Bobby could not decide if his younger brother was just a completely jealous jerk or had always been a sycophantic mommy's boy. The Iceman was not close to any of his family, not anymore. He went home regularly trying to regain what was lost, but he was fooling himself, just grasping at straws. Maybe John was right, a clean break was in some ways better for all. He needed to talk it over with his roomie. He went upstairs directly to see if Pyro had survived his second stint of summer school. There was laughter coming from the room. Bobby had heard from Rogue that there was a new mutant, it sounded like he was rooming with Fire and Ice. The door now stated Iceman, Pyro and Ghost. What sort of name was Ghost?

Bobby walked in to see Pyro and a blond teenager in bed, together. Bobby was a bit shocked. He knew Pyro was bi, but well, things had changed a lot since Bobby had been to visit his family.

Pyro immediately jumped out of bed, buck naked and quickly dressed. The blond lay back, "Get some rest Ghost, I'll come and get you for dinner. I've got a bit of catching up to do with my bestie, Iceman."

The blond was very thin, but he smiled "Its good to finally met you, Bobby. Jean will skin Pyro alive if I don't rest up. I'll catch up with you guys later."

In the dining area downstairs both boys had sodas and were soon caught up. Iceman leaned back and took in all the facts about Pyro's boyfriend. "So, he's like Rogue."

"Well, no. He can shield now. One of the kids grabbed him yesterday and no harm done. Alex only felt surface stuff, but with skin contact Alex can always get a transfer of feelings. The accidental full mind meld won't be happening again. The Professor thinks its a positive for both me and Ghost. I get a boast of calm and I can now speak three, no four languages and do karate. I'm at Grade 10 level schooling as well. Ghost is a bit of a swat. Ghost now smokes, can give the best blow jobs and gets family are shits really. He was completely mind fucked by his uncle. I gave him survival 101. We are both survivors, hard and nasty, but you know that about me. Ummm, we've been getting shit from the seniors about being out and proud just to warn you. I'm happy. Its like I'm married, kismet, soul mates and such crap."

"Out and Proud. Has Rogue been cool about it?" enquired Bobby of his girlfriend.

"Yeah, she and the girls now think of both of us as honourary females. Rogue threatened two of the seniors and then Piotr got hold of them. Ghost and him get on like a house on fire. Piotr's teaching him Russian. Go figure. Just think man, I'm finally not a freaky weirdo any more."

"I hate to break this to you, John but you will always be a freaky weirdo, we all are, remember Mutant High." Bobby smiled and then asked "So whats Ghost's past apart from a nutty uncle."

"Ian? I thought my dad was bad, Jesus Ian Rider brought Alex up to some insane master plan. Alex found out all the holidays, the bonding and activities were all just to prepare him for Ian Rider's master plan. My dad was just a shit parent. Ian was a twisted Machiavellian patriotic psycho. Don't start on Ghost's dad. His family background is a minefield. His foster mom was cool, she died in June."

"Shit that's awful." Bobby sympathised. Ghost was an orphan. At least he had a family of sorts now at the Mansion. "I take it the Professor and Jean are cool about you being so close."

"Well, no, not really. Charles accepts we bonded, its complicated with Ghost's empathy and telepathy, but the side affect is he is one person I can trust implicitly. I think I get you more now. Funny, he taught me trust and empathy. I was such an asshole before. Anyway, sex... I had a weird view of sex before. It was away of getting cash when all other options were exhausted. I've had a lot of partners, mostly on the receiving end. Ghost is so, kind and gentle, unsure and awkward. He thinks he's ugly but he is the most beautiful person, a dudley do right though and through. No moral ambiguity, not like me. Its been a learning curve for both of us. I get interpersonal relationships are different from fucking. We make love. So, we have both had full psyche sessions with the good doctor, couselling. We are initimate, but I think its for life. Shit I'm sixteen and married."

"Oh, I left you birthday present in our room. God, do you two always sleep in the same bed?" Bobby blushed, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea of them having sex while he was in the room.

"No fear, we won't cramp you. I swear we'll be like nuns except when alone."

"Nuns?"

"Yeah, well, monks, nuns, whatever. We won't flaunt ourselves. No breaking of room rules, promise." Pyro said with a roguish smile.

"John, you never kept a rule in your life." Bobby said, "So, double dates from now on?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Alex sat on the examination table as he was checked out by Jean. "Good you've put on two pounds. I will adjust your eating plan. More protein and dairy now you can stomach solids better. I want you to swim every morning and dare I ask you to stop smoking."

Alex thought about it. "I'll cut down, I know its a disgusting habit but its calming. So, class starts tomorrow. I'm nervous about school. Will it be very different from England?"

"Not too different. Remember you're a runaway from Pittsburgh."

"I know my legend, Alex Brandon, 16, orphan. Blah Blah." Alex said with a perfect American accent. "My mother was Jackie Brandon. I lived in London from the ages of 8 to 15, when she died in a car crash. She was employed as a nanny/housekeeper." The legend covered enough similarities with his own life without all the nasty business. As all good aliases there was a fragment of truth. Jackie Brandon and her son Alexander had existed, but had disappeared in 1995.

Alex dressed and then came the psychological tests and assessment if he needed therapy. He noted Jean Grey was a doctor first. She left all of Alex's assessment regarding his gift to Charles.

"When did you get used to your gift? Its both comfortable and completely freaky. I just can't get over I'll never be able to touch anyone again without knowing stuff about them"

"I noticed you are quite careful keeping your skin covered. Are you not comfortable shielding yet?" Jean asked.

"I can shield my telepathy. No matter how hard I concentrate my empathy thing, is there. I only get surface emotions but its strange feeling stuff thats not me."

"You don't have problems touching John." She had observed their close friendship. John was forever touching Alx, maybe it was subliminal. John had been so closed off before. He was like a different person with Alex.

"Pyro is reassured when we touch. It depends on the touch though. When its more intimate its intense. I... think I'm addicted to Pyro. He's just like home when I touch him. He is comfort and safety." Alex tried to sum up the complete change in his life here at Mutant High. "I've changed so much, not just my emerging mutant abilities. Pyro has changed but so have I. I was depressed, withdrawn, a compete mess after Jack's murder, but I feel calmer. It might just be the fact I've drawn a line under my old life. I will never be that person again. That Alex is dead. Its cathartic, a rebirth. All positive."

"Are you sexually active?"

"With Pyro, yeah. We haven't you know gone all the way. He treats me very gently. I know he's had a few partners. Is that even the correct term for being used and abused? Pyro is as fragile as I am. He does not want to fuck us up. He's so introverted over personal stuff. Hard exterior, gentle and kind when you know him. I think its forever, us, Pyro and Ghost." Alex laughed, he was in love. He knew it beyond all doubt.

"Just don't jump into the physical side of things. You are only 15, you have all the time in the world." Jean stated this with a smile.

Alex pondered her turn of phrase. 'All the Time in the World', if that didn't jinx everything Alex would be amazed. If he knew anything, you lived every day like it was your last. He might not be a Rider anymore, but he had been living on borrowed time, a new school really changed nothing.