Sheep Suits

[Tess Abrahams]

It was like after getting burned on a stove element. A dull throb punctuated by sharp stings of pain that could be relieved (even forgotten) for a few minutes or hours, but always came back and made you remember.

Jacinda. Geez, was this how boys felt when they were pining after one of them? Tess Abrahams heaved a gigantic sigh and paused in her attack on the toilet. She had been excited about moving into the Brotherhood's city apartment, until she'd actually arrived and found herself the only female present. This was day two of Operation Bleach.

A wry smile flickered on Tess' gentle face; if Jas were here, she'd be busy putting incense in all the rooms and replacing the countless action movies that littered the living room floor with cheesy horror films and classic romatic comedies.

There went that sting again.

Prying off the yellow rubber gloves she wore, Tess trudged into the kitchen (now sparkling, with a note on the counter that read 'clean up or ELSE!') and stuck a glass under the faucet. While it filled she stared at the phone.

Why didn't she call her? The thought struck her suddenly. Why hadn't she called her for heaven's sake? She had a cellphone and Tess knew the number by heart so why on earth had she waited weeks and weeks, moping like some castaway lover, to give her a ring?

Tess twisted the tap closed in disgust and grabbed the phone, taking a long sip of water as her thumb hesitated over, then punched in, the number. She cradled the phone against her ear with a shoulder, wiping up stray droplets of water from the counter with her shirt.

There was a click, and before her old roomate could say anything, Tess spoke. "Jas? It's me, it's Tess!"

[Jacinda Blake]

Jacinda was moping about in her room. Not unusual lately. If she didn't have classes, or time with the younger kids, she'd pretty much lost the desire to hang out with most of her so-called friends. Tess had left her. Chris had turned out to be the biggest jerk on the planet, even sinking below Ethan's level - and that was really saying something. Jacinda rolled over on her bed and thumped her pillow furiously, but when she did a gust of wind slammed her closet door shut with a bang..

"Sorry, Taya! Accident...", she called out to her new room mate, not wanting her to think she was slamming things around on purpose.

A buzzing from her pocket alerted her that her cell phone was ringing. Pulling it out from her jeans pocket with a bit of a wiggle and a pelvic thrust, she flopped back down on her back and answered it..

"Jas? It's me, it's Tess!" Speak of the Devil?!

"Tess! Oh my God! Where are you?" Jacinda burst into tears for no apparent reason...

[Tess Abrahams]

"Jas?! Are you okay?" Stupid question, since she was bawling, but Tess was so alarmed that she couldn't come up with anything more coherent. "What's wrong, what is it?"

She bit her lip, responding to the distress in her best friend's (were they still best friends? Was that even possible?) voice as surely as she would have had she been in the room.

"I'm here, in New York, I've been staying in the city but--Jacinda, what's wrong why are you crying?"

[Jacinda Blake]

"Tess... Where have you been??? So much has happened.", she sniffled.

"I just missed.. you.. so much and.." She sat up on the bed and blew her nose loudly, not caring if Tess heard.

"You remember that jerk I told you about? Ethan Evans? He goes here now.. He's a mutant... Chris tried to ruin my life... and..", she broke into tears again..

"Oh God, Tess... Right after.. y.yyou left..." Wiping at her nose, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and hung her head trying to put it all into words..

[Tess Abrahams]

From the sounds of things, Jacinda was two seconds away from breaking into little pieces.

"Jas, calm down I can't understand what you're saying," Tess was starting to tear up in sympathy. Oh her poor, poor friend! "What about Chris and Carlos? And Evan? You mean Evan Smith?"

It was all muddied up in the tearful voice on the other end. This was not a conversation for the phone. They needed face-to-face interaction bolstered by lots and lots of chocolate.

"Wait, listen sweetie, can you meet me downtown in an hour? I need to see you."

[Jacinda Blake]

"Yes.. Yes that's a good idea. I need to get the hell out of here." Jacinda nodded, calming slightly. "Tell me where..."

After getting directions to a cafe in the city, Jacinda sniffled a goodbye to Tess, happy in the knowledge that she would be able to see her best friend soon and spill tears all over again, to someone who actually cared. Composing herself a bit, Jacinda shuffled into the bathroom to make herself presentable at least, then went off to see Taya before leaving..

"Hey Taya...?", she knocked on her adjoining door...

[Taya Robbins]

Taya, splayed on her bed over her sketchbook, rolled over and stretched out her tail to hit 'pause' on her stereo in the middle of John Linnel's chorus of "The Statue Got Me High."

"Hey, it's open."

[Jacinda Blake]

Still a bit red around the eyes, Jacinda stepped in and pulled the door closed, just so they weren't overheard accidently. She didn't want anyone but Taya to know what she was up to.

"Hey, remember I told you about Tess? Used to have this room, was in the Olympics? Well.. I just heard from her and I'm going to go see her."

It was pretty much known throughout the little cliques of students that Jacinda had had a falling out with her a few of her closest friends. That she'd heard from Tess and wanted to go see a friendly face, especially after not seeing her in so long, and losing her family and every other horrid thing that had happened this year, wouldn't come as a shock...

"I'm only telling you though, ok? I'll be back before I'm missed, I think. After dinnertime, if anyone cares...", she leaned over and gave Taya a big hug...

[Taya Robbins]

It had been an unspeakably horrible semester for Jacinda, Taya knew -- she'd offered to claw Chris's eyes out whenever she got the chance, but, for the most part, she was willing to be a warm, fuzzy shoulder for her roommate to cry on. She'd even jokingly told Jacinda that studies showed hugging her would lower your blood pressure.

She squeezed Jacinda tightly and purred. "Got you covered. Call when you're on your way back, 'kay? Or I'm going to worry about you. Have fun with your friend."

[Jacinda Blake]

"Thanks, Taya.. I'll be careful...", she assured her friend.

Jacinda stopped back in her room, long enough to take her wallet out of her purse and shove it in her opposite pocket. Along side the picture of her sister on her bedside table was now also a picture of her with Carlos. She probably should tell him at least where she was going, but she had to leave now or lose her nerve. She was still mostly a school nerd.


She didn't bother going out of Cullen's the conventional way, Jacinda just opened her window and flew out and up, straight for the city...

[Tess Abrahams]

Tess knew it wouldn't take Jacinda long to travel from the Institute, not with the way she'd been working with her abilities. Thankfully geography was on her side, the cafe they were meeting at just a few blocks down the street.

With purpose in her step, the mutant teen stepped into the bathroom - how grateful she was that she'd actually cleaned the shower! Normally the girl liked to linger under the hot spray but today she stayed only long enough to get clean before stepping out.

She was just pulling on a pair of jeans when she heard the front door open and what sounded like a herd of migrating elephants. Tess shimmied into her favourite Nike athletic jersey and stepped quickly down the hall, into the living room. Tron and Geryon were grappling in a mock-wrestling match on the couch, and had carelessly shoved the neatly-arranged magazines off the coffee table to make room for four large pizzas.

"Oh no, no way," Tess declared loudly, hands going to her hips. The boys stopped, Tron hopelessly held in a headlock by the Samoan's many arms, and looked at her. "I spent all morning cleaning, and there is no way you two brutes are going to mess it up. Pizza belongs in the kitchen."

"Aw c'mon Tess," Tron squeaked, face turning red from lack of oxygen. "One of 'em's vegatarian!"

But Tess was a wall. She shook her head. "No. I'm going out to meet an old friend and when we get back you guys better be gone, and this place better be just as nice as I had it!" After a moment she added, "You can leave some pizza in the fridge for us."

There was much groaning as she returned down the hall to brush her hair, and by the time Tess was ready to leave the boys had worked out another protest. Geryon stood up as she began to open the front door, his massive bulk towering over her. "Hey, you know, we live here too."

"Yep." Tess was not intimidated. "But you'll still be gone by the time me and Jacinda get back, or else I'm putting aromatherapy candles in your room."

She smirked and shut the door on the mutinous pair, racing down the stairs and out onto the street. The cafe came up quickly, and Tess claimed the last table by the espresso bar, watching the door with concerned eyes.

[Jacinda Blake]

Back alley's, fire escapes and vacant lots, are your friends if you happen to fly and don't wish to want to make.. too big of an entrance. That was Jacinda's first observation, after arriving at the approproate city block. It was the alley option this time. She dropped to the pavement and looking around quickly.

After deciding a mob wasn't about to come running after her, intent on a lynching, Jacinda sprinted out to the sidewalk and street. The cafe was in sight and she was feeling better already. The bell on the door jingled softly as she opened it and stepped inside, greeted by the heady aroma of dark roasted beans, percolating coffee and steeping chai tea..

She spotted Tess almost instantly and smiled so big her cheeks hurt. Rushing forward she wrapped her best friend in a tight hug, squeezing her like she might never let go. It was lucky for Tess she was bendable or Jacinda might have broken her with her excitement..

"Oh my God.... It is sooo good to see you, Tess...", she gushed..

[Tess Abrahams]

"Hey!" Tess gripped Jacinda just as tightly, noting the fragile feel of her ribs and collarbone - a frown pinched her features together, but she forced it from her face before pulling away to look at Jacinda.

There were dark circles underneath her friend's eyes, and a tell-tale translucence to her skin that attested to sleepless nights.

"Oh Jas," Tess shook her head. "I hate to say it, but you look awful. What's going on, you were so upset on the phone..."

[Jacinda Blake]

Jacinda winced. And here she thought she was looking better these days.

"You should have seen me a month ago..", she said with a solemn face.

Before she spilled it right in front of the cafe goers, Jacinda ordered a tall cup of chamomile and lavender tea. Calm it was called.. She needed some calm, for sure. After waiting for the cup of hot water and the tea bag, she followed Tess to a table and sat.

"Well... the first thing you should know is that Chris is a big jerk.", she said, then plopped her tea bag into the water like she wished it was him - being boiled in oil.

"He has this new girl.. some French chick with big boobs named Esme. She's a piece of work.. Anyways, they tried very hard to break me and Carlos up. And damn if they didn't almost do it.."

[Tess Abrahams]

"What?!" Tess' eyebrows shot up, and her mouth fell open. "Chris? Our Chris? Why would he..."

Well, the why didn't really matter at this point. The deed had been done and, as unbelievable as it was, Tess didn't question Jacinda for a minute.

"God, I can't believe they would do something like that - well, I mean, I don't know this Esme chick but I would've put it past Caspar." At the pickup bar a barista called out a large double half-calf soy extra-hot no foam latte with sugar-free vanilla syrup. Tess excused herself to retrieve it.

When she returned, blowing peals of steam off her drink, she surveyed her friend carefully. Jacinda Blake was made of strong stuff, and it would take a lot more than a relationship assasination attempt to get her as upset as she'd sounded on the phone.

"That's not all though, huh?" Tess asked quietly.

[Jacinda Blake]

Sensing she was about to have need of them, Jacinda rocked back in her chair and tugged loose a stack of napkins from a little caddy behind her.

"No.. It's worse.", she shook one out, prepared and ready for when the torrent came.

"I got a call to Professor Rhee's office, couple days after you left. There'd been a car accident. My parents were killed when the car lost control on a bridge and crashed into a lake.", Tess of course would know that Jacinda's parents hadn't spoken to her, not once since the night her mutant abilities tore down her high school gym.

Even still.. They were Mom and Dad and she would have liked to patch things up with them someday. To be a family again and now, that would never happen.

"Lucy was with them..", she said even more quietly, her tears finally spilled over. She dabbed at her eyes and cheeks.

"They never found her, so I kept thinking there was hope, you know? Maybe she got out somehow and would turn up. But it's been so long now..."

[Tess Abrahams]

Of all the things she'd been expecting, that wasn't one of them. Tess covered her mouth with a hand and closed her eyes; she couldn't imagine the kind of hell Jacinda had gone - was going - through. Whatever pain her parents had caused her, Tess knew that Jacinda had never wished ill upon them.

As if being orphaned wasn't enough, she'd lost her sister too. Tess vaguely recalled an image of the Blake sisters, one that had rested in a frame on Jas' desk. How many times during their nightly chats had Jacinda confessed her worry about Lucy? Or how much she missed her? How on earth did one even begin to cope with such a monumental loss...?

And she's had to go through it alone. Tess felt like the world's biggest heel. When her best friend, her only girlfriend, had needed her most, she'd been long gone.

Well she was here now and suddenly the blare of Bob Dylan through the speakers and the low hum of conversations was glaringly offensive. A coffee house was not where they needed to be. Not now.

"Come on." Tess whispered, feeling Jacinda's pain as sharply as though it were her own. She grabbed the other girl's hand. "We'll got to my place. It's not far - just a couple blocks."

Without another word she looped an arm through Jacinda's and guided her out of the cafe and down the street. They reached the apartment building shortly thereafter and Tess walked past the elevators.

"They get stuck pretty frequently." She explained as they trooped up the stairs. Luckily it was only four flights until they reached their destined floor. Tess led the way down the hall and paused outside a door, shuffling around in her jeans pocket for her keys. They emerged with a triumphant rattle and the girl made fast work of opening the door. It was quiet inside.

"Guys?" Tess called, just in case. She gestured for Jacinda to go on in. "It's okay, just us. I'll put on some water for tea, make yourself at home."

[Jacinda Blake]

With an attempt at humor, Jacinda gave Tess and astonished look. "Guys....? As in male, and more than one?"

It struck her then, she'd been so caught up in sniffling her own woes she hadn't bothered to inquire why her friend left school.? Who she'd been with? What was going on in her life.. The sort of things an decent best friend would think to ask...

"So Tess...? What have you been up to? Everyone misses you, you know..", she said quietly, not wanting to sound accusing.

She just really could have benefitted from Tess' company on more than one occasion since her sudden departure.. Jacinda stepped into the apartment looking around. It was freakishly clean!

Yep, Tess lived here...

[Tess Abrahams]

"Ha, they hardly qualify as guys." Tess called from the kitchen, where she was busy gathering up tea things and putting them on a tray. "Apes, maybe."

She emerged with the tray which contained a teapot, two mugs, a packet of cookies - and a bottle of Bacardi. At Jacinda's words she looked down, hair falling in a curtain around her face. "Oh. Yeah... I've missed everyone too."

Obviously uncomfortable, Tess tried to smile but it was a sad attempt. She wandered into the living room and set the tray down.

"Uh, I've been staying with some other mutants. They're nice, really nice." She said as she poured tea. "They're really active in the mutant cause - right up my alley, as you know."

[Jacinda Blake]

"Other mutants huh?", Jacinda frowned taking a cup of tea. She eyed up the Bacardi bottle, tempted, but as yet not touching..

Honestly, her senses had gone on alert. Not every mutant was a swell person just because their genes had up and decided to randomly evolve. Being in the X-men had taught her that, for sure..

"Well at least you are with people of a like mind. So where'd you meet these guys?" She couldn't help but pry a little bit.. but Tess was her best friend, she had to know if her situation was good or bad!

[Tess Abrahams]

"At this rally thing?" Tess sipped gingerly at her tea and leaned back in the crook of the couch corner. She gave Jacinda a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I've checked them out. As far as I can tell they've got some really proactive ideas - and the guys I live with are nice," Tess accompanied the statement with a half-roll of her eyes, "When they aren't being total slobs or drooling over Baywatch reruns, that is."

She set her tea down and poked Jacinda with a socked toe. "But hey now, this isn't supposed to be about me. How are you, really?"

[Jacinda Blake]

"Gah...", Jacinda scrunched up her features.

"Well.. Honestly, I had some major help from Carlos and Professor Rhee after the accident.", she was surprised that she was able to talk about it now without bursting into tears. It made her think that maybe her reaction had been more of a emotional weepfest at being able to talk to Tess again, something she hadn't been sure she'd ever be able to do!

"They were really great.. I've kept real busy with school and the side jobs, teachers aide and whatnot. ", and the X-men, but she couldn't tell Tess that..

"It was awful when Carlos and I were fighting.. Stupid Chris.", she frowned.

"I have no idea what got into him."

[Tess Abrahams]

"Oh, c'mon Jas." Tess snorted softly into her tea. At the blank look she recieved in reply, the girl straightened, eyes widening just enough to send a question. "Are you serious? You don't know?"

Of course she didn't know. Jacinda didn't have eyes for anyone other than Carlos and, as the saying went, love was blind. Really, really clinically blind in this case. Ghost was transparent in more ways than one.

"Jas, the guy's totally been carrying a torch for you. For ages." Tess shook her head softly. "You really didn't pick up on it?"

[Jacinda Blake]

Giving Tess a smirk of sheer disbelief, Jacinda shook her head. "No way.. You haven't been treated to the sight of him and Esme. They are like.. joined at the groin now. Besides, aside from you and Carlos, he's like my best friend! He'd be more inclined to fling a spitball my way than carry a torch, for sure.."

She sat back with a sigh.. "You should have seen the day he met Miss Pheremones.. He got so mad at me for trying to talk some common sense to him, Tess.. he kicked a chair at me! Hardly undying love, that.."

"After the fight he never came to talk to me either. It was like I lost all of you..", she said quietly..