>>"Doc could help me?"

There was so much hope in that one question. The girl's voice was filled with the bliss of being able to do something she had never done before. Gemma smiled; something as simple and natural as walking in the sun made such a rare gift to this girl.

>>"I d-don't actually live at The Mansion. B-but Koga showed me The Mansion and how could I say no to a s-school for mutants? So my adopted father enrolled me."

Gemma nodded. The school did have a few kids who did not live in the mansion; that was always a good sign. It usually meant they hav a family, or at least, a place in society outside the mansion walls. Those were the lucky ones. Usually.

"So, you have an adoptive family?" she asked as they walked, allowing plenty of time for the girl to enjoy the sun "Are they mutants as well?"

Amber knew she couldn't put too much hope in Doc, just in case he couldn't' help her. She remembered countless painful visits to doctors as a child, getting up hope only to have it destroyed again and again. At the time she had believed that there was no hope for someone like her. Knowing that, she tried not to let hope overtake her too much, but it was impossible to entirely squash it and a little sliver remained. That sliver she would treasure.

"So, you have an adoptive family? Are they mutants as well?"

Amber nodded her head. "Abyss is m-my adopted father and Aura is my sister. I d-don't think you'd know them though." It was always possible that Abyss' name was known, many people seemed to know of him after all, but Aura had told her that she wasn't welcome at The Mansion, so she wasn't nearly so sure about that.

Amber couldn't help but smile at all the happy teenagers outside and the fact that she was outside with them. It didn't matter that all she was doing was walking, just that she was there. "I can g-go outside while shifted, you know. In the sunlight. I d-don't know why its different. P-people tend to be a little afraid of dinosaurs though." Although she had recently discovered that prehistoric lizards were a different story, at least when it came to the gargoyle Gina.

>>"Abyss is m-my adopted father and Aura is my sister. I d-don't think you'd know them though."

She knew.
Well, not the father; but Aura's name was more than enough to shock her into stunned silence. Amber was... adopted into a mutant family that included Aura?!

>>"I can g-go outside while shifted, you know. In the sunlight. I d-don't know why its different. P-people tend to be a little afraid of dinosaurs though."

Gemma barely heard the girl's cheerful chatter as they walked on. her mind was racing. What was she to do? She was sure Aura was insane, and she had no idea about the father. Definitely did not sound like the perfect environment for a little girl. But who was she to decide?...

"That's very interesting" she forced herself to say, returning into the conversation. "I think I met Aura once..." I hit her with my car... "Do you like living with them?"

Amber didn't immediately notice the sign of recognition in Mama at the mention of her father and sister. Maybe in other circumstances she would have, circumstances that didn't involve her greatest dream in life suddenly coming true. Usually she was more observant, or at least she liked to think she was. Not today, however.

"That's very interesting I think I met Aura once...Do you like living with them?"

The words caused Amber to pause. Something in her companion's voice gave away the fact that she didn't exactly seem to be approving of Aura. Maybe it wasn't surprising, after all her sister had stated that she wasn't welcome in The Mansion, but she was still family and it hurt Amber to know that some people had a problem with her sister.

"Yes, I like living with them." Amber's voice held conviction in the statement and no hint of hesitation. "They w-were the only people to take me in and treat me like someone who mattered, someone important rather than j-just a sickly and weird burden." She tried to meet Mama's eyes to reinforce the feeling in her words. Because every word she spoke was absolute truth. Without Abyss and Aura, she would probably be out on the streets or worse.

>>"Yes, I like living with them. They w-were the only people to take me in and treat me like someone who mattered, someone important rather than j-just a sickly and weird burden."

Gemma nodded with a small smile. What do you know. There were actually people in the world who liked Aura. All right, she was a child soldier and the scariest girl she had ever met, but she did like other mutants, and Gemma knew her kind - she would get fiercely protective if anything or anyone threatened her little dinosaur sister.

"That is good" she smiled "Everyone need a family..." she looked down at the girl as they walked hand in hand "And they are right, you are special and important, don't let anyine tell you otherwise." she really meant it. After walking for a while in silence, she spoke again.

"I met Aura before. She is a nice girl but she is... kind of fierce. Is she like that at home too?"