>> ”I don’t know why the ‘M’ is so important in this equation, and I thought I was the one in the frying pan?”

"You are. But I need to know who she is." Gemma sighed. It was not easy to explain to Sam why she needed all the little details. This is what a PR person must feel like, representing a controversial celebrity, she reflected as Sam kept talking.

>> ”Old bag of bones? The elderly woman who is a telekinetic the new mutation control teacher, Granny Goodness?”

Oh joy. Granny caught Sam with a student. Gemma was not looking forward to that conversation; she had a feeling that by the end of it she was going to feel guilty herself.

>>”Well it did happen in the school… so as far as keeping it quite I’m pretty sure the entire school knows. Just for the record, I didn’t build anything! I only asked a few girls out when I first moved in… it kind of escalated after that. Product of my environment if you will.”

Gemma looked at Sam, folding her arms.

"Not good enough." he was trying to play it off as no big deal, and it really wasn't a big deal, but at the same time, he was taking it just a bit too lightly not to rub the counselor the wrong way. He did need some talking to.

"The problem is not your relationship with the girls. That is between you and whoever you are... dating. The problem, Sam, is that you are a role model in this school. Students look up to you and follow your example. This place is supposed to be a place where mutants can feel comfortable. Now I am sure that I do not need to tell you that the more girls you... date, the more tension I will have to deal with. I am sure your feelings and intentions are genuine. That is not the issue. The issue is the rumors that we have to deal with."

Sam sipped the coffee and leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. It seemed that he was going to have to tell Gemma, the woman’s name one way or another even if Sam didn’t know the woman’s name at this instant. He decided to keep quite and run a list of ‘M’ starting names in his head as Gemma continued to lecture him now folding her arms in what Sam could only assume was a mother’s stare.

Sam smirked slightly, ”I understand but these rumors where around way before you got here, I’ve been here for a few years.” Sam said sighing knowing she was right somehow, ”But I get what you’re saying, be more responsible.” Sam nodded his head into the coffee and took another sip, ”These kids could do better looking for a better role model though.” he paused a moment and then reflected on what he said and thought about to a few of the students he turned around with a stern talking to and a few of his butt kicking lessons.

”When your right, your right… however don’t think any less of me for what I’m about to say…” Sam paused and finished his cup of coffee, ”I can’t remember ‘M’s real name. Megan, maybe?” Sam said scratching his head making sure to be up and out of his chair and at the coffee pot for a refill before anything could be thrown at him (habit he had developed from dodging Ghost).

”So stop doing what I’m doing in the mansion then? Or am I still alright to take, ‘M’ out on a date if I would like?” Sam asked smirking back to Gemma filling the cup up of coffee again.

>>”I understand but these rumors where around way before you got here, I’ve been here for a few years. But I get what you’re saying, be more responsible.”

Sam was the leader of the X-men for a reason: he was a smart guy, even for his age. Gemma trusted that he knew what she meant. Once again, she was grateful that she was talking to another reasonable(ish) adult for a change.

>> ”These kids could do better looking for a better role model though.”

She smiled at that. It had to e quite a challenge, dealing with the responsibility. No wonder the guy got reckless in his free time. He was way too young to be the daddy of the house. Figuratively.

"Then again, they could do a lot worse" she pointed out.

>>”When your right, your right… however don’t think any less of me for what I’m about to say… I can’t remember ‘M’s real name. Megan, maybe?”

Ouch. Gemma rolled her eyes. Once again, rumors proved to be true. This was exactly what she was warning him about. She didn't remember any Megans in the Mansion, but she had to go back and check. And probably talk to the lady.

>>”So stop doing what I’m doing in the mansion then? Or am I still alright to take, ‘M’ out on a date if I would like?”

"Well, I'd advise you remember her name before you try asking her out" Gemma couldn't hold back a chuckle "And I'm not gonna forbid you to date whoever you want. All I ask is, be more discreet. When you take her out, take her out. Just... think of this place as a dorm, and if you require privacy, find a more suitable place..."

As an afterthought, she smirked again.

"...as long as the Danger Room is off limits. We don't need to set an example."

”That they could,” Sam said without thinking much on the subject as far as the older kids/adults go Sam might have been the least mature when it came to women but as far as career choices and everyday activities go he had made some good calls along the way. Still there were others Sam would have preferred the kids to look up to. Shin, and Ghost in particular both had been Sam’s voice of reason several times over, however they both have been very busy as of late and Luke moved so odds of kids looking up to him long distance was slim to none.

”Easier said than done Gemma, got a lot of information stored up here names have a tendency to be forgotten…” Sam paused, ”Especially if other things pop into mind when I think about the person…” he tried not to smirk when he got a mental picture less he’d encourage Gemma to start acting like Ghost and take a swing at him.

”Hey! The room was vacant before we got there, just happened to not have any locks on it is all. You know it wasn’t my idea to do anything there, I was just a victim.” Sam said this time smirking slightly, ”Danger Room? Noted, no more in the danger room.” Sam said shrugging slightly filling the mug up again. ”Privacy is difficult sometimes, especially when you live with kids who have super hearing, can see through walls or walk into reflective surfaces, you know what I mean?” Sam asked walking back to his seat.

”Still for the most part I haven’t really had to many issues as far a privacy. This will be a one-time instance,” Sam said trying to sound as sincere as possible. ”now was there anything else that needed to be covered? Other than the chewing out I will most likely receive when Neena or Tricity get here in person?” Sam asked curiously sipping his coffee and sitting back in his chair. ”Maybe you want to talk about my childhood or my first encounter with the opposite sex?” Sam asked laughing trying make light of their current topic of discussion.

Now he was just being cheeky. Gemma was very well trained in dealin with cheek, but getting it from an X-leader made her remember she was talking to a guy that under normal circumstances should have been drinking and smoking his college years away, and not saving the world. Then again, she was not going to tell him that.

>>”Still for the most part I haven’t really had to many issues as far a privacy. This will be a one-time instance. Now was there anything else that needed to be covered? Other than the chewing out I will most likely receive when Neena or Tricity get here in person? Maybe you want to talk about my childhood or my first encounter with the opposite sex?”

"I believe at this point I have heard more about your encounters with the opposite sex than I even wanted to hear." Gemma shot back, smirking as well "We are done for now. On that topic anyway. But I wanted to suggest that we meet more regularly in the future and share information; running this school, and the X team, is not easy even for a team, and I don't want either of us to be the last person to find out about the important stuff. Sounds good?"

Sam nodded his head, no on the childhood experience and his first encounter with a woman. Good he didn’t want to relive either one of those it was bad enough he still remembered them but to willingly go back and look at them. Sam shook his head slightly and walked towards the chair he was sitting in and placed his hand on the back of it sipping the cup with his free hand. ”Well keep in mind you started not to long ago, might hear a few more.” Sam smirked slightly and then let out a small chuckle.

”Wouldn’t say my love life is important but you are right, the team can’t run itself and this school certainly doesn’t. I’ll be sure to notify you on anything major in the staffing department as well, been getting a few new applicants for teachers and I’d like you to do a follow up interviews to see if they have what it takes to teach these kids.” Sam waved to her and walked to the door, ”Nothing but the best for them they are the future and all that.” Sam put an emphasis on all that by waving his hand before he hit the door.

”Oh and I’ll return the mug when I finish with the coffee, good stuff by the way! I’ll have to have my assistant pick up some of this stuff.” he paused and turned to Gemma one last time before leaving, ”Oh pretty sure her name was Megan… or Melissa… never mind.” Sam scratched the back of his head and opened the door, ”I’ll talk to you soon Gemma, thanks!”