After the beer was empty, I was ready to go face the world. Logan knew something was up with me, I never usually came to the garage unless I was bored, or something was wrong, but he didn't question it. He never asked many questions, he would just teach you about fighting, or cars, or random things. He taught me to throw knives once, never actually used the skill before, but it was fun to learn.

You never had to really talk about anything with Logan, hanging out with him just help you remember there was still good things in the world. Still some things that will never change. Like the sun being yellow, or rain falling down instead of up. Little things you could count on. Little things that you didn't notice much, but were still there.

A student worth going to work to teach. Conner.

A friend you'd go to war for. The whole Young Justice team.

A little sister you could always count on to both annoy you, and comfort you. Lovette.

A certain teach who hates you, but respects you at the same time. Emma Frost.

A friend/enemy to make you remember to stay strong. Hellion.

A bunch of big sisters to remind you there were people who had your back. Logan's litter.

A certain guy you just love messing with. Scott Summers.

With all that at my finger tips, how could I keep dwelling on a little temporary drawback? Strength was a funny thing, you could always get more of it, but no matter what, you couldn't lose it once you had it. Like a battle scar.

I know several people who've left the hero business, they still to push ups and sit ups in the morning to stay strong. They'll say it's a force of habit, but it's not. It's because, deep down, you never really loose that look in your eye. You never loose that little pricking at your heart, that tells you to keep fighting.

I smiled, walking back up to the mansion. In time, I would get better. I just needed more training, and eventually, it would all work out. What was the rush?

Daken wouldn't get her again. I'd make sure of it. If I have to stay here for fifty years to make sure of it, I would. I smirked at that, fifty years was nothing for me.

I was looking at hundreds, maybe thousands, of years left, I didn't need to rush anything. Hellion, Emma, Scott, Magneto, and all the others here who judged me, I'd be rid of them soon enough. I would outlive them all, by many centuries. What was the rush? There was none.

When I stepped into the hallways again, it was flooding with students, last class of the day, and they wanted it to be over with! There were hardly as many as before, only enough for a team or two. M-day had really dwindled them down.

I didn't consider myself a mutant anymore, not a real one. I was an entirely different species. I'll come up with a name for it one of these days. Howlites? Ugh, I suck at this.

I weaved my way through the small crowd, and made it to my old room, opening the door slowly, letting the memories sink in.

All those late night, cramming for tests, and praying for no pop quizzes. All those afternoons, teaching Lovette Japanese, and learning English from Logan. I had studied Chinese on the side, and it was fairly similar to Japanese in sentence structure, so it was easy to learn for me. I can't speak it extremely well, but I can write it and read it with relative ease.

I closed the door, walking along the hall until I got to Summer's class. I knocked on the door, and he called form inside, "Come in."

I opened the door, smirking, and leaned on the door frame, "Miss me, Boy Scout?"

His face paled, "Oh no."

I nodded, "Oh yes. I'd lock up your shampoo and tooth paste if I was you. Cause I brought potassium cyanide with me." I gave a nod to the kids in the classroom. "Hell Hound's back."

I closed the door, walking out, and just feeling great. So what if I used to be a lab rat? That was behind me, and I had no reason to keep dwelling on it. Cause now, I was just a pain in Scott's ass again. Happy endings do come true, couldn't be better.

Next stop? Find the kiddies.

I walked to the danger room, and saw Rogue explaining how it worked to Robin and the rest of the team, but Robin was the only one who was looking at everything with complete and utter awe. "Batman don't have anything like this?" I asked.

They turned around, and Megan gave Conner a pointed look. He cleared his throat, "I'm-"

"Don't apologize. I over reacted. Yes, to answer your question, I was kidnapped and experimented on for about a year. I got away as soon as I could and four years later, I'm all good." I explained.

"He nodded, "It's just.. I was-"

"Hopeful that there was someone else like you." I finished. "You don't like being the only one who had their humanity taken from them, and I understand."

He smiled slightly, nodding, and I turned to the rest of the team, "Who wants to train with Def Con 4?"

Rogue's eyes widened, "Uh, are you sure-"

"Rogue, my team." I reminded.

"Oh… yeah." Rogue said, and set the standards.

"Okay, we'll be setting the lasers on 'kill' so don't get hit no matter what." I ordered, and sent them down. "Rogue, set the lasers on stunt, not kill."

She smirked, and did it, then started the session, while I watched in interest. I remember going up against this when I was still a rookie. Logan failed to tell me the lasers where on stun too.

I watched intently as they dodged lasers and metal claws popping up every so often, Robin and Artemis weaved through them, while Megan floated above them flying around and dodging them, crushing a few claws with her mind. Kaldur would put up shield of water, to defend himself. Wally would just run around, trying to not get hit. I looked over at Conner, and saw him Jumping, ducking, rolling, and constantly moving, not a single laser had hit him.

I grabbed the microphone, "Megan, please stop breaking things, the object is to last as long as you can, not fight back."

She screamed out, "OKAY!" Before resuming her flight pattern.

I turned to Rogue, "Mind if I take over?"

"Be mah guest shugah." She said, moving over. I took the controls and opened up a trap door right under Wally, who fell right through, and didn't get out before it closed up. I chuckled, "One down, five to go."

Rahne walked in with Jubilee and Lovette, "What's this Jubilee is telling me about you having a crush?"

"Good Lord." I groaned, looking up a the ceiling, "Why?"

"Really?" Rogue asked, "That must be why you forgave him so quickly." She smiled that sly little smile of hers, "And why he wouldn't stop smilin at ya."

"Guys." I growled, making a claw chase after Artemis.

"He's cute." Jubilee offered, "No shame in it."

"Seems like a nice boy." Rogue said thoughtfully.

"You're in love, aren't you!" Rahne accused, smiling like a little school girl.

"I am not!" I protested.

"Oh wow, you are!" Jubilee said, astonished.

"No!" I shouted, slamming down on a button that made strobe lights come on in the danger room, harder to concentrate.

I heard Megan cry out as she was hit with a laser, she was grabbed by a claw, and shoved into a trap door. She's be okay in about twenty minutes. "I am not in love! I don't even like him!"

Lovette smiled mischievously, and suddenly, music drifted into the room. "Oh no, Lovette, turn off the music-"

"Look, it's not a big deal you're in love." Rahne said slowly, "It's fine."

I shook my head, and the music got louder. Oh heck with it. "If there's a prize for rotten judgment. I guess I've already won that."

Oh yeah, that was me all over. Stupid music, making me wanna sing like this was some eighties movie. I took off the necklace Conner had given me.

"No man is worth the aggravation." I tossed it behind me, the stupid song was right. No more men, no more stupid love. Rahne caught the necklace. "That's ancient history been there. Done that."

I shook my head, turning away from the controls and towards Lovette. "Stop the music."

Jubilee started singing, stupid hyper vampire. "Who'd ya think you're kiddin? He's the earth and Heaven to ya."

Rogue chuckled, jumping in, they were enjoying this. "Try to keep it hidden, Shugah, we can see right through ya."

Jubilee nodded, "Girl ya can't conceal it, we know how ya feel and who you're thinkin of."

"How do you all know this song?" I asked. Rahne tried to give me the necklace, but I pushed her hand away, standing up and backing away from them. Oh whatever. Might as well just go along with it.

"No chance, no way! I won't say it, no. No!" I protested.

Rahne giggled, "You swoon, you sigh, why deny it? Uh oh."

"It's to cliché, I won't say I'm in love." I turned back to the screen, watching Conner dodge lasers and metal arms. He still hadn't gotten hit, but Megan and Wally were already down, and the clock was ticking.

I sighed, "I thought my heart had learned it's lesson. It feels so good when you start out." I rubbed my forehead, "My head is screaming, get a grip, girl!"

I whirled around, glaring at them, "Unless you're dying to cry your heart out. Oh!"

They smirked, and started to sing along to the song together. How did they all know this song? "You keep on denying who you are and how you're feeling. Baby we're not buying! Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling!"

I shook my head turning away, trying to ignore them. "Face it like a grown up! When ya gonna own up that ya got, got, got it bad!"

"Uh uh! No chance, no way! I won't say it no, no!" I looked down at Conner, and saw him do a flip to get away form on claw, a move I had taught him, and I fount myself smiling at his skill.

"Give up, or give in!" Rahne demanded.

Jubilee grabbed my face, "Check the grin, you're in love!"

I smacked her hand away, "This scene, won't play! I won't say I'm in love!"

"You're doin flips, read our lips you're in love!" Artemis got hit by a laser, falling down, unconscious.

"You're way off base, I won't say it!" Robin got hit by a claw, and was hurled against the ceiling, before falling down, unconscious.

"She won't say it, no!" Kaldur got sucked into a trap door, down for the count.

"Get off my case, I won't say it!" The session ended, Conner was the only one left.

Rogue grabbed my hands, while Rahne put the necklace on me. "Girl don't be proud." Jubilee sang, "It's okay, you're in love."

I fingered the necklace after Rogue let my hands go, At least out loud, I won't say I'm in… love.

Conner came back up into the control room, panic on his face, "Why didn't you stop the session! They all got-"

"Stunned." I said. "I never really set the lasers on kill. They'll be good in a few minutes, see, Robin's already waking up."

He nodded slowly, and then looked at my neck, smiling. "Necklace looks good on you."

"Uh, thanks. It's was a nice gift." I said, smiling. He nodded, going back down to hel out Robin and the others.

Jubilee smirked, "You are so in love."