Something Like Home

[Julie Moon]

It was midday when Julie discovered Banyon Street. She turned left, shielding her eyes from the cresting sun, and eased the old Ford Escort into a steady crawl while she scrutinized house numbers. A crumpled receipt was cradled between her fingers, crude directions scratched into the paper, she clung to it like a lifeline. On the lawn of one of the larger homes, a small army of children gathered around a giant inflatable pool, the pretense of bathing had been long abandonned, and instead they exchanged bulging waterbombs and high-pressured streams of Super Soaker fire. The ringing of laughter faded and an eerie silence descended upon the neighbourhood, the sedan creaked to a halt.

Julie glanced out of her window. One hundred and thirteen Banyon Street. She sunk miserably, the chair exhaled a waft of peaches and cigarettes. While the engine ticked cool, she checked her purse on the passenger seat; first, she removed a couple of ziplock bags full of orange peel, sealed away like articles of evidence from her hateful seven-state roadtrip, and then she checked her cellphone, there was a new message:

We're gonna miss you. Cassie. xx

"Yes, like hell you are," she muttered, and once the message was deleted, the phone was tossed back in her purse.

The car door opened with its usual cacophony of croaks and groans, and Julie was instantly greeted by a hot sticky blast of air that reminded her of cheap restraunt kitchens. It was nothing like New Haven. Here, she drank water and prized the shirt from her back like velcro. She closed the car door behind her with a thud, and how damning it sounded. So this was her new home.

Compared to most other residences on Banyon Street it was a tawdry affair. It was just about two floors worth of house, the second floor looking like a half-hearted attic conversion with a window fit for a hobbit, whereas the broad downstairs window, on the other hand, was almost completely obscured by an obnoxious spindley sycamore that plunged the rest of the house into darkness. And someone, at some point in their lives, chose to paint it all a piss-pale shade of yellow ochre. Sick bastards.

Having seen enough, Julie turned to the car and gave the trunk a guilty once over, she knew full well the horrors that lurked beneath its dark blue chassis and decided to leave them there. Instead, she emptied the backseat of its contents; namely her work, timetables, textbooks, folders, external hard drives, stationary, and lucky rolodex; it was piled high inside a large cardboard box, and with the addition of some last minute paperwork from the university, danced on the dangerous side of overflowing. She clamped the paperwork under her chin and kicked the door shut.

To think, everything that was most precious to her in the world could be squeazed inside a single cardboard box. Fitting, she thought, that it would be her work she was carrying over the threshold first. There was an entirely superfluous path, which she refused to take, that cut a picturesque S-shape in the lawn. Picturesque, that is, were it not for the fact that in patches the lawn reached Julie's knees. Inwardly, she wretched, this was not her home.

Halfway to the chipped terracotta steps, a stiff wind trundled in through the trees, rousing her feeble sycamore into limp-limbed action, and like an unscrupulous thief-in-the-night swept down upon its unsuspecting victim, and stole away with her paperwork, scattering it across the garden.

"Fucking shit it!"

[Jacob Foley]

Jake left Redencíon House in something of an uproar. In a moment of boredom-inspired generosity, he'd offered to take the guys to the new multiplex on the other side of town, and in his folly failed to anticipate the inevitable fallout from his actions. The screen door rattled behind him, drowning out the debate raging in the living room - by the time he returned from the store he quietly hoped the four teens had agreed upon a movie from the listings. Maybe he was being naive.

In the end, it was just another distraction for the youngsters, something to take their minds off the turbulent stormclouds riding in from the east. Somtimes it felt like they were only kidding themselves, as if their flimsy walls could weather another battering, but there were no confessors at home. Instead, they dug deep and huddled close as the hounds began to circle.

On the side of the road he spotted a Ford Escort caked brown from bow to stern. A veil of dirt crusted over the chassis, threatening to encroach upon the windshield, and long tracks of dried mud spattered its flank around the wheels. It was a sad-looking thing, beaten into submission over years of abuse, which somehow made their rickety van seem suddenly heroic. But what interested him most about the car was where it was parked. It looked like some poor soul had moved into the shack at long last.

She came into view, carefully navigating the overgrown lawn, shuffling under the weight of a large box. In a pair of track pants, running shoes, and a clammy t-shirt, she looked like a regular at the local gym as opposed to someone new to the neighbourhood. Gone were the days when people came to Los Angeles with something to prove; there was no need anyway, there was something about arriving at the shack in a clapped-out sedan which announced to the world, in no subtle terms, that you had reached rock bottom. So when an intimidating stack of paper was sent twisting and writhing on the wind, Jake couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the stranger as she cursed her misfortune. He sprung to action, preventing an empty form from escaping down the street.

"Don't worry, I got it."

[Julie Moon]

"No, don't step on it!" she cried, a second too late, "Shit..."

She turned on the spot, taking stock of the damage; there were a dozen pages strewn about the garden, coiled desperately around monstrous weeds, rasping at her misery. Fortunately, the stranger with the tall hair was already bounding across the lawn, snatching them up before she suffered another treacherous breeze. It was time to get indoors and save herself from further humiliation. She was on the winding path after one inelegant lunge and tested the terracotta steps underfoot, one of the tiles gave an ominous wobble. Inside, a young Macaulay Culkin was ready to attack her with a paint tin, she was certain of it. The bequiffed young man appeared with all her lost pages, the top one was marked with a footprint the shape of a cheese wedge - she suddenly had the urge to inspect his shoes.

"Are you some sort of dandy?"

[Jacob Foley]

"What?" asked Jake, somewhat clueless as he glanced down at his boots. He angled his foot so the leather practically gleamed, prompting from him a contented smile. The woman opposite, on the other hand, had a face wrought from steel. He was unphased.

"You know, that's a strange way to say 'Thank you'."

[Julie Moon]

"Yeah, thanks."

Julie thrust the heavy load in her arms across to the stranger. After a beat of confusion, he relieved her of it, replacing the reclaimed papers on top. His compliance was ugly, and predictable, but when she saw the light of admiration in his eyes as he performed a spot of footwear posturing he was cemented in her mind as a Californian stereotype. Sharp only on the outside.

"Pissing keys!" she huffed, as she rummaged through her purse, "You'd think I was a janitor. Look at that!"

She held aloft a thick bunch of keys attached to a trio of interlocking rings, and jangled them for emphasis. Wearily, she cycled through the usual suspects until she arrived at a couple with which she was unfamiliar. The first key was a dud, but at the second one, the door gave a stiff click and sighed open. Soft grey light chased away the gloom within.

"Oh, God," she muttered, "Come in, but watch the step - this is a moment for sharing."

[Jacob Foley]

Jake was dumbfounded. He was either missing some significant social cues or this woman had no manners whatsoever. She was obviously a big city girl. Under the weight of the cardboard box and all its contents, he waddled cautiously up the fragile steps into the house. A sickly sweet smell lodged itself in the back of his throat, he spluttered. The woodwork was damp and made pungent by the pressing summer heat.

"Magical," he managed, wincing, his eyes started to sting, "Where do you want this thing?"

[Julie Moon]

"In the garden?" she suggested, preoccupied with her unfolding nightmare, "We could turn it into a bonfire and watch it go up in flames with the rest of my career. Bring beer, bring friends, we'll make a night of it."

Arms folded, she inspected her new home with distant regard. On one side of the hall a dilapidated staircase climbed into the dark recesses of the semi-second floor above, it was uncarpeted, unvarnished, and splintered. The wood was pale with a thick layer of dust and groaned at the slightest shift in weight. On the other side, the hall opened up onto what Julie assumed was the living room, and here there was something that resembled a carpet, although not the sort one found in civilised households; where it was once blue it was ashen, soiled and stained, and the corners were reduced to threads.

There was an old sofa, wrapped in plastic, it was chocolate brown and flecked orange in places. She traced her finger along the arm until it disappeared inside a large cigarette burn, she laughed softly. It didn't really sound like laughter. The plastic cover rustled in her grip. She straightened up and cleared her throat, then wheeled around on the dandy in her doorway.

"Look, I'm going to be very busy, so can you just piss off, please?"

[Jacob Foley]

Jake felt his face flush through several shades of anger. A venomous broth of words bubbled in his stomach and it took a significant effort to keep those words from bubbling to the surface. Tight-lipped, he planted the box where he stood, and reared up to give the bitch a parting glance full of fire before storming out the front door.

[Julie Moon]

Julie caught a glimpse of him through the window, he stomped the length of the path and disappeared from view, it was a few more seconds until the sound of his clicking boots faded with him. In her stillness, she felt invisible fingers tighten around her throat, threatening to squeeze out what dregs of feeling she had left. No. It was a grim hand she'd been dealt but she would not succumb to it, instead she would play the game, and rise to meet whatever this wretched town had to throw her way.

First, she went about stripping the sofa of its plastic sheets, dust clouds billowed around the room. It was truly grotesque, a relic of the eighties with the battle scars to prove it. But for the next few nights, it was her bed, in her own house - and how long had it been since she'd last been able to say that? There was the silver lining. She sank into the sofa and sighed, if nothing else, it was soft. Sat across from her in the middle of the floor was her box of all sorts, her most prized posessions, the sum of her American life. It had always been a source of comfort to her, of justification. Never before had the sight of it stirred up feelings in her like sadness, or guilt, or regret - until now.

[Jacob Foley]

All the way to the store, Jake replayed the scene in his head, from the moment he started untangling university forms from the weeds right up until he was unceremoniously dismissed. Over and over again, he scrutinised the words he used, the things she said, his body language, her tone of voice, and everytime he arrived at the same conclusion: what a total bitch! He was that incensed by the experience he took the time to retell the tale to Vince, the shop owner, who patiently arranged newspapers while he ranted at length. It took him over a minute to prize a cigarette from the fresh pack.

"So much for the good fuckin' samaritan, eh? See you, Vince."

Outside, he paused, and took a moment to light up. The cigarette trembled between his fingers. He closed his eyes and took a long drag, enjoying the soft hiss of tobacco. There was no point dealing with hyperactive teens in such a mood. How easily things bothered him these days. It was nothing, really. Aidan would've played it off cool. Jake felt like he wanted to break someone's face. He slouched against the shop window and watched the lazy traffic, somewhere someone was playing Justin Bieber.

"Jesus Christ..."

[Julie Moon]

Once the rest of the house was inspected, Julie returned to the living room, and collapsed on the sofa. Already brimming with ideas, she thought about carpets, and colour charts, flat-pack furniture, bed sheets, reading lamps, and wooden coat hangers. Absently, she wondered the legal ramifications of going at the kitchen wall with a sledge hammer. It was a towering challenge, insurmountable almost, casting a long shadow over the coming months. September was the deadline; to make this place fit for a human being, if university lecturers still qualified for that.

"Fixer-upper, my arse."

It was almost one o'clock. If she were a mutant, her gift was the ability to feel the passage of time; every minute, every second, snaking around her life until it vanished. Vino, she thought. Galvanized into action, Julie stepped outside into the afternoon glare and made a beeline through the miniature Amazon in front of the house. When she got to the car she heard a distinctive clicking sound coming from down the road. She promptly popped the trunk, silently cursing its arthritic hinges, and ducked inside. A tightness clenched around her stomach as the click of wedge-shaped shoes neared, then just as quickly, passed. Sweat beads crawled her neck like fire ants. She braced herself against the car, and in an unfathomable display of moral metal, tried for some penance:

"I'm a bitch... I know."

[Jacob Foley]

Strong was the temptation to press on in ignorant bliss, but in the end Jake's bleeding heart won through - after all, second chances were his bread and butter. He slowed to a stop, sure to make it look reluctant, and shrugged himself about face. She looked uncomfortable, frozen in the wake of her sudden confession, fingers fidgeting to reclaim those fugitive words. Jake, cleaning his claws, smiled.

"Nice to meet you, bitch. I'm Jake."

[Julie Moon]

"I deserved that," she aknowledged with a nod.

There was no warmth in his voice, not that she was entitled to any, but alarm bells were ringing in her head. If she had just outed her conscience to a neighbour, that would prove problematic in cementing her reputation as the local battle-axe; it was a mantle she wore well, and without it, she wouldn't be where she was today. That gave her pause for thought. In for a penny...

"I'm quite a professional. Best in my field, frankly. And, between you and me, that roughly translates into 'Unsociable ice queen with a blood-thirsty sense of ambition and statospheric standards,' so naturally, I look at the glorified outhouse over there and I think 'Woman, you're better than this.' And just as I'm reaffirming my own sense of self-worth, along comes a dandy fop with elven shoes and a T-Birds jacket, and he helps me. You see, such kindness cannot go unpunished."

She folded her arms, "I'm Julie. Self-deprecating professional bitch."

[Jacob Foley]

"That was some weird ass apology, Julie."

Dubious, Jake imagined she was afflicted with either a serious case of the crazies or a very peculiar sense of humour. If it was the latter it didn't show in her face. He thought about what she said, it was funny in a dry, thick-skinned kind of way, and also merciless. He squirmed a little in his elven shoes. It would be wise, he decided, to keep the conversation focused on her, and far away from his apparently questionable sense of fashion.

"Okay. So what brings an ambitious professional like yourself to Los Santos?"

[Julie Moon]

"My benefactor is a rich, heartless sadist."

She cast the shack a scathing glance to hit the point home. The university was eight minutes away, and the rent was undoubtedly cheap, but Julie knew that neither of those qualities factored into her benefactor's decision-making process. Somehow he saw an unfathomable worth in the ramshackle house stood before her, much as he had identified something of worth in her all those years ago, something salvageable. Disappearing behind the raised trunk, Julie hefted a large leather suitcase onto the sidewalk, and reappeared with a worn duffel bag on her shoulder.

"One of those philosophical intellectual types. The worst kind, actually. This thing, to him, is probably a metaphorical representation of my new life here in... Los Santos, isn't it? Something that requires work, and rebuilding, or something."

Shielding her eyes from the sun's glare, she looked to Jake with curiosity, "Or maybe that's just me. I don't know how that psychology rubbish is supposed to work, do you? I believe in real science."

[Jacob Foley]

"Amen to that."

It was a sentiment Jake appreciated, having under his belt a long unsuccessful history with psychotherapists, not that he was about to make such a confession in present company. Then he considered what he'd just said, and wondered what exactly it was with which he'd just blindly agreed. Somewhat flummoxed, he watched Julie struggle up the path with her suitcase while he replayed her words in his head: who the hell spoke like that?

"So, you're some sort of... scientist, then? Here, let me help you with that."

[Julie Moon]

"Touch it, and I'll bitch slap you back to the... fucking fifties!" she managed, straining to lift the hefty suitcase over the steps.

It wasn't a glamorous sight, what with all that pink-faced puffing, but whether her good samaritan knew it or not, there was a point at stake. Once the steps were conquered, Julie deposited the suitcase and the duffel bag with a mighty grunt, and stalked back through the front door where Jake hadn't taken off in a fit of grave offense. Hands on hips, and a with a brow speckled in wet light, she tossed him an incredulous look.

"I'm a scientist, not a Nazi war criminal."

[Jacob Foley]

"Yeah... uh, sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

Clearly, the dubious tone that slipped into his voice hadn't gone unnoticed. While Jake wasn't a man of science, or pretty much any other academic study for that matter, that wasn't to say he didn't have his views. And the latest stories from the arena of scientific progress hadn't exactly left him in love with the idea of it. Still, it was a pig-headed perspective and he'd keep it to himself. Instead, what really left him stumped was the revelation that the blue-tongued bitch was actually a professional nerd. He shrugged.

"What is it scientists get up to in Los Angeles? Research the expanding craniums of Hollywood airheads?"

[Julie Moon]

"I wouldn't know. The only research I will be doing is testing the limits of my patience with hungover frat boys. I'm sensing it won't be pretty."

She offered him a thin smile, one of consolation, which was really for her own benefit. Judging by the look on his face, Jake failed to grasp the severity of her fall-from-grace, perhaps it wasn't that obvious to a stranger. But to Julie, her appointment at the university was nothing short of a rusty scalpel in the back, regardless of the pay rise. She sighed, and resigned herself to another trip across the lawn.

"And what do you do, Jake, when you're not bothering the neighbours?"

[Jacob Foley]

"I-" he stumbled, stung by her words, and yet as he watched her retreated to the car, he imagined a hidden smile. He followed, gathering his stride.

"When I'm not providing such invaluable community service, I- well, actually, I'm between jobs at the moment. But I keep myself busy!" he added weakly.

[Julie Moon]

Julie turned to face him, one hand propping up the trunk, and allowed her eyes to sweep over him from top to bottom in grim appraisal.

"Judging by your appearance, my guess would've been a street artist or something equally Bohemian, but unemployed fits the bill, too. Do you watch a lot of Happy Days?"

The familiar look of perplexity creased his face much faster this time, and just as he opened his mouth to deliver what would've undoubtedly been a razor-edged retort, Julie planted a large box in his hands.

"There. Let's keep you busy then, shall we?" she said, and this time there was no mistaking a mischievous smile as she fished a second box from her trunk and made a beeline for the house.

[Jacob Foley]

Jake stood frozen for a second, with a face torn halfway between bemusement and amusement, and the weight of his own sad submissiveness heavy in his hands. He shook his head and took off in hot pursuit of the self-appointed taskmaster.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

The answer was a melodic 'Mm-hm' which sounded far too self-satisfied for its own good. In his arms, he shifted the weight of the box as he trudged through the thick grass, its contents jostled.

"If this is how you treat the well-meaning neighbours, I'd hate to see what you do to door-to-door insurance salesmen. Skin them alive, leaving their skewered heads as a warning to other would-be tresspassers? Or perhaps you just turn them on a spit and breath fire until they're good and crispy. Take That!"

[Julie Moon]

Reaching the peak of her ascent into the house, Julie turned slowly to greet Jake with a look of incredulous appall:

"Did you just tell me to take that?"

[Jacob Foley]

After wrestling with the box, Jake managed to balance it with one arm, and dug from it with the other a CD case with five fresh-faced young men on the cover. His face contorted, stuck in that awkward place between pity and revulsion.

"Take That, Julie. Really?"

[Julie Moon]

"I'm not going to apologise for liking Take That, Jake."

He laughed at that, and made little effort to hide it, but Julie was undaunted. Instead of debating the strengths and weaknesses of Take That as a seminal modern musical and cultural influence, she retreated inside the house to dispose of her burden. And if Jake sought to badger her further regarding her musical taste, at least then she would have her hands free to respond accordingly. Once rid of the box, she wheeled around and speared him with a deathly glare.

"You're one of those people, aren't you? Oh, I get it now, with your jeans, and your boots, and your... hair. You're a music snob!"

[Jacob Foley]

"I'm not a music snob!" he retorted, his objection sorely lacking commitment, "I just happen to have better taste than everyone else."

Sweet like syrup he finished, giving Julie the sincerest of nods, who responded with a low sickened groan. Incapable of disguising his distaste, Jake returned the CD to its box with a look which suggested he was handling gruesome roadkill leftovers. Thankfully, he thought, Redención House was outside the proverbial danger zone in the event Julie fancied a spot of boyband crooning, and the temptation to call in a favour from Pedro Calaveras was avoided.

He hesitated before stepping indoors, "Is it safe for me to come in this time or is there a risk I will be told to piss off again?"

[Julie Moon]

"Oh, silly," she smiled, retreating to clear the way, "There is always that risk."

Arms folded, Julie pressed herself against the wall, granting Jake and his box a wide berth. There were notes of cigarettes, husky leather, and yesterday's aftershave as he shuffled past, in that order. Upon relieving himself of his burden, Jake made a sound which was usually reserved for men thirty years his senior; a throaty, strained kind of sigh which she would've found entertaining were it not for the health implications. Suddenly, feeling herself under his expectant gaze, Julie's insides squirmed with discomfort.

"And that's me," she shrugged, there was a brief contemplative silence before she decided to articulate what Jake was undoubtedly thinking, "I know. Thirty-two years old and all I have to show for it is one suitcase, three cardboard boxes, and a Take That CD. Oh, and this... bloody shack."

[Jacob Foley]

"Heh, that's what we call it."

It could've been his imagination but surely the temperature just dropped a few degrees. If smiles had an elastic limit, he'd reached it, and his expression sobered with a snap. Diverting his gaze to their rickety surroundings, Jake hastily back-peddled:

"Don't worry. It's nothing a bit of elbow grease won't solve. All it takes is some time and a handyman who knows his-"

He suddenly froze under the shadow of a dark turbulant thought, after a moment he was nodding to himself, in agreement with some private discussion. He cleared his throat.

"You know, actually, I could do it."

[Julie Moon]

"Jake," she said, after recovering from his sudden epiphany, "Not that I don't appreciate the offer but, how can I put this? You look like you'd be swept away in a stiff wind."

She wasn't quite prepared for his reaction to that, how wounded he looked. In an effort to defuse a potentially disasterous exchange, she adopted a professional tone and regarded him with dispassionate scrutiny. It was as effortless as slipping into a pair of comfy slippers.

"First of all, do you have any experience in home improvement?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Did you see that big old house further down the road?" he asked, prompting from her a hesitant nod, "Good. I did half the work on that thing."

It wasn't completely untrue. Jake did get his hands dirty from time to time and was no stranger to a tool box, but never without assistance from more experienced hands, which meant that this time he was flying blind. And while Julie looked dubious, her silence invited him to convince her otherwise. So he pressed on, counting out a list of odd jobs with his fingers and praying he would at least make it to the second hand.

"I built the fence and the porch, paint jobs included; carpeted four of its largest rooms; installed the downstairs bathroom, which included plumbing, tiling, plastering, and painting; wallpapered one and a half rooms - I won't lie, I hate wallpaper; now brick-laying isn't really my thing but I did my fair share when the extention went up; I'm no stranger to gardening, and I've put together countless flat packs, fitted numerous doors, and perform routine maintenance on most of the plumbing and electrics in the house. Oh, and if you have a leaky roof, I have a good friend who can fix you up like that!"

He finished with a smart snap of the fingers. The fingers were free, of course, because the counting had gone out the window halfway into his epic testimony. It was a curious thing, he thought, how a little white lie becomes a full-blown conspiracy.

[Julie Moon]

There was a stereotype associated with the American handyman which proved quite apt given Jake's lengthy spiel; the brash, cocky everyman with an answer for everything and no concept of a deadline. It was enough to make her think twice but there was one problem: Jake didn't strike her as the knuckle-dragging-neanderthal-with-a-builder's-bum type. And her previous assessment still stood, truthfully, she'd seen more meat on a butcher's pencil. This meant the validity of his claim was still in question but it wasn't the most pressing matter on her mind.

"You live in that big house?" she asked, finding it hard not to sound deflated. Perhaps she'd misjudged him. Maybe he was wealthy, an artist even, a one-shot-wonder who sold a painting for a million dollars, treated himself to an impressive home, and now lives a life of eccentric humility helping needy neighbours. She was unsurprised then, to find her reasoning flawed, first of all she was anything but needy, and secondly, no-one in their right mind would actually choose to live in what was quite clearly America's answer to Mogadishu. She snorted bitterly.

"They say size doesn't matter. You probably tell yourself this. But what would you rather have: something big and sturdy, plenty of room to play with and great for entertaining guests, or some sad little thing that you can barely trust to keep you dry in the night and could collapse at any minute thanks to years of abuse. Oh, for fuck's sake, I'm talking about houses, Jake!"

[Jacob Foley]

"Psychologists would have a field day with you."

Julie had successfully steered the conversation off on a rather surreal tangent, leaving Jake almost lost for words. But instead of being swept away by the tidal way of innuendo, he found himself anchored firmly in place by a scatter-brained idea that wouldn't go away. He could do it, he told himself, against his better judgement, and he pressed the matter with a manic kind of enthusiasm.

"Think about it for a second, will you? I'm out of work so this place will have my undivided attention. Plus I live something like thirty seconds away, meaning if you have a problem I could be with you at a moment's notice. And-"

Something akin to victory flashed in his eyes, he suddenly swept past and stepped outside. There was a little swagger in his step now; a confident grin, a jerk of the thumb.

"You can check out my place."

[Julie Moon]

She stepped into the doorway and scanned the opposite row of houses with fleeting interest. In all likelihood, his intentions were sincere, but the persistant flapping was becoming irksome. Julie's hackles were up.

"Your place?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Well, it's my sister's place. She runs a halfway house for mutant teens, strictly non-profit, of course. I just help out where I can."

Loathe as he was to make such a confession, even Jake realised that would have been a deception too far, but that wasn't the point. If she saw the house she would take him on. But when e looked up at Julie, and saw the frost in her eyes, he realised he was fighting a losing battle. The adventures of Handyman Jake were over before they even began, and he was left feeling cheap, and a little dirty.

"Look, Julie, forget the house. Do you want to just come over for coffee? Or tea, right? You Brits love your tea. Consider it a welcome to the neighbourhood."

[Julie Moon]

"Because it's the neighbourly thing to do?" she asked dubiously.

On the inside, Julie was siezed by a thrill of excitement, but she kept it buried beneath an inscrutable mask of stone. Mutant neighbours, an entire house of them, it was almost pornographic. A flicker of a smile and she unstuck herself from the doorframe with a sigh.

"Far be it from me to say 'No' to a cuppa."

She closed the door without ceremony and managed to get all the way to the sidewalk before pursuing the small matter of the genetic petri dish on her doorstep:

"So... a house of mutant teenagers. I can see how that can keep you busy."

[Jacob Foley]

"There's eleven of us in total so it does get pretty manic, and when there's no school, we're practically tripping over each other. Anna's the glue that keeps it all together."

Banyon Street was still, and apart from the occassional rumble of a car engine, silent. The sun had reached its summit and glared down at Los Santos as if waiting for something to happen, but it was like a Sunday, a lazy afternoon in which folks retreated to their gardens with a cool drink and a glossy magazine, and just did nothing. And strolling through such a desolate suburban landscape with someone by his side suddenly felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"You're taking this well for a- a non-mutant. Normally people recoil and are running in the opposite direction by now."

[Julie Moon]

"Well, normally, people are idiots," she said tartly, "No, I think the human genepool has much larger problems than a few mutants."

From end to end, the understated panorama of Banyon Street was dominated by Redención House, despite its age and the years of wear, it stood proudly amongst the humdrum homes populating the neighbourhood. The picket fence rankled Julie's contemporary sensibilities but by some marvel of style, it worked. Jake led the way to the door and, keys poised over the lock, gave her a last bracing look.

"Jake, it may not surprise you to hear that I don't scare easily."

[Antonio Fernandez]

The door was yanked open, pulling the key out of Jake's hand while it was still in the lock. "Jake!" Antonio faked a punch at his older brother, and then dragged him into the house. "Told you I'd come visit!"

Belatedly the twenty year old noticed the chick standing on the porch, and grinned at her. "Hey Jake's friend! Come on in!"

[Jamie Morrigan]

Just then there was a shrill reptilian shriek, and a brightly feathered creature about the size of a turkey but with jaws full of sharp teeth and big sickle claws on its feet leapt onto Antonio's back and started gnawing on his neck.

A young girl's voice shouted in dismay from upstairs. "'Tonio, the raptor got you! Quick, give him a snausage!"

Jamie came rushing down the stairs with an improvised dog treat in her hand, but when she hit the bottom she suddenly realized that Jake was standing in the doorway with a stranger, and she blushed and tucked herself behind Antonio. "Oh - sorry."

The velociraptor dropped off of Antonio's back and curled itself around Jamie's legs, craning its neck up at Julie and flaring its crest with an inquisitive trill.

[Jacob Foley]

"Tonio! Hey, what you doin', vato?"

Jake beamed, and clapped his brother in a hearty embrace. Finally, after months of broken promises the lazy douche made good on his word. He fixed him in place with a heavy hand on the shoulder and with the other lightly tapped him on the cheek.

"Look at you! College life is treating you well, eh? Have you shrunk?"

His laughter was interrupted by the screech of Jamie's miniature velociraptor, and with the little illusionist not far behind, Jake remembered himself and turned to Julie with a look of irrepressible amusement.

"Tonio, this is Julie, she's new to the neighbourhood. Julie, this is my brother, Tonio. And this-"

He extended a hand to Jamie, prompting her to come out of hiding, "This little lady is Jamie."

[Julie Moon]

The sibling bond between Jake and his brother was stereotypical to a fault, Julie observed, weathering their excitable exchange with clinical patience. She then climbed the stairs and stepped inside at Tonio's invitation, only to retreat swiftly to the porch again at the sight of a small, feathered... dinosaur. A thick haze engulfed her otherwise razor sharp instincts as she watched the creature peck at Jake's brother, and when the men regarded its appearance with complete indifference, Julie had the distinct impression she'd stepped into one of her more surreal dreams. The introductions began, suddenly the pieces came together, and the dream rolled back. Oh, happy reality.

Surprise and fear gave way to awe as she re-entered the house and, with some effort, tore her eyes away from the yoke-eyed reptillian, and found the shy little girl holding onto Jake's hand. She smiled.

"Hello, Jamie. I'm Julie," she then nodded at the velociraptor, making every effort to regard it as if it were a perfectly normal presence in a family house, "And who might this be?"

[Jamie Morrigan]

"Hi, Julie."

Jamie thought of making the raptor disappear - Anna had told her more than once she shouldn't include people in her fantasies without their permission, especially strangers, but now that Julie had acknowledged him, it just seemed cruel to send him away.

She reached down and ruffled the dinosaur's neck feathers, and he closed his eyes and whistled appreciatively. "This is Spike (http://0.tqn.com/d/dinosaurs/1/0/e/B/-/-/velociraptorAB.jpg)," she said. "He's not real, I just imagined him. Sorry if he scared you."

[Antonio Fernandez]

"Shrunk!" Antonio blustered, ignoring Julie and Jamie as they chatted. "Had to get rid of that freshman fifteen, man. I've been hitting the gym. I don't want to make you feel inferior but six-packs are for losers. I've got an eight-pack going on now." He pretended like he was going to lift up his shirt, but Jake punched him in the arm and he hopped sideways, down the step into the living room.

"Anna's fussing over me so much, its like having another mother. I don't know how you do it, Jake." Tonio rubbed his arm where he'd been socked, and pretended it hurt.

[Jacob Foley]

"What are you talking about? Anna is another mother. They're like two peas in a pod, man, totally in their element commanding an army of unruly kids. It's scary!"

Antonio's theatrics prompted an amused smirk from him, he had been a clown since they were kids, and Jake turned away to retrieve his key and shut the door. A tilt of the head aimed at Julie encouraged her to follow him, but she was too wrapped up in conversation, a flicker of wonder in her eyes; it wasn't the first time Jamie charmed a guest like that, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Upon entering the living room, his conversation with Antonio was resumed with a look of disbelief:

"And that's a bit rich coming from you, isn't it?" he said, his voice scaled an octave, "El famoso niño de mamá! Remind me again, who does your laundry?"

[Julie Moon]

"That's alright. When I was your age, I was obsessed with dinosaurs, and the triceratops was always my favourite. Spike is a very handsome raptor."

Julie revisted her pediatrics bedside manner with ease and crouched, not to patronise the girl, but to get a better view of her impossible companion. It was a vibrant creation, full of colour, and detail, and life, which sounded utterly convincing and moved independently of its author, its young brilliant author. She extended a cautious hand.

"May I?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio managed to look wounded. "She likes doing it! Besides, I hate going to the laundromat and Joaquin..." He paused. "Joaquin doesn't have a washing machine. Hook ups for one, of course, but no machine. What the hell is up with that?"

He started walking down the hall backwards. "He likes to pick up chicks while doing his laundry, I guess." Then he raised his eyebrows and made a rounded gesture over his abs. "In other news, you and Anna certainly are good at keeping secrets, lately!"

[Jamie Morrigan]

There was little that could make Jamie emerge from her shell like a willing audience. Julie's compliment of her handiwork warmed a smile out of her.

"Thanks," she said. "And, yeah, go ahead. Just, you have to pretend you're touching him. Otherwise your hand goes right through."

Spike sniffed cautiously at Julie's outstretched fingers like a wary cat, then strutted forward to be scratched. Little motes of light spiraled off of him where Julie's fingers broke the boundaries of the illusion, but the dinosaur moved with such fidelity and balance that you almost could feel its cool resistance against your skin.

"Are you from England?" Jamie asked with the directness of all children.

[Julie Moon]

"That's right. I'm from a place called Manchester."

Interacting with the dinosaur gave Julie a thrill of childhood delight, and she bit back her laughter as the creature responded to her touch with a soft melodic trill. It was not the marvel of mutation or the bending of reality which impressed her most, but the studious attention to detail poured into the illusion. This was not Steven Spielberg's velociraptor, which towered over men and opened doors, but a scientifically accurate representation of the elegant feathered predator that stalked the Cretaceous earth millions of years ago. Finally, curiosity won out.

"Excuse me, Spike."

She penetrated the dinosaur's tawny breast and her finger was wreathed in a corona of light which bled in bright plumes every colour of the spectrum. Now there was no hiding her pleasure and she regarded the youngster with admiration.

"You have a wonderful imagination, Jamie."

[Jacob Foley]

In body and mind, Jake became immediately weary at the mention of Anna's secret. It wasn't a surprise Antonio knew, he was after all in regular contact with their parents, and had an uncanny knack for wheedling the dirt out of people. He followed him en route to the kitchen, dragging a hand down his face.

"Don't I know about it? And it was not by choice, let me tell you. But Anna, she- it shook her up."

His arms folded suddenly, and he stalked his brother across the room, "So who else knows?"

[Jamie Morrigan]

Jamie's smile broadened, though Spike sputtered at the rough handling and trotted back behind Jamie with a self-important flick of his tail.

"Thanks. I don't always do dinosaurs, but I saw a new show on Animal Planet yesterday, and I just couldn't believe how many things they got wrong."

She stepped back and let Julie get back to her feet. "Are you a friend of Jake's? And - are you a mutant, too?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio put up his hands to protect himself in case his older brother decided he needed a good thumping, and said, "Well, kind of everyone. But its cool, man," Jesus, his face got serious all of a sudden, "We understand she feels awkward about it, I'm not going to say anything. But -"

He bumped against the island as he was backing up, and stopped, trying to look cool. "Look, I'm sure she's planning on making a big announcement on the 4th. Alonso just wanted me to make sure she was okay in the meantime. And to find out what you know." He put two fingers to his temple and pantomimed using non-existent mind powers on Jake.

[Anna Fernandez]

"Know about what?" Anna struggled a moment with the screen on the back door, a basket of long beans on her arm. "Stupid door," she grumbled, making it inside finally, the rickety screen door slamming behind her.

Setting the basket on the island behind Antonio, she peered down the hall where someone was talking to Jamie. "Do we have a visitor? Is it a social worker?"

[Jacob Foley]

Jake opened his mouth to speak, practically able to taste the warning he was about to slap on his brother for giving Anna a hard time, when he realised two things; first, he was being a hypocrite, and secondly, she was in the room. His mouth was agape, frozen by Anna's question, and he exchanged a glance with Antonio, praying that his ability to speak fluent bullshit would not fail them now. And yet, by a miracle they were saved, that miracle's name was...

"Julie," Jake answered eagerly, "New to the neighbourhood. Just moved into the... shack, actually."

He finished his sentence in an undertone, speaking out of the side of his mouth, eliciting from them both an uncomfortable grimace. Perking up, he granted Antonio some breathing room, adding:

"She's British - wait 'til you hear the accent. Anyway, I thought it be nice to have her over for coffee, or tea, and do the whole... neighbourly thing."

[Julie Moon]

"Are you a friend of Jake's? And - are you a mutant, too?"

"No, I'm a regular old human, I'm afraid. My only superpower is the ability to spot a teapot at a hundred paces."

There was a note of consolation in her voice; she wondered what it was like for a girl in Jamie's position, to be surrounded everyday by a host of colourful mutants, it was hard not to imagine her disappointment at meeting someone like her - a mundane. Inwardly, she bristled at the word, but swallowed it down like a bitter pill.

"I've just moved in down the street, you see. And Jake, he... carried a few things."

The story sounded rather weak to her ears, it required tweaking. She pressed on, giving her spacious surroundings a once over: "So, it must be pretty cool living in a house full of mutants, huh?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

"British? That's cool," Antonio peered down the hallway again, trying to get a better look at this new neighbor of Jake's. "Tea, huh? Are you planning on puttin' th' tea kettle on?" The last half of the sentence was delivered in an atrocious approximation of a British accent and earned him another punch to the chest that he deftly deflected.

"I'm beginning to sense a trend of hitting Antonio," he said mournfully. "I wish she was a social worker, she could take me away to safety." Antonio kept a straight face for about two seconds and then flashed Jake a wicked grin.

[Anna Fernandez]

"A new neighbor?" Anna's face brightened, and she walked to the stove, making sure there was enough water in the kettle before turning on the gas. "That is great you invited her over, Jake." She socked Antonio in the arm lightly as she passed him on her way down the hall to say hello to Julie and welcome her further into the house.

[Jamie Morrigan]

"So, it must be pretty cool living in a house full of mutants, huh?"

Jamie nodded spiritedly. "It's amazing. Everybody here can do so many incredible things. Anna can shoot ice out of her hands, and Aidan makes this really cool blue fire and shapes it into things, and Scott can turn all different colors like a chameleon--"

She drew up short, reminding herself that not everyone liked to show off their talents the way she did. Besides, Julie was human, and Jamie didn't want her to feel left out.

Spike nosed at her hand, giving her just the nudge of inspiration she needed. "Regular humans can be interesting, too. I mean, most paleontologists are humans."

With that word of affirmation, she turned to lead Julie into the family room. "Well, come on! You don't want to sit here all day, you have to meet everybody else!"

[Julie Moon]

On their way to the kitchen, Julie and Jamie were intercepted by a woman whose body language radiated hospitality, and with a smile that practically sung a chorus of welcomes, there could be no doubting who she was, and Julie's eyes twinkled in recognition:

"You must be Anna," she greeted, offering a hand, "Hi, I'm Julie."

[Anna Fernandez]

"It is good to meet you, Julie," Anna beamed, shaking her hand and simultaneously ushering her into the kitchen. "I am glad Jake went down and gave you a welcome to the neighborhood. Here, have a seat...wherever you like," she said, indicating the stools at the island or the table and chairs in the breakfast nook.

"I'm just getting the water hot for tea," Anna added, moving into the kitchen and opening an upper cabinet that was stuffed with assorted coffee cans and containers of tea bags. "We have... just about everything, so just let me know what you'd like."

[Jacob Foley]

"Actually, Anna, I only went for smokes and we kinda bumped into each other," Jake explained, he gave Tonio a defensive shrug, "What? It's not like I'm suddenly the self-appointed welcoming committee of Banyon Street."

Trust Anna to give him more credit than was due; now was not the time to lose face, not in front of Julie, and certainly not in front of his younger brother. There was a beat of silence, a heavy, unnatural silence that didn't belong to their home, and was a far cry from the state of pandemonium in which he'd left it. He stiffened, recalling his duty to ferry Scott, Ronnie, Jennifer and Jim to the movies, but they were already gone. Something clicked into place, and it rung clearer than simple gut instincts and intuition.

"Aidan and Tess took the kids the multiplex, didn't they?"

[Julie Moon]

"We have... just about everything, so just let me know what you'd like."

"After spending the best part of a week inside a car, drinking from a lukewarm thermos and stinking of oranges, I can promise you any old teabag, in a cup, with hot water and milk is my idea of nirvana right now."

There was a natural ease about Anna which Julie found refreshing, it seemed that kind of matronly warmth was an abstract concept on the east coast, and it helped her find comfort in the midst of perfect strangers. While the tea was being prepared, Julie crossed the kitchen to where Jake was posturing, she smiled sweetly, like a shark.

"Pay no attention to Jake. He was nothing short of chivalrous, offering to carry my things like the perfect gentleman," when she gave Antonio her hand there was a conspiritorial sort of gleam in her eyes, "Nice to meet you, Tonio."

[Antonio Fernandez]

"Y es un placer conocerte, así, Julie," Antonio said, shaking her hand just firmly enough, catching the twinkle in her eye and raising an eyebrow just slightly. "Jake has always been a gentle man," he added, making the pause between words obvious. "He loves going to get manicures, too, not just helping pretty girls on the street."

He held her hand a second too long, just to annoy his brother, and then plopped into a stool at the island. "I'll take some tea too," he decided. "If you're making it," he added, grinning at Anna.

[Anna Fernandez]

"Oh, of course," Anna said, rolling her eyes at Antonio's sudden earnestness, but getting him down a mug. She pulled a few different boxes of tea out of the cupboard, setting them on the island for Julie's perusal. The tea kettle was starting to hiss, and when it reached a full whistle she turned off the stove and poured the water into the cups.

"And yes, Jake, they left a little while ago." Anna helped herself to a caffeine free herbal tea and carefully tore the paper wrapping around the bag, dipping it gently into her mug. "Can you get the milk out of the fridge?"

[Jacob Foley]

Jake retrieved a carton of milk from the fridge and placed it on the island amongst the assortment of boxes. Anna was doing her best to make a good first impression, as usual, but how she had the foresight to acquire such an impressive quantity of tea was something of a mystery. He chalked it down to women's intuition and helped himself to a stool next to his brother.

"You're a douche, you know that, don't you?" Jake muttered, leaning in close as he righted his seat.

While he pottered about with cups and mulled over the incomprehensible varieties of tea, he shared his thoughts with Antonio:

It was some guy called John. She told me a couple of months back, after the supermarket thing, by which time they were no longer dating. She's obviously embarrassed and waiting for the right time to-

[Julie Moon]

"So, Anna, how far along are you?" Julie asked conversationally, she dipped into one of the boxes and fished out a pyramid-shaped tea bag.

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna paused, her mouth open slightly, and looked right at Antonio who was suddenly busy dipping a tea bag into his mug. "Ah, that is..." Her youngest brother looked up expectantly, and inexplicably winked. She started, and then turned to Julie.

"About four months, actually." Anna blushed, horrified to have been caught out in front of Antonio. Why hadn't she told her other brothers yet!? What sort of a sister was she?

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio grinned at Jake as his older brother sat down, and absorbed the information he was given about the real douchebag, this John fellow. Telepathy made his brain itch. He was messing about with a tea bag when lovely Julie popped The Question, and he didn't dare look up right away.

After winking, Antonio swept up to his feet, putting his arm around his sister. "That reminds me, I never told you congratulations!" He hugged her tightly, her body rigid with surprise before she hugged him back, and then he released her. "It's going to be a boy, of course," he declared, grinning at her and returning to his seat. "Named after his favorite Uncle Antonio?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Careful now, we don't want to jinx it," Jake warned, "The last thing we need is another degenerate in the family."

His eyes lit up with mischief as he gave Antonio a look, and a subtle nod of approval, for a degenerate he'd handled that well. Anna was flushed and looked rather shell-shocked by the ordeal, when her flailing gaze fell on him, he offered a reassuring smile.

"It's okay. Julie's a doctor, there was no way you she was going to miss that."

[Julie Moon]

The natural ebb and flow of teatime conversation took on an undercurrent of seismic proportions. She watched the siblings quake with the tremors of familial secrecy and suddenly wished herself someplace else. It wasn't until Antonio was out of his seat, squeezing the tension from his sister with a hug and good humour, that the mood lifted. It lifted from all, except Julie, who turned narrowed eyes on Jake.

"I never told you that."

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna, still flushed, settled down at last with a glass of water. "Jake is a bit... intuitive," she explained to Julie, absently gathering the boxes of tea and straightening them up. "It makes it difficult to keep a secret around him." She narrowed her eyes a bit at her brothers, who looked like innocent angels all of a sudden.

[Jacob Foley]

"I'm the kind of psychic you don't see on television," he confirmed, with a grin.

"And there was something about you that just screamed Doctor Julie Moon."

[Julie Moon]

"Okay," she said at last, "I won't pretend that's not a little unsettling."

Recalling their first encounter, her head dipped with an amused smirk, and after giving her cup a theraputic quarter turn, she drank from it. The sigh that followed was heavy with satisfaction and she practically melted where she sat. A deeply grateful smile was sent Anna's way.

"God, I've missed that. And, for your information, where I'm going I won't be playing doctor. For my sins, UCLA have seen fit to appoint me their new professor of molecular biology. Personally, I would've been happy with a public flogging."

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio perked up, leaning forward a bit to catch Doctor Julie's eye. "UCLA? I just finished my sophomore year there. Chem major." He grinned, "You'll probably see a lot of me this coming year, in the science buildings."

Anna laughed, "If you go to class, Mr. Procrastinator!"

He looked wounded. "I go to my lectures! The lab work is more fun, though." Antonio sipped his tea, blowing on the liquid as it nearly burnt his tongue.

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna shook her head fondly at Antonio, and said to Julie, "He's very smart, but suffers from a supreme lack of motivation when it cones to studying."

"And yet," Antonio interjected, "I get straight A's! It's amazing! It's like it's a strange ability of mine!"

[Julie Moon]

"You're a student?" she asked, surfacing from her cup, "Then let's forget that comment about the public flogging, shall we?"

The badgering he recieved courtesy of Anna was typical of an older sister-younger brother relationship, their interplay was amusing and sweet, and Julie was content to watch them fence words uninterrupted, until a thought occured to her:

"Would that be your mutant ability, Tonio?" she hesitated with a smile, "Not that I'd dare doubt your undisputable genius but, well in this place, and- well, given Anna and Jake are both- or are you an average Joe?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Oh, there's nothing average about Toñito."

Clapping an arm around his brother, he beamed, and before he could object the resurrection of a childhood-haunting nickname, Tonio found himself the victim of a vicious noogie. Jake carried on regardless.

"You see, he has the brains and the freak gene, which is why God was a little frugal when it came to the looks."

Releasing Tonio at last, Jake wisely distanced himself, and relocated between the women so he could keep a weather eye out for a potenitial noogie counter-offensive. He regarded Julie warmly, it had been the first time he'd seen her fumble her words, and given the implications of an entirely mutant family, it wasn't surprising.

"Everyone in the family is a mutant except mama - well, so she says - but I don't see how she's remained sane all these years without at least some genetic advantage."

[Antonio Fernandez]

"That famous Spanish/Italian constitution she is always talking about," Antonio said, eying Jake across the island from him where he was cowering amongst the womenfolk. He carefully ran his hands over his short hair, trying to right whatever wrongs Jake had done to it.

He turned in his seat and caught Julie's eye. "Yes, its true, I am a mutant as well. But unlike Jacob here," Antonio smirked a bit, "I have a useful ability."

He flexed his hands, holding his arms out in front of him, and then he touched his ceramic mug, waggling his eyebrows a bit as though he was going to do a magic trick. And honestly, it sort of was. A moment passed and nothing happened, and then his skin took on a glassy white sheen to match the cup in his hands, creeping up quickly once it started.

"Now on a molecular level, I can't imagine what my biology does, but..." Antonio stretched out a hand so she could touch his ceramic arm if she wanted. "Just don't hit me with a hammer, that would suck."

[Julie Moon]

Julie was dumbstruck. She reached out slowly, and ran her fingers over his glossy arm, it was smooth, and so cold it made her rigid. It took a moment for words to form in her mouth.

"On a molecular level," she began, marvelling at the implications of the biological change, she grinned, "It's remarkable. There aren't any theories in place to so much as consider such a dramatic cellular shift."

She wrapped her knuckles against the ceramic flesh, it produced a faint ringing sound which at first made her snort with laughter, and then she shuddered.

"You know, I lose it when I wake up with a dead arm in the morning, but that... in the medical profession, Tonio, you're what is known as a total freak."

[Jacob Foley]

"You got that right," Jake chimed in, wearing a sly grin, "We've been saying that since we were kids."

There was something about the way his brother was indulging Julie's scientific curiousity that didn't sit right with him and he shifted impatiently throughout his little show-and-tell-and-feel-me-up presentation. Fortunately, the topic of conversation provided him with a perfect distraction.

"Admittedly, Tonio's ability is very useful, especially when we're short on dinnerware," he said, catching his brother's eye, "But if he's the china cabinet of the family, then Anna here is most definately the human refrigerator. Isn't that right, sis?"

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna shot Jake a Look while Julie was watching Antonio shift his skin back to flesh. Being neighborly was one thing, but trotting all their abilities out on display... It was making her uncomfortable. However, Julie seemed delighted, and now she was turning towards her, and Anna smiled demurely.

"I am not a refrigerator," she said, shaking her head gently. "I create and manipulate ice," Anna explained, catching Julie's eye on the other side of Jake. "I am a little tired for a demonstration, however."

Jake looked a little disappointed, and of course if he trusted Julie then she did as well. But... she felt like there was something she was forgetting, something important... but she couldn't figure what it was, so Anna just smiled and sipped her water.

[Julie Moon]

"You have a wonderful home, Anna."

Short of erecting a circus tent in the garden, Julie sensed it was time to change gears and bring the talk of mutancy to an end. She could hardly blame Anna for being apprehensive, given her position as the household matriarch, so she packed away the doctor and adopted a look of wonderment.

"You're probably tired of hearing this, but what you do here... well, I wish there were more people like you back home."

After all these years, she still considered home a place on the other side of the Atlantic, that was a surprise. She shrugged.

"I couldn't do it."

[Anna Fernandez]

Anna shrugged a little, finding a bit of plant on her from her time in the garden. Carefully brushing it off, she said, "I wish there were more places like this too. I do what I can, but even for Los Angeles there is so much more..." She gestured widely, helplessly. "It's really just a drop in the bucket."

She played with her glass between her fingers. "I am not that familiar with the situation in England," she added. "Is it worse for mutants there?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio cleared his throat quietly, catching Jake's eye and giving him an unsubtle let's go somewhere else nod of his head toward the back door. "Uh, I noticed there's something going on with the roof?"

He gulped down the last of his tea, pushing away from the island and edging toward the door hoping Jake would follow.

[Julie Moon]

"I am not that familiar with the situation in England," she added. "Is it worse for mutants there?"

"No, not worse. Just different."

She recalled a conversation she'd had with her father a couple of weeks ago. He seemed to think himself responsible for keeping her briefed on matters of national importance, internet revolution or not, so she listened patiently and kept her dissenting political views on a leash. Their father-daughter debates were renowned for enduring weeks, so after years of transatlantic phone calls, experience had taught her to listen, but not engage.

"The government is indecisive, keeping its stance on mutancy as vague as possible. People are selfish and scared, afraid to stick their necks out for anybody, it's ugly dog-eat-dog politics."

A sip of tea allowed for a thoughtful pause before she added:

"It makes you appreciate developments like the Mutant Crimes Unit."

[Jacob Foley]

Jake rose from his seat and followed Antonio outside, playing strategically on the pretense:

"Oh, yeah. It's about halfway done. Anna's got some floppy-haired douche working on it..."

Once they were outside, the back door secured behind him, Jake grinned.

"That didn't go too bad, did it?" he said with some surprise, and laughed, "I thought she was going to flip her shit when Julie asked how far along she was, though."

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio grinned. "Did you see the look on her face? Priceless. I wish I'd had a camera." He walked down the length of the deck, making sure they were out if earshot of the kitchen. "So, we're planning a brothers' night out tomorrow. Dinner, drinks, manly conversation."

He peered up at the roofline, trying to see what was going on up there but couldn't beyond the fact that there was a tarp in place. "Hey, is that over your room?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Yes, it is," Jake muttered darkly, "The new guy nearly brought the fucking thing down on top of me."

His arms folded, and he regarded the rooftop with a damning glare, as if privy to some invisible tormentor. Only then did he realise Antonio had said something else before raising the sore issue of the roof, and all the slippery connotations associated with it. He gave him a sideways glance.

"This is Alonso's idea, isn't it?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

He shrugged, "Yeah, but it's a good one. I mean, we don't live too far apart but when do we ever hang out, just us guys?"

Antonio scratched his head, squinting his eyes against the sunlight. "And anyway, you hold the information about this John douchebag. Marcelo doesn't approve - or he won't, he doesn't know yet - but we have to at least talk about it."

[Jacob Foley]

"Hey, I think it's a great idea!" Jake said, holding up his hands defensively, "It just sounded like the sort of thing Alonso would suggest, is all."

Perhaps it was all in the delivery, that angry cynical tone of his - half the time he didn't even know he was doing it - but he'd be damned if he'd allow his stupid misguided temper to cause friction between him and Antonio like it had between him and Anna and Aidan lately. A knowing grin crept onto his face at the mention of Marcelo and his notorious morals.

"I'm sure Padre Marcelo will come round to our way of thinking, he just needs a little persuasion from his good friend, Jack."

He clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Speaking of which, are you still a champion lightweight or has college helped you grow a pair?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio gaped at him, pretending to be astonished. "I'm still underage you corrupter you!" He winked. "If I was drinking then you'd be glad to know I can hold my own. No thanks to you and Joaquin... I'm pretty sure you guys were competing to see who's drinks would be the one to make me puke on my eighteenth birthday."

He shuddered, remembering the epic hangover the next day, and making up a lie for Mama about the flu to try to hide what he'd been up to the night before. He was pretty sure she hadn't bought it.

[Jacob Foley]

"A bet I believe I won," he said, nodding sagely.

Growing up, it had never been a great challenge to lead his younger brother astray, Antonio being Antonio not only invited mischief and ridicule, but embraced them with open arms. Marcelo had always been the tough nut to crack, and it was not for a lack of trying. Antonio was the loveable clown who, for better or worse, danced to the beat of his siblings' sadistic drums. Jake considered the proposal of dinner, drinks, and manly conversation, and couldn't help but wonder just how much information his brother's hoped to wheedle from him about the elusive John Doe - he feared they were in for a disappointment.

"So where's this little shindig going down?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

"Orange county, probably one of the restaurants at The Block." Antonio grinned, "Marcelo insisted on making the reservations. I'll have Joaquin text you the place tonight."

He leaned on the deck railing, looking out over the yard. "So... Did she tell you all about this guy, or did you..." Antonio shot Jake a meaningful look. "You know. Read it off her?"

[Jacob Foley]

"Man, her lips have been sealed," he said, failing to disguise his disappointment, "He came by only once, and for some stupid reason, I decided to go easy on him. We'd just been through a rough patch, you know with the shootings and shit, so I thought I'd give Anna a break and show a little faith. Nine months later..."

He rapped his knuckles against the wooden railing, beating out his silent frustration, his gaze followed a row of blossoming tomato plants to the back of the garden. He considered his brother's words and finally, conceded:

"Maybe I should do it. I mean, I don't like to, but... it would put my- well, our minds at rest."

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio nodded sagely, turning slightly toward Jake as he leaned on the railing. "I know I'm just the kid brother but I really really don't like this, man. Seems like Anna was going to get married and have a bunch of kids, you know? What the fuck is up with this?"

He scrubbed a hand over his hair. "The more we know the better we can protect her from whatever this guy might do. Alonso said there could be a custody battle over the baby. I mean, I don't want some asshole coming back and making trouble for Anna."

[Jacob Foley]

"Then it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen."

He gave Antonio a knowing look, knowing because there was no doubt in his mind that if he'd thought about having a tactful word with this John guy, then so had his brothers. A ghost of a smile crept onto his face.

"So, I'll find out everything I can before the strike team assembles. Come on."

Their business done, Jake lead the way back into the kitchen, only to be faced with Anna's suspicious glances. Fortunately for him, he was the psychic of the family. He took a seat and slurped the last dregs from his cup.

"So, you two, arranged your first sleepover yet?"

[Anna Fernandez]

"Julie was just telling me how you offered to help her fix up her new place." Anna raised an eyebrow at Jake, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Very neighborly of you."

[Antonio Fernandez]

"Really?" Antonio grinned, sliding back into position at the kitchen island. "Well, he's not really the construction genius in the family... but he can get the job done!"

His grin widened. "He's very enthusiastic. But if you take him up on it, Julie, just give me a call if he runs into any trouble. I'll come help him out."

[Julie Moon]

"It's going to take a small army of handymen to get that place in order. If you think it's ugly on the outside, believe me, you ain't seen nothing."

Julie's gaze drifted past Anna, beyond the kitchen window, to her mind's eye view of the decrepit old shack. She gave a small shudder and retreated inside her tea cup. The cup was replaced onto the island with a conclusive thud and she eased herself off her stool.

"And with that gloomy thought, I really should make a move and get myself unpacked."

[Jacob Foley]

"I'll see you out."

Jake stood, his face was a patchwork of pink and peach, pulled taught in determined ignorance of his brother and sister. He made a beeline for the hallway.

[Anna Fernandez]

"Good-bye, Julie, it was very nice to meet you." Anna smiled, standing up as Julie and Jake headed out of the kitchen, and shook her head at her youngest brother. "We need to talk, you and I."

He grinned. "Can't wait. See you around, Jules!" He yelled down the hallway, of course, but then helped her gather up the mugs.

[Julie Moon]

There was a weight of responsibility, Julie felt it press against her shoulders as she stepped outside and into the sun. It was the challenge of wrapping up a first encounter that had been both sweet and sour; she had been cold and offhanded, he'd been patient and kind, and it was time to make things right. For Julie, this meant one of two things: she could give him the cold shoulder and cement her reputation as the bitch of Banyon Street, or if she dared she could venture beyond her comfort zone and try for a little friendliness. The implications behind such a decision were earth-shattering. She took a breath, and wrapped her arms across her chest as Jake fumbled his parting words.

"Thank you," she interrupted, "For today. It was nice to experience a little normality."

[Jacob Foley]

"Normality?" he repeated, poking a thumb over his shoulder, "That's a new one."

Jake slouched against the doorframe to stop himself shifting his weight between feet. The conversation with Antonio still rung in his mind; there were so many important things going on, life in Los Santos felt like a turbulent maelstrom of ill-fortune and uncertain tomorrows, and yet, caught in a moment of perfect stillness, he found himself unnerved.

"Listen, about earlier-"

[Julie Moon]

"When can you start?"

An unflattering mix of confusion and surprise warped Jake's face, furnishing him with the features of a gawking ten year old, complete with train tunnel mouth. It was said. Julie had surrendered her words to the ether and, despite the sudden urge to clobber him free of his stupid expression, she was obliged to stand by them. She gave a shrug and happily averted her gaze down the street.

"It's probably the PG Tips talking but you were right. A lot work has gone into this house. I'm impressed. And if I have any hope of turning that shed into a home, or something like it, I could use your help."

[Jacob Foley]

"Okay," he managed at last, and shook the uncertainty from his voice, "Okay. That's great. Does tomorrow sound okay?"

Tomorrow. That was one day. Less than a day. He had less than a day to prepare himself for the single largest battle of home improvement he'd ever engaged. His mind raced over the long list of half-truths and bullshit he relayed earlier, the thought of it made his stomach knot, but it was what he wanted. It was a fortunate quirk of fate that Antonio was visiting, from whom he could syphon off whatever tips he was willing to share - Jake grimmaced inwardly, he could already see his brother's smug grin. He smiled.

"I wasn't expecting that."

[Julie Moon]

"You surprise easily for a psychic."

The probing look in her eyes was accentuated by an arched eyebrow. His reaction was curious, and she noted he didn't look quite as pleased about her decision as she'd expected, perhaps she'd read him wrong after all. In any case, they had an agreement and she would weather it, prepared for the worst. She gave him a nod and a flicker of a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

[Jacob Foley]

"Yeah. See you."

He watched her reach the end of the path, where she had a stuggle with the gate, then shut the door. Sounds of bright conversation flowed from the kitchen; Anna was laughing, a rich, deeply genuine kind of laugh that had been too long gone from her life. It added to the swell of warmth in his belly as his thoughts ran to Julie, halfway home.