Cataleia was grumbling as her fishnetted feet squished into the wet soil and grass under her as Luke, Laura, and Alex followed behind her. “I can hear some guys.” She whispered, her body pressed against the house.

“How can you tell it’s them and that you aren’t just hearing the people inside?” Laura asked, skeptical as usual.

“Because they are waiting for the next drop. Now, shut up and let’s go.” Cat hissed in retort as she began to move in the shadows with the others behind her. She was excited as the thrill of being on a mission came back to her, though she knew that she had to handle this one with extreme caution; She didn’t know what she’d do with herself if she fucked up and got Tommy into further trouble. She didn’t know if she’d be able to reign herself in when she got ahold of the dealers, though. Though they might not be the ones directly setting up Tommy, they were pushing drugs in a school where there were children of very young ages. What kind of fucked up person does that? She shook her head as she lead the troupe through the trees, following voices past the lake. She ignored X-23 grumbling behind her for taking the lead. For the Brazilian, this was personal. It took a while, but they came across a clearing – As they hid behind the trees, Cat could see a student that she recognized from files as Nathan Rider teleporting into the clearing with a backpack. He had probably just delivered the money to whoever was on the other side of the wall. Shaking her head, she allowed her body to become incorporeal, becoming nothing more than moonlight as she floated over to the boy who was quickly making his way back towards the mansion. She formed right behind him and quickly delivered a punch to the back of his head before he could notice her, knocking him out.

“Nice job.” Laura commended her before grabbing the backpack, looking within. “Yeah, this is him.”

“Thanks.” Cat huffed as she headed back towards the mansion.

“Where are you going?!”

“To help Tommy. Take him to Emma – She’ll be able to get what she needs from him. Get them to the auditorium as soon as you get the information ya’ll need!” Cat retorted as she left the three with the boy, quickly moving. She began to run faster and faster before her body couldn’t even be seen. She moved at the speed of light, quite literally, speeding past everyone on the school grounds and into the auditorium where she had heard Tommy earlier. As she came upon the door, her body disappeared. She had become light again and slipped under the door. She kept to the floor, nothing more than a small spot of light as she moved by Tommy’s feet, listening in.

"You're the one who set me up? You're the one that started all of this?..."

Tommy asked, his voice shaking in rage. His tone just over a growl. Jason just stood, his confidence practically emanating off of him.

"Please Tommy, don't be so naive. You act like I'm some criminal mastermind. I'm just an agent, a private contractor."

Tommy's eyebrows twitched as Jason's influence began to invade his mind, slowly twisting the world around him. The darkness began to shimmer and distort in on itself as the so called agent spoke.

"This whole unfortunate night has been one horrific spectacle after another and you have no one to blame but yourself Mr. Castellano."

Tommy's fists clenched as he listened on, the fury building within him like the rage of some great death God as his world twisted around him.

"You think you can escape who you are? What you've done? Hardly... You have been traipsing around the manor on some great hunt for criminals but you're the biggest criminal of all and your actions tonight proved that. Threatening more than a handful of students, attacking a few more. Getting into a tussle with the X-Men themselves. Then of course there was the torture of that poor fellow in the hall by the Dance Floor."

Shadowy forms began to appear in the peripherals of Tommy's vision. Dark things from the deepest recesses of his mind. Hideous ghouls and demonic beings. Eyes alight with hellish intent. Claws and fangs hungering for the flesh of the man before Jason. Jason smiled confidently as he extended his arms to the forces around him.

"You see Tommy, you had the power out there bought and paid for with your daddy's blood money but in here?.... In here I am power."

Jason expected a look of concern or worry at the least. Fear would have been most likely but what he received however was something he did not expect. Where most men would have run or cowered in fear a viscous grin etched it's way onto Tommy's face as his fists clenched. Dark essence began swirling around him, consuming him and lifting him in its dark embrace. He hovered just off the ground as his influence reached out to steal the few flickering rays of light visible, darkening it past your standard darkness to a shadow only dreamt about in your worst nightmares. The specters created by Jason howled and were consumed by shadow as Tommy took control of the room. His dark gaze locked onto Jason who at this very moment was feeling a very real fear gripping his spine.

"You think you're power champ?... You got not idea what real power is. Power is the ability to put a bullet in a man while standing in a room full of cops and judges knowing that not a one of those fucking pigs will lift a finger to stop... That's power you can't buy. You know where power like that comes from hot shot? That's the power of fear. Fear of what would happen should you invoke the unholy fucking wrath of the one pulling the trigger. Do you wanna know why people fear the dark Jason? Because they don't know what's out there. They make up little stories to scare their kids in the hopes it'll make things easier but the most primal fear in human history is fear of the unknown, and it ain't goin anywhere. Fear of the dark things in the shadow of night. Ya see, people are always gunna fear the dark because they don't understand it... and ya always fear what ya don't understand. But me?... Oh I understand the darkness perfectly. Ya know why?..."

A wicked grin dawned on Tommy's face for one terrifying instant before the room swelled with raw power and he surged forward. A primal scream of terror howled from Jason's throat as the wraith that was Tommy consumed him. Guttural screams and cries filled the auditorium as shadowy tendrils and claws tore at Jason's flesh. Black constructs bit at him savagely tearing whole chunks of flesh off until Jason was dropped in a bloody, gory heap on center stage. Jason was breathing rapidly in pain and terror as his eyes stared out wildly at the dark figure looming over him like the angel of Death. Tommy stood over him, darkness clinging to him.

"Because I am the fucking Darkness."

With that six black spikes erupted from beneath Jason, impaling him. The gruesome spectacle was a horrifying sight but Tommy Castellano was unmoved. He had not achieved vengeance tonight. He did not gain justice. He gained something a great deal more satisfying. Punishment.

Cataleia ‘sat’ there – She listened and she watched, unable to not see what she was seeing. This was a side of Tommy that she had never in her life. Well, she had only known him for four months, but it was still a bit frightening to see. Among the Anjos da Guarda, she had seen a more terrible side from a number of people, but when she tried to imagine Tommy in such a rage, she never could. He was always so carefree with her. It was frightening to see the look on his face and to hear the way he spoke. To listen to his words. It wasn’t just the words, the actions, and the looks. It was the fact that it was him. Her Tommy. Once Jason lie there…dead…She reformed behind him, a light glow around her once more. At first, she was a bit hesitant. Was it one of those rages where everyone was the enemy until he calmed? Or was she safe to approach? She trusted him…She took a few barefooted steps forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering softly. “T-Tommy…?” Her blue eyes seemed confident, but there was a bit of awe behind them. A fearful awe. She moved around to be in front of him, letting her hand slide until her palm was caressing his cheek. “Bonbon…Are you okay…?” Before she could ask anything else, the auditorium doors flew open and Logan stood there, looking angrier than Cataleia had ever seen him.

“What the hell did you do, kid?!” He looked at Jason’s body lying in a pool of his own blood on the stage and shoved his palm into his face. “No, no, no! You shoulda just let us deal with him! You gotta get outta here. Cataleia, come with me. This ain’t good!” Logan liked Tommy and knew that he was a good kid. Just that good kid with a bad past that nobody wanted to let him live down and he was sorry for that. “I’m sorry, kid. But ain’t nothin’ good gonna come from this if you stick around here and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Logan grabbed Cataleia’s arm, but she wrenched out of his grasp.

“No, Logan! I’m…I’m not staying here.” What did she just say? Where was she going?

Logan looked at her and sighed, shaking his head.”Laura is holding them off for as long as she can. Get what you need and both of you get out. Please.” The burly, usually stern man was showing quite a bit of care at this moment.

Tommy turned in horror at what Cat said. Her words ringing in her head as Logan started trying to get them out of the mansion. The last thing Tommy wanted was for Cat to get mixed up in his shit. He spent his life keeping people who weren't part of the life out of his life. Broke a few hears and had his heart broken enough times as a result. He didn't want this to be like all those times before.

"Cat, Cat baby you can't-"

"C'mon kid lets go!"

Logan said rushing him out of the auditorium with Kitty in tow.

"We gotta get you two outta here before Scott sends his boys in. You and yer girl gotta be gone before then. You need somewhere safe to go, somewhere to lay low. You got anybody who can... "

Logan skidded to a stop forcing Tommy and Cat to look at him in confusion.

"Whats in your head Logan?"

Tommy asked. Logan's eyes flicked up and locked onto Tommy's as his plan sprang to life in his mind.

"Tommy... You gotta go home kid."

Tommy's world slowed to a crawl at that moment. Going back to the world he'd left behind was something that turned his head and his heart end on end. He couldn't go back, not to his father and the business. With what he was capable of his father could turn him into a terrifying weapon that would leave bodies stacked up in the street. The flip side of that is that Tommy, while the tough young mafioso and all that, the young man missed his family. He nodded before turning to Cat.

"Ok Logan, I'll make the call. I can have somebody pick us up as soon as we're far enough from the masnion... Kitty? It's your call... I know you got people who can take you in. Your dad can have you outta here and in the wind in like four seconds so..."

Tommy paused looking down as his hands reached out and took hers in his.

"But if you wanna stay with me... My family can take you in. It's just that... You know why I left, you're one of the few people who do. I don't want you dragged into that part of my life... The safe thing is for you to let your dad get you outta here but I know you well enough to know that telling you what to do ain't gunna do a whole hell of a lot so... It's up to you. Just know whatever you decide..."

His gaze rose and locked onto hers.

"I"ll protect you, I swear it."

“Kitty? It's your call... I know you got people who can take you in. Your dad can have you outta here and in the wind in like four seconds so...But if you wanna stay with me... My family can take you in. It's just that... You know why I left, you're one of the few people who do. I don't want you dragged into that part of my life... The safe thing is for you to let your dad get you outta here but I know you well enough to know that telling you what to do ain't gunna do a whole hell of a lot so... It's up to you. Just know whatever you decide...I'll protect you, I swear it.”

Cat was listening to the two as Logan towed her, though it was these words that brought a smile to her face. She let her slender fingers curl around his, pulling him closer to her as she locked her gaze with his in return. “When did I ever need protection?” An attempt to remain lighthearted in the situation at the time. He was right – Even now, her father had at least twenty Anjos da Guarda posing as students within the mansion. They probably already knew what was happening right now. Cat was leaving, but not with them. She knew that they’d leave when she left, but she didn’t have a problem with that. Her work here was done – For now. Their work. “Yeah, Tommy…he could. But he won’t. Because I’m going with you…but only if you let me drive.” Her eyes had begun to brim lightly with tears as she looked down some. “What…What kind of friend would I be to you if I just let you go back to face everything that you left on your own?” She looked back up at him and placed a hand against his cheek. “I could never do that to you. I love you.” It wasn’t the first time she had said it. But this time…There seemed to be so much more meaning behind it than ever before. She leaned up and placed her forehead against his, letting her nose brush gently against his as she whispered. “I’m your light. Okay? Yeah…It’s really corny. But it fits.” She laughed lightly on choked back tears as Logan grabbed her arm yet again and began pulling them out. “You two save that shit for when you’re safe.” Though, he couldn’t help but to be happy for the pair. Cataleia stopped and turned around. “Logan…What about you? Emma’s going to know that you-“

He shook his head. “I ain’t stickin’ around here long enough for her to find out. You guys got your shit to do and I got mine.”

Cataleia left him to it, shaking her head as she wrapped her fingers within Tommy’s pulling him behind her. Her father was waiting with two other Hispanic men when they went outside of the auditorium. He moved past Logan and grabbed his daughter’s arm. “Alright, we’re going to-“ Cat pulled from his reach and grabbed Tommy’s hand again.

“Daddy, I’m going with Tommy…”

Esteban stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. And then to Tommy. To the ground. And then Logan before back to Cataleia. He seemed to be thinking hard before sighing. “Alright…I figured you would. Your Mustang has all of your things in it. Or at least the things I knew you’d want first. We’ll get your other cars to base…be safe.” He wasn’t really the best at goodbyes, though he knew it wasn’t anywhere near permanent. He left them there quickly, tossing the keys to her car over his shoulder. “Actually – I feel like shit all of a sudden. Querido…you drive? You know where we’re goin’ anyways.” She offered a weak smile as a sudden spell of dizziness hit her in the face like a mallet, her small body leaning against his. The whole ‘moving at the speed of light’ thing was still relatively new to her and took a lot of energy.

Tommy couldn't help but swell with pride and passion as Cat threw herself in with him and everything that came with it, ready to go and take on whatever was in front of them. There wasn't a lot of people out there that would do something like that for someone like Tommy Castellano. He caught the keys from her and gave her a quick nod as they got into the Mustang.

Once in the drivers seat he put the keys in the ignition and the car sprang to life with a roar. Tommy lowered the window, looking back out of it at Logan who was standing a few yards away already sitting on his Harley. Tommy gave him a slow nod in thanks to which Logan returned. With that done he stepped on the gas and sped down the long driveway and passed the gates of the school. They were on the long dark country road from West Chester to the city in minutes. Tommy was silent up until this point. His mind grappling with what he would soon be faced with. This was going to be one of the hardest things he'd ever done in his entire life. Gone nearly a year with no word. He wouldn't be surprised if they thought he was dead. This was gunna be fun to explain to his old man. First things first however and he'd have to make the call and let someone know he was coming in. In the Italian Mafia if someone goes missing for too long that can only mean two things. He's dead or he's in witness protection. Both aren't good. If Tommy just showed up they could take him for a rat and that would go bad for everybody so he pulled out his cell and made the call. He breathed out a nervous sigh before pressing the call button and looking at Kitty.

"Well...here goes nothin."

With that he hit send and waited. The seconds passed by like hours as the phone rang. Waiting for the answer was nerve racking but when the other line picked up Tommy's heart leapt into his throat.

"Yeah hello?"

The voice on the other end was his cousin, Frank Zuko. Tommy had dozens upon dozens of cousins. Frankie was one of his fathers top men because above all else Frankie was smart. No matter what was going on Frank always could figure out some way to get them out of a jam no matter how big. This would test the limits of Frankie's resourcefulness.

"Hellooo?.... This better not be somebody playin on my fuckin phone."

"Hey Frank."

The voice on the other end fell silent as if in shock. Tommy could hear his breaths coming rapidly.

"T-Tommy?.... Tommy is that you?"

Frankie's voice was shaking on the other end with raw emotion. The sound of his beloved cousin's voice threatened to do the same to Tommy as he forced himself to maintain his composure as he drove down the dark road.

"Yeah Frankie, it's me."

"Jesus Christ Tom-Tom, we thought you was dead!"

"Yeah...figured that..."

"You ok Tommy? Who took you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine Frank, I'm ok.... Nobody took me."

Frank's voice hesitated for a moment as he tried to comprehend what Tommy had just said.

What do you mean nobody took you?

Tommy sighed and ran his hand through his hair before answering.

"It's complicated alright?... Look Frankie I'm comin home but... I need somebody to bring me in. Somebody I trust."

"Ok Tommy, Ok. Where do you wanna meet?"

"Meet me off the exchange to the highway. Just outside the city."

I'll be there Tommy... And hey Tom Boy?"

"Yeah Frankie"

"It's good to hear your voice kiddo."

"... You too Frank."

Tommy hung up the phone and hung his head with a long sigh. This was gunna be harder than he thought.

Cat had tuned out Tommy’s conversation as she unbuckled herself and leaned over into the backseat, rooting through the things that were packed into her car. “Good ole’ dad.” She smiled lightly. All of her clothes and jewelry, even the shoes she had left in Alex’s room where packed neatly into boxes. Cataleia was still in the black dress and mask from the party, debating on whether she should change or not. She began rooting through her clothes some before grabbing a pink, light cotton sundress. It wasn’t flashy, but at the same time it was sexy. Perfect fit. She would have asked Tommy to close his eyes but:

A – She didn’t care whether he saw her naked or not.
B – It wouldn’t be the first time he’d seen her half-naked.
C – It would probably cheer him up at this point.
D - He was driving.

She skillyfully shimmied out of the ebony dress and folded it up some, placing it in the place of the pink dress, laying her mask on top of it before slipping on her babydoll dress. The way she did it with ease suggested that it wasn’t her first rodeo with having to change on the go. She rebuckled her seatbelt and leaned back into the leather seats. “What a fucking night, huh?” And what a night it had been. Between making out with Tommy and busting a drug ring they’d been chasing the past two months and killing someone? It was pretty eventful. Something told her that more events were still to come. A thought that still remained in her head was where her relationship with Tommy now stood. Sure, their relationship status was something that they never talked about, simply going on as they pleased with one another and letting the masses think whatever it is that floated their boats, but after tonight, she was curious. But she wasn’t going to look like an idiot and ask. She’d just keep going with the flow and hoping he said something soon. Shaking the thought from her head for the millionth time since the kiss, she huffed softly and placed her head in her hands. “I really need to work on that running thing.” She puffed her cheeks up like a chipmunk before opening the glovebox and pulling out some Advil. She took two of them without water, gagging at the foul taste of the damp pills and the dryness that it left on her tongue and throat.

She was nervous and it was showing. She had heard from Tommy only stories of where he came from and now she was about to see. They didn’t know that he was a mutant. How would they react? Would they try to kill him…? And her? The thought frightened and angered her as she glanced outside the window. Behind her, she could see a trail of vehicles behind them; Anjos da Guarda…Her hand absentmindedly reached behind her and brushed against her back where a massive cross and rose tattoo lay.

On the ride to the exchange, the caravan behind them had already passed and sped on into the city when they stopped. Cataleia had fallen asleep with her legs dangling outside of the window, her seatbelt seeming to strangle her chest, and her body lopsided in her seat so that she was leaning against Tommy some, though seeming to slowly be slipping. It was almost comical the way she slept mostly because she didn’t even seem to notice. The glow from her body seemed to be a pulsating one matching the rhythm of her heartbeat while soft music of unknown origin seemed to seep from her very pores.

And then a car came into view with two men in suits standing beside it…

Tommy didn't want to wake Cat so he slipped out of the car without a word. There was a four door sedan parked with it's head lights facing the highway. Two men Tommy knew very well were standing there. The big guy was Lou Giordano.



The guy beside him was Frank.



Tommy took a few steps forward and couldn't help but allow a smile to etch its way onto his face. Frank looked like he was trying to keep his composure but was doing a shitty job as he sniffled to keep the tears back.

"That you kid?"

He asked as he made his way towards Tommy. Each step got faster and faster until he was on him. He threw his arms around Tommy and brought him in for a rough hug as he took in a deep shuttering breath like he just got the kid back from the dead.

"Yeah Frankie, it's me."

Tommy said. The emotion in his voice was evident too. Frankie Zuko was more than Tommy's cousin. He helped raise the boy. Frank let go and held Tommy's face in his hands as Lou lumbered up to his side.

"You ok Tommy boy? You hurt? Anybody hurt you?"

"Naah Frank I'm good."

Castellano replied shamefully. Lou put his big hand on the young man's shoulder before hugging him too.

"Damn it's good to see ya Tommy Gun. We thought you was dead."

Tommy let out a light chuckle before being released from the hug.

"Almost was a few times but I'm still breathin."

Frankie was overjoyed to see Tommy unharmed but it was obvious he was concerned with where he'd been.

"The hell happened to you Tommy? You don't exactly look like yous been kidnapped and ya ain't dead."

Castellano sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"No yeah it was nothin like that Frank... I uhh... Shit Frankie I dunno how to put this. I'm... a mutant."

Cat grunted as the car came to a stop, but remained sleeping. She began to shift in her seat as Tommy chatted with Frank and Lou, causing her to slip further out of the sleep and finally to the floorboard. A strangled yelp escaped her as the seat belt pulled tighter into her flesh and smushed against her chest and face. It was reflex as her body exploded into soft blue light, drifting out of the window where she reformed into a solid figure, leaning against the car, gasping a bit. Little flashes of lights like from camera bulbs went off around her as she puffed up her cheeks, trying to figure out where she was and what was going on. Shaking her head, she allowed herself and the lights to settle before glancing over at Tommy and the pair of men who happened to be staring at her like she had just sprouted tentacles and zillions of razor sharp teeth.

“Uh…Hey. Hope I’m not interrupting.” She gave a light-hearted and friendly smile, staying near the car. She watched the two men, wondering whether they were going to stare at her like she was a circus freak, shoot her, or regain the ability to speak and say something incredibly stupid at that moment in time. Those were the usual options and humans never failed to choose one. She almost made a game of trying to decide which one they would choose first.

Before Frank could say anything there was a yelp from the car. Tommy whipped around just in time to see a shining ball of light form outside of the car before Cat materialized out of the light. Lou let out an impressed whistle before speaking.

"Well I'll be."

Tommy groaned and rubbed his brow. If Frank was hesitant before he'd flip now. Tommy turned to Frankie but the older man didn't say a word. He just looked from Cat to Tommy.

"So you ran? Cause you're a mutie? You ran from your old man?"

Tommy nodded, the shame evident in his demeanor.

"C'mon Frankie, you know how pop is. If he found out I was a mutant he'd carve New York up in a bloody fucking weekend. I couldn't let that happen."

Frank just stared at Tommy for several long moments before he shook his head slowly.

"Tommy... You are one dumb guido you know that?"

"What?"

Tommy replied dumbfounded. Frank put one hand on the back of Tommy's neck to emphasize his words.

"You think you're the only mutant in the family? C'mon kid you gotta be smarter than that. Your old man knew all about who was a mutie and who wasn't, except you obviously. He kept that shit under wraps cause you know how people can be."

Tommy couldn't help but break out into a wide smile and a laugh.

"You're shittin me!"

He said before throwing his arms around Frank for a big hug.

"That's great! That means I can go home, see pop! Tell em what happened and everything will be good!"

Frank and Lou exchanged glances and shook their heads slowly.

"Ahh Jeez Tommy boy I don't know how to tell ya this..."

Tommy's entire demeanor shifted in that moment as he picked up on the gravity in Franks words.

"What happened Frank?"

Frankie sighed slowly before answering.

"Your old man... He got real worked up when you dissapeared. Thought you got grabbed by one of the other families lookin to make a push into our turf. As the weeks went by he started gettin more and more reckless... He was out with only one other guy when..."

Frank looked lost for words but Tommy wasn't interested in his uneasiness at breaking some bad news. Tommy's eyes filled with tears as he already knew what came next. But he needed to hear it. He needed to know. His hands shot out and he gripped Frank's shirt collar.

"What happened Frankie? Tell me!"

Frankie Zuko looked heartbroken to be the one to say it but did his duty.

"He's dead Tommy. He got gunned down."

Tommy's world seemed to come crashing down at that moment. To learn that his own foolish actions caused the death of his father was almost too much to bare. The knowledge that due to his own mistrust of his father resulted in the man who raised him being gunned down looking for him crushed Tommy. He became enraged, unwilling to believe the news.

"NO! NO fuckin way! That's bullshit! He ain't dead! He can't be! He can't!"

Rage gave way to grief and Tommy's legs buckled, unable to support his weight. He almost collasped if it wasn't for Lou and Frankie catching him and holding him up.

"It's ok Tommy boy, it's gunna be ok."

Cat couldn’t help but to grin a bit as it was mentioned that Tommy hadn’t been the only mutant in the family. She could see how it was possible – She wondered if they all retained their mutations after Wanda’s little stunt. Still, she wondered a bit if Tommy’s dad was all that bad of a guy – Apparently he had mutants on hand and New York was still in one piece. As she was contemplating this, she somewhat toned out what they were talking about as Tommy got excited about going home, a faint smile on her lips. It wasn’t until Tommy began shouting that she snapped back to reality and immediately went into a defensive pose, crouching a tad with her hands balled into fists, drawing light and converting it to energy, ready to blast someone. It was then that she recalled the conversation: His father was dead. She blinked slowly and went into a more natural position, approaching Tommy from the side. She eyed Frank and Lou as they eyed her in return, though Frank gave way for her to grab Tommy’s arm gently. “Querido. We need to get out of here…We need to go…home.” It was strange. Where was home? His family compound? There was a family compound, right? Cat had dealings with gangs before, but she had never been affiliated with the Mob until she had met Tommy and he didn’t like to talk very much about his past. She brushed a hand gently over his cheek, whispering in gentle, soothing tones. “C’mon, love. Emma and Scott probably have the team on their way here right now and we don’t know if Logan stuck around to hold them up.” She had only just seemed to have remembered that they had just left a boy dead at the mansion. She was surprised that they weren’t in cuffs and locked below the mansion right now. But there was still that risk. She looked to Frank with a serious gaze. “Can you lead the way there? We’re in a bit of hot water and we can’t be seen around here for much longer.” He nodded knowingly and grabbed Lou, motioning him to get back into the sedan.

Cat had Tommy, guiding him to the mustang gently, whispering reassurances in his ear. Tonight just was not his night. After having situated him in the passenger seat, she buckled him up and quickly got into the driver’s seat. She peeled out behind the mobsters, not daring to look back. It seemed that they had been driving forever. The drive was silent as Cat wasn’t sure what to say. She never was good at comforting those who had lost loved ones. She didn’t know how to tell them to cope and things would get better. Hell, she was still having her own hallucinations of dead loved ones. Tommy didn’t even know that. This isn’t about your problems. Tommy’s having a shit night! Be there for him! She chided herself mentally. As they entered the city limits, Cat reached over and placed a hand over Tommy’s, lacing her fingers with his. “Be strong, querido.” Her voice was a soft whisper as she glanced over at him briefly before looking back to the road.




They seemed to finally come to an end, arriving just outside the city limits. She blinked a bit as she looked at where they had arrived. The home was…breathtaking. Xavier Mansion was one thing. But this…Maybe she was being partial to how beautifully it was lit up. She pulled up behind Frank and Lou as the gates closed behind her, parking a few feet away. She felt a bit uneasy as men and women seemed to be coming from everywhere in the home, curious as to where Frank and Lou had been and who the hell he had with him. As she and Tommy exited the car, she could hear the gasps and mutterings of them all. They all had questions.

Where did Tommy go?
Why did he leave?
Did he run away with the girl in tow?
Did he know about his father’s death?
Was he coming back to take his place as the head of the family?
Was he going to stay?

She uncharacteristically shyed up and moved closer to Tommy, seeming to attach herself to him as she quickly gripped his hand and pressed against him. As far as she saw it, she was among strangers. Gangsters. Mobsters. And she was direly outnumbered. And she couldn’t tell who was human and who was mutant. Cat actually felt scared. Why? These are Tommy’s people. He won’t let them hurt you. Stay strong for him! Don’t let him see you cowering like a weak little girl. She chided herself mentally again and slightly loosened her grip on Tommy’s hand, smiling lightly up at him as if trying to instill in him some confidence.

The ride home went by in a blur. The raw emotion filling his entire being. All Castellano could feel was the pain of loss. The agonizing burning of guilt searing his soul. His mind screamed at himself in rage for what he'd caused. Then a voice, soothing and comforting reached him. It was melodious and comforting, like a faint candle light in a snow storm. Cataleia's voice soothed his pain enough for him to focus and realize where they were. He was home, Frank had led Cat and him back to the place where Tommy grew up. Filled with so many memories it almost brought a tear to his eyes if they weren't already wet with the tears of loss.

Tommy got out of the car with Cat holding on tight. She was understandably apprehensive. She was standing among some of the most dangerous and notorious members of the New York Mafia and with Tommy out of it the way he was she was no doubt feeling very vulnerable. His jaw tightened as he resigned himself to hold it together. He stood up a little straighter and was no longer leaning on Cat for support but instead, allowed her to lean on him. He looked down at her and looked deeply into her eyes. The unspoken words of encouragement passed from his gaze into hers.

"C'mon babe, let's get this over with."

He said to her, trying to sound like he was dying on the inside. He turned to look ahead with a deep breath before following after Frankie and Lou. They were pushing anyone dumb enough to get in the way and ask some stupid ass questions as they led them into the house.

"Move ya fuckin mooks."

Frank barked. Lou shook his head with a grumble as he brought us into the foyer.

"Vultures."

He growled. Tommy stepped up behind Lou and put a hand on his massive shoulder.

"They're confused Lou, they got a right to be."

Lou nodded respectfully with a sigh.

"Yeah you're right, sorry Boss."

The simple term caught Tommy off guard and he had to take a second to let it sink in. Boss, with his dad dead Tommy was now the head of the Castellano family. Any thoughts or misgivings about who'd be calling the shots were thrown out the window as soon as Tommy stepped out of that car. The families were always led through a line of succession, through blood. Anthony Castellano didn't have any other legitimate children so Tommy took the proverbial throne without question. Tommy looked to Cat and just having her looking back at him was enough to reassure him that everything was going to be alright. He could do this, he had to.

It was then that Tommy actually looked up for this first moment since coming back home at the interior of his family home.



Marble floors, polished to a shine with ivory accents around the entire room. The crystal chandelier was a favorite target of Tommy's growing up. He used to shoot rubber bands at it which used to piss the cleaning crew off to no extent. The bitter sweet memory made him smile, only in the faintest. Tommy's hand curled around Cat's waist as he to lead her upstairs with Frankie and Lou close behind.

"Frank, give Cat and I a few minutes. Then I wanna talk to everybody. Sit em down and hash this shit out. We just... we just need a few mintues."

Frank nodded understandingly.

"Take all the time you need Tommy."

He said as he opened the door to the master bedroom.

"Pop's room?"

Tommy asked, trying to hold his emotion at bay.

"Your room now."

Tommy had to pause and take yet another deep breath in order to step foot in there but Tommy gave Frankie a nod and walked Cat inside the bedroom as Lou and Frank closed the door behind us and stood guard just outside. The bedroom, like the rest of the mansion was lavishly decorated. The furniture was elegant and ornate, made of a deep dark wood. The bed was massive with exorbitantly expensive imported crimson covers. The walls were a dark forest green with a gold emblazoned checker pattern across it. The room screamed of wealth yet was warm as the lantern like lamps cast a soft orange glow into the darkness of the bedroom. Tommy brought Cat over to the bed and brought them both down to take a seat on the edge of the bed before he turned to her. He tried to speak, tried to say something reassuring or strong. Something, anything. All he could do was pull her in close and hold her and allow himself to lose himself in her embrace for a few precious moments.

Cataleia shuffled in behind Tommy, staying close. She took a moment to marvel at the lovely room, basking in the soft glow of the room. She closed the door behind them and allowed him to tow her to the bed where she sat so close to him, she might as well have just clambered into his lap. She watched every inch of his facial features as he tried to speak as she herself tried to keep from breaking down into tears for him. When he abruptly pulled her close, she closed her eyes and wrapped her own slender arms around him and let only small, silent tears roll down her cheeks, staining her face with now-moist makeup. She didn’t care to stain his outfit now as she buried her face against his shoulder and neck, inhaling his scent deeply. For a few moments, she allowed them to sit in silence, simply letting the moment be there. She took a deep breath and placed a gentle kiss on his neck before whispering. “Meu amor…We’re gonna make it through this.” She moved her hands to his, entwining her fingers with his. “We gotta be strong. I know we can do this; With me by your side and you by mine.” It wasn’t the best motivational speech, but she hoped that it worked even the slightest bit as she moved her head some to look at him with the faintest of smiles, giving him a quick peck on the lips. “Are you ready, baby?”

Tommy allowed the shadow of a smile to appear on his face. Not a smile of joy or pleasure but of strength. True strength, the kind of strength only achieved when given purpose in the arms of the one who held your heart. Tommy took in a deep breath before sliding his hand along the back of Cataleia neck, tenderly brushing her hair aside as he did so before he brought her in close and kissed her passionately.

"Yeah... Let's do this."

He said as he stared deeply into her sparkling eyes that captivated him like the rarest of gems. Resigned to what had to be done he got to his feet and stripped his suit jacket off and tossed it onto a nearby chair.

"I gotta get outta these clothes, they're covered in Jason's blood and a few bad memories I'd rather be rid of."

He said as he loosened his tie before throwing it too on the chair, soon followed by his shirt. Tommy took a minute allowing the glistening sweat to dry off his finely sculpted chest as he ran his hand through his hair and stared at himself in the mirror. His mind for the briefest of seconds saw his father staring back at him as if he'd just finishing mopping the floor with some sap in the ring. Castellano allowed the vision to fade before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

"God I look like shit."

He said with a weak chuckle before dissapearing into the bathroom. Once in the shower he allowed the hot water to pour over his body, washing away the grief and pain down the drain. He had to let it go, tears wouldn't bring his father back. Weakness wouldn't fix things. His mind needed to be clear and his intentions resolved to do what was needed. Tommy stayed in the hot water for a while allowing the bathroom to fill with steam before finally shutting the water off and stepping out of the tub.

The master bathroom, like the rest of the house was stunningly beautiful. With ivory bathroom fixtures and polished marble counters. Tommy stood in front of the mirror brushing his teeth before he set to combing his jet black hair. That done he finally opened the door to the bedroom to get dressed. The instant he did steam from the hot shower spilled out into the room as Tommy stepped onto the soft carpet.

The kiss had come unexpectedly, but Cat didn’t mind as she returned said passionate kiss hungrily as if doing so would give him all the confidence in the world. To her, it seemed that each time they kissed tonight, it seemed to make the shitty day just a little bit better. But that was just her. The kiss ended too soon and left her pouting as she watched Tommy strip down for a shower. She had debated on whether or not she should join him, but decided that she’d just sit on the bed. She wanted to go out to the car to get her clothes, but she wasn’t going to leave Tommy’s side here until she felt comfortable. Barefooted, she played with the hem of the short, thin dress and pursed her lips some. She closed her eyes and tuned out the sounds of the people in the massive compound, all whispering about Tommy and ‘That girl’ he had brought home. All wondering what was going on. There was confusion, anger, and even talk of not allowing Tommy to come back from nowhere to take over. Tuning it all out, she listened instead to the soft singing of Frank Sinatra from somewhere mingling with the crickets and birds singing their night songs. A light sigh of longing escaped her as she wanted to just faceplant into the soft pillows and blankets and just…sleep. She heard the bathroom door open and in turn opened her eyes.

She was a tad taken aback seeing Tommy standing there naked, but she didn’t hesitate to admire the sight. Shamelessly as always, she took a few moments to give appreciative head nods and ‘Mhm’s as her eyes traveled over his physique. Finally, she spoke. “You should work on your biceps and deltoids a bit more.” Grinning, she stood up and fished her iPhone out from its usual hiding place between her breasts. She had her dad on speed dial and quickly called him up.

“Hey daddy….Yeah, I’m alright….We’re at his family home…Things are fine sorta…Yeah, I saw…Alright…We can meet at Starbucks tomorrow maybe…Okay….I will….I love you, daddy…”

She ended the phone call swiftly and exhaled slowly, looking to Tommy. “You plan on getting dressed?”

Tommy chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck with a smile.

"Yeah I'll get right on that."

He picked out a suit and was dressed in minuets. He paused momentarily in front of the mirror to be certain everything was in place as he casually tugged on his cuff links. Satisfied he breathed out a quick breath to ready himself for what was to come as he adjusted his tie. Tommy turned and crossed the room to stand in front of Cat, casually sliding one of his hands into his pants pocket.

"I gotta go down and talk to em... I'd like you to come. Introduce you to em ya know? If you'd rather stay here I completely understand though. Your call beautiful."

Tommy said with an easy tone.

Cataleia hummed, watching him get dressed with a light smile. She was wondering to herself when she’d be introduced to the people here or if he’d just chat with them, head to bed, and she’d explain who she was whenever she randomly crossed someone who asked as she explored the house. It was then that Tommy had finally gotten dressed, playing a bit with his fancy cufflinks as he addressed exactly what was on her mind. She narrowed her eyes playfully and puffed up her cheeks. “What have I told you about getting in my head?” She then simply giggled and moved over to his side. “Yeah, I’d like that. Everyone is dying to know why Tommy brought home a ‘spick’.” She rolled her eyes some and wrapped one arm about his waist, tugging him to go. After he had wrapped his own arm around her, she allowed him to tow her out of the room. Even still, she marveled at the home. It was simply breathtaking, causing her to constantly stare at something as Tommy guided her down the hall to what she assumed to be a conference room. She took a deep breath as Tommy entered the room that was filled with people who had been shouting at one another – They hushed as soon as Tommy crossed the threshold. Cat didn’t sit down when Tommy sat in the head seat, merely standing beside him and studying each face. Frank and Lou both offered her light smiles and nods that she gladly returned. They were all waiting for Tommy now. Finally, after quite a long silence, a man with slicked back auburn hair wearing what Kitty identified as a Gucci suit, stood up, his piercing green eyes glaring at Tommy. “Alright. So we all wanna know: Why’d you leave, why’d you come back AFTER the old man got hit, why weren’t you at his funeral, and who’s the spick bitch you got and why’s she here?” He was brutal and to the point, making it known that he wasn’t going to kiss up to the new boss and probably didn’t even want Tommy around. Something about the man told Cat that he and Tommy weren’t really best friends before either…She did bristle a bit as the man addressed her. m

Tommy's gaze flicked up to the source of the voice. Gianni De Luca was a long standing member of the family. He and Tommy never really saw eye to eye on a lot of things but Gianni always gave Tommy his due respect due to who his father was. With Anthony Castellano gone Gianni apparently was feeling brave. Tommy glared at Gianni with a wicked stare that could break stone. His body flexed in anger as he worked to restrain himself from smearing the walls with Gianni's blood.

"So... My old man's death got you a pair big enough to talk like that to me huh? Let me explain something to you, you piece of shit. You mouth off like that again and I'll rip you to pieces myself. We clear?"

Tommy's voice exhumed the danger of a caged lion. Gianni faltered as he looked at the new head of the Castellano crime family but seemed unwilling to give up his only chance to vie for power.

"Listen Tommy you-"

Tommy shot to his feet, cutting him off. A black tendril materialized and darted forward before wrapping around Gianni's neck. Black essence pooled off Tommy's body in a smokey cloak of terrifying dark ichor.

"No... You listen. I am the head of this family now. This ain't up for debate. I ain't askin you shit. I'm tellin you. You ever talk about her like that again and I'll send you to hell in chunks. Got it?"

Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. They all just looked on in fear and respect as Tommy dealt out the punishment to his subordinate. Gianni croaked in pain as he struggled to breath but coughed out two words.

"A-Alright b-boss."

With that the shadow disapated and Gianni dropped to the floor, clutching his throat. Gianni rubbed his throat in pain as he coughed before taking his seat. Tommy remained on his feet, his gaze fixed on Gianni. He stared until Gianni averted his gaze. Tommy looked around at every face in the room before speaking.

"Let me clear up any confusion before going forward. Cataleia is with me. You will all treat her with the respect due to the lady of this house. She is to be treated the same way my mother was when she was alive. Anyone who has an issue following that will deal with me."

The warning was not up for negotiation and the members of the family knew that. None said a word as their bosses terrible power was on display. Finished with this unsavory message Tommy took his seat with before looking around at the faces in the room.

"Now Gianni may be a dumb fuck but I'm sure you all are wondering alot of the same things he was. I mean to answer your questions here and now."

Tommy took a second to collect himself. The darkness had subsided and in it's place was the vulnerability of a child who lost a parent, a fatherless son.

"I wasn't kidnapped. I didn't go to the feds. I wasn't in wit pro.... I ran.... I ran because of what I could do.... You know now that I'm a mutant. I... I thought my father was a lesser man and it cost him his life. That mistake is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life and I will NEVER forgive myself for it."

Tommy allowed his words to sink in for a few moments as he struggled to keep the pain of this fresh loss in check.

"I was at the Xavier Institute seeking refuge but old habits die hard. I had to kill a drug dealer who framed me. That's how I ended up on the outside. That's when I reached out to Frankie. He is the one that brought me in, told me about my old man. I promise you all I'm gunna run this family and make him proud. I'm gunna do right by all of you, if you're ready to follow me."

Tommy's gaze scanned the room and everyone seemed to be in agreement as many of his family members smiled proudly at the strength Tommy was showing. The show of silent support swelled Tommy's heart with pride.

"I'm gunna find out who ordered the hit. First order of business though is to make sure everyone knows that the Castellano family is back and as strong as ever, stronger. Send the boys out in force. Make waves, I want to send a message."

The order was well received as several people voiced their agreements.

"Fucking A boss!"

"Shit yeah Tommy!"

"We're behind ya Tommy Gun."

Tommy got to his feet.

"Good, now get outta here ya mooks."

There were a few chuckles but everyone filed out except Lou, Frankie, Cat and Tommy's Aunt Sara. She walked over to Tommy and took his face in her hands before kissing him on either cheek.

"Oh sweetheart, I know this can't be easy coming back to. How you holding up?"

Tommy just shrugged trying to bury his pain.

"I'm fine Aunt Sara."

His Aunt stared at him unconvinced, her intuition evident on her displeased expression as she took a step back and pointed a finger in his face.

"Hey, don't pull that shit with me Tommy. You never could lie to me worth a damn."

Castellano chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm just trying to keep my head above water. Bout all I can do now."

Aunt Sara seemed satisfied with his response and her warm smile returned.

"Wanna hear a big secret? You're father used to say the same thing to me all the time. Now whose this beautiful girl whose too good for my little Tommy?"

She asked walking past Tommy to Cataleia. She held her hands out to embrace Cat in a hug as Tommy came in behind her.

"This is Cat. Cat, this is my Aunt Sara."

Cataleia watched as Tommy lashed out at the man – He got what he deserved, as far as she was concerned. She watched carefully to see if anyone would flinch from fear or shock. None. She watched even more carefully to see if any would attempt to help the man. Not a single damn one of them. She continued standing there, though she did lean against his chair some – It was late, it had been a long and stressful night, and she was tired. Her nap in the car didn’t really help much as far as regaining her energy. But she wasn’t going to excuse herself for sleep; she couldn’t let Tommy do this alone. The look on everyone’s face was priceless as they marveled even after Tommy had put away the shadows. Her own face took one of light surprise when he announced for her to be treated as lady of the house. She was beyond touched and wondered if she could ever doubt him after this. She smiled softly – Sometimes she found it hard to believe that she had only known him a small four months. It felt like she had known him her whole life. It wasn’t hard for her to picture the pair of them playing together as children. If only they hadn’t grown up in two totally different worlds. Cataleia shook her head as she came out of her daydream and noticed everyone filing out. Gianni kept his head down as he walked past her, causing her to suppress a smirk. The others would stop by and offer her a warm welcome and introduce themselves, as she would return the same. It was then that Cataleia found herself being addressed. With a smile that was growing ever sleepier, she approached the woman introduced as Aunt Sara. The hug was very much welcomed, Cat letting it linger some before she leaned back into Tommy, turning her body some so that she could rest her head against his shoulder and wrap her arms around his waist. “Hello Miss Sara. It’s nice to finally meet you – I didn’t think I ever would.” She gave a light giggle. She honestly had never in her life imagined that Tommy would find himself back here, much less with her right beside him. But, here they were. “I’m Cataleia – But everyone calls me Kitty or Cat.” She reintroduced herself, blinking the sleep away. Or at least attempting to. “This is Javier and Melina.” She looked to her left where a small boy of about eight was standing – He looked like her. He had bright blue eyes, soft brown skin, and a shaggy head of chocolate hair. The woman standing next to him looked like an older version of Cataleia. Kitty smiled back to Sara but frowned a bit at her quizzical look.

“Who? You have the power to see the dead…?” Sara noticed the tattoo on the young woman’s forearm, assuming that the Javier and Melina on inked to her flesh were the same as the ones she had introduced.

Kitty looked back to where Javier and Melina had appeared and saw them fade away as if they were dust being blown away by unseen wind. Blinking back tears, Cataleia realized how stupid and crazy she must come off as now. “Excuse me…I think I need to lie down.” She disentangled herself from Tommy and quickly made her way out of the room, taking off back to the room. She slammed the door behind her, shedding her dress and leaving it on the floor as she strode to the bathroom. She began to fill the bath with warm water and vanilla with cherry blossom bubble bath mix. She quickly stepped in and sank down until her nose was just above the bubbles. She used her toes to shut off the tap, closing her eyes.

The soak lasted for hours - When she woke up, she was startled to have found herself naked in bed. She smiled and curled into the plush duvets so that the moment might last longer. It was nine in the morning, though and she knew she shouldn't dally. She snapped her fingers causing two hands of blue light to appear. The hands zoomed out of the room, out of the house, out to the car, and then back. They had returned in three pairs with her things. Wasting no time, she began her morning routine just as she would any other day. She used her helping hands like always, standing as they dressed her, did her hair, and adjusted her makeup. She wore a pair of denim daisy dukes with a pink tank top and had her hair pulled into a French braid. Her makeup consisted only of dark eyeliner, mascara, and chocolate flavored lip balm.

Ready to take on the world, she decided to have breakfast first. Phone in hand and smile on bright, she exited the room and slid down the banister. She reeked of fresh honeysuckle; a result of her foot knocking the bubble bath mix into the tub when she had fallen asleep the previous night. She was greeted by the residents and workers, to which she offered cheery good mornings. It took her a while to navigate before she found the kitchen. It was empty, but she made herself at home and took up post around the fridge and stove. As she began to sing, her voice echoing in the arches, the scent of fresh bacon, eggs, and waffles began to attract others to the kitchen. She was happy, seeming to have forgotten about the incident at Xavier's as she waited for Tommy. She ended up cooking a lot more than expected, soon stained with flour and egg whites.

Tommy Castellano had been awake for hours. His night had ended late but the time spent with Cat had done more for him than days of sleep. Spending the night in that warm embrace that only lovers could share between the expensive sheets of Tommy's bed had worked miracles for the young man. He had gotten up early knowing he'd have to knuckle down in the days to come. He had a lot of work ahead of him and he needed to prepare for what was to come. Castellano was in his fathers, now his, office with Frank. Like two generals the men were pouring over a map of New York City. On the map Tommy and Frank had pain stakingly outlined the territories of all the major players in the city. The triads, biker clubs, hood gangs, and especially the Five Families. Everyone had their place for Tommy to get a good strategic look at the opposition. Scattered throughout the map were red and blue pins. The blue pins were designated to Castellano's turf or turf that belonged to his allies. The red belonged to enemies, needless to say there was considerably more red on the board.

Tommy sighed and ran his hand through his ebony hair and he leaned on the large oaken desk the map was sprawled out on.

"So you're telling me we lost the docks, all of em?"

"Belmonte had his people move in right after your pop died."

Frank said with a shake of his head.

"Fucking assholes. So much for loyalty."

"Loyalty is tough to keep when there is no one around to be loyal to."

Frank said knowingly. Tommy's gaze flicked up in anger but his temper cooled quickly. Frank wasn't trying to be smart, just speaking the truth. That being said if anyone else had said that they might be picking up their teeth.

"Ain't the PR's in that area? Can we reach out to Angel?"

Tommy asked referring to the long standing alliance his family had with the local gang of Puerto Rican's ran by a man named Angel Colon. Angel was a big guy but had a warm heart when he wasn't carving up up start gangs trying to move in on his turf with a machete.

"The Puerto Ricans have been getting hammered since we went on the decline. Without us to back him up the Albanians and 8th street ballers have been hitting them hard."

"Fuck..."

Tommy repiled with a growl.

"What about Aunt Chen and the Sun on Yee?"

Tommy asked grasping for a life line.

"It ain't Aunt Chen anymore Tommy Gun. She died, cancer finally got her, her nephew your old boy Wei Shen is running things. The triads have closed their borders. They haven't lost any ground but haven't grown at all. They haven't had a sit down with any one else after your pops death."

"Glad to hear Shen moved up in the world, that should make things easier cause we're gunna have to change their minds about keeping their borders closed. Set up a meet, we're gunna need help to back up Angel."

Frank smiled, visibly pleased with Tommy's decision.

"You got it Tom-Tom."

He said before leaving the office and Castellano alone in the room. Tommy took a few minutes to collect himself as he surveyed the map a bit more before getting to his feet. His stomach rumbling he needed something to eat or at least a cup of coffee. He could've called someone in to get it for him but he wanted to strecth his legs. The decsion payed off as he saw Cat cooking breakfast in the kitchen, happily singing to herself. The lightshow created by her music was trully spectacular.

"Morning beautiful."

Tommy said with a warm smile as he corssed his arms over his chest and leaned on the door way.

Cataleia had just served up another stack of pancakes to the crowd of people and was taking off her apron to fix her own plate and set one aside for Tommy when she heard him approaching. His voice brought a smile to her face. She paused her singing to sashay over, placing a kiss just barely on his lips. “Good morning, Tommy. Let me fix you a plate.” She assumed that he woke up and went straight to business; that was the Tommy she knew. She moved back to the stove and grabbed a plate, piling it with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. She placed two orange halves on either side and moved to the table where everyone made room for her. “Thank you for getting me out of the bathtub last night, bonbon. I didn't mean to pass out there and I didn't mean to take off on you and Aunt Sara like that.” Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment as she tucked a stray curl behind her ear and fetched him a fork and a glass of milk. There was butter and syrup already on the table. She moved back to the table and motioned for him to come forward and eat. She wouldn't have time to eat much because she had to meet her dad in less than an hour.