DISCLAIMER: Excalibur, X-Force and related characters belong to Marvel Comics, they are not mine. I am only borrowing them for the story. Candia (Rictor's cousin) was invented for a cameo appearance in my previous story "You Only Live Twice: On Shaky Ground." M.U.S.E belongs to Marvel. This story picks up a little after where "Hold Me, Thrill Me" left off.

NOTE: the idea for this came from the fact "hey, Cannonball has all these siblings, one of which is a mutant, Paige of GENX. Rictor comes from a large extended family, what if?"

NOTE: the Spanish will be explained...

"Mail call," Kitty announced, striding into the kitchen and making a beeline for the table where breakfast was already underway. Pulling out a chair, she straddled it, and with her free hand she waved a manila envelope under Julio Richter's nose. "Yo, Mr. Bad Hair-Day, that means you."

Julio shoved his coffee mug aside, trying to remember when was that last time he saw this side of morning, and wondering at the same time why Moira had laid down the ground rules that everyone was required to get up at sunrise. He made tried to make several attempts to take away the envelope that Kitty waved under his nose, but she kept hiding it behind her back. "Thanks, Kitty, but could you hand it over, now?"

In response, Kitty titled backward in her chair, and peered at the stamps affixed to the envelope's upper right hand corner. "A lot of postage for a little old envelope. Wonder what's inside." She held the envelope up against the light, thinking that this technique would have worked much better if it had been white instead of manila. It could have been her imagination; but she could she just make out a flowery handwriting; but she couldn't read it.

"Didn't anyone ever tell, it's not polite to read other people's mail," Moira added; who had watched them and decided it was too early in the morning for that sort of foolishness.

"Whatever," Kitty said, putting up a token resistance, her shoulders slumping in disappointment, trying to keep it from him, then handed it over. "By the way, who'd you give this address to?"

"Yeah, and curiosity killed the cat," Julio replied, rising from his chair, and taking the envelope from her; but in the process he bumped his chin against the chair leg. Feeling a bit sheepish in front of Moira, he refused to let the minor pain bother him; then sat down again.

"There's more than one way, and not this cat," Kitty said in a huff. "And you never did answer my question."

"If you must know, I called my family to let them know I'd be here for awhile before going back for a visit," Julio replied.

"In other words, you split..." Kitty began. "Open it, already." "Inquiring minds want to know."

"Buzz off, Pryde," Moira interrupted, "It's none of yuir business why Rictor left when he did. Leave the lad alone,' she added, stirring her coffee and poured the dairy creamer into her cup. "Kitty, since yuir up, would ye get the sugar from the cabinet?"

Just then Rahne came in, yawning, and sleepily took the orange carton and a clean glass from the sink. She sat down, and started pouring into her glass, but completely missed. Kitty reached across the table and scooted the glass within range. "Good morning, Rahne."

"Good morning, everyone," Rahne replied. "I just woke up, but could someone please explain what's going on?"

"Buenos dias, Rahne," Julio added, not to be outdone.

"Not too much, just some juvenile foolishness," Moira replied, getting up to take her dirty dishes over to the sink. "Julio received something in the mail and Kitty made a big production of giving it to him. Sort this out among yourselves," she added "Some of us have to work today," she added over her shoulder as she left the room.

"You know, I was just pulling your chain. I didn't mean anything by it," Kitty said.

"It's okay," Julio shrugged, running his finger along the sealed edge, making a jagged tear in the paper. When it was open, he pulled out a sheaf of off-white paper with an orchid border. A faint whiff of perfume came from the paper; a scent that reminded him of home. He sighed; he didn't even have to look at the return address to know who had sent it, but he didn't know why. And that was tearing him up. He glanced up from the letter into both girls eyes, one pair of green, one of blue, and wondering what made it such a rare event that he would be getting mail at Muir Island, especially letters from home. Sam used to write his sister all the time, and no on the X-Force thought anything of it, one way or the other.

"Don't keep us in suspense," Kitty prompted. "I'll leave if you tell me who sent it."

"Who's it from?" Rahne added.

"My cousin, Candia"

"Okay, be that way," Kitty said, tossing back her head as she left, but she couldn't resist one last backwards glance at them, silent wishing the pair of them the best of luck, but perversely knowing that it was probably an ill-fated romance.

"Your cousin?" Rahne echoed. "Do ye want me to leave, too?"

"NO," Julio paused, then cocked his head to one side, as if thinking something through, "Actually, it would better if you stayed." Julio unfolded the letter from Candia, and toyed with the papers in his lap, before he picked them up and began reading.

Interlude

Querido, Julio:

Como estas? Imaginete de que estas escribleno esta carta a ti.

Tengo sorpresa de que en el asunto tu sabes toda de los problemas de nustero familia. Pero, en asunto, su primo, Omar tienes problemas contra el ley. Por supeso, fue herida durante una lucha. Ahora, esta en el hospital antes de ira' a prision."

"I don't think I've heard you speak Spanish very often," Rahne smiled. "You should. Ach, and here I thought you didn't place a whole lot of importance to yuir family.

"And then you'd teach me how to speak with a Scottish burr?" Julio smiled back at her. "Rahne, it's kinda awkward. I've scanned it, and some of the stuff is old news. The only other person I've told about what happened in Mexico, was Shatterstar."

"Julio, since ye wanted me here, you might as well tell me the rest of it."

"Okay, here goes. How much do you know about what kind of business my family is in?"

"Not much. And ever since I've known ye, you've always been a little distant when it came to talking about them. I'm a deeply private person myself, and I've respected that about ye," Rahne replied.

"Well, you know, I've never exactly 'comfortable around Cable, cause you know how his clone, Stryfe, murdered my father. Don't look at me that way. Where was I going with this?"

"Ric, ye are way too tense. I'm sure whatever the news that Candia sent you, it can't be all bad," Rahne added, unobtrusively switching his coffee mug with decaf instead of regular.

"Well, they're in to gun-running. And after my father was murdered, they kept the business going. Recently, Omar and Candia's brother, got into a fight with the police. When it was all over, Omar ended up in the hospital with a jail sentence hanging over his head. The shipment was confiscated by the authorities."

"Then he got what he deserved," Rahne said. "You see? It wasn't as bad as ye thought."

"Okay, okay, you win," Julio laughed.

"That wasn't why ye wanted me here," Rahne began.

"Actually, this last bit is what I wanted you to hear. I've already read it, mostly while I trying to fend Pryde's nosy probing."

"You did tell her that 'curiosity would kill the cat?" Rahne said, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I don't think it penetrated," Julio said.

"'El razon mas importante es mi vida acabo de cambiar. El mismo groupo: M.U.S.E. se salvaste a ti, auydarle a mi tambien. Aparece de que tu no eres el unico persona en nuestra famila de que es un mutante. Ellos explicaron de que tu eras en la Isla de Muir, y yo queiro ir alla para aprender usar mi poder. Ahora esta en el aueropeurto de Boston. Con mucho amor, Candia.' That's it."

"Apparently, Candia has also manifested the mutant gene and group that runs something like an alternative program for young mutants in crisis; called MUSE, helped her out of a bad situation," Julio explained, as he folded up the letter and put back into the envelope.

"Hmmm." Rahne hummed, thinking something through. "Then she's like us. I don't understand why this news upsets ye so much. Why didn't ye tell anyone about MUSE?"

"Good question, Rahne, just wish I had a good answer. Maybe I just didn't want to feel like I owed anyone for saving my life."

"Ah, that must be it, if I recall correctly, back then ye were always Mr. Tough guy."

"I'm being serious, here, okay, at least I'm trying to..."

"Maybe ye didn't want to have to remember what happened to ye," Rahne nodded. "Ye could have told us, we would have understood. How many times have our teammates come through for us?"

"I guess. What I'm trying to say, is that I just blocked out the entire incident."

"What are ye planning to do about it?" Rahne asked.

"What else can I do," Julio shrugged. "She left a number and time for when she wants to be picked up at the Boston airport. She wants to come to Muir."

"Well, ye'd best run that by Moira and Kurt, and if ye explain the situation to them I'm sure they'll be able to work something out," Rahne nodded.

"Muchas Gracias, Rahne. I guess, the real reason I wanted you here is because I needed a sounding board. AH, on second that, do you mind coming with me when I ask Kurt and Moira?" Juilo got up, and circled around to her side, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Ye smooth operator, ye know that?" Rahne said mock-severely. "Oh, all right, I'll come with ye."

Once the Midnight Runner had been cleared for landing by the control tower, Kurt brought the aircraft down onto the tarmac, bringing it to a full stop and disengaged the engine.

"Did Candia say where she would be meeting us?" Kurt asked, checking the band on his left wrist to make sure that mini holo-inducer was functioning, then glanced at his passenger. In the back corner of his mind, he had been speculating how this "mysterious" cousin of Rictor' would be like.

"She's waiting by the baggage claim area," Julio replied, unfastening his seatbelt.

"Mein Fruend, would you rather go alone?"

"Either way works for me, Kurt," Julio replied, making his way towards the forward cabin, where Kurt pressed the button to release the debarking ramp.

"It might be a good idea, since it appears this charming device, is on the fritz," Kurt added, tapping the holo-inducer with a white gloved finger, as Rahne would no doubt say, it might avoid any uncomfortable eye-tracks."

"I never thought of that," Julio said over his shoulder, as her reached the entrance to the terminal, and the double sliding doors. "It's not something that's go wrong at the worst possible time?

"No, It should work fine," Kurt replied. "Then I shall accompany you, Mein Fruend."

"Hey, thanks, Kurt," Julio said.

Once they reached the baggage claim, Julio kept running different scenarios of what their meeting again, after three years, would be like. What would he say? What her reaction would be to seeing him? He thought back and tried to recall what he remembered about Candia. Even as a child, she had always been the more organized of the duo. And as annoying as her presence had been, she had been a loyal companion, and a good friend.

"Is that her?" Kurt asked, referring to the photograph that had been enclosed along with the letter, and briefly scanning it.

"Yeah, that's her," Julio replied, scanning the crowd, of passengers and people and luggage. At that instant he locked eyes with Candia.

She was pretty much the same as he remembered. Her hair was still black and curly, but it no longer came down to her waist.

"Julio! Julio! " Candia shouted, waving her claim ticket and passport around in the air, as she caught sight of him. With that in mind, he took a good look at the amount of luggage she had brought with her. She had a duffel bag looped over one shoulder, and a Gucci black leather purse. Another duffel bag lay at her feet and a suitcase. Obviously, she had been better prepared, as opposed to himself when he had run away.

"Candi! Julio gasped.

"What did you do to your hair?" they said simultaneously.

"I cut it," Candia replied.

"Nice. I almost didn't recognize you." Julio untangled himself from her hug, and rocked back on his heels to take a good look at her.

She still wore jeans with holes in the knees. And apparently she'd learned a thing or two about makeup, because she had it smeared all over her face. She wore a peach colored eyeshadow that was more subdued, and a pair of silver half-moon earrings.

"Hmm..." Candia mused, absently rubbing patting back a loose black curl that had come out from its barrette, and wondering if she had gone a bit too far in trying to make a drastic change in her appearance. "Are you saying it looks nice because we're related or because it really does?" she said aloud.

"Oh, come off it, " Julio smiled.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Kurt asked.

"Huh? Oh, Sorry. "Candia, this is Kurt Wagner.

"Pleased to meet you," Kurt inclined his head slightly, raising her hand to land a light butterfly kiss on her palm, ignoring Julio's disapproving stern look that Julio silently directed in his direction. In a back corner of his mind, was perversely enjoyed seeing the familial protective air Julio felt around a family member whom he probably hadn't seen in years, and also the fact, that he was flirting. It had been a long time.

"Mucho gusto," Candia stammered, "Uh, I mean, a pleasure."

"We'd better get going, I'll help with the bags," Kurt said, suiting to action to words, and slinging one of the duffels over his shoulder, and toeing the suitcase and the other duffel bag towards Julio. Julio nodded, picking them up, "Vamanos," he said to Candia over his shoulder.

Returning

"How did you know where Julio was?" Kurt asked, sitting down in the pilot's seat, and running through a systems checklist, before leaning back in his seat and fastening his seatbelt. As he did so, he glanced back at his passengers, to make sure they were belted in, and ready to go.

"A group called MUSE helped me," Candia replied.

"MUSE? Kurt asked, arching an eyebrow, as the control tower patched through a message indicating that he had clearance for takeoff.

"It stands for 'Mutant Underground Support Engine.' They helped Julio before," Candia replied.

"Can you vouch for these people, Rictor?" Kurt asked over his shoulder, concentrating on his flying.

"Never thought I'd hear from them again. " Julio replied, ignoring Kurt's unspoken questioning glance. "Yeah, they're all right. And they check out."

"How come we've never heard of them before?"

"I don't know. From what I understand they're a small outfit and like to keep a low profile."

"Well, Mein Fruend, I would hate to delay the inevitable family reunion, since you no doubt have a lot of catching up to do. So, I will leave you to it."

"Thanks, Kurt," Julio nodded in agreement, turning around in his passenger seat to face Candia.

"You never were a great conversationalist," Candia laughed. "When did you get so serious?"

"So, sue me."

"Come off it, Candi, you never could push my buttons."

"Hmm, that's now how I remember it," Candia replied. "You should write home more often, I'm totally out of the loop. Tell me all about your adventures; the people you've met, the places you've been..." Candia said all in one breath.

"Whoa, I assume you don't mean, in that order?"

"Speaking of which, I got the letter you sent," Candia said. "I think your mamasita is still in denial about that mutant thing."

"How did she take it?" Julio asked.

"Pretty well, I guess. It's not like we made any effort to hide it from the rest of the family, or to gloss over it."

"I can't believe you remember the first time my powers flared up," Julio remarked, shaking his hound, "It seems like a lifetime ago."

"Madre de dios!" You sound like some of those veijos who sit on their front porches, and smoke pipes and reminisce about the 'good old days. I know was pretty young at the time, but cousin, Omar, who witnessed it, told me. You know what? It made him give up drinking!"

"Well, if that didn't work, probably nothing else would," Julio laughed along with her. "On that note, what it like for you?"

"Is it different for everyone? When it happened, I was afraid, being chased out of town... all sorts of awful stuff, but I guess, I don't need to tell you that."

"I don't completely understand all the technical stuff about how my powers work, but the little I do, my powers have something to do with liquid transmorphing, or something like that," Candia said.

"Liquid what?" Julio echoed.

"I'll explain later. I don't want to talk about it now," Candia said, abruptly switching gears. "You still haven't told me what you were doing in some backwater Scottish island."

"Just visiting a friend?"

"What's she like?"

"Why do you automatically assume it's a she?"

"I know you," Candia laughed. "Give."

"She's the best. Her name's Rahne," Julio replied, leaning back in his passenger seat. "And from what I gather about your powers, I think you both have a lot in common."

Later

Several hours later, once the Midnight Runner had touched on the landing pad at Muir Island, and the full complement of personnel turned out to greet them. Kurt mentioned. Before they disembarked that he had radioed ahead with their arrival time to let Moira when to expect them. Kurt seeing that Julio seemed half-asleep, and his cousin, in a similar state, proceeded with the round of introductions.

Moira, her brown hair tousled by the wind, and her clothes a bit rumpled, moved forward and gave them all an inquisitive inspection.

"Moira, you didn't have to wait up for us," Kurt teased, shrugging his left shoulder to readjust the bag into a more comfortable position.

"Well, just call me a mother hen." I worry when we you're all away for so long," Moira replied.

"It's only a 7 hour difference between here and the States," Kurt replied."

"So, this is your cousin?" Kitty interrupted, coming over to help with the luggage.

"Yup," Julio grinned, which eventually turned into a yawn.

"Kurt," Moira began, a stern tone in her voice, " I don't suppose you provided anything decent in terms of food or drink for the wee lass?"

"Uh, no" Kurt replied, mock-severely slapping a hand to the side of his head. "Must've slipped my mind."

Later

Candia perched on the edge of examining table, her feet bare, and clad in a flimsy white robe, closed in the front with a velcro clasp, and open in the back. She felt oddly vulnerable and exposed, but comfortable Dr. Mactaggert. That her was someone she could instinctively trust.

"If ye would just step behind the curtain, and we'll take an x-ray. It would take but a minute, and it won't hurt a bit," Moira instructed, snapping on a pair of plastic gloves.

Candia obliged and stepped behind a off-white curtain that stood in one corner of the office, with her chin placed on a metal shelf that looked like it had been scooped out of shell. Moira, on the opposite of the curtain, activated a machine, which hummed just like the seashells that she used to gather and hold up to her ear to listened to the throbbing of the ocean. A few minutes later, it was all over. She was told to get dressed again in her regular clothes, which lay in neatly folded pile at the edge of exam table.

Moira tapped a finger against the clipboard she held in her hand, running one finger along the string that held the pen in place. She set it down on her desk, and picked up a syringe from the supply tray. Walking over to the sink, she sterlized it, then turned back to Candia.

"Hold still, please. I'll need to take a blood sample," Moira said.

"Okay," Candia whispered.

A few moments later, after Moira had run the sample through the analyzer and compared it the results from the x-ray and her initial scan. "Well, I'll be."

"What did you find out?" Candia asked.

"It seems you're an elemental metamorph. Which means you can control the flow of water molecules in yuir body. In most cases, the atoms of liquids are free to move randomly about are held by attractive forces. As a result, they cannot be stretched or distorted. With a little practice, I think you will be able to control that and in so doing, bend those forces and cause water to take on any shape you wish."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Candia whispered.

"Maybe this will help. Each molecule experiences forces in all directions, and they cancel each other out. Except for the ones on the surface. As a result, the forces between tend to pull them inwards, acting like a skin, holding liquids together."

"I don't have to understand this all at once, right? Don't get me wrong, Candia gasped. "I want to learn to control my powers, I just don't know where to start."

"Well, donnae worry, we'll have plenty of time to work on it," Moira smiled.

"Are you saying that I can stay here?"

"Ye have to understand, lass, that Muir Island is a research facility, our resources in the way of training are rather limited," Moira.

"Dr. Mactaggert, I understand that. This is what I want." Candia said, blushing. "That is, if you'll have me."

"Donne think that we'll turn ye away at the door," Moira said. "If ye're sure this is really want ye want. Of course, you can stay. But I still think ye'd be better off at either the Xavier Institute or the Massachusetts Academy. At least there, ye'd have more amenities and resources available to ye, and other kids your age."

"I didn't even think of that," Candia said. "Do ye think I could work with the other kids here, I mean to work on learning to use my powers?"

"I don't see why not. You realize of course, that they've had more practical experience, and may have less patience with a beginner, but I'm sure they would be more than happy to work with you,' Moira replied, wondering in the back of her mind, if this was the reason people like Charles Xavier started helping young mutants in the first place.

"Dr. Mactaggert, I've been thinking about this for a while, okay, since coming here, but do you think I can have a code name?"

"I don't see why not, but I think you're rushing things a little bit What did ye have in mind?" Moira smiled, absently thinking about how remarkably alike Candia was to Rahne at the same age.

"How about Torrent?" Candia blushed.

"Not bad, and with a little time it just might work, and no better or worse, then some I've heard," Moira replied. "We're finished here, why don't ye get dressed and them get settled around here."

"Then it's settled," Candia replied.

"Guess so," Moira replied, leaning forward and tousling Candia's black hair.