Agnes sighed. But it was not a sigh of anger or of frustration…it was actually one of contentment. One where she could actually allow herself to be comfortable, at ease with the world, and that was a rare feeling for the 17 year old runaway. She never allowed herself to really ever feel comfortable. At home the rules were always so rigid and strict but at the time she was her parents little girl, she didn’t know any better. She didn’t know that not be able to go outside with friends, or talk on the phone, or even being banned from certain books was a bad thing. Her parents were her world…at least until they tried to exorcise her. The same could be said when she lived on the streets. There was no room for comfort of peace, there was only the need to survive…and nothing more.

But here, in this mansion, surrounded by those of her own kind, mutants, Agnes found something she had lost a long time ago…peace of mind.

Sitting in an overly large, comfy chair in the mansion’s foyer, the teenager rested a heavy book on her lap. Some story about a boy wizard that she had overheard one or two things about. Of course when it came out her parents had forbade her from ever reading such filth. It was full or witchcraft and sin! But…they were not here and Agnes didn’t care. She was going to read it…

“Why is the school named after a hog’s warts?” she asked herself as she flipped the page and continued reading.

It was sufficient to say that this was not the same teenager that had walked into mansions front doors almost a year ago. Back then she had contemplated running the second that she had walked in. The only reason that she stayed was because she promised the stranger who had rescued her from mall security that she would give the place a chance. So she did and…Agnes found out she really enjoyed this place. It felt freeing to be among people who were just as awkward, or had strange abilities like her own. For once…she really felt like she was home.

Though things were tough at first, the runaway managed to acclimate herself to the environment rather quickly. She made a couple of enemies, but mainly, she made friends. People whom she knew she could trust should the situation call for it. She was even dating, which made a huge impact on her. Agnes had discovered something about herself that she would have never guessed in a million years, she was gay. And despite all her parents warnings about the sinful nature of intimacy and homosexuality, she knew that they were all just completely full of bull. She didn’t feel sinful, or hellbound, or anything like that anymore.

Her jean clad legs hanging over the arm of the chair, Agnes sighed in comfort as she flipped the pages of her book. Crystal blue eyes rolled over the words as she took them in, her brown hair hanging loose around her shoulders. This was probably the most healthy and normal the teenager looked in a long time. And it was all because she was actually happy…

…nothing was going to ruin this day for her.

****

Down the road from the mansion, a worn, black minivan pierced the horizon as drove directly towards Xavier’s Sister School. The paint was scratched, marred with dirt and grime, but other than that, it was completely non-descript. It looked like any other black minivan in any street street. There was absolutely nothing special except for a cross which hung onto the mirror inside of the car. The wooden cross swayed and undulated with every bump in the road, the gold plating glued onto its front gleamed in the dull, morning light. Inside the vehicle, its speckled dots of reflected light cast the smallest bit of illumination…

The driver, an older, square jawed, mountain of a man, hunched over the wheel as he kept the car leveled and aimed directly ahead. His head of gray, nearly white hair bellowed around his face as he reached up to smooth it back. He was dressed very plainly in a faded denim shirt and jeans. His heavy boot covered foot pressed a little harder onto the gas pedal the second his ice blue eyes spotted the mansion up ahead.

“We’re almost there,” he said in a thick voice.

“Good,” a voice next to him replied. “We need to get her back. The apocalypse is nigh…”

“I know. I saw that disgusting internet video,” the man had said internet as if it were the most disgusting word in the world.

“The demon in her is growing stronger. Its going to force her to resist. I may have even gathered help from the other demon possessed,” the clearly feminine voice replied.

The blue-eyed man turned and looked at the woman whom sat next to him in the passenger seat. She was an older, Italian woman with dark and gray hair that was always tied back into a bun. Her hardened, brown eyes looked over the distance ahead with a focus that could break in a wall if she had so attempted to do so. She too was dressed simply in a very conservative brown dress. No jewelry adorned her at all, no rings, not earrings, no bracelets, the only thing that came close was a rosary that she held tightly in her rough looking fingers.

She turned and cast her eyes upon the driver.

“They will give her to us. We are her parents. We need to finish it…”

The man watched the looming mansion grow larger…and larger…

“Yes. They will. Even if we have to drag her out of there…”

It was one of those humdrum, get-me-outta-here sort of days. Gina was sorely tempted to go somewhere-- sitting down too long made her antsy, and boy, was she antsy right now. She didn't feel like reading, sewing, drawing, or watching movies. A lot of the students and faculty that Gina could have been bothering for her own amusement were relishing the doldrums of summer-- relaxing, swimming in the pool, and (God forbid) reading. No one was interested in braving the sweltering heat of the great outdoors, or dealing with the crowded New York streets. Everyone just wanted to... sit around and be boring. Except for Gina.

After a brief visit to the common room, and finding no one that wanted to hangout with her, Gina sighed in surrender. If she couldn't find anyone to accompany her, she wasn't going to go out-- the last time she went out on her own, some guy ended up falling off of a roof, and she forgot her cell phone, so she ended up taking a frigging taxi-cab to the nearest hospital. It had run her flat-broke, and even though she'd made a friend in the process, Gina now wondered if going out on her own was some sort of a bad omen. If she went on her own, what if another guy fell off the roof, and this one wasn't made out of clay? It was a silly thought, but the thought still plagued her nonetheless.

And so, left with nothing else to do, Gina made her way down the stairs and beelined for the kitchen for something to eat. She ended up making herself a sandwich, for she hadn't the energy to make much else-- but it was a pretty awesome sandwich nonetheless. She really hoped no one else had wanted that avocado, or that good sandwich meat (the kind that came straight from the deli), or that really good cheese (also from the deli), because all of that factored into Gina's "pretty awesome" sandwich. Now quite content with her work, Gina put away all the sandwich fixings, and set off down the halls, wielding her sandwich, in search of a new adventure.

She took a bite out of her sandwich as she approached the foyer, surveying it for new faces. She spied none, but did spy Agnes. Gina froze, finishing her bite and swallowing. Her friend seemed quite absorbed in a book, so she approached quietly, doing her best to sneak up surreptitiously. She kept to the wall, and as she neared the large, overstuffed chair, she leaned close over its back, peering at the familiar pages of the book that Agnes was reading. As she was so short, Gina's ribcage barely made it over the tall chair-- she held her sandwich aside, certain that Agnes was aware that someone had drawn so close to her by now. She increased her breathing to a creepy, stalkerish magnitude, practically breathing down on Agnes's head. And, as if that was not enough, she voiced an inquiry in a very poor excuse of a British accent, "Harry Potter?"

It was all too much-- and leaning over the chair made her ribs hurt. Gina recoiled, giggling, taking a few steps back before taking another bite out of her sandwich. For Gina, too, things had simmered down in the past few months, though the drama hadn't been any of her own-- so, her best friend had come out to her, about her sexuality and her scars, but that didn't change anything. Once the initial shock had faded, if the event had served any purpose at all, it had strengthened their sisterly bond. Gina still was not used to Rhythm, nor did she think the other girl was used to her, but since she made Agnes happy, Gina was willing to become used to her. Even if Gina was pretty sure that Agnes's girlfriend was afraid of her.

"Hey sis," Gina opted for a more normative greeting, speaking in-between sandwich bites, "I see you're brushing up on your summer reading."

Andrew had had some very convenient timing today. So far he hadn't run into a single person since he'd gotten up. It was quite an achievement in this place, especially as he'd been up for several hours now. How he'd done it Andrew wasn't quite sure but he was glad of it. The quicker he learned to avoid the majority of the people here while still living in the mansion the better. He really did like the place and the people. The distance he was trying to put between them and him wasn't because he didn't like them. More like he just didn't want to be able to tell Martin much about the place. With luck he'd be able to hold out long enough to miss something important.

The kitchen was as empty as every other room he'd visited, even though there were signs of recent activity. Andrew found after he'd spent some time making friends and living normally that going back to being something of a loner was difficult. Especially in a place like this. Kealey might have moved out but she still worked the library from time to time. And she wasn't the only person around here that was perceptive, though he was the only one that he knew of that could claim it as a power.

He removed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down at a table. It was no use bemoaning his situation. That wouldn't fix it. And he hadn't as yet managed to convince himself to see Gemma. The likelihood of it happening decreased by the day as he found himself growing more accustomed to his new lot in life. There were even times he enjoyed it. As he twisted the cap off of his water he heard the soft sound of a voice in the living room. Curiosity peaked, Andrew stood from his seat to go and see just who it was. A quick look, while he tried to ensure whoever it was wouldn't see him, told him that it was Agnes and Gina. He didn't know either girl very well but from his new position he'd be able to hear them speak. If he had to spy on the folks here at least he could make it harmless schoolgirl chatter.

Agnes was in the middle of her book, completely enraptured by the words that poured off the pages. Normally Agnes was not much of a fiction reader, but ever since her parents had banned her from reading these books and watching these movies, it had been on her to do list. Now that she was free from their suffocating influence, able to make her own decisions about what she felt was moral and immoral, she decided to take on the task of tackling at least one of those behemoth books. But she was not prepared for the contents inside…

A boy whose loving parents are killed because of evil wizard. For the briefest of moments, Agnes felt like that main character. Her parents were not the most loving type, but, because of that she also missed out on having caring parents in her life. She was just as lacking in parental figures as this boy wizard.

Eyes unblinking, she read sentence after sentence, devouring the words with a fervor that she did not know she possessed for fiction. It was odd for the young girl to be so enraptured in the book but she found herself whisked away to the locations and scenarios of the pages. That was the reason why she did not notice the deep breathing and the creeping presence of someone behind her. She was too enthralled in her reading material to really notice anything beyond what was on the pages. But as she continued on…that feeling that she was being watched slowly began to rise higher and higher…

…until…

>> "Harry Potter?"[/i]

Every muscle tensed as Agnes visibly jumped and stiffened at the sudden voice. The teenager breathed heavily, her heart racing as she spun around in her chair and saw the short, giggling frame of her adopted sister Gina. The gargoyle was struggling to hold onto her sandwich, all the while she shook just grinned at her. Agnes in that moment wanted to pick up the brick of a book and hurl it at her forehead!

But the younger girl’s giggling was too much to stay mad at. Instead, Agnes found herself grinning and laughing along with her.

“Gina! Are you insane? I could have pelted you with this book!” she sighed as she sat more comfortably in her chair, trying very hard to calm her racing heart.

Agnes really did love her little sister. After the debacle of her walking in and both herself and Rhythm in bed, there was a small adjustment period. It was hard because Agnes knew that Gina had felt at least a little betrayed at not having any of this general knowledge about her. But a good talk and some time was all they needed to get back on track. The runaway was glad for this too, if there was anyone she wanted to stay by her side, it was Gina. She was only sorry that they had to go through such a rough time like that. But…at least they were able to move past that now and be themselves.


>> "Hey sis…I see you're brushing up on your summer reading."[/i]

Agnes nodded with a smile. “Yeah, I figured it was about time. My…parents never allowed me to read books like this. I guess I just wanted to see what all the commotion was about.” she sighed as she closed the book, but made sure to mark her place so she would not lose it. “What’re you up to? A sandwich? And you didn’t make me one? I’m offended.” she said with a mock indignity.

***

Outside the mansion gates the black minivan pulled to a stop. It looked pretty nondescript and not suspicious at all. To be honest, what was there to be suspicious about? People visited the mansion from time to time, kids whose parents could not handle their powers were enrolled here but still their parents could visit them if they so chose to. That was not always the case, but still, it happened. To anyone passing by, they would have simply assumed that this minivan simply held another gathering of concerned parents and loved ones who wanted to visit their mutant child.

For all intensive purposes…that’s exactly what the van had.

At the gate, the guard peeked out of his station and slowly walked up to the van’s window and eyed the driver inside.

>> "Gina! Are you insane? I could have pelted you with this book!"

Agnes's reaction would have been well worth practically being killed by blunt-force trauma with a Harry Potter book. Gina said little, but instead quieted her giggles and attempted to look innocent. She batted her eyelashes, turned her brown, doe-eyed gaze on Agnes, and took a not-so-dainty chomp out of her sandwich, still smiling an unconvincingly sweet smile. She was feeling mischevious today, and hadn't any other excuse for her endeavors other than that.

>> “Yeah, I figured it was about time. My…parents never allowed me to read books like this. I guess I just wanted to see what all the commotion was about."

Gina bobbed her head, swallowing her prior bite as she avowed, "I enjoyed the series." Though she didn't remember much-- she had read each book once, and didn't remember more than the bare-bones basics. Gina didn't comment on Agnes' parents. All she thought was that they sounded very uptight. Agnes marked her spot, shut the book. Good, so she wouldn't try getting rid of her--

>> "What’re you up to? A sandwich? And you didn’t make me one? I’m offended.”

Gina quirked another smile, took a small bite so that she could still speak rather clearly without pausing between munching.

"Yup, just me and my sandwich, hunting for something to do," Gina confirmed, kissing her sandwich. Agnes knew how Gina was-- she simply had to be busy, couldn't sit still, "I would've made you one, if I knew I'd run into you." Which was also true-- she wouldn't have minded making two sandwiches, if it hadn't only been fortune that had driven Gina to her. Another munch of the sandwich, and another pensive bout of chewing.

"No one really wants to go out today," Gina explained simply. Who could blame them, with all the heat and humidity? "And I'm... eh... bored. Was kind of hungry, too." Gina broke off again, took yet another thoughtful bite.

Hmm...It wasn't exactly thrilling stuff to listen to. Just the usual chatter. However if he entered the room he could easily bet twenty dollars and get it right back that the conversation would stop dead.

"They're mutants." he muttered, "You'd think they'd have something more interesting to talk about than books and sandwiches."

Then again he wasn't exactly spying on Sam at the moment. Which was a good thing honestly. This satisfied the need to obey Martin's orders nicely while still slighting him. What good was talk of books and sandwiches after all? It was all in the small victories, since anything major would likely put him in the hospital.

Andrew shifted on his feet. He should walk away or join them. Anything other than just standing there listening in. It was boring and felt sort of wrong, despite simultaneously feeling like the right thing to do. He risked a peek to see what they were about. There wasn't really any significant change. Gina was complaining about being bored. It was somewhat funny really. Here Andrew was bored with listening to Gina who was talking about being bored.

>> "Yup, just me and my sandwich, hunting for something to do…I would've made you one, if I knew I'd run into you."[/i]

“Well!” Agnes said with a tone of faux-offense as she flipped her hair in Gina’s direction. “Obviously you should have known that you need to carry a sandwich with you at all times in case you run into me.”

The runaway held this visage for a brief moment longer before she suddenly began to break down into her own fit of giggles. She was glad that she and Gina had managed to work out their misunderstanding. She hated it that everything she had been keeping secret or just found out about herself had simply collapsed on the young gargoyle all at once. That was no way for her sister to find out so much about her. Agnes knew she should have been upfront with Gina from the beginning about her scars, about her growing intimate feelings for the same gender, but she took a different route.

But despite all that, they proved to be far more resilient than she had given them credit for. And now…it was just as if there had never been a rift between them. It was a hard lesson for Agnes to learn, but she had it down pat now…she would never lie to her sister again…

With a sigh she stretched a she set her book aside on a small table and removed herself from the extremely comfy chair and stood up next to her sister. She was getting too enthralled in her reading anyway and she needed some good ole human contact.

>> "No one really wants to go out today…And I'm... eh... bored. Was kind of hungry, too."

“I can see that,” she said as she nodded to the extremely large bite in the sandwich. “Sorry you’re bored, maybe we can do something?” she asked with a small tilt in her head.

In truth Agnes did not blame anyone for not wanting to go outside. In the middle of the summer, going outside was practically a death sentence. The heat, the blaring brightness of the sun, the hot breeze, none of it was good or pleasant to be out in. That was why Agnes was inside reading her book rather than running around outdoors. But…her sister was in dire need of something to do and if anything, she could at least help out in entertaining her for a bit.

“Come on,” she said with a well meaning smile. “I’m sure two vastly interesting and extremely awesome chicks like ourselves can find something to help pass the time…”

As Agnes wrapped her arm around the shoulders of her young gargoyle sister and began to lead her away, the sudden sounds of footsteps caught her attention. It was not that Agnes was not accustomed to hearing sounds like this in the mansion. After all, this place had filled to the brim with people so there was constant foot traffic. But for some reason, unbeknownst to Agnes, these particular footsteps actually did grab her attention. Maybe it was simply because she was curious as to who was walking by, maybe deep down, subconsciously, she already knew the source of those steps…whatever the reason, she turned…

…and immediately wished she never had.

From out of the hallway that lead to the living room from the front foyer, a trio of individuals approached. It didn’t not take Agnes long to immediately recognize who they were. One was an taller man, with medium length white hair that framed his face almost angelically. He was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans, along with a plain white shirt underneath. His gray stubbled chin and neck seemed to really reflect an age that was actually beyond his real age. That was evident through his youthful, crystal blue eyes that immediately locked onto Agnes.

Next to him was a woman of middle age with long, black hair that was pulled and wrapped into a tight bun. She wore and extremely plain brown dress, but her face and expression were anything but plain. Her once beautiful features were sharpened and harsh with age. Her deep brown eyes, also locked onto Agnes the second she was spotted and her thin, once mocha colored hands tightened around a small book she held to her chest. It was not hard to see that it was a bible.

The third member of the party was a tall, very muscular, younger man, probably in his mid-twenties whom seemed to have this look of distain at everything he surveyed. His blonde hair was combed neatly back and he sported a small goatee of the same colored facial hair. He was dressed just as plainly as the other two, in jeans and a buttoned up, work shirt. His eyes glanced in Agnes direction, but there was no look of recognition or any real emotion in his face. Instead, he simply followed as the other two led him directly towards her.

“Agnes? Child, is that really you?” Zacheria Nicholas’ crocodile tears sparkled at the corners of his eyes as he began to walk towards her. He was quickly followed by the other two.

The corners of Maria Nicholas’ mouth upturned into a small, satisfied smile but quickly became masked as concerned and happy grin. “Oh my sweet angel! We found you at last.”

The pair of them advanced. Agnes, the runaway, the scarred teenager who had literally been put through hell when they attempted to exorcise her, began to hyperventilate as she started to subtly back away from the approaching trio. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as shivers and shakes began to take over her lips. Her eyes, that were a second ago filled with energy, laughter and love immediately widened with dread as tears began to well up. Inadvertently she found she had moved away from Gina, one of her only sources of happiness and joy, and found herself wrapped in terror.

“N…No…” she barely managed to breathe out as her hands fumbled to make themselves useful. Nervously she clawed at the fabric of her jeans as she eyes took on the scared look of a trapped animal. “T-They said…it wouldn’t happen…Ms…Taylor…she promised me this wouldn’t happen….”

But even as she backed away, the trio, two of which were her parents, paused the second they caught sight of Gina. Maria immediately resumed her hardened look of conviction and self-righteous justice as she held her bible even tighter. Zacheria as well gripped his wife’s shoulders as the taller, blonde man stepped forward to serve as a guard against the demonic looking creature. Once he was safely between them, the parents turned their eyes towards the now cowering Agnes…

Mutely the runaway began to shed tears and she now found herself backed against a wall. All the while…she shook her head over and over again…no…no…no…

Agnes feigned offense, and chastised her for not carrying a spare sandwich with her, but this facade quickly faded when Agnes gave a few giggles of her own. Gina stuck her tongue out, and momentarily considered the advice, though it had been given teasingly. Agnes placed her book aside and stood, at which Gina shifted.

>> "I can see that-- sorry you're bored, maybe we can do something?"

"You don't have to--" Gina murmured politely, smiling softly at her sister's own politeness. Gina knew it was gross outside, knew that Agnes had been enjoying her book, and hadn't expected her to voluntarily brave the heat with her. What kind of reaction had she expected, coming into here and whining? Gina supposed she wasn't too surprised that Agnes had volunteered such a thing, now that she thought about it.

>> “Come on, I’m sure two vastly interesting and extremely awesome chicks like ourselves can find something to help pass the time…”

If that wasn't enough, Agnes smiled and wrapped an arm around Gina's shoulder and led her onward. She wouldn't be swayed. Gina smiled graciously and went along. Having finished her sandwich, she twined her arm around her sister's waist, the two of them sashayed towards the door. What would they do? Who cared! They were going to go do something.

She heard the footsteps climbing the steps but thought little of it. She paused as Agnes did, though not for the same reason-- Gina intended on going out the front door, and was going to allow them to enter first before exiting, maybe even hold the door open for them. It was a trio of people, adults that didn't seem familiar with the place.

"Hello--" Gina began to greet personably, raising a hand in greeting to the three, unfamiliar faces. None of them acknowledged her, for their eyes were intent on Agnes. Gina felt Agnes tighten in her hold, as if snapping to attention or getting ready to bolt. Gina stared at them more intently-- was there something that she was missing? She didn't see anything significant or unnerving about them... just an old guy, a stern-looking woman, and a middle-aged musclehead. Something about them seemed off, but nothing that would have frightened Gina just by looking at them.

"May we help you?" Gina tried again, once again getting ignored.

>> “Agnes? Child, is that really you?”

Gina's hand loosened marginally over Agnes's side, for she seemed to be piecing together who these people were. But, she couldn't be too sure-- maybe they were old family friends not involved in the scarification and atrocities?

>> “Oh my sweet angel! We found you at last.”

Oh, yes, they were-- Gina couldn't contain her scowl, though a muted horror simmered in her stomach. Agnes's breath hitched, and she began to backtrack, and Gina stood rooted where she'd been left. She glanced back at Agnes, saw her tears and the blind fear that was brimming up within them, and Gina was absolutely certain that they were who she thought they were-- these were Agnes' parents.

Her brow furrowed, her typical jovial expression sinking into a most unusual, hostile scowl. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was people like these people. Agnes stammered in disbelief, and it caused Gina's heart to hammer angrily, protectively, for her. This was nothing as compared to their happenings in the mall, when they'd fled those two boys. No, she wasn't just annoyed, or disappointed, she was ticked-off. She was in Mama-Bear mode, and Agnes was (in this situation) her cub. If anyone so much as laid a hand on her, Gina would fight with a fury that would put a rabid animal to shame.

Finally, the parents caught sight of her, and all they could do was pause and stare. The lady gripped her book tighter, which Gina realized was actually a Bible, the presumed father clutching her shoulders while the musclehead used himself as a human shield against... Gina paused to consider, and realized... her. Oh, she could already tell that she was going to love these people.

She cracked a smile, which admittedly looked a bit dark when coupled with her furious expression, and she took their momentary astonishment to maneuver herself more into Agnes's locale. She had subconciously puffed her wings out a little bit, as if to seem more threatening or intimidating, or to shield her sister, and she sank low. She could see what these people thought of her-- it was written all over their faces-- and Gina, well, she'd hate to disappoint. She'd be every bit the demon that they thought she was if they dared lay a finger on her sister.

"Lovely to finally meet my sister's... notorious... parents," Gina said scathingly, spitting out the word "parents" as if it were some dirty, swear word. She splayed her arms out as if to say "none-shall-pass"... as if her partially-spread wings weren't already doing a better job. Gina didn't even bother trying to turn them away or lessen the seriousness of the situation, for they didn't seem like the type to give up easily. After all, they'd attempted to exorcise their own daughter, and left all of those scars riddled all over their daughter's body. Agnes was behind Gina now, quietly crying, and it only fueled Gina's compulsion to act like a guard dog. They'd have to go through her to get to their daughter, however drastic such actions seemed-- Gina wouldn't let them so much as look at Agnes the wrong way ever again.

The room was so tense, it would have taken much more than a knife to cut the tension. The two parties simply stood there, staring one another down, waiting for the other to make a move.

He heard the precise moment when things went south. Andrew had heard the footsteps and moments later the conversation took on a tone he didn't like at all. Andrew stepped out from his hiding spot, just inside the open arch from the living room to the kitchen and surveyed the scene. The parents had some muscle with them. Oh Drew was sure these were the same sick freaks he'd heard about when he'd talked with Amber and Agnes in the kitchen. Just looking at Agnes' terror and the blind fervor the parents were displaying was enough to make him furious. Andrew cleared his throat to bring some of the attention to himself.

"I suggest y'all step back. Agnes sure doesn't look like she wants you anywhere near her."

Andrew walked from his spot in the doorway into the midst of the confrontation and placed himself so that he could comfortably intercept Mr. Muscles if he tried anything while still talking to the parents.

"My name's Andrew and I work here. Y'all are clearly disturbing things so I'm gonna have to ask ya to leave."

He was reverting back to some of his Kentucky speech and accent due to the anger. He couldn't be bothered to keep tabs on that right now. That was the only civil warning they were gonna get from him. From this point out if they tried anything he'd respond with appropriate force if necessary. Drew spared a glance to Gina and Agnes. He flashed them a smile taught with anger. Then he turned back to the parents and their flunky, ready to do whatever was needed to keep Agnes safe from her hell spawned parents.

It was safe to say that Agnes was a complete and utter wreck. The teenage runaway, the one that had been doing so well, that had managed to find strength to live alone in the streets and alleyways of New York, who managed to finally find a sense of belonging in this new home, literally felt all of her strength sap out of her body. She was pushed back against the wall, head turned, blue eyes welling up with tears while she her nails clawed at the wall. It was just as if they had scarred her yesterday all over again. She could smell the burning flesh, feeling the hot brand, it all happening all over again and they had only said hi to her.

Agnes quivering lips shook so harshly that she was sure her lips were going to fall off. She wanted, prayed, that this was only a bad dream. That they were not really here and all this was just some hallucination from having too much bad Chinese food. But…she knew it wasn’t.

>> "Lovely to finally meet my sister's... notorious... parents," [/i]

Through her closed eyes, the sound of her adopted little sister’s voice broke through the darkness. It caused the tiniest glimmer of hope to well up. She felt something warm pierce her heart, instead of the cold chill that she had expected from her parents presence. This was all real, she knew it was, but instead of the utter loneliness and fear encompassing her completely, the feeling that someone was there, that someone actually stood up for her kept her from completely losing her mind.

She cautioned an open eye and glanced to see Gina looking fierce, protective, and all around demonic as she glared across at her parents. Her little sister…standing up for her…

Maria gasped and cringed at the sight of the diabolical looking Gina. She clenched her bible tighter as her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The taller, musclebound blond man stepped a little closer to Gina, keeping her from getting any closer. Once they were protectively behind their guard’s body, the pair of them shot judgmental glares directly at the young gargoyle.

“You be silent!” Zacheria hissed as he began to guard his wife as well. “This is no concern of yours!”

“You see! Agnes is already pulling the dark forces towards her. She already had minions,” Maria gasped as she turned to look sternly and disappointedly at her daughter. “You’re accelerating the rapture! You need to come with us, NOW young lady.”

“Shut up! Shut up!!” Agnes screamed as she shook her head and managed to pry herself off the wall.

>> "I suggest y'all step back. Agnes sure doesn't look like she wants you anywhere near her."

Agnes and her parents looked off to the side and immediately spied the coming of Andrew. The much taller young man, whom Agnes had only met a couple times, looked and strong and resilient as a sentinel. The sight of him caused another warm spark to ignite inside her heart. The man barely knew her, they had not even really spoken since the camping trip, but here he was…attempting to defend her as well. The sight of such compassion and empathy forced Agnes to turn her gaze directly in her parent’s direction.

She still shed tears, she still shook, but now her fist were clenched also in anger.

>> "My name's Andrew and I work here. Y'all are clearly disturbing things so I'm gonna have to ask ya to leave."

Zacheria scoffed at Andrew’s appearance and bared his teeth at the young man. Though he was much older, the man lead a clean and pure life so every ounce of his bodyweight was muscle. The kid was much taller but he had no doubt that he could stop him if he needed to. Thankfully…he wouldn’t have to get involved…

“This does not concern you either!” he growled. “You who consort with the Fallen! You have no say in our actions to preserve our child’s soul!”

Maria, her face took a sudden harsh expression. Her eyes never left Agnes as she stood there like some imposing and immoveable force that stared directly into Agnes’ heart. Though the woman looked older, meek, and frail, she was a harsh character that rarely let anyone escape her gaze unscathed. She could bring the mightiest and most brute of men down with a single glare, and cause the purest of hearts to shrivel. And now, all her imposing gaze was fixated on Agnes alone.

“Child,” she said, “You will come with us. This foolishness of yours comes to an end today. And you two,” she glared at Andrew and Gina, “foul influencing beasts shall remove your presences from my daughter immediately and leave her to us. We did not come unprepared to defend our souls. Malachi…”

The blond, muscle bound grinned a little from ear to ear as his name was finally called. Staring down the kid and gargoyle who dared to step up to him, the man clenched his fists. I shimmer seemed to echo throughout the room as all the hairs on the man’s arms began to stand and wave. The air around him rippled, grew visible and suddenly from his very pores it seemed as if a glowing white light began to emit. But this white light continued to grow until it began to climb all over his body. Only when he was completely covered did that light waiver and crackle into flames. Blazing white flames covered his body and immediately raised the temperature around him but left his skin unharmed.

Zacheria smiled in admiration of Malachi and turned his gaze back to the trio. “He had been given the cleansing fires of God! You will relinquish our daughter, now!”

At this rate, Agnes’s mom was likely to pierce holes in her Bible with how tightly she was clutching it. She didn’t dare move from her place in front of Agnes, gaze sliding casually along as the musclehead made himself ever more the human shield.

>> “You be silent! This is no concern of yours!” the other man chimed, from the safety of the guard’s protection.

>> “You see! Agnes is already pulling the dark forces towards her. She already had minions—you’re accelerating the rapture! You need to come with us, NOW young lady.”

>> ”Shut up! Shut up!” Agnes commanded sharply.

Gina grumbled something that sounded mildly like “Yeah, well, ducks cough,” under her breath, but she doubted that the merry band of idiots had heard her. For, as Gina hissed this sentiment, yet another intervened.

She remembered the guy’s face, but couldn’t discern as per where she’d seen it—it had been a while, but he was dark-haired, almost six-feet, and looked a Hell of a lot more intimidating than Gina. At least, Gina thought so—she was glad to see a guy here, a guy that she thought could handle things better than she. She recalled that his name was… Andrew… and that he’d given her a tour with this jovial African-American guy.

Andrew delivered his short introduction, also instructed the parents to leave, though in a much more formal fashion, and elicited a similar response—this does not involve you, get out of our way, we’re trying to save her… yadda, yadda, yadda.

>> “Child, you will come with us. This foolishness of yours come to an end today—and you two, foul influencing beasts shall remove your presences from my daughter immediately and leaver her to us. We did not come unprepared to defend our souls. Malachi…”

Muscle-head, now summoned by the mother, stepped forward and smiled, clenching his fists. The air around him shimmered, , and then a white light grew, before fluctuating into a hot, white flame as it encased the man’s body. Gina gaped—these people were frigging psychotic. She was undeniably scared now—not just scared, but terrified beyond all rhyme or reason. These people meant business. However, she didn’t waiver, not even for a moment.

>> “He had been given the cleansing fires of God! You will relinquish our daughter, now!”

“I don’t know who the Hell you people think you are!” Gina snapped, her voice beginning as a low, quivering thing just barely surmounting the crackling flames. But, as she spoke, her voice grew more resolute, and more furious, “But I’m pretty damn sure that this is not what God would want! Your tortured your own freaking daughter! And now you’re going to attack a couple of kids! Last I checked, that’s not in that Bible—“ she gestured at the Bible in Maria’s grasp, the devious smile leaving her expression. Gina wasn’t particularly religious, a twice-a-year Christian back home but not much more, but she knew the basics—knew that the Bible didn’t entail killing and maiming children, much less anyone, within its written rules, “-And you know what else, I won’t let you have her! How can you even call yourselves her parents! I’m her frigging family now, I’ll take care of her! And you-?! You can take your self-righteous behinds and get the heck out of here, because I’m not going anywhere, and I won’t be leaving her side-“ she nodded in Agnes’s direction “Any time soon. So, bring on the fire, you psychos. See what happens.”

Yeah, needless to say, Gina was a little pissed. However, judging by the indifferent expressions worn by the malevolent trio, Gina’s rant had fallen to deaf ears, which only, well, pissed her off even more. Gina couldn't speak for Drew, but he seemed just as determined to not leave.

Drew let Gina say her piece first. He was doing his best to not give into the sheer rage that was boiling within him. Bloody humans thought that just commanding them to get out of the way and give their daughter back to them so they could torture her some more would work? He sneered at them in a manner that might have made a certain potions professor from the now forgotten book proud. Once Gina had said her piece and Mr. Muscles had done his, ah, "Flame on!" impression, Andrew cast another angry glare about the group.

"Well aren't you two just a couple of self righteous hypocrites? You call them fallen and yet you consort with another mutant happily just 'cus you like his mutation better than Gina's or Agnes'."

He stayed firmly in place, unmoved by Muscles little display.

"Just 'cus you command it ain't gonna make it happen. I ain't movin'. Your little flunky there can burn me to a cinder but I ain't givin' Agnes to a pair of parents that obviously don't deserve her. She's got a new family now, like Gina says. She don't need you."

That's when Andrew moved from a neutral stance to one of readiness. His arms were held loosely at waist level, ready to spring into a guard at a moment's notice. His legs were rearranged to allow for a better kick. Drew was lucky. He was tall and had a good reach on him. With luck he'd be able to keep these cretins off of Gina and Agnes long enough for them to run.

"Gina, Agnes," he spoke in a low tone to them while keeping his eyes forward, "if these guys start somethin' you two get outta here. Try and find some of the other staff. Sam if you can manage it. Don't worry Agnes, you ain't goin' back."

Then he smirked at the trio of self righteous bigots in front of him.

"Ya know, I'm gonna be a little disappointed that I won't be there to see your faces when the gates of hell open for you."

Agnes watched the exchange between both sets of people. She still could not comprehend that her parents were actually here, inside the mansion, trying to get her to come back. They wanted to finish what they started, she knew it. They still believed that she was carrying the spirit of the Horseman of Pestilence and they wanted to finish the exorcism. They still believed t5hat she was a soul in need in saving. That or they were simply going to attempt to exorcise her until her body ultimately failed and she would die.

Whatever the outcome they were after, she could see the conviction in their eyes. They wanted this to end there was going to be no reasoning with them. People have tried. Ministers, government officials, they all attempted to get people like her parents and their followers to listen to reason. Mutants were not demonically possessed people, they were just evolved. The next stage in human evolution…

…but they would have none of that. To them, the needed the cleanse the whole world by any means necessary. Hence the reason why Malachi, an obvious mutant, was with them.

Seeing the white flames, feeling the heat coming off of his body and Agnes immediatel felt fear for both Andrew and Gina. They shouldn’t be fighting this fight. They could get killed trying to defend her from the insanity that was her parents. Maybe if she just agreed to go with them that they wouldn’t harm either of them…

>> “I don’t know who the Hell you people think you are! But I’m pretty damn sure that this is not what God would want! Your tortured your own freaking daughter! And now you’re going to attack a couple of kids! Last I checked, that’s not in that Bible—And you know what else, I won’t let you have her! How can you even call yourselves her parents! I’m her frigging family now, I’ll take care of her! And you-?! You can take your self-righteous behinds and get the heck out of here, because I’m not going anywhere, and I won’t be leaving her side-Any time soon. So, bring on the fire, you psychos. See what happens.”

>> "Well aren't you two just a couple of self righteous hypocrites? You call them fallen and yet you consort with another mutant happily just 'cus you like his mutation better than Gina's or Agnes…Just 'cus you command it ain't gonna make it happen. I ain't movin'. Your little flunky there can burn me to a cinder but I ain't givin' Agnes to a pair of parents that obviously don't deserve her. She's got a new family now, like Gina says. She don't need you."

Tears of shame in her own actions and happiness to have people that actually seemed to care about her welled up in her eyes. The runaway could see by the stern expressions of her parents that they were not impressed in the least by either of the twos announcements. As a matter of fact it only seemed to strengthen their need and want to reclaim Agnes before the gates of hell opened because of her. The whole idea that she was possessed was utterly ridiculous. She knew it was false, that it was just the nonsensical ravings of a group of misinformed lunatics. But they would never listen to reason. They would raze the entire mansion before they allowed her to walk away from them again.

>> "Gina, Agnes…if these guys start somethin' you two get outta here. Try and find some of the other staff. Sam if you can manage it. Don't worry Agnes, you ain't goin' back."

Agnes reached over and boldly placed a hand on Gina’s shoulder, squeezing it to get her attention and to show her parents where her allegiances now lay. As fearful as she was of them, she was not going to go back to that hell hole. She had a real life, real family, real friends here. Still shaken up, she sniffed as more tears stained her cheeks and the shaky limbed runaway boldly stepped forward. Just looked at their grime faces filled her with such anger and hatred that her chest began to buzz ominously again.


>> "Ya know, I'm gonna be a little disappointed that I won't be there to see your faces when the gates of hell open for you."

“All of you, need to leave…right…now…” she glared struggled to keep the insects at bay.

Of all those present, Maria Nicholas was the most visibly shaken by the words. Not those of Andrew or Gina, but of her very own daughter. Whether that reason was simply because she was used to having Agnes jump and bend over backwards at her command, or simply the tone that Agnes took, it was not certain. What was true was that a spark had been ignited due to Maria’s misplaced indignity. She was angry, she was denied, and she looked as she might have with the knowledge that she was surrounded by hellspawn.

Her stern eyes turned to glare at Andrew’s last statement. “You, young man, are the most deplorable sort of human. You willing side yourself with those afflicted of their demonic possession. You shall never enter the gates of Heaven and you shall be the one to burn for all eternity!” She then turned her gaze onto Agnes and her demonic cohort. “You two little witches shall burn along with him!! I want my daughter!!” She screamed and suddenly threw her bible directly at Gina. “You foul things!! Give me back my daughter!!! Malachi!!”

Almost as if on cue, Malachi, the white, blazing man stepped forward, an arrogant grin on his face. As he did so, white flames burned the very carpet he stepped on. He left a trail of white, fiery shoe prints as he walked, his eyes pure white and smoldering with grayish smoke. His clenched fists blazed more as he walked directly towards the three young mutants.

Agnes opened her eyes wide and fearfully she opened her mouth. The swarm took his chance to immediately evacuate from between her parted lips. Hornets and flies buzzed noisily together while a mass of dark roaches fell onto the carpeted floor. Immediately they sought out the nearest source of the disturbance, the thing that threatened their home the most and charged directly at it. Agnes watched, screamed “NO!!”, and spied the swarm collide with Malachi’s fiery aura and vanish into smoldering black dots of corpses. The majority of her wave was gone but as she turned, she watched as another swarm of them flew for both of her parents, stinging and biting for all they were worth. Though, none of it deterred Malachi.

The runaway’s eyes turned to Gina, saw that she too was scared. She knew she would fight for her, attempt to keep her safe, but that was not what she wanted. A glance to Andrew and she knew that there was nothing she could do to make him flee. He was going to buy them the time they needed to get some staff help. Tearfully she wished him luck. Moving over to his side, she leaned up and kissed his cheek before she whispered, “Take care of him.”

She knew she held no sway over her insects, but there were times where it seemed like they listened to her. Now was one of those. The last of her insects, flew and crawled close to Andrew, making a very miniscule and more than likely ineffective army. But it was the least she could do.

Quickly she grabbed Gina’s waist and had to practically drag her away. “No Gina! You’re coming with me! You promised me! You said you’d run when I told you run if this every happened! You promised! Now run dammit!” With that she ran into the hall, heading directly for the nearest staff office she could think of...the guidance counselor...

As the runaway ran, Malachi, only grinned as he stepped forward and both burned and squashed a kamikaze roach that had attempted to charge. A glare at Andrew and he knew he was going to have to take him down first. With a tilt of his head, he watched the readying boy for a brief second before he suddenly bum rushed Andrew and attempted to tackle him to the ground.

“Gina, Agnes,” Andrew spoke urgently, not even glancing back at them, “If these guys start somethin’ you two get outta here. Try and find some of the other staff. Sam if you can manage it. Don’t worry Agnes, you ain’t goin’ back.”

“But, Andrew,” Gina began to protest. Stuff was already going down, they had already started something. And she wasn’t about to leave him at the mercy of that trio—three-to-one was not fair odds. Agnes clutched Gina’s shoulder, trying to snag her attention. Gina glanced back, frowning grimly. She placed a hand on her sister’s, peering back towards the parents. Agnes’s chest was humming, and Gina’s own heart was hammering so quickly that she felt it might have climbed to a hum, too.

>> “All of you, need to leave… right…now…” Agnes growled through the hum. That hit home, for the mother at least. She looked offended, at first, and then furious that her daughter had dared take that tone with her.

The woman turned on Andrew, began ragging on him about being “the most deplorable sort of human” for consorting with those possessed by demons. More anger roiled in Gina’s stomach, more fear, equating to a mild sickness. She then turned on Gina and Agnes, yelling at the both of them.

>> “You two little witches shall burn along with him! I want my daughter- You foul things! Give me back my daughter!”

And, of all things, the woman hurled her bible at Gina. All she could do was bring her hands before her face, for if she ducked out of the way, Agnes would get hit. The book snmacked her pale inner arms, and fell to the floor with a dull smack. Gina removed her arms from her face, her arms now which throbbed dully—it had to be a hardbacked Bible, didn’t it.

“What’d you expect, that’d I’d burst into a puff of smoke?” Gina demanded sarcastically, her voice noticeably quivering now. Agnes had guessed right, she was frightened, but she was still pulling something of a tough-girl act. It was then that the burning Muscle-Head began his approach.

Gina didn’t want to leave the the book on the floor, lest the mother attempt to use it as weapon once again, so Gina picked it up thoughtfully and tucked it under her arm. She was tempted to do something immature and uncouth, like stick out her tongue and throw the book at the burning man, just to prove a point, but she instead tossed it aside, onto one of many cushiony chairs, and cracked her knuckles. She couldn’t have leaned forward to toss the book down any sooner, for as she did so, Agnes gaped and the swarm escaped. She knew it was intent on her, but—having yellow jackets and other such things soaring past your head AND surging around your ankles? Not exactly a comforting thought. The bugs were upon Agnes’ parents, and upon the burning man, though they did little good against the flames.

Agnes surged forward towards Andrew, and Gina did too, though at a loss as per what to do. Defending Agnes, and Andrew, was a given, but… there were the defenseless humans that were being attacked by a swarm of bugs, and the flaming Muscle-head. It was slim-pickings. Her best option was to aid Andrew, as the burning guy seemed the biggest threat. But, as she charged to his side, Agnes caught her around the waist.

Suddenly finding herself being dragged from the action, Gina squirmed, annoyed, and dug her heels in as she complained, “Agnes! What are you doing?! Let me go! I have… to… help… him!” With each of those final words, she tried to pry herself out of her sisters’ arms, squirming in annoyance.

>> “No, Gina! You’re coming with me! You promised me! You said you’d run when I told you run if this ever happened! You promised! Now, run, damnit!”

Oh, she had to play that card, didn't she. The one that Gina couldn't argue with. Gina continued to squirm in indignation, but eventually gave in, a look of fearful disappointment touching her face.

“Fine—“ she agreed unwillingly, realizing that, no matter how much she fought, she was going to get dragged out of the foyer. Agnes released her, and Gina did as she been told—however much she’d hated to run away and leave Andrew to fend for himself—adrenaline coursed through her veins, allowing her to lag only slightly behind Agnes.

“Who are we getting?” Gina demanded sharply, through sharp breaths, “What’s the plan?” She was not about to run back to the room

He sneered at the woman after she threw the bible. It was hard not to with the attitude she was taking.

"She ain't your daughter! You gave up any right to call her that when you tortured her."

Muscles stepped up to the plate and Drew pulled his hands up into a guard. Agnes kissed him on cheek for whatever reason and then proceeded to try and drag Gina out. Drew grinned at Agnes and Gina. He wasn't nearly as confident as the grin would indicate but he didn't want the girls to know that. He knew good and well that there was little he could do against the flaming man. However for the sake of the girls he'd try.

Drew turned his attentions back to Muscles and the parents as soon as the girls were out of the room.

"Right. Y'all are gonna have ta get past me and the rest of the staff here before you can take that girl. We don't hold with abusive parents."

Muscles seemed to consider his options for a moment and then just ran at him in what looked clearly like a tackle. Andrew couldn't help it, he raised an eyebrow at that. Sure he wasn't exactly Bruce Lee but he'd been in enough scrapes and had enough training not to fall for such an obvious attack. He had just enough time to jump to the side and watch old Muscles barrel right through the spot that he'd been standing in. Like he was going to stand there and let the guy tackle him? Drew kept moving after the jump, getting between Muscles and the parents and the doorways.