Author: EndlessD
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Buffy in any way or form.
Summary: A story about mutants who are unwelcome in society at large.

The redhead quickly made sure to hide herself when the cops came by. She scowled as she watched them pass. Her fingers itched to hold a gun, but she managed to calm them down. Now was not the time to get herself into trouble.

She casually glanced around, making sure it was safe to move on. I was, so she did.

The night air was cool and crisp. At least something was good. Sighing, she made her way through the deserted alleys.

Looking at her watch, it didn't look like she'd be getting any sleep tonight. Sighing, she called in the 'base' and told them.

She curled up and slept in the alley that night.

The noise from the crowds roused her from her sleep. Digging through her pack, she pulled out an old shall and hat. Wrapping herself up, she was pretty sure that, upon a not so close look, she wouldn't be identified.

Walking out of her hiding place, she... well... noticed wouldn't even be the right word to use.

The streets were packed with people. Mostly protestors from the looks of it. They marched through the streets, their anti-mutant banners fluttering in the wind.

They disgusted her. She couldn't stand those that hated her kind. They didn't understand what it was to be like her. Or...

The anti-mutant laws disgusted her even more. They were just... She scowled even at the thought of them. Heck, quite a few Normals despised them. No parent wanted a child to grow up to become, in the eyes of the law, a non-human.

Of course, if she and her sister had anything to say, eventually, all those laws would be repealed.

Both of them were Radiated Humans, or at least, that was the technical term. Radies was the street talk.

Really, it was the government's fault. They'd been the ones to accidentally infect it.

She quickly slipped in through the crowd. Hopefully, no one would notice her. Now was not the time to get caught, not this close to Home.

She finally managed to slip away and was about to take cover in an older apartment unit when a hand clasped down onto her shoulder.

Only her training kept her from bashing the woman's skull in.

"Sorry," the blonde apologized.

"It's alright, ya kinda spooked me for a moment there!" she joked. The woman, she noticed, was rather attractive, though not really her type.

"Sorry again."

The woman, she noticed, had bags of groceries piled in her arms. She smiled to herself, seeing that she wasn't carrying any anti-mutant signs.

I'm too freakin nice, she thought. "Ya need any help there?" she asked, gesturing toward the groceries.

The woman smiled. "Thanks. That'd be n-nice."

Manners, she reminded herself. "Yer welcome."

The two of them headed off in silence. Unfortunately, that didn't last.

"So," the woman began, "Do you live around h-here?"

It wasn't the best idea to tell the truth. "No. I'm in visiting."

"Who?"

"People." The woman looked down, embarrassed. She sighed. "What about you?"

"I uh... I just moved here."

The woman stopped. "Well, this is my stop."

She watched as the woman opened the door and handed her the groceries.

"Thank you." The woman said.

Again she had to remind herself. Manners! "Welcome." She mumbled.