The Story So Far.... Okay, I admit it--this has turned into a Really Long Story. The purpose of these notes is to give potential new readers an idea of whether or not they might like this story, without having to commit a whole lot of downloading/reading time up front. The chapter descriptions here are deliberately made to be non-explicit, to avoid ruining the story for those who hate spoilers.) Part 1--The Ticket: They meet.... (This would be Hank McCoy and a romance novelist named Cassie, in New York on business.) Part 2--Talking to Strangers: ...and get acquainted. Part 3--Inching Up to the Brink: Hank asks Cassie out for dinner and dancing, and reads a puzzling fragment from her latest book. Part 4--Falling In Slow Motion: More conversation, on a slightly more personal level. What do Hank and Steven Wright have in common? Part 5--At Silver's: Their evening of fun is cut short because of an attempted assault by a mutant-phobic punk. Part 6--Specters of the Past: (explicit) The blossoming relationship is threatened by Cassie's fear of physical intimacy. Part 7--The Morning After: (explicit) Unwilling to end their time together any sooner than he has to, Hank invites Cassie home for lunch. Speculation from his teammates begins. Part 8--Public Appearances: Hank shows Cassie his image inducer, and they discuss the pros and cons of his wearing it. Part 9--First Impressions: The professor's reaction to Hank's new friend is somewhat less than enthusiastic. Part 10--Dangerous Dreams: The X-men deal with an anti-mutant riot in the Danger Room, and Cassie has to deal with what this tells her about Hank's life. Part 11--Picking Winners: Attending an awards ceremony with Cassie, Hank finds more evidence that the Friends of Humanity are still a minority. Part 12--Hank's Bad Day: One of Those Days for poor Hank. It includes kitchen fires, uncooperative machinery, and a highly personal chat with Professor Xavier. Part 13--Happy Landings: Cassie gets to see the image inducer in action. Hank gets to see the infamous Denver International Airport. Part 14-Meeting the Folks: Dinner with Cassie's parents at Casa Bonita, a Unique Dining Experience in more ways than one. Part 15--Beware of the Cat: Hank meets Cassie's pet--'nuff said! Part 16--Plans and Possibilities: Hank learns more details about Cassie's past, which leads to tentative discussions of their future. Part 17--Taking Chances: A near tragedy causes Cassie to reassess her concerns about getting serious. Part 18--Room Service and Other Comforts: Postponing their camping trip for a day, Hank and Cassie try to relax at a nice hotel. Part 19--The Road Less Traveled By: Hank muses on his muddled feelings, after a call back to the mansion. Part 20--Shadows in the Starlight: A little communing with Nature puts things in perspective. Part 21--Grand Lake: You can't go home from vacation without presents! But the fun is cut short by unpleasant news when Cassie calls home. Part 22--Life in the Breakdown Lane: Hank and Cassie are stuck with a flat and no jack, until a carload of strange folk stop to help. Part 23--Family Matters: Hank meets Cassie's grandmother, cousin and oldest friend, and sees a new side of his Western gal. Part 24--Homeward Bound: One last, strange shopping event, which makes for an awkward meeting at Hank's home airport. Bobby receives a traditional squelching. Part 25--Simple Gifts: Finding a present to suit someone's personality is often tough. When it's the whole X-team.... Part 26--Girl Talk: In which Hank is compared with Fabio, and general female bonding occurs. Part 27--Comforts of Home: Hank settles back into his lab routine. Bishop gets clued in on the facts about PMS. Part 28--Initiation: To try to settle some of his doubts, Xavier has an after-dinner chat with Hank and Cassie. Part 29--Open Secrets: Rogue takes Cassie for a little aerial spin, and Bobby and Sam help Cassie get her feet on the ground. Part 30--Good Intentions: Bobby tells Storm and Jean his guess about why Cassie's so shy around strangers. Part 31--Confrontations: Hank, Cassie and several of the X-men go to Silver's for fun, but instead encounter difficulties. Part 32--Every Stop is a Place to Start: Cassie decides she needs to try harder to fit in. Hank tries to help with a new Danger Room workout. Gambit confronts Rogue about her hostile attitude. Part 33--Whispers Out of the Past: An unexpected visitor named Joseph shows up, creating quite a stir. Part 34--Judgement Calls: Bishop doesn't trust Cassie. Cassie's worried she's embarrassing Hank. Joseph worries everyone. Part 35--Crosscurrents and Riptides: Hank argues with Xavier about Cassie. Hank calls his folks and Cassie hears from her agent. Part 36--Past Tensions, Future Trials: All from Joseph's POV, ending in his learning the truth about his amnesia. Part 37Part 37--High Spirits at Muir Island: Hank takes Cassie along when he's asked to help repair the damage Nate did, only to find a mystery in progress. Could it really be a poltergeist? Part 38--Growing Things: The Gen X students come for check-ups, and Xavier has a brilliant idea about a useful job for Cassie. Part 39--The Best Defense: An innocent visit to the Danger Room turns into a nightmare for Cassie. Part 40--Prelude: Uh-oh! X-Force is dropping by for a visit! Three teams at once strains even the X-mansion's resources!