The question was a simple one and one that he did not mean to take forever to answer. It was simple, the girl was still slightly hurt, she was terrified of the news people, and after everything that happened this night, he was simply trying to be courteous. Maybe get her back to her own home in one piece, rather than leaving her to the wilderness of the city after dark. But apparently his generous gesture was not sitting too well with the young mutant. She was averting her gaze, speaking with a stammer and pauses…

She obviously was not comfortable with the idea.

>> "Uh...There is a problem with that...we... do not live in the same...er...area?"

“I don’t mind. I can take you wherever you want to go.”

The look on her face showed a different story. For a moment it looked almost like he was prying, getting into a part of her life that she really, really, really did not want him to know anything of. But…wht was she so resistant?

Was she really still that scared of him? He had to admit that being offered a car ride from a stranger was never a good scenario, but he figured he had more than a little eased her tensions with that talk on the rooftop. Yet, being in the open space of a roof was a lot different than being in the confined area of a car. Once those doors closed, she would more than likely feel like a caged animal, anxious to get out into the freedom of the open air again.

Still, he really could not just let her walk home…could he? That would be irresponsible. She had just had a hell of a night and to be honest, he if just turned her loose in the middle of nowhere, he would feel just terrible about that. The city could be dangerous, especially for people who have gone through trauma like hers.

It was like dropping a blood in shark infested waters…before she knew it they would be everywhere.

Again though, the last thing he really wanted was to make her do something she did not want to do. That seemed to be the theme for this evening. Just what had the girl gone through to make her so mistrustful?

“Okay,” he said as he walked up to the open car door, knelt down and looked at her square in the face. There was absolutely no hostility in his expression, just truthful, honest, earnest concern. “Andrea, just be straight with me, okay? Is there something wrong? I’m a cop, and I know sometimes that does not always mean much, but I am here to help you. I want to help you, if you’ll let me. If you really and truly just want to put this night behind you, fine, you don’t have to tell me anything. I’ll take you where you want to go, right now, and we’ll leave it at that. Choice is yours, okay boss?”

And again he gave her that oh so fatherly, full of concern smile. Damn…he really did care…

“I don’t mind. I can take you wherever you want to go.”

Ah... oh... why was is she could never think of good fibs while on the spot?! ...Pressure... so much pressure. She could tell him she lived at the sanctuary, but, would he know about all of the bad things that had happened there?...Oh lord! What if he jumped to conclusions?! Stepped forward, halting any and all stuttering responses she had started to come up with...

“Andrea, just be straight with me, okay? Is there something wrong? I’m a cop, and I know sometimes that does not always mean much, but I am here to help you. I want to help you, if you’ll let me. If you really and truly just want to put this night behind you, fine, you don’t have to tell me anything. I’ll take you where you want to go, right now, and we’ll leave it at that. Choice is yours, okay boss?”

Oh god... She wriggled uncomfortably, and shifted her eyes from right to left while trying to think of something to say. Finally, she brought her eyes back to Jorge... and cracked under the pressure. "Alright!" Her outburst caught the attention of a few cameramen, and a reporter. They scanned the area, noticing that most of the cops guarding the area had wandered away temporarily while they finished collecting what they needed for the case.

"...I can't help but be nervous... I am sorry. I know... that you only mean well, but it is hard to tell people... things about me.." She squirmed again, this time back a little to get settled., and folded her hands on her lap. "The truth is... I ran away from my home a few weeks ago... I am-... I was, worried about them finding out where I am." She was happy that her glasses sheilded her eyes from view, so he couldn't see the horribly obvious shifting they were doing. She had always been terrible at concealing the truth. "They do not know about...these." She pointed to Sloth, who was curling himself into a comfier position around her shoulders. "... I do not want them to, either."

She lifted her eyes in time for the bright spot light of a camera to zoom in on the, and scrambled backwards into Jorge's car. "Excuses me, Officer!" A woman approached, and a mic was shoved toward him. "Can you give us any information on what happened here today? Was this a caused by a mutant? Were there any casualties?!" Andrea sheltered herself in the backseat, and poked her head out from between the seats- her hood obscuring her face from view. "I will tell you anything you want to know so long as you get me out of here as quickly as possible!"

Jorge could almost pinpoint the very second that the young girl snapped. He really did not mean to put any pressure on her but for as much as he cared, he really could not help her until he knew the absolute truth. She had to confide in him if she wanted help. Unfortunately he really could not just let her go without at least trying all his options to help her out. He did have a soft spot for kids. Too many times they reminded him of the scared 15 year old he once ways, standing there on the beach, having lifted the very ocean in front of hundreds of beach goers.

It was then that she finally just told him everything…

>> "...I can't help but be nervous... I am sorry. I know... that you only mean well, but it is hard to tell people... things about me…The truth is... I ran away from my home a few weeks ago... I am-... I was, worried about them finding out where I am…They do not know about...these... I do not want them to, either."

There it was. The whole reason. He finally beginning to put the pieces together. No wonder she was scared of him, of any police officer. If any one of them had found out that she was a runaway, the first thing they would do is attempt to take her back to her. That is unless there was any violence in the case. But even if there was, that would result in more questionings, more searching…

It was obvious that this was not at all what she wanted. She scared of going back, of her family finding out what she was, of having to face them after running away from home. Of course, his heart bled for her. Before he could tell her that though, a sudden voice drew him out of the moment.

>> "Excuses me, Officer!...Can you give us any information on what happened here today? Was this a caused by a mutant? Were there any casualties?!"

Quickly he stood in the doorway of his car, blocking Andrea completely from view. He sighed as his revulsion for the news hounds began to creep up his throat.

Clearing his throat, the man looked stern as he made his statement to the reporters..

“All I can tell you right now is that we are looking into the incident. There are no fatalities. Other than that, no comment.”

“Oh come on, officer!” the woman sighed but kept her microphone pointed directly at him. “Don’t leave us in the dark here. Who’s in the car with you? Is that a person of interest? A person involved in the chaos that happened here?”

“Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t hear your question, I’m a little deaf in this ear,” he said pointing to his right ear. All the while though, he heard a hushed whisper from inside of his car.

>> "I will tell you anything you want to know so long as you get me out of here as quickly as possible!"

He nodded though, understanding the how all this must have felt to her: cameras, microphones, police officers, he now really understood why she was so nervous. Her fear of going back home must have put her on the brink of collapse as this night has gone on. All this unwanted attention after carefully spending her time trying to avoid detection. It definitely was not good or appreciated.

The detective beamed at the news reporters. “So, in answer to your question, I have thought long and hard and the truth is…” he looks mysterious as he leans in to whisper to the microphone, “No comment.” he waved over another police officer who promptly showed up at his side. “Get these people back over the barricade, now.”

Jorge watched the disappointed reporter attempt to now question the officer who was leading them away. All he could do was roll his eyes as he turned and closed the car door. It was about time he had a good, long discussion with Andrea. Once her door was closed, he walked around to the driver’s side and slipped into his Chevy Impala and slammed the door closed. A glance over to Andrea and he lips turned into a small, sad expression. Her nervousness, her mistrust of him when they first met…he could see it bubbling back up to the surface.

“Hey,” he said getting her attention. Reaching into his backseat, he fished around until he grabbed an unopened bottle of water he had from his stash. He offered to her as a friendly gesture. “Let’s you and I go have a talk, okay?” he said he started up his car, revved the engine and made his way towards the nearest exit from the crime scene. “I know why you’re scared. I’m a police officer and my job is normally supposed to be to take you home…but I won’t do that. Not unless you ask me too. But I can’t let you sleep in the streets either. That wouldn’t make me much of a gentlemen would it? Now I know a few places you can go, for example, there is this mansion I know that takes in a lot of runaway mutants. We can go there if that’ll make you feel better. I just…I would rather you were safe.”

“Hey,”“Let’s you and I go have a talk, okay?”

She nodded, and clambered back into the front seat before he took off- careful to avoid planting her feet all over his car seats. With the bottle of water in her hand, she buckled herself in and watched as the cameras and police cars moved out of sight. She relaxed visibly, kind of melting into the seat... though, now she felt bad for stealing Amber's ride home...

“I know why you’re scared. I’m a police officer and my job is normally supposed to be to take you home…but I won’t do that. Not unless you ask me too."

She nodded again, and drew her attention back to him. It was good to know that he wasn't going to grill her for answer's then drop her off on the mansions doorstep. It was a relief... and now she felt bad for having shut him off up until that point. He continued on, and she listened while she twisted the cap off of her bottle of water. His concern was touching.. especially was it was directed toward a perfect stranger, and on top of that one who had tried everything to avoid his questions save making another break for it since they had come down from the roof.

"But I can’t let you sleep in the streets either. That wouldn’t make me much of a gentlemen would it? Now I know a few places you can go, for example, there is this mansion I know that takes in a lot of runaway mutants. We can go there if that’ll make you feel better. I just…I would rather you were safe.”

The water she had been enjoying was abruptly sucked down the wrong pipe as she sucked in startled breath. A nice, lengthy coughing fit started up directly after. Her water bottle crashed to her lap, soaking her already wet clothes, and she cleared her throat enough to croak out an abrupt. "NO!"
She fumbled to pick up her water, screw the cap back on, and calm herself- without screaming in the drivers ear again... Taking a deep breath, she sank back into her seat and laid a hand over her chest.

"...That... place is what I ran away from..." Oh god... It felt like she had been afflicted with a number of mini heart attacks all day long. "... I do live somewhere, er.. well, I suppose I am just staying there for now... but it still counts."

The bottom line was he didn't need to worry about that sort of thing. "...Ah... I am so unused to talking like this, forgive me if I come off as strange." Or maybe it should have been 'more strange than usual', what will all the added stress. She turned her eyes back to the window at her side and slouched in her seat. She was suddenly pretty tired. "...Does this sort of thing happen to you often, Jorge?" It had been a burning question in the back of her mind for a while... to see just how often he reached out to help people. "...You seem very... knowledgeable, abut how to... console?... no, wrong word...um, comfort!.. Comfort people..."

Jorge thought he was doing a good thing. He had been visiting the mansion for awhile now, seen all the good they did, it was an excellent opportunity for those who were simply too scared to return home for whatever reason. He figured that with Andrea’s fear of going home, he could at least take her to the Mansion, that way they could offer her a safe haven from the very cruel world outside. It would have made him feel better, anyways, then simply leaving her to her own devices out here.

Apparently she did not share his enthusiasm for the Xavier Institute…

>> "NO!"

Had Jorge not been such a skilled driver, the shout would have startled him out of his wits. The girl protested energetically that that was NOT the place she wanted to be. Whatever he reasons, Jorge did not know, but his one idea was being thrown out the window.

“Okay, okay,” he said in a calming tone. “We don’t have to go there at all. Okay?”

He waited a moment as they arrived at a red light, and Jorge took a second to reached up and pinch the bridge of his nose. The tension was throbbing behind his eyes. Not because of Andrea or her scare tactic back there, more because he was wracking his brain trying to figure his next more. The girl was scared of people, did not want to go home, did not want to go the mansion, and the precinct was definitely out of the question. He could not very well leave her on the streets. Maybe he shoulder just…

>> "...That... place is what I ran away from... I do live somewhere, er.. well, I suppose I am just staying there for now... but it still counts."

Her parents are at the mansion?

The thought struck Jorge a little hard. Though he had definitely not met everyone at the mansion, most people knew that he was there and that he was a police officer. No one had come to him with a missing person’s case, or claimed that their daughter was gone. If they had he would have definitely remembered someone saying that their green skinned girl was missing. Then again, she said they did not know about her powers. It could very well be that they were there and he simply did not know who they were.

The cop in him wanted to find out who they were and tell them that she was okay. But the other half of him made a promise to her, he said he would not take her home and that he would keep her secret safe. Jorge never went back on his promises, he simply never did. So he would have to keep this one until she was ready to talk about it.

But apparently she did have someplace to stay, someplace that “counted”. He did not like the sound of that, but he would wait until he saw it.

“Okay, we won’t go there. But…tell me where you want me to take you, okay?” he said with a nod. “I’m not letting you walk the streets at night with a concussion.”

>> "...Ah... I am so unused to talking like this, forgive me if I come off as strange...Does this sort of thing happen to you often, Jorge?...You seem very... knowledgeable, abut how to... console?... no, wrong word...um, comfort!.. Comfort people..."

He smiled a little at this comment. It was a true statement. He had spent much of his time helping people in these types of situations. Not that his day was always comprised of helping out runaway teenage mutants, but he knew how to comfort people when he needed to.

“Andrea,” he started earnestly. “I’m a cop. My whole job is meeting people on the worst day of their lives. Sometimes it helps to have someone with a good ear for listening and a good shoulder to cry one in the aftermath of it all. So yeah, I’ve had some experience,” he replied with a smile and an encouraging nod. “So where you want me to take you?”

“Okay, we won’t go there. But…tell me where you want me to take you, okay?”“I’m not letting you walk the streets at night with a concussion.”

A trained eye would notice that the girl seemed to deflate into her seat. She was glad, that she hadn't caused Jorge to crash the car. The idea of wandering around with her current ailment got a little laugh out of her, and she toyed with her seat belt. Which was wet from spilling her water- she would... just not mention that tidbit of information. "Do not worry, it has been a long while since I last walked the streets."

oh... dear. That hadn't come out right. "Er... that, sounded better in my head..." At least, if anything, it showed that she was a little more comfortable with him. She generally reserves stumbling over her own tongue for people she trusted- if only a little.

“I’m a cop. My whole job is meeting people on the worst day of their lives. Sometimes it helps to have someone with a good ear for listening and a good shoulder to cry one in the aftermath of it all. So yeah, I’ve had some experience,”

Oh good, a chance to recover form her unfortunate choice of words. "That is something to be very proud of... I wish I was better at helping people." Unfortunately, she was the opposite. She never managed to come up with the right thing to say... and touching or hugging people was out of the question now, until she had her snakes under better control. Speaking of, Sloth had taken and sudden interest with the smell of Jorge's seats. He poked and prodded at the one Andrea occupied, before turning his attention to the other, and the man sitting within it. A pink tongue flicked out in Jorge's direction, and beady orange eyes stared his way.

“So where you want me to take you?”

"Sloth... it is not nice to stare..." She tugged on the large white serpent futility- he refused to budge from the steel grip he had on the back of her seat. It almost didn't register in her head that Jorge had asked her once more where she lived. "...oh, I am staying at the Sanctuary..." She stated, matter-o'-factly, and started trying to think up the proper directions to the building with golden doors.

>> "Sloth... it is not nice to stare..."

Huh?

Jorge looked confused for a moment as he heard Andrea’s statement. Was she really just calling him a sloth? That was a little rude. But as he turned to confirm that she was looking at him as she spoke he suddenly saw the white head of a large snake with beady eyes and a flickering tongue aimed directly at him. For a half-second, Jorge looked just slightly started but the feeling melted away just as quickly as it appeared in his head. As he sat there he glanced over and noticed that even with Andrea’s attempts to wrangle in the creature it was having none of it.

Apparently Jorge was extremely interesting to large white snakes.

He nodded to the beast who seemed to be staring and “smelling” him inquisitively. He had to admit that he really was not sure how to feel about this. Was the snake gauging him to see if he were a threat? Or was it checking him out for a potential meal? Whatever the case, Jorge could only nod back to the snake that protruded from the girl’s hair.

“Evenin’ Sloth,” he said as he glanced at it again. “Hell of a night, isn’t it?”

Andrea seemed a little embarrassed that the snake was so curious and attempted to once more wrangle the beast in, but it was having none of it. It had set its sights on Jorge and it was not going to budge until it had reached its own satisfaction. At least that is what the detective thought. He did not bother to question it too much.

Finally the topic shifted away and Andrea admitted where she was staying. He was happy to hear that there was a destination finally.

>> "...oh, I am staying at the Sanctuary..."

Sanctuary… where had he heard that name before?

The word rebounded inside of his skull, back and forth as he attempted to remember where he had heard that word and why it sounded like a real place? Sure he had heard the term used before to describe churches, cathedrals, and other places where one sought refuge. But this was different…he had a vague memory of it.

“Amber,” he finally said referring to Andrea’s fellow hostage from tonight. “That is how I met Amber to begin with. I intervened when she got mugged and she asked me to walk her home. She mentioned something about a place called the Sanctuary but I never got to see it.” So far it looked like today would be the day. “But I’m glad that you have a place to stay, Andrea. Just make sure they treat you good. Especially after having a possible concussion. I don’t over do it.”

With that the detective once more brought his eyes to the road and easily kept an eye out for anyplace that looked like the Sanctuary. He hoped that Andrea could remember it, otherwise he made have to call into the precinct and get an address. Somehow…he doubted that she would want police involved.

"Sorry... he, er... get's curious." And hungry, but she figured that it was more likely that he was only mildly interested in the cop. Hopefully...

“That is how I met Amber to begin with. I intervened when she got mugged and she asked me to walk her home. She mentioned something about a place called the Sanctuary but I never got to see it.”

This caused Andrea to raise an eyebrow, and tug harder at Sloth until she had him effectively gathered in her arms. "Really?... Is it not strange that there is so much crime in this city, even with all of the active officers around?" She blinked, wondering if that was perhaps something one should talk about while in the company of a cop, and turned eyes back to the windshield and everything that was rolling bu outside. "There are so many bad people in this world... it must be exhausting to try and keep up with it all..."

She thought about what he had said... to make sure she was looked after, and a pang of longing for her mother and father jumped to life in her chest. Still, she smiled through at his concern and nodded her head. "I will take care of myself, though, I will make sure to tell someone about my injury- just to be safe." Watching as the street signs passed, and furrowed her brows and tried to remember the street address for the Sanctuary. She knew the road... and one that connected to it, but it took her a moment to drag up a mental grid of the city in her mind.

Pointing, she directed him to a street she knew, one that hopefully crossed over to where they needed to go, then laid out the rest of the directions she could remember. It was fuzzy, seeing as she was more used to wandering these days than actually following directions. "Thank you again, Jorge... for taking such good care of me. I think... things could have gone very differently if you hadn't been there to... intervene."

>> "I will take care of myself, though, I will make sure to tell someone about my injury- just to be safe."

She was definitely a stubborn one, but Jorge had to smile at that. It was hard to find someone these days who took care of themselves solely, who would rather go out into the world and face it alone than with an companion. Jorge could attest to that, normally that was the type of person he was. That was why he disliked working with partners, it was just easier to take care of yourself then have to worry about the other guy’s back. Sometimes it can be a very vicious dog eat dog world…

But lately that mentality had started to melt away. Ever since he came to New York, met people like Andrew and Gemma, he was liking the idea more of being around people he cared about. It made him feel good to know that there were times where he could actually depend on other people and not be let down. He hoped that one day the same mindset will come to Andrea. No one could face the world alone forever.

As he drove, the darkness of the night was clinging onto every part of the city. The shadows encompassed the alleyways, the lit windows dotted the sky around him, and the heavy clouds from the previous rain were still lingering like ominous messages of hard times to come. But there was still a beauty about this city when the night fell. It was one that made him breathe in the cool air and truly appreciate its pulse.

A few directions given from Andrea and Jorge was beginning to see familiar streets from so long ago. That night he helped Amber, he never drove, but instead actually walked her back to her home. He remembered the impressive golden doors and the high walls. He remembered asking himself back then if the place was safe? He asks himself the same question today as he drove towards it…

>> "Thank you again, Jorge... for taking such good care of me. I think... things could have gone very differently if you hadn't been there to... intervene."

Her small voice broke the silence and caused the man the turn and smile at her. The snakes hiding in her hair, except for the large one who kept staring at him, seemed to share her good feelings. It was good to hear a bit of a thank you, that was what made the whole job worthwhile for him. For ever scar on his skin, for every sleepless night, for every bruised rib, he did it just for the knowledge of knowing that he helped change someone’s life. Even if it was just for that one moment in their life…

A nod to her and Jorge turned his eyes back to the road.

“No problem, Andrea.” he said earnestly. “I’m glad I was able to be of assistance.”

He left it as simple as there. Little more needed to be said. He was thankful, she was thankful, it was all around good feelings. And that was the overhanging cloud that wrapped around him as he drove towards the familiar streets until finally he saw the large building out in the distance. This was definitely going to be the place. Another turn and Jorge pulled off to the side of the sidewalk, pulled his car into park and turned to his passenger.

“Well, we’re here. Oh! I have one parting gift for you,” he reached into his coat and pulled his wallet free from the pocket. Opening it up, he pulled a small contact card that, white and stamped, and handed it over to her. “This is my contact information. You need anything, night or day, you call me, okay? I want you to keep in contact. It will make me feel better that someone won’t find you passed out on the street because you did not mind that concussion. Understand?”

There it was, a looming shadow in the distance- growing ever closer. Andrea still held mixed emotions about the place... more or less due to one traumatic experience... but in the past weeks she had begun to see the place in a new light. A strange light, but not an unappreciated one.

“Well, we’re here. Oh! I have one parting gift for you, This is my contact information. You need anything, night or day, you call me, okay? I want you to keep in contact. It will make me feel better that someone won’t find you passed out on the street because you did not mind that concussion. Understand?”

Taking the card delicately, she paused at attempting to open the door and blinked at it from behind her glasses. He wanted her to keep in contact? A warm little smile wiped the confused expression off her face. She was beginning to like the man... which made her feel horrible for not trusting him earlier.

"O fílos mou, I promise that I will keep in contact and that I will not let someone find me passed out in an alley anywhere." Of course, it's not like she knew or trusted anyone in her new home enough to look at her... so she'd just make sure to stay in bed for a few days, before resuming her life.

Acting on an impulse she angled herself in her seat and pecked him on the cheek like she had done many times to her father and mother. "I also promise to never meet you under such circumstances ever again."

Wrangling the door open, she climbed awkwardly out of his car and glanced up and down the sidewalk, before locking her eyes on the golden doors of the sanctuary. "Thank you again! Bye!" Shutting the door- A little too softly, so she had to opening it and shut it again- she turned and hurried away toward the building, intent on getting inside as fast as humanly possible...

[O fílos mou is supposed to mean 'My friend'... or so i'm told...]