"Well," Juliette thought for a moment, "what you're really looking out for is infection. If it becomes infected then you risk losing your arm and the infection spreading to your brain, which, yes, you could die from if left untreated. Luckily, though, we live in the age of modern medicine where we have antibiotics and antiseptics, so that's rarely an issue. However, if you nick an artery in the process it is possible to bleed out. So, yes, technically you could die from it, but it's unlikely."

She nodded at him and finished up writing on a form, "just give this to the woman at the front desk. I believe you can pay with credit. Oh, and go home and rest with your arm elevated. You have three hours now, so it's perfect timing. I'll see you in a few hours, alright? Just not for anything medical; I'll be off duty."


She stood up and stretched, gave him a little wave and then went to go see who her next patient would be.

Nodding his head like a bobble head for a second he agreed with what she said about infection. Luckily he had never suffered from infections a good cauterization in the field usually prevented infection and so did freezing any open wounds. Again he could have gone with that route but it would have been a pain thinking about keeping ice there till it healed. All it took was for him to loose focus and then the ice could melt. No this was a better option. Ice was only a temporary fix.

”Will do.” Sam said as he got up and went to the front to take care of his bill.

Three hours later

So maybe he didn’t rest his arm as much as he should have when he got back to the mansion. No it was a class that kept him busy for the next two hours then a quick nap till it was time to wake up and return to the hospital. This time he had a little pep in his step. One he was semi-sober, two he managed to get a little sleep even if it was only for less than an hour. Still it seemed to give him a much needed boost. Sam even thought about riding his bike but decided against it if they were going for drinks. No doubt he’d leave it there or decide to ice slide it home. He did that once and got into a little trouble from the other adults living in the mansion. Bunch of kill-joys.

Leaning on a bike rack Sam waited hoping Juliette wasn’t the type to stand him up. He didn’t really feel like standing around hoping and waiting.

After her shift, Juliette changed out of her scrubs quickly and stuck her hair in a loose bun. She was exhausted, but coffee helped to dull the tired feeling. She sighed, dreading the walk home in the low light. She hated having to walk in the dark, especially in public when she couldn't even form some sort of light to steady her nerves. The numerous streetlights and neon glow were likely the only thing that she liked about New York, but the stretch from the hospital to her apartment was unusually dim for city. She grabbed her purse and stepped outside, having completely forgotten about her plans.

She had walked about a block before she remembered. Suddenly, she stopped in the middle of the wave of people walking along the sidewalk, an annoyed expression on her face. Muttering a curse under her breath, she retraced her steps, hoping that Sam hadn't completely given up hope and gone home.

Twenty minutes past the time she had given him, Juliette appeared at the bike racks. "Hey, sorry I'm late," she said to him as a way of greeting. "I completely blanked on our plans. Are you still up for drinks?"

Sam pretended to look at watch on his wrist and then looked back to her. ”Late? No I thought you were right on time.” Sam raised an eyebrow and then pushed off of the bike rack and then gestured for them to move on from the front of the hospital. ”No worries, I must have not made that good of an impression.” Sam teased, ”I’m always up for drinks.” he was.

Sam offered an arm to her if she wished to hook arms then he smiled, ”So where is this bar that isn’t terrible? You know what just lead the way. I like surprises.” he waited a second then asked ”So how long have you been a nurse?”

"Alright," Juliette nodded, "it's just down this way, actually." She pointed down the street adjacent to the hospital which was lit up by neon signs. She noticed his arm outstretched for her and took it warily. She hoped he wasn't getting the idea that the night out would be anything more than drinks.

"I've been a nurse for about a year and a half," Juliette told him as they walked. "Recent graduate. Can I ask what you do? Other than get beat up by pick-pocketing mutants, I mean." She smirked a little.

She stopped in front of an old brick building called 'The Barley Works'. "This is it."

”You can.” Sam said as he smirked and thought about what he did. Right now he mostly drank and what seemed to him like piles and piles of paperwork. Though he always thought paperwork never ended so it could actually be a few pieces and in his mind it was far more than it was. He used to be a teacher… No he still was. Sam looked up a bit letting the pause go on for a little longer than he wanted. What didn’t he do?

”Guess you could call me a teacher. I had a class before drinks.” he left his teaching comment vague and didn’t say anything else about that. ”I also work with the police, so on occasion I guess you could call me a good samaritan ” that too was a little vague.

When they got to the front of the old building Sam’s smile widened, ”Rustic look. Already looking good, you might be a liar. Might be better than ‘not too terrible’.” Sam said with a laugh as he opened the door for her. ”So are you a regular?"

"So, Sam the teacher who sometimes works with the police," Juliette summed up. She grinned a little at him, having expected something more along the lines of 'professional vigilante'. "That sounds rather interesting. Where do you teach, then?"

She stepped inside the bar and looked around, "over there alright?" She pointed to a small table near the corner. "I wouldn't say regular, but it's close enough to the hospital that I can come here after work. Besides, they have an excellent in-house brew."

Sam walked to the small table she had pointed out and tried to sum it up. ”Mostly at the Xavier Sister school. But life is a classroom so I don’t like to say I teach in one place you know?” Sam said trying to sound poetic but couldn’t keep a straight face so it seemed more like a joke. Most of the things often sounded that way.

”We talking coffee or brew brew?” Sam asked looking around and trying to smell some coffee. He wasn’t sure what he smelled but he was pretty sure there were fries somewhere in here. ”I’m cool with both.” Sam said knowing if it was coffee some whiskey could always be added the perk of having a flask.

”And how often do you take former patients out?” Sam asked with a sly grin as he pulled a chair for Juliette then sat down himself.

Juliette nodded. She had heard a lot about the Xavier Institute, but mostly from its students. "So you're a mutant, then?" She asked curiously. She liked to meet other mutants out in public; it made her feel a little less alone.

"Beer," Juliette informed him with a chuckle. "It is a bar, after all. They have a distillery a few blocks over and they sell it here. It's a lager, a little like German ale, but it's slightly less bitter."

She rolled her eyes at his last comment, "yes, I am a serial patient dater. It is the single reason that I have this job." She told him sarcastically. "No, actually. I'm not really supposed to, but I figured this wouldn't be that big of a deal since it's drinks and only drinks. Besides, you're going to be really careful with that arm so I don't have to stitch it up again, right?"

She took the seat that Sam had pulled out for her and gave him a small smile. She wasn't particularly fond of being treated like she was incapable, but she didn't feel like making a big deal over it in that moment. So, she let it slide with a simple, "thank you."

”I am.” Sam said with a raised eyebrow. His eye patch moved slightly as well his other eyebrow still having some control but for the most part it remained still. ”Not a problem is it?” Sam asked with a curious smile. ”You know we’re pretty much everywhere, hard to tell who is or isn’t now.”

”I like beer.” Sam said again, if he didn’t say it earlier he was thinking it. He liked beer. There were hundreds of different flavors and smells when it came to beer. Sure he drank his cheap stuff most of the time but ever now and then he liked trying something new. Lately he had been into an IPA phase. It was bitter and every time he drank it, the drink reminded him of whiskey a bit.

The eye roll was cute; it caused Sam to chuckle slightly as she sat down he waited till they were seated before responding. ”This is whatever you want it to be.” Sam pointed to Juliette then himself. ”This can just be drinks or more. I’m kind of easy that way.” Sam said a little disappointed that the word ‘only’ was thrown in to the title as to what the night was. ”and yes, I’ll be careful with the arm.” As to emphasize this a little bit of ice covered his arm where the stiches were. The ice was clear but if you were looking directly at it you would see the light reflect off of it. Even in a dimmer setting ice had reflective properties.

A waiter came over to the table with a large bushy beard. It demanded respect so Sam gave the guy a slight nod then waited. “How’s it going guys. What can I get you?” Sam looked to the guy then to Juliette, ”I was told you guys have a very good lager and she will have…” Sam looked to her making sure not to order for her or try to guess her order.

"I know," Juliette said quickly and looked at the table as she spoke. "Better than most, actually." She didn't elaborate further on the subject. It was easier to just let the words hang there than to come out and dispel any doubts. She hoped that he would understand what she was getting at than have her explain it.

"Well, I kind of figured that you liked beer. After all, you were the one that suggested drinks. I think I would prefer that this just stay drinks, though." She said decisively. Juliette didn't want him to get the wrong idea early on, so it was better to say it right away.

Something reflected off of Sam's arm as he moved it, causing Juliette to squint in order to see it better. It looked like... Ice? The way the light glinted off of it made it seems as such. He didn't seemed bothered by it, though. It seemed as much a part of him as his eye-patch. It wasn't a difficult jump for Juliette to make to think that his mutation likely had something to do with ice.

"I'll have the lager as well," Juliette said as Sam gave her a moment to respond. She was glad he had given her the chance to speak. It was always frustrating when someone ordered for her. "And a plate of fries, please."

The waiter nodded his head and said simply, “Coming right up.” Before he walked away. ”Are the fries good here?” Sam asked as he leaned back in his chair looking back to the waiter. ”See that’s the kind of stuff you got to share before we order. Now I’m just gonna have to steal one or two of yours.” Sam said looking back to her with a smirk. ”Not all of them mind you, just a few.”

”So do you know some mutants?” Sam asked raising an eyebrow as he leaned forward to the table. ”Better than most” Sam quoted her before he realized she could have been talking about patients instead of people she actually knew she did interact with a lot of people in the hospital he guessed.

The drinks came and the waiter moved on before anything else could be said other than a quick ‘thank you’ but he was already out of hearing distance before Sam could get the words out.

”Now, I’m curious because usually the next follow up question after someone finds out I’m a mutant is ‘what can you do’ as if I was a mere magician. You however haven’t asked that yet.” Sam then paused. ”I’m an extraordinary magician by the way.” Sam said as he reached his glass and took a sip to find out Juliette was correct about the beer. It was delicious.

"They're very good," Juliette grinned and leaned back a bit as she settled in. "But don't worry, I got them to share."

>>”So do you know some mutants?”

****. He hadn't caught on.

Juliette cleared her throat and looked at the table for some sort of distraction while she talked. There was a little sign in the middle of their table advertising a type of beer. The lamp above them had a simple design with some sort of stained glass fixture on it.

The lamp.

Yes, the lamp was perfect. It was always easier to show people rather than to tell them.

She held her fingers close together and looked around to make sure no one was watching. Most people seemed to be more interested in their drinks and conversation than what was going on, and she had her back to the restaurant. It was likely that she could swing it.

Juliette took a deep breath and stole the light from the lamp without moving, holding it between her two fingers. It flickered in a little ball form as she glanced at Sam to make sure he got the picture. In a quick motion, she absorbed the light into her palm before anyone else saw. After a few seconds, the lamp flickered back on as the energy regenerated.

She said nothing more about it, but instead chose to focus on Sam's statement. "Well, I guessed that it had something to do with ice, since that's what's on your arm and you don't seem bothered by it. Am I close?"

"A magician, huh? I'll only believe that if you pull out a rabbit from a hat."

Watching Juliette in between sips of his drink he watched her look around first then secretively she stole the light from the lamp above them. Though it was hardly secretive. The ball of what Sam could only guess was either electricity or energy floated around for a second before it vanished looking like she had absorbed it in her hand. Sam’s smile widened.

”Dead on.” Sam said snapping his finger to emphasize how right she was. ”Thought it wasn’t that visible. Light reflection?” Sam asked as he turned his stiches towards her more as he too looked down trying to get an explanation. Maybe her mutation helped with light reflection? Maybe she was just super observant. Either way Sam was a little impressed.

”Hat’s are nothing.” Sam said snapping his fingers again as if he was putting on a show. Sam waved a hand near his right ear then pretended to feel around for something that wasn’t there. Until a little bit of ice formed behind his hear. Sam’s fingers opened and grabbed at it as he started to pull a miniature size rabbit from behind his ear. Mind you the rabbit was white with snow and ice but it was still unmistakably a rabbit. The little guy fit in one hand and he put it on the table where it lifted a foot and scratched behind one of it’s ears made of snow. Before slowly moving towards Juliette’s side of the table. Sam stared at it so he could focus more trying to make it seem more lifelike.

”Like I said. Hats are nothing. The Trick is trying to get him back in here.” Sam pointed at his noggin. ”So you’re one of those mutants?” Sam said gesturing towards her, ”Energy absorption, I mean?” he was asking curious as to what her abilities actually entailed.

"Yeah, I think it had something to do with the light," Juliette nodded. "It's dim in here, so it's noticeable when there's something reflected. Also, I look at a lot of stitches, so I can tell when something's off." It was true, she looked at a lot of injuries. She had probably stitched up at least ten wounds in that shift alone. There was something about the way that the ice warped the image of the stitches on Sam's arm that stuck out to her. They seemed larger in some areas and smaller in others.

Her face broke into a smile as the little rabbit appeared from behind his ear. That, she was not expecting. On top of that, the rabbit began to move. It scratched it's snowy ear and then moved across the table towards her. At first, it looked awkward, but as she could see Sam concentrate, it's movements became more fluid, like a real animal.

"Do you control it?" She asked him, rather amazed by the display. "Or is it... Sentient?" Juliette had a sudden strange thought of thousands of little snow rabbits hoping around, trying not to melt. She moved her hand back suddenly, not wanting to hurt the thing accidentally.

"One of those mutants?" Juliette parroted, feigning insult. "Yes, I am. Absorption and manipulation," she said. To drive the point home, she recreated the ball of light and flicked it at him. It stopped shortly before hitting him and disappeared into the air with a little burst of energy.