"No..." She said, then unbuckled and got out of the van. She went into the house through the side door, leading him into a spacious kitchen. Everything was exactly as she described, even if she had understated. Copper pots and pans hung from a rack, fine, old school China displayed in their place... The appliances were stainless, but didn't look bad with the earth tones. And because she had made the first floor into an open floor plan, he would be able to see the foyer with the old, polished piano, many pictures and scrapbooks, and even into the living room where there were several nice couches with quilts and afghans, a fire place, etc...

This wasn't decorated with luxury, it was decorated with love. As soon as she dropped her keys onto the counter, they both would hear the running of kiddo feet. A dark haired little girl came running and leaping toward Xavia, who laughed and caught Delilah up into a tender hug. The girl didn't say anything, she just clung to her mother. Delilah caught sight of Derek, pulled back and pointed.

"Ahh, Delilah... T'is is my new friend, Derek. Can you say hello?" The little girl slid down, moved closer to the man in question, stuck a finger in her mouth and waved with her other hand awkwardly. He would be able to tell right away that she had Down Syndrome.

She then ran off to go back to her grandmother, clearly shy. Xavia smiled. "She takes a few days to come around, but will be your best friend for t'ose cookies."

Derek followed Xavia out of the van and up into the house through the side door. The interior was beautiful and homey like she describe. The piano put a nice classy feel on the house which Derek loved. "Your house is beautiful." He complimented with a smile on his face.

Just then a girl came running down the hall. The girl was obviously Xavia's daughter. He watched the embrace and smiled at the sweet moment the two of them shared.

"Hey, Delilah," Derek cooed, "it's nice to meet you. Your mom has told me a lot of very good things about you." He gave her a little wave back. Derek noticed that Delilah was special needs, but didn't say anything about it. Once she ran off, his attention turned to Xavia.

"She's a very sweet girl." He whispered. "Have you thought about getting her a pet?"

"T'ank you." She murmured at the compliment to her home. She watched the exchange between her kid and Derek, and chuckled as Lilah took off for grandma. "She is my life," admitted Xavia. "I just moved her into t'is house, have not t'ought of a pet for her yet because I do not know which one would be best for her. I am afraid of a dog jumping on her and scaring her, or a cat scratching her. I try to treat her normal but I do have to be mindful of her needs too."

She gestured toward the foyer, "Do you wish to see a few rooms? You get first pick if you choose to live here."

Derek smiled. "That's true. You don't want to scare her or anything like that." He then turned to look at Xavia. "I wouldn't mind vetting the dog or cat for you. Make sure they're a right fit." Derek grinned. That was another upside to being able to communicate with animals. Not only did it help with gathering information, but it also helped with pairing people up with animals.

"Oh, sure. I'd love to see the rooms." Derek gave Xavia a head nod as he stepped into the foyer. "How many rooms do you have?"

"Maybe for her birt'day... T'at should give me a chance to figure out t'e right animal for her." She nodded. While it wasn't completely accepting, it was close enough for the moment, but he understood her hesitation. At least... He seemed to.

She led him up one of the double stairs, up to the second floor. She'd open up the first room, which was above the living area. The room was not too small, but nor was it huge. It was painted in a neutral pallet. "Not all of t'e rooms are furnished... It has been a work in progress, since I do t'em myself. I have ten rooms and plan to finish t'e basement to add more." Then she led him to the bathroom, which was done up with multiple showers and stalls, though tastefully so. "Bat'rooms are designed to give multiple people opportunity to shower at once... One for ladies, one for men."

"That's fair enough. Finding the right champion can take a while so I understand. Plus there shouldn't be a reason to rush into anything." Derek folded his arms over his chest and smiled at Xavia. He could tell that she was a good mother. One that cared deeply for her daughter. Sort of like the Greek goddess, Demeter.

Thus in Derek's mind, Xavia was the goddess of agriculture.

Derek followed Xavia up the stairs and into the second floor. He looked inside of the first room and grinned. "I like the neutral feel of it." He then looked into the bathroom. "Have you put up flyers in the mansion about a possible place to stay? Anyone would be lucky to stay here."

"Not yet. I have not finished all t'e rooms yet because I am very busy." Indeed, she was quite busy in life... She thought it would help her sleep but it did not. Poor woman hadn't had a full night of sleep in quite some time. And now she was just getting around to delegating tasks to other people.

"Rent is $200 a month, $100 for the room, $50 to utilities, $50 for food cost. My momma provides dinner, but you make your own breakfast and dinner and clean up after yourself. If you have special diet, you need to talk to my momma about it. I am Vegetarian," she said.

Derek nodded his head. "Ah, okay. Well, if you ever need help with moving furniture in for the other bedrooms I'd be happy to help." He smiled at her. "We can even work out color schemes together. Fun stuff like that."

"That's reasonable." Derek could definitely afford that among other things. He looked around again and scratched underneath his chin. "When did you move here? I think you told me either, but I forgot. Sorry."

"Well... T'at is long story," she said and led him to the ground floor and gestured to the couch. Once he was seated, she sat in one of the cushy looking chairs. "I first came to New York about eight or so years ago. I was kidnapped and brought here by a man who experiment on me when I was even younger, he want to see how my mutation come along since and to do more experiment. I was set free by a man who could do similar to you, talk to animals. I do not see him since. I left mansion and came to city and first sleep in Central Park, t'en I squat here. It looked much different... All t'at was here was grand piano sitting broken in t'e foyer and a matress. I fell in love wit' t'e hose and piano. T'en house got shot up by t'e men who kudnap me before when t'ey locate me. A few years after all t'at I buy property and start fixing it up. I want to say I finish restoring about a year before Delilah was conceived."

That was the shortened version of the story.

Good, Derek liked long stories. He followed her back downstairs and sat down on the comfortable couch. Back straight, shoulders back, and eye contact. It was important for Derek to show that he was paying attention to Xavia as she spoke about her coming to New York. Her life seemed exciting, but not in a good way. To know that she was experimented on made his heart sank. He knew that she didn't need his pity, but still. Derek couldn't help, but feel empathic for her.

"...Even in the most unfertile earth, magnolias can grow." He whispered. "Did you know that? Everything you've been through has made you stronger." Derek bit his lip. "You're a strong woman."

"No... I am not." She said quietly. "I do not sleep, and I am nearing madness." She was serious. He was the first person she had even said that to, and she didn't even know why she admitted it. Between ptsd from all the crap she went through just because of her mutant powers...

"Every day is a fight. I feel like I am losing. I just wish to sleep. If I could do t'at, maybe I can be stronger." She gave a bitter smile, "Lesson one, not all is as it appears to be."

Derek felt his heart ache again. Maybe Xavia was just really good at having an outside appearance that only showed that she was strong. Although Derek only knew Xavia a few hours, he knew that she was a strong woman.

"Lesson listened to." Derek reached across and lightly held Xavia's head as emotional support for her. "Is there a, ah, plant mixture you can make to help you sleep? Maybe...Nyquil?"

"No. Just.... Need to be held at night. I miss him..." She bit her lip and looked down. "I haven't loved anyone since him... You know... Kind of love you get from someone who touches your heart in a way nobody else can. I only um... Be wit' one person since him and it was not t'e same as... Loving someone. It was just a night wit someone I do not know and I felt weird after. Anyway, I keep doing t’is opening up to you and never ask about you. Please tell me about you."

Indeed, this was part of it. She was sure she was driving people nuts by being so open.

Derek nodded his head slowly as Xavia went on to talk about how she was needing love that wasn't platonic. That was something that Derek could agree upon. He wanted love where it was more than friendship or familial. He wanted affection like she did. With a sigh, he lowered his head. "I know how you feel." Derek slowly lifted his head back up and looked at Xavia.

"There...isn't much to me. I'm from North Carolina, uh, I'm twenty, black, gay." H shrugged. "And a mutant so I'm basically like a minority of a minority of a minority."

"But fabulous," she said softly. "Yay for being minorities, right?" She understood quite well... After all, she had come from Eastern Europe in an age of communism, she too was mutant. Slightly less minority but enough to understand, yes?

Her mouth curved up slightly and she patted his hand, then said, "What kind of t'ings do you like to do besides cook? I am sure you are not a workaholic like me.