Quinn was at her locker shoving her jacket inside when the insults began.

"How old do you think she is?"

"Who is she anyways? Genius from the middle school?"

"Or maybe she's from out of town."

"No way. Why would she come here?"

"Forget that. I want to know why she's here."

"Hey! New kid."

Quinn didn't turn as she shut her locker and started down the hall. She was by herself, Mark and Kitchie having found out that their lockers were right next to other side on the other side of the floor. Footsteps behind her told her that the pair of girls were following. "Kid!" One pushed her shoulder and she turned, stumbling back into a large blond haired guy in a football uniform. Quinn looked up at him, then at the girls in front of her. "Where are you from?" one girl asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Quinn shot back.

"Answer her," the guy behind her said. Quinn looked up at him and glared. "No," she replied. She pushed past her and when one girl made to stop her another one stood between Quinn and the other female. The new girl has short spiked black hair and wore a long black trench coat. She was about 5'5 but the menacing vibes radiating off of her made her seem bigger than she was. "Do we have a problem here?" she asked, looking at the trio that had been bugging Quinn.

"Get out of here Gwen," one girl said.

"Or what? You'll burn me with your curling iron?" The girl, Gwen, laughed. Two guys stepped up behind her, clearly interested in the confrontation. One had fair blonde hair and bright blue eyes, the other one shoulder length brown hair and dark brown eyes. The two girls took a step back, but the guy didn't move. "You need Gabriel and Noah to back you up?" he snarled. "Thought you could handle your own problems."

"She can," the brunette answered. "We just wanted to know what was up, didn't we Noah?"

The blond nodded and Quinn saw his eyes flash red. The blond guy backed up and soon the trio were heading down the hall. Quinn stepped away from Gwen, Noah, and Gabriel and stared at them. Gwen smiled. "Sorry," she said, sticking her hands in her pockets. She looked Quinn up and down as Quinn did the same to her. "What grade you in?" Gwen asked.

"Ten," Quinn replied.

Gwen smiled slightly and glanced over her shoulders at her friends. "Noah, Gabriel and I are in eleven. Let us know if anyone else bugs you ok?" Quinn nodded and Noah smiled kindly. Gabriel just nodded, amusement in his eyes even though it didn't show on his face. "Well we'll see you 'round," Gwen said, turning. Just as she was about to walk away she stopped and glanced at Quinn. "What's your name, if you mind me asking? Your full name?"

Quinn was quiet for a long moment, trying to determine the other girl's intentions. She could figure out none menacing so she replied: "Quinn Moore." A smile flickered onto Gabriel's face and him and Gwen exchanged a look. Noah locked a gaze with Quinn that she couldn't seem to break until spoke: "Interesting," the coated girl said. "Very interesting…" With a flash of a smile the three headed off, leaving Quinn stranded in the middle of the hallway.

The rest of the day was uneventful but excruciatingly bored. With math as homeroom Quinn felt like leaving right after, but running into Mark in the hallway she found out that they had science together. After that class, which wasn't as boring as Quinn thought, Mark and her met up with Kitchie in the cafeteria. Kitchie and Mark swapped stories and Quinn asked Kitchie about Gabriel, Noah, and Gwen. Kitchie smiled, as usual, as he replied: "Gwen's kinda feared around the school. Last year she had some breakdown and smashed some cars, almost totaling Scott's convertible. She used to be a part of the Brotherhood, then the X-Men. She left a couple months ago and her and Gabriel and Noah have made a little home for themselves in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city."

"You mean they're mutants?" Quinn asked.

Kitchie nodded and continued where he left off. "Noah used to be in the Brotherhood but then he 'died'-" He made quotations with his fingers. "-when Gwen had one of her spazzes. But now he's alive. Gabriel used to be an X-Men too. But as I said they're all their own little gang now. I hear they take in a runaway or two if needed."

Neither Mark nor Quinn knew what to say in response. Lunch passed without much more incident, just Mark and Kitchie talking as Quinn scanned the room for any sign of Caim. The free period ended too quickly and Quinn parted ways with Kitchie and Mark to go to English. Last period she had auto mechanics and got stared at the entire time. One guy dared ask if she was in the right class, the right school even, and Quinn threatened him with the wrench she held. No one spoke to her after that and she finished the project that the others had been working on since before the break.

Finally the end of the day swung around and Quinn made it from her locker to outside without any incident. For that she was grateful.

AN: This chapter was a bit rushed, I apologize. But I needed to get something out! Gabriel, Noah, and Gwen are stars from "A Shifting Heartful" and "The Vengeful Vanguard" (in that order). In case you haven't read them, I'll spoil this bit now: Gwen is Quinn's cousin. Quinn doesn't know it obviously but... yeah. That whole thing will not be explained here, Gwen and her gang won't really reappear in this story. Maybe a brief sighting, or a mention later on, but this was a little cameo to make me happy :D

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading ^^