Storm had just finished handing out a plate of detentions to the loud-mouthed group of boys when Bobby, Rouge, and Kurt walked up to her.

"Did you see T.J. come by here?" Rouge asked.

Storm gave a confused look, "No. Why?"

"She saw Kurt and just bolted out of the kitchen." Said Bobby, "She didn't even say anything, she just left."

Storm looked at Kurt, who seemed slightly embarassed by the fact that he'd made a teenaged girl run away from him.

"Why would she run away?" Storm asked. The question was directed more at herself than anyone else in the group. T.J. had said she would be fine with meeting the others. Had she really changed her mind that fast?

"She didn't run by here?" Asked Rouge. She didn't know wether to be concerned or relieved. She hadn't known how to feel when she found out that they were inviting a mutant who had managed to take down the entire Brotherhood into the mansion.

"No." Said Storm, "Why don't you guys check upstairs for her, and I'll look outside."

"OK." Said Rouge. She, Bobby, and Kurt began to walk upstairs. Storm noticed that Kurt was avoiding her eyes. Did he honestly think that he had done something wrong?

With a small shrug, Storm headed for the back door. She figured that T.J. had nowhere else to go, and had only sent the others upstairs to give them something to do.

She found T.J. sitting on a small bench in the back lot that was hidden by some bushes. She seemed to be watching a basketball game going on on the court, but anyone who stopped to look at her could tell she was actually lost in her won thoughts.

"T.J.?" Storm asked softly.

T.J. jumped slightly and turned around. She saw Storm standing there and remembered what she had said.

"I'm sorry I ran away." She said.

"It's all right." Said Storm, taking a seat next to the girl, "But can you tell me why you did?"

"I saw his eyes and just..." T.J. sighed, "I don't know. There was something there that I recognized. It...it's hard to explain. But it scared me for some reason."

Storm nodded, "I see." A lie, actually. She didn't understand at all.

"Please just let all of them know that it's nothing he did." T.J. said, "I don't want them to think I'm afraid of him..." She stopped. In a very deep way, she kind of was afraid of him. His eyes had seemed...so familiar somehow.

"I'll let them know." Said Storm.

T.J. smiled slightly. In the few hours she had known Storm, she had been treated like an actual person. Everyone she had been introduced to seemed the same way. Except for Logan, of course.

"Look," Storm said, breaking the silence, "we have a room for you upstairs if that's where you'd rather be. The other kids here can be kind of harsh to someone who...looks like you. No offense."

"None taken. I get it alot. I would like a room, though."

"OK," Said Storm, standing up, "follow me."

T.J. stood up and, out of habit, pulled her hood over her head. She followed Storm into the house and up the stairs to her new room. It seemed cozy enough. At least there was a bed.

"Thank you." Said T.J., and for the first time since she had entered the mansion, she said it softly.

Storm only nodded and smiled before walking out and closing the door.

T.J. took her hood off and walked around the room. There was a dresser with a small TV on top. The remote lay next to the TV on the dresser. The bed was rather large and had alot of pillows and blankets on it. It would be comfortable enough for the few hours that T.J. actually slept at night. The window was huge and looked out onto the back terrace and the large yard. It was very homey. The kind of place she might just like to live in for a while. There was only one little flaw: There was no bathroom inside the room.

The bathroom was actually down the hall. T.J. would have to leave the room to use it. Not really the best of setups, but it would have to do for now. At least these people seemed willing to help her.

With a large sigh, she flopped onto the bed. Sure enough, it was really comfy! With the sun setting outside the window, T.J. closed her eyes and let the feeling of total bliss flow over her. Before long, she was asleep.

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OK, so this chapter is really short. Sorry! I was just looking for a way to introduce the next chapter, which is going to be alot more interesting and informative, I promise! Please review and I'll post as soon as I can!