Cassie rubbed the slick gel across Susie's back, she kept thinking about earlier this morning and Hank. Her face burned as she remembered how she'd crumbled like a house of cards, under a kiss just a simple kiss, Cassie was stronger than that Cassie was Cassie… not Cara. Cassie loved her sister still even after the tragedy that happened, but Cassie never understood how Cara would let the same sleaze balls from before back into her life. No matter what they did to her, got Cara pregnant and ran, stole money, hopped up on drugs, passed her around like a party favor, or hurt her kids. Cassie didn't want to be that way, she didn't want to be so weak and just let Hank back into her like nothing happened. He'd left her at the altar of all places, it would have been one thing if he'd just simply gotten cold feet and wanted to wait some more. But no Hank had told her he loved her and wanted a life with her at the rehearsal the morning before the wedding, then the wedding came Cassie walked down the aisle to not see Hank there. After hours of fruitless searching Cassie went home hoping maybe Hank was there, only to find a message on her voicemail.
Cassie, I'm so sorry I just can't marry you don't blame yourself it's not you… it's me I'm just not good enough for you. Goodbye Cassie.
But Cassie had blamed herself for him leaving, for months she had been inconsolable, at first Hank's parents had been pissed their son had just ditched Cassie like that and swore they would tell her why once they themselves figured it out. Cassie had her hopes high that maybe just maybe it was a mistake, maybe Hank's parents would find out what had happened and talk some sense into their son, and maybe this bad dream could still be turned around. Only to have her heart cut and torn into itty bitty pieces when she suddenly received a restraining order from Hank's parents in the mail, she was not to go within two hundred feet of them or their home. As well as a whole stack of restraining orders from the entire groom's side that Cassie had access to or was friendly with. Cassie couldn't even call them to find out why they suddenly didn't want a thing to do with her, because they had all changed their phone numbers and email addresses. Suddenly Cassie was heartbroken, alone, her ex somewhere in the world, and she couldn't even find out what she'd done to deserve such a thing.
Cassie felt her eyes burn as she remembered all that pain, did she really want to give him the chance for such a thing again? But she found herself reluctant to just let Hank go when he was so close to her, Cassie wiped the last of the gel onto Susie's back before she sent the little girl off to class. She'd had to gather her charges at twelve and head to a lab of sorts for them to practice maintaining control of their abilities. Cassie wasn't sure where this lab was at but she was sure her charges at least knew.
Cassie washed her hands off in the sink in her bathroom, one of the perks about being an adult her was that she got her own bathroom attached to her bedroom. Cassie looked at herself in the mirror trying to decipher what it was the woman looking back at her wanted.
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Cassie spent the rest of the day tidying up, she just couldn't help it the other adults often did what they wanted until they were required to go take care of their kids, but Cassie just couldn't. Every time she turned around bowls were left out on the tables, shoes left in the middle of the hallways and it was second nature for Cassie to walk around and pick up after them even though there was like at least forty children. Cassie looked up when she heard someone giggle nearby; she saw Rogue standing in the Doorway of the dining room, another boy Cassie had seen her often with was there as well.
"Are you seriously trying to clean up after all these people?" Rogue asked.
Cassie bit her lip and shrugged. "I just don't know what to do; Dylan and the rest of my kids are in class, I don't have to go find them all until close to twelve."
Cassie was older than Rogue yet she felt like an ignorant five year old, even more when the teen gave her that 'I pity you' look.
"You know most of the teachers if, they're not teaching are normally relaxing." Rogue offered.
"Uh, Thanks." Cassie said quietly as she watched Rogue and the boy leave.
How do I relax in a strange place? Cassie asked herself with a sigh, just dumping the dishes on the table. Cassie walked away determined to just lay down in her bed, she jumped when suddenly a bell rang and kids shot out of doors heading for their next class. Cassie looked around as she watched as the students came and went. No one attempting to be tardy to class, no one was trying to skip class.
"Better school than most." Cassie said quietly.
"They fear Login catching them in the hallways."
Cassie jumped and turned to see the Professor in a doorway.
"Login?" Cassie asked.
"Login isn't one to be stuck in a class room all day, but he enjoys making sure the children are where they need to be during the day." The Professor clarified.
"Oh." Cassie replied dumbly, she just didn't know where she belonged here.
"Is anything troubling you my dear?" The Professor asked as he rolled up to her.
Cassie attempted a grin. "Is it that obvious?"
The man in the chair gave her a kind smile. "I don't have to be a mind reader to tell Miss Hall that you are troubled. "
Cassie was silent she didn't know what to say in this situation.
"Come my dear I have some time before my next class let's talk, I am willing to hear what it is that troubles you." The Professor said.
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Cassie sat with Professor Xavier in his study drinking tea with him; she wasn't the type of person to talk with friends over tea. But Cassie found the small porcelain cup in her hands filled with warm tea soothing in a way. The fragrance coming from the cup was lovely; Cassie wished she was more knowledgeable on teas; all Cassie knew was that it was soothing, herbal tasting and slightly sweetened with honey.
"So tell me what is troubling you." The Professor asked.
Cassie bit her lip and tried o sort her thoughts out. "It's just this place is so amazing but… its not home for me, and I feel like I don't belong here. But it feels like I can't go back to New York, not after what all happened, and I just am confused about everything." Cassie sighed in defeat.
The Professor gave Cassie a kind smile. "Miss Hall, I can't change what happened in New York, as of for belonging here, just give it a few more days. You have only just arrived; the children need to be given a chance to get to know you."
Cassie thought about it for a few moments and knew he was right, but she just felt so out of place.
"Perhaps it would help you to feel more at ease here if things you are familiar with were here." The Professor offered.
Cassie gave him a questioning look.
"The police and law have been dealt with so you are no longer wanted for kidnapping, so I had thought perhaps you could accompany a friend of mine who will be going to New York tomorrow on business and settle things that were left unattended. Such as letting your niece Sasha know you are not dead, and as well as gather some things from your apartment to make you room here more comfortable."
Cassie felt her chest expand with hope at seeing Sasha again, and getting things from her apartment.
"That would be wonderful Professor Xavier, who is it I would be traveling with?"
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"Alright the then Dylan open up." Hank said. Dylan opened his mouth and Hank peered into the boy's mouth his curiosity high. It was Dylan, Susie, and Laura's turn in the lab, Hank was overseeing in helping these children learn to tame and control their powers. But in order for Hank to help Dylan do such a thing, Hank had to learn exactly what all Dylan was capable of doing. From what Hank could see Dylan's fangs were tucked back against the roof of the boy's mouth.
"Can you extend your fangs please Dylan." Hank asked.
Dylan blinked up him in confusion and question. Hank turned to Cassie sitting in a chair next to him. "Does he know how?"
Cassie thought about it for a second before she replied. "I don't think he's ever brought them out except when he's scared or angry."
Hank crossed his arms over his chest and considered that, it wasn't an uncommon circumstance. Many of the mutations were brought by stress of some kind, and it was often a learning curve for both mutant and the instructors here to figure out how each individual person's mutation was brought on. Hank grabbed a cotton swab off the table next to him.
"I'm going to try to stimulate the skin around his fangs to see if maybe that will cause him to extend them." Hank explained to Cassie and Dylan. One thing he'd learned early on was that new mutants when you were trying to figure out what they could do, it was always best to explain what he was about to do.
Dylan opened his mouth once more and Hank gently ran the cotton swab along the fangs at first gently, letting to boy get used to the sensation before Hank moved to the sensitive skin at the base.
Dylan's made a face at the odd sensation; Hank moved the swab to see the boy's jaw twitch and the long needlelike fangs slide down. Fitting neatly into two almost invisible gaps near Dylan's canine teeth, Hank's shape eyes notice the liquid that was beginning to ooze from one fang. He quickly grabbed a vile from the table and placed it at the tip to catch it. Hoping this wasn't just saliva he was getting.
Cassie watched as Hank, the kiss they'd shared in the forefront of her mind. Cassie found herself looking him over broad shoulders and large muscles fitted into a tight dark navy blue sweater, making his fur seem even bluer in color. His glasses perched on the edge of his nose, the gears in his head turning and whirling. She watched as he held the glass vile up to his face and beheld the small amount of liquid there like a treasured gem. Even though he was curious about Dylan's mutation, Hank was being so gentle and caring with him.
Hank wrote some notes down into Dylan's file capping the vile and setting it aside. "Alright Dylan that's all for today, next up is Laura."
Dylan hopped off the table and Laura walked up next, Hank switched flies and looked over Laura's quickly.
"Alright Laura, from what Jean has put here I just need to see how far you have come at excluding the wants and emotions of people from a group."
"Yep, I've been practicing." Laura said confidently.
Hank smiled at the girl. "Alright then tell me then want of someone here."
Laura grinned. "Miss Cassie wants to kiss you!"
Hank dropped the folder he was holding, while Cassie covered her flaming cheeks with her hands.
Cassie felt her face on fire she wanted to crawl in a hole.
"Alright then!" Hank said loudly as he gathered up Laura's file and filled it out quickly.
Then he ushered the kids out of the lab telling them they had class to go too, leaving him and Cassie in the lab. Then he turned to her, Cassie's face was still red and hidden behind her hands.
They were both silent for a few uncomfortable moments finally hank cleared his throat, gaining Cassie's attention.
"Charles tells me that I will have a companion to New York."
Cassie nodded. "I hope you don't mind Hank."
"Of course not… Cassie about earlier." Hank shifted from foot to the other like a guilty school boy. "I'm sorry for that."
Cassie blinked she was confused. "Huh?"
"For kissing you this morning." Hank clarified.
Cassie wondered if that was her heart flopping about on the floor like a dying fish, for reason she felt like crying; again. Hank was sorry about kissing her, first he was jealous and Cassie had been glad and confused now he was sorry and Cassie was now about to cry and still confused.
"O-Oh I didn't realize you regretted it I-I…" Cassie floundered around trying to think of something to say.
"Yes, I regret it very much and I want you to know that." Hank said with a rueful grin. He looked up from the floor and saw the look of pain on her face.
"Cassie, did I say something wrong?" He asked.
Suddenly Cassie jerked and a waterfall of tears fell as her look of pain shifted to one of rage. "You drag me into a room this morning have the gale to kiss me, and now you tell me you sorry for it Then ask if you said something wrong?" She screeched.
"You don't kiss a woman then tell her you regret the action you stupid man." Cassie snarled as she flung a book across the room at him.
She hated him; Cassie could honestly say she hated Hank McCoy. He left her at the altar with no reason why, messed with her emotions and now he apologized as if he'd simply left the cap off the toothpaste.
"Make up your mind stupid man; stop fucking with my easily fuckable emotions!" Cassie screamed at him tossing more heavy and most likely expensive books at him, the asshole dodged them like she was tossing pillows at him. Next thing she knew Hank was grabbing a clipboard from her hand and pinned her arms to her side. Cassie squealed and kicked and stomped on his feet.
"Wait you think I didn't like kissing you?" Hank asked in shock.
"That is what you said asshole!" Cassie hissed stomping on his instep making him groan in pain.
Hank stopped it all by sitting down on the floor her in his lap and wrapping one arm around her upper arms and pinning her legs to his side with another. Making Cassie even madder and cry harder finally she just bit him on the chest.
"Ouch stop abusing me!" Hank begged.
Cassie just bit down harder getting a mouthful of sweater and fur, she wanted to do a hell of a lot more than abuse him.
"Cassie I'm sorry that I dragged you into my bedroom, and kissed you without permission." Hank yelped when she pinched his thigh demanding to be released. He sighed in relief when she released the mouthful of sweater and fur she had, for such a small woman she certainly knew how to make him squeal. Beast purred in the back of Hank's mind wanting to make Cassie squeal for a different reason. Hank wondered how getting beaten could make his wilder half amorous.
"Huh?" She asked.
Hank felt Cassie relax and deemed it safe to release her legs as he brushed the tears from her face, as well at the long blue hair still stuck to her lip. Hank would bet he would find himself short a few more hairs when he removed his sweater tonight.
"I dragged you in a room Cassie, that's what I regret doing." Hank said rubbing the pain from his pinched thigh.
Cassie felt her face light up and more of those damn water works. "Then say that stupid man, all you said was that you regretted kissing me!"
"yes, I realize that now and I am very sorry. I'm sorry I made you think that, and I'm sorry for fur you took the liberty of removing." Hank said rubbing the spot she'd bitten him at.
Cassie slumped against him her head against his chest, Hank felt her start shaking afraid he'd made her cry again her tilted his head to see. Yes, she was crying but now she was trying to muffle her laughter against him.
"I'm sorry I just can' believe how fucked up this was." Cassie laughed.
Hank couldn't resist the smile that crept along his mouth. "That would be my fault I think."
Cassie took a deep breath then something else clicked in her head, she looked up at him and noticed his glasses were gone. "Did you really tell me to stop abusing you?"
Hank chuckled. "Well you were."
Cassie giggled and pressed her face against him once more this time not taking fur with her. Hank couldn't help but laugh with her, it was a little funny. His sore thigh would dispute the fact, but Hank found the reward worth the mild pain. He had Cassie in his lap laughing against him, something that hadn't happened in a very long time and it felt good. Hank couldn't resist holding her closer, Cassie's laughter stopped and she looked up at him. Noticing the subtle change and how close they were to one another, Cassie felt him wipe the last of her over active waterworks away. Then he kissed her again softly before pulling away.
"Trust me Cassie, I don't regret kissing you." Hank said quietly.
Cassie nodded her face red from the close proximity, she wanted to kiss him back but the past held her back as she just stayed there neither pushing him away or bringing him closer.
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Alright readers thoughts please I know there are more you reading this than reviewing good or bad I want them.