I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare{open}

[Lani Hunter]

Lani probably wasn't as worried as he ought to be. But it was hard to worry when all your life you had been running from feds. He wasn't as weak as he appeared and often times his combat skills surprised people. Lani was like very much in tune with his fight or flight instinct, which tended to bend toward flight but when cornered he was like an animal. He smiled glad he was able to make her laugh. She was indeed not like Caroline. He shook his head a little. He needed to stop comparing this headstrong child, no, young woman, to his little sister. His protective instincts were strong and he had only known this girl for a few hours and already she was like a little sister to him. He knew he would protect her, just as he protected Caroline. Or how he tried to protect Caroline, illness was out of his power.

Lani was glad he was able to ignore Cassie's question because his love life was certainly nothing he liked to talk about and besides besides a few strange and random hook ups he had never had a relationship. It was certainly far from interesting in his mind and the way it fascinated people was beyond him. Wasn't it up to him if he wanted a girlfriend or not? Cassie was just as bad as his mother! 'Lani when are you gonna bring home a nice girl?' 'Lani, you know I want grandkids, right?' And any other questions that made Lani blush.

"Yeah," he bobbed his head in a nod. He wasn't sure what to take her tone as, whether it was judgmental or simply an innocent term he couldn't be sure so he shrugged it off. Lani let out a little laugh. "Yeah, I miss them bad. You know," he said turning to Cassie, "I have a little sister whose about your age, her name is Caroline. I think the two of you would get along well." He grinned his eyes lighting visible at the thought of his sister. Lani chuckled at Cassie's mother's next comment. "It must be hard." He said absently. Cassie was so young, it must have been very hurtful to be torn away from her family. Lani knew his was. His father and he still hadn't said a word and when Lani said he would find his own way home just to avoid a long awkward car ride with his dad the tension could be felt across the phone time.

Lani's eyebrows jumped at her next response. "Lucky day," he smiled and ruffled Cassie's hair. "How is that for a birthday present?" He smiled as the woman started her precession toward the table singing. Lani blinked in shock when she hugged him tightly. He laughed and hugged her back tightly. He was glad she had liked it. He wasn't sure it was going to work, he knew Caroline would have been embarrassed beyond belief, and for that matter so would he but he was glad Cassie enjoyed the attention if it was only a little bit. "Make a wish," Lani advised releasing her so she could blow out her candle.

There was a great applause following and the woman came up behind Lani and leaned heavily on his shoulder. "Staying out of trouble Lani?" She asked.

"Never," he replied with a grin flicking back on the light.

"That's my boy," she laughed ruffling his hair. She then leaned down and took Cassie in a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. "Happy birthday sweetheart." And with that she whisked away into the kitchen.

Lani turned back to the woman across from them and smiled a little at her shocked face. Part of the reason he brought her here was that the old woman didn't take kindly to people who hated others. Hers was an environment free of harassment and he had seen her toss people who disobeyed her rules. Not all places were so kind. "Happy birthday, Cassie," he smiled and gave her another hug. "So..." Lani trailed off trying to form the thought that had been nagging at him for a long time. "Just out of curiosity, are you a meta as well?" He just couldn't see any other way someone could have found them.

[Cassidy Mitro]

Cassidy frowned the moment she was told to make a wish. What was it with wishes? They never did come true anyway. Cassidy closed her eyes, made a wish and blew out her candles as was expected of her to do but she still didn't believe that he wishes would come true. She stopped believing in wishes for a while now. Cassidy watched as everyone returned to their posts shortly after she received her birthday song and smiled when the little banter between Lani and the old lady went on. It was good to know that Lani was all about a good time.

All about fun and trouble. She loved fun and trouble and she could just imagine things going haywire and fun ensuing shortly after with Lani around her. She shot a glance at her mother and could telll that her mom wasn't impressed by the fact that she was about to get involved with another trouble maker. She invisioned so much trouble between the two of them and getting calls about such wicked activities they'd gotten up to but at least she could rest assure that Lani was older and maybe not wiser but the older stronger part did relax her.

She sipped at her coffee when it was set down in front of her and purred at the taste reaching over to stroke her daughter's hair again.
"Happy birthday sweetheart. "
Liz whispered to her daughter as Lani and the elder woman exchanged banter. Cassidy brimmed when she recieved two more hugs and kisses from the older woman and from Lani and a red blush settled on her cheeks.

"Thanks you Lani."
She picked up her fork and began digging into her cake while Liz pulled out the candle from the cake so Cassidy wouldn't need to. Liz turned her attention to Lani at the 'so' and smiled when he asked if she was a meta. She nodded slowly.
"Yes, both me and Cassidy's father are Meta and we actually work for a meta. We were hoping Cassidy wouldn't be. Having to go through all the stress and strain. I remember when I had to leave for Hammel."

She gave Lani a sympathetic look and placed her warm hand on his arm.
"I'm sorry, Honey. I'm sure both you and Cassidy will find that one day all the struggles you'd past through with your powers will be worth it."
Cassidy scrunched up her face and shook her head. She stood by the fact that she would never like her powers. Liz retracted her hand.
"Your family? Any meta's there? I'm assuming little Caroline isn't Meta?"


Cassidy smirked and shot her eyes to Lani wondering if this little sister of his was a Meta as well, just like her.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani noticed Cassie's smile after the old woman ruffled his hair and gave her a little wink and grin. He then glanced up and realized that wasn't the kind of thing her mother would want to hear. He flushed and ran a hand through his hair. He opened his mouth to speak but instead he moved his fork swiftly into his mouth before he was able to form any words and get himself into trouble. He was usually a person parents felt they could leave their children with. When Caroline had had her first sleep over the question hadn't been will the parents be there, but will Lani be there. Most of the parents in their neighborhood knew Lani since he was small and had seen the result of someone trying to hurt any of their children.

Cassie's smile was worth all the trouble he might get in to. He wouldn't apologize for the action. He didn't know her parents were coming. But to make a her feel better he would have danced on his head if that would make it so. No he would not apologize for making her feel better. No matter how big and scary this father of hers was. If he could face down his own father, chances were he could face her's too. He knew he was being over confident but he couldn't find it in his heart to care. He knew his abilities and he knew if need be he could disappear for a while. When he didn't want to be found he simply wasn't.

Lani smiled warmly at Cassie and simply nodded at her thanks. "Anytime," he said affectionately. There was nothing in his voice that could even be mistaken for malice. He could no more hurt Cassie than he could his own sister. He turned away and took another bite of the cheesecake. It was wonderful. The old woman never failed to impress. He really ought to learn her name, he reflected.

Both metas? And working for a meta. That was impressive and to think he didn't even know such a thing existed until a few months ago. At least he had gotten out of the denial phase. That had been interesting. He shook his head a little at the thought. He was still surprised all the time not just by what he could do but by what other people could do. It was amazing. Lani was so shocked when she reached over a put a hand on his arm he almost dropped his fork. He smiled in thanks and dropped his head a little. This was indeed a woman worthy of respect.

Shrugging, Lani passed it off as indifference. "Eh, I hope so. Cassie, your mom has a good point. Soon enough you'll learn to love your power as well as hate it. Its like an extra limb that when gone you might find you miss." He smiled that old impish smile, "At least so I'm told." He chuckled a little at his own joke and shook his head realizing it wasn't as funny as he thought now that he had said it out loud. One of those 'it sounded better in my head' moments.

Lani shook his head. "Nope, it's just me." He blinked at her for a moment in confusion. He knew most people didn't get their powers as late as he had but that assumption threw him off guard. "Why would you say that?" He cocked his head to the side. "I mean Caroline doesn't have any powers yet but that's not to say she won't get them." But I hope not, he added silently in his head.

He glanced at Cassie looking at her for a long time when he realized she was smirking. He suddenly realized he had just verbally compared the two of them instead of keeping it to his internal monologue. How foolish of him. "When did you get your powers by the way Cassie?" He asked trying to turn her thoughts away from his sister to avoid the comparisons to start in her own mind. For whether she liked it or not he had already in his mind adopted her as his 'little sister' and would make sure she was safe and didn't try anything crazy, at least not without him.

[Cassidy Mitro]

Cassidy raised an eyebrow at Lani when he nearly dropped the fork at her mom's touch. Wow, Lani didn't have a nice mom it seemed. Or else he would be used to that sort of thing. Cassidy gave a sigh and pursed her lips thoughtfully tilting her head to one side. Maybe they could share the same mom? Wouldn't it make him feel better if he had a mom like hers? Cassidy rolled her eyes at Lani repeating her mom's words then related it to a limb. Her eyes flicked to the hand that held the fork and imagined it gone.

That didn't make sense though. She didn't hate any part of her body. Not yet anyway. She did hate her powers and would be glad when the annoyance disappeared. Cassidy could just imagine how good it would be to have a power free life. Everything would be normal and natural and she'd be able to go back home and live her life like any normal girl but she couldn't because of her powers. Her powers had ruined her life. Surely Lani understood that. Surely he'd been there.

He'd experienced that first hand so how could he related his powers to being limbs that you needed. Cassidy had not ONCE needed her powers. Not ever. And she expected she never would need them. She expected she'd be perfectly content if she woke up and found them gone. Elizabeth smiled softly at him when he asked about the powers and Cassidy sat forward too when her mother prepared to explain why she'd said what she'd said. Cassidy had always been interested in how metas worked and got their powers and stuff.

From an early age they'd expected Cassidy to turn meta so had explained these things to her along with the sex talk and periods. She never got bored of any of these topics.
"Well, You see Lani. Some believe that hormones have a lot to do with meta powers so when a child's body and mind becomes more mature, releasing more hormones and then reaches puberty, so meta powers will evolve and show themselves finally. This is why I was assuming, if your sister was Cassidy's age, that she'd be showing at least some signs of meta powers right about now. "

It seemed Lani was disappointed at the prospect of his younger sister not having special powers like he did. Cassidy was asked when she'd recieved her powers and she pouted slightly.
"Last month. In October and I was sent straight to Hammel. "
Liz leaned over lovingly to stroke Cassidy's hair making her plop another piece of cake into her mouth eye staring down at the plate.

"It's a bit early of course but signs should be showing Lani."
Elizabeth mentioned again watching the young teenager.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani smiled warmly at her mother, she reminded him too much of his mother, but even his own mother seemed a little more wary and maybe even afraid of him. Cassie's mother was extremely nice but he wondered for a moment if she wasn't a meta if she would feel the same about her daughter. He was sure the love wouldn't change but would she get the sideways looks like she might explode in the next few moments. Or perhaps she would have to keep it a secret from the relatives and never talk about it. He just wished he could live at peace and control his power so he didn't have to keep a reign on it all the time. He just wanted to stop and sit somewhere and let him mind wander. But he couldn't do that for his power might catch onto his thoughts and move something.

Cassie's face said it all. She didn't believe him. He shook his head and smiled at her. "You'll get there, I promise. And if not I give you permission to tell me I was wrong." He winked at her and tried to get her to smile again. Obviously powers were something Cassie was still really sensitive about. He frowned, poor little girl. At least he had had a longer normal life, well normal in the fact that he couldn't move things with a thought. But she was so young, taken away to a boarding school far away and treated different. Perhaps that was why Lani looked at Hammel like it was a prison. It isolated him, pointed out that he was different. Not normal. Or maybe he was normal. Or maybe he was just dreaming all of this right now. He shook his head, no, he needed to stop thinking like that. This was real. This was his life now.

Lani frowned and sat back a little listening to her mother and thinking it through. He didn't know a lot about being meta but he had a feeling that biology had nothing to do with it. But then maybe he was just a freak among freaks. He smiled and shook his head a little forcing the depressing thought out of his mind. He opened his hands and shrugged at her mother. He opened his mouth to speak but Cassie's tone cut him off. He looked over at Cassie and his eyes shimmered with sympathy and he put a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah the recruiters are rather awful." He winced at the memory. He hated his recruiter. She had been awful. Really awful. He could imagine that at least having meta parents would have been better because his parents looked at him differently.

He then looked back at her mother when she said it might be to early and again he shrugged. "That doesn't make any sense though. I don't know how it happened," Lani said half lying to avoid incrimination himself. "I only got my power a few months ago as well. Not a show not even a hint of a power. Perhaps it was supposed to stay dormant and never come out but I was stressed and... I don't know, but it didn't show any signs at all. It was out. Like an explosion." He explained waving his hands. "So I don't think genetics have much to do with it. Perhaps its chance." He shrugged. Either way he really hoped that Caroline was spared his burden, especially if that mean it exploded out of her like it did him. That was a fate he wouldn't wish on anyone. He still remembered the pain, the fear, the confusion.

[Cassidy Mitro]

Cassidy nodded at the fair deal that was taking place between her and Lani.
"I probably will. I'll tell you if I ever start liking my life...."
"Cassidy! You should be ashamed of yourself. There are children-"
Cassidy rolled her eyes and repeated the story that her mom all too often told her in a bored voice.

"... dying in the world and I have warm food, clean clothes, a place to go to the bathroom and a warm bed each night. I know, I know. I'm sorry."
The last part was muttered in annoyance like she'd said it way to many times.
"I swear, young Lady, The very minute you turn eighteen I'm sending you to a volunteering project."
Cassidy smirked and her mom reached over to tug at her ear playfully.

Cassie squeaked and ducked away covering her ear with her hand. Elizabeth listened to Lani and frowned. How was that possibly. He must have been older then 16 already. How strange that he had his powers now only a few months ago.
"Wow. That's... strange. Usually when a child reaches sexual maturity"
Cassie groaned at that word already blushing bright red but Liz continued.
"... they develop their powers."

Liz took the last sip of her coffee and set the cup down.
"Are you sure you don't want me to pay you for this? I'm sure I have more money to spare then you do. Me and Cassidy best go see her father and calm him down. If you want we can talk more about this at some stage...."
Liz pulled out a pen and paper from her tiny little black purse and started to scribble on it, her number and e-mail adress.

She slid the note over to him.
"Since you seem to be looking out for my daughter, I'd like to give you my contact details. Or if you just want to talk... I'm always on the other end of the line."
Elizabeth said, her face open and sincere as she waited to see if Lani would take her offer. Cassidy did want to see her father but she also didn't want to leave her new found friend either.

Her mother was right though. They'd better get back to her dad, Lani-less.

[Lani Hunter]

Lani frowned at Cassie's statement but quickly recovered making his face neutral. What a sad thing for such a young girl to say. Not even a teenager yet and already hating life. He silently thought of Caroline. What it would do to him if she told him she hated her life. He would be devastated. He had worked so hard to ensure she had a life. She knew that and his parents knew that. He shook his head slightly. Whatever might make Caroline think that he would get rid of it. He had vowed long ago to protect his sister and looking now at Cassie he realized that he had in a way made a similar vow without even thinking about it. Perhaps Cassie didn't need Lani to protect her but he would be there anyways.

He blinked out of his thoughts as he realized Cassie was speaking again. Finishing her mother's lecture by the look of disproving look her mother was giving her. Lani smiled a little and nodded at her mother. He couldn't find any dispute with her lecture. He let out a little laugh. "That's not a bad idea, maybe I should go too." Lani grinned knowing that if he were to leave the states it would be to steal something big. He knew his boss was just itching for him to turn eighteen and send him overseas. He hated to think that he was stealing from people but he felt that those he stole from could deal with it. Especially if they got involved with his boss. Most didn't but the few times Lani had been asked to do something to pay back a debt were the worst because in most cases Lani saw their living conditions were much worse than those he usually entered.

Grinning at Cassie's reaction Lani took his last bite and chewed slowly as her mother started speaking. He shrugged at first but when he realized where the speech was going Lani suddenly found the crumbs on his plate very interesting. He was practically glowing, more brightly than a cherry. His ears burned and he ducked his head a little as if trying to disappear into his shirt when her mother finally concluded. Wow, he thought, she really... wow... He shook his head a little. They way they had put it at Hammel was that he actually wasn't supposed to have his powers. He was a carrier perhaps of potential but not supposed to have use of it. Perhaps that was why it always felt like sandpaper on raw flesh when he used his powers. Oh well, perhaps they were wrong and she was right. Lord knows Lani had never been in any serious relationships.

Lani looked up suddenly and just hoped the color would fade. He shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it. I got it." He bobbed his head very hard partially trying to let her know he didn't mind paying and also to attempt to cool his face. He grinned, "Really, don't worry about it, I don't have much to spend my money on anyways." Lie, but he wasn't going to let them know that he had thousands stashed away from heists he had performed. He would have more but a thousand usually went to his parents for Caroline's medical bills. Lani's eyes widened when she slid her number and email across the table. Lani smiled and thanked her but highly doubted he would call her to talk about how his sexuality linked to his powers.

"Yes, ma'am, I'll keep an eye on her. Don't worry," Lani assured her with a charming smile. "I'll keep her out of trouble." He gave Cassie a knowing wink and tapped his crossed fingers on the underside of the table where she would see them but her mother would be none the wiser. He felt his face heat again with her offer but it truly felt nice to be trusted. He pocketed the note.

With a little laugh Lani nodded, "I don't think I should be there when you see your father." He told Cassie. "I mean I would, but I personally don't want to be turned into a Lani shaped puddle." He smiled at his own joke and a vibration in his pocket called his attention. He flipped open the text message that just said 'tonight'. He didn't answer but instead rose and reached his hand across the table to shake Mrs. Liz's hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you." Then turning to Cassie he gave her a little hug. "Happy birthday, Cassie."

[Cassidy Mitro]

Elizabeth barely noticed that the boy was blushing but Cassidy did and she was holding back her own giggle as she watched Lani with a certain amount of intrest on her face. She raised an eyebrow as said he'd keep her out of trouble and leaned to the side a little reaching for a servette as she peeked under the table to see his crossed fingers. That was impossibly. Lani was just as much trouble as she was. More, she believed but her mom knew that already. Cassidy allowed herself a moment to raise an eyebrow at Lani but held back her laughter.

When he pulled out his phone, she frowned at him watching him read and then it was all systems go for her big brother who had to apparently rush out. She recieved a hug and she quickly hugged back frowning at him as he left them. Cassie practically turned in her seet to watch him go, clearly worrried about him. Her mother picked up on this and reached over to place a hand on her daughter's hand.

"That boy is far too much like your father. Come on sweetheart... we have a dinner to attend."
Cassidy smiled and nodded getting up and heading out of the store. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder in the doorway one last time, smiling at the thought of her bigger older brother.