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Tommy is making a rare appearance in the kitchen when Sooraya comes in looking for cleaning supplies. He gets to show off his mutation when her limited English skills cause Sooraya to mix two poisonous chemicals. All goes well, untill Tommy distances himself again

Tommy hated the kitchen. There was always people there and he often couldn't just go get food without someone trying to interact with him. Did it ever occur to anyone that he may want to get his food in piece?

Thankfully, he had found a time when the kitchen was usually empty. Having gathered the makings of a PB&J sandwich, Tommy was spreading the peanut butter and wondering what kind of fruit was in the pantry, content in the quiet, just the way he liked it.

Unfortunately, his solitude was broken a minute later when a figure shuffled in, though it didn't seem like the silence was broken with it. Sooraya paused as she entered, looking at Tommy almost apprehensively. She had been intending to find the cleaning supplies which Nathan had told her were stored under the sink with some sort of child-proof lock on the cabinet. Of course, it wasn't unusual to find other people in the kitchen, but this person was new, and new people were intimidating. She hesitated a moment longer and then forged ahead, crossing the room to the sink and kneeling in order to open the cabinet up. Hopefully this wouldn't take long.

Tommy was hoping the same thing. She must be one of the new kids everyone was talking about. Just because he didn't add to the chatter didn't mean he didn't hear it. If she wasn't going to bother him, then he wasn't going to bother her so he just kept on making his sandwich, as if no one else was there.

She managed to get the cupboard open without too much fuss, and was amazed to find a huge array of bottles and cans arranged there, all covered with brightly-colored labels which of course made no sense at all. She had no idea which ones were good for what, but she didn't want to go back empty-handed. Spotting a bucket, she pulled it out and then reached for the nearest bottle, a heavy opaque jug that was about half-full of liquid. Uncapping it, she wrinkled her nose at the strong smell that came from within. ~If it cleans half as strongly as it smells...~ she thought, tipping it into the bucket.

Once she was finished with that bottle she recapped it and returned it to its spot, then looked around for another. She might as well combine several, in case one of them did something the others didn't. Selecting another bottle, she unscrewed the top and started to pour it in, her eyes beginning to water at the strong stench in the bucket.

The smell was horrible. It was a good thing bleach cleaned up so well or it wouldn't be worth the stench. Of course. Tommy wondered what she need that much bleach for anyway. Trying very hard not to pinch his nose, he continued what he was doing, trying not to gag.

But finally, he was done with the Jelly. Taking a deep breath before turning towards the fridge with a mind to replace the jelly, Tommy also happened to glance at the new girl and saw she was about to mix Rocal with the bleach she'd already poured in the bucket. It didn't take his in-depth knowledge of chemistry due to his mutation to know that anything mixed with bleach was extremely poisonous. Dropping the jelly jar, he slid to his knees by the bucket, taking the bottle from her with one gloved hand while his teeth removed the glove from the other as he quickly ducked his hand inside the bucket, turning the poisonous liquid to solid lead, tears watering all the while. "No, that's poisonous!" he gasped out, once the fumes died down.

Sooraya could barely see what had happened; once the new liquid had hit the bucket it had begun to do something that made her eyes water and her throat burn. She scooted back from it as quickly as she could, coughing and covering her hand with her mouth. "I... am sorry," she managed to say between coughs, aware that the young man had done something to stop the liquids from harming them.

Sitting back on his heels, Tommy finally managed a deep breath as he set the bottle of Rocal down so he could replace the glove on his bare hand. Finally, he looked up at the startled girl. "Are you alright?" He asked softly as he carefully closed the bottom of cleaner and checked over the bucket to make sure all the dangerous chemicals were safely in a solid state before looking over at her.

Sooraya nodded, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and stifling the last of the coughs. "Yes..." she said, dropping her hands into her lap. "I am sorry... I did not know." It was embarrassing enough to have done that to herself, but to put him in danger? She felt very stupid indeed. "Thank you... for the stop."

"Hey, it's okay. Honest mistake." Which, it seemed since she didn't know English very well, probably was. Standing up, he put the Rocal safely away in the cabinet again before moving over to offer her a hand up from the floor. "No ones hurt and you'll know better next time..." Tommy spoke softly and clearly, hoping she could understand that he meant her no harm.

Sooraya stared up at his hand, hesitating to take it. It seemed a friendly enough gesture, but not one that she was comfortable accepting. She looked aside, trying to think of a way to politely decline the offer. As she did so, her now-clear gaze fell on the bucket beside her. To her amazement, it was no longer filled with noxious liquid, but instead with a dark, solid-looking substance. "It is changed," she said, leaning closer to get a better view. A moment later she reached out to tap it with her finger. It was certainly solid.

"You made it?" she asked, looking back up at Tommy, wide-eyed. "How?"

At the wide-eyed glance, Tommy took a step back and away from her. Good job Jones, just scare her some more. "It's my mutation...what I can do." He said as he went to retrieve the jelly jar, thankfully unbroken and moved over to the fridge to put it back inside. "Why I'm here," he couldn't help adding, still in his quiet tone. No point in scaring more then he was. Then Tommy moved to stand near the cabinet. "What were you looking for? I can get it for you." He couldn't look at her, instead bending to shift through the cleaners under the sink.

Sooraya shook her head, though he didn't see it. "You made it... you saved me," she said, enunciating each word clearly. "You do a thing to save people... that is very good." She looked at him again, wide-eyed surprise replaced by admiration. "Thank you," she said again.

Tommy had to look back at her to make sure she wasn't joking, a slightly skeptical look on his face until he saw the admiration in her gaze. Then he just felt slightly uncomfortable, but also with a tinge of...connection. "You're welcome," he said in a bit of a state of shock. Then he shook his head and turned back to the chemicals. "What were you looking for?" He repeated, though in a less stiff tone then before.

"I want to clean things... the..." Sooraya struggled for the word, finally using one hand to point to the windows across the room. "Winders?"

Following her gaze, he couldn't help a small smile. "Windows," He said slowly but still a part of his though, so as not to make a big deal out of her mistake, "don't need such powerful cleaners." He shifted through the bottles before producing a bottle of Windex. With a small smile, he turned back to her and handed out the bottle. "Here, this will work."

That was all? Sooraya accepted the bottle full of bright blue liquid, giving it a dubious look before glancing up at Tommy. "Thank you," she said gratefully, a shy smile curving her lips. Just then she realized that they hadn't been introduced, and she didn't know what to call her rescuer. "I am Sooraya," she stated then.

Tommy looked at her, biting the inside of his cheek. Did she know enough English to find out from others what Friends of Humanity meant? Ah what the hell, save her some trouble of asking around. "Tommy." Then quickly changed the subject. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked as picked up the now ruined bucket, moving it to sit next to the trash can so it could be taken out.

"I am all right… my neck is hurt, but it is not bad." Sooraya stood up as well, holding the bottle of Windex tightly in one hand. "My eyes are not cry, now. I am fine." She gave him a hopeful look then and asked, "You are fine too?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." One hand went up to rub the back of his neck, as he moved back to the counter where he had been working. "Just, be careful next time. There is some dangerous stuff under there." He turned to her to convey how serious he was but also how he didn't want to see her get hurt. In fact, that was the last thing he wanted. "There's no harm in asking." he added with a small smile.

Oh, good. Not only was he unhurt, but he wasn't even angry at her for her mistake. "I will ask, next time I am clean," she told him solemnly, biting her lip. "I promise."

Tommy nodded then turned back to his sandwich. "Good to know." He said encouragingly before opening the peanut butter jar.

Sooraya nodded as well, smiling a bit as she watched him. So he liked sandwiches… she knew just the thing to thank him for helping her. That would have to wait, though, as she still had the boathouse windows to clean. "Thank you for helping me," she told him as she started for the door. "Tommy. I am glad you are here."

He waited untill she was out the door before he put the jar and spreading knife down and leaned against the counter on outstreched arms. Tommy snorted softly before muttering, "Your one of the few and you won't for long," sadly to himself before picking up the knife and a piece of bread. It was then he caught the bucket in the corner of his eye and for the first time realized he'd just transformed a liquid, something he'd been working on for weeks with no success. Huh... he thought before going back to spreading.