Canuckle, Cheshire, retro (Welcome Back!) thanks for the reviews. Seems like a long time ago when I first posted this stuff and it's good to know you guys (girls) still get a kick out of it.

And this ... this chapter is a bit of a monster. Hopefully you enjoy it and the new trend of longer chapters in general (lookin at you canuckle). Now ...


"Yes this is perfect." MJ stopped the group in front of an obviously trendy store someplace in Soho. Greer peered into the window and noted the length of the dresses in the window and felt her stomach clench uncomfortably. Apex noted the number of customers inside the small store and felt uneasy. Peter just felt annoyed that nobody seemed to listen to him anymore.

"I dunno MJ. Maybe -" But MJ cut Greer off.

"Nope. This is exactly where we need to go." MJ grabbed Greer by the arm and gave Peter and Apex a backwards glance. "Boys, this is going to be some girl time."

"But - " Peter tried raising a protest by MJ cut him off as she led a waving Greer through the door, "Don't get into any trouble while were gone." Peter just let his hands fall back to his side and tried to figure out how his day with MJ had taken such a miserable turn.

From the Bugle party in midtown, they foursome had headed straight into an MJ fueled shopping binge ... though Greer had forced her into take an hour at the Museum of Natural History, both to give Colton a needed break and because she knew he'd enjoy it. Poor guy had looked absolutely miserable ... but the musuem had proved to the right decision. The two had spent most of the time alone and when Colton wasn't too fascinated by an exhibit, the two had sneaked in some nuzzling time in a number of darkened corners. But that had been short lived as MJ had introduced Greer to the wonders of downtown New York shopping.

Peter meanwhile ... had things on his mind

"This sucks ... Jameson didn't like my pictures ... was supposed to spend the day alone with my girlfriend ... and you," Peter turned his accusing eyes at his tall companion, "seem to know a whole lot about me. Care to explain that?"

Apex just kept leaning against the window of the store and his eyes focused on the inside, allowing him to at least keep track of Greer and the front and back entrances.

"Of course not ..." Peter grumbled and kept talking as he was undettered from his less then attentive audience.

Apex let out a short growl ... it was turning out to be a very long day.

...

"No."

"Why not?"

"Just no."

"But this dress will look better on you if you showed ... you know..." MJ declared gesturing firmly at the white fitted dress she had forced Greer to try on. It was revealing enough as it was. Greer didn't feel the need to compound it with fur.

"What? Did you and my mom have some secret meeting this morning?" Greer was all for this acceptance but all this was almost punishing. The sudden push for her to - to expose herself wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Made her feel like she was up for exhibition which Greer found very unsettling. She wasn't something to put on display ... she just wanted to be treated normally. Was that really too much to ask?

"What does your mom have to do with anything?" MJ quirked an eyebrow as Greer just looked back before letting out a grumble and tucking some loose strands behind her ear.

"Nothing. Just - can we leave now?"

"Greer come on," MJ gave her friend a look like she was clearly overreacting and moved to slip off her inducer, "Just take this thing off so I can -"

"NO!" Greer hissed as she recoiled as her voice rebounded off the walls of the dressing room causing MJ to freeze and Greer to hold her image inducer tightly.

There was a pause...

"Greer what's wrong?" MJ whispered as her friend continued to grasp her pendant like a life preserver.

"Its nothing... We should leave..." but MJ blocked the door of the changing room just as Greer tried to make a quick exit.

"MJ ... please move." But the red head held her ground.

"Greer it's just me ... I said I wanted to see the outfit on you. There's no need to hide here. Especially not from me..." MJ spoke as if it was silly for her to even have to say it out loud. Greer could feel MJ's teal eyes on her as she struggled to find words. In typical fashion, MJ spoke for her.

"Greer I'm your friend. It's fine. I want to see my favorite tiger." She said gently while sweeping away a stray lock of hair on Greer's face. Greer, although appreciating the gesture, kept her head down, thinking over what her mother had been telling her. Maybe she did need to have a little more ... confidence in herself. Hell ... even Colton had said something ...

"Fine ..." Greer muttered as hand slowly gripped the pendant and finally pressed it. She kept her eyes adverted as the hologram dropped. She didn't need to see MJ shrink away from her.

But to her credit, MJ stood calmly as Greer's human image faltered and was replaced with one she was familiar with causing her to smile brightly.

"There she is! There's my favorite tiger... And yes I was right, that dress is killer with your stripes." MJ declared, grinning widely, as she eyed Greer from different vantage points, inspecting her selection.

"You ... really think so?"

It was one thing for her mom or Colton to say she looked good without her inducer and quite another for MJ to confirm it. MJ ... the most normal person one could meet. It was comforting for the tigress and turning back to the mirror Greer started giving herself her own critical eye.

"Of course I do. I picked it out remember ... oh I wonder if -"

"Excuse me girls but what on I swore I heard some kind of roa -" Both MJ and Greer had turned at the sudden intrusion and froze, taking in the rather petite man, dressed in black with purple round wire frames perched on his nose, who was similarly frozen and staring straight back at them.

Of course by 'them' ... that meant Greer who felt her heart plunge from her chest to her feet.

"Sir ... please - please don't freak out ..." MJ had her hands out and clearly attempting to keep this guy calm at least long enough to get Greer the hell out of here. But it appeared he hadn't heard her, just giving Greer a few looks up and down before quietly letting the curtain close behind him and starting towards the tigress with an amazed expression.

"Who ... are you?" There was an odd emphasis on the 'you' and MJ placed herself between this guy and Greer who finally seemed to snap out of her terror and quickly clicked on her inducer, earning another shocked sound from the intruder.

"What just - what did you do? Oh, step aside, carrot top!" MJ just watched in confusion as the man maneuvered around her with a cluck to come stand before the now human looking Greer, who was quickly trying to cover her tracks, back-pedaling and stammering as this odd little man began to look her up and down, eyeing her critically.

"Look - I'm sorry. Just - please just let us out of here and we'll go," Greer promised, her unseen tail wrapped around her leg as her pulse picked up. Oh, God - someone had seen her. It was bound to be a matter of time before store security ... and the MRD ... and then ... oh... oh no. Colton was gonna kill her ...

"Go? With that dress? You can't go with that." Greer looked down at herself, still in the white dress which in her panic she considered ripping right off if it meant escaping this man and his extremely critical eye.

"No, no ... was this your selection?" He asked accusingly of Greer who just stared back.

"Yes?"

"Well ... I suppose it's not the worst choice you could have made ... though you certainly could have done better," He said his arm crossed in front of him as he halfway sneered, shaking his head as he took in the lines of the dress. Clearly - they were all wrong for her.

"Hey!" MJ crossed her arms defensively as Jacques just rolled his eyes at her.

"Just telling the truth, poppet. Don't take it too personally." He said to MJ as he waved his hand dismissively without turning to face her.

"Now you," and Greer felt her tail curl tighter, "Let me see those stunning stripes again." He waved at her trying to prompt her into doing ... anything really.

"Excuse me?" Greer was stunned. This madman with the purple spectacles had to be completely bonkers.

"The stripes! Come, come! One must act when the muse speaks - it does no good to delay her. I need to see those enchanting stripes, quickly!" He clapped his hands then shifted onto snapping his fingers a few inches from her face as her eyes widened. The nerve of this guy was just ... obscene.

"I'm sorry but ... who are you exactly?" MJ came back around to stand beside Greer and give the man a rather dismissive look. I mean the nerve of questioning her style choices ...

"Jacque Lupiair," he waved another dismissive hand in the air, "now please, I must study what I'm working with."

There was a moment of contained exclamation from MJ.

"Wait ... ohmygod ... you - you're Jacque Lupiair? Like THE Jacque Lupiair?"

"Yes yes ... charmed I'm sure."

"Greer! Don't keep the man waiting ..." MJ sounded scandalized and looking between the two of them hesitantly deactivated her inducer. Jacque let out a sigh of contentment.

"Oh my ... I've just laid eyes on perhaps the greatest inspiration to ever enter my sphere of creative genius. Oh and is this a tail?"

"Hey!" Greer quickly snatched the appendage in question out of the strange man's hands and held it protectively to her chest but this 'Jacque' had already moved on, quickly sketching on a small notepad he had been carrying. Seemingly absorbed in his work and muttering something about 'contrast lines' and 'open concepts' Greer felt it safe to lean in and maybe hide behidn the still geeking out MJ to get some answers.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Greer whispered, but MJ still had her eyes on Jacque who had tossed the page he was working on over his shoulder and started anew.

"That is Jacque Lupiair ... Elle magazine's designer of the season and fashion weeks best line." Greer blinked a few times, glancing over at Jacque still busy sketching.

"You're kidding me ..." Greer had heard of Jacque before she just ... well it was kind of hard to think that this guy shooting her glances was some famous designer. Not to mention one that claimed she was now some 'muse' ... what the hell was going on?

"No, I'm being serious. Why do you think I took us in here? This is his store. Oh I can't believe it ..."

"Alright Ms. ..." Jacque had turned his attention back to Greer and had an impatient look on his face.

"Oh ... umm ... Nelson. Greer Nelson."

"Ms. Nelson, I'm going to take some measurements and then you are going to let me work."

"Yes!" MJ answered excitedly for the tigress who just shot her a look as Jacque pulled out a tape measurer and got very personal with Greer, paying special attention to the base of her tail which twitched almost self-consciously.

"Listen ... Mr. Lupiar -"

"Jacque." He sounded distracted as he reached around Greer's waist, mareveling at its slender size and the stripes that decorated it.

"Jacque ... this is all great and I'm honored ... but - I don't think I'm going to be able to afford -"

"Afford? Ms. Nelson you insult me! You my dear are a gift from the fashion muses. 'Afford' is not your concern. Just give me your details and I'll show you what real fashion looks like. Oh I am in love with this hue ..." Jacque gave Greer a gentle pet on the arm with a fond look on his face and a twinkle in his eyes before diving straight back into work.

Now the tigress was really speechless.

"Thank you?"

"No, darling ... thank you. Your are simply ... inspiring. I'll contact you personally when I've finished ... ugh. Such incredible beauty. You're a breathing work of art darling. Now ... what is your address Miss Nelson?" Jacque stopped the Tigress short. He worked at an unnatural pace and ... was it really safe just giving her address out to this man she literally just met?

"I think that's confidential." Greer tried to say firmly earning a gasp from both MJ and Jacque.

"Confidential?! Well… How am I supposed to give you the final product?!"

"Well ... You really don't have to…" Greer said hesitantly, prompting MJ to slap her arm.

"Blasphemy. I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that so we stay friends ..." she hissed at the tigress before Mr. Lupiair stepped forward.

"Miss Nelson…" he said solemnly, his previously demonstrated eccentrics all but gone.

"I am many things but not a bad host. You are a guest in my domain and a muse to my work. Therefore you deserve to be treated as such. Whatever your reasons secrecy I shall not question but please ... allow me to share my vision with you."

Greer could only stare at this man in confusion, disbelief and well ... amazement. Taking in the look of barely contained excitement from MJ Greer couldn't help but grin. Colton was NOT going to be happy about this.

"1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Centre." she said with a sigh earning a nod of approval from MJ and a VERY wide smile from Jacque.

"Perfect and believe me, no pun intended." the small man winked before glancing at his watch.

"My how does the time fly. I'm sorry ladies I have to go for a meeting but it was a pleasure."

"Pleasure was all ours." MJ practically squealed while Greer nodded silently, still processing what was happening.

"Hmmm. Tell you what ... Miss Nelson keep the dress and carrot top, help yourself to whatever you want. You did bring her here after all. Now I really have to go. But expect some truly fabulous things coming your way Miss Nelson. Ta!" and just like that the small man disappeared behind the curtain.

Walking out of the shop was like coming out of a fog for both MJ and Greer. Both girls just trying to absorb what had happened ... Greer was still trying to compute that a very famous, very renowned fashion designer didn't kick her out of his shop and instead wanted to use her as inspiration for his work. That ... she must have imagined that right? Her train of thought however was broken when MJ grabbed her wrists.

"We just met Jacque Lupair." she said solemnly causing the tigress to grin and MJ soon followed suit.

"WE JUST MET JACQUE LUPAIR!" They screamed jumping on their toes causing some passerby's to turn and stare at the two ecstatic girls in confusion.

"Oh my god just wait till Peter hears about this ..."

"Peter and Colton" the tigress countered before looking around in confusion.

"Wait a minute… Where are Peter and Colton?"

It wasn't a moment later that Greer's hearing picked up the growls and leaving MJ to sprint behind her, Greer ran towards the sounds that could only be Colton getting into trouble.


Two Minutes Earlier...

Apex had tried counting the number of customers in the store. He had tried translating the labels into Russian. He had tried to work on his lip reading ... but nothing could drown out this kid ...

"And not to mention all the crap college is putting me through. You'd think getting a full ride to NYU would be enough but nooo ... they -"

"Do you ever shut up ..." Apex growled to himself. Though obviously not to himself enough.

"Well that depends. You feeling like sharing something?" Peter shot back, but Apex just huffed. How much longer could those two take ... but then something caught the ferals attention, causing him to shrug off the window and look down the street.

"Like I was saying ... classes haven't -"

"Quiet." Peter shot Colton a scathing look.

"OK ... time for you to stop saying that." But Apex wasn't bothering to look at him ... there it was again.

"Hey. HEY where are you going?!" Apex had headed past Peter down the street and was slowly picking up steam. Peter looked over at the shop MJ was in before letting out a growl of his own and headed after Greer's anti-social boyfriend.

Apex has heard what he swore was a cry for 'help' ... followed by another. It was difficult to hear anything over all of this damn city noise but ... no now he was sure.

He ran a block and came to the entrance of an alley, the buildings on either side casting the area in shadow but he could clearly see a woman ... judging by her clothes and state of appearance not particularly well off. And as she struggled with a man far larger than herself, he tossed her to the ground ... a purse in one hand and a knife in the other.

"No ... Stop! Please ..."

Peter came onto the scene just in time to see a girl, looked a bit older than him, cowering on the ground as Colton smashed some guys face into one brick wall and toss him backwards into another, leaving the guy in a heap. As Colton went to stand over what he hoped was someone that deserved that amount of punishment, Peter ran to the downed damnsel in distress.

Apex had disabled the assailant easily enough. Now he wanted to see who he was. Grabbing the man by the jacket, he quickly realized something was off ... he didn't smell ... and hobos didn't wear body armor under their trench coats.

"You alright miss? Here, let me - gaah!"

"Peter!"

It was only his spider sense that saved Peter from the knife the woman had thrust at his stomach.

"Hey! What's your woah!" Peter evaded another knife thrust and ended up back to back with Colton whose gaze was fixed at the far end of the alley where three more men had appeared. Peter looked back towards the street and saw two more ... with machetes. The woman meanwhile pulled off her haggard dress to reveal a fitted tactical outfit and yet another knife.

"Friends of yours?" Peter hadn't bothered to bring his web shooters and was hoping this guy was more than just big. All he got was a growl for a reply ... of course he did.

"What about the kid? He didn' say nothin' bout no kid." One of the men called out, sounding unsure.

"Who cares ... we gut the kid." Peter let out a sigh ... just when he thought his day couldn't get any worse.

...

"Peter!"

"Colton!"

MJ had ran after Greer until some shady alley to find her boyfriend holding his arm as Colton appeared to be rummaging through ...

"Oh man ... please tell me those guys are alive." MJ moaned as she and Greer shared a look and sprinted to down the alley, leaving the noise of the street behind them. MJ immediately went to check on Peter, even going so far as to put her shopping bags down in the dirty alley. Greer meanwhile went to stand next to Colton, doing a quick check to make sure he was alright as he stood up from inspecting yet another unconscious body.

"Are you alright?" Apex just nodded his head, his focus clearly elsewhere.

"What happened?" Greer was doing a quick headcount and clearly none of this fit. Not in downtown New York City on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

"I'm not sure. No ID ... no cellphones." Apex nudged the closest assailant with his foot.

"Professionals? Wait ... this wasn't Wea -"

"No," Apex shook his head, now turning to face Greer for the first time, "not them. Locals ... not professionals." The fight hadn't lasted long. One had gotten a lucky hit on Peter when he had tripped over another attacker.

"But ... this was meant for me." Apex looked back over the bruised bodies.

"What? Why?" But Apex just shook his head again. This clearly wasn't meant to kill him ... that much was clear.

Greer had more questions but Peter it seemed had some of his own.

"OK ... enough mystery." Peter shrugged off MJ and came to stand in front of Colton, a trickle of blood flowing down his jacket.

"I want to know who the hell you are buddy."

"Peter!" MJ scolded but the lanky college student was undettered.

"No, he knows way to much about me and this," Peter gestured around the bloodied heaps of bodies, "this doesn't just happen to anyone. Now I wanna know who you are and what you're doing with Greer."

Almost out of instinct, Greer stepped in front of Colton.

"Peter, it's not what you think. Colton's with me because he rescued me from this organization-"

"Or more like you think he rescued you…" Peter mumbled sarcastically earning a low growl from Colton and a dangerous look from Greer. MJ just looked embarrassed.

"Hate to burst your bubble Petey but Greer's been with Colton for five months now. Pretty sure if he wanted to do something terrible he would have already done it already."

That got Peter to pause for second before he pointed another accusing finger at Colton.

"Well yeah but ... I still don't trust him!"

There was a pause between the four. Apex failed to see what Peter trusting him had to do with anything ...

"Well ... what do you want us to do so you can trust him?" Greer finally asked before noticing how Peter's eyes traveled from Greer to Colton's inducer.

"I want him to take off his image thing," and unfortunately Greer didn't notice how Colton visibly tensed at that.

"Fine. He's got nothing to hide anyway. Show him Colton." But Apex didn't budge earning another accusing look from Peter as Greer slowly turned to face him.

"Colton ..." the tigress asked subtly but the human looking panther shook his head.

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"It's all right, Peter and MJ know all about us. They won't get ... scared." Greer said while slipping her hand into his, but Apex noticed the hesitation in that line. Though anyone being 'scared' wasn't his concern ... Greer did seem a tad fixated on the "scaring" people though.

"Trust me. He's not going to like it." Apex mumbled nodding his head towards Peter who looked back indignantly.

"Hey! You know who I am! Besides, what you got like tentacles or something? Cause trust me, that's not going to be in my top five weirdest things I've seen. Just admit you're refusing because you've got something to hide!"

"It's not -"

"C'mon!" Peter and MJ said together ... though MJ said it purely out of curiosity. Apex gave a look at the three expectant faces before taking a deep breath and deactivating his hologram.

There was a choking noise from Peter and a sly smile in Greer's direction from MJ before Peter quickly threw MJ behind him and jumped onto the corner furthermost from a stunned Greer and a grim Apex.

"I told you he wasn't going to like it."

"Well yeah but ... that's overkill." Greer thought as she looked at the wall crouching Spider-Man.

"Peter I know Colton can be intimidating but you don't have to-"

"He tried to kill me!"

"Wait...what's going on?" the tigress barely caught that and Greer looked confusingly between Colton and Peter who kept a pissed off look on his face.

"That freak tried to kill me!" Peter pointed accusingly at Apex.

"I did not try to kill you." Despite the situation Apex stood relaxed ... if not rigidly in place. No one ever seemed to listen to him ...

"You threw me out of a building!"

"You interfered in my objective."

"We were 60 stories up!"

"You shouldn't have followed me after the rooftop." Apex countered.

Listening to the two, Greer pieced enough to realize that whatever was going on, Apex and Peter must have met and it obviously ... it had not gone well.

"Peter! Calm down... Please..." she pleaded stepping in front of Colton and holding her hands out as her eyes shot to the distant street. They might have been hidden this far down but this much yelling was bound to draw attention, even in New York. "There's an explanation for all of this..."

"Really?" Peter snapped and looked back at Apex. "OK, tell me cat man, why did you throw me off a 60 story building?!"

"You were in my way."

"Not the point!" Greer interrupted. "Look Peter ... When Colton did those things - that was when he was being controlled by this organization...Weapon X. Colton isn't like that anymore."

"He. Tried. To. KILL. me!" Peter defended, at a loss how no one seemed to be letting that information sink in.

"Well he's not going to kill you now." Greer said with her arms crossed. Although she did turn to get a non-committal shrug from Colton. 'Big help...' Greer thought exasperated.

"Look, I know this might sound contrived and far-fetched but Weapon X makes people do ... horrible things. THEY do horrible things."

"What kind of horrible things?" Peter's voice had gone down at the look on Greer's face but he was clearly still upset.

"Well for starters, they were the same people that did ... this to me. And much much worse..." Greer admitted quietly, unintentionally baring her teeth at her memories.

That line and the look on Greer's face seemed to get MJ's attention and she walked out from behind Peter as he tried to keep her back.

"Get off Parker." She snapped calmly before coming to stand next to Greer.

"But..." Peter gestured at the six-foot seven giant killer panther.

"Geez Parker ... Look, if Greer trusts him, I do , now will you please get down from there? What if someone comes in and sees you?"

The wall crawler looked at all of them expectantly before sighing.

"Fine ... whatever ..." he mumbled before striding up to Apex, an absolutely determined scowl oh his face.

"But that doesn't mean I forgive you!" he huffed while Apex shrugged and rolled his eyes as he clicked back on the inducer

"I didn't ask you too…"


After a bit more of walking around, Greer and MJ made the mutual decision to not push their respective boyfriends too far and after putting a sufficient distance between themselves and the mess they had left behind said a quick goodbye. Greer promising to let MJ know the next time she was coming to the city and Peter letting out a little growl of his own when MJ had jumped to wrap her arms around Colton's neck to give him a hug. Though Greer seemed to pacify things a bit when she wrapped him up, earning instead some muffled grumbles.

From their, the two felines had hopped on the subway back home. Greer turned to look at her boyfriend in surprise as he suddenly pressed his unseen muzzle into her neck. Breathing lightly every now and then.

"Something wrong?" Greer grinned… The expression on Colton's face was hilarious in how helpless it was. I mean she felt bad but ... c'mon how often did she get to see that look?

"The smell…" he growled and Greer took whiff before grimacing. Yeah ... smelled like New York City public transportation alright ... But she was used to it. Colton however ... clearly was not.

"Aw come here," she whispered before gently holding his his head there and kissing him on the forehead. Earning a low rumble of appreciation. Deciding to be merciful, Greer had gotten them off as soon as possible and the two had walked the final mile with little separation between them. The subject of who might have been targeting Apex in the middle of downtown New York was briefly discussed but outside of speculation ... there wasn't much to go on.

Dinner at home was relaxed, Marie making her daughter's favorites and earning a few grumbles as she spooned on second ... and thirds. Seemed Marie was taking Greer's weight loss personally.

"It's not like you're gonna plump me up in a weekend mom." Greer groaned a little.

"Is that a challenge Greer Nelson?" Marie asked, wooden spoon aimed in the tigress' face causing her to merely grumble some more.

"Don't growl young lady. Unless you earn back those pounds, I'm going to feed you up until you do." Marie announced before not so subtly adding more potatoes and gravy onto Greer's plate. The tigress groaned before giving a sideways glance at Colton who was easily digging into his fourth plate of beef. Hmmm ...

"You know ... I'll be working with Colton to build myself up." Greer mentioned off-handily. That got both the panther and Marie staring at her.

"You are?"

"We are?" Colton almost mouthed but caught the look Greer shot him.

"Yep, Colton knows me almost as well as you do. I'm pretty sure he's got a hell of a workout planned for me."

"Oh does he?" Marie almost sounded accusing as she fixed the seemingly innocent panther with a piercing gaze.

"Yeah… Don't you Colton?" Greer grinned, elbowing the quiet feral who looked at her… then to Marie and back to Greer.

"Yes. Yes I do." he finally rumbled earning a smile from Greer and an arched eyebrow from Marie. So when Greer slipped away to take a shower Colton clenched a fist as Marie suddenly dragged her chair forward and stared him in the eye.

"We need to talk."


Greer groaned before curling more within herself ... ugggh… big mistake. She could smell the bleach on the sheets, faint traces of her shampoo and body wash. Just not ... Colton. Sure last night with her mother had been like being a kid again but without that emotional rollercoaster to knock her out ... she needed Colton.

She grumbled a little bit longer. God… How long had she been awake? Flipping over and staring at her clock, she groaned.

"2am? Seriously?" she scolded herself. "C'mon one night." She should be able to get through at least one night without Colton. Greer sat up, practically wrapped herself around her pillow before trying, once again, to fall asleep.

She could do this.

After five minutes, there was an audible growl from the tigress who flung her pillow to a side. Yeah she couldn't do this. She wanted her favorite fuzzy pillow and she wanted it now.

Tiptoeing to her door, Greer took a deep breath before carefully opening it. The damn thing had a tendency to creak for all those times she had tried to sneak out to meet Billy.

Greer lowered her ears. Her mom's room light was still on ... leading her to carefully shutting her door. Greer let out a moan of frustration. Why the hell was her mom still up at 2 am in the morning? Gah ...

She looked at her bed with a scowl. No ... there was no way she could fall asleep in that and she couldn't wait any longer either. Looking around her room Greer suddenly grinned when she realized what she could do now and couldn't have done five years ago.

...

Apex was staring at his ceiling fan. Normally sleep came naturally to him. It was necessary ... so he slept.

But tonight ... tonight sleep just wasn't coming to him. Apex turned to his side and ran a claw gently down the side of of the bed sheet. This was where Greer would usually sleep ... right next to him, curled against his frame, tail wrapped around his legs, her head resting on his arm ... Apex growled before flipping onto his back.

All that did was get his mind working again ... and thinking about his conversation with Ms. Nel - Marie.

"So ... how long have you been with my daughter?"

"Five months, ten days." Colton said it fast enough that Maire knew he hadn't figured it out ... he'd already known.

"And you two ... are together?"

"Greer says we're boyfriend and girlfriend."

"And what do you say?" This time Apex actually paused, his neutral face shifting as he furrowed his brow. No one had really asked him that before ... or at least not quite like that. He knew he'd do anything for Greer ...

"I ... am whatever Greer needs me to be." Marie's eyebrows rose and she paused, her entire motion suspended for a moment as she tried to somewhat tactfully respond.

"I'm not exactly sure what that means, Colton. What good does that do her in another five months? Five years? Greer deserves someone that looks beyond just what she needs ... that's just surviving. I want my daugher to do more than just survive. I want her to be able to thrive. She deserves to thrive. Can you do that? Can you support her in that?"

Apex blinked a few times before looking down at the table. What if Marie was right ... all he knew was how to survive. He'd never really thought beyond that ... never mind five years ...

Marie sensed where Colton's silence was coming from as she studied him ... but she needed this. She needed an answer.

"You do have feelings for her, don't you?" Apex quickly looked back at Marie.

"Of course," his rumble filled the kitchen, clearly not liking what she had been implying ... and exactly the reaction she had been looking for.

"And you'd do anything for her?"

"Anything." Marie took a deep breath at his answer before slowly letting it out. A giant panther was dating her daughter ... and he just said he'd do anything for her. Marie gave her head a sad shake.

"I was supposed to be the one to protect Greer."

Her voice was low, somber so Apex remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"I was supposed to be the one to protect her from the world. To make sure that she was safe. After he father was killed, I knew that it was my responsibility. But with all that's happened ... the gene splicing... and the ...," Apex could almost read her thoughts as he knew she was seeing how much Greer had changed, "Just the insanity that the world is today, I know that I can't do that for her anymore ..."

Apex was still quiet. The emotion was now evident in Marie's voice and he wasn't certain what he was supposed to do – so he did nothing. He knew she was working her way towards something.

He was also fairly certain that Marie didn't notice either way.

"What bothers me most is that ... Half of its my fault. I ... I didn't help her when she needed me. In fact I - If only I hadn't ..." she paused. Her face suddenly buried in her knuckles.

"I'm sorry give me a moment..." she sounded fragile and Apex noticed how she was trying to keep her voice steady. She took five deep breaths before she looked up again, her composure regained.

"I know what the world is like for someone like her ... for you. I know it's dangerous ... I know its unforgiving and that she's fighting to make it a better place but that doesn't mean I don't want her to be safe. To be protected..." And once again Marie looked Apex square in the eyes, something most people, mutants included, didn't do.

"You said that you cared about her – about Greer."

Apex quickly opened his mouth to respond but Marie raised her hand to stop him.

"I don't know much about you Colton Haynes, I don't know who you are, what you do. Where you came from. Nothing... but here's what I do know."

And the piercing gaze of Marie Nelson returned.

"I know you care about Greer and I saw what happened to her ... So I want you to answer me one more question." and she laid her hand on his ... gripping it tightly as if she was afraid he would pull away.

"How far would you go ... to what length would you go to protect her?" Now this ... this Apex understood and his answer didn't waver.

"I would tear down the world." And finally Marie allowed a little smile ... she believed him.

"Then promise me that you will protect her. Promise me that you will protect my daughter."

Apex looked carefully at the woman sitting in front of him, still gripping his hand and still never looking away, even when she had to crane her neck. The two sat less than a foot apart, speaking volumes without having to say a word.

Apex had been wrong. It was never fear that he had sensed coming from Marie. Or at least, not fear of him. Marie's fear was different. She was afraid...But she was afraid for Greer and Apex had never known fear like that. Or at least had not been able to identify it ... He looked at her again and when his eyes met hers. He knew a mutual understanding had been reached. Finally, Apex spoke,

"I promise."

This was ridiculous ... he had thought himself as more capable than this. He had already known he'd protect Greer ... what difference did a promise to her mother make? But then why did it keep replaying in his mind ...

Apex pinned his ears back to try and block out all the little noises that he used as an excuse for his current insomnia. He closed his eyes, shutting them tight. One night ... He could do this -

"THUMP!" and Apex sat right back up. 'Getting to his feet, he carefully made his way to the window where the noise had originated only to step back when a face popped into a view, but smirked when he saw who it was.

"Hey." Greer grinned.

"Hey," Apex answered as he opened the window for the tigress to tumble through.

"What are you doing here? It's late ..." he rumbled pulling her up.

"Hey, don't pep talk me. I just jumped down two stories…" Greer grumbled, her legs were aching.

"You've jumped off helicopters before." He pointed out.

"With body armor on," she grumbled before slowly smiling as she looked up at him, "And you were always there to catch me."

The feral knew what the tigress was alluding to and effortlessly lifted her as she bent her legs, her knees balanced on his hips as he carried her towards the bed.

"I know why you're really here." the panther rumbled.

"You do?" the tigress asked innocently.

"You can't sleep."

"And how did you know that?" Greer purred, her tail now curling and uncurling as she gently rubbed the back of his neck. Apex smirked before laying down on the bed so that Greer was now perched across his waist.

"Because I can't either…"

That got another purr from the tigress who proceeded to lay herself down and wrap her arms around his strong neck with a sigh.

"Let's help each other out than ... shall we?" she grinned before happily starting to nuzzle Apex who immediately returned the gesture.

It was close to another hour before the two were finally asleep, Greer draped across her panther's chest ... a smile firmly in place.