As Lee stood there sipping her coffee, she could feel the tension slowly mounting between Katie and the man who had approached them. Katie had thought she recognized the man, but then denied it when the man called her by a different name.

Lee really wasn't sure what to do at that point, though, and by his shrug, neither was David. What were they supposed to do, really? This man was trying to get Katie to admit that she knew him, but the fact of the matter was either she truly didn't, or she was lying to someone, if not everyone there about something.

At least the man seemed to get the picture, or at least somewhat accept what Katie was saying, since he started to walk away. Only to turn and stride back quickly, anger now in his voice, his tone getting louder, drawing even more attention toward them. And though the man didn't actually come out and say it, a lot of what he was saying was making Lee feel rather nervous. And though Lee didn't want any of that attention drawn toward her in any way, shape, or form, she also couldn't seem to keep her mouth closed.

"Katie said she didn't know you," Lee said, her voice calm in the face of the man's anger and excitement. "Can't you just accept that?"

Iris put on her best Crystal imitation; it was the best thing she could think of so fast.

One eyebrow quirked upwards.

“Is it these two? Did they do something anything to you.”

She looked at Lee and David. Her expression and body language said, Is he serious? Aloud she said, "Well.... they said hi.... Is that a bad thing?"

Inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to walk away. Outwardly, she shrugged. "Well that was random...." To the other two she apologized, "Sorry. He did look familiar, but he definitely was not who I thought he was."

“Tell me its not true. Tell me your not a ashamed of who you are?”

<"Great....">

Jason continued to rant, drawing attention their way. Lee seemed a bit uncomfortable, and Iris didn't blame her. Having total strangers rant at you could be even more unnerving than someone you knew.

“Why do you hide? They hide from you! FROM US!”

Even worse when he was all but accusing them of being mutants. Reflexively she leaned backwards a bit, her expression still confused, and uneased, for the benefit of the onlookers. She looked down at herself, then looked around.

"Um, well.... my boyfriend told me the clothes didn't match that great, but..... well I didn't think it was that bad...."

One of the couples in the coffee line snickered, and turned to order their drinks. Another rolled his eyes and went back to reading his book. The others decided it was either a misunderstanding, a lover's quarrel, or just another random New Yorker, and returned to other interests.

"Katie said she didn't know you. Can't you just accept that?" Lee's voice sounded calmer than she looked. Iris followed suit and shrugged, turning away.

"Some people are stubborn, I guess," she murmured, and took a sip of her coffee.

“Is it these two? Did they do something anything to you.”

At this point David wasn't trying to butt into anything but his instincts told him he might have to eventually.
He looked down at his watch like he was not listening to what was going on. David then noticed out of the corner of his eye that Katie looked over at him and Lee
Script opened the lid of his coffee to check to see how much was left, not that it mattered, but standing their was was getting uncomfortable. He places his lid back on and takes a sip.

"Well that was random....sorry. He did look familiar, but he definitely was not who I thought he was."

Script looked up at Katie, "No, no...its cool" He shrugged and shook his head at her implying, not to worry.

“Tell me its not true. Tell me your not a ashamed of who you are?”

"Great...."

David couldn't help it, but the first thing that came to his mind was that she was either a stripper, or a prostitute. After all this was New York and she was a good looking girl.

He immediately looked at Lee, as his eyes widened and mouthed the word stripper, trying to make her laugh. David tries to find humor in awkward situations, its a defense mechanism he just feels comfortable with.

“Why do you hide? They hide from you! FROM US!”

David's eyes shifted back between Katie and Jason.

"Um, well.... my boyfriend told me the clothes didn't match that great, but..... well I didn't think it was that bad...."

At that moment, he realized exactly what Jason was talking about. David froze for a moment, just long enough for the news paper under his arm to fall to the ground. Ironically falling face up with main headline about Mutant Registration. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, before he bent over and picked up the paper.

"Katie said she didn't know you. Can't you just accept that?"

"Some people are stubborn, I guess,"

David figured their was something else to this story then Katie was leading on to. He looked right into her eyes, and gave a half smirk, "Yeah, more often then you think"

Jason just stood in awe at what he just seen. Someone that he thought he could understand he no longer did. He was now lost at how a mutant as powerful as her self could go in to hiding. This had to be the reason she was acting so funny the new look. She didn’t want people to know who she really was and to him that made him feel sad. Why would someone hide from what they are. He dropped his head down and began muttering and swearing under his breath.

His head rose but not towards Iris but towards this other woman. Who the hell was she to talk like this to him. If he wanted to he could take her out with one shot. The image of driving his fist into her face was beginning to amuse him. The look on her face as he withdrew his hand from her now fractured skull watching her bleed and swallow her own teeth made him happy again. But now wasn’t the time. Causing a scene was by far the last thing he wanted and he already achieved that. Jason clutched his fist trying to keep every urge every want in his body that wanted to explode under control. He looked at Iris and gave her a small smile and apologized. “I’m sorry I don’t know what happen, I mistaken you horribly for someone else.” then under his breath he muttered to her. “I guess your not as strong inside as I once thought you were.”

Despite the situation, everything that was going on, Lee couldn't help the small half smile from appearing on her lips when she saw the word David mouthed in her direction. If that was really all this was about, if Katie were really a stripper pretending not to know this man, then that was easily something Lee could deal with if it unfortunately came to that point.

But the more that was said, the less likely Lee thought that was the case and the more likely it seemed that at least one of the two in front of her were a mutant. If that were the case...well there was a reason she'd been 'hiding' in Tarin's shop and not looking for an actual job for herself since her collar bone had healed, and if things got out of hand here, that effort would be all but wasted.

Lee got even more worried when the man turned on her after her comment. Her breath catching in her throat as she saw the almost murderous look in Jason's eyes, Lee couldn't help but fear that this was it, this was going to be how she was discovered. Not because someone found out about her siphoning, not because of anything to do with Tarin's powers, but because she was going to have to defend herself from some crazy simply because she had decided for once to actually speak to someone.

Looking up at him, almost a foot taller than she was, Lee got ready as best she could. Even just taking into account his natural strength, based on his bulk under his jacket, Lee figured that he was probably about as strong as she was at the moment. And if he was a mutant, which his words made Lee fear that he was, she could be in even more trouble than that. She'd have to rely on her speed, and hope it would be enough as she concentrated on siphoning more energy. Still not enough that anyone not touching her would notice for quite a while, but it was all she could do.

Luckily, the man decided either that he was mistaken, as his words had said, or simply that he didn't want to cause any greater a scene than they'd already managed to make out in the middle of the park.

Sighing in relief as Jason turned away, Lee took a slightly shaky sip of her coffee before turning ever so slightly toward David, hoping to bring some normalcy back into the situation. "So, anything interesting happen today?" She asked, gesturing to the newspaper he was holding.

Iris couldn't hear or see the exchange behind her, which was probably for the best. Had she been able to, no doubt she would've blushed beet red. As if there wasn't enough misunderstanding already.....

On the positive side, Jason seemed to have calmed down a bit; his fists were clenched, but at least he wasn't yelling anymore.

“I’m sorry I don’t know what happen, I mistaken you horribly for someone else.”

She kept the straight face; now wasn't the time to deal with inner struggles. If she ever ran across him again, she'd try and explain things. If not.... well....

She turned back toward the others, and realized David was staring at her. The look made her extremely uncomfortable.

"Yeah, New Yorkers are famous for being stubborn." She cleared her throat and looked away. She took Lee's sigh as a sign of relief, which she whole-heartedly agreed with.

"So, anything interesting happen today?"

A purely honest chuckle left her throat.

"Oh no, not a thing. Not by New York standards, anyway..... I'm beginning to miss home....." She finished off her coffee in one long swig, avoiding looking at David in the process.

"Yeah, New Yorkers are famous for being stubborn."

David nodded, thinking in his head that Katie could win Ms. Stubborn New Yorker of the year. Then David began thinking, shes obviously hiding something, and for a reason. And knew this encounter with Katie wouldn't be the last in his life time.

So, anything interesting happen today?"
Lee was smart, he would quickly change the subject.

David was about to speak.. "Umm.."

Then Katie cut him off with a sweet little laugh.
"Oh no, not a thing. Not by New York standards, anyway..... I'm
beginning to miss home....."

David looked at Katie as she began to finish off her coffee.
"I know what you mean, I'm a few hours from home, and I'm beginning to miss it as well. Are you far from home?"

David's thoughts began to race through his head at that moment, he couldn't even tell you if Katie had even responded. The thought of his car being stolen earlier in the day, along with his cell phone, lap top and screenplay began to turn his stomach. He snapped out of his thought process and back into reality.

"So besides the big city extravaganzas, what do you two do around here? "

David hasn't had small talk as cheesy as this since high school, but he was just trying to keep everyones mind off of the man called Jason.

The thought of how weak some mutants were becoming sickened him. He wasn’t the smartest by far but never would he change who he was to go in to hiding completely. Sure he was out on a stroll taking out guards and there family and was trying to keep a low profile. But that was different! But it was time to get going on his way he thought to himself. If Iris was gonna be weak and hide from the people that should be on there knee’s begging to let them live and be her slave. Then fine she was dead to him as with the rest of the human population. She was now in his eyes just as low on the food chain as they were.

Jason looked over to this other girl as she sipped away on her coffee and as she put it down all Jason could do was see her with four or five missing teeth. But that couldn’t happen at least not today. It was back on to taking out a few more guards… and there family of course. Jason turned and gave Iris quick glance. The anger in his body was enough to crush the stone wall he kept around his heart. With that he gave her a quick nod. Next time I will not see you as a friend was the only thought in his mind. His fist was clenched again and blood dripping from his hand only turned to dust by the time it hit the ground. And with that Jason was off to continue what he had started today but still in the back of his mind he was worried what could make someone so scared of humans, and that he hopped someone would kill him before he ever turned in to a weak mutant like that.

Lee had meant anything interesting in the paper, but it really didn't matter. Her whole purpose for asking the question was to distract from what had just happened, and the man who was now walking away from them thankfully. And what could appear more normal and mundane than people being homesick while in New York?

Lee didn't share that sentiment. New York felt more like home than anywhere else she had ever lived, and had even before she had met Tarin. But David was asking about how far from home they were, or at least that Katie was. Still, Lee shrugged slightly. "A few blocks," she said, her voice off hand. "Didn't grow up here, but New York's home now."

But then David was asking what else she and Katie did, and Lee realized that the man was very new in the city. Again, she shrugged. "Movies, restaurants, shopping," she answered. "There's some decent bars around, but it's still a bit early for those. Pretty much the same as you'd do anywhere. Damn! And work. I should probably be getting back. I told Tarin I was just running out for a coffee, and he knows it doesn't take me this long."

"I know what you mean, I'm a few hours from home, and I'm beginning to miss it as well. Are you far from home?"

"A few blocks. Didn't grow up here, but New York's home now."

"A few hours by plane for me. I'm from the Midwest." That was general enough to be safe. "I've been here for a while, but it's still not home." She shrugged.

"So besides the big city extravaganzas, what do you two do around here?"

"Movies, restaurants, shopping."

Iris chuckled. "That's about it for me. My life is dull." Now there was a baldfaced lie......

"There's some decent bars around, but it's still a bit early for those. Pretty much the same as you'd do anywhere. Damn! And work. I should probably be getting back. I told Tarin I was just running out for a coffee, and he knows it doesn't take me this long."

"Oh, sorry," Iris apologized. "I didn't mean to cause a problem. You won't get in trouble will you?" she asked, honestly worried. She didn't want to be the cause of Lee losing her job. She glanced at David.

"Were you working too? Man, I'm sorry."

"A few hours by plane for me. I'm from the Midwest. I've been here for a while, but it's still not home."

David was surprised, he would have pegged her for a southern gal.

"So besides the big city extravaganzas, what do you two do around here?"

"Movies, restaurants, shopping."

"That's about it for me. My life is dull."

David thought to him self...typical.......

"There's some decent bars around, but it's still a bit early for those. Pretty much the same as you'd do anywhere. Damn! And work. I should probably be getting back. I told Tarin I was just running out for a coffee, and he knows it doesn't take me this long."

"Oh, sorry," Iris apologized. "I didn't mean to cause a problem. You won't get in trouble will you?"

"Were you working too? Man, I'm sorry."

David wasn't sure how to respond...he was supposed to be some where a few hours ago, but that story would just bore them to death.

"No, no i wasn't working. I really don't have..."
He pauses for a moment.
"...anything to do"

David looks over at Lee.
"I'm sorry we kept you, Lee. But i noticed you don't have a car around here, and you said you told..."

David was thinking of the gentleman's name she used...it was weird..something very uncommon.

"Train?...Tranni?...Tron? I'm sorry I cant remember. But you told him you were running out to get coffee. So your work, I'm assuming cant be far from here. And may I also assume you have a phone and phone book at your place of business? So if its not so much to ask, you would be a life saver if i could tag along and use them real quick. I wont be a bother i swear. "

David looked at Lee with humble eyes, he really needed to sort things out with the producer he was supposed to see hours ago.

"please..?"

Lee waved off Katie's concern with a slight laugh. "Don't worry about it," she said, a small smile on her face. "I'll have to deal with questions about what took so long, but my job's safe. He's too happy with the remodelling job on his shop to fire me, for one."

Lee was just about to turn to head back to the shop when David started speaking again, fumbling over Tarin's name, and she turned to look at him. He wanted to come to the shop to use the phone? Because of everything that had happened here, everything that that other man had said, there was a part of Lee that was extremely hesitant to let David know where the shop was. On the other hand, Lee reasoned with herself, by having him come to the shop, he could see the scamming side of the business, which would help keep him from thinking she and Tarin were mutants...

"Tarin," Lee corrected David's mispronunciation of her fiancee's name. "But yeah, it shouldn't be a problem as long as it's a local call. It was good to meet you, Katie." With that, Lee turned to lead David out of the park and to the shop.

"Don't worry about it. I'll have to deal with questions about what took so long, but my job's safe. He's too happy with the remodelling job on his shop to fire me, for one."

"Oh, that's good." Iris smiled back.

"I'm sorry we kept you, Lee. But i noticed you don't have a car around here, and you said you told... Train?...Tranni?...Tron? I'm sorry I cant remember. But you told him you were running out to get coffee. So your work, I'm assuming cant be far from here. And may I also assume you have a phone and phone book at your place of business? So if its not so much to ask, you would be a life saver if i could tag along and use them real quick. I wont be a bother i swear. Please..?"

"Tarin. But yeah, it shouldn't be a problem as long as it's a local call. It was good to meet you, Katie."

Iris nodded. Part of her wanted to go with them, simply because they were so much nicer than most of the people she'd been meeting lately. But the part that won out was the part that said, 'Enough of the park. Try somewhere less traumatic.'

"Nice to meet you both. Take care." She waved and headed back to the line. She was still cold and still stressed, and that coffee had barely dulled the edge.

Time for cups two and three....