ooc - In order to timeline this properly this thread happens BEFORE slade goes to australia. This thread has been in planning for a while (my bad).

ic - Slade pulled up and parked in the New York street, yawning mentally he transformed laboriously as he had done so for 14 years. Padding off the road and across the sidewalk, ignoring the usual stares that Slade had forgotten to care about now for far too long, he approached a small cafe: a place he was altogether familiar with. For this was where he met with one of his eldest friends whenever they had the time, an old work colleague to boot. This time would be different however, one of his other friends of old needed to see him and time wasn't something Slade had plenty of. Sara would crash in on the meeting but hopefully Alexandra wouldn't mind too much, hell she might even make a new friend.

Slade sat comfortably in the usual table, and the usual waitress came and asked when his friends would be arriving.
"Not long now Jessica, thanks. Could you get some drinks ready for when they arrive?"
Slade saw Sara approaching, he smiled broadly as she sat down next to him, in turn he hoped she didn't mind being slotted in with Alexandra for a meeting. Talking of Alexandra, she was late, as per usual, it was how it had been for years. Even before Slade had been forced to venture out to Europe, now he was back it would be nice to meet again. Just like old times...

With a sigh and swearing under her breath, Alexandra stopped the engine of her car and looked at the watch. She was late. Some drivers were just... not suitable enough for driving. She had to force herself not to blow their tires.
Pushing away her urge to say some nasty words, she looked at her daughter and smiled.
"We're here, honey." she said, pushing a rebel strand of hair behind Airyn's ear. Airyn nodded and smiled to her mother as she pushed a button to remove her seatbelt. Alexandra threw a quick glance to the mirror to check her appearance, got out of the car and slammed the door closed. She needed to calm down as this was a meeting she would enjoy greatly.
Going around her car, Alexandra opened the door for her daughter and watched her jump joyfully onto the pavement.
"I can't wait to see uncle Slade again, mommy!"
Still watching her daughter, Alexandra closed the door and pushed a button on the remote to lock the car then extended her hand to Airyn.
"I'm sure uncle Slade is anxious to see you as well." Alexandra assured her daughter, as she began to walk forward, her daughter's hand into her own. As they continued their way, Alexandra drifted toward her own thoughts.
With all those years passing, Alexandra learned that some people could be trusted. Yeah, she still hated humans and some mutants alike, but the wounds were somewhat healed. And now, she was trusting the meaning of the word friend again.
As they got to the cafe, she looked around to search her friend. Slade's unmistakable figure quickly came into view and she smiled.
A few moments after, Airyn and Alexandra were at Slade's table. She aknowledged Sara's presence next to Slade and remembered that he told her that he'll be bringing her along as well. Alexandra didn't mind. They weren't on the terms of friendship like he and Sara were but her presence was pleasant. Alexandra couldn't helpherself smile as Airyn was there first, deciding to run toward her uncle Slade, along with happy cheers and then a jump directly into the unsuspecting mutant's arms.
Alexandra collapsed on a chair, breathing relieved. There was no point in scolding her daughter for running around. It wasn't like Airyn would actually listen to her. Stubborn.
"Hey! And we're sorry for being late." she said, a guilty smile on her face. "The traffic is killing me." she added. She mentally laughed as she realized that Slade was certainly better informed of the traffic than she was.
"Yeah, uncle Slade, mommy even said something about blowing their tires up![/color]" Airyn spoke from her seat, looking deadly serious at Slade. Alexandra looked at her daughter surprised. She said that out loud? She needed to keep her thoughts for herself as she was beginning to think she was starting to be a bad example. Yeah right!

ooc - pretty sig!

ic - Slade heard Airyn before he saw her, pretending not to have been alerted to her 'inconspicuous' approach he made a mock jump of surprise as she bounced clumsily into him. Laughing Slade hugged her gently, greeting her with a smile.
"Hey hey Airyn! You gave me quite a fright there kiddo, how's my favourite lady?"
Slade let Airyn's enthusiasm wash over him as he looked up to see Alexandra, it was good to see her again. She had that look that mothers typically got when their kids were being a handfull, traffic never helped either as Slade knew only too well. He'd missed her and Airyn, Slade had nothing but good memories with them and it was nice to be there for Airyn. Slade couldn't exactly have kids of his own and it was nice to at least be the cool uncle, even if he turned out to be uncool it was still a role he'd never dreamt of being able to have. They were the closest he had to a family and for that Slade was eternally grateful.

Offering Alexandra the available chair Slade grinned over at her between the prodded questions from Airyn.
"She's lively today Alexandra, no need to apologise your drinks are being brought over. How's life your end? This is Sara, by the way."
Slade introduced Sara to Alexandra, he hoped they would get on. The two strong women in his life meeting... Hell he hoped they didn't find a reason to fall out. Turning to Airyn he laughed loudly as she innocently commented on Alexandra's muttered frustration at the ineptitude of NYC traffic.
"What about you kid? What adventures have you been braving recently?"
This was going to be a good afternoon.

[OOC: Thanks!]

Alexandra watched amused as Airyn entertained herself with Slade. She could see in her daughter’s eyes the love she had for her uncle Slade. Alexandra couldn’t help but feel pain whenever she thought of the world Airyn was brought to. She was never bothered by the fact she was a mutant but when she looked to her daughter’s innocent face, she sometimes wished she would have been a plain boring mutant. Airyn was not something she planned for her life, most likely something that life threw at her but never in her life had she regretted about deciding to keep her. In that moment, her life was at a crossroad. And she felt like she made the right choices. She wondered if it was the right thing to hide her from her father… but knowing him she just preferred to think it was the best for the three of them.
She realized that now wasn’t he time to think about it, sometimes she was feeling sick seeing how soft she had become after Airyn’s birth. She knew that loving someone was a weakness and she allowed herself to have plenty of weaknesses. But now, now that was something she could no longer control. Her attention turned to two of her favorite persons in the world. As long as she was concerned, Slade was her family as well. There was no one in the world she could rely on rather than him. Airyn played curiously with Slade’s arm. It was like she never got tired or bored of him. Alexandra smiled as Slade turned his attention to her.
"She's lively today Alexandra, no need to apologize your drinks are being brought over. How's life your end?"
Alexandra simply shrugged as she answered.
“Nothing much…”
As her little girl tugged at Slade’s arm, his attention was back to the little bundle in his arms before Alexandra could say anything else. She watched her daughter with adoring eyes as she had her own discussion with her favorite uncle.
"What about you kid? What adventures have you been braving recently?" Slade asked curious.
Airyn’s eyes lighted up as if that was all she has been waiting for. She looked briefly at her mother then back at Slade with a mischievous smile on her small perfect lips. Alexandra simply wondered where she got that from. Her eyes turned to Sara, just wanting to ask her how's she'd been lately but her attention was quickly drwan back as soon as she heard Airyn's crystal clear voice.
“Look, uncle Slade, I’ve learned some tricks![/i]” she spoke as her eyes suddenly changed from the usual brown to silver.
Alexandra gasped, as Airyn was clearly not obeying what she told her about using her powers around others. She wasn’t quite ready for Airyn to use her powers in front of Slade as they were much too similar to her father’s and Alexandra was afraid that Slade will make the connection. That was the only secret she was keeping from him. From everyone. And now, her four year daughter was going to give it away.
She watched in terror as Airyn pointed a finger to Slade’s eye and a perfect ice beam shoot out of it. Of course, it missed as the ice ended up on Slade’s forehead but Airyn seemed highly amused by this as her crystal clear laughter echoed in Alexandra’s ears. She knew she looked like she was frozen into place and gulped. She recomposed herself and looked at Slade then Sara, fearing their reaaction to what they've just seen.

ooc - if ur edits to the posts would change this post pm me

ic - Slade tried to discern the penseive thoughts passing through Alexandra as she simply shrugged in response to his question, there was always something under those beautiful eyes; a reserved thought or idea that would surface when the time was appropriate. She was strong, strong as any mother out there and more, whether she knew it or not Alexandra was doing a great job with Airyn. Airyn was dangling off Slade's arm, using him as she always did like a monkey bar. Slade held his arm in place with ease, the young girl's feet dangling about half a foot off the ground. Compared of what he usually lifted theis was quite literally 'childs play'.

"Daft Kid..." Slade chuckled mentally as she dropped from his arm and began to ramble off about her latest exploits, her eyes dazzling with excitement as she talked of tricks learnt. Then Slade realised they weren't dazzling, they were changing colour. Slade's head snapped up to look at Alexandra, their eyes met and Slade saw her fear. The split second moment between them was broken as a sliver of ice slapped him in the forehead, Slade almost fell back into the group sitting behind him from the shock. Why hadn't she told him?
"What the..!" Slade coughed as he regained balance, his eyes swerving from Airyn to Alexandra. He tried to muster a sentence but the confusion was dulling his ability to be coherent.

"Alexandra?" was all he was able to voice, the tone voicing his confusion. Airyn was a mutant, how could she not have told him? This was a good thing, and Slade should have expected it. Slade loved Airyn and being a mutant or a human would never have changed that, why hadn't Alexandra told him? Airyn's power was nagging him too, Slade was sure there was another mutant with ice powers. Slade was too fried from the overload of information to fully consider who it was though.

An irrational welling of betrayal rose in Slade's throat and he shook, forcing it down, Alexandra wouldn't lie to him about Airyn unless she had a damn good reason. Slade needed to find out what and why she had lied but not now, not infront of Airyn. The poor kid looked as confused and upset as he felt. He ruffled her hair, still looking at Alexandra, she had some explaining to do.

Sara was actually having a productive day. There were two perps off t the street because of her, and their bounties were tucked away in her pocket, waiting to be turned in for the cash part of her reward. But first, A drink. With Sara’s healing factor, Alcohol did nothing for her, but herbal tea left a calming taste in her mouth.

Sara eased her car around the corner of the street. The car was like it’s driver. Nothing special about her on the out side. The brown station wagon had a nice wax finish, and when you got up close, you could admire the fact the that there was no rust or dents. Sara had spent an hour the other day, scrubbing the mud off of the wheel wells and making the finish glisten, but aside from the clean outsides, the brown color blended in with almost any surrounding Sara could imagine.

Sara had an un interesting outside as well. Her friend Katrina had designed an illusion that Sara could wear, that made her look like a normal human. Blond hair fell loose around her shoulders, that was actually her own blond hair, but her feline fur, and features were covered by a human mask, of sorts. Her skin was pail with a slight tan. Sara’s illusionary ears were pierced, and held silver hoops, and her tail was made invisible. As Slade had found out a few months back when he tried to rescue her by giving her the fastest pick up she had ever had, and her tail had ended up getting stuck in his back seat.

Sara turned her car into a parking spot, and after that Sara rose out of her car. A brief case tucked under her right arm containing a mix of FTA files, and English papers that still needed grading. Sara pushed the café door open just as little Airyn was showing off her ice abilities to the man in shining car. That was sort of cute. She gave Slade a wave just before she turned to the counter and ordered her tea, but things about the child’s ice ability didn’t click until Sara turned back around and saw her mother.

One eye brow rose and Sara’s head tilted. That was interesting. She walked over to a table right next to theirs and set her drink down, then her brief case. “What A lovely daughter you have.” .. .. .. That Sara didn’t remember Sam mentioning. “Hi Slade.” She grinned. “May I ask if you’ve decided on a school for her?”

Alexandra fought to wipe away the look of horror on her face as she looked at Slade's pained? expression. She felt it. She knew that he was accusing her for not telling her something but... she didn't know just how much Slade figured out. He didn't say much, nor needed to. It was enough for her to feel like she had betrayed his trust. From all the people in the world, he was the one that deserved to know the truth more than anyone else. Well, maybe except... NO.
She looked at Airyn, not being able to look at him anymore. The small figure in Slade's arms looked from her mother to Slade, not saying anything and yet in the same time her eyes were wondering what she did wrong.
"“What A lovely daughter you have."
Sara's voice interrupted the silence, one thing she was grateful about. She looked up at her, managing to form a smile. “May I ask if you’ve decided on a school for her?”
The question sounded a little out of place, or maybe that's how she saw it. Maybe Sara notticed the unconfortable silence and put the question to ease up the tension.
She wasn't about to question this, as it was buying her the time she needed to sort out things in her head and figure out what to say to Slade when they were alone.
"Thank you." she smiled, looking at Airyn for a brief moment, avoiding Slade's eyes. "Yeah, Milton's. Not exactly like a school, but helps me when I can't leave her alone." she replied, the false smile still plastered on her face. She threw a glance at Slade, she couldn't help it but quickly looked at Airyn. She still seemed confused about what was going on but she was more relaxed about it. She was so glad Airyn didn't understand any of this...

Slade felt the moment pass and diffuse as Sara engaged Alexandra in a conversation about schools, this did nothing to comfort him. He knew Sara was curious, probably more so than he, and yet here she was deflecting an issue that she recognised Slade wanted bringing out. What did she know about Airyn's mutation that he didn't? Slade swore under his breath as he recognised the moment to properly confront Alexandra had passed. What was it about Airyn's mutation that nagged him so much?
"Today is about our little lady Airyn, isn't that right kid!" Slade grinned with an effort, picking Airyn back up in an attempt to distract her from the 'adult' disagreements.
"We can talk about her special talents another time, right Alex?" He turned his head back to Alexandra pointedly. This was obviously something difficult for her, otherwise she would have just told him, and they'd have to settle it later. He returned to entertaining Airyn, trying with growing futility to work out what was niggling at the back of his mind.

It seemed Sara had interrupted something. She glanced at Slade trying to decide if she was reading that odd mechanical face of his right. He didn’t seem pleased but that wasn’t something to get into in front of the child.

“I suppose that could be a good school for her.” Sara said. Though she personally didn’t have any connections, or interest to Milton’s. “Have you ever thought about PAX academy?” Sara asked.

Sara glanced at Airyn and then at Slade, wondering if he was sensing the sly plan, Sara was hatching and playing out as she spoke. “PAX has about everything you could want. Day Care programs, head start, K-12…” Not to mention a plethora of other programs and projects. “I’m a teacher there myself. English and Art.”

Alexandra nodded at Slade, avoiding to look into his eyes and sighed. She somehow knew that this time will come... sooner or later. Then she looked at Sara, focusing her whole attention on her. It was easier to live with the guilt if you tried not to think about it at least for a while.
"I've considered PAX Academy as well but ..." she couldn't find the perfect excuse. And the truth was out of question. She didn't want the others to know about her daughter. And as far as she knew, some people she used to know... and work for, were there. "I didn't quite have the time to check it. I was considering this option for later."
There. Breath in, breath out. Look into the eyes. She threw a quick glance at Airyn, who seemed to forget about what happened before.

ooc - sorry about the absence, uni life been real busy as of late

ic - Slade half focused on the conversation between his friends, he still couldn't quite believe that the furball he'd ran down all those years ago had settled into such a mundane and 'normal' position of 'teacher'. As for Alexandra she had a kid, a great kid, and was talking about schools and prospects and other normal things. Was Slade really the only one left who still did the unusual? He doubted that somehow, but all the evidence seemed to contradict his gut feeling, here they were talking about the normal and mundane, acting like responsible adults they never thought they would be...

Airyn paused in her childish games with Slade long enough for him to interject,
"PAX academy? I'm sure I've heard of that somewhere, relatively new school right?"
Slade frowned as he turned back to the mischievious Airyn, whose latest scheme was to try and pilfer his glove compartment. As he dangled her gently as his head height, which even sitting down had her off the floor with her legs swinging in enjoyment, he felt Miltons was a good place for her, not necessarily because it was the best but because she had settled there and from his experience as a kid change could cause a hell of a lot of problems if the kid didn't resettle...
"You don't wanna go round changing her schools just yet Alexandra, she seems to be growing well enough in Miltons and she has friends there, right?"

"I didn't quite have the time to check it. I was considering this option for later."

“I suppose later would work.” Sara said with a shrug as she took a sip of her hot tea. Careful to not make her voice come out desperate because then the jig would be up. Obviously Alexandra didn’t want people to know about her daughter or Sara would have heard about this from Sam. At the same time Sara believed Sam should know.

"PAX academy? I'm sure I've heard of that somewhere, relatively new school right?"

“Right.” Sara nodded to her WereCar friend. God she had to lie to him too. Pretend things were normal when they really weren’t. It seems like that had become a theme to her life in the last few years. Sara could pretend to look normal thanks to Katrina’s illusion, and she could pretend to have a normal job thanks to PAX. “Actually this is my first year teaching at PAX, but I like the staff and for once, I seem to get along with me coworkers.” Sara set her tea cup back on the table. “PAX isn’t just a school. It’s a place that is sort of a Jack of all trades. There’s a community center, daycare, a no kill animal shelter.” Where the dogs were also personally trained for other jobs around the school.

"You don't wanna go round changing her schools just yet Alexandra, she seems to be growing well enough in Miltons and she has friends there, right?"

“Good point.” Sara truly agreed with Slade and the smile widened on her face as she watched Airyn plat with him. To say that Sara wasn’t growing jealous of Alexandra would be a complete lie. “I’m sorry if I seem pushy. I finally have a social life, and I’m enjoying it. Especially around the children.” A daughter or son was something Sara didn’t know if she could have, and she’d been too stubborn to go see an actual doctor about the matter, when her and Ayesac were still trying.

Alexandra decided to smile on Sara's last comment. Children. They always had a way to change people, just like magic. Airyn had changed her. Or better yet, she had taught her that love was not forbidden in her life. She could easily be who she was and still love her daughter. Secretly, Alexandra Leigh was ashamed of herself. She was no good person. And most of her life she never wished to be. She had lied. She had stolen. She had harmed. She had killed. It wasn't the kind of life she wanted for her daughter, she wanted Airyn to be nice, and never do the things she had done. She feared the moment when the past would come out and haunt her. She just feared what Airyn would say if she ever found out about all the horrible things her mother had done. If she ever found out that she had lied about her father. She shook her head slightly, her eyes quickly softening up as she watched her daughter having the time of her life with Slade.

Alexandra was beginning to feel kind of awkward. Or better said, nervous. Mostly, because of Airyn’s little display of power in front of Slade. Alexandra needed to think what to say to him. The truth or yet another lie? She wondered if it really did matter. After all, she had been lying to everyone. A quick glance at the watch made her escape. Time had the tendency to work quicker when you wanted it not to. “I think I should take my leave now.” Alexandra said, getting up, her eyes shifting from Airyn to Slade and Sara then back. “It’s late and I have yet to talk with my employee to pick up Airyn from school tomorrow.” she continued with a quick apologetic smile. She had an important meeting tomorrow. One in which she was planning the assassination of the Chinese president. “Slade,” she called the car mutant’s attention, her face turning a bit more serious than before “I’ll talk with you later, yes?”

Hopefully, until she talked with him, she would have decided on what to say. But she wanted him to know that she was planning to explain him. At least something if not everything. She didn’t look at Slade for too long, the shame lingering around her whenever she saw his questioning look. Instead, she looked at Sara and smiled brightly. “It was nice talking with you, Sara. Maybe I’ll pay you a visit at PAX academy soon.” she didn’t know how much of what she was saying was truth and how much was a lie. The truth, she had considered PAX academy for her daughter, but she was too afraid of people knowing she had a daughter. And mutant world was big but yet so small.

“Airyn, come on. We have to go.” she smiled as she watched her daughter’s disappointed face when she had to interrupt her game with Slade. She loved her uncle. Mostly she was enjoying her time with him because there wasn’t a thing in the world that Slade refused to her little angel. Airyn’s small lips were pouted when she jumped down from Slade’s lap and took her place next to her mother. “Come on honey, say goodbye to Sara and uncle Slade.” The little girl’s brown eyes looked up at her mother then to Sara and Slade. “Goodbye, miss Sara. Love you, uncle Slade.

[/i]” she said, her small voice shy and polite when addressing Sara but happy and enthusiastic when talking with her favorite uncle.

“It was nice seeing both of you and I hope we’ll meet again soon.” Alexandra said, as she took Airyn’s hand into hers in a protective manner. “Well, I’m off now. Bye.” She let her feet take her to her car and tiredly pushed the unlock button. After letting Airyn in, she took a moment to sigh deeply. She couldn’t afford to have any negative feelings around Airyn so she quickly pushed herself out of this mood and entered the car. “Mommy, are you mad at me for using my gift?[/i]” Airyn’s voice startled her at first. She looked at her daughter and smiled. “No, baby. Mommy’s just tired.” she answered as she caressed her daughter’s hair. She never could have been mad at her. Airyn was her reason for being.
[/blockquote]

ooc - heya were i'm really sorry about the late reply, rl is incredibly hectic and internet time has been so sporadic.

Slade nodded at Alexandra as she bid her au revoir, Slade would have to have words with her later. He wished Airyn could have stayed longer though, he loved her and he barely saw enough of her as it was. He ruffled Airyns hair affectionately as he said,
"Be a good girl for your mother now, I'm sure i'll see you very soon!"

He turned to Sara and leant back in his chair, it had been a while since he'd seen Sara as well and he wanted to know what the deviant had been upto in his absence. Maybe now she was a teacher, Sara would be up to less mischief these day, then again maybe not...
"So Sara, if you've got some time how's life with you? You seriously settled down and given up the excitement or is the teacher thing all a 'day job' to front your adventures?"
While Slade was grinning in jest the question still stood, he would never have believed Sara had adhered to the normal standards of life had he not heard her say it for herself. She had always held her middle paw up to the man and society, it seemed odd even after ten years of knowing her that she would settle down like everybody else...

Sara waved good bye to Alexandra and Airyn. She watched them carefully as they disappeared and her eye softened just slightly every time they landed right on the child. Sara adored children. She always had been fascinated by them. Slade’s ords brought her attention back to him and the table she sat at.

"So Sara, if you've got some time how's life with you? You seriously settled down and given up the excitement or is the teacher thing all a 'day job' to front your adventures?"

Sara shrugged and her smile pulled at her lips again. “I tried settling down. I found it impossible to stand.” Sara sipped at her tea before continuing. “I guess you could call it a day job, but it’s also something I’ve grown to love, despite the fact it can be taxing on my mind.” She motioned to her folder that she had carried in with her that was full of papers to grade and correct. “I have a second job, that keeps me from getting too board and burns my excess energy. I’m in Bond enforcement, now. How about you?”