looked very old yet very new. Jesse wondered if Lexa had made it for her daughter with some old fabric. Their daughter, he corrected himself. He himself still forgot that sometimes. It was easy, perhaps a little too easy.

But who could blame him? He had only become aware of her two years ago when he was looking for his old friends and had found out that Lexa had had a daughter, nine months after he had left Mutant X. He knew the moment he read Lexa Emily Pierce's date of birth that he was her father. He had, of course, confronted Lexa who had made him promise that he would not try to talk to Lex, as she was called as there could not be two Lexa Pierce's.

He had not wanted to promise, but he knew his daughter was happy with her life. She and her mother lived in a Penthouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, thanks to the money Lexa earned for being a famous clothing designer. She went to a private school where she had friends. She was an excellent actress and singer and she despised most sports that did not have to do with fighting. She took fencing and learnt street fighting from Brennan.

Jesse wasn't even sure if Lex had powers. It seemed as if Lexa had kept a low profile by making a big name for herself. That was a bit of a contradiction. She made a large name in the world for herself to make it seem as if she was just a normal human, not a mutant. Sometimes Jesse was so sure of it himself, that he wondered if Lexa had undergone some genetic experiments to get rid of her abilities.

But the Lexa he loved, Jesse knew, would never do that. He knew she had changed since he had left, but he doubted that that part of her had changed so much. He looked at his daughter, longing to be able to know her. He had followed her for almost a year, learning her schedule, meeting her although they never met.

For the next hour and a half, Jesse watched the dramatic story of the Phantom of the Opera. He stood by the door, watching his daughter get a standing ovation. From her face, he could tell she was happy. That's all that was important.

Wanting to leave before anyone he knew saw him, for all he knew Shalimar and Brennan were here let alone Lexa, Jesse silently opened the door, wishing he could phase but knew he still might be seen. Pulling his hat off, wanting to feel the rain, Jesse Kilmarten started walking out of the building. He raised his hand over the sidewalks curb, trying to hail one of the yellow cabs driving down the rainy streets of New York City. While he thought of how lovely his daughter was, how she looked exactly like her mother, Jesse did not notice a limo pull up nearby.

The door of the limo opened and Jesse turned as he heard a gasp. "Jesse," Lexa Pierce said, unsure whether to be happy that Lex's father wanted a part in his daughter's life after Lexa had begged him not to, or to be upset that he had broken his promise.

The two had not seen for fourteen years except for an hour that they discussed their daughter at. Jesse felt his heart break. How he had hated leaving Lexa like that. But he had to. He knew that then and he knew it now. But now that he saw her again, he regretted it. He had regretted when they saw each other two years ago, and regretted it more now. If anything, Lexa had become even more beautiful and that was not because she was dressed from head to toe in her designs.

"You saw her, then?" Lexa asked. She knew even before Jesse nodded. "How long are you in town for? I think it's time for you to meet your daughter."

"As long as is needed," Jesse said. "My job is finished, finally." Lexa knew what job he was talking about. He had left her a letter and she had been heartbroken when she had read it the first time. It said that Jesse no longer loved her and had to leave Mutant X so that he could find a normal woman to love. Only when Lex was three years old did Lexa pick up that letter once again and notice that several letters were underlined. She read the letters and understood that the government had contacted Jesse, needing his powers and computer skills.

"Will you stay with us, then?" Jesse's eyes grew wide at Lexa's offer and he glanced at her questioningly. "I think it's time we put the past behind us. It's time for you to meet your daughter."

"Lexa," Jesse turned to her, but she shook her head, not wanting to hear any apology for leaving. She had heard enough when he came to confront her. "Lexa, thank you."

"Jesse- I have one request. We will not tell Lex that you are her father, not yet. We'll let her get used to you first. Jess, for her sake," Lexa said and looked to the door that Lex had just came out of carrying a garment bag. She now wore a pair of jeans and a black tank top. Like mother, like daughter, Jesse mused. Lex looked up at Jesse, then to her mother.

"Lex, this is an old friend of mine, Jesse Kilmartin. Jess, my daughter, Lex," Lexa introduced the father and daughter. "Lex, Jesse has some work in Manhattan and is going to be staying with us for a while." Lex nodded and slid into the limo, Lexa following after her and Jesse getting in, and then closing the door.

It was only then that Jesse realized that Lexa had just called him 'Jess', and Jesse knew that Lexa still had affection for him. What type he did not know. Perhaps just friendship, but he wished it were love. I wonder what will happe now, Jesse mused as he sat in the leather seat of the limo.