Derek laughed at that. He could imagine how red her mouth must be after feasting on the raspberries and strawberries. He got into the van and locked himself into the passenger seat. "Oh? Well, I'll make sure to make two batches." Derek smiled and looked forward, then over at Xavia. "How old is your daughter if you don't mind me asking."

"Hopefully. I'd love to take care of them. All of them too." Derek looked forward with a nice smile on his face. "Trust me, they love their home. It's roomy enough." He ran his fingers along his joggers to make sure he had his phone on him. The mutant went silent for a while before asking; "How many people stay at your boardinghouse?"

"She is four," she said softly, obviously quite tednder when it came to her kiddo. "Her name is Delilah." She got on the highway, heading southward. "I am glad t'e girls like t'eir homes." She nodded, looking at him for a moment but never keeping her eyes too long off the road ahead.

"Nobody yet. Just my momma, my daughter and me. I am very picky on who I trust to come stay, for t'e sake of my daughter. I have to know nobody will do somet'ing bad around or to her."

"Awww. Delilah is a beautiful name." Derek complimented. He looked over at Xavia when she did and smiled warmly at her. He was enjoying her company immensely and was glad that he was able to meet her. "They appreciate what you've done for them."

Derek nodded his head. "That makes sense. I was thinking about staying at the Co-op apartment building, but it wouldn't hurt to see how your boardinghouse is. I'm guessing it's super amazing and roomy." Derek smiled and scratched the side of his neck. "Are you the only mutant in your family?"

"She is a beautiful little girl," she said, though not in the biased parent opinion way. It was just a matter of fact that her daughter left her in awe. He would understand more when he saw her. "I am glad t'e girls are happy."

"My house is a home," she said in reply to the next bit. "I save an old Victorian from wrecking ball in t'e city... I use inheritance and money I get from album sales to restore.. It is big, I have several rooms. I do not furnish or paint wit' modern ugly, but old homey." Album sales? Yup.

"I am only one I know of... I suspect Delilah has gift but not sure yet." It was true. There were just some odd things that happened that could not be explained.

Derek smiled at Xavia. He could tell that she was a good mother just from how she talked about her daughter. It made him a bit homesick, but nothing to actually make him call his parents. He didn't want to talk to them right now. The only time he did was when he told him that he made it to the Mansion safely and that everything was going well.

"Album sales?" Was Xavia famous and Derek didn't know it? Apparently there was more to this biology and botany teacher than ferns and motherhood. "Huh, well, your home sounds very cozy. I can't wait to see it."

Derek nodded his head. "Ah, okay. I think I'm the only mutant in my family. I'm not really sure."

"Mmm, I... Uh... Sing... I do jazz and lounge mostly and do one album under stage name. No big deal, really." Yeah right. "To be honest, I start singing on stage when I had amnesia, so maybe it does not count." Said the woman with a cult following. She wasn't quite famous, but she was not every day normal either. "I keep a cd in car for daughter to listen to. She is probably only fan."

In fact, if he glanced up, he would see the corner of the cd case sticking out from above the visor. If he looked further from there, he would see a stunning blonde version of herself in a Jessica Rabbit style red evening gown, hair styled in victory curls, diamonds at her throat and ears. The name on the CD was "Layla" and seemed to be self titled.

She didn't stay too long on her album topic, moving back to home and family, "You will see when we get there."

"No big deal?! No big deal? That's a big deal! You're...you're famous! Well, at least in my eyes, you are." Now Derek had to listen to one of her albums. That was a must for him. "Oh, no, it counts. Trust me." Derek chuckled. He never thought that he would be sitting next to someone who's actually famous. It was nice. More than nice.

Derek glanced around the van when his eyes found something sticking out from the top of her visor. He cautiously reached up and pulled it to see what he was. Gasping, he looked at the CD cover, then over at Xavia. "This is you?! You're so pretty! Well, you're pretty now, but wow!" Derek smiled widely. "...Can we listen to the CD?" He asked. "If don't mind

Derek was still stuck on the whole album thing to even respond. He turned the cover over to read the back of it.

"Just... One album." She said her face going red. He found the CD case and she simply turned on the stereo since the CD was already in the player. A smoky voice came out of the speakers. It was alto, and sort of a mix between Adele and Sade. The song was a cover version of Alone, by Heart... The song was slowed down and done with acoustics. "And t'at is me as Layla. Layla is t'e name I was given when I first for money." And she was really good.

"I pick t'is song for Derlilah's fat'er... I have not seen him since she was conceived. I make album, go on tour, find out my papa was sick and have to go to Michigan to be wit' family. I stay t'ere and gave up music when Papa died and t'en had Delilah." She turned onto the next exit.

Derek closed his eyes and relaxed in his seat as he listened to Xavia sing. She had just a beautiful voice! "Is this album on iTunes? If it's not, then I want to buy a CD, Layla." He teased with a wide smile. "But seriously, I want to buy a CD."

He slowly nodded his head when Xavia started talking to him about what the meaning behind the song was. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you know if he's still alive or...?" He asked hazardously.

"Possibly. My manager has not called me in a while. She knows I am busy." She glanced toward him and said, "You really like it?" She was always weird feeling when she heard her own voice. "I give you a CD." She did not need the money really. It would just go right back to her students or whatever.

And then he asked about Jupiter. "I hope he is okay. I... Do not know. Nobody has seen him, the ot'er clones, or t'e original in a while." It was pretty complicated!

"I do like it." Derek answered truthfully. "I like the way your voice sounds when you sing." The mutant complimented. "Aw, you don't have to give me a CD, Xavia. You work hard for your music. I'll be more than happy to pay for it." Derek smiled kindly at Xavia. "Thanks for the offer."

Derek slowly nodded his head. "Have you tried tracking him down or...?" He didn't want to bring up any feelings of hurt, but he was curious. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"I do not need t'e money. I keep giving it away," she waved the notion off and crinkled her nose. She wasn't millionaire status, but she would be if she would quit being so charitable. But she couldn't. "It is only nine bucks or so, you keeping ot would not hurt mein t'e least. If you insist on paying for CD, just... Donate money to a charity of your choice."

She now had them in the city, as announced by honking horns and such. "A lot of people look for Abyss and his clones... Nobody knows where t'ey went. To find Jupiter, Delilah's papa, Abyss must be found." She sighed as traffic slowed and the rain started falling in sheets. "I see him every day in Delilah. I just wish he knew her... I know t'at we might never... Finish what we start, but he needs to know."

Derek rolled his eyes playfully and gave up. "Okay, okay. I'll take the CD." He smiled. "And I'll donate nine dollars to Make A Wish Foundation." The mutant grinned and looked ahead. He was glad that he was able to meet Xavia. She was full of surprises. "What else do you do?" He asked curiously. "Fly planes? Fight Kangaroos?"

"...Is Abyss a bad guy?" Derek asked carefully. "Is that the main reason you can't find Jupiter?" Derek asked

"You made a funny," she smirked. "I run greenhouse business, I am a mom, I sometime sing, I teach, and I volunteer. Yes, busy, but I do it on purpose. It keeps my mind on good t'ings and off of bad." She was quiet as she spoke all of that. She pulled into her driveway, eventually, and he would see something unexpected in the city... The Victorian she had described. There were flowers in the small front yard, and the siding was painted a pretty, light blue color, and there was a white picket fence lining the sidewalk.

She hit the button to open the garage and pulled the van in next to a sexy looking red Harley. "Abyss is t'e one t'at Jupiter is clone from. I do not know him or t'e ot'er clones, only Jupiter."

"Well at least you're keeping busy. That's the important part." Derek gave Xavia a smile before turning forward to look at the house that was connected to the other side of the driveway. From the outside, it looked beautiful. "I hope to be as useful and important as you are." Derek looked at Xavia with slight adoration before looking forward again.

Derek slowly nodded his head. That made sense, then. Not really. Things were complicated for Xavia. He reached down and unbelted his seatbelt. "So you find Abyss, you find Jupiter. Do you know what hemisphere they're in or have a general idea?"