Juliette let off a chuckle upon hearing Sam's poorly executed accent. "But what about sparkly vampires from Transylvania?" She countered, copying the impression, "then they could sparkle on you and kick ass."

"Well cheap rent does sound appealing," she admitted after a moment, letting the thought circulate in her mind. "New York really is as expensive as everyone says. But then again it would probably even out with the gas to commute. Maybe I'll check it out after my lease is up or something."

>>”So uhhhh, when did you discover your powers?”

"Seventh grade science class," Juliette shook her head at the memory of it. "Let's just say I caused a bit of a mishap with the projector in class. I had to, uh, switch schools after that one. What about you?" She asked, turning the question back on him.

Sam smirked when she answered him. That was usually how it went, a school switching after the mutation manifested. He only heard that so many times because his other job as a mansion greeter. I don’t really remember much.” Sam said lying a little, ”I had my powers when I was five. I made some snow and icicles.” Sam said lying a little more. The first icicle he made ended up in someone’s chest.

”Vampires don’t kick my ass unless I let them.” Sam added before asking his next question. ”How often do you use your powers?” Sam raised his eyebrow as he leaned in on the table.

"Five..." Juliette repeated, "that's young, isn't it?" The question was more curious than accusative. So far, Sam had given her no reason not to trust him. Plus, she was hardly the leading mind on mutant genetics. As far as she knew, mutants could likely develop at any age.

"Cocky," she raised an eyebrow at his statement. "But I suppose you do get enough exposure to violence to have some sort of idea, don't you? Being part of the X-men and the police?"

>>”How often do you use your powers?”

Juliette paused for a second, "that depends on your view of 'using them'. I mean, I only use them defensively or offensively when I have to, which isn't often. But part of my power is absorbing energy, which sometimes I do subconsciously, and other times I'm forced to do. So, in short, fairly often, I guess?"

"I'm going to assume your answer would be relatively often as well, given your job and the amount of times I've seen you use them tonight, so I'll save you the trouble of making you answer that one as well. What made you want to be an X-man?" She questioned.

”Usually the mutation manifests in puberty, however in some rarer cases they appear in times of high stress or if the person’s life was in danger.” Sam said reciting something he heard a thousand times before in multiple conversations. ”I think there was an avalanche or something that triggered it when I was younger.” Sam lied, ”I lived in Colorado when I was a kid.” truth.

”Part of my job.” Sam nodded, ”I have be. If I’m not people think that they have a chance. So it might just be a bluff but.” Sam shrugged, ”Victoria hasn’t beat me yet.”

”Kinda complicated. When I first moved into the mansion it was more to hide than anything else but Neena convinced me otherwise. She’s kinda the big sister that gives me the ‘proper’ motivation.” Sam mocked a hit to the back of the head then added, ”I don’t like it when people abuse there power, human and mutant alike so when they start abusing said power… Well, if I have abilities like this and can make a difference I kind of feel like I need to you know?” Sam said feeling like he didn’t really feel like he explained himself well. ”Like how you probably wanted to become a nurse.” Sam added.

”You mentioned when you are forced to?”

Sam looked into the empty glass as if Sam could predict the future the server appeared. “Everything good? Care for another beer?” Sam looked to Juliette who already told him she probably shouldn’t but if Sam was gonna sit and wish he had a beer he figured he might as well order one. ”Well if I’m gonna keep answering these kind of questions, I’ll have another. Juliette?” Sam smirked.

Juliette was fairly quiet as she listened to Sam talk. His life sounded interesting, much more so than the majority of people she had met. He seemed to genuinely want to be a part of what he was doing. "Yeah, I understand that," she added with a nod when he seemed to have finished talking.

>>”You mentioned when you are forced to?”

"Uh, yeah," Juliette replied quietly. "My powers... I sort of have to keep absorbing energy. Otherwise..." she paused with a shrug, "I don't fare well. It's hard to explain without witnessing it."

"You know what? Maybe I will have one more. Just one, though," Juliette decided after a hearing Sam's response. She hardly ever went out anymore, and drinking alone kind of sucked, so she didn't want Sam to have to do that. Plus, she figured she likely wouldn't be called in the next day. At least not until late.

”Just one.” Sam repeated with a little laugh. ”I’m a bad influence it seems…” Sam said as he shifted his attention from the waiter to Juliette raising an eyebrow. ”Hopefully you won’t get into too much trouble.”

”So walking battery…” Sam made a gesture as if he was searching for the right words. ”You get run down without a recharge?” Sam said trying to guess. ”Ever walk around with a pack of batteries?” Sam asked as he leaned into the table a bit.

"I guess we'll have to see," Juliette chuckled. "Though this is the first second drink I've had in a while, so I guess this could be all blamed on your bad influence."

The waiter stopped by with their drinks and set them down in front of the pair. Juliette reached for hers and took a sip.

"Walking battery?" She grinned, "that's actually a pretty good description. I get pretty lethargic if I don't absorb any energy. I've never really let it go any further than that, though, so I'm not sure what would happen."

>>”Ever walk around with a pack of batteries?”

Juliette smirked and dug around in her purse behind her. She pulled out a flashlight and a pack of batteries and put them on the table. "Like this? I try to keep them on me for emergencies. I usually forget them, though."

”You ever curious to see what happens?” Sam said as he grabbed his beer. When he touched his beer a little ice started to form on the bottle to keep it colder for longer. The cyclopean elemental took a sip then added, ”Or is it more fear?” Sam asked curiously knowing not everyone was willing to test the limits of their mutation the way he was. The first time he dove into sub-zero water he didn’t know if he’d be able to tolerate it or when he took on that volcano with Jorge.

Sam smirked when the flashlight and batteries were placed on the table. ”Now that’s pretty smart. Any batteries better than others? I camp a lot so if there is a better brand I’d like to know.” Sam smirked digging into his pocket removing his X-communicator. It looked like a cross between a handheld phone and a walkie-talkie. ”These run on batteries too. Probably should keep them stocked with the good stuff. Right?”

Another sip of he beer he raised another question he was curious about, ”So how does the whole sleep thing work? Do you wake up and get a charge as if it was a midnight snack or are you in standby mode?” Sam teased with a light laugh.

"I've never really wanted to," Juliette admitted when Sam asked. "Even going without for a short time feels horrible, so I wouldn't really want to find out what it's like for a longer time. I can't see it being something good."

Juliette considered his second question for a moment. She really didn't pay attention to the batteries she bought. They were usually just whatever was on sale. "Sorry, I've never really thought about it. I usually pay more attention to the light than the batteries. I could look into it if you want, though? I have a lot of different brands at home."

The little walkie-talkie thing that he put on the table interested her. "What is that, exactly?" She figured it was probably something to do with the X-men or the Police, but she had never seen something like it before.

The sleep question was a different matter. She had never really thought about it before. After all, she was asleep, so she didn't really have to worry about it. "I guess I sort of go into standby mode? I only really use it when I'm moving, so I don't need any when I'm sleeping."

”That’s fair. Not asking you to try it out I was just curious is all.” Sam said as he took a sip of his beer. ”I got to help a lot of students back at the mansion and the answers vary when it comes to their abilities and the required use of their powers.” Sam explained a little as he set his beer down then shifted his gaze to the nurse in front of him. ”and no worries about the batteries it was just another question I was curious about…” Sam paused then smirked, ”I guess I ask a lot of questions. “ Sam laughed a little into another sip of his beer.

”Communicator.” Sam said as if that summed it up. Setting his beer down he added, ”For my team. It has direct lines with the corresponding police division for any cases or issues they run into.” again he said it as if it summed everything up but he didn’t think much more on it. ”Guess everyone is in standby mode when they sleep.” Sam said with a chuckle.

”Glad this thing isn’t going off.” Sam said as he picked up his communicator and put it back in his pocket. ”Usually goes off when I’m talking to a good looking gal…” Sam paused then added, ”Whom I’m just getting drinks with.” Sam had a satisfied smirk as if he had just remembered something important. ”I take it you work a lot then?” he asked changing the subject a bit.

"It's not that many, believe me," Juliette laughed. "I've asked quite a few as well, and besides, it's not as bad as having to listen to someone talk about themselves all night. That would be the real tragedy - especially if their life is as boring as mine."

Juliette sipped her beer again and set it down next to the communicator that Sam had just described. It was sort of like her beeper, then. Telling the X-men when and where they were needed. Her fingers brushed it lightly, examining the buttons and display. "I think I would have expected something more high-tech from the X-men. Don't you guys have jets in your basement, or something?" That was what she had heard through the grapevine, anyway.

She picked up her drink again and took another sip, choking on it as Sam tried to hit on her again. It was smooth enough, but it seemed practiced. Juliette wiped her mouth with a napkin cleared her throat, deciding to let it slide.

"I work a lot, yeah," she nodded. "Which is why I don't usually stay out all that late. Or go out for drinks very often."

”I guess it would be bad to be out all night then trying to stich someone up.” Sam agreed. ”That’s where our jobs are a little different. I just have to make sure I don’t get hurt other than that…” Sam smirked and took a drink, ”and the jet under the mansion is just a rumor.” Sam said clearing his throat in a way that made it seem she had heard right. Sam was starting to wonder what was a secret about the mansion. It seemed more and more people knew everything about the place more so than he did. It probably didn’t help that the kids could go where the pleased now with the new headmaster. Sam kept that comment to himself as he turned his attention back to the communicator.

”You know, we actually have a few models. Some prefer the earpiece others have a watch…” Sam lifted the large paperweight, ”I just don’t lose this or have it break as often as the others. It is pretty robust. Only hurts when I fall on it.”

Another sip of beer, ”and I don’t think your life is that boring. You save lives and I’m sure you have had a wild side at some point right?” Sam smirked as he added, ”and there is nothing wrong with a little boring. I could use some of that from time to time, otherwise life seems so…chaotic.”

Sam put his communicator back in his pocket then added, ”Tell you what next time I do something not boring I’ll give you a call and you can join me. I’m sure someone with your talents and skills could come in handy.” Sam turned his arm to show the stitches more. ”Usually I have to use ice to stop the bleeding. You’re there we have a flashlight and a medic.” another smirk.

So her information wasn't completely bogus. Sam told her that it was, but the cough that followed contradicted his words.

"You'd be about the only one," Juliette chuckled. It was nice of him to say, though. "Too much chaos can be bad for anyone, though. I'm happy to be boring if it saves people from that."

His offer sounded good, though. She had been meaning to do more outside of working, and doing something that was actually exciting sounded like a better option than most. "That sounds like fun."

She finished off the last of her beer and placed the empty glass on the table. She glanced at her phone. Was it really that late already? "I should probably get going. It's getting really late," she told Sam, a hint of a yawn in her voice. 

”Yeah, suppose it is.” Sam said debating if he should walk her out or let her go out on her own. He pulled his wallet and dropped a twenty and some for a tip then shifted his attention back to Juliette. ”Thanks for saving my life today. Pretty sure if I didn’t get the stitches done from you Doc would have killed me. Said I have been getting banged up a bit too much but..” Sam shrugged then stood and pulled his card from his wallet.

”Well, I had fun in fact if it’s cool I’d like to do this again. Drinks with a friend.” the word seemed odd to use in this case but he didn’t let it show. If she wanted a just a friend he could do that. ”My number is on there. Give me a call if you get a night off and want to have some fun or if you want to stop by and check out the mansion either way.” Sam debated a hug or a handshake but then raised his hand for a high five because that was what he did when him and Ghost started hanging out all those years back.

"You didn't have to pay," Juliette frowned at the money Sam had put on table. She hoped he didn't feel like he had to do that. After all, it hadn't been a date.

The word 'friend' seemed oddly strained as Sam said it, but she didn't press it. She didn't know what she had been originally expecting from him, but he was a lot nicer than her first impression. Still, friends seemed like a good label for now.

The strained word was followed by an awkward high-five, which Juliette returned with an amused look. She took his card and gave it a look over. "I might do just that," she grinned and grabbed her bag from the back of her chair and pulled out her phone.

She typed in a few words and then hit send to the new address. She would put the name in later. "There, now you have my number, too. I'll see you around, Sam."