No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't ignore it any longer. Rays of bright sunlight were streaming in through the blinds and hitting my face. I tried rolling over and going back to sleep but it was no use; I was awake. I groaned and sat up in the bed, flipping the sheets off of me and sauntering over to the en-suite. The cold tiled floor in the bathroom sent a shiver up my spine making me wake up just that much more. I yawned and groggily looked in the mirror, observing my tired face and messy hair, before concluding that I definitely needed a shower before I decided to venture outside the privacy of my room.

Showering took a lot longer than it normally did in the morning. I felt fatigued and I really couldn't give a rat's ass about taking my time. As far as I knew, there was no rush. Garber probably wasn't even back yet and I was confident that Moira could handle everything until I made an appearance. Besides if anything urgent were to happen I'm sure they would have woken me up a while ago. The hot water felt so good on my stressed body, completely soothing me. I could feel the steam open my pores and it made me feel increasingly refreshed.

Rejuvenated, I stepped out of the shower stall and began my usual routine of hair styling, makeup and getting ready. Since I still didn't have my own change of clothes I had to wear the same outfit as I did last night, luckily it wasn't dirty.

I glanced at the alarm clock on the night stand by my bed. It was already 10:00 am. I forgot what it was like to sleep in, I mused as I decided to finally leave my bed chambers. As I peeked out the door the hallway was bare but I could hear familiar voices not too far off. Inquisitively I followed the sound which led me to the sort of kitchen area within the living quarters. There, standing casually by the counter, were Moira and Charles. I considered being snoopy, but decided against it. With Charles around I could read minds so there was no point in eavesdropping. Sensing by their tones and volume of their voices, I assumed I wouldn't be interrupting anything too private anyway.

I strolled towards the two and received a warm greeting from Charles, "Mia, good morning. How are you doing this morning, dear?"

Moira, who had originally had her back to me, turned around and smiled, which I returned before replying to Charles, "I'm doing well, thanks, how are you two?"

"Very well, thank you," the male answered, before Moira jumped in.

"Mr. Garber called earlier and he will be here in about half an hour or so. Once he gets here, he said he will give us access to the car to let you and I go back to our places to get anything we need."

I grinned, happy to have some of my own things soon, "That's great."

"Oh and before I forget," Charles added, "Hank wanted to see you in his lab, I believe."

I tilted my head to the side, curious but didn't question it. Instead, I turned my attention back to Moira, "Ok, I'll meet you out front in a bit, then?"

She simply smiled and nodded while I excused myself. I wandered down the halls, hoping I remembered where exactly the lab was located in the maze of corridors. The full security staff were back this morning, mostly minding their own business, but the odd guard would smile or tip their head in acknowledgement. After a number of twists and turns, I recognized the hallway that would lead to the laboratory doors. I pushed open the large, metal doors to find Hank gazing intently into a microscope.

Slowly, I stepped towards the tall, lean researcher, "I was told you wanted to see me?"

Hank's head snapped up, surprised, "O-oh, hi Mia. Um, y-yeah I was hoping to see you," he said, stuttering.

I smiled at him, trying to put him at ease a bit, "Well, I'm here. What can I do for you?"

"Charles told me about your ability, and I think it's fascinating. I was hoping, if you don't mind, to run some tests so I can study exactly what your mutation does." He seemed so excited and passionate about his work; it was rather endearing.

"Sure, why not?" I answered, kind of intrigued by the idea of knowing more about me and my powers. "So what kind of tests do you want to run?"

He stood up from the stool he was perched on in front of the microscope, picking up a few things from a different table, and came closer to where I was standing. "For now, just a blood test to allow me to see how your cells are developing and adapting."

By now, I could see that in his hands were a needle, a tourniquet and a cotton pad. Knowing what to do, I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and held out my left arm. He was tentative and cautious, and I would guess that he wasn't used to too much physical contact. He gently wiped a spot in the crook of elbow with the damp cotton pad, sanitizing the area. After that he wrapped the elasticized tourniquet around my upper arm, tying it tightly which effectively cut off the circulation. Slowly, he poked the sharp, metal object into my skin.

It didn't really hurt me until I heard a voice behind me, making me jerk slightly out of alarm. "Hey, what's going on?" I instantly recognized the cheery vocals of Raven. I crinkled my nose, wincing as the needle had shifted when I flinched.

"Oh, um, I was just getting a blood sample from Mia," Hank explained shyly as Raven approached us. By then Hank had filled up the vial attached to the needle and carefully slid the needle out. He had another piece of cotton in his hand, which he passed to me, "Here, put pressure on the puncture wound."

Raven glanced curiously between the both of us, and I did my best to smile at her. "So, you're going to study her mutation, too?"

Please tell me that was not jealousy in her tone, I thought to myself, fighting the nagging urge I had to roll my eyes. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Hank must have got the same vibe about her remark. He, on the other hand, appeared more nervous than nauseous. "Yeah, but only because my ability could potentially be tailored for military or government advantage," I jumped in, making some excuse up on the spot, "He's studying your mutation for more… personal reasons," I stared right at McCoy, hoping he would go along with my little fib, "Isn't that right, Hank?"

The scientist cleared his throat anxiously, "Y-yeah, that's right. Mr. Garber wanted me to take a closer look at Mia's mutation, that's all."

She just nodded her head, still not looking terribly impressed. Not really wanting to get in the middle of whatever it was going on between them, I thought it best to take my leave. "Anyways, if you're finished, Hank, I should get going. Moira and I have to head out soon," I did my best to muster a smile and then strode out of the room, still holding the cotton to my elbow.

As soon as I was out of the room I checked the dainty watch on my wrist and noted that I actually did have to meet Moira soon. Once again I was venturing through the corridors, finally starting to feel more confident about finding my way around. As I drew closer to the foyer, I observed the inside of my elbow once more, only acutely aware of the several voices getting increasingly louder with each step. I rounded a corner without looking up, though I knew it led right to my destination.

"Has Hank found another lab rat to experiment on?" a deep, German voice echoed, sounding more amused than anything.

I gazed upwards to see Erik, Charles and Moira standing together in the front of the building. Erik had his, what I now believed to be trademarked, smirk playing on his lips and a playful look in his eyes. "Jealous?" I retorted coyly, and all I received in return was a scoff and an intensely hardened glare. Must have touched a nerve…

Before things got too awkward, Moira piped up, "We're just waiting for Mr. Garber to get inside, his car just pulled up onto the premises."

"Are you boys coming with us or something?" I asked the two men in the area.

Charles shook his head before answering, "No, apparently Garber has some things he would like to discuss with Erik and me about finding Shaw."

Remembering all too well the events of last night, I raised my eyebrow and turned to Moira. "Does the CIA already have a file on Shaw?" I questioned smugly, casually glancing over at Erik and trying to get a reaction. I was disappointed as Erik kept a straight face, refusing to look my way. Charles, on the other hand, had a brief flash of delight cross his features.

"Yes, he has been working with the Soviets for some time now," Moira responded, oblivious.

None of us letting her in on the joke, I made an 'ah' sound and the area went silent, but only for a moment. As if on cue, Garber made his entrance through the front doors of the facility. "Good morning, everyone," the man in the black suit greeted, "Moira, the car you'll be taking is right outside waiting for you and Mia." He handed a small set of keys to the brunette and turned his attention to the boys, "Gentlemen, won't you follow me to my office?"

With that the men filed out of the room, Charles was the only one that bid us farewell. Although if I didn't know any better I could have sworn Erik shot me a look before he disappeared behind the corridor wall. But then again that could have easily been my mind playing tricks on me.

Moira gestured for me to follow her and we made our way to the black car that was parked right outside the door. I opened the passenger door, automatically assuming that I wouldn't be driving. The interior was black leather and quite comfortable, which was fortunate seeing as the drive was over an hour. As the vehicle sped forward, I watched in silence at the trees and fields passing by, completely lost in thought. The two of us stayed quiet for some time, both occupied with our own anxieties and feelings.

It was the brunette that broke the silence first, "So did you apply to work for Mr. Garber on purpose?"

I nodded before answering, "Yeah, I would have settled for any position but working in the paranormal supervisions department was definitely my first choice," I told her honestly. "How exactly did you end up with this mission, if you don't mind me asking? It's not exactly your average CIA assignment."

Moira laughed lightly, "No, it certainly isn't. Well, originally we were just supposed to monitor a meeting in Las Vegas that some Soviet leaders were supposed to be at."

I frowned in confusion, "They met in Vegas? What kind of meeting was it?"

"The kind where young women are paid to make corrupt men feel a little less lonely for a night."

My lips formed an 'O' shape, now understanding what she meant. "Is that why you got in and Levine didn't?" I asked with a grin, which was returned.

"Yes, that would be why. There are some things that the CIA can't teach you."

I giggled, "I would certainly hope they wouldn't teach that. Could you imagine being taught how to give lap dances from Stryker or McCone?" We snickered at the thought.

For the rest of the drive, we carried on in light conversation. I rather liked Moira, especially now. She wasn't catty or moody like a lot of other girls, including Raven. Not only had she grown up, but she could hold her own in a male-driven industry; a quality I held in pretty high regard.

"Your apartment is here in Dale City, right?" Moira questioned as we arrived in the Washington suburb, "Mine is about 15 minutes away from here. How bout I drop you off and pick you up in an hour?"

I answered in agreement and gave her the brief, straightforward directions to my residence. Shortly, we pulled up outside the relatively small 3-story building. Saying goodbye to Moira, I hopped out of the car and walked towards the beige, stuccoed structure. I didn't look back but I could hear the roaring of the engine as the vehicle pulled away and off into the distance. Fishing out the keys from my bag, I unlocked the door to the building and ascended only one set of stair to the floor my flat was on. It was as I entered my place that I realized I had no idea how long I was going to be gone, thus not knowing how long to pack for. And, sadly, I was never a very light packer to begin with.

I sighed. Time to pack up my life…

A/N: Surprise! Author's Note at the bottom for once! That's because there's not too much to say here. Other than the fact that I have never been to Virginia and so if I got any geographical bits wrong, I apologize. Thank you so much again for reading, every time I check my inbox and see another alert, favorite or review my heart skips a beat. And I've been receiving so many, I hope it doesn't become a medical issue. :P

Of course, a shout out to my marvelous Beta, Valkyrie-Pleasant who has been of more and more assistance everyday. The story wouldn't be as good if it weren't for her!

Enjoy everyone, and buckle up! Cause things are going to slowly start getting more interesting. ;D