I do not own the x-men, Evolution, Excalibur, the starlight from above, the cool sandy moonlit beaches… But I enjoy them all pretty regularly.

This story is dedicated in part to Mitch Hedberg. "You were great. I wish I'd been there. Thanks for all the laughs. " – Lucas.

She would have smiled. She did the first time she found this place. And the first time she had taken off her jacket and walked away with their money. But she didn't smile tonight… At least… not yet.

Screams of anger filled the air. But, she didn't mind. She was serene and contemplative as she watched, dispassionately. It's the only way he'll ever learn.

It was a cramped, hot and crowded room. Heat radiated off everyone and filled the space in between them all as they screamed, cheered and moaned along with the action. Everyone else was 'alive' with the energy of the room, despite the fact that it all seemed quite contrived to her.

Two men stood in the center of the room, surrounded by a chain link cage. A giant Irish man was hammering away on a boy – seemingly half his age – and most assuredly half his size.

But the crowd loved it none the less.

No one seemed to notice her as she slipped slowly around the room. Her long dark hair and equally dark eyes played over the crowd.

She wore tight leather pants and a matching jacket; A soft white cotton top and some tasteful earrings. She wore a pair of heels tonight and she was proud of that. She hadn't worn heels in public before.

She tossed her eyes to the cage for a moment and saw the younger, darker man standing there, his arms hanging at his sides and his eyes rolling back in his head while taking the punch.

Oh, please. She thought. Show off much?

And she finally found who she was looking for.

"Eddie Smitz." She said as she approached.

"Hunh. Hunter. Good to see you." He pulled his cigar from his mouth as he spoke to her because he knew she didn't like it. "Your boy's takin' a poundin'." He laughed.

"Put me down for five hundred." She said. "On my man to win."

He laughed until she drew out the money. "Five hundred at…" She raised her eyebrows.

The smiled fell from his face and he looked in to the cage. He can't last another five minutes… "Six to one."

"Deal." She smiled and handed him the cash.

He thumbed through it whimsically. "It's a bit too much faith if you ask me…"

She was smiling wide.

A small alarm went off in the back of his mind. "Why are you…?" But that was as far as he got before she let out a long, slow – mental – whistle.

He stared at her dumbfounded, sure he was missing something. He could read her like a gambler – and he knew she was 'telling' him something, but he couldn't even guess what that 'something' was.

And suddenly the little fighter came to life. His eyes burst open and his mouth twisted to form a smirk.

The boy let loose with a savage left, followed by a wild uppercut that turned in to a back-fist across the eyes, followed by a head-butt and a knee to the chest.

His mind went clear and his fists weren't much more than streaks or blurs and he suddenly forced the larger man back against the fence, then to his knees and finally, with a great spray of blood… out cold.

The crowd went mad in a frenzied release at the total upset.

Eddie wavered in place. Man… She took me good! He handed her back her money and pulled out a wad from his pocket. He counted off her bills slowly and handed them back. "I don't suppose you'll let me know when you're about to do something like that so I can get out of town, hunh?"

She smiled. "Eddie… He's my boyfriend. My man."

Eddie nodded. He wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that but it stood to reason. Lucy Logan – code-named Hunter - and formerly known as X23 – was one of the most dangerous fighters he's ever seen in his life. And if this really was 'her man' …

Eddie dropped his eyes back to the fight. "Uh, oh. Your man's got more company."

She whipped her head around. Forge? What…? And another large man had entered the ring.

Most of the crowd was booing and hissing. "Hey!" Eddie yelled out "Two to a fight and this one's over!"

And the crowd cheered in agreement.

But the large man who was circling towards Forge did not.

"You mute's! Think you're all so tough!" He sneered. "I aint a lettin' no mute whip up on my brother!"

Forge actually smiled. Let it flow… Let it flow… "I never wanted to hurt you." Forge told him. "This was your idea. Remember that."

And he dropped his mental defenses, and felt Lucy's mind through their psychic link.

Suddenly years worth of muscle memory was at his disposal.

Without exertion or thought his arms lashed out in to a defensive martial arts pose. The man stepped in closely and Lucy watched in awe as her moves, and her knowledge flowed out of Forge's body.

A grappling maneuver, some Aikido strikes, some wing chun moves and finally, a judo flip that sent the second man flying face first in to the fence before falling to the ground.

"MA-KER!" They began. "MA-KER! MA-KER!" The crowd cheered over and over as he raised his hands in victory, nodding in time with their cheers.

"He moves just like you." Eddie told her over the din.

She nodded. But he never does it the way I would have… Always mixing up his combinations… He never throws the 'same' punch twice.

"You teach him or something?" Eddie pressed.

She nodded. "It was a compromise." She laughed. "I got my Graduation Equivalent and he learned to fight."

Eddie looked at her. "You do it? Get your degree?"

She nodded.

Eddie smiled and fished a fifty-note out of his pocket. "Happy graduation." He handed it to her with a smile. "But don't ever bring him back here again. I can't afford it."

She laughed. "You know what you taught me Eddie?" She asked.

"Wot?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Never repeat a con." She laughed. "He wont be back."

Eddie shook his head. I'm always in over my head with this one. He admitted to himself. But somehow I just can't hold it against her.

Lucy peered toward the cage again. The crowd was still going mad and she couldn't approach yet.

But she could see him.

He was cut over his left eye and the blood was running down his face, shoulder and arm.

His body was tight now and slick with sweat. His heart beat so strongly that it shook his frame.

I did it. He thought to himself.

I told you so. She thought back.

I love you. He thought back to her.

I know. She laughed mentally. Believe me, I know.

And a quiet, small, well dress gentleman turned up his nose and made several notes on a small, concealed pad.

She could tell he was tired by how weakly he held on to her on the ride home. Kitty had taught Lucy how to ride a motorcycle and now Lucy would borrow Betsy's for any reason she could think of what-so-ever. She absolutely loved it.

Forge snuggled close.

I underestimate him… She thought. He takes that kind of pounding without a healing factor. He'll wake up like that tomorrow… still trying to heal…

She pursed her lips. It isn't fair. He's going to grow old and leave me… She swallowed. She knew better than to think that Forge was listening to her thoughts. He was very respectful that way. But they could announce their thoughts to each other without any difficulty at all.

I mean … he'll die… She thought.

"I heard that!" Forge sat up and glanced down at his sore and beaten body. "Why would I die?"

She looked back towards the road and swallowed. Because you'll get old and I wont. She thought quickly.

Oh, that. He thought with a chuckle. Don't worry. I wont be doing that for quite a few years.

It's … it's not fair. She thought softly.

I know. He thought back in a soothing whisper while giving her a little hug. Trust me, I know.

And he pursed his lips, his heart heavy with the fact that – no matter what – he was bound to let her down… Sooner … or later.

Forge? She thought to him.

Yeah?

Good fights. She beamed with pride. Especially the second one.

He laughed. The first one would be quicker if you'd have just made the bet right away.

He banned you too. She told him.

He laughed. Really?

I know other places. She thought back.

Let me enjoy being banned for a while, will ya? He shook his head. Geesh!

She laughed. Sure. It was a big step. She thought almost condescendingly.

And Forge rolled his eyes, as they leaned together, in to the final turn of the road on their way home.