Geo froze as she waved fer hand for him to stop. Placing his hands and the stone back in his pockets as she seemed to grasp for words. His hazel eyes studied her as she did so. There was something troubling this poor soul. Something she was having trouble putting to words, or maybe just didn't want to put it into words?

His ears perked as she declared if she stayed she would get herself into trouble. Now that caught his attention. From what he had gathered this was Jupiter's squeeze from back in the day. At least someone who knew that he had a kid somewhere. Maybe the mother? It didn't quite matter. If she was worried about trouble then that was his concern and going off of what she said that was the only conclusion to pop into the elemental's mind. She was red in the face and obviously upset about something.

"Look you won't get yourself into trouble...is there someone you'll be in trouble with?" His tone was a cautious yet stern with meaning. "Because I can help you if you need Xavia." His eyes spoke his concern for the mutant before him. If there was someone troubling this young lady he'd be more than happy to dispatch them without a moments delay. Order or no family was family.

"You, Geo." She said and started to pack her stuff again. "I want to be closer and should not. Now you get?" Wow, he was not very observant. Or maybe it was just that she hated sharing her feelings, especially since she considered them irrational. Indeed, she paused again to pinch the bridge of her nose and say, "I do not know you. I should not feel t'is. Ugh, why? Jus... Why?" She stuffed the quilt in her basket and hauled uo her stuff.

"I have made fool of myself, okay? I am sorry. I should leave you before I do somet'in' else stupid." But she didn't leave, even if she wanted to run off, she gave him a chance to say something in return. She would not blame him the least bit for thinking of her as a lunatic.

She was not so good at how she made it known she was interested... But that was probably due to the many kidnappings and experiments done to her by men. Jupiter was really the only man she ever lost herself with, and she had run away because she was frightened and did not feel worthy of his love. After all, who would want to lovea hot mess like her?

A look of surprise and mild embarrassment crossed Geo's face as the pretty woman declared that it was him that she was going to get herself in trouble with. He wasn't one for paying attention but he must be getting rusty if he missed any notion of attraction coming from this woman. He was going to laugh at his own stupidity before he noticed the woman's very genuine feelings of dismay towards her emotions.

"Hey. You don't have to leave. I'm a nice guy. Real respectful like, I promise I won't let you get yourself in any trouble. Scouts honor." He held up his three middle fingers to the air as he stepped forward and out of his retreat into the brush. Clearing some of the space he kept a healthy distance from the woman who seemed like a skittish dear about to bolt.

"If I condemned myself every time i thought I made a fool out of myself I'd be a hermit by now. Here." He held out a hand offereing to take her basket and take it back to the ground as he sat. The ground rose to him as he lowered himself, a soft mound of dirt covered in moss. The cushy seat was a nice difference from the hardened surface soil that made the park. "You're only mutant. You can't beat yourself up about it." Which brought an interesting notion to his mind. She was a plant to her very core and he was made of earth.

"Maybe it's just your cells needing nutrients. I know that my body absorbs specific minerals and vitamins from the earth. I can sense them. Maybe that's what's causing it?" Perhaps offering an alternative explanation would help bring some ease of mind to her. She didn't seem to deal well with the idea that she might be attracted to him in the general sort of way at least.

"I do not know, I feel pull as soon as you walk over." She let him take the basket without protest. "I am no good at t'is at all. I did not go on date since before my daughter was born, and was only ever wit' Jupiter. Years." She dropped her gaze and started to wring her hands.

She bit her lip and let her eyes lift to his face, "Cannot tell if it is you as mutant or you as charmer. I certainly do not show off like I did. Cannot tell if I don't wish you would keep me from trouble or not. Very frustrating."

She sighed as she lowered herself again onto the quilt. Her fingers plucked at the fabric for a moment, looking down for the time being. Her face was a lovely shade of pink at that point.

Xavia was fast coming to the conclusion that perhaps she was mostly just lonely, that maybe she should let the interaction happen. She let her gaze rise and she said, "Why do you wish me to stay, Geo? I am curious."

"How do you not find it odd t'at someone like me feels drawn? I just... Want to know. Please."

"Well luckily enough this isn't a date. Just a passing of two wandering souls with a common...friend." He continued to try and defuse the tension from her. Geo crossed one of his dusty feet over the opposite knee as he lounged back in the molded mount of moss. He watched the sky as the sun beat down on them. It was good to have the feeling of the earth underneath him.

"I won't pretend that I do have a knack for putting on that charm. I assure you miss when I tell you you're lovely or beautifully it is simply a compliment and an observation. I never give out a compliment with intent. Personal rule." Reaching into his pocket the mutant pulled out a pack of cigarettes and patted them against his hand until one fell onto his lap. Xavia's blood seemed to be flowing places other than her face for the moment. A good sign that she was at least feeling more comfortable. As she asked why he wanted to say he lit his cigarette and took a long drag.

"What we are, folk like you and me, is new to the world. I like to interact with other mutants. It's important that we stick together in this world that keeps wanting to reject us. I'm a mutanitarian, I believe in connecting with those around me." He liked that term. There was a mild hope that it would catch on in the main stream though he was starting to think that few held views like he did.

"I stopped finding things odd with elemental mutations a long time ago. I've met people that can manifest fire, manipulate water, conjure the wind and even working with plant life." He gestured to the woman nervously picking at her quilt before him. "People like us harness the pure powers of the natural earth in all of it's beautiful chaotic glory. The only thing we as conscious being have similar to that is our emotions. I have yet to meet the elemental who didn't have difficulties with their emotions." It was a theory he had been forming over the years with the many mutants he came across on a regular basis. Shoot. He had dated a few of them, he could speak on the passion of water elementals on the first hand basis. He himself had issues with his own anger.

"No, I know. I... Just mean I get nervous when I feel attraction. You have to understand, it is more t'an just about... Him..." She continued to pick at the quilt until she looked up at him. "I was experimented on starting before I meet Jupiter. Kidnapped a few times by an old, madman who inject different serums into me to force my powers awake. Wary of people unless I am singing." That definitely explained the skittishness.

"I am also very alone. My fault, really. My daughter is wit' my mot'er because I fear she will get hurt here. I see her every chance I get. I try not to let anyone too close." She took a deep breath and pulled out her smart phone, unlocking the screen to get to a picture of her daughter.

She flipped the phone around to show a young child that looked a lot like her but for the fact she had downs syndrome. The little girl kinda looked like a normal skinned, girl version of the clones as well.

The girl was old enough that it vouched for it having been a bit of time since she had let someone into her life. After letting him see the picture for a significant amount of time, she said, "She may be gifted too." She put the phone away and wrapped her arms around her legs afterwards.

"I worry t'at she will get hurt by my choices as a gifted."

At first when she had referred to a 'him' Geo thought she was talking about the clone. Perhaps she felt guilty for her emotions towards someone else? But the reality was much more sinister. The elemental's blood boiled as she spoke of the man who had performed experiments on her. There was more people like that in the world than there ever had a right to be. People who took advantage of the confused and helpless mutants of the world. A prime example being the twisted ring master himself that had been introduced into Geo's life along with a certain trouble causing redhead.

"What some twisted freak did to you his hardly your fault. As a victim of something so cruel no one would walk away without scars. Literal or otherwise." The elemental shifted in his seat, bringing his feet to the ground he leaned forward to place his elbows on his lap. Looking at the girl in the photo a smile formed on his face. She was certainly the spitting image of her lineage. As he smiled down at the photo his memories of his time as a parent were brought to the surface. His time with Marley had been so real, the love he had for his daughter as genuine as if he had lived all the moments leading up to them himself. He could still see the little magma-machine playing on a burn covered carpet in his loft. It was still one of his fondest memory though he hadn't seen the woman who was supposed to be her mother for years. His smile twisted to a look of confusion as Xavia admitted her fears.

"What do you mean? What kind of choices could you make that would hurt her?" Had she been an old member of the Order it would make sense. But what sort of trouble could a lone musician get into. She certainly seemed mild mannered enough, Geo couldn't see here robbing for Knox.

"T'e fight we fight, Geo. Sometime we put ourself in danger by standing up for ourself. I cannot just stop fighting, what happens if she gets caught in crossfire? My home is safe haven for women like me, what happens if I take in t'e wrong person an' she is t'ere?? She is special needs and still young, she does not yet understand concept of caution. I would die if anyt'ing happen to her." She took a deep, shuddering breath at the very idea. "And I fear someone will do to her like t'ey do to me, especially wit' me constantly in media. Media does not know I even have daughter."

She bit her lip and rubbed the side of her face. "T'e first one who kidnap me is long dead, but t'e one from Romania might not be." That was the god awful truth.

Why was he so easy to talk to? She started to pick at the blanket again, then moved to lay on her back. She watched the clouds for a time, silent as she fell into deep thought. Xavia eventually rolled her head to look at him.

"You a fighter then Xavia? I know you said you used to be with..." He paused to a moment deciding to skip the sore name. "Were you an Order fighter than? Wait did you say Media? Why are you in the media?" Admittedly Geo tried to avoid the news, relying mostly on word of mouth for his intake. Of course he'd look into stories that effected the mutant community but besides that Geo was a street man. He likes to rub elbows with folk and learn of the world that way.

"At the very least you're doing whats right in protecting her. It might hurt not having her around or...you know the other guy. But you protected her. Relish in that fact. Because you were hardened and learned from the world you were thrown into you were able to keep her out of harms way. That's commendable." As she laid back to look at the sky Geo did the same.

Up was a direction he didn't often pay attention too. His focus was always towards the elements that made up the ground beneath their feet. It was a strange feeling. Like a world upside down. Up he could only go so far but as long as he had the ground below him his movement was limitless. Aside from the concrete jungle that surrounded them.

"Because of who I am... I am Xavia, Heiress to my family's greenhouse business, who got kidnapped during my sixteent' birt'day, all of my friends die as t'e bad men look for me. And t'en t'ere is me as Layla, singer who somehow make it big. I did not remember my own name when Layla came about. I hate t'e medfia attention, but I t'ink my solitude helps keep tabloids at bay." She rolled to her stomach, unconsiously closer to him, and said softly, "Now I work at mansion just because I wish to help. I train to fight. I was never in order."

She lay her cheek on her arm, her eyes hakf closed. It was nice to take a break from it all. "I got tired of needing bodyguards where I go. I change my look so it is harder to spot me." Her voice sounded sleepy by that point, but she refused to sleep even though she needed that the most.

"Jupiter... I... I know he was wit' Order, but I never really have a pkace in t'is world t'at wasn't of my own making. I was homeless at first, I use money from business to buy t'e house I used to squat in and fix it. I do not feel I belong anywhere." And it was true.

She took in a deep breath and turned it around on him, tired of talking about herself. "Tell me about you, Geo. Please."

The woman he had randomly stumbled across was much more complex than he had originally assumed. Which was something considering as she seemed like a complex person from the jump. He felt mildly foolish for not knowing her by her apparent stage name. He would have to make a note to look her up when he had a free moment. Surprisingly enough she was working at the mansion. Not something Geo expected to find out about someone a clone had been involved with.

"Your skills certainly speak for themselves that's for sure. I can see how people would flock to see you. You'll have to forgive my detachment from the world. I've actually been living south of the border for a few years. Still catching up with pop culture and all that." Seemed like in this world they were always playing catch up. There was too much going on for one person to possibly keep up on everything. It was a trap, you focus on one thing and you miss six others that happened while your back was turned.

"Not really a whole lot to tell. I'm just a homeless elemental. Wandering the streets of New York til he can't stand not having his toes in the dirt." The elemental gave his toes a wiggle for effect. "Only been back a few weeks. Still trying to figure out where everyone went and trying to get my bearings." There were a lot of new pieces on the board from the last time he had checked. He wanted to try and gather as much information as possible before the inevitable snap in the tension of the city gave way.

Damn it... Homeless. Her first instinct was to help him because that is what she did... Help people. Mutants... Mostly women... But he did not seem troubled by the fact that he had no home. What would he do if she just outright asked if he wanted a place to stay? She took ina deep breath and pushed herself up. She seemed to mull his words over for quite a spell.

After that she finally said, "You want I give you place to stay? I have empty rooms." She was being serious, her eyes said so, and it wasn't a weird, come on or anything. She was offering him one of the rooms because that was just her. "Come, I have beds and place you wash clot'es... Hot shower... Not sure you eat vegetarian but I have food... No boarders right now. You stay free and pay later."

There was a big part of her that wanted him to say yes because there would be another person in that house, appreciating it and maybe laughing in it. If he said no, she would understand, but she just couldn't not offer. She already knew that he wouldn't be stupid, he would have already done something by now if he had wanted to hurt her. "If you do not like idea of free room and board, you work for me, I pay you. Simple. You have place to find footing."

Oh please, say yes, she thought but knew he would most likely say no. It was her turn to be earnest. She could not help it, though, it was something she was most passionate about. Having known the frights of living on the streets, or Central Park in her case, wandering aimlessly, scared in her case, she made it her mission to help out in any way she could. Part of that was taking other mutants in, though he would be the first man she offered a room to. Technically, she had never run into a male mutant that did not have a home, she did not see a difference.

A look of slight shock crossed Geo's face as she offered him a place to stay. He quickly backpedaled on his statement. Waving out his hands to emphasis his point.

"No you have it all wrong. I'm not like 'homeless' homeless. I live at the Sanctuary. I mean it's technically a homeless shelter and I sure as hell don't pay rent. But I like living there. Keeps me close to the community. Abyss was a big part of me becoming who I am today. That's because he was there. At the sanctuary." If he wanted to be there for the next generation of mutants then he had to be on the grounds. Couldn't be off living in some run down apartment. Not to mention with the way the renting system ran in New York the Sanctuary was about the best digs he was going to be able to end up in.

[color3ea341=]"My home is the Sanctuary. I sleep better knowing I'm there. Was the target of a lot of grief back in the day so wouldn't be the first time someone tried to blow those golden doors in. I wanna be there for the next person who dares."[/color] A wicked grin formed on his face at the thought. He was a fan of a good scrap. His tone switched to an earnest on "Not that I don't truly appreciate the offer. It shows a lot that you would open up your home to a complete stranger."

She lifted just one brow this time. A simple no would have sufficed, she was not offended that he said no. She gave a light shrug, saying, "I understand. T'at is what my home is for, so you know." Feeling depressed by that point, though not by his actions just at the thought of going back to an empty house, she smiled anyways. Though the smile was not genuine at the moment, she had a pretty one. She did not speak of the sadness, figuring things would just get more awkward.

She was also starting to feel the tiredness she sometimes felt from thinking about the past. The smile faded into a frown, and she felt quite foolish. What to do now? She said, "I do not mean to be strange." And then she hauled herself to her feet, then held out her hand for him to shake if he desired. "It was very nice to meet you, Geo."

If he took her hand, would he feel something pass between them? If he didn't, she would just let it drop by her hip before turning to gather her things again, not rushing this time, fighting the sinking feeling the best she could, not wanting to lose the battle with herself in front of him.

Problem was, she seemed to have visibly wilted in front of his gaze and it wasn't even him that caused it to happen.

She was visibly saddened by his decline of her offer. He had meant no offence. It was simply that the Sanctuary was the closest thing to a childhood home he could remember. Who wouldn't want to stick around their fondest memories. He climbed to his feet, letting the mound dissolved back away into the surface of the ground. It was easy to tell a non genuine smile, it disheartened him to see a woman with so much sorrow.

When she apologized for being strange and held out her hand Geo watched her from where he stood for a moment. Putting out the cigarette and tucking the remains into his pocket he crossed the distance in one long stride. Bypassing her outstretched hand Geo took a step further reaching out with both arms to wrap her in a warm embrace.

"You're not strange. You're yourself. That's the best thing in this world you can possibly be Xavia." His words rung with an air of confidence. Stepping back slightly he kept his hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "It's been amazing meeting you Xavia. But you aren't getting rid of me that easily." His serious tone took a more playful one as he aimed to brighten her spirit. Scooping up her basket for her Geo gladly took them up into his arms.

"Not everyone at the Sanctuary is looking to stay in a shelter. There are always people looking for lodging, not to mention I spend my days doing nothing but wandering these streets looking out for our kind. If I had a dime for every lost soul I came across I could house them all personally." A literal impossibility in the way that he said it but he liked the way it had sounded in his head. "Now I know there's another kind hearted beautiful soul looking out for our kind I can be sure to fill some beds for you." It was nice to see that for once in a long time mutants would have some options. Places to stay and keep safe. It was a beautiful time that they were in, hopefully for once that which was gold would stay. Holding out his arm in offer to Xavia and standing straight Geo poised himself into his best impression of a perfect gentleman.

"If you have to leave then let me escort you home. We can have a lovely conversation and you can start getting used to seeing my ugly mug."