Gianna Dalton

Background
Gianna was born to Jeremy and Isabella Dalton. They met when Jeremy was stationed at his first base, right out of tech school. A fresh, young Marine officer with his first weekend pass, met a beautiful young Isabella Moretti who was attending college. While it wasn't love at first sight, the pair hit it off, and within a few months, Jeremy was proposing. Jeremy received a new assignment that took him, his new bride, and their unborn child to the south for two years, before he was transferred to Italy for a three-year tour. Although this took Bella far from home just when she had a small child, and her husband was kept quite busy with his military duties, it gave her the chance to explore her roots and expose Gia to the culture. The couple rented from a little old Italian couple, living off base. The couple adored Gia, and loved to spend time with her. Gia learned Italian right alongside English, making her bilingual. By the time Jeremy was reassigned Stateside, in Colorado Springs, CO at NORAD because of his communications specialty. Another bonus, Colorado Springs was home for Bella, and with a large family, it was a great comfort to have them close. Even after moving back to the States, Bella continued to encourage Gia to speak with her in Italian to make sure she never lost her fluency. Colorado was a big change for Gia, not only the culture and climate, but now she was starting school for the first time. Knowing they were going to be here for three years, Jeremy and Bella decided to buy their first home, instead of renting. Gia made a friend right away with the next-door neighbor's child. They had one significant thing in common... they were starting kindergarten, and were in the same class. Gia and Moss spent a good amount at each other's homes. Whenever Moss was over at their house, and Jeremy was home, he was more than happy to spend time with the boy. At an early age, Gia showed an aptitude for art. While most kids probably found arts and crafts to be their favorite second to recess Gia often preferred to stay in at recess to continue coloring. She would put up a fit if they insisted she go outside to run around and play.

As she progressed through the years, she would often be found with a pencil in her hand, and drawing beautiful pictures for her parents and best friend. So, when it was time for recess, she could often be found with a little sketchpad and pencil, practicing drawing landscapes, or the other kids who were running around playing, or teachers who were out keeping an eye on things. When Gia started first grade, her parents decided to sign her up for martial arts. They felt it was important for their daughter's confidence as well as important for her awareness of strangers and self-defense. It wasn't something she was interested in per se but her father thought it was important and she was a Daddy's girl. Jeremy asked Carmine if Moss could take the classes with Gia as a means of encouraging the girl.

By the time Gia was starting second grade, her father was given the opportunity for a remote assignment to Korea, that if he chose to take it, by the time he came home at the end of the eighteen months, he would have a promotion. It wasn't easy for the family, especially young Gia, but thankfully Bella's family was there to help her through the long separation. With her Dad gone, Gia wanted to spend even more time with Moss, although by this point, Bella discovered she was pregnant again. Around the time Bella was due, Jeremy received a special leave so he would be able to come home, help his wife, and see his new child. He was only allowed two weeks before he had to ship back to Korea, which Gia found harder than if he had stayed away. She became mopey, and it seemed the only one who could brighten her spirits was Moss. She resented her baby sister, Brandy, since now her Daddy was gone again, and her mother was focusing so much attention on the baby.

At the end of the eighteen-month tour, Jeremy - and consequently his family along with him - was reassigned to the west coast. By this time, Gia and Moss had become close friends, and the two kept in touch as pen pals. They spent two years there, before Jeremy was reassigned again to a new base for three years.

Jeremy had been a loving husband and father, spending time with his wife and children whenever he was home. He would dote on his daughters, and when Gia had turned ten, he began teaching her how to respect a handgun. How to take it apart, clean it, and put it back together again. He would even take her to the shooting range. There were times he would sit with her let her sketch him and he would attempt to sketch her. They would hold the two sketches up, and hers was noticeably better. She obviously hadn't gotten her talent from him. He would even sit and have tea parties with her. When Gia's father was deployed to Afghanistan, Bella and Gia were both worried, but lifted many prayers that he would be kept safe and brought home to them when his assignment was over. It was tense, and Gia relied more heavily on Moss, through letters, and phone calls to help get her through. It wasn't until the news was delivered that her father wouldn't be returning, that she thought her entire world was crashing down around her. They were told he was a hero. His platoon was helping a village, when an attack hit. He might have made it, if he hadn't gone back to make sure all the children had safely escaped.

His family was presented with his purple heart, and a flag at the funeral. With his life insurance policy, plus what the military provided for his family ($1,654 a month), Bella didn't need to think about going back to work - at least for a while. She moved back to Colorado where her family could help, which gave Gia back her best friend, and extra support system. Bella's family was there for her as was Carmine (Moss' mother), but she just wasn't the same. She was having trouble dealing with the loss of her husband, and she just moved through each day as someone in a daze. There were times she would forget to feed herself, and Gia ended up picking up the slack. Starting high school just made things more difficult for Gia. She was stressed from the situation at home. She took to wearing black clothes, and even went so far as to get one of her Aunts to take her and get her navel pierced. Gia started spending more and more time with after school clubs, and anything that would keep her away from the house. She even took a part time job at the mall, and experimented with cigarettes and alcohol. When she was sixteen, she'd been out on a date, which had an unhappy ending (date rape). First person she called was Moss, who came and got her. He insisted she get seen, but she didn't want to go anywhere in town - one because her uncle on the police force would probably hear about it, and she really didn't want to press charges (usually the victim is the one on trial), so he took her to some clinic outside of town where they used a rape kit (those things are usually kept on file). She had been on a date with David, senior and captain of the football team. She'd been so thrilled that he'd asked her out, since he was the most sought-after guy in school. They started out at a party at one of the football player's home, the parents were gone, and there was alcohol. She didn't think anything about drinking, and only planned to have two. When he tried to lead her upstairs for some 'alone' time and she refused, he spiked her second drink with ketamine.

After leading her upstairs, with only minimal resistance, David pulled her into an empty bedroom. He'd come prepared with protection, but he didn't expect her to resist after she was drugged. She did, a little at first, getting in a good scratch, before he grabbed hold of her throat, pressing down as a means of control while he satisfied his lusts. When he was through with her, he left her lying on the bed, her clothes in a shamble, and went back to the party as if nothing ever happened. It took at least an hour for the ketamine to wear off, and when she woke, she felt sore, humiliated, and guilty. She couldn't call her mom. Bella could hardly take care of herself. She wasn't about to call any of her mother's family, and Carmine was out. The only one she could trust, was Moss. She did her best to gather herself together so she could make her way out of the party without drawing too much attention - at least she hoped. She met Moss outside and climbed into his car, sobbing uncontrollably as she fell into his arms. He insisted she get to a doctor, but she was so ashamed, she refused to let him take her to a hospital or even anywhere in the immediate vicinity, afraid it might get back to her Uncle, so he drove her out of the county to the nearest clinic where she was examined to make sure she was all right, and they used a rape kit to collect evidence - including DNA from under her fingernails.

She felt completely humiliated as they poked and prodded her, taking samples, but she put up with it until an officer arrived wanting to take a statement. She absolutely refused, and clung to Moss, begging him to take her home.

When they were finally allowed to leave, Gia refused to go back to her house - at least inside - and instead decided to camp out in the old treehouse her Dad had built for them when they were kids. The stress of the violence seemed to trigger her mutant ability, something that only enhanced the young woman's anxieties. Although it freaked Moss out when she first shared it with him, their friendship was stronger than his fear. Even so, he encouraged her to keep it a secret, from everyone, afraid she'd be taken away to be studied.

Monday, when she went back to school, every single one of the football players kept giving her the eye, winking and whispering. David had spread it around that she practically begged him to sleep with her, and that she was a hot piece of ass. No matter how guilty that made her feel, it also lit a fire under the fighter in her, and she took cues from Carrie Underwood's song 'Before He Cheats'. After school, she did quite a number to his 'treasured' car. She took all the anger she felt about what he did to her, out on his 'baby'.

She was waiting for him, leaning her hip against the driver's side door, when he came up. He was pissed, yelling at her, and ready to throttle her. She nearly freaked when his hand went for her throat, but she swung the crowbar at his leg, not hindered by alcohol or drugs this time. He backed off quick, and threatened to make her pay for all the damage to his car. It was then, that she threw it back in his face. If he tried to make her pay for his car, she was going to bring him up on rape charges, telling him about the trip to the clinic right after, and that they had DNA. It was enough to get him to back off, so she pressed the issue. He had to quit spreading rumors about her, and make sure the football players didn't spread anything either.

It was this experience that turned her behavior around, at least for a while. She concentrated more on school, at least enough to be able to graduate. Moss convinced her to get into counseling, but she didn't stick with it. She couldn't stand, what she considered, the condescending manner, and quit going. She found her solace in her art, and her best friend. It was her art that earned her a scholarship, but she suffered yet another blow. What she would never have admitted to anyone, perhaps not even herself, was she had developed feelings for Moss, and when he found a serious girlfriend, it felt like a betrayal, and she assumed it was because of her mutant ability. She couldn't stick around, and applied to a college out in New York.

She was hardly settled in, her first semester under her belt, when she received news one of her favorite uncles had passed, from a heart attack. She flew home over spring break for the funeral and reading of the will. It came as a shock to her when she inherited a sizeable portion of his estate.

Personality
Passionate: One could say Gia has a fervent zest, whether pouring herself into her art, or the latest boy she's taken an interest in.

Flirtatious: Gia has made flirting a hobby, and doesn't reserve such behavior to those she takes an interest in.

Impulsive: Gia will often act before thinking, which can sometimes get her into sticky situations.

Insecure: While Gia comes across as confident, it's a cover for a deep-seated insecurity.

Feisty: Gia has often been referred to as sassy, bold or brassy. She loves to engage, whether teasing, or verbal banter.