"No picture after the hospital shooting," Juliette noted. "I guess that wasn't really a mission, though. Just something I pulled you into." He hadn't even technically signed up for it. Not that it was difficult to convince him to join in.

He seemed rather proud of the day at the volcano. She smiled at that. It was nice to know that he actually liked what he did. Though, it would be difficult to do what he did and not want to do it. Putting your life in danger all the time was one of those things that required complete commitment.

"Not really, actually," admitted Juliette. "I'm so used to my days being completely filled between volunteering, shifts, and being randomly shot at. It's a weird change of pace, and I'm not entirely sure that I like it. Of course, if you don't want me here, I'm happy to look elsewhere," she teased. She completely understood if it was strange to be dating your assistant. "In all seriousness, I'm fine if you'd rather get someone else. I'm sure I'll still see you around."

"That depends on what it is..." Juliette responded curiously, watching Sam closely. "But probably. As long as it's not a closet full of dead bodies or something."

”No, got something far better than a picture. Will be hard to forget.” Sam said as he nodded at her. ”You said you won’t be going anywhere any time soon so I won’t need a photo.” Sam said with a shrug.

”No, I think we can keep our work relationship separate without a problem. I guess you are on the team with me so seeing you everyday and not getting shot at would be nice.” he mused as he thought about it some more. ”Just until I find someone else.” smirked Sam.

”No, the bodies are in the hanger. A lot more room there.” he said without thinking about it. ”Closets are too small.” he said trying not to think about how much she would disapprove of his actions in the past.

”So not a lot of people know about this but I’d like to keep it a secret as much as possible otherwise it will no longer be ‘The Man Cave’” Sam smirked as ice started to grow on his body till he looked like batman. ”Sides not a lot of ways in.” ‘unless you know who made.’ Sam thought. ”I need you to turn around first though.” Sam said as he waited for her to do so.

When she turned the book on the bookshelf that activated the sliding bookshelf was moved and the wall in front of him opened up. Another door stood before him now with to slots on the doorframe. ”You can look now.” Sam said as he formed a sword of ice and pushed it into one of the slots. The air near him dropped quickly until there was a clicking sound of the door unlocking. The door shifted open and the man cave was revealed.

The lights flickered on when the door swung open and Sam entered the television turned on as well to one of the games that was scheduled for tonight. He didn’t know which one it was nor did he care. ”Soooo…. You’re gonna laugh but we did this a few years ago.” Sam said pointing to everything in the room. It was like a secret layer for someone going through a midlife crisis. Beer mirrors and tin signs were everywhere. The pool table lit up and he shifted his attention to the hot tub. ”Don’t ask me how that works. Streak set the tub up.” Sam looked around past the bathroom, the fully stocked bar and then the bunk beds in the
corner.

”Meet the man cave.” Sam said with a smirk.
”I hide a lot in here.” he explained.

"Of course," Juliette nodded sagely, "finding someone else is of the utmost priority. Wouldn't want you to have a sub-par secretary."

"Very funny," she shook her head at the 'hangar' comment. It really wasn't funny. Dead bodies weren't something she was particularly fond of, despite seeing her fair share of them. It wasn't something she had gotten used to, or liked to dwell on.

Juliette turned when Sam asked and braced herself for whatever the 'Man Cave' was. She wasn't often privy to seeing secret rooms with secret entrances. She turned when she was given the okay, and blinked at the sight before her.

Sam hadn't been kidding when he said 'Man Cave'. It looked like a middle aged crisis embodied by a room. It was amazing, actually. She had never seen anything like it.

She grinned as she walked around and examined the room. "No kidding," she mused. "I'm surprised you actually leave. You must have fun in here."

She walked over to the pool table and picked up a cue. "Man, you've got just about everything in here. That's a little dangerous in a school full of mutant teens, don't you think? Do you ever worry that one of them will just walk through some walls to get in here?"

Shaking his head Sam smirked, ”Every now and then a kid stumbles into the room but I just say it’s a danger room simulation. Some kids believe it some don’t care. We are actually above the Danger Room at least a small portion of it. That’s why we were able to knock out all this space.” Sam said thinking about it.

”It’s fun on occasion but I’ve had the room for a few years now so now I kind of use it to sleep or if I want to be alone. The only entrance and exits are power locked so unless you can match the temperature I can produce or you are able to have a similar body make up to Streak you won’t be able to open the doors.” Sam said explaining it. ”Or if you are Mirror you just jump into a reflective surface and come out through a bar mirror.” Sam smirked, ”When he/she first came to the mansion we ended up taking all the mirrors down. So he/she couldn’t raid the fridge.”

”You play?” Sam asked nodding his head to the pool table. The cue in her hand Sam wondered if she was up for a game. ”How about a quick high stakes game?”

"So basically I'm locked in here if you leave?" Juliette smirked and examined the room further. It really could have doubled for an apocalypse bunker. Save for being above ground, there was everything that one might need, or want, rather, to survive the downfall of society.

She tried to think of ever hearing of a 'Mirror'. She couldn't place it, but she assumed they were either an X-man or a student at the mansion. The he/she comment really caught her attention. She supposed it was likely part of their mutation. Something to watch out for if she ever did meet them.

"Sure," she nodded and chalked her cue lightly. A high stakes game didn't sound bad at all. "Do you want to break or should I?" She asked as she racked up the balls in the middle of the table. 

”No,” Sam said with a laugh, ”The place opens from the inside but not out. Plus there is a passage to the war room in here.” Sam said pointing the fire pole in the back of the room. That was still one of the cooler things in the room.

”You don’t even want to know about the stakes?” Sam asked curiously as he motioned for her to break. ”I think you should. I need to see what I’m dealing with.” Sam said as he walked over to the juke box and pressed a few buttons. The music came on to some classic Led Zepplin and Sam turned towards her.

”So what do you want if you win?” Sam said then adding ”If.”

A fire pole to the room where the X-men discussed things. The room really did have everything."How many secret entrances and paths does this place have?" She grinned at him and glanced around for any more things that would lead to other things. "I feel like I'm in a Clue board or something. Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick!"

"Alright," she thought for a moment, "if I win, you have to make me dinner for the rest of the week." That was definitely appealing. The omelette had been very good.

Juliette moved her head subtly to the beat of the music, and leaned over to break. The blue two ball went in the far right pocket, and she pointed to Sam. "Looks like you're stripes."

"Now, what do you want if you win, Mr. Stripes?"

”The mansion or this room?” he only knew about the room because he was the one who helped build it the mansion however had a bunch. Sam was supposed to know about all of them but every now and then someone discovers another set of tunnels from one place to the next. ”The school has some hidden hallways that lead to tunnels. They open around the mansion grounds, you know if this place ever got raided again.” Sam said hoping that the mansion never got raided again.

Sam laughed at her clue comment. It kinda was like clue, at least if she saw the blueprints to the mansion. ”Sam Johnson, in the man cave with his dashingly good looks.” Sam said as he walked around the table watching Juliette line up for the shot. ”Dinner is doable. Now you might have to tell me what you want though otherwise I’ll get creative.” Sam said thinking about it. He doubted he’d lose but he’d still gladly make dinner for her every night if she wanted and if time allowed.

”Looks like I’m stripes.” Sam said with a grin and a slight impressive look. ”I’m thinking that you got to come up with a Sam’s perfect day.” Sam said thinking about it, ”The whole day, you got to think of some cool stuff for us to do. Meals, transportation, entertainment, drinks.” Sam said with a smirk, ”I can pay for it. But you got to set everything up.”

She nodded at his explanation. The mansion had been raided before. It was strange, thinking that a place that seemed so well fortified could be raided. Especially since it was also filled with people with super powers. "What happened when when the mansion was raided?" She asked curiously, wanting to know what went down during the raid.

"And I meant this room particularly," she winked. "Just making note of all my exits."

"Juliette Lawson in the man cave with pool cue," she grinned at him. "Oh, whoops. I guess I'm not supposed to tell the victim before it happens. Oh well. Don't worry about the dinner menu, though; I'll start compiling a list of options for you to make."

"Alright, but you'll have to give me some ideas. I wouldn't want 'Sam's perfect day' to be a disappointment. That is, assuming that you somehow find a way to beat me. It's incredibly unlikely, though." She winked at him and nodded to the pool table. "Your shot, stripes."

Sam raised an eyebrow surprised she didn’t know more of the history of the mansion. ”Really, who gave you a tour?” Sam asked knowing that he wouldn’t tell her about the raid that happened years back when there was a mutant camp in New York. ”Stalker bots were trying to round up all the mutants.” Sam said with a shrug, ”They didn’t get anyone in the school to my knowledge the kids were evacuated prior to it. Though if I was here at the time things would have been a little different.” his grip tightened on the cue and the air around him got a little colder when he started to think about the camps. ”One thing you will learn about me… I love smashing robots.”

”Thanks solids.” Sam said as he picked up the cue and lined up his shot. Sam shot sending the nine ball into a side pocket. He stood up and smirked, ”Even with one eye I can still hit something.” he smirked and then lined up his next shot and missed as the ball teetered on the edge of the felt almost going in. Sam smirked and shrugged, ”Spoke too soon.”

Sam looked to Juliette and gestured for her to go, ”See here I thought you were getting to know me enough you can plan some of it on your own. I’m a simple man when it comes to my ideal day. A bar fight, a walk, the zoo maybe a trip to Canada.” Sam said with a smirk. ”Honestly don’t sweat it. If you are with me I’m pretty sure it will be pretty perfect.” Sam winked at her.

”So how many years have you played pool?” he asked hoping he wasn’t being hustled.

"No one yet," Juliette shrugged. "As I said before, I sort of forged my own path as far as moving in. I really should talk to a mansion greeter, though. Probably not a step I should have skipped. I have been trying my best to explore parts of the mansion myself, though."

"Duly noted," she nodded at him, noticing the drop in temperature in the room as well as his tightened grip around the cue. It didn't seem to be just about the raids, but he didn't talk specifically about anything else. He seemed to get more mysterious the more she found out about him. "All robots I see will be sent to you to smash. Should that be incorporated into your perfect day? I mean, not that I think you even have a chance to beat me."

"The zoo sounds nice," she chuckled at his comment. "Not sure if I could orchestrate a bar fight or a trip to Canada, though. I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Hmm," Juliette thought as she lined up her shot. "A long time. My mom really liked to play, so she taught me pretty early on." Her cue sent the white ball flying across the table, pocketing the seven ball. The twelve ball moved close to the edge of the pocket, but didn't go in. 

She took a second shot and nearly pocketed the five ball, but narrowly missed. "I seem to have lost my touch a bit, though," she noted and gestured to Sam for him to take his turn.

”We’ll have to fix that then.” Sam said smirking, ”Our next date can be a tour of the mansion. Have you ever been on a jet before?” Sam asked totally dropping the fact that there was a jet in the mansion. It was cool though, she an X-Man or rather X-Woman.

Sam nodded his head, ”that would be an idea day.” Sam said with a slight laugh as he walked up to the pool table and eyed his next shot. She managed two already and was going for her third. So even if she said she had been playing for years maybe she was just a little rusty. Debating on wether he should throw the game or if he needed to he saw his target and knocked it in. The stripped twelve was no longer on the table and the cue ball had an easy line up to the ball he almost knocked in the turn before.

Lining up the shot and sending the ball into the hole he raised an eyebrow, ”So you could just be sandbagging then?” Sam lined up his next shot and missed sending one of hers in by mistake. ”Playing as long as you had you must of made some money when you were in school right?” Sam asked.

Looking to her and standing up. ”Think I was better when I had both eyes.” Sam said smirking and leaning on the cue.

"Plane yes, jet no," she informed him. The mansion really did have everything, there was no doubt about that. She silently added 'private jet' to the already expansive list of resources that she had seen. "Any other crazy technology lying around this place?"

"Sandbagging? Me?" Juliette feigned offence and held her cue to her chest. "No, I never eluded to any skill or lack thereof. You can make your own decision as to my skill. I'm not kidding about being rusty, though. It's been a while."

She shrugged, "no, I played for fun rather than money. I earned my money the old fashioned way; hard work," she shot him a wink and lined up for her next shot. "Thanks for the ball, by the way."

She missed narrowly on the shot, and stood back up for Sam to take a turn. "You know," she began casually, not sure how to bring up what she was actually quite curious about. "The Doc did offer to solve that dilemma of yours..." She trailed off and watched him carefully, hoping that he would provide some reasoning for keeping the eye patch when it was far from necessary. 

”You’ll end up seeing them on the tour, we have a pretty complex security system. You saw the danger room, and I’ll show you cerebra at some point.” again she was an X-woman so she would find them eventually. Sam figured if he showed her he could give her the warnings about using them instead of anyone else.

The way she reacted caused Sam to laugh, ”Right, I’m sorry I must be mistaken.” he played along but was expecting Juliette to run the table any turn now. Meaning he needed to step things up a bit. Too bad the pool balls didn’t have any heat to them. It would have been easier for him with his lack of depth perception.

”I don’t know what you are talking about. All I saw was that I missed my ball.” Sam said as he smirked then went back over to the table, ”Did I miss something? Did you end up knocking another in?”

Sam got back to the table and wound up to the next shot and sunk another ball in. He only had a few left but then so did Juliette, Sam turned and started the wind up as Juliette asked the next question. He missed the center of the cue ball and just grazed the top distracted by her comment. Sam smirked and laughed a little, ”Not yet…” he shook his head. ”keeping things as is for a little longer, sure depth perception is off and it is a little harder to drive but it isn’t so bad.” Sam turned away from her and activated his mutation causing the room to get chilly.

”I can see you now. Thermal sensing.” Sam said once again explaining more about himself than he usually did, ”It happened after the eye was taken. Mutation triggered a back up to my lose of vision. Afraid if I go back to two eyes I’ll lose it. That and it’s hard to keep getting healed while others aren’t as lucky.” Sam shrugged slightly wishing he had something to drink, ”Also serves as a reminder. Why I do what I do.” Sam said shifting slightly then heading to the fridge and grabbing a beer.

”This was nothing compared to some of the other stuff that happened in Romania.” Sam trailed off thinking about a very poor subject. Sam cracked open the beer and took a little swig as the music on the juke-box started to play things other than Zeppelin. Sam smirked when the genre changed to some old ‘non-rock’ music. ”So… some of the music on here isn’t mine…”

"Must have just been the wind, then," Juliette grinned. "Thanks, wind," she said in a stage whisper, cupping her hands to her mouth and saying it to the ceiling.

She frowned slightly as she listened to him. The room dropped noticeably in temperature, and she drew her arms in closer for warmth. She stood still against the pool table and rested her cue on the felt, leaning on it slightly. She waited to take her turn until Sam was finished, not wanting to get distracted by anything.

"I'm not sure that's how mutation works," she commented after a minute. "You gain adaptations to survive your environment. Switching environments wouldn't cause you to lose a mutation, just... Use it differently. I mean, don't quote me on that. I'm certainly not an expert on the matter."

Romania. Juliette didn't know a ton about what happened during the camps, but she had heard things. Things like that the X-men had gone. She put two and two together and assumed that that was where Sam likely lost his eye. She winced internally, thinking how unfathomable the pain must have been. Especially in a place like that without proper medical care.

"What, you're not a Belieber?" Juliette asked with an incredulous mock gasp, referring to the music that was playing. "I'm rocked to my core."

She frowned slightly at the beer, but didn't say anything about it, instead choosing to ignore yet another sign.