Cheshire - glad you still loved that last chapter after all that reading. Lots planned for our favorite ferals (don't tell K/Logan) and happy you approve.

Retro - yea yea...so maybe I have a heart. Ill admit a lot of that writing is tough for me but hopefully I dont butcher it totally. Still fun to write though.

Canuckle - well Logan had to come along and give me some advice so if you want someone to thank for all this, go thank him (sneaky old man). Here's a whole chapter of stuff you'll probably love if those last chapters did it for you. And yea...at some point, the world always falls apart. So lets just enjoy this while it lasts...or just look forward to more..."heated" times ; )

The rest of you? I see you checkin' out the story. Don't be afraid. Reviews are your friend.

"Penny for your thoughts..." Jean had been staring off into space just taking in the general mood of the Mansion when Ororo had sat down on the couch next to her.

"Nothing worth selling. Just...taking it all in." Jean waved her hand above her head.

"I take it you've heard the latest gossip about our recovering feral?" Storm raised an eyebrow at the huff that came out of Jean.

"Of course I have. I was there to witness the first sighting of my roommate in over two months just to watch her drive off with...him."

"Him? Since when was Colton 'him'? I thought you wanted him to stick around." Ororo said sarcastically.

"I do...I just...I dunno..."

"Just don't want him taking your best friend out on drives?" Jean gave Ororo a scowl but Ororo just smiled back at her. "I think it's good for her. And it seems I'm not the only one."

"Don't remind me." Jean rolled her eyes. She had been gauging the the Mansion's reaction to the scene that had unfolded in the foyer as Greer had been leaving. Most of the new students had been fixated on the drastic changes to the always dour and reclusive Greer and the confident tiger woman that had practically strutted out of Mansion. She had unfortunately brushed across some very inappropriate thoughts by some of the male students questioning their taste in women.

But the older students were just talking about what Greer was doing out with Colton. Jean had suspected that the majority of them would have been cautious like she was. But instead...they had been talking about how good it was to see Colton going out.

"Well I think it's good for both of them. Greer has been far from herself these last few months and she is exactly what Colton needs to find his place." Ororo smiled a little wider. "Besides, without her I've had to be the one to keep up with you at the mall...and I'm not certain how much more stamina I have left." Jean couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Oh...are you two talking about Colton?" Kitty leaned over the edge of the couch.

"Jean here seems to have taken issue with our Greer going out with Colton."

"Hey! Woah...they are not going out." Jean hadn't even considered that...when was Greer getting her furry butt back here?

"Well I think it's adorable. Besides, Colton's a great guy." Ororo and Jean raised eyebrows at that. "Well he is..."

"And how would you know that?" Kitty quickly realized the danger she had just thrown herself in. If Jean really wanted to, there was nothing she could do to stop her from finding out what her and Colton had been up to.

"What does it matter? I don't know about you but that was easily the happiest and best I have seen Greer in a looong time."

"She has a good point Jean."

"Well yea but -"

"Not to mention what he did for me and Amara. Practically every girl in this place knows he's a good guy just based on that. They all know and accept it. Why is that so hard for you?"

"Kitty it just doesn't feel right..." Jean tried to reassert her argument but Kitty just shook her head.

"So what does it matter how it makes you feel? Maybe for once you don't need to be the one controlling everything. If he can have that kind of affect on her, you should be supporting it. You are her best friend." Kitty crossed her arms and Ororo balanced her head on one arm with an amused smile on her face. Jean meanwhile looked taken aback at the usually agreeable brunette's verbal assault.

"Wh - I - of course I support her!" Jean said defensively.

"Well that's good to hear. Now..." Kitty hopped over the side of the couch to sit between the two older x-women. "What did you think of what Colton was wearing?" Kitty said with a conspiratorial smile.

...

Greer was practically bouncing in her seat, turning over one shoulder just to turn over the other to take in everything that was going on in the bar.

After all that had happened, everything had just seemed so faraway and distant… But to be in a bar, with her friend… Enjoying a night out like any other person her age. It was just a new and wonderful experience again.

Greer leaned against the seat, soaking in her surroundings and smiled in satisfaction, before raising an eyebrow. There was a surprising amount of college students, at least from what Jean and others had described at the usual clientele. When Greer had asked the waitress that had brought over their burgers and coke about it, she had said that some fraternity was hosting a party.

Colton had of course just stood frozen in the doorway when they had walked in, taking his time to size everything up and while she appreciated the idea of knowing the fastest exit, Greer was more interested in just grabbing some dinner. She missed the outside world…She missed the normal world… and she especially missed the junk food. So taking Colton by the hand, she had guided them to a booth as close to the back as possible. Surprising no one, Colton had taken the seat facing the entrance while Greer took turns over each shoulder taking in the lively bar.

"This is fun right?" Colton looked back at Greer from scanning the bar. He had assumed that the mass of people would have given Greer pause but she seemed to actually be relishing in it. But if this is what it took to get her to keep acting like this, he could handle it. Besides...hamburgers were delicious.

"Yea...fun." Greer scrunched her brow a little and returned her focus to the obviously tense Colton. She couldn't see it but she knew his ears were flat, his fur on end and his tail was flicking someplace on the seat dangerously. She smiled fondly, she needed to get his mind onto something else...

"Alright so tell me...who's idea was this?" Greer tried not to smile to broadly as the suddenly unreadable Colton looked uneasy.

"Logan...might have suggested something." Now Greer let her smirk show.

"I knew it." Greer announced.

"And the clothing upgrade?" Greer gestured...and did her best to not stare too long. Because if the change in clothing hadn't been distracting enough when he was still feral...seeing him like this was almost too much. She didn't know why… But she suddenly felt strangely proud that Colton was with her and her only. She could see a number of other girls glancing over at them and she had fought back the urge to snarl.

"That would be Katherine..."

"Well that explains a lot." Greer had thought Kitty looked a little too smug when she had passed her earlier in the day. Now she knew why. "Wait...you went with her to the mall? Tell me you didn't..."

"I let her drive." Greer almost spilled her drink she started laughing so hard. Colton had looked so pitiful in that moment as he had stared out obviously reliving the life experience that was Kitty Pride behind the wheel. Although the entire experience had been eventful. Once at the mall they had gone straight to a store in a rather isolated section. But it had turned out that the owner had a separate store in the back that catered to the mutant community...tail and all. Greer brought most of the clothing she bought there for alterations.

Kitty and Amara would have kept Colton there for the entire night they were so obsessed with filling out his "wardrobe" that they almost seemed pained when he had held them to jeans and other basics.

"I'm glad you find it so humorous..." Colton grumbled as Greer did her best to get a hold of herself.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I'll just have to thank her later." Greer coughed as she tried to stop herself from laughing too much. But when she saw that Colton wasn't enjoying all of this quite like she was, she stopped, immediately guilty.

"But you look good Colton...really. And thank you for going through all that agony for me, I appreciate it." She said seriously.

She let it rest there for a few extra moments. Eventually, Colton looked up to meet her eyes...they weren't quite the same but he didn't think Greer would like to hear that. Instead...there was something he needed to know about.

"Greer...can you tell me about the nightmares?" Greer bit her lip and withdrew her hands, instead choosing to fidget with them underneath the table.

"Do we really need to talk about that right now?" This was the absolutely last thing she wanted to hear from Colton. She had been having such a fun time and now everything wrong seemed to be following her.

Colton saw the change in Greer's behavior and immediately regretted bringing up her troubles. He had hoped a change in location would make the conversation easier but obviously she still felt guarded about it.

"No, of course not. But..." Greer looked up and just for a moment, looking at his human features, she thought she saw a glimpse of...something, "Just...when you are ready..." Greer reached out, wrapping her hand around Colton's larger one.

"You'll be the first one I talk to." Colton nodded his head, while Greer let her hand rest over his for a few extra moments.

A few more minutes passed, with the two talking about random things around the Mansion, Greer fascinated by the level of insight that Colton had on the different people, clicks and couples in the Mansion, before he suddenly stood up as if he was leaving.

"What's the matter?" Greer looked around the bar suddenly concerned.

"Nothing...just going to the bathroom." Greer couldn't help but smile at the...normalcy of the entire situation.

Greer put her head on the back of the seat and stared out into the bar. She knew that she was having a good time but unless she wanted this to be the last time Colton and her went out...she needed to do something that would make sure he had a good time as well.

Greer scanned the bar until her eyes fell on something and a grin appeared on her face.

Colton was gone for only a minutes as he made his way back towards their booth. They would stay for a few more minutes with their food finished and then they could escape back outside. Soon they'd be back at the Mansion and everything would be...Colton stopped short and froze.

The booth was empty.

Greer was gone.

"Greer?" Colton turned back to the bar and began scanning for Greer's red - no...raven colored hair.

"Greer!" he started shoving people out of his way with a few angry curses directed at his back in an effort to find her, but he didn't care about that right now. Why couldn't he find her? He never should have left her. If anything happened to her...

"Colton!" whipping around he saw Greer waving at him from the pool tables. He let out a silent sigh of relief. He let out a low rumble of frustration before approaching her. Greer noticed this and grinned apologetically.

"Oh C'mon I just wanted to play..." she explained before tossing him a stick. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Colton appreciated some good competition. Also, she wanted him to genuinely enjoy himself tonight…She was determined to get him to do so.

"Are you sure..." But Greer was already racking up the balls. Colton stared down at the stick in his hands for a moment before looking back over at Greer and giving a shrug, moved towards the other end of the table.

"Now...what you want to do is -" Greer stood back as a loud crack resulted in Colton sinking a solid. The lithe woman just raised a surprised eye brow, her eyes questioning.

"What? I don't spend all my time in the danger room." He had seen the other students and teachers competing against each other and after a sufficient grasp of the rules, had played by himself a few times while waiting for Greer or between patrolling the grounds.

Greer quickly changed her expression from surprise to something he read as competitive.

"Alright smart guy. So let's see what you got..." she announced before getting into position. Greer might not have been the best pool player in the Mansion, but she certainly was one better ones and their "friendly competition" evolved into something far more intense. Colton seemed to have an incredibly unfair ability to read angles and place his ball but Greer was still able to keep it close.

She also noticed he seemed to take a particular interest whenever she had to lean over the table to take a shot. She found herself doing that a bit more than she really had to...

"Hey beautiful. You mind playin' game with us next? We're short one..." Greer looked over her shoulder to see a few guys around her age had walked over. She just blinked at first...it felt a bit surreal to have someone not from the Mansion talk to her. But looking back at Colton, she already knew he would never want to play with anyone else but that didn't mean she wanted to be rude.

"Sorry guys. I think we're done after this one." Greer leaned against the table and the guys stepped a little closer.

"What? No, you need to stay a little longer. How am I supposed to buy you a drink if you leave?" The taller one with some very carefully ruffled red hair smiled at her. Greer felt herself blushing, her hand finding its way onto her arched hip, her tail uncurling from behind her...

'Is this - Oh god...I think this guy is flirting with me...' she grinned girlishly at that. This was just too much. And she felt really horrible for saying this… But.. she was getting a kick out of it .

Tucking a strand of hair behind her hear and tilting her head towards her shoulder Greer called up some of her favorite high school poses.

"Sorry guy...but I don't think that's happening tonight. Maybe another time..." Greer gave an apologetic smile that almost felt foreign on her face she hadn't used it in so long to let a guy down. She chuckled mentally, it used to be she had to use it before every weekend. 'Good times...' she smirked to herself.

"Damnit...OK, how about this. I buy you ONE drink...and you show me some moves at the table?" The guy casually placed his hand on Greer's thigh, suddenly shaking Greer back into just how close she had let this person get, anxiety seeping in as her temporarily forgotten tail wrapped tighter around her leg...She was about to decline again when Colton suddenly appeared and pushed the guy backwards into his friends.

"Hey! What the hell you think you're doin'?" Ruffled hair looked back at his friends to make sure they were still there as he confidently took a step back towards Colton. Greer raised an amazed eyebrow. This guy was either incredibly brave or just really stupid. Image inducer or not, it was impossible not to be intimidated by Colton's menacing physique. Ruffled hair clearly did not stand a chance and would be an idiot if he thought he could do so…

"Back off." The bar was too loud but with her back pressed against his chest, Greer actually felt his growl rumble through her from her chest all the way down to the tip of her tail.

"I was talkin' to the girl. Just mind your own business man!"

'Man...why did the idiot have to call him man...' OK now things were going to get really out of hand. Colton placed his hand on Greer's hip and slipped her behind him but Greer, experienced at this point, just slid back around so that she stood between Colton and the group.

"It's alright. Just let it go. We're leaving." She told Colton.

"What do ya mean you're leaving..." Greer turned and saw ruffled looking put out...and maybe a bit more drunk than she realized.

"Stop talking to her."

"I'll talk to whoever I want asshole!" Greer looked back at Colton for a moment, realizing the situation was getting out of control and concluded that she had better stop this before someone ended up in the hospital.

"Just give me a second..." Greer whispered, knowing Colton would be the only one that could hear her. Giving him a quick wink, she walked over to the guy and his friends, each with a huge smile thinking they had won her over.

'Cute…' she thought before clearing her throat.

"Listen boys. My...boyfriend over there," Greer pointed over her shoulder to a teeth baring Colton for emphasis, "Gets a little protective. You have to forgive him. It's just - well - Marine combat trainers can be hard to deal with." Now the group took a moment to take in the seething Colton who couldn't believe what Greer was doing.

"That - that guy trains Marines?"

"Mhmmm...but we're just gonna go so you can use the table. That sound good?" The group just nodded their heads in silent awe.

Greer smirked, 'Who knew? I still got it.'

"Thanks guys. You're doing me a huuuge favor." Greer gave them one last smile before slinking back gracefully over to Colton who had kept his gaze locked on the group.

"C'mon...we're leaving." Greer put a hand onto Colton's chest, able to still feel the reverberations from his growl. Reaching up, Greer put a hand around his neck, forcing him to look at her.

"Take me home." Colton let out a breath and taking Greer by the hand led her outside. For some reason, the group of idiots called out after them 'thanking him for his service...' whatever the hell that was about.

But Greer was beside herself with the entire situation. Her mind replaying the entire thing and trying to pick out her favorite part...

"Way to be sociable Colton." Greer managed to tease between her giggles.

"Being sociable wasn't my concern..."

"Awww what's wrong? Those kids make you jealous?" Colton huffed and just kept walking towards the jeep but this time Greer wasn't letting him ignore her. Switching hands, she took a step into Colton, putting his hand on her hip so she could wrap hers around his waist, twisting around so that she was standing in front of him.

He looked at her strangely, his amber eyes questioning. Greer just hugged him closer to her.

"Hey..." They had reached the darkened corner of the lot where Colton had parked the jeep. "Thank you...For tonight." Acting before she could talk herself out of it, Greer reached up and pecked Colton on the cheek, his fur gently brushing her face.

And with that Greer playfully hurried over to the jeep.

Colton felt oddly warm for a moment and just stood there.

"C'mon! Let's get back." Greer called from the passenger side of the jeep.

Giving his head a quick shake, Colton clicked off his inducer before getting behind the wheel.

...

The ride back to the Mansion didn't take long. The two ferals didn't say much but every so often Greer would glance over and either smile or fight to repress a fresh set of laughter. Apex had never seen her so happy before. So relaxed.

For once he actually gave her a half smile back. And while he was loath to admit it...Logan had been right.

Once they had parked the jeep, they headed towards the Mansion.

"Hold on..." Colton stopped and saw that Greer was staring down at her pendant as she fiddled with it. She had almost forgotten she had even had it still activated. But now that they were back...

"Leave it." Greer looked up to see that Colton had walked back to stand right in front of her. For once his gaze not locked on the inducer.

"What?"

"Just...leave it...if you want." Greer looked between the inducer and Colton a few times before ripping off the inducer and stuffing it into her back pocket.

"Greer you don't have to -" But Colton shut up as Greer closed the small gap between them and wrapped herself around Colton, just holding herself there for a moment. Colton stood with his arms out and looked down to see the side of Greer's face. It was peaceful and pressed into him. Her scent was everywhere.

Greer popped her eye open for just a moment and just hugged Colton tighter when she felt his arms drop so that they fell to gently rest around her. She just wanted to stay in this warm place a bit longer and took in a deep breath...instinctually just taking him in.

She felt...safe here.

"Thank you again...for tonight." Greer whispered into him. Taking in another breath...she didn't even blink when it came out as a light purr. Colton could feel the small reverberations coming from the tigress pressed against him.

'Anything...I'd protect you from anything.' Colton didn't say it...but he held Greer a little tighter.

BREAKING NEWS...

And in other news tonight, local college student Marcus Bryant, was found dead behind the wheel of his car last night. His car was found a few miles from a local rural bar where he had been seen drinking for most of the night. Police believe he lost control of his vehicle and crashed when his car lost control. He was declared dead at the scene.

Now to sports...