<"If it's iced tea, it's love.">

"He likes her." Jubilee says.

"No he doesn't!" Everett hissed in protest.

<"Must be fate...it's root beer.">

"I can't believe that! It had to be iced tea! Aw, man, that sucks! Those two are so right for each other! I mean..."

Jubilee is silenced as Ev quickly slips his hand over her mouth and settles back into the couch, pulling her onto his lap. It gets quite again and we all watch television in silence. In a few minutes I hear a muffled noise coming from Jubilee then Ev, the resident X-Phile screams, "OW! DON'T BITE ME!"

I look over to see Synch squinting at his finger in the dark while Jubilee has moved to the other side of the couch and is smirking to herself. Having seen this episode before, I had no desire to stay in there with the two fighting vipers, and therefore exited the room.

Things have finally quieted down around here, if you can call it that. We're taking our first deep breath after all Hell broke loose back at the beginning of the month with Emplate. And I'm not saying that things have gotten back to normal, not by any means. Jono and Ange have been back with us for a while, we've learned some more about M, Frosty's beginnin' to thaw, all in all, we're becoming more at ease with each other, more like...a family? But, like I said, things are still a little hectic, but at least things aren't snowballing out of control anymore.

I exit the Rec Cottage from the side door and make my way towards the biosphere. The door clicks softly behind me and I walk slowly in the cold night air. My thoughts drift back to our current lack of activity.

It's "the calm before the storm", things are going to start happening soon. That's what ~Emma~ says anyway, whether that statement comes from female intuition, an experienced teachers knowledge, or the smug confidence of a telepath, I don't know. But I agree. I mean, the anti- mutant hysteria has been churning, and building. It has been for years, and something has to give, either things are going to climax or fizzle, either way, a conclusion will be drawn.

I'm forced to stop my philosophic nonsense when I see Artie and Leech racing down the sidewalk. They slow down suspiciously when they see me and then begin rotating so that their backs are constantly facing away from me as they pass. Oh yeah, guys, no one suspects a thing. They are so cute, they couldn't be up to too much after all, they're just kids.

In the biosphere I find Angelo sitting by the pond. For a moment, I watch him without him noticing me. He's dressed in uniform, laying on the grass with his arms behind his head. In a moment, he looks over and sees me. He pats the ground beside him and I stretch out next to him.

"Angelo," I pause. "Tell me what happened in LA."

Silence.

"Why won't you tell me? Jono won't say anything either."

For a moment I thought I saw a smile flash across his face, but then it was gone. Was he glad Jonothan was keeping his secret, whatever it was?

Then he spoke, "I...I had to take care of some things."

"What things?" I asked, frustrated.

"When I left...when I was taken from the barrio-"

Before I came. He's been here a little over two years.

He continued. "A lot of things were left...unresolved. When you an' the others were in St. Louis, I had a good opportunity to go back and tie things up."

"And you dragged Jonothan allong with you? For backup, support? What kind of business was this, Ange? You know Cassidy would have let you go."

He rolled over onto his stomach and was quiet for so long I thought he wasn't going to answer me. But then he did. "Only a few people know this, chica, Cassidy, Frost and Xavier. None of them approve of it, but none of them are going to try and make me change my mind. When I left the barrio, everyone I knew, mi madre y padre, everyone, thought I had been murdered."

I rolled onto my side to look at him. This was a revelation for me. I wanted to ask him how he could do such a thing, to leave everyone close to him with such a burden. But I said nothing and let him continue.

"I went back to make sure my madre was okay...to make sure everyone was okay. Things have changed at home. I had to make sure it wasn't a change for the worse. It wouldn't do any of them any good to know I was still alive. I've left Los Angeles, I'm not ever going back, they don't need to bury me again."

I knew he wasn't telling me everything, it didn't all fit right. There had to be more, but I wasn't going to ask for it. Not now. I lay my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. I tried to digest what he had told me. Whatever the rest of it was, it was really troubling him. And because of that, it troubled me.

We sat in silence for a very long time. I traced a finger allong his jaw line and then he pulled me to him. He kissed me on the mouth deeply and then held me. When I got tired I kissed him again, briefly on the cheek, and then left.

In the girls dorm I find Monet sitting sullenly in her room with the bedroom door wide open. Paige is in her room pouring over class notes, I assume, trying to figure out how she did on yesterday's exam. Jubilee's room is empty.

I go to my room and turn on the lights. I pick up a mess of books lying scattered across the entrance and close the door with my foot. After cramming the books into my backpack, I make a half hearted effort to straighten my room. I exchange my t-shirt and jeans for an oversized sweatshirt and boxer shorts before I flop onto my bed. A find a few Tootsie Rolls on my nightstand and eat them. For a brief moment, I realize that I really should brush my teeth, especially since their now chocolate covered, but the thought doesn't last long. In a last ditch effort to preserve the well being of my teeth and gums, I switch to my ice form and fall asleep.

I hope Beth comes to visit me tonight, I need someone to talk to about Angelo. I can't talk to anyone here, but maybe Beth.

"Often the best thing about not saying anything is that it cannot be repeated." -Suzan Wiener

"Shades of Gray" 4/?. Send all comments to Me, monet@uky.campus.mci.net. I would especially like some feedback on this chapter. Anyone like where I'm going with this, or is the road less traveled less traveled because no one likes it?