(OOC: Continued from Returning in a Haze)

Amp and Vibe made their way down the hall of the main floor of the Mansion. They didn’t bother with masking their movements; they were masters of stealth anyway, and it seemed that the entire Mansion was asleep. Unless someone was wandering around for a midnight snack, they were likely to remain undiscovered. Even then, the girls would hear their footsteps before someone else heard them.

>Wow, this place is huge!< Vibe mused as they wandered. Amp merely nodded agreement. They passed the dining room and kitchen, only pausing momentarily. There were some pretty expensive looking items scattered around, including electronics; kind of surprising since the place was supposed to be a school for mutants. School implied learning, and mutants implied violence. Result? Broken and now-not-so-expensive items. Still, they were too bulky to carry without effort, and a pain to pawn, so the girls ignored them. Instead they began opening and closing doors. For the moment they were simply exploring.

They came across a door with a name plaque on it.

>’Headmistress’ Office’. Sounds promising. Shall we?<

Amp smirked. She placed a hand on the knob. A little sound masking, a little concentration and...

The door swung silently open. The girls slunk in, and shut the door behind them. Vibe flipped on the light. Looking around, she snorted.

>Busy lady,< she said, noting the mounds of paperwork. She moved to sit behind the desk, and began going through the files. She wasn’t much of a reader, but she was nosy. Once she found the resident files, and saw that they held records of powers, she became entranced. Her foot tapped idly.

Meanwhile, Amp began going through the room looking for a safe. She figured there had to be one somewhere in the Mansion, and this was a natural place to begin looking. The girls went about their various tasks in silence.

Fade had not been able to sleep lately. Raph had flooded her mind with concern. Where was he? And where was Deathstar? Of course, the mansion was quite large, but it was hard to miss Raph's attractive body and Deathstar's explosive attitude, so why was it so hard to find them? With a small turn-over, Fade attempted to become comfortable again, but this was lost as suddenly, she phased through her bed and landed underneath it on the wooden floor.

Muttering curse words, Fade crawled out from under her bed, using her claws to help her out quite a bit. A quick jump and she was on her feet, grumbling under her breath as she left to grab a midnight snack. Warm milk with a tad bit of vanilla would usually help her sleep, so she was on a mission.

Slight distraction, added by a shadow. Immediately, instincts overwhelmed her, causing the redhead to become invisible. Yes, KP definately made her a little paranoid, but not too much. Walking on all fours on the floor to make sure that the phasing of her claws instead of her bare skin touching the ground reduced as much sound as possible. Slowly, she walked up to the door and pressed her ear against the wall, not noticing that she was actually phasing through it in her invisible form. When she finally realized what had happened, she had to hold her composure and stop herself from jumping.

She recognized the two, her primary chasers during the KP battle, Mary Kate and Ashley. Knowing full well that they could see her with their ears, she turned visible right in front of them and demanded and explanation. "What might you two be doing here? This office is private and if you do anything stupid, I will contact all of the X-Men here and have you escorted out."

>You wouldn't believe some of the powers these kids have,< Vibe scoffed. >Able to become thin as paper? What's he gonna do? Give someone a papercut?<

Amp grinned. She was systematically taking pictures off the wall, looking for obvious safe hiding places.

>Check this one out. Able to change skin color to any color of the rainbow. Bet that's a riot at parties.<

Amp rolled her eyes.

>Hmmm... Ability to seduce or hypnotize others.<

They paused, then looked at each other. >"Cool."<

They went back to their separate interests. Suddenly Vibe frowned. >Amp? What's Mom's maiden name?<

"McCullen," she answer aloud. "Why?"

>There's Jenny McCullen registered here.<

"What??" Amp dropped what she was doing and went to look. She picked up the form and scanned it quickly, then shook her head.

"Phasing? Nah, its gotta be a different Jenny McCullen. Jenjen wasn't a mutant. Besides, Mom said she die-"

"What might you two be doing here? This office is private and if you do anything stupid, I will contact all of the X-Men here and have you escorted out."

Amp slapped the folder shut as someone suddenly appeared in the room. Vibe shot to her feet. Suddenly both girls grinned.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Invisible," Amp replied. "You mean this is a private office? Now we never would've known that if you hadn't told us." Vibe snickered silently, crossing her arms. "And what do people mean when they say 'don't do anything stupid'? Honestly, it's such a corny line." Amp also crossed her arms, still holding the file that read 'Jenny McCullen'.

"So, Red, you looking for a rematch?"

Fade's eyes narrowed as she glared at the twins for a split second before raising an eyebrow. "Yes, Private, as in when it clearly states that this is the Headmistress's office, then others should not be in here, meaning you two, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb." She scoffed. "And in most cases, doing something stupid means out of their ordinary, yet since you two seem to soak in all of the stupidity you can find, then I'd guess that your out-of-the-norm would be something smart."

Quite frankly, Fade would not have cared what one of the girl's was holding, yet it was Tricity's information that they held, so she glanced at it for a second. 'Jenny McCullen.' The name made her frown, she hated being called Jenny, it was such a horrible name. 'Jenny'. Fade suited the redhead much better.

"I am going to have to decline your rematch, you lost, let's not get too tied up in things." Technically, they didn't loose, but Fade had to rush off to find Jack, no side-tracking twins. "Also, I'm going to again ask you to leave, but before you do, put down my folder and whoever else's you hold in your hand. I know you are upset that I was able to get away, but you won't find much of a weakness in some paperwork." She smirked, opening the door for the two to step out, but she didn't think that they would.

Amp rolled her eyes and yawned as Miss Invisible went into her explanation of 'private' and 'stupid', ignoring the insults thrown in. Vibe heaved a silent sigh, and took the folder from her sister, opening it idly to scan it again.

>Honestly, don't people understand the concept of sarcasm 'round here?<

Amp scoffed aloud when Fade called them Tweedle Dee and Dumb. "Oh yeah, that's original."

"I am going to have to decline your rematch, you lost, let's not get too tied up in things."

"We lost? Last I remember you were the one being dragged around like a rag doll." Amp conveniently refused to remember how rough of shape they'd been in after that battle. Her ankle was still stiff.

"I'm going to again ask you to leave, but before you do, put down my folder and whoever else's you hold in your hand. I know you are upset that I was able to get away, but you won't find much of a weakness in some paperwork."

"As if we'd need a file to tell us your weakness! You can't even run without us 'seeing' you-"

Abruptly Amp stopped, and Vibe looked up. A look of momentary confusion passed over their eyes. "Wait a minute. Your folder? You're Jenny McCullen?" The confusion melted into anger, for an unseen reason. Amp narrowed her eyes.

"Nice alias. But just a friendly suggestion," Amp snapped, her voice dripping with both sarcasm and malice, "Next time you choose a name to hide behind, show some originality and make up your own. Even the dead deserve some respect from the likes of you."

Fade completely ignored the insults about her originality and raised an eyebrow as if the two were wasting her time, then again, they kind of were. Well, not like Fade had anything better to do, but she sure did not want to see the unpositive sides of Ying and Yang.

"Yes, my folder. Jenny McCullen is my legal name, I just don't go by it." She sighed, crossing her arms and glaring the two girls down, the tiny look of confusion caused Fade to reply in a look of confusion until the girl cleared it up and spoke something about no respect for the dead.

"What the hell do you mean, 'I have no respect for the dead'? I have paid my debts, I respect the dead. I have encountered many deaths in my life that I wasn't around to stop so if you would leave now, it is advised." She snapped. No respect for the dead? No respect for the dead? Those words could never be uttered for the girl, her long period of time with her kidnapper was awarded with a dead family. All that time waiting to find that no one was home, she was alone. No, she would not tolerate that. "I have no clue who you two think that you are and I will be damned if you are to make another assumption about me and who I owe respect to."

"Yes, my folder. Jenny McCullen is my legal name, I just don't go by it. What the hell do you mean, 'I have no respect for the dead'? I have paid my debts, I respect the dead. I have encountered many deaths in my life that I wasn't around to stop so if you would leave now, it is advised."

Amp and Vibe visibly stiffened, their eyes almost glowing angrily. ”We’ll leave when we’re ready,” the speech-gifted red-head snapped back.

"I have no clue who you two think that you are and I will be damned if you are to make another assumption about me and who I owe respect to."

”We’re her family, that’s who!” Amp send a shockwave at the loudmouthed girl, intending to knock her into the wall, masking the sound at the same time. It was obvious both her and Vibe were furious. Vibe slammed the folder down on the desk, sending various papers flying. ”Jenny McCullen is dead! She was killed over twelve years ago. And no glorified ghost girl has the right to go around using her name!”

There was absolutely no reason not to believe Fade was telling the truth. Jenny was as common a name as Mary or Julie, and while McCullen may have been a bit more unusual, they were in New York City; Irish and Scottish names were still very common. But the Twins’ animosity stemmed from something else, something deeper. And, naturally, once they got an idea stuck in their heads, it stayed stuck....

"You leave now, you're not cats." Fade snapped back. They were playing the wrong game with her about the wrong thing. A shockwave was sent her way and instead of remembering her phasing ability, she took it dead on and crashed into the wall behind her, causing immense pain. She grabbed her broken collar bone and squenched up her face before hearing what else the twins had to say. Her eyes turned black with a blink and she stared down the two before raising her voice.

"Dead? Dead? Do I look dead to you? I'm the only one left alive in my family! Twelve years ago I was trapped in some man's basement! Fighting for my life! So if I died there, tell me please. When I was found, the cops told me that my mom and dad died in a car accident and that my sister commited suicide! So I'm not dead, they are! I was sent away to live with a family that didn't care, that didn't last long, I've been living on the streets since then, so if that is dying to you, then you can go because I will not be treated like this!

"If you were really my family you wouldn't be twins...we didn't have any..." Fade's voice slowly faded (no pun intended). "Wait...I had twin cousins, red heads as well, but you can't be them..." She mumbled under her breath, not meaning for them to hear.

The sisters smirked smugly as Fade grimaced. Apparently she was still recovering from the battle outside KP.

>Serves her right,< Vibe snapped.

"Dead? Dead? Do I look dead to you? I'm the only one left alive in my family! Twelve years ago I was trapped in some man's basement! Fighting for my life! So if I died there, tell me please. When I was found, the cops told me that my mom and dad died in a car accident and that my sister commited suicide! So I'm not dead, they are!”

The twin smirks gradually disappeared, leaving confusion and unease in their place. Fade’s story was beginning to sound alarmingly familiar, and they didn’t like where this conversation was heading....

“I was sent away to live with a family that didn't care, that didn't last long, I've been living on the streets since then, so if that is dying to you, then you can go because I will not be treated like this!”

"If you were really my family you wouldn't be twins...we didn't have any...Wait...I had twin cousins, red heads as well, but you can't be them..."

Fade’s voice may have gotten softer, but the girls heard her loud and clear. And their reactions were somewhat comical. In sync their eyes widened and their jaws dropped, and they looked at each other.

>It’s not possible! Mom told us that creep killed her!<

“You can’t be Jenjen!” Amp snapped aloud. Suddenly both girls started feeling claustrophobic. They dropped whatever they were holding and left the room in a hurry, shoving roughly past Fade. ”There’s no way you’re her,” Amp muttered as they shoved by, moving out into the hallway. But it was obvious from their eyes that the sisters were suddenly unsure of themselves.

Fade just stood, her eyes widened and her mouth partially open, looking as though she was going to drool at any second. Realization can be quite the nasty drug. Her face contorted again as they shoved past her and yet again, it hurt. When they made it out into the hallway, Fade spoke again.

"How do you know that name? No one has called me that since I was four." It could be them, it was possible, but she wouldn't believe it. The twins wouldn't be Order members, they wouldn't be sneaking around, they wouldn't hurt anyone, those weren't the twins she once knew. Then again, it wouldn't be easy to see Jenjen as a theif.

"You can't be the twins, it's not possible. If you were, then I would have been sent to live with you and your family and not some strange one. You are lying...are you?" She asked, biting her raptor-like claw in confusion before it phased through her teeth.

"How do you know that name? No one has called me that since I was four."

Vibe froze. Amp was looking in another direction, but felt her sister stiffen. She looked at her. It took a long moment before Vibe was able to translate.

"You can't be the twins, it's not possible. If you were, then I would have been sent to live with you and your family and not some strange one."

The sisters's minds were reeling by that point, and it showed in their faces. They hadn't thought about their cousin in years. They'd only been six when they were told that she was kidnapped and killed, and that the rest of the family had died not long after. And that was all anyone would ever say about it. Anytime they'd asked their mother, she would grow quiet, and simply tell them to 'let the dead rest in peace.' No more, no less. The only reason they knew of the kidnapping was because Vibe had been eavesdropping one night. Not long after that their family had moved. The girls remembered their father being uneasy, and rushed, but that was all. Then school had started... and the bullying....

"You are lying...are you?"

The girls exchanged a disbelieving look. So many thoughts.... so many questions.... But the only one that came out was,

>"What are you doing here??!"<

Fade's astonishment glazed over her face and her mouth stood open. Since her right eye was slightly more closed than her left as she looked up and to the right (best way to tell that someone is retracing a memory) her right eye was slightly faster in it's blinking color changing. Quickly, her fingers bounced up and down as if she was retracing her steps by drawing them on a 1/4th inch scale.

Finally, she snapped her head back at them, took in the site of them again before bringing her left eye in a squinted position, moving right along with her right eye. After a few seconds, it appeared as though Fade was attempting to see right through them. It wasn't work...well...in the see-through section, but she did remember them.

"What am I doing here? What do you mean what am I doing here? What are you doing out there? Kidnapping? Sending animals at me? I didn't know you were mutants!" Teeth flew ontop of Fade's lower lip as she caught a tear as her eyes began to tingle. No. She couldn't cry. Not now. Then again, she thought that she was all alone. No family, everyone was dead. Apparantly they thought the same.

The girls watched in mild fascination as Fade’s eyes seemed to be having an identity crisis, changing colors rapidly. And the face she was making...

"What am I doing here? What do you mean what am I doing here? What are you doing out there? Kidnaping? Sending animals at me? I didn't know you were mutants!"

Vibe blinked. >What??< She shook her head and repeated to Amp. In turn the shorter-haired twin put hands on her hips. ”What kidnaping? We didn’t didn’t kidnap anyone!” Technically that was true....

Amp shook her head, her expression a mixture of confusion, anger and disbelief. ”This isn’t making any sense! Look, I don’t know who you are, or who you think we are, but our cousin wasn’t a mutant. Uncle Rob and Aunt Debbie would have told us if she was. Plus she wouldn’t be caught within miles of these... stuffed shirts! This conversation is over. We’re outta here!”

With that both girls turned and strode toward the front door, visibly shaken, their previous mischievous thoughts forgotten.