Internally she cringed for each verbal blow until she could no longer keep herself from cringing altogether. He was so angry! "I-I'm sorry!" Mark another one down for a really bad day. "I could claw your eyes out! Or-or yell really loud...?" She'd already been shot. Never stabbed, but the getting shot thing, that was her own fault... just like this was.

It seemed a lame excuse even to her, but she had been hit on the head! Walking home just hadn't seemed like a good idea... and he already knew about the mansion so that made him a good guy. Or a good enough guy to have made acquaintances with... people she'd never heard of before. She cringed at her own thoughts. Crap. This really could have been a bad situation for her.

Vega gripped the front of her shirt between her thighs and chest. She was focusing on her breathing to ease the sudden tight knot of panic that was forming there. She had to make certain she didn't freak out too bad, but also she had to learn from this. He was right. He was so right. She had been stupid.

"Could always jump out of the car..." However his mutation worked hopefully it wouldn't work if she got far enough away from him. He couldn't cancel her power forever right?

"Sorry."[/color] She actually cringed at his apology too. Her head was throbbing with every heart beat. And since she was scared that meant the throbs were far too close together.

"We could always blame pollution, excess greenhouse gasses, or maybe the ever popular global warming. That's for better minds than mine to figure out."[/color]

"Seems that you are awfully keen on blaming people, mister." She couldn't even remember his name. He'd said it, but... augh. She rubbed at the spot at the base of her skull again. Her elbow and side would have nice bruises, but really the pain was focused at the place where her neck and skull met. "I'm guessing this is still a fresh discovery for you." It was one of the stages of guilt and recovery, right?

Vega's suggestions of how she could react if Jacen was truly an attacked weren't even worthy of any sort of response. Sure, some of those options might work with your standard mugger but they wouldn't be stopping him any time soon. He was a friggin' ex-army Ranger for crying out loud! A civilian like this woman wouldn't stand a chance!

"I'm not blaming people. I'm blaming things that are caused by people." Jacen replied quietly, "The idea that nature randomly selects and chooses that certain changes should happen in a species just because Mother Nature feels like it is ludicrous. Nothing is truly random. Everything has a cause if you just look for it."

That was his belief stated in a nutshell and he sure wasn't going to let some little slip of a girl convince him of something else. Who in the right mind believe in complete randomness and chance anyway? That was a scarier proposition than believing that everything had a cause. Hadn't a mutant ever thought about the idea that if 'Mother Nature' could randomly change their DNA, she might suddenly decide to change the DNA in bird, making them huge monsters that wanted to come down and kill all life?

"And whether it's fresh or not has nothing to do with it. I was adjusting just fine to the idea that I was a mutant. It's the whole, You're Not A Mutant thing that's completely throwing me off my game. Come on Vega, be honest. How would you react if multiple sources suddenly came to you and said that you weren't a mutant and that they had no clue how you got your abilities. Nothing in your blood work shoes any abnormalities. How in the hell would you tak esomething like that?!"

Yes, that was the plan then. Claw his eyes out or jump out of the car. He didn't seem to have any answer for that one! Ha! Though actually clawing out eyes was certainly easier said then done.

And the excuses pouring out of his mouth! Maybe it was the throbbing pain, but certainly he realized how ridiculous he sounded. "Maybe you're not blaming people," though she got the feeling that he would if there was one readily blamable, "but the fact is you are blaming something external."

She turned her head on top of her knees to look at the man, though.. looking at his eyeballs did make her think that they would squish if she pawed at them. She cringed again. "Not-not that you need to internalize your issues. But seriously! They're your issues! You are the one who decides if you sit and wallow in them or take care of them! Buck up! Be a man!" As soon as the words left her lips she was as surprised as anyone. How many times as the daughter of a military man had she been told to buck up and be a man? Apparently too many because that advice was now spilling out to others.

"I-I mean--augh!" She huffed and looked out the window. If he were a mutant he would have let her commiserate. As it was he put himself on his own little island and crowned himself king of pitiful. "You're missing the turn..." She pointed lamely out the window as Jacen missed the road to go out of the city proper. They'd have to loop around again to get out going the direction they needed for the Mansion. Not a big deal, but it meant that much more time in a car wit a man who was clearly in denial and very irksome.

"Why does it matter if it's random or someone caused it? Why does it matter if your ability is x-gene related or not? What is, is. You have an ability. Just because you're fully human doesn't make you any less of a mutant freak." She sighed reigning in what little temper she had. If he kicked her out of the car, so be it. He needed to hear some things. Ghost tried to slide her hands back between her legs and torso to keep them from shaking. Maybe he was just having a bad day, or, heck maybe it was just her bad day spilling over, but he was a very vexing man! She was nervous about the things she'd said in the heat of the moment, but it was a bit too late to take them back.

"No duh they're my issues!" Jacen muttered, the annoyance obvious in his voice as he tried to keep from staring at Vega but failed miserably. For a moment his eyes locked on her before finally he pulled his gaze back to the road, making one of the fastest and most illegal U-Turns in history in order to head back toward the turn he had apparently missed. "And you're one to talk about 'mutant freaks' missie. I'll make it quite clear that I never thought of mutants as freaks even before I found out I had an ability. Mutants can be freaks just the same as humans can. Depends on the person."

Finally making the correct turn, Jacen pulled onto the road that would head out of the city and further toward the school. "But let's see... what are the options that I have with my ability? Oh, I know... I can join up with some of the radicals that want to round up all of the mutants and kill them. That's what my ability would be perfect for, now isn't it!" He exclaimed rather sarcastically before falling silent to stew in his own juices for several minutes.

Why in the world did he have to meet someone like this TODAY? If he had met her any other day they might have had a pleasant conversation and then both gone off in their separate directions. Instead of that, Jacen was now beginning to ponder whether he should really drive her all the way to the school and just make her get out on the side of the road. After all, if he let her stay in the car she would probably drive him absolutely insane!

"You're annoying."

Obviously Vega didn't think mutants were freaks, but the phrase did have it's uses. Especially when it came to shock value. She was just irked enough to put those hurtful words together which was silly because she didn't even like to refer to people's unique abilities as mutations. Very few people got under her skin. One had been a raucous man who split into angel and demon, another was a man who loved her and then walked away, and then there was this man... bad day meets bad day.

"So you're doomed to a life of an anti-mutant vigilante just because you have an ability that doesn't mesh up with what you wanted? You're doomed to whine at strangers because you don't have an x-gene!?" Ghost gripped the door for dear life as he pulled a hard and fast U-turn.

She prickled. If she got overworked and puked in his car so much the better! "What about the mutants whose powers seem inherently evil? Huh? A Pain manipulator is only doomed to cause others pain?" She shook her head. Ghost couldn't believe that. She she just couldn't. Vega scrubbed at her face again making sure no moisture was there. This was not the time to dwell on Garrett.

It was funny that they were essentially saying similar things and still were quite angry at each other. He was just so whiny! He needed a good slap upside the head! Very rarely had she wanted to hit someone out of sheer spite. As soon as the thought occurred to her she knew that she needed to reign in her tongue and calm her mind. But he was so good at stirring her up!

"You're annoying."[/color]

Blink, blink. The words felt so out of the blue that she couldn't help but bark out a laugh or two. Again they sounded flat and lifeless to her. Stupid ability. "That's fair enough. I don't feel like a very nice person right now." Ghost ran her hand along her face until she ended up with her fingers tangled in her white hair. She tugged at it, pulling the roots until it hurt so that she had something else to concentrate on rather than the rolling throbs of irritation that went from skull to stomach. She wanted to apologize, but somehow knew it wouldn't come out in a very sincere tone. It was wiser to hold her tongue.

"Your pain manipulator is a bad example. He has just as much an opportunity to cause pain as he does to relieve pain." Jacen said quietly, not even bothering to give Vega a glance. even though he didn't speak the next question is was rather obvious. Who in the world could come up with a positive for his own ability? He could nullify mutant powers which meant his abililty was only good for mutants mutants. Since he didn't particularly want to be a vigilante that meant his only option to use the ability without having to hide it would be to join up with some of the radial groups that wanted to hunt and kill mutants.

"You have to give that sort of pep talk to a lot of people?" Jacen asked after several minutes of silence. Sure, he had heard what she said. He wasn't wallowing in his own problems so much that he couldn't listen to someone else's opinion but it didn't meant he was going to agree with them. "You sound... experienced."

IT was a strange turn of events but Jacen just didn't particularly feel like fighting anymore. He felt emotionally drained and as soon as he got this woman out of his vehicle he planned to drive home and drown out his problems with some large shots of whiskey. Normally Jacen never let himself get all the way to being drunk but somehow he just knew that today would be an exception. He needed to forget everything, at least temporarily.

Silence. Oh thank goodness. Hopefully he'd stopped outright blurting his brains and started thinking about the positives or potential positives. Didn't he know there were people like her that were out of control? Did they need someone to discipline the unruly mutant children? A man that could nullify powers... he would be useful at the school. Detention Master at the very least. Why, he could teaching them to think around their mutations for just in case scenarios... or if he wasn't the teacher type, he could at the very least stand in the classroom and let the lesson take place.

She sighed and then realized that the man had asked her a question. Oh dear. She had to think very hard about what she'd heard... something... about a pep talk? and experience?

"Comes with the territory." She shrugged. "Can't live at a school for the gifted or run neutral ground without running into people with new and unwieldy powers. Adults and children alike." She continued to tug at her hair. Did this mean he was done yelling? She hoped he was done yelling. Ghost muttered something about how she just wished they'd stop using them on each other and hugged her legs closer to her chest.

Much responsibility had been heaped on her twiggy shoulders. A lot of it was her own doing, but she really didn't take the chance to relax... ever.

"I didn't even know there was neutral ground for humans and mutants." Jacen muttered quietly. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around how he fit into the equation. Sure, Vega might run neutral ground that was neutral for humans and mutants, but would it be neutral for whatever he was? Somehow Jacen was pretty sure that most mutants would absolutely hate feeling helpless, even if they were on supposedly 'neutral' ground.

There really wasn't much else to say and so the police officer fell silent. Vega had given him plenty to think about but she still hadn't changed his mind. In fact, talking with her was just making him think about a certain female that he cared about and how she might react to the news. Would he tell her? Could he tell her? Their relationship was already on questionable enough ground as it was and something like this could easily destroy it. Now the real pressing question had to be answered. "What should I do?"

"It's kind of new... most people are still getting used to the idea." as was obvious from her rotten tomato juiced splattered top. Bleh. Ghost felt guilty for how she'd behaved now and tried not to squirm in her seat. Everyone reacted to these things differently. "You're free to stop by, of course... if I had a card..." She unfolded in her seat and fished in her pockets for a time. She hadn't intended to meet anyone on the way home. All she had was a few crumpled dollar bills, two nickles, a piece of scrap paper with business meeting notes on it and... ah one severely rumpled business card with a short grocery list scribbled on the back.

"Eh... you probably don't want this..." She put the contents of her life back into her pants pockets and attempted to smooth the crumpled card. The poor dear. "It's a bookstore near Central Park called the Full Circle. If you ever wanted to... see it or whatever." Ghost realized that she quite possibly needed a wallet. It never occurred to her to need a purse, but at least she'd thought as far as the wallet.

When she looked up from the card, they were turning past the bus stop she often took to work and back. The Mansion was not too far ahead now. "You're free to come by the Mansion as well. There are better people than me that could help you think of a positive application of your ability..." Vega offered the crumpled card to him. He could take it if he wanted, but she would not begrudge him for shrugging off such a grimy thing.

Jacen had to fight off the urge to just grunt some sort of non-committal reply. Now that things had calmed down in the vehicle he really didn't want to rile the young woman up again, which is what that sort of answer would probably do.

Reaching over he took the card and, after glancing at it for a moment, pushed it into his pocket so that he wouldn't lose it. "I'm not the most avid reader in the world but maybe I can stop by." He admitted after a moment, "We'll see what else life throws at me between now and then."

The invitation to come into the Mansion was met by silence, though if Vega looked at him she would see that his expression was thoughtful. He wasn't ignoring her but instead was actually thinking about the situation.

"Not now." He finally said as he pulled his truck up to the front gate and stopped, swiveling in his seat to look at the white haired woman, "I don't think I'm ready to see any more expression of shock, horror, or fear. Especially from some of the kids you have here. They're already trying to learn how to handle their abilities... they don't need me thrown into the mix from out of the blue."

Ghost nodded, her attention flittering out the window momentarily as they pulled up to the Mansion. Her home sweet home. He would have been welcomed here, she knew it. The mansion had never turned anyone down... not even the dangerous ones. "We'll be here either way. I actually think you would do well as a guest speaker some day. You certainly made me realize how foolish I've been with my abilities." She'd nearly called him a teaching tool. No that wouldn't do. They'd just started being civil again. Yes. It was back to her neglected self-defense lessons in the danger room.

"Thank you. Uhm, for the ride." Though she was realizing now it would not have been necessary if he had not been gifted as he was. "And sorry about... yeah. I'll go now." She pushed open the car door and slipped out quick as a flick. Ghost closed the door firmly behind her and waved to the man inside the window. She needed... a bath... and a few band aids.

Ghost went to the pedestrian gate and punched in the code that opened the door. Once inside, she dared to check if the truck was gone and sighed again... it was blissfully long and slithering. With a yelp of sudden happiness at the return of her power, Ghost kicked up her heels and ran the rest of the way to the front door which was of course a poor choice with her pulsing head issue. But at least he didn't cancel her power forever!

A guest speaker? What in the world did she think he was? Some sort of lecturer that made his living by going around to various schools? He was a frickin' S.W.A.T. officer for crying out loud!

"You're welcome for the ride... take care of yourself Vega." Jacen said as the young woman climbed out of his truck. For a few moments Jacen sat in his vehicle, making sure that the young woman got the pedestrian gate open. Just as soon as he saw her pulling the entrance open, he put his truck into gear and backed out onto the road once more.

"Drink... I need a really big drink." The man muttered to himself as he applied the accelerator, not quite squealing the tired but almost. He couldn't get home soon enough to put this whole crappy day behind him.