Two Sides to Every Coin

By Princess Alexandria

AN: I ask for patience from my femslash readers, it will fit the challenge eventually, but I'm sort of playing with something a little new.

CHAPTER 1

"Let me get this right." Shan sounded a little irritated as Dani drove them into town and Dani started to doubt her own actions with the cold tone in Shan's voice. "You want me to go with you to the coffee shop because the woman that works there hit on you."

"It also has good coffee, but I was hoping that when you talked with her you could mention I was straight." Dani glanced over at Shan and gave a guilty little smile, now seeing how stupid this was. "She seems nice and she's pretty, maybe you might like her."

"And maybe you could have just told her yourself." Shan sighed. "This is sad Dani, really sad, when a woman hitting on you has you running for backup."

"I'm sorry. We could just go get breakfast and head back." Dani offered and stopped the car at the crosswalk while a jogger got the right of way. He had on a tight white tshirt that showed off every well defined muscle and shorts that let his strong legs move freely. Dani watched him slowly jog across the street, noticing how his shoulder length black hair moved with him, swaying. He looked good.

"Dani, Dani, earth to Dani." Shan sounded amused and Dani turned to look at her. "He's across now, you can go."

"Where to?" Dani blushed at having been caught staring. She'd seen him jogging this street before; he was like clockwork, always jogging by the town around 8 am. His route covered a bit of ground, because she'd seen him jogging closer to the mansion as well, a little after 7 sometimes.

"We might as well have coffee." Shan sighed. "But after this if any other woman hits on you, you just tell her yourself that you aren't gay."

"I didn't want to be rude."

Shan let out an aggravated sigh. "What do you do when a man you aren't interested in hits on you?"

"Like I was saying, I didn't want to be rude." Dani thought of the few men that had hit on her in the past, men with little courtesy and even less appeal. She didn't really know how to tell someone nice that she wasn't interested, and lying about a fictitious boyfriend wouldn't work here, where so many of her students went. That lie wouldn't last long. "I really didn't know what to do. This has never happened to me."

"I guess I should have hit on you in school." Shan muttered and Dani's eyes widened as she turned to stare at her friend, but Shan was just grinning at her. "Then you'd know what to do now. I blame myself really, for neglecting your education."

Walking into the coffee shop was a little nerve racking and Dani wondered again why she was bothering with this. She could have just stayed away, or been a little braver and explained that she didn't date women herself, but she turned it into a big thing and now felt foolish.

"Hey pretty lady. Want another Mocha?" Luna flirted and Dani blushed, but forced herself to step up in line with Shan behind her.

"Yes, thanks." Dani added and moved to open her purse while Luna started it, but turned to stare at a slightly grinning Shan, pleading with her eyes for Shan to do something.

"I saw David here last night with a few friends." Luna started to talk. "You give out that monster paper they were complaining about?"

"No, I think it was Scott that did that one." Dani glanced out the window and noticed that jogging man looking through his pockets in front of the place, and pulling out some money with a smile. Her eyes stayed glued to his soft smile, thinking it mad him look even better.

"Just ask him out why don't you?" Shan said a little too loudly and Dani blushed, looking back at her friend. She would have shushed Shan, but Shan's eyes widened in silent message and turned toward the coffee lady.

"I don't know anything about him."

"Except you like the way he looks." Shan smirked and shook her head.

"That's Andrew." Luna added and Dani turned to see the Mocha she'd ordered on the counter. "He comes in here every day at this time, orders a drink, reads the paper and disappears." Dani handed over her money and heard the bell on the door letting her know that Andrew was in the building. Luna's voice was quieter. "I think he's in some sort of business field. It's the Wall Street Journal he reads." Luna handed Dani her change and turned her attention to Shan.

Dani turned to take a sip of her drink and look at the man. He had sweat marks on his shirt and stood patiently waiting for his turn to order. His skin was a little shiny from his workout. His long black hair hung in his eyes and clung to his damp skin, and his eyes were an amazing blue. A shove from Shan drew Dani's eyes to her smirking friend just before Shan turned to him. "Hi." Shan smiled and Andrew smiled back, looking a little shy. It took Dani a moment to take the opening.

"I see you jogging around a lot." Dani shoved her wallet into her coat pocket and looked up at him. He was about Sam's height, and Dani knew her ex-teammate was six foot.

"Oh," He glanced at Luna and Dani noticed Luna was working on Shan's drink a little more slowly than normal. That woman was really nice to do this for her and for a moment Dani felt guilty again for bringing help to let Luna know she was straight. "Yeah, I'm the crazy one you see out there even if it's raining." His voice was nice, Dani smiled a little, not too deep but still deep enough. He turned to Luna. "Latte please." That's when Dani noticed that Shan's drink was just about done.

"Running," Shan shook her head as she dug out money for the drink she'd ordered, and Dani remembered she was going to pay for that too late. She'd just make it up to Shan later, "I prefer a nice gym, less rain and cars."

"It's an acquired taste." He seemed to relax. "But when my car broke down in college I decided to acquire and I've been doing it ever since."

"You mean you gave up on cars?" Dani asked.

"No, I'm not going to jog with my groceries." He grinned at her. His eyes seemed flirtatious, but not in that overdone way Remy had. "I have a car, one that works. I just don't use it all the time. I don't live that far away from work."

"So what do you do?" Shan asked and Dani felt like she had a blush, knowing that Shan was interrogating him to see if he was good enough for Dani even if he didn't.

Andrew gave Shan a look that was a little too cautious. "Ah, I find my life goes much better if I never think about my lowly position."

"He won't tell you, it takes the mystery out of him." Luna teased.

"Women want more than I can deliver. It's better to let them think up jobs than admit to my own." He teased back, taking his drink. "Nice meeting you ladies." And he walked away to sit at a table towards the back. Dani slowly shared a look with Shan and Shan smiled, tilting her head toward the back and Andrew.

"Seems nice, a little dodgy about the work thing." Shan spoke quietly when he was far enough away to not hear them. Dani glanced back at him opening his paper and the small smile he sent her way when he looked her way. It was different than other men, he seemed interested, his smile was welcoming, but he wasn't trying. Was he married? "In shape, cute if you go for that whole male thing." Shan continued her evaluation and Dani turned back to her, but noticed that Andrew was still looking, trying to not be obvious, but still looking.

"Oh yeah, if I went for that whole male thing I'd be interested." Luna added quietly and Dani looked over at the woman glancing Andrew's way. "He's so polite, I actually saw him help an old lady with her groceries one day. He noticed her having trouble putting them in the trunk across the street and just walked right up and offered." Her voice dropped quieter. "He's also helped me out a time or two when the male customer's think I want them to hit on me. He's been my pretend boyfriend twice to get rid of truckers. Telling men like that you're gay and not interested isn't always a good idea."

"No kidding." Shan added and Dani was suddenly aware that lesbian's dealt with the same problems she did when it came to men. It made her feel bad about her reason for being there, because unlike Luna, she could have just said she was straight and not worried about being beat up for it.

"No wedding ring." Shan muttered, looking his way. Dani fought the urge to turn around and look at him, because it would make it obvious who they were talking about.

"I don't think he has a girlfriend, or boyfriend for that matter, but he doesn't talk about himself much." Luna told them when Shan glanced at Luna with the unasked question. Dani's eyes widened a little at the mention of boyfriend. She'd never even considered that.

"Dani, why don't you go sit by him and I'll stand here and find out what Luna knows." Shan turned to face her fully and then her eyes widened and her head tilted. It felt like Shan wanted to be alone with Luna and Dani's eyes widened a little as she stared back. After a moment of that stare Dani sighed and decided to give it a shot. Still this wasn't what she'd planned for the day.

Dani took her mocha and sat down at the table next to his, glancing at the paper he had out and was reading. Emma was actually on the page, being outed as a mutant just like the school had been. It hadn't taken the press long to make the connections to where she was living now. Maybe it would be a good idea to stay away from the mansion this morning, at least until Emma calmed down, because she was probably just seeing this now as well. "Did you want to read over my shoulder or should I read to you?" A teasing male voice spoke and Dani looked up from the paper to see him smiling at her.

"Well," Dani took the opening. "What's this about Frost Industries?" Rarely could she feel out a potential boyfriend about mutants so smoothly. Dani would have to thank Emma for being outed after the blonde calmed down, it would irritate her.

"Frost Industries is one of the most successful woman run businesses today." Andrew set the paper down on the table so that Dani could read the headlines and more if she wanted. "Their CEO built it, cultivated it, and during that stock market crash took just as big a hit as everyone else, but she pulled it out. Now," His lecture voice was not really letting his emotions show, but he shook his head and it returned to normal as he stopped pretending to teach, "she's been exposed as a mutant and people are making allegations that it's unfair and that she must have done things unfairly to be so successful." His voice when he said unfair sounded like he thought people were whining. "I'll admit she's been involved in some ruthless action, I've read about some takeovers that made me cringe, but this could ruin her if she isn't careful."

Maybe Dani would avoid Emma all day, she thought, knowing how snappy and short tempered the blonde would be. "You follow her career?" It seemed strange. He grimaced a little and picked up his Latte.

"I follow the work of successful women in business. It's inspiring. It's still mostly a man's field but there are some women," he motioned to the paper, "that really make a name for themselves. And you know that they had to work for it because it is a man's world right now and they are cracking the glass ceiling." Dani couldn't help but think he was great for thinking of that, a male feminist in a way. It earned him points, that and the fact that he seemed unconcerned with the mutant thing.

"Are you in business?" Dani asked and leaned forward, her attention fully on him. He blushed and smiled a little nervously as he looked away for a moment.

"There's a pool going on around here on what I do for a living and when I'll tell anyone. Luna thinks I don't know about it." He grinned a little conspiratorially. "Her ex-girlfriend told me about it before they broke up, and asked me straight out what I did and if it was banking so she'd win the pool." Dani glanced toward Luna and noticed that Shan and Luna were talking and paying them no attention anymore. The way Shan leaned on the counter said it all, Shan was interested. "I'm holding out on answering that one. What I do isn't interesting, but this constant game of guessing is fun and I don't want to end it just yet."

"Okay." She smiled her understanding.

"So what about you?" He sat up a little and turned a little towards her in his chair. "I'd guess," He pretended to study her and Dani blushed a little at the smirk on his lips. "accountant?" Dani grinned. "No, okay lemme try again." His smile was cute and boyish. He studied her body for just a moment. "athlete?" Dani just shook her head, but he was getting closer. "Personal trainer?" She chuckled and he turned to face her a bit more. "Well, then you must be a teacher."

"How did you do that?" Dani knew there were other choices he could have made.

"I got it didn't I?" He wiggled his eyebrows and took a deep drink of his latte. "Actually it wasn't hard. Your car is the only one out there and it has a Xavier's Institute folder in the back seat. Either you or your friend had to work there." He laughed and Dani had to join him.

"So you knew."

"That you're most likely a mutant and a teacher?" His voice calmed and was softer. "Yeah, I knew."

"You often go around looking in cars?" Dani spoke, her voice more flirtatious. He looked like a cute little boy caught doing something naughty and not at all ashamed.

They talked for twenty minutes, before he looked at his watch and seemed to panic. "I've got to go." He grimaced and then folded up the paper he didn't get to finish. "It was really nice meeting you," He paused.

"Dani, my name's Dani." Dani held out a hand to shake, just out of habit really, but he took it and did shake her hand with a smile.

"I'm," He looked down for just a moment, "Andrew. I better go or I'll be late for that job I won't tell you about."

"Okay," She continued to smile as he rushed off, clearly very late.

Shan came and sat down across from her. "So?"

"He has potential." Dani turned her smile to her friend.

"Any chance you found out what his job was?" Shan's smile was a little wicked and Dani laughed.

"What did you bet on?"

"House painter." Shan tilted her head just a little. "How did you know?"

"He knows about the bets, that's why he won't tell anyone. He's letting the pot grow."

CHAPTER 2

Andrew cooled down and stretched in the alley next to the Grind Stone. His heart rate calmed from the jog and the breeze was cool on his damp skin. Soon he'd have to pull out the sweatpants, because Fall felt like it was finally on it's way. The nice weather had lasted a bit longer than normal this summer.

As he walked toward the front door he noticed a familiar car and smiled. Dani, she'd been nice and it had been nice to just sit and chat with someone. It wasn't something he did often enough.

It didn't hurt that she had such pretty eyes, he thought. She wasn't really an overly beautiful woman, but there was just something about her that made him look at her.

Clearly she was a Native American, and he knew nothing about Native Americans, but the way she dressed and did her hair made it pretty clear it was a big part of who she was. Andrew didn't even know what his heritage was. He knew he was part Italian, it was in his last name after all, but what else he couldn't tell. All he knew was that she was fun to talk to and she liked talking to him.

When he stepped into the coffee shop he could see it was a little busier than he liked, but he stood in line while glancing around. Dani was reading and working on her mocha. He smiled at the way she seemed to be concentrating. "So what is it for you today?" Luna asked when the man in front of him left with his drink.

"Extra Tall Latte." He said and leaned against the post near the register.

"Sure thing Mr. Prosecutor." Luna said it like a question and Andrew just grinned and shook his head. "Sure this much coffee won't make you shaky Dr. Andrew?" He chuckled.

"The sight of blood makes me sick and I can't argue my way out of anything."

"You could just tell me what you do for a living." Luna said as she worked on his drink.

"What's the fun in that?" Andrew felt a little uneasy with the seriousness in her tone, hidden but there. He couldn't really tell people anything. "So, Dani's back." He turned to look at the teacher.

"Yep. Let me just tell you I was a bit disappointed that she doesn't bat for my team." Luna looked up with a grin. "But her friend is kinda cute don't you think?"

"So you were chatting her up the other day weren't you?" Andrew teased.

"And you? I've never seen you talk with anyone when you're here but me." Luna glanced over at Dani meaningfully. "She bats for your team." Andrew grimaced. Luna's eyes widened a little, "Unless you happen to prefer men."

"So now it's not just where do I work huh?" His voice was a little deeper, but he took a deep breath and pushed his irritation away. "How about we just say I'm a lesbian and leave it at that?" He grinned at her and batted his eyelashes. "So, since I'm a lesbian…"

"It'll take a bit more than saying that to make you dateable." Luna shook her head and put his latte on the counter.

"I have a dress at home I could wear." He wiggled his eyebrows and Luna just laughed.

"I'd pay money to see that." She shook her head and took his money for the latte. "And do you have a lot of dresses Andrew?"

"Just three." He grinned at her and walked away, leaving her wondering if he was joking.

Dani looked up and her eyes caught him instantly. He moved to sit at the table next to her, sitting so he could face her. "Hi, how's teaching?"

"Been better." She sighed. "I sometimes think teenagers are a different species altogether."

"Yep." He put his paper down, but didn't open it. "I can see that. Their diet alone, and then there is their strange mating rituals and the way the herd searches for malls like antelopes search for water. Yep, definitely a different species." She grinned and looked a little less tired.

They talked for twenty minutes, before Andrew had to leave, taking his unread paper with him.

…………………

CHAPTER 3

"and she asked me to go with her to the concert." Shan smiled as she spoke and Dani could see the woman was happy to be going on a date. There was no mention as to how long it had been.

"That's nice." Dani smiled and was about to tease when the steering wheel jerked suddenly. It took a fraction of a second to know that a tire just blew and her smile faded instantly as she pulled off to the side of the road. "Great, this is just great." Dani muttered as she found some level ground to put the car.

"Do you have a spare?" Shan asked and Dani sighed.

"Yes, I just don't know if I have anything else." She told her friend as she opened the door. She'd have to check the trunk, but she was pretty sure that she didn't have a jack, or one that worked at least. Last time this had happened she'd borrowed one from someone else and told herself she needed to get a new one, but she'd run into a mission after that and well, it slipped her mind. They'd need to hope someone came along, or they'd have to call the mansion.

In a few minutes she had the spare out and was digging around for the broken jack, hoping that if she moved fast enough she could beat the way that jack tended to pump up and then let down right away.

After the third attempt to keep the car up Dani was ready to give up. Shan's voice interrupted her as Dani worked to tug the jack free of the car. "Prince Charming is on the way."

"What?" Dani looked up at Shan.

"Andrew." Shan nodded in a way that said turn around he's behind her and Dani turned to see Andrew jogging up to them. She looked down at her dirty hands and could see some of her hair was in her eyes. Her jeans were dirty and she really hated that he'd see her this way.

"Problem ladies?" He sounded a little winded, and Dani stood up as he finished getting closer. He looked down at the spare and the jack. "Can I help?"

"I could do it if the jack worked." Dani told him and he looked down at the jack in question. He was quiet and glanced around making Dani think something was up.

"If I lift it you could change it?" He spoke quietly, his eyes stopped her from protesting that he couldn't just lift a car.

"Can you lift a car?" Shan asked before Dani could.

"I can't pick it up and toss it, but I can do enough for this." He gave Dani a shy smile and spoke softly. "Not every mutant lives in that school."

"You're a mutant." Dani smiled a little as she caught on to the less than subtle hint. It wasn't even a hint. "superstrength?"

"Sometimes, among other things." He muttered and moved to get closer to the car. "I lift, you change. Tell me when I can let it down, and please don't let anyone see me do this." He looked serious and a little nervous. Dani turned to look at Shan, letting her know that she'd be responsible for keeping people looking away if they drove past. Shan's power would make that easy for her. He had reason to be nervous, Dani knew that. The climate for mutants in the state was on a downward trend.

"Ready when you are." Dani said and watched him move to lay on the ground, watched how his body wiggled as he scooted into position partially under the car. His sweatpants covered his muscular legs, and Dani couldn't help but think it was a shame. She let her eyes caress him, until Shan gave a fake cough and Dani looked up into her friends amused eyes, and then realized that the car had moved up.

"Oh," Dani moved to kneel on the ground and quickly worked to loosen lug nuts to change the tire. "I thought you'd be in town now."

"It's my day off. I just jog in, get my latte and go home." Andrew didn't sound like he was having trouble holding the car up. "It is the weekend."

"So you have a job that gets the weekend off." Dani spoke, a little bit of teasing in her tone, as she worked on another lug nut.

"Don't tell me you bet on that too." Andrew's voice was full of humor and Dani knew she wouldn't be getting an answer to her question. "And you have an oil leak, did you know that?"

"No, actually I didn't." Dani pulled the last lug nut off and moved to grip the tire, pulling it away from the car. "Is it bad?"

"Not yet, but I'm gonna need to scrub my fingernails good to get them clean again." Andrew's answer was teasing and slightly feminine. It made Dani pause for a moment and then she just grinned at a man worrying about that.

"I'm sorry my car isn't housebroken." She pulled the tire off and set it to the side, then leaned down to look at him, seeing how he was basically bench pressing her car, holding it up with strong arms that didn't seem to strain at all. He grinned a little at her.

She moved to grab the spare and moved it into place. The spare was light in comparison and she'd need to get a new tire soon, it was just enough tire to get her home. "Well, if we can't talk about what you do for work, what do you do for fun?" Dani asked and did her best to forget that Shan was standing nearby. It was only fair that Shan try to blend into the road right now, Dani had sat back long enough for Shan to get a date today.

"I like going up to the Catskills and hiking. Getting close to nature." Andrew answered. "I also like movies and an occasional play." Dani paid a lot of attention to him as she also worked to secure the lug nuts to the car again. "What about you?"

"I'm Cheyenne, getting close to nature is in my blood." Dani smiled as she worked. "The Catskills are pretty nice, but I miss Colorado sometimes." She had to pick up another lug nut and carefully started it by hand, twisting it into place. "I like movies and an occasional play too." She worked on the tire and went quiet for a moment. He should have asked at that pause, but he didn't.

"I," Andrew let that one word out and went quiet again. Dani looked up at Shan and noticed her friend waving for her to continue.

"Would you like to go out to a movie tonight?" Dani asked, stopping her work to look under the car. He still looked like it wasn't an effort to hold the car. "I can pay you back for helping us, popcorn's on me?"

"No, no," Andrew looked a little red and he nibbled on his lip. "You don't have to pay me back, but if you want," He looked so shy and nervous and Dani could almost see him doubting himself, "well, I could use a movie." He looked at her. "Dinner too maybe." Why he didn't know he was absolutely gorgeous Dani had no idea, but he was too shy about this. Still, she liked that about him, he wasn't overly aware of how absolutely gorgeous he was.

"Sounds great." Dani moved to finish working and finally was able to tell him to put the car down. His hands were a bit dirty when he came out from under the car, so he didn't let her help him up.

CHAPTER 4

Andrew stood in front of the sink in his condo scrubbing at the black dirt under his nails with a nail brush and sighed. A date, it had been a while and maybe, just maybe this time nothing would get in the way. It would be nice if that happened just once. He felt a little hopeful that Dani was more open minded.

The phone rang and he sighed as he looked at it and started to dry his hands.

Ginny moved to grab the phone quickly on the fourth ring, "Hello."

"Hey boss," A familiar voice spoke and Ginny knew it was probably a good thing that she'd answered even though she'd been busy. "I can't find something that was supposed to be in that last shipment."

"What is it?" Ginny moved to sit at the kitchen counter and tilted her head to hold the phone as she grabbed some paperwork nearby while she listened. She had to move the dirty towel out of her way. She picked it up and tossed it into the sink.

……………………….

CHAPTER 5

Dani checked her appearance in the hall mirror again and checked the time. Andrew wasn't late yet. "Date?" Emma's cool voice came from the doorway and Dani's back tensed, before she turned to look at the blonde.

"Yes." Dani stood a little taller and studied Emma.

"Well, hopefully he's housebroken, but if that isn't the case you could meet him outside." Emma spoke and Dani's eyes narrowed at the insult. She opened her mouth to reply, but the knock on the front door stopped her.

Dani gave Emma one more glare and moved to open the door. Andrew's smile helped to relax her, and he looked really good in black slacks and a blue button up shirt, not formal but much closer than what she'd always seen him in before, his workout clothes. "Hey." Dani smiled at him. "You found me." He'd said he knew the way to the school.

"Yeah, it was getting whoever controls the gate to let me in that was the hard part." Andrew glanced back toward his car, parked and waiting for them. "I didn't realize you all had so much security around this place."

"Oh Danielle, do introduce your date." Emma's voice drew Andrew's eyes back into the mansion and Dani did her best to not roll her eyes. Andrew might actually want to meet Emma, crazy as that sounded.

At that moment Dani realized that she didn't know Andrew's last name yet. She just moved to the side to let him take a step inside. "Andrew, this is Emma." Andrew smiled at the blonde and nodded just a little hello, and it made Dani want to get him away from here sooner when Emma smiled back, looking like she was amused with something. "Emma, this is Andrew."

"It's nice to meet you." Andrew held out a hand and Emma took it. Dani watched every move. "I read about your interview. Good job making them look like idiots." Dani didn't even know what interview Andrew was talking about, it must have been a response to the claims against Emma.

"It was hardly a challenge." Emma smirked at Andrew and Dani noticed the blonde glancing her way after she'd done it. "From what I've overheard you are quite the mystery man."

Andrew blushed. "Not really."

"But there is so much that Danielle doesn't know about you." Dani glared at Emma, warning her with her eyes to back off. "Well, you two have fun." Emma's smile was wicked and worrisome. Dani took Andrew's hand and led him outside before Emma did something.

Andrew looked a little shaken. "That ruthlessness in business thing you noticed about her." Dani started as she noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway that must be Andrew's. "It's pretty much a blanket ruthlessness. She's never really all that nice."

"Oh." He took a moment to shake his head and Dani's eyes narrowed as she realized that Emma had probably been going through his mind as they stood there. Her hands clenched at the invasion of privacy, and she promised herself that after she got back from this date she'd hunt that blonde down. "Well, shall we get going?" His smile looked a little forced.

Andrew held the door opened for her and Dani moved closer to him than necessary to get into the car, noticing how his eyes seemed to caress her. "And you look very nice in that dress." He spoke softly.

"Thank you." Dani smiled and finished sitting down. He closed the car door gently and moved around the car to get in. "You look very nice too." Dani glanced at him and noticed the light blush. It didn't escape her notice that those clothes looked rather new.

"Thanks." He started the car.

"What is your last name?" Dani had to ask. It made her a little uncomfortable that she hadn't known.

"Mancinelli." Andrew answered, then he looked a little startled and glanced at Dani. "What about you?"

"Moonstar." Dani noticed the normal reaction to her last name, a second of disbelief. "It's a Native American thing."

"Mine's apparently an Italian thing, but other than that I can't tell you more. My family's considered themselves American so long anything else is lost."

"Yeah." Dani smirked at him and didn't point out that her people were the original Americans.

CHAPTER 6

It took a little while for Andrew to relax after meeting Emma, but eventually they were smiling and talking over the table at the restaurant. He still felt nervous and a bit depressed, but he pushed those feelings aside. Dani was a mutant too. Maybe this could go somewhere. It was his differences that led to almost all of his breakups in the past. A few had stuck around a while, but it never lasted. He was tired of that, tired of pretending to be acceptable in order to hold onto anyone for even a second date.

Maybe Dani was more open minded, he thought with a bit of hope, but Emma's words about his secrets worried him. "What is Emma's mutation anyway?" He asked in a lull during the conversation and could see Dani wasn't pleased.

"She's a telepath. She also can turn to diamond." Dani stopped the fork moving toward her mouth and Andrew did his best to not show how much that wasn't the answer he'd wanted to hear.

"And you?" He asked, hoping for a different answer from Dani.

"I can show people their nightmares or they're dreams." Dani's answer was too brief and Andrew knew he barely understood it. Still it wasn't telepathy. "What about you?"

He should have expected this to be turned on him. Andrew glanced around and could see they still had privacy. "Well, sometimes I'm strong and other times I'm fast." There was something else, but he didn't feel like he could share that just yet. It always got the worst reaction when people found out.

"Are you ever both?" Dani asked and took a bite of the nearly complete dinner.

"Once in a while." Andrew wanted off this topic. "So which movie did you want to see, the chick flick or the action movie?"

"You haven't even told me what movies are playing?"

Andrew grinned. "I don't know, but chances are there is a chick flick and an action movie."

"Let me guess, you want the action movie?"

"I'm good with either." Andrew told her and took another bite of dinner while he let Dani decide.

"I don't even know what's playing. How can I pick?"

"Or we could see whatever is in theater three." He smirked at her.

"You never like giving out any information do you?" Dani shook her head, but she still looked amused, so Andrew just smiled.

His smile faded before he answered. "People have a lot of preconceived ideas about things. I like to just give everything a chance before I decide I don't like it."

"That sounds like a good plan." Dani's smile was soft and Andrew hoped she really meant that.

CHAPTER 7

As they walked out of the theater they walked slowly. Dani was in no rush for this evening to be over. The movie was only okay, but they'd whispered to each other making the odd comments that had them both laughing at the wrong times in the theater and a few people glaring at them. It had been comfortable, like spending an evening at the movie with a friend, but the odd moment when they'd touched or the soft brush of his breath on her cheek as he whispered something amusing to her keep it from being just comfortable. Dani really thought she could like him, given time maybe even more than like him. Her heart felt full with the hope as they walked toward his car.

"This was fun." Dani said as she waited for Andrew to unlock his car.

"We should do it again." He offered and looked over at her. Dani smiled at him, glad that it seemed like this would lead to another date. "Or, well, I was planning a day hike next weekend. Was going to go to the Catskills and just hike for a few hours."

"That sounds like fun." Dani liked that he seemed to like nature, respect it. They had that in common.

"Yeah." He held the door opened and she got in. As they drove back to the mansion he started to grow quiet and Dani felt like maybe he was regretting asking her out. It made her feel a little sick as she wondered what he was thinking. He pulled into the driveway and Dani was able to get them past the gate. When he stopped he shut down the car and turned to her. He looked nervous. "There's something you should know." Andrew looked at her and with the lights from the mansion she was able to see him easily even at night. "I want to tell you that I'm bisexual. I don't have a boyfriend right now, but I've had them in the past." Dani stared at him in shock. "Even if I'm not with a man, it's still a part of who I am, just as much as my mutation. I really like you Dani, and I'd like to date you again. I'd like to take you with me hiking, but I don't want to start something if you aren't able to accept me."

He went quiet and Dani had no idea what to say. She knew gay people, gay men even, but she'd never dated a man that dated other men. Her mind seemed to freeze, so she just said what was running through it. "I don't know what to say."

His smile looked so sad. "Women never do. Look, if you can't handle it that's okay. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened to me, but I had fun tonight and you know where to find me if you want to plan for a trip next Saturday."

"Yeah." Dani felt like she was in a daze as she stepped out of the car. She walked around to the other side and made her decision before she moved away. She walked up to his window. He rolled it down. "I had a wonderful time Andrew. What time did you want to pick me up next Saturday?" His eyes seemed to brighten and she smiled. It was strange to her, but she wasn't willing to give up just yet. Andrew was a pretty nice guy and she hadn't had that much fun on a date in a long time. Dani leaned into the car and kissed him quickly goodnight, before turning to walk up the stairs.

"Eight." He called out and she turned to see him smiling at her. "I'll be here at eight in the morning."

CHAPTER 8

"Mancinelli you say." Emma interrupted Dani talking about her date with Shan and Dani turned to see the blonde standing in the library doorway. "Italian, interesting." Emma walked into the room, her hips swaying just a little too much, taunting and Dani didn't want to hear what she'd say. "Learn anything else about him? Perhaps something more interesting or different?"

Dani glared as she realized what Emma was suggesting. "Andrew is a very nice man." Just because he was bisexual Emma thought he was what? Gross? No, Dani was a little thrown by that but it didn't make Andrew any less of a nice man. "And I didn't appreciate you scanning my date."

"Oh, but you know so little about him Dani. I was just making sure he was safe." Emma leaned back, partly sitting on a study table. "He's not like other men, but he seems harmless enough." Emma's smirk drew Shan's glare as well. Dani had talked about the bisexuality right away before anything else. Just to make sure she wasn't getting in over her head. She'd needed to talk to someone and Shan would know more about it than Dani.

"Don't you have some innocent young minds to twist and warp?" Shan spoke coldly to the telepath.

"Yes, I suppose I do have work I could do." Emma moved to fully stand. "But you know that name, Mancinelli, I've heard it around here before." Emma pretended to have to think about it, but Dani knew it was an act. "I believe a few of the students were talking about her." Dani's eyebrows drew together at that, not liking the implications. "A beautiful woman if what they said was right. Runs the comic book shop in town, and a few of the students go every week, making sure it's when she works. I wonder if it's any relation?"

"What are you talking about Emma?" Dani's voice was lower in a threat.

"Just wondering Dani," Emma smiled at her. "I mean you do know so little about him." Emma strode out the door after leaving that pit of doubt in Dani's stomach.

"Don't let her get to you. It could be anything, a sister, a cousin." Shan offered quietly. "It doesn't have to be a wife."

"Yeah." Dani muttered, but Emma clearly got something from Andrew's mind and it wouldn't be the first time that Dani had picked the wrong man.

"No, Dani, don't just take her word for it." Shan spoke again, demanding but quiet. "He didn't seem like the type to do that."