January 7th

Dahlia turned around in the full length mirror of the institute to watch her tail sway side to side freely from the hole cut in the little red dress she wore. She along with Jean, Scott, Kurt, Logan, Storm and the Professor had been invited to a dinner party at some fancy mansion by Hank, the Secretary of Mutant Affairs, along with several other important government representatives.

Dahlia didn't really completely understand the whole situation as to why they were going but she knew that Hank and Xavier had a very good relationship and they were hoping to build stronger mutant relationships with the people at the party tonight. Hank believed that this was the first step.

She wrinkled her nose though, not hiding her mutation made her uneasy. She stroked her tail self-consciously. She took a deep breath, not completely sure about this. What if someone recognized her? She snorted, like her family knew anyone so important, like her family was anyone important.

A sly smile crawled on her face though and she cupped her butt in her hands. She did look good though and she'd never considered wearing heels before to hide the funny way she walked on the balls of her feet all the time. Her smile turned into a grin and she gave her butt a squeeze.

BAMF!

Dahlia shrieked and jumped back from Kurt. "Kurt!"

He grinned mischievously at her, she'd told him thousands of times not to do that, yet he still did. She slapped his arm in mock aggression.

He'd chosen a long sleeved button-down maroon red shirt that complimented his blue skin well along with black slacks. Hank had encouraged them not to hide their mutation, to embrace it, that they were safe, that he was making progress with the people. Dahlia turned quickly to look in the mirror again, a frown appearing on her face, she knew Kurt was up here to tell her they were ready to leave.

Sadness tugged at Kurt's heart when he saw her expression and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You look lovely, Liebchen, do not vorry so much."

Dahlia chewed her lip softly, careful not to cut herself with her increasingly sharp eyeteeth. "Thank you," She said with hesitation, between her, Kurt, and Hank, they would be the only real mutant-looking mutants at the party. "It's just…you know?" She turned to look at him, wide eyes full of concern.

"Yes, I do. But it vill be alright, I am certain of it. Dr. McCoy is very trust-vorthy" He took her hand to his chest in reassurance and she looked up at him with a small smile. "Ve shouldn't have to hide how ve look, this is th'first step. Ve are in t'is together, ja?"

Dahlia's smile grew and she took a deep breath, "Ja," She replied raising her heels a bit, mimicking his accent. "Ve are in this together."

"Good," His lips pulled back in to a grin to reveal sharp, white teeth. He pulled her into a hug and she wrapped her arms around him contently. "Now ve must go, ja? Ja."

Dahlia's eyes widened, "Wha-hey!"

BAMF!

Toad leaned onto the counter of a shabby, old underground bar not far from his house. He kept his head down with the hood of his jacket up even though the owner was said to be mutant. He didn't know if that was true and that was why it was only him and another person in the place, or if it was false and just a dump. He snorted, he was just glad he found a place outside the eye of the public.

He jingled the ice in his glass of scotch, listening on edge to the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs and then the soft ploooosshhh sound the seat made when the new comer took a seat beside him. Toad held his breath, glancing over towards the strong-jawed black haired man beside him.

The man gestured at the bartender who nodded an acknowledgement.

"The usual," the man said and the Bartender slid a tequila Sunrise down to him. Toad snorted quietly at the girly drink. The man cocked an eyebrow with a slight smile, "Problem?"

"No," Toad replied curtly, turning his attention to the TV in the corner. The anchorman stood in front of a home where several expensive cars were parked in the large curve of a driveway but whatever he was talking about went unheard since the TV was on mute.

"Looks like somebody's throwin' a party," The man commented, trying to make friendly conversation.

Toad downed the rest of his scotch and pulled his hood farther over his head. He pushed his chair back to get up and started towards the stairs with hands stuffed into his pockets.

"The names Jamie," The man said loudly over his shoulder to him, "Jamie Madox."

Toad stopped in his tracks. Jamie? The Jamie Madox? Multiple-man? He'd heard Mag's speak about him before but they never could locate the guy. What did he want with him? Toad turned to face him cautiously.

"Yeah…thought you might know that name." Jamie turned on his stool and leaned on his knee. "Why don't we uh…find a quiet place and have a chat…Toad?"

Dahlia sat beside Kurt in the back of the limo, Jean and Scott on one side with Logan and Storm on the other with Hank and Xavier at the front. Dahlia stroked her tail continuously out of nerves and Kurt eventually put his hand on hers to stop her. Pulled out of her thoughts she looked up at him. His warm gaze held hers for a moment then trailed down to the fur she was starting to shed. She flushed red, trying to brush it off of her then picked at some of the strands on his pants.

"I'm sorry Kurt…" She said quietly, trying to keep her voice down, obviously embarrassed.

Hank just smiled at her warmly from his spot beside the professor. "Don't be embarrassed, Dahlia" He told her and her face went redder when the others turned their attention to her. "It happens to me all the time." He pointed at the fur on his face and chuckled.

The limo hit a hard bump in the road that sent Dahlia up, hitting the low ceiling of the limo then hard against Kurt and knocked Jean off her seat. The driver rolled down the window at the front.

"Sorry 'bout that, didn't see that in the road."

"It's okay, just please be more careful, and make sure we're on time." Hank said.

"Yes sir, jus'bout to pull up now." The driver replied before rolling up the window.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked Dahlia, watching her straighten herself up and rub her head a bit.

"I think so," She winced as the limo came to a stop. Her heart sank as the valet opened the limo door for them and it came her time to step out. She stared with wide eyes at the crowd of people from within the windows.

"Hey kid, plannin' on getting out anytime soon?" Logan said gruffly from behind her. Dahlia pouted and stepped out, going stand beside Kurt and Storm while the valets pulled professor's wheelchair from the trunk. Her tail puffed out slightly from nerves when they actually made their way in.

Professor was greeted by several men off the bat and the others dispersed quickly aside from her and Kurt who stood around awkwardly. She spotted Storm across the room beside Xavier and Scott but after scanning the room again she couldn't see Jean or Logan anywhere.

A server passed by then, offering them a drink. Kurt shook his head but Dahlia took one off the tray and sniffed it. Grimacing she placed it back, she couldn't drink in front of professor, he knew how old she was. She inched closer to Kurt and leaned in to him.

"Should we go see the professor?" She whispered.

"I-I don't know. The man…" Kurt trailed off, "I think it is Senator Kelly. Can you see?"

Dahlia narrowed her pupils into tiny slits, squinting to see the man till her vision zoomed into him a bit. She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes till the aching went away.

"It's Kelly," She confirmed, remembering what he had told her in secret only a few days before. They knew Mystique was impersonating the Senator for mutant rights but as long as she was doing more good than bad they'd decided not to expose her, hoping she would cooperate with them.

Storm beckoned them over and Dahlia and Kurt exchanged a glance. She wondered if the others knew that she knew. Well, surely professor knew she knew? Her ears tilted back in dismay as she walked up to the man.

"Mr. Kelly, this is Dahlia and Kurt, I don't believe you've had a chance to meet them before." Professor said. He met Dahlia's gaze and smiled reassuringly as if he were reading her mind, which, was actually a very plausible possibility.

"I don't believe I have. Pleased to meet you," Kelly smiled at the two and extended his hand to them. Dahlia's eyes widened when she met his as she shook his (Or erm, her?) hand. Kelly smiled back before turning to talk with Kurt.

Dahlia stood back to watch the others talk; her heart kept pounding in her chest. Did she really just shake hands with a terrorist? Someone who was willing to kill for mutants to rule? Someone willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get what they wanted? A shiver passed through her. How terrible. Why they hadn't turned Mystique in despite her sudden good deeds was beyond her, people like that shouldn't be allowed to just walk around freely.

A waiter brought by a tray of appetizers and she plucked a piece of salmon sashimi off quickly. She placed it in her mouth and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. Your first thought may be to think this had to do with her cat-like mutation, but really, she just loved sushi.

She hadn't been told much about what happened with Magneto aside from who Magneto and Mystique were and a bit about what they believed and had done. She knew Rogue had been the one Magneto was willing to sacrifice for the "greater good" of mutants, but nobody really talked about it much. She suspected if Kurt hadn't of found out as much as he had, she probably wouldn't have found out anything at all.

Dahlia shifted her weight to her other foot, her eyes following the sushi tray into the crowd. She decided to set on after it, weaving her way through the crowd of people. She watched the server disappear behind a pair of closed doors and pouted at her lost snack.

"Dahlia?"

Dahlia whipped around with wide eyes to the feminine voice behind her. She was met by the wide eyed gaze of a young lady with sleek black hair to the middle of her back. Dahlia's mouth fell open. It was Diana, from her AP Chemistry class in high school.

"D-D-Diana," Dahlia stuttered, her pupils widened abnormally.

The girl's jaw dropped. "No. Way. You're like, a mutant." Her face seemed to light up in realization. "Everyone said you were kidnapped! No way!"

Dahlia's eyes darted around for a way out. "Y-you can't let anyone know!" She whispered to her urgently, getting closer. "I-if my parents f-find out, if people find out, I don't know what'll happen!"

Diana's eyebrows turned up in concern. "Whoa like no concern. I graduated ages ago; I don't even talk to half those people anymore." She shook her head, "I don't even live here anymore. What happened to you?" She stared at Dahlia's ears and her lips pulled back grimly. "I mean, not like that, I mean like, you know, you ran away?"

"Ssshh!" Dahlia put a finger up to her lips, "I can't talk about it here…but yes," Her tail tried to curl around her leg but being they'd cut a hole in the fabric for her tail, her dress prevented her. "I need to go!" She said, ducking her head, shame staining her cheeks.

"Girl, wait!" Diana caught her arm, and Dahlia's gaze snapped back to her, pupils slitted. Diana let go of her quickly with a fearful look at her eyes. "I-I was going to ask for your number."

Dahlia looked at the fear in her eyes sadly. Diana had been a good friend in high school, why would she ever look at her fearfully? She felt tears sting at her eyes in an attempt to break free.

"I don't…have a number…" Dahlia said quietly. Diana opened her clutch bag quickly and pulled out a tube of liquid eyeliner.

"I can give you mine?" She asked with an apologetic smile on her face.

"S-sure, quickly." Dahlia looked around the room, eyes searching frantically for her friends. She realized with a tinge of embarrassment most specifically she searched for Kurt. Diana wrote the number on the back of her palm quickly.

"It's waterproof, so you'll need some serious soap to get it off tonight, alright?" Diana told her and Dahlia nodded her understanding. "Look, mutant or not, you're my friend, you need anything you call me up, okay? Oh! Here comes my dad, I'll see you around."

"Okay," Dahlia said weakly, "See you."

Her eyes scanned the room again and she walked out into the crowd. Eventually making her way to the opposite side of the room she stood against the wall and tugged down at the end of her dress. She frowned. In high school, before her mutation, this would have been a dream for her; the fancy home, the delicious food, the endless socializing, everything, but now it just left her wanting to go to bed.

"Doing alright?" A blond haired man asked coming to stand beside her. "Look a little frazzled."

Dahlia jumped when he spoke, she hadn't heard him come up with all the other noise around her.

"Oh, yeah, I'm just looking for my friends…" She said softly and smiled politely.

The man just smiled charmingly at her. "Not leaving so soon, are you?" He asked.

Dahlia looked him over; he wore a grey button down vest with some black slacks much like Kurt's. Blond hair was combed back and striking blue eyes trailed down her body.

"No, not at all." She said, turning her attention to him. Hey, why not? She was a free woman, wasn't she? Her mind jumped bitterly to thoughts of Mortimer and a frown threatened to ruin her smile.

"Great, cause uh," He ran a hand over his mouth and leaned in a bit closer to whisper in her ear. Her eyes watered at the stench of alcohol. "You know, when you are ready to leave, maybe I could show you my place."

Dahlia raised an eyebrow, a smirk crawling on her face at his suggestion.

"I know you're a mutant and all but that's kind of hot, I've always had a thing for Furries."

Dahlia's face fell. Furries? She pulled back at him and glared.

"I am NOT a furry." If she would have had a drink she would have tossed it in his face. She started to pull her hand back to slap him but stopped suddenly. The tips of claws seaming out of her finger tips, she remembered what she'd done to her father so long ago. That was definitely not a good impression to make for mutants.

Instead she turned and rushed away, tears welling up in her eyes. What did he have? Some mutant fetish? Furry? What even was a furry? Was she a furry?! The hell is that?! She thought though, that at least someone liked it, even if Mortimer didn't, but she knew that wasn't at all how she wanted things to be and the thought only upset her more.

Kurt caught sight of her pushing her way past people in a hurry, mascara running down her face before she disappeared into the hall. He made his way after with ease, being blue and all, he was sort of hard not to notice and the crowd parted for him. He would have just teleported if professor hadn't warned them about using their powers tonight; it could have been viewed as threatening.

"Dahlia..?" He called out down the hall quietly, getting farther from the murmur of the crowd with every step. He could hear the quiet hiccupping cries and sniffles she gave but had a hard time placing them. He turned a corner and paused to listen carefully; he peered into a partially open room that appeared to be a small study.

First thing he saw was the empty chair at the desk. He looked down at the sniffling just inside the room at the wall under the light switch. Dahlia sat with her knees to her chest, trying to dab at her eyes with a tissue from the box she'd stolen off the desk.

"Liebchen, vhat happened?" He asked softly, quietly closing the door behind him he went and took a seat beside her.

"Some jerk asked me to go back to his place because," She hiccupped another sob, "because he had a thing for—for furries." Her voice got higher and more difficult to understand the more she spoke till she started crying again.

Kurt put an arm around her with care, partially confused on what she said. Furries? Vhat was that? He fell silent, not quite sure how to respond.

"He j-just w-wanted me for a fetish," She wiped her eyes with the tissue before blowing her nose into it and pulling another tissue from the box. "Is that the only reason guys will sleep with me?! Because they're either too drunk to stop themselves or I fit their freaky fetish? Like what did I ever for this? Am I that weird? Are these really that weird?! They're not that weird! You're blue and I'd still sleep with you, not because of a fetish, you're hot and not a furry" She babbled and Kurt blinked in confusion.

A new set of tears broke out and she babbled something Kurt couldn't understand. He rubbed her shoulder awkwardly and listened to her endless stream of incoherent babble till she seemed to calm down and cuddled against his shoulder.

"I'm not a furry," She told the puzzled Kurt with a pout.

"No, you are not one bit a furry, leibchen." He said carefully, trying to be reassuring.

She sniffled. "Idunno what a furry is,"

"I…I do not either," He confessed and Dahlia laughed at her stupidity. Kurt smiled a bit, not sure if he should laugh too or not.

"I'm sorry," She wiped at the mascara on her face with her tissue. "It wasn't even a bit deal, it just, struck a chord in me." Her lips twitched down into a frown for a second and Kurt was scared she would start crying again. "Reminded me of something." She felt her cheeks starting to burn now. Oh god, she didn't really mention the drunk thing, did she? Oh god, did she really say she would sleep with him because he wasn't a furry? Oh god…that's so weird…

"It is alright," Kurt patted her shoulder with a smile coming back on his face though still hesitant, his arm still around her. "Ve are in t'is together, vight?"

"Vight," Dahlia sniffled, forever glad Kurt wasn't the type of friend to run away when you lost your marbles.

Toad and Jamie sat in the farthest booth in the corner of the bar. He'd ordered himself a beer while he watched Jamie sip on his tequila.

"Look, I'm just saying you might wanna consider it." Jamie said putting his hands up in a shrug. "Last I heard through the vine, Mag's wasn't doin' so good."

Toad looked at the man steadily. "Wot you know 'bout Mag's?"

Jamie looked out into the quiet bar and leaned in across the table. "They have him locked up in some fancy-shmancy plastic prison last I heard."

"An' Mystique?"

Jamie shrugged, leaning back and crossing his hands over his chest. "Dunno, never heard anything about her, like she dropped off the face of the Earth."

Toad snorted. Of course she did, not like she'd never have a problem blending in somewhere. Hell, for all he knew she could be the bartender cleanin' glasses over in the corner.

"So, what you say, you in?" Jamie asked with a smile and leaned forward again.

Toad looked at him suspiciously. "Wot's in it f'me?"

Jamie shrugged and Toad wished he could wipe the smile off his face, it was really getting' on his bloody nerves.

"I don't know. What do you want? Money? Girls? Revenge?"

Toad laughed humorlessly. "Girls? Bloody hell, 'ave y'looked at me lately?" He shook his head in disbelief that the man had even mentioned it. He took a swig of his beer. He looked down at the table, his mind drawn back to what Jinx had told him a few days ago about Dahlia. His knee shook and he pushed himself up from the table suddenly.

Jamie sat back in surprise and watched the man.

"I'll think 'bout it." Toad muttered over his shoulder after he'd grabbed his beer.

He made his way down the cold, dark streets with his head down. The beer bottle clinked loudly on the bottom of the trash can he tossed it into. Girls. Bloody girls. He snorted again at the very idea at it. He didn't want girls he wanted a girl.

He clenched his teeth together. He wanted Dahlia. He shook his head, he could use money though. Who couldn't use money? But revenge; ah yes, now revenge was something he could use. Revenge on all the terrible sapiens that'd caused him so much pain. He wanted them to suffer just as much as he had.

He glared at the woman who was locking up her shop as he walked by. She fumbled with her keys till she had a tight grip on the pepper spray she held in case he tried anything. He only laughed and spit slime at her feet. With a shriek she jumped back. A triumphed smirk settled onto his lips, he could almost feel her fearful eyes burrowing into his back.

He took a deep breath though, watching his footsteps crunch in the melting snow. He had tried to find Dahlia, it's not like he hadn't, she just hadn't been anywhere he looked. His mouth settled into a grimace. He didn't dare go back to the tunnels, but he would of thought she would at least gone out for food at some point within the past week.

He didn't even have a plan for what he would do if he found her. He supposed he just wanted to find her to begin with, maybe he would even leave it at that. He couldn't imagine himself apologizing. What, 'oh, terribly rude o'me t'walk out on y'after we shagged, love, my apologies.' He rolled his eyes and let out a deep breath, looking into the windows of shops as he passed by. He was terribly poor at handling women but even he knew that would go off bad, even with a woman like Dahlia. There was really just no way of mending things with her. He stopped in front of a shop, peering in at an object in the window. Or was there?