Cassie stared blankly at the wall, it was morning but Cassie felt anything but rested. She wasn't sure if she'd fallen asleep or just had moments were she mentally checked out. All Cassie knew was that her eyes hurt and probably bloodshot. Cassie felt as if she'd been in this hotel bed for days staring at the black box on the end table. When only she had been in bed for a night, Cassie could hear Hank in the adjourning living room trying to be quiet with his phone call. But Cassie had been very aware of Hank McCoy in the bed next to her during both her moments of lucidity and insanity.

Cassie heard Hank finish his phone call and step back into the bedroom and stop, she could feel him staring at her.

"What would you like for breakfast?" Hank asked. Clearly not fooled by her amateur attempt at sleeping… or playing dead for that matter.

"I'm not hungry." Cassie replied softly.

Hank frowned sadly, Cassie was clearly depressed and he couldn't blame her for it. But her health in both body and mind was first and foremost to him.

After some gentle coaxing Hank was able to get Cassie to sit up and eat a banana and yogurt for breakfast, it was better than nothing.

Cassie watched as Hank kept receiving phone calls, and every time he would step into the other room to take it. They never lasted long a few moments at the most before he would walk back in a smile on his face as if nothing had happened. After the tenth call Cassie couldn't take it anymore.

"You are certainly a very wanted man today, what was it you said was here?" Cassie asked. "You seemed very interested in whatever was outside the room throughout the night."

Hank coughed and looked away; he had hoped that Cassie had been unaware of that. But then again it was obvious that she had gotten little to no sleep last night, so it was stupid of him to think she hadn't noticed.

"I work in the government with Mutant Relations; I try to smooth things over between the normal average human population and the mutant population. I am trying to make things easier for mutants in the country, as well as help the government in dealing with mutants who have fallen into their hands by mistake."

Cassie looked at the man across from her, she had known that Hank's job was something high up but she hadn't thought that high up.

"Hank that's amazing." Cassie said honestly.

Hank shrugged. Not telling her that it wasn't as glamorous as she thought, the realty of his situation was he was only there for the government to look good. He was there not to help the American government grow and learn tolerance but he was there to be stared at, he was there to help them be rid of what many of the higher ups called the mutant situation. They thought that Hank was there to tell them every dirty secret he knew of mutants to make termination easier for them. Many times he had passed information of mutants onto the Professor, mutants that were becoming a problem and popping up on the radar for the wrong reasons. But he was determined that his position was more beneficial from the inside that he was from the outside, which meant jumping through a few hoops every now and again.

"So what's it like?" Cassie asked.

"Tedious." Hank replied. "Are you finished?"

Cassie nodded before throwing her trash away in the waste basket next to her bed.

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Closure hopefully." Hank said without thinking.

Cassie blinked wondering what that meant.

..

Cassie gave her purse to the security guard who checked it before he sent her through the metal detector. He gave Hank a shrewd look, clearly debating whether to let him in or not, Cassie held her breath she needed him with her, Cassie feared doing this alone very much. Cassie let out a sigh of relief when he was finally waved through; they were given badges with the word VISTOR printed in big bold letters. Cassie pinned it on only partially listening to the guard as he explain the rules to her, no touching the prisoners, no giving them items of any kind, no bating other prison mates.

Cassie and Hank were led to a table in a heavily watched room, by both camera and guards. Cassie bit her lip and fidgeted like crazy, she jumped when a large hand clasped her own under the table.

"Relax." Hank breathed quietly against her temple.

Cassie stopped breathing at the intimacy, if she turned her head up just slightly would he kiss her?

There was a clearing of a throat making Cassie jump, the guard had returned and held Cara by the shoulder as he sat her down across the table from them. Cara looked like shit prison life had clearly not done her any favors; her hair was crudely chopped close to her ears. Her eyes looked very similar to Cassie's not just in color but in wretchedness. Only the bags under Cara's eyes were more predominate and Cassie's eyes were nowhere near having the hard light that Cara's had.

Cassie opened her mouth to say something, but Cara beat her to it. "You look good sis' who the hell is this?"

Cassie was silent she didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to do she was at a loss Cassie was looking at a familiar stranger.

"I've changed some since we last met Cara." Hank said acknowledging her over the table.

Cara's eyes widened as she recognized the voice, then she sneered at Cassie. "You went running to this freak when you were all alone."

Cassie gasped she could feel the tension radiating from Hank, neither one of them had been expecting that one. Then Cassie felt rage. "For your information this man is the reason why I and your surviving son didn't die. It's because of him that Dylan didn't end up in the system, your mutant son might I add."

Cara gritted her teeth and glared at her twin. "Whose fault is it that he almost ended up in the system in the first place."

Cassie felt her gut turn upside down and inside out. "You blame me for Nico's death and you being in jail?" Cassie's voice was high almost to the point of shrieking.

Hank had to hush her gesturing to the guards throughout the room, as well as the other inmates being visited by family. Cassie had to take a deep breath before she was able to speak.

"You think I'm the reason why?" Cassie's voice calm the opposite of her insides which demanded she claw Cara's eyes out.

"Yes, if you had just minded you own business then Dylan would be normal, I wouldn't be in jail, and Nico would be…" Cara's breath hitched at that one.

Hank watched the sisters in silence, in body they were similar, but in spirit and mind they couldn't have been more different. Cassie was calm to Cara's ferocity, Cassie unsure to Cara's confidence, Cassie quiet to Cara's volume and in Cassie's mind she was lacking to her twin. Even now they were night and day, Cara's was broken while Cassie had persevered and she looked twice as strong as her sister had ever been. But one thing hadn't changed about them, Cara was determined to place the blame of her misfortune on anyone and everyone but herself, and Cassie was silently letting herself be walked on.

"You bitch I was fine I loved him and you came in and ruined it all. If you had just let things be Robert wouldn't have done a thing, if you hadn't made a grab for that gun Nico would be alive."

Cassie felt her heart stutter she knew she wasn't responsible for any of this, Robert had brought the gun to the apartment and drawn it, and Cara had brought Robert even after they had both agreed he wasn't allowed inside. Cara was the one with multiple warrants out for her arrest which had turned her one year sentence into ten. But why was that little voice inside Cassie that whispered dark things making her doubt all this, Cassie felt the first tear fall. She hadn't wanted to cry here of all places, in front of Cara of all people, but it was hard because Cara was hitting on weak points in Cassie and Cara knew it. It was hard to stay strong someone you trusted and loved was tearing your inner armor apart like wet paper. It was hard to defend against something like this, Cassie was confused and hurt as of why Cara would do this to her, why she would do this to herself, why she would put her kids in danger, why she would refuse to acknowledge the fact that Robert had killed his own son. But most of all why Cassie couldn't seem to find her voice, why couldn't she speak out against Cara?

Because you always let Cara win even when she was wrong Cassie's inner self whispered.

Both Cassie and Cara jumped when the table they sat at shook violently, Hank's large hands had slammed down on the table top and he towered over them.

Hank snarled at Cara.

Cara shivered as she looked up at him, his eyes flickered and his teeth seemed scarier now that he was growling like a beast at her.

"S-sir I'm afraid you need to leave." Squeaked a voice.

Hank's head snapped around and glared down at the guard, before he huffed and helped Cassie up with more gentleness that thought possible at the moment. Then he was walking them to the door leaving a stunned Cara behind.

Cassie could feel the tension and the… ferocity in Hank's body, yet the arm around her shoulders was protective and gentle. Cassie knew without a doubt that he could have snapped her like a twig, but instead he held her against him while they walk with one hand, and another brushed against her face lightly removing the evidence of her crying from her face.

.

Hank remained tense the ride from the prison back to the hotel all the way to the elevator, where he now had Cassie pressed to the wall with his body. As they made their way to the floor that the room was on, no words were said Hank just held her pressed between the wall and him being careful not to crush her. Cassie felt comforted no words, just him pressing his nose to her hair then breathing slowly. Cassie couldn't explain it but she felt more comforted by this… animalistic gesture than if he were speaking to her. Cassie could feel him hum when she tilted her face up and nuzzled her nose against his, Cassie normally wouldn't have been cuddling with a blue furred mutant in an elevator. But right now she didn't give a fuck, she didn't give a fuck about the fact he was her ex, she didn't give a fuck about the fact they could be busted at any moment. Cassie just wanted to live in this moment, she just wanted to lose herself in the way Hank smelled and felt.

Hank slowly started to inch his face down, the intent to kiss obvious, and honestly that intent was all over Cassie's face as well.

They jerked when the elevator dinged and the door opened, people walked in giving Hank and Cassie mixed looks of amusement and disgust. Hank grunted before he quite literally carried Cassie out of the elevator onto their floor, then into the room.

"You're a lot stronger than you realize Cassie, and Cara is a weak and broken woman to blame all these hardships on you." Hank said quietly for the first time since they left the prison.

Cassie nodded knowing he was right, and then a yawn to put a dinosaur to shame exploded from her mouth.

"Ah- Sorry Hank."

Hank just laughed softly then ushered her to bed, "It's alright take a nap Cassie you have had an eventful day."

Cassie nodded but hesitated and held onto Hank still, she wasn't ready to give this up yet his warmth, his smell.

"Would you sleep with me?" Cassie asked in a rush.

Hank looked at her in bewilderment. "Huh?"

"I don't mean sex, I mean I was hoping you would lay down with me and well you know…" Cassie covered her red face, she felt stupid. You don't ask a man to lie in the same bed as you and just sleep.

Cassie heard a soft thump and peaked from behind her hands at him, he wasn't trying to run away he was taking his shoes off. Cassie heart was not skittering around in her chest no way that was her Cassie silently said as she climbed into bed and felt Hank wrap his around her from behind. His warm body almost instantly making her fall asleep Cassie sighed before she cuddled back against him.

.

Hey guys I know I have been MIA for quite awhile ever since july but I'm alive and missed you guys. I would love it if u reviewed good thoughts and bad just simply be mature about it.