Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The rumble of the tracks wakes you up, and you glance around the train car. You managed to find an empty one, thank god. Still, the lack of people doesn't make you any less nervous. You've never been away from the Home as long as you can recall, and now you're being sent off to stay at some fancy school?

You shiver, never having liked school.

'What is it called again?' You wonder, pulling out the piece of paper from your pocket. Matron Mary's handwriting scrawls out:

Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, Bayville, New York.

Gifted. You shake your head, feeling slightly sick thinking about it. Nothing about you is gifted. All you are is a menace, a freak, a nobody. Certainly nobody who deserves to go to this school.

That sick feeling is gradually overshadowed by annoyance. Your fingers crumple the paper, tearing it slightly. You can't help it. 'Not again... Why do I feel like this?'

"Ahem."

'Oh. That's why.'

You turn in surprise to see a lady with a drink cart, looking down at you. She must have been standing there for a minute as you were lost in thought. "I said, what would you like to drink?"

"I.... um, I...." You can hear her foot tapping impatiently against the carpet. The soft beating builds and builds inside you, and you can't block it out.

"Well?"

"Nothing! Leave me alone!"

You snap at her without meaning to. The lady just gives you a forced smile and continues on to the next car. You can feel her irritation jabbing at you. It's so sharp that you inadvertently bang your fist against the table.

Slowly, the feeling subsides and you're left alone with your guilt and a sore fist. Looking out the window at the passing view, your heart sinks. This Professor Xavier has made a mistake. Once he meets you, he will surely change his mind and send you back. But then, Matron Mary doesn't want you either, so maybe you won't be able to go back.

'You don't belong anywhere.' You think to yourself, 'So don't get your hopes up.'

---

The crowd goes wild as the high school quarterback makes a touchdown just as he's getting tackled. It's the heroic kind of move that makes Duncan Matthews the king of Bayville High. Lost in the stands, however, there's a boy who isn't as eager to cheer for the star athlete. The teenager in the deep red sunglasses frowns down at the quarterback, who's now getting photographed and helped up by a tall, beautiful, redheaded girl. To anyone else, these high school sweethearts might seem cute. To Scott, not so much. Scott Summers flips a quarter between his fingers as he recounts all the times the same football star has harassed him or some other poor student in the halls of Bayville High. Yet somehow he has the most amazing, talented girlfriend in existence.

'What Jean sees in a guy like Duncan is beyond me.'

As he continues to watch, he notices Duncan and two of his football player friends walk off behind the stands even though the game isn't over. Before he has a chance to question it, his quarter falls between the bleachers. "Aw, man, my cash." He mutters, when something catches his eye. A pale hand slips through the bleachers and pickpockets the person sitting a few rows in front of him.

"Hey, check it." He points it out to his friend, Paul, "Looks like someone's taking up a collection."

"Should we call the cops?"

"Hold that option open." He gets up and makes his way down to investigate.

Those pale grey, clammy hands snake their way through the bleachers again, the young pickpocket having climbed up underneath. "Got another one." He cackles to himself as he grasps his tenth wallet of the night. His glee doesn't last long however as he's yanked down to the muddy ground. Wallets flies everywhere as the shrimpy kid stares up nervously at three large football players.

"Oh, hey. If it ain't Toady Tolansky picking up a little spare change." The captain smirks as he steps forward menacingly.

"Uh, h-hi Duncan..." Toad stutters out, "Look, I can explain-"

"Shut up, frog face!" Duncan grabs him and pins him up against the wall. His friends jeer on behind him, "Let's crush him, Dunc!"

"Let's not, Dunc."

Ruby glasses glint as Scott steps onto the scene. "Just chill. The wallets are still there. How about we have him give back the cash, no harm done?" Despite not being nearly as built as the football players, the guy cuts a pretty intimidating figure in the shadows like that.

"Yeah, yeah!" Toad pleads, "See? Here's the money!" Clearly annoyed, Duncan doesn't loosen his grip. "What do you care about this scuzzo, Summers?"

"Not much." Scott Summers replies, "But I'm not crazy about three against one either. So how about we settle this peacefully?"

"I think me and my buds are gonna squash this slimeball," Duncan sneers, "so you and your stupid sunglasses at night can just bail." The football captain throws Toad into the mud, and Scott's expression darkens. Reaching for his glasses, he's tempted to take them off and show this jerk what he's made of. But, thinking better of it, he opts to ram into Duncan instead as he's about to stomp his victim. "I said, knock it off!"

He throws Duncan into his friends, knocking them all down. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Toad jumps away, bizarrely like a frog.

"He's getting away!" One of the football players yells as they get up, covered in mud. Duncan's friends chase after the slippery thief, accidentally knocking Duncan down again in the process. Filthy and furious, the captain rises up with a growl. "Big mistake, Summers.."

As the quarterback slowly advances on him, Scott puts up his fists, ready to finally duke it out with this guy. Duncan has no idea how good he can be in a fight. He doesn't expect it, though, when he hears a voice approach.

"Scott?" Jean calls, causing him to hesitate. That's all it takes for Duncan to shove him harshly to the ground. Scott falls back, landing with such force that his glasses get knocked off.

Instantly, a blinding red laser beam shoots out from his eyes, blasting Duncan back and continuing its path of carnage all the way to the fuel tanks by the equipment shed. An explosion rocks the stadium, people scream and fire shoots out everywhere.

"Scott!!"

---

An old fashioned car pulls up to the chaotic scene, unbeknownst to everyone. The window lowers and a shadowed face watches as the firemen take control of the situation.

---

Jean, meanwhile, searches under the bleachers. A pile of burning rubble blocks her way and she pauses.

"Hmm.. It's too hot to touch," she muses aloud.

Just like that, the rubble is lifted up and away by no visible force. To Jean, it's as natural as lifting it with her hands. Underneath the rubble lay those red shades. Telekinetically, she summons them to her hand and turns to find Scott.

She finds him sitting on the ground with his eyes squeezed shut, and a pained look on his face. "You okay?" She asks gently as she puts his glasses back on.

He opens his eyes to see her, looking at the same time relieved and embarrassed. "Jean! Oh, wow, I-"

"Shh, I know." There's no point chastising him for an accident like this, especially when the Professor is sure to do it himself later. She then looks over to where the medics are tending to Duncan. "Look, you'd better split."

Satisfied that he's okay, Jean leaves Scott and makes her way over to the medics, listening in carefully. One medic removes a very disoriented Duncan's helmet. "Take it easy son, try not to move."

A police officer stands by, and asks, "What happened here?"

"Ugh.." Duncan groans painfully as the medic shines a light in his eyes, "My head... can't remember.."

Jean sighs in relief. Duncan knows nothing, which is all for the best.

"Concussion. He's been hit hard." The medic supplies. The officer, however, looks around at the damage a little suspiciously.

"Hmm.. Looks to me like-" Before he could finish his thought, he paused as if a new thought had entered his mind and he forgot what he had been thinking before. "Uh, of course. Must have been a leak in that propane tank."

Jean quirks an eyebrow at the officer's absentminded reply. Usually she only sees people's eyes cloud over like that when... She turns her head to the street, and sure enough, she spots a familiar old car. While the sight relieves her somewhat, she also cringes for Scott's sake. 'Oof. He's going to be in trouble... but what's done is done.'

"Duncan, are you all right?" Jean approaches as they begin loading him into an ambulance.

"Hey, Jean." He smiles up at her, "Yeah, you know me. Skull like concrete." As if to prove his point, he raps his knuckles against his head, then immediately winces. "Ow.."

"Aw, you poor baby." She smiles comfortingly, hoping that he'll be okay. She'll have to ask Scott what exactly happened between him and Duncan..

---

The figure in the car, satisfied with his psychic intervention and confident that matters are well in hand, turns to the driver. "Things are under control, for now. But we better hurry. We've got a train to catch."

It's about a thirty minute drive from the stadium, but they arrive just in time. The two of them, a man in a wheelchair and a tall African woman, stand waiting at the train platform. She searches around, her eyes landing on a young boy disembarking. "Kurt?" She asks.

"That's not Kurt." Her companion says, then turns his head, "This is."

The passenger he points out wears such a large, heavy, hooded coat that it is impossible to discern their features. But, Charles is as confident as ever. Being a telepath may have something to do with that, of course.

"I'll let you escort him to the car." He tells her, "I have one more person to pick up." With that, he rolls onto the next platform and waits. About ten minutes later, a train arrives, one with hardly any passengers. He'd made sure of that, booking as many seats as possible for the comfort of his potential new student. Waiting patiently, he smiles when he finally sees you step onto the platform.

---

The moment you exit the train, the feeling is overwhelming. All the people and their emotions flood into you, and you don't know whether to scream or laugh or cry. You can't focus on anything and your grip slips, dropping your small suitcase. 'Calm down, calm down...' You think to yourself, but you can't stop the tears from blurring your vision and your face gets hot and-

And then it's gone. You catch your breath, confused. You can't feel them that much anymore, it's like everyone's feelings are muted. Like everyone's just gone outside, except they haven't. You can still see the crowds of people milling around, so why...?

"Hello, Y/N. I am Professor Charles Xavier." You jump when you hear the new voice, but calm down a little when you see him. A kind looking, older man in a wheelchair has his hands clasped together and is smiling at you. But something isn't right. 'Why am I not feeling what he's feeling?'

"I'm quite a powerful telepath, dear. Your gift, being of a similar nature to mine, is simple enough to block. I thought a whole train station may be too much for you." Your eyes widen as the man answers the question you were only thinking. Then, his words truly register with you and you gape at him in amazement. 'He's blocking the feelings?' You hadn't known that could be done. Not to mention, it's startling to think someone can hear your innermost thoughts.

"Don't worry. I don't make a habit of intruding on other people's thoughts. I'll respect your privacy." This puts you more at ease, and Professor Xavier turns his wheelchair to the exit. "Of course, suppressing the emotions of this many people is a lot for me to handle as well. Do you mind?"

"Oh! Uh, yes, sir!" You leave the train station with him and are led to an old fashioned car. It's amazing to be this close to someone and not have to deal with your... problem. You can just take in the bustling city streets, the billboard ads for weird food products, the birds perched on the power lines between buildings. It's too good to last. After storing your suitcase in the trunk, the Professor escorts you to the door and all of the familiar and tiring feelings come back. Thankfully, there aren't nearly as many as before. Some satisfaction, some concern, some nervousness... the last one must be yours.

"Y/N, meet Ororo, she will be one of your instructors." Professor Xavier says once in the car, and the driver turns in her seat.

"It's good to finally meet you, Y/N."

"Um.. hi." You reply shyly. The woman just smiles at you in return.

"And this is Kurt. He's a new student of ours as well."

You react with a start when you suddenly notice the fourth person with you all. He's sitting across from you, wearing a very heavy cloak. You had been so distracted by, well, everything, that you hadn't even registered his presence.

"Sorry." He says with a German accent, "I have zhat effect on people."

The pang of guilt comes at you from two sides. "N-no! I'm... I didn't notice you were there. I should be sorry."

"It's a little warm in here." The Professor chimes in, breaking the awkward tension, "You don't need to cover up like that, Mr. Wagner."

After a moment of hesitation, Kurt takes off his hood.

He's blue. He has blue hair all over, and three fingers on each hand. He has fangs and pointed ears. His eyes are a striking pale yellow color. And his tail... he has a pointed tail!

You blink a few times, taking it in. For some reason, he reminds you of something. Blue guy, European... You turn it over in your mind a few times, then it comes to you.

"A Smurf!"

Noticing Kurt's surprise, you realize you'd had your dumb epiphany out loud and your face quickly turns a shade of red.

'Curse me and my stupid brain!!'

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, I don't know why I-"

Kurt then bursts out laughing. You laugh too, not that you can help it. Your face grows more red as you do.

"You- I've never heard zhat one before! And zhis is your reaction to seeing a blue fuzzy man??" He smiles, "You are strange."

As he laughs, you can't resist the humor filling up the car. "Well, I'd hardly call you a man." You quip back, not believing that you are actually making a joke! Kurt laughs at your retort though, and some of the unease begins to leave you.

From that point on, Kurt's whole persona changes. He's bubbly, and keeps talking to you for the whole ride. He talks about his village in Germany and his parents. He talks about how Professor Xavier got in contact with them, and asks him question after question about his telepathic powers. The Professor smiles and indulges him. Kurt doesn't seem to mind that you don't talk much, so you listen. And, even if you hate your abilities, they make you feel good in that moment.

When Kurt abruptly goes silent though, you only see why when you look out the window. You gasp as the car pulls through the gilded iron gates, and stare at the expanse of land before you. And right at the end of this street- no, driveway- is a mansion. A real, actual mansion.

"Voah. Zhis is ze Institute?" Kurt exclaims with wide eyes. Ororo pulls up to the front steps and parks the car, then turns around and smiles. "Don't get too excited. You haven't seen the inside yet."

It does not disappoint. The front doors open to a large hall, with a grand staircase and an elegant chandelier. It's like nothing you've ever seen before.

Ororo's eyes go wide, then she smiles at you. "You have quite the gift. I can feel your awe."

You blush, trying to hold your emotions down. Ororo frowns, but before she can say anything, the Professor speaks. "You two must be exhausted. I'll show you to your rooms and you can get a good night's sleep."

After treading down the hall a ways, you all stop at Kurt's room.

He yawns. "I'll see you tomorrow, Y/N! Gute Nacht!

"Good night." You say quietly. The Professor leads you a few doors down to your room, and you are about to turn in for the night when he stops you.

"Y/N, I'm glad you're here." He says, with such sincerity in his eyes that you believe him. You try to say something back, but you can't think of anything. He just smiles and bids you goodnight unbothered.

Closing the door gently, you think about what he said, and about this whole day.

'Everyone was so kind to me.. and it was nice. Do I deserve this?'

That's the last thing on your mind as you sink into bed.

---

The old man reads his newspaper while he waits for business. Not too many people stop at this rustic gas station in the middle of nowhere, so it makes for a relaxing morning with his current events and coffee. The news itself is actually a bit exciting today. Apparently there was an explosion at a high school a few cities over. Freak accident at a football game.

His ears perk up when a motorcycle rumbles to a stop. Sure enough, the door chimes a second later as a man walks in. The man looks rather gruff, wearing a brown leather jacket and a cowboy hat that covers his eyes. As the owner watches, the man takes off his gloves, walks over to the newspaper stack and reads the headline.

"Trouble at home." He thinks he hears the man grumble.

"Ya, uh, ya want that paper?" The old man asks in his drawl.

"That's why I'm holding it, bub." The gruff man comes up to the counter and starts reading it, "Bottle of water, too. Cold."

The owner gets the water and makes some small talk. "Warm weather we're havin' for this time of year." The customer doesn't respond, just grabs the water and leaves cash on the counter.

He's distracted for a second at the register and hears a strange sound, like slicing metal. The top half of the glass bottle lands on the counter, perfectly cut. His eyes widen and he looks to the customer who chugs the water from the bottom half like it's a cup.

"Ah. Recycle that will ya?" The strange man slams the empty half-bottle onto the counter and walks out, leaving the old man speechlessly wondering what just happened.

He picks up the two halves and feels the smooth edges of the cut. Then, shaking his head, he tosses them in the bin. 'Best not to dwell on strange happenings.' He thinks.

A little later, however, there's an even stranger sight. Another man walks in, no, prowls in. He's wild looking, not just for his long hair and tattered jacket, but for his eyes. There's something that unsettles the old man when he walks forward.

"Wolverine." He thinks the man growls.

"P-pardon?"

The newcomer grins, and the old man nearly gasps when he sees pointed teeth.

Taking the newspaper from his counter, the wild man narrows his eyes at the front page. "Bayville.."

"Sir! You're gonna have to buy that!" The owners protests as he turns to go. All the wild man does is laugh, a cold and grating sound. The old man contemplates calling the police after he's gone. He decides against it, in the hopes he won't ever have to see that beast again.

---

"Give it up, Jean, it's hopeless!" Scott raps on her door impatiently. She's been in there all morning, and at this rate they'll be late for school. 'God knows we don't need another detention from Principal Darkholme.' He thinks, 'It's like she had it out for us the second she met us!'

"I'll be done in a second!"

"C'mon, we're gonna be late!"

"Almost done!"

"Look, you want me to blow this door... down..." Scott falters for a moment as she comes out of the room, somehow even more beautiful than ever. She smirks at his speechlessness. "So, are we going, or what?" Scott blushes a little as he follows her.

"Hey, I meant to ask, what happened with you and Duncan the other night? Did he do something?" Jean asks, concern showing in her face. Part of Scott wants to tell her what a jerk her boyfriend is, but.. he just doesn't have the heart to. "Uh, it was nothing, just a stupid argument."

'It's not worth losing Jean as a friend..' He thinks, wishing that they were more than that.

"We're heading out, Professor." Scott calls into the study as the two of them head to the front door.

"Just a moment, you two." They stop. "Come here. I'd like you to meet some people."

---

You stand awkwardly by Kurt, who's put his cloak on again. It is understandable why, the way most people would react, you suppose. Even if the Institute seems to house nice people so far, you are quite nervous seeing the two older teenagers before you.

'What if they're like the older kids at the Home?'

"This is Kurt Wagner." Professor Xavier introduces, "And this is Y/F/N. They arrived late last night.

"Hey, Kurt, Y/N. This is Jean and I'm Scott. How you doin'?" He greets you casually. He then tries to shake Kurt's hand, but Kurt backs away. You start to think the nervousness isn't all you.

"It's alright, Kurt. You're among friends here." Xavier assures him, then looks to you as if to assure you as well.

Timidly, Kurt sticks out his blue hand and takes Scott's. The latter can't help his look of shock. Your heart aches when Kurt lets go quickly, feeling his embarrassment. You even feel a bit angry, not wanting Kurt to get hurt by these people.

The Professor clears his throat to break the tension. "I was just telling Kurt and Y/N how I set up this Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Youngsters whose gifts are not always an asset. Right, Scott?"

The embarrassment in the room grows. "Uh.. so, you heard about last night?" Scott asks sheepishly.

"Difficult not to. It was on all the news channels." Jean moves towards you as the Professor and Scott continue. You instinctively looks down to the floor, avoiding her eyes.

"Y/N, right? That's a nice name." It's hard to keep staring at your shoes with all the warmth radiating from her. You risk looking up, and she greets you with a smile.

'None of the older girls at the Home ever smiled at me..'

Jean frowns, but Scott's conversation cuts in before she can say anything.

"It was a bad situation and.. there was an accident. I'm sorry."

"I know. Fortunately no one was badly hurt and the true cause was not discovered, but you must be more careful Scott."

"C'mon, Professor, I'm packing a bazooka behind each eyeball! What do you want from me?" His voice raises in frustration.

"Control, Scott! That's what you're here to learn. That's why you're all here." Professor Xavier turns to the rest of you. "Scott's eyes emit a destructive optic blast beam."

"Cool!" Kurt exclaims, taking off his hood in front of the others. This time, you notice, no one so much as flinches at his appearance. Then you look back to Scott curiously. "Like... like a laser?" Scott smiles bashfully and nods.

"How about you, Kurt?" Jean asks him, "Got a special gift that brought you here?"

In a split-second, Kurt disappears in a puff of smoke, only to reappear on the other end of the room a moment later.

"Maybe." He replies, flashing a playful smirk.

"Woah." You, Scott, and Jean all look at him in amazement.

"I'll be helping Kurt and Y/N get settled in." The Professor continues, unfazed. "We can talk more tonight."

"Vait, vhat about Y/N?" Kurt asks curiously. "Vhat's her gift?"

You feel panicked, not knowing what to say. "I...um, I.."

"Y/N is an empath. But, like I said, we can discuss more tonight."

Jean makes eye-contact with you, then pulls Scott's arm. "Let's get going, we don't want to be late."

After they say their goodbyes, you follow the Professor and Kurt quietly. Kurt resumes asking the Professor countless questions about the Institute and the others' powers, all while you wonder about what the Professor called you. 'An empath,' You think to yourself. You hadn't known that there's a name for what you are.

---

Todd "Toad" Tolansky fidgets nervously outside the principal's office. She'd met with him a few times before when she'd brought him to the school. The impression he got? She is the freakiest lady he's ever seen.

It isn't long until the door opens, revealing the never-smiling head of Bayville High School. She cuts a menacing figure with her blazer, short dark hair, and stern glare through her glasses. Any other student would be terrified of her in this moment. Toad knows she can be much scarier.

"Mr. Tolansky." Her voice booms accusingly, and he shuffles hunch-shouldered into her office.

She wrinkles her nose as he passes. "Excuse me a moment while I open a window." She says with irritation, following through by letting some air in. "There. Now, Toad-"

Everyone calls him that, but most don't know how accurate a nickname it is. He's able to leap up high, cling to walls, and catch flies with his tongue. He also has a penchant for excreting slime. That's why Darkholme recruited him, because he's a mutant.

The principal smirks at him, "Shall we talk about your new friend, Scott Summers?"

Toad looks away, acting nonchalant. "What about him? He's cool. Heck, wasn't for him, them jocks would've stomped my skull flat."

"Yes, well," Darkholme continues with a devious glint in her eyes, "Summers, as you've noticed, has special powers. There are others like him." She gets up and walks over to where Toad is, leaning in. "We need to know more. Much more."

Toad doesn't like where this is heading. "Oh, look, I don't wanna-"

"SILENCE!" Her voice deepens, and her nails dig into his shoulders. Then her grip strengthens so much that it feels as if her hands have changed into claws. "YOU'LL DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!" Toad risks turning his head, and is glued to the spot in terror.

"UNDERSTAND?" The monster roars in his face.

---

You had been so exhausted last night that you hadn't had the chance to really look at your room. Now, you can't stop looking at it. From its satin bed to its huge curtained windows, it's like a dream. The kind of place a younger you might have thought a princess would live in.

Ororo is back here with you after breakfast. You're a bit nervous in her presence, even though the woman has only been kind. However, something still tells you that she can be incredibly powerful.

"I just wanted to help get you settled in." Ororo says, "Have you unpacked?"

You nod, pointing to the open wardrobe. Ororo frowns when she sees the contents. "That's all you brought?" You look away with some embarrassment. The Home hadn't provided you with much to wear, budget and all that. Thankfully, Ororo doesn't dwell on it and she quickly moves on.

"Here at the Institute, our aim is to help young mutants with their powers and their adjustment into society. You'll get a schedule for training sessions with me or another instructor. Some sessions you'll learn to control your powers, others you'll learn different skills."

"Different skills?"

Ororo nods, "Yes. Self-defense, for instance. Strategy as well, and counseling. These will all benefit you immensely both in using and not using your powers. And, sometimes, you may be invited on special missions."

'Missions? What kind of school is this?' Seeing, or maybe even feeling, your confusion, Ororo smiles. "Situations where you can apply what you've learned and help others with your powers. Under supervision of course."

"Help people... with my powers?" You wonder aloud skeptically. All your powers have ever done is hurt people. Hurt you.

"Y/N." Ororo steps closer, her eyes clear and confident, "You have a wonderful gift. To be able to feel another's feelings? This can be an incredible force of good in the world."

You've thought of your abilities as a burden for so long, it's difficult not to disagree with her. You summon the courage to smile and nod, trying your best to believe her. This seems to satisfy Ororo, and she goes on.

"Of course, you'll also need a typical education." She continues with a grin, "So, you'll be enrolled in the local high school along with our other students."

You aren't sure what will be scarier, these 'special missions', or going to high school.

After making sure everything in your room is straightened up, Ororo leads you into Kurt's room. The two of you walk in on a conversation between him and the Professor.

"Voah. Zhis whole bedroom.... is mine?" Kurt asks in disbelief.

The Professor chuckles as you and Ororo enter. "Of course, Kurt. That's why your parents sent you to us. Because they knew you would be happy here."

Kurt's face falls as he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. "Happy? How can I be happy when I look like zhis?" You watch him touch his face and feel despair. "I scare people."

"You don't scare me." You say quickly, "Well, you did once, but only because I hadn't noticed you sitting by me, and that's my fault."

"Zhanks, Y/N." Kurt smiles a little, but you figure your comment doesn't help much.

As Ororo sets a package down on the bed, Xavier hums in understanding. Then, he smiles at the boy and pulls something out of his jacket. "I have a surprise for you, Kurt. Put this on."

It looks like an ordinary digital watch. But the second Kurt secures it around his wrist, his whole body seems to phase into a new image. He no longer looks blue and fuzzy, he looks... ordinary. Like any other human.

While you aren't sure how you feel about his new look, Kurt lights up like the Fourth of July. "I can't believe it!" He does a double take, checking to see if his fingers or tail are visible, and gasps. "I.... I'm normal!"

"Of course you're normal, Kurt." Ororo affirms, "But not because of that machine."

"Ororo is right, Kurt." The Professor wheels to him and faces him towards the mirror again. "Normal is what you truly are. Never think otherwise." He presses a button on Kurt's watch and the boy phases back to his true form. "This is just a disguise." The Professor explains, "A disguise so that you'll not be persecuted by those who do not.. understand your gifts."

Kurt nods slowly. "I understand, Professor. But, nonetheless-" He says as he excitedly puts on his disguise again, "You rule!"

It's odd to see Kurt looking like he does in disguise. Not bad or anything like that, just odd. 'It's for the best.' You reassure yourself, 'He'll fit right in with everyone out in the world. I wish there was a way I could.'

"Here you go, you two." Ororo says as she hands you the package she brought. "Just a little welcome gift."

She and the Professor leave, and Kurt eyes the box eagerly. "Vhat's in it?"

You open the lid and pull out two uniforms. Kurt takes the one that looks his size and beams. "Our X-men uniforms!"

'For special missions.' You think, holding up your own. It's a black bodysuit with a yellow belt, as well as a F/C pattern on the top half that looks like a large X.

"I heard ve get code names!" Kurt squeals, jumping up and down in excitement, "Vhat should mine be? Um... Blue Shadow! Or, hmm... maybe ze Disappearing Midnight Vonder!"

You tilt your head. "That sounds like a circus act."

"But I'd do great in the circus, ja?"

You laugh, shaking your head. Then, you find that Kurt is staring at you and smiling. "What?"

"Zhat is your first real laugh, ja?" He replies, "Since you're an empath, you laugh sometimes vhen people feel funny. But your laugh sounds different vhen you mean it. It sounds nice."

You're at a loss. How can he tell when you find something funny when you can't even tell anymore?

"Oh! I know!" Kurt teleports to the window and appears perched on the balcony in a menacing pose. "Nightcrawler."

He then promptly loses his balance and falls off. You rush to the balcony, but hear the puff of smoke behind you and turn to see him land on his bed. You both say nothing for a second, then he bursts out laughing. You chuckle along, wondering if this really is your laugh.

---

The bell rings and students in the hall begin to shuffle away as Scott approaches his locker.

"Hey, see you in the cafeteria!" His friend Paul says as he walks off.

"Just grabbing my lunch. Save me a seat!" Scott yells after him.

Just as he shuts his locker door however, he catches a whiff of something really rank. Turning around, he sees Toad Tolansky hanging out.

"Yo, Summers." The small boy says to him. Then, out of nowhere, Toad backflips onto the top of the line of lockers, and grins down at Scott. "What's up?"

After shaking off his shock, Scott looks around. No one else in the halls. Looking up at the kid curiously, he replies, "That's quite a jump."

"Like it?" Toad snickers, "Surprised you can see it through them smokeys of yours. Here, let me help."

In a split-second, Toad's green tongue shoots out of his mouth and snatches away Scott's shades. "Hey!" Thankfully, Scott has good enough reflexes to cover up his eyes before he accidentally does some serious damage to school property... again.

"What's the matter, Summers?" Toad asks tauntingly as he waves around Scott's glasses, "Afraid to open your eyes?"

"Obviously, we both know what'll happen if I do." Scott says through gritted teeth. "Now give me back my shades before I go nuclear on you."

"You got it." Having had his fun, Toad uses his tongue to return the glasses to their rightful owner, albeit covered in mucus. "Well, as you can see, you and me, we got something in common."

"Yeah." Scott replies in annoyance, "Now we're both slimy."

"Nope!" Toad jumps over Scott to get down, landing like a frog. "I mean we ain't like other people."

"And your point is?"

"I just wanna talk." He jumps onto the lockers, hanging off the side in front of the him. "You know, get to know each other better." Toad then spots Scott's dropped bagged lunch, slurping it up with his tongue in one go. "You know, do lunch!"

Scott, entirely fed up with this kid's antics, walks past him. "I'll think about it." He replies as he walks to the lunchroom.

"Sure. You think about it Summers. I got other stuff to do." Toad says, leaping out the window a moment later.

As irritating as Toad is, Scott can't help but wonder about his offer. 'Is Toad a mutant like us? Would he be interested in the X-men?' Scott figures he should phone the Professor as soon as possible.

---

Toad lands on the grass, taking out the wallet he just snatched while distracting Summers. He's got sticky fingers, after all. Inside, there's a keycard to that fancy schmancy Institute he goes to. Perfect.

Maybe he should feel a little bad, but hey, he's gotta do what he's gotta do. Now, where's that uniform the mean lady got him?

---

The Professor sits in his study reading when a familiar alarm goes off. He calmly rolls over to a wall that opens up to reveal Cerebro, a massive computer. Checking where the mutant signal is from, he's surprised to see that it originates at Bayville High.

"Hmm." He ponders to himself, "So. Out in the open."

Just then, the phone rings. Already knowing who it is, the Professor answers. "Hello, Scott."

"Man, Professor," Scott replies, "You know it always weirds me out when you do that."

"Sorry." The Professor apologizes. He takes Cerebro's headset and puts it on, connecting his mind to the machine as he continues, "What are you calling about?"

"One of the students here, he's, uh, kinda like us."

Charles closes his eyes, flashes of the young mutant appearing in head. "Yes. Todd Tolansky."

"You know him?"

"Cerebro just got a reading. He must be using his powers openly now." Charles suspected this boy to be like them. This confirms it.

Scott continues on the phone, "Anyway, he's not the kind of guy I'd really want to share a room with? I mean, to put it bluntly, he's got the personal hygiene of a dead pig."

"We cannot turn our backs on anyone, Scott, you know that." The Professor scolds him.

"Yeah, I know." Scott answers begrudgingly. "So, should I bring him in?"

"No need, Scott." The Professor says, picking up the signal, "Speak with you later."

He hangs up and watches the data gathering on the screen. As Charles reads over the information on Todd Tolansky, a problem arises. Yes, the X-men cannot turn their backs on a mutant in need. However, if Todd is working for her... that makes things more complicated.

And as the signature moves across the map in a certain direction, it seems he'll have to make a tough decision.

---

"Vhat is zhat, Professor?" Kurt asks as you and him walk into the study. The Professor is looking at a large computer screen you haven't seen in here before. The monitor shows footage of the Institute.

"This is Cerebro." Xavier explains, "It detects the manifestation of special powers. That's how I found you both."

'This Cerebro thing detected my powers?' You think worriedly. 'Did the screen show what happened? What if it recorded it?' You shake your head, trying not to relive that memory. 'No, it couldn't have. These are just security cameras! Everything is fine.'

"So, zhis guy is one of us?" Kurt asks, referring to the short, pale, froggish teen on the monitor. The Professor closes his eyes. "That remains to be seen."

---

Ororo is tending her garden as usual when she hears his voice.

'Storm?'

"Yes, Professor?" She responds to her codename. As she listens, she raises her hands and conjures a small cloud to rain on her plants.

'I wonder if you could.. audition someone for me?'

She agrees silently, heading back to her room to change into her uniform. She hasn't 'auditioned' anyone in ages. But she trusts the Professor's instincts. Whoever it is, they will likely cause trouble.

---

As the sky begins to darken, Toad leaps over the iron fence to the Institute in one bound. "Heh. Cake." He chuckles to himself. All he has to do is get into this dumb place and check it out, then report back to Miss Crankypants. It's easy enough so far, even if he'd rather be out catching flies. But hey, at least she's got him some new duds. This outfit is way easier to move in than his usual shirt and saggy jeans.

He hops forward towards the building, not noticing a figure rise from the balcony. Storm's long white hair flies around her as she conjures up a test for this young trespasser.

Toad stops and looks up, barely glimpsing the woman flying overhead. Then, in a split second, clouds gather and it begins to rain and thunder.

"Woah." He says, wrinkling his nose, "Now that is just freaky."

His hopping becomes a lot more panicked once lightning begins to strike near him. Toad cries out in fear, just missing one bolt as it fries the grass.

---

Inside, the sudden storm grabs Kurt's attention. He wanders into the entrance hall to see if he can go out front and check it out. Right as he gets down the stairs, however, the wind blows the doors wide open and some strange boy comes flying towards him and shrieking. They collide hard, then quickly jump up and take a defensive stance.

"Woah, what are you?" Toad exclaims at the blue boy, "Some kind of ratty plush toy?"

Kurt glares at him, and then the smell hits him. "Ze name's Nightcrawler." He replies, "And at least I don't reek like unvashed lederhosen!"

Toad yells, lunging at him. "You blue-furred freak!"

Kurt teleports out of the way, reappearing on the chandelier. If this frog wants to play, he's more than up for the challenge. "As you say in America, NEENA NEENA NEEEEEENA!" He taunts.

"That ain't gonna help you, boy!" Toad jumps up, just missing him as Kurt jumps down.

Kurt smirks. "You're so slow!" That earns him a growl from Toad, who promptly chases him down the hall.

---

You stand in your room, trying on your X-Men uniform. You'll be starting high school with Kurt soon, in the middle of sophomore year. It's still difficult not to stress out about it. You're scared of not being able to handle it, and then being labeled as a freak here, too. But then again, Kurt will be going through the same thing. Plus, Scott and Jean promised to help, and even though you don't know them that well, they've never been mean to you.

'Maybe it will be oka-'

A commotion in the hall interrupts your thought, and you rush out to see what's going on.

"You couldn't catch flies on a windshield!"

"Fight like a man!"

You gasp when you see Kurt fighting another mutant boy, the one from Cerebro's screen. All the negative words hit you hard, and you start feeling aggravated.

"Stop fighting!" You shout, worry and anger mixed together in your voice. Too preoccupied outrunning the intruder, Kurt ignores you and continues jumping away. You run after them, eventually coming to the entrance hall.

Storm lands at the front door, watching as the scene devolves into chaos. You gesture towards the two boys desperately, trying to get some help. If they don't stop soon, someone could get hurt.

"I don't think he's much of a threat, Charles."

"Indeed." Your attention is drawn to the Professor, who emerges from his study. He studies the intruder with interest, "Perhaps with proper training, he could be one of us.."

"Sometimes, Professor," Ororo replies with a frown, "I feel your good heart blinds even you from the truth."

"You blue little Wookiee boy! Come here!" Toad shouts as Kurt continues to dodge and taunt him. Sticking his tongue out to grab him, Toad ends up breaking a few windows instead. Kurt leaps out of the way and onto the chandelier.

"Kurt!! Get down!!!" You yell, then turn to Xavier, "Professor!"

Thankfully, the Professor seems to have finished his assessment. "Enough." His voice commands, and everyone stops to listen to him as if compelled. "While I don't appreciate trespassing, Todd Tolansky does have the special gift of the X-gene. He's welcome to join us, if he so desires."

"Only thing I desire is blue boy's fuzzy head!" With that, Toad launches himself at Kurt, knocking them both off the chandelier in the process. They yell as they plummet to the ground, and you scream as you lunge forward. Your arms stretch out as if to try and catch them.

Then, just as your fingers make contact with Kurt's tail, the room vanishes.

---

You hit the ground in a strange metal room, one as big as a football field. Slightly dizzy, you shake your head and look around, sighing with relief when you see Kurt unharmed. The other boy is there too, and it's clear to you that he isn't finished fighting. Protectively, you step between them.

"No. More. Fighting." You say firmly, trying to keep from getting too mad.

The stranger looks up at you as if just noticing that you're there. Then his eyes widen and he somehow gets even paler. "Erm, uh, I mean...." He grins weirdly, "Hey gurl. How you doin'? They call me Toad."

You don't even know what to say to that, and you begin to become aware that the lighting in this room is changing to a deep red. 'This can't be good.'

"Wo sind wir? Vhere are ve?" Kurt asks, rubbing his sore head.

Toad glares at him. "You askin' me, fool? You brought us here!"

"Ah, I zhink I'm about to regret it!" Kurt yells as he points out the very large guns coming out of the walls.

---

'Scott! Jean! Nightcrawler, Y/N, and Toad have teleported into the Danger Room!' The Professor's telepathic message broadcasts as the two finish suiting up for their planned training session. Instantly, they look at each other with concern.

"Oh man, the Danger Room has automated defenses!"

"It'll attack them with everything it's got!"

'Get in there, now!' Xavier urges them.

---

The three of you look up nervously at the machines. You hope that if you stand still they'll turn off. The green laser that fires in your direction quickly proves you wrong.

Everyone scatters, trying to dodge all the blasts. As if the lasers aren't enough, there are also these big claws attached to long metal tentacle appendages.

"Ah!" You scream as a claw makes it way right to you. It pins you tightly against the wall, and another claw comes toward you, crackling with electricity.

'This is how I die.'

Just as it's going to fry you, a red blast breaks the claw with its hold on you. You roll out of the way as the other tries to pursue you, but it stalls and breaks apart in the air. Turning around, you see Cyclops and Jean Grey looking your way. Determining you're no longer in danger, they take action. "I've got the cannons." Cyclops says, "You keep them clear of the tentacles."

"Got it." Jean rises into the air as Cyclops lines up his blasts, taking out two cannons right before they smoke Nightcrawler. In an effort to get away from the danger, Kurt climbs up the wall. You see a tentacle coming straight for him and shout.

"Nightcrawler! Look out!"

Just as the claw nearly snatches him, he's pulled away by an invisible force. Both you and Kurt smile in relief at Jean's timing.

"Voah. You are an angel!" Kurt exclaims as Jean floats above him. She chuckles. "On occasion. How about you? Are you a demon?"

Toad's screams draw your attention the other way. He's found himself enclosed by two walls pushing in.

'If someone doesn't do something, he'll be crushed!'

"Scott!" You yell, pointing at Toad. One blast is all it takes to destroy the barrier and free him. "Tolansky!" Scott shouts, "Over here!" But you can feel his worry as he struggles to destroy all the cannons. You begin to breathe heavily, overwhelmed by all the fear. It's so difficult to bear...

"Deep breaths, Y/N." A voice in your head pulls you out of it, and you realize it's the Professor, "We're on our way."

Up above in the control tower, Professor Xavier rolls in with Storm at his side, immediately heading to the control panel. "Security override." He speaks the voice command as he hits a few keys, "Priority X. Voice print, Charles Xavier."

"Confirmed." A computerized voice rings out. "Shutdown in 5 seconds."

"Ah! Now I get it!" Nightcrawler realizes as the machines slow down, "It's a training area! Vatch!"

He teleports on top of one of the cannons and grabs ahold of the cord. "I just pull ze plug and-" Just as he does, the cannon goes haywire, throwing him off. Lasers go all over the place, knocking back Scott as he jumps to protect Toad. You see the cannon point its laser at Kurt and shriek in fear. Before you know what you're doing, you jump in front of him. A searing pain hits you on the side, and you sprawl onto the floor.

"Y/N!" Kurt cries.

You see lights flash as Storm strikes the berserk cannon with her lightning. All the machines come to a halt, then slowly retreat back into the walls.

"Are you alright?!" Kurt asks worriedly, helping you up. You can't help but clutch your arm in pain when he touches it. "Ow!"

"Here, let me take a look at that." Storm says, walking over quickly. As she handles your arm gently, Kurt backs away.

"Forget this, man! I've seen enough, I am outta here!" Toad yells, so freaked out that he bolts. Scott calls after him, too sore to pursue him. "Sorry, Professor. I couldn't stop him." He apologizes, looking up at the control pod.

"It's alright, Cyclops." The Professor says through the intercom. "He wasn't ready to be one of us."

"I blew it too, Professor." Kurt says, head hung in shame, "I'm sorry. You've been vonderful.. but I guess..." He looks at you as his guilt and sadness sweep over you.

"Kurt.." You try to say.

"I-I just don't belong here!"

"Nightcrawler, wait!" But he's already gone, vanished into thin air.

"No sweat, Professor, I'll take care of it." You watch as Cyclops leaves the room, searching for Kurt. Tears prick at your eyes.

Ororo finishes inspecting your arm and smiles, "Nothing broken, only bruised-" but stops when she sees the tears run down your face. You can't stop them. You aren't even sure if they're yours, you're never sure, but they might as well be yours. This is all your fault after all.

Without a word, you run, ignoring them as they call your name.

---

Kurt appears in another unfamiliar room. He teleported without thinking again! Frustrated, he looks around, trying to find an exit. Then his eyes land on something amazing.

A giant black jet parked right in the middle of this... hangar? "Was ist das?" He says aloud, staring at the plane in awe.

He hears a door open behind him and turns to see Cyclops walk in. "The SR-77 Blackbird." He tells Kurt with a grin. "Twice as fast as the SR-71 and with three times the range and firepower. It's nice, eh?"

"Sehr gut!" Kurt exclaims, having never seen one of these up close before. His village doesn't even have an airport. "Is it yours?" He asks excitedly, "Do you get to fly it?"

Cyclops nods. "It's ours. And if you stick around for a while, I'll show you how to pilot this bad boy. What do you say?"

"Me?" Kurt looks down guiltily. "I almost got you killed a few minutes ago. Y/N got hurt because of me!"

He feels a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Look, we all mess up sometimes. I know I do." Leaning in, Scott whispers, "I may or may not have set a football field on fire earlier this week." Kurt's jaw drops. "No vay."

"Yeah... That's why we're all here, though, to learn not to make mistakes like that. We want you to stay. I bet Y/N does, too."

Kurt thinks about it. Maybe it would be good to stay and learn how to control his powers better.. But there's one thing he's still unsure of. "Und... You don't mind ze... ze vay I look?" He asks, embarrassed.

But Cyclops smiles. "Dude, just don't hassle me about my shades, and we'll call it even."

A grin dawns on Kurt's face. "Ve have a deal, zhen!"

"Welcome to the team!" Cyclops puts a hand on his back and ushers Kurt out. "C'mon, I'll show you where they hide the sodas."

Kurt laughs. 'Maybe I do belong here..'

---

'I was so useless back there, why would they even want me? If I'd been a better mutant, I wouldn't have gotten hurt, and then Kurt wouldn't leave! He belongs here, I know it, but because of me he's going to leave.'

Rounding a corner, you fall against the wall and wrap your arms tightly around your knees. 'I don't belong anywhere. Not back at the orphanage. Not even with mutants.'

"You're wrong." You sit up with a start, seeing Jean standing before you. She crouches down to your level and looks you in the eyes. "I know that people have made you think that way your whole life. People are scared of things that are different, and then they make us scared of ourselves. I know what it's like to be afraid of your own powers." She pauses, as if remembering a painful time.

"So believe me when I say," She tells you, "that you aren't going through this alone. We're all in this together, Y/N. And, I know you don't think so yet, but you do belong here, and you deserve to be treated with kindness. One day we'll convince you of that."

Then she does something that you can't remember anyone ever doing for you.

She gives you a hug.

The proximity between you makes your powers practically burst inside you, feeling every depth of Jean's heart within your own. You can feel her sincerity, her sadness, her determination, her appreciation, and most of all... her care. She really cares about you.

All you can do to react is cling to her and cry yourself out. The two of you crouch there for ten minutes, and Jean's heart never wavers in the slightest.

Eventually, you calm down enough to agree to go upstairs for some food. Surprisingly, when the two of you get to the kitchen, there's a new person talking with Ororo and the Professor. He sees you first and grunts. "New student, Chuck?"

Professor Xavier turns to you and smiles kindly. "Yes. This is Y/N. Y/N, this is Logan. He'll be one of your special training instructors here."

"Don't think I'll be going easy on you just because you're new." Logan says, giving you a small smirk.

"That's okay." You reply weakly, not really having the energy to hold a conversation.

Jean speaks up. "I'm just getting Y/N here a quick bite. It's been a long day."

"Here, I can make her a sandwich." Ororo joins in. The two women ask you questions about your sandwich preferences while the Professor and Logan have a small conversation to the side. At one point, you think you see Logan look at you, but it happens so fast you aren't sure.

Today has been draining on a number of levels, and it definitely shows on you. Once you finish, Ororo shoos you off to bed, and you're in no state to disagree. First, though, you have to make a detour.

---

Charles watches you leave for your room, exhausted by the day. He can't blame you, as this was most definitely not the way he'd wanted you and Kurt introduced to the Danger Room.

"Poor child." Ororo shakes her head somberly, "She barely has any clothes. Did the Children's Home not provide her with anything more?"

He sighs, remembering an unpleasant woman. "Unfortunately, no. The Matron claimed the budget is tight."

Logan grunts, "Bull."

"I am currently looking into it. At least Y/N won't have to stay there any longer."

Jean looks up sadly, "I can't imagine... being a mutant in a place like that?"

The Professor hums in agreement, remembering what Cerebro picked up the day he found you. The events that occurred, what you did... suffice to say, that Matron was rather pleased to send you away. Trauma like that won't go away overnight. Still, the fact that you've chosen to stay means you're on the right path, and he'll guide you the rest of the way.

---

Opening the door a crack, you whisper inside. "Kurt?"

There he is, perched on his chair. He turns to you with surprise. "Y/N!"

He teleports to the door, letting you in. "Are you okay? I mean, because of earlier, I'm so sorry and I didn't mean to-"

"Are you staying?" You blurt out. Kurt blinks, his lips curling up into a smile.

"Yes. Yes, I zhink so."

You sigh in relief. Then he asks, "Are you?"

"Should I?"

"Ja!" He exclaims, "Zhis place is amazing! No one here cares about how ve look or vhat ve can do.. and..." he looks up at you, "I'd be a little lost vithout you here vith me. You're meine freundin."

Your breath catches in your throat. Kurt looks at you in worry before you finally find the words.

"I guess I'll stay, then."

He grins widely, pulling you into his room and chattering away excitedly about different possible codenames for you and secret missions and special training and going to school. You nod along, half listening and half thinking. The Institute is peculiar to you, and you're still not sure if you belong yet. But maybe it won't hurt to stay awhile. Maybe they're right, and your powers can be a gift. All you know is that you'd rather be here than back at the orphanage, rather be listening to Kurt talk and basking in his happiness.

With emotions, of course, it's always hard to tell where they're coming from. Maybe a little bit of that happiness is actually yours.

---

"I can't believe this!" Toad winces as Principal Darkholme goes off angrily, "You were actually inside, and you ran away??"

"Hey, I freaked! So sue me!" Toad defends, "I did what I could!"

"And no doubt the good Professor wiped your mind so you can't remember anything!" She replies scathingly. The stupid shake of the head he gives only enrages her further. "GET OUT!"

Toad flees her office and she slams the door behind him. Giving out a cry of frustration, she shape-shifts into her true form, the blue-skinned, red-haired Mystique.

'All that effort getting that idiot boy into this school, and for what?' She thinks angrily, 'And now two more of Xavier's brats coming to my school!'

She's so enraged that the room is practically shaking. However, it's when her name plaque falls off her desk that she thinks it might be.

'An earthquake?' She wonders, before realizing that it's something much more dangerous. Dread fills her she hears his low voice reverberating through the room.

"Do not be so hard on the boy, Mystique. We don't want to thin our ranks now, do we?"

"Uh, no sir.." She meekly answers, "I'll be more careful."

"Mind you are."

Staples, pens, and the plaque lift into the air and circle her tauntingly as the figure in the window watches.

"Remember," He continues, "This is only the beginning."

Chapter Text

She's flying, leagues above the city. Wait, why is she up here? Thunder booms and lightning strikes above her as she feels whatever invisible force that was suspending her break away. In an instant she's falling, plummeting to the ground. She screams and covers her face, waiting for the impact!

Then she feels it. Her whole body just drifts through the ground seamlessly, like all the matter in her body has disappeared.

Another loud boom wakes her up, and Kitty Pryde shrieks as she realizes she's in the dark, dank basement instead of her room. The storm rages on, terrifying her further as she clutches her pajamas.

'What.... what happened??' she thinks in a panic, but somehow she already knows what happened. How it happened is what really makes her shiver.

A light turning on attracts her attention, and she breathes shakily as her parents come downstairs. She begins to break down as she grabs her mom tightly, afraid she might slip through the ground again.

"What happened?" Her dad asks with worry, "Were you sleepwalking?"

"No, I fell, I just..!" Kitty sobs, "I fell through the ceiling!"

---

It's three in the morning and a storm is raging outside. However, the thing that wakes him up is the urgent alert that Cerebro issues. Professor Charles Xavier rolls into his study, lights blinking and alarm beeping, and presses the button that uncovers the supercomputer. Then, he carefully puts on the headset and logs into the system. His mind expands as Cerebro guides him straight to the signal.

"Discovery. Mutant signature. The second detection in this vicinity. Extrapolation complete. Identity confirmed."

He clasps his hands together as the image of a young girl appears on screen. A teenager with dark brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Name: Kitty Pryde. Residence: Northbrook. Age: Fifteen."

He closes his eyes and concentrates on her, reaching out to her mind. It comes in flashes: A nightmare, and then falling right through the floor. By the look of it, the experience really frightened the poor thing.

Charles takes off Cerebro headset and thinks for a moment. Then, coming to a decision, he speaks into the computer.

"Prep the Blackbird."

---

"Oh, dear.." Her mom says, rubbing her back soothingly, "I'm sure you were just having a nightmare."

"I... don't think so.." Her dad replies, looking up at the ceiling in shock. She and her mother follow, and gasp when they see her blanket and pillow stuck halfway through. Kitty begins to feel ill, and sobs even harder as she clutches her parents.

"What am I? What's happening to me?"

All they can do is hold her and look at each other in terror.

---

"Worthless child."

"Freak."

"She's insane."

"Now, get up and do something, you idiot. Did you hear me? I said GET UP."

You sit up with a start and put a hand to your head. Your breathing slows as you realize it was only a bad dream. Bad dreams from bad memories..

You shudder, and try to force those thoughts out of your head.

Thinking you might feel better after your morning routine, you go to wash up. A warm shower is just what you've needed. As the water hits your back, you relax enough to reflect on the past week.

Kurt started school. He was really nervous at first, but everyday he comes back with a big goofy smile on his face. With the help of his image enhancer, he's been able to fit right in. Yesterday he told you all about Sloppy Joe Tuesdays and a minor food fight that broke out at lunch.

'He probably doesn't want me to feel left out.' You think, a small smile on your face.

After some consideration, the Professor decided to move your enrollment back a bit so that you could get a better handle on your abilities first since you tend to panic when you start feeling too many emotions. It's tough sometimes even being in a room with only a few other people. The two of you have been working on your powers every day, and he seems to think you're improving. But the thought of being surrounded by all those students and teachers? All their feelings?

"You're a burden on everyone here."

You hang your head. 'I can't do it. I'm just not good enough.'

After drying off, you throw on a large t-shirt and jeans and head down to the kitchen. It's fairly early, as you have a session with the Professor soon. When you walk in, you see that Logan is sitting in the corner with his newspaper and coffee, and Scott is finishing up his cereal. You try to ignore the rush of confusing emotions. Boredom, exhaustion, irritation... yep, typical morning. Still, it's disorienting, and even more proof that you have no idea what you're doing when it comes to being an empath.

"Hey, Y/N!" Scott says when he sees you, "Up for your morning session with the Professor?"

You nod, trying your best to focus on anything other than distracting feelings. Grabbing an apple, you turn it over in your hands and peer at Logan's newspaper. The front page looks to be reporting on some mysterious animal attacks outside of town.

A pang of sadness hits you, but also some happiness. You look around and see Scott smiling. 'Is he happy? Am I happy?'

"Lucky. I'd rather have that than my physics class." Scott continues. "Have you seen Kurt?"

Your eyebrows raise. "He's not here?"

Scott groans. "I bet he went out for a breakfast burger. If he's late again..."

You try not to be annoyed. Kurt is really starting to develop a fast food addiction.

"Get out of here before you're late." Logan grumbles. Scott looks at the clock and subsequently rushes out. He still takes time to wave you goodbye. "Later!"

"Have a nice day!" You call after him. "You too, Logan. Enjoy your... newspaper." He nods in response and you feel a little better than before, like a little bit of pressure has been lifted from your chest. Is that because there's one less person in the room? Maybe the Professor can help you understand.

When you get to his office, however, you see Jean standing there with him.

"Ah, Y/N, come in." The Professor says when he notices you in the doorway. Jean turns and sends you a smile.

Suddenly very unsure, you pause there. "Am I too early?"

"Just in time, actually." The Professor replies with a grin, "What would you say to a field trip?"

---

Kurt jogs down the sidewalk, munching on his burger as fast as he can. Being able to go out in public without people freaking out at his appearance has been awesome! All thanks to the Professor's fancy image inducer. He wants to go everywhere normal teens go, especially food places! Hence, his fifth time grabbing a breakfast burger this week. And sure, he may have gotten a little sidetracked... again... but the meaty deliciousness is worth it.

Bayville High is in his sights. As he takes another bite, he checks his watch and nearly chokes.

"Late again!" He can't get caught by her  another time!

Ducking behind a tree, he does a quick scan of the area to make sure no one sees him, then locks eyes on a dark corner near the school's entrance. In a puff of smoke, he's there! Sneakily, he emerges from the shadows and makes a beeline for the doors. Unfortunately for him, an intimidating presence steps in his way.

"Ah! Mz. Darkholme!" He sputters, crumbs flying out of his mouth. She glares down at him and grabs his watch.

Looking at it, she frowns. "Hm. Watch isn't slow. Must be you." Kurt doesn't miss the sarcasm dripping from her tone, or the narrowing of her stone cold eyes. "Another tardy, Mr. Wagner, and I'm enrolling you in my after-school group."

He gulps. Spend more time with Miss Principal? That's about the scariest thing he can imagine.

To his everlasting gratitude, Scott comes to his rescue. The older boy comes out through the front doors and starts ushering Kurt inside. "Hey, light a fire under it, kid. Your teacher sent me to look for you." Scott turns his head to their principal as they escape. "Ms. Darkholme."

As soon as they're in, Scott mutters to him. "Stopped off for another breakfast burger gut bomb, didn't you?"

"Vhat can I say? It's an addiction." Kurt replies sheepishly. A lecture from Scott isn't fun, but way more appealing than the alternative. Looking back, he sees Principal Darkholme scowling after them. He shudders. She always seems to be right there when he's at school, watching him over his shoulder.

'I vonder vhat her deal is?'

---

Kitty closes her bedroom door as softly as possible, schoolbag in hand, and makes for the stairs. After checking that the coast is clear, she tiptoes down. Her heart pounds as she approaches the door, twisting the knob gingerly and opening it to the front porch. Just as she's about to take a step out, a soft voice stops her.

"Dear?"

Kitty suppresses a sigh as she's caught by her mother. "I thought we agreed you were staying home today." Her mom continues.

She groans and turns around, avoiding looking directly at her mom's sad face. "Yeah, well like, what's the point, you know? You guys don't wanna talk about it and I'll, like, totally go crazy sitting around here!" It's been hours since she fell through her bedroom floor, and neither of them have said a word! Her mom keeps cleaning things and making tea, and her dad basically ordered her to stay home sick, like this is just some weird virus.

"But should you really be at school?"

It's almost worse that they're being so gentle, as if Kitty is some bomb that could go off at any moment. She can't stand it.

'I can't stay here right now, I just can't.' She hasn't wanted to go to school so bad since before her parents made her skip a grade.

Upstairs, she hears her dad call out, "Kitty? Honey, where are you?" She bites her lip, knowing that he'd never let her go today. "Pleeeease, Mom? Dad'll make me stay!" She does her best puppy-dog eyes as a last resort.

Her mom seems to consider it for a moment, then gives her a little smile. "Alright, go on."

Relieved, Kitty blows a kiss and waves goodbye, running off before her dad can catch her. 'This has to be the only day in my life I've been this desperate to go to school.'

---

The X-Jet cuts through the clouds like a knife, and you watch the sky intently from your seat. You've never been on a plane before, let alone a jet.. not that you can remember, anyways. You clutch the armrests, trying not to think about how high up you are.

"Why just me? Why not all of us?" You hear Jean in front of you, talking to the Professor as he pilots.

"Because- You're the one who can connect with this girl."

"I hope so, Professor." Jean replied, less than happily.

Apparently Cerebro found a new mutant, someone the Professor wants to invite to the Institute. He also wants Jean to take the lead so he and you can have a session out in public. Throughout this conversation, Jean's had a strained look on her face. Maybe that's the reason why there's a current of anxiety running through the air.

'But why would she be anxious? Jean is really good with people.' You think. Ever since your first day, Jean has been there for you. She helped you once when you got lost in the Institute, and seemed to know when you were getting overwhelmed, finding excuses for you to leave a room of people. Yes, Jean will be just fine on this mission. You, on the other hand..

"Professor?" You ask quietly, not wanting to interrupt anything.

"Yes, Y/N?" His voice is warm and knowing.

"....Do we really have to have our session outside?"

"It will better prepare you to reenter school, Y/N. Don't worry, you'll be fine. You've been progressing splendidly."

Jean turns around to look at you. "I guess neither of us are getting out of this one." She says with a smile, though it looks a little different from her usual smile.

"So then, how are we handling the other kid Cerebro spied out? The one in the foster home." Jean continues to the Professor, and you perk up.

'Foster home?'

"Yes.. Lance Alvers. Let me worry about that." He replies, "I'd like you to just keep your focus on Kitty's parents. Remember- you're a model of what we're offering them." He looks to her, "No pressure."

She laughs ruefully. "And to think I passed up a nice, relaxing midterm for this."

You bite back the urge to ask more about this Lance guy. You really shouldn't be listening anyways, it's none of your business. Still, even though the home you were in and foster care aren't really the same, they're not entirely different. It's strange that the Professor would only invite you to learn at the Institute and not this Lance Alvers, especially if you're all in town to recruit someone anyways.

An uncomfortable thought enters your mind. 'What if foster kids are too much trouble for the Professor? Will he think the same about me? What if he kicks me out?'

About to ask him, you stop yourself. 'Don't bother him.' You think, and settle back into your seat as the plane starts its descent.

---

Jean knew this was a bad idea. The second she rang the doorbell, the Prydes were on guard. Now, with every word that comes out of her mouth, they seem even more tense. It doesn't help that the Professor is just sitting behind her, watching her crash and burn.

This has to sound crazy to them, it would sound crazy to anyone. Hi, we have superpowers and so does your daughter so we can teach her how to use them! And yet, the Professor always makes the explanation part seem so easy.

"What are you talking about?" Mrs. Pryde asks, voice shaky, "How do you know Kitty?"

Telepathy is most tempting at times like these. But, the Professor would want Jean to do this without her powers. So instead, she takes a deep breath and does her best to be convincing. "Please, may we come in for a moment? We'll answer all your questions and anything you need-"

"Excuse me, miss. You can talk to us out here." Mr. Pryde says coldly.

'Well, that went well.'

'Don't give up, Jean. You can handle this.' The Professor tells her.

'But they won't listen! Please, Professor..'

After a moment, he rolls forward and takes over.

"Very well." He addresses them, "I think you know Kitty is going through a very unique transition. We simply want to help her through it. Why don't you tell us about last night?"

The husband and wife look at each other in surprise and alarm. Mr. Pryde turns back to the Professor. "Last night is none of your business! Please just leave us alone."

Before another word is said, the door slams shut.

Jean huffs. "Next time let's just call and get hung up on. Less hassle."

"You'll need to make contact with Kitty directly, at her school." The Professor replied, crushing her hopes of ending the mission early.

"You know, it's not really ethical to ambush this girl at school without her parents' consent." Jean says with slight annoyance as the two of them walk back to the rental car.

The Professor just looks up at her solemnly. "You know what it's like, Jean, when a mutant first discovers their gift. And I know the damage it can do when they're left to deal with it alone." He spares a look at the distant car where you wait, and Jean's expression softens. She knows this, of course, and that's not even the real issue she has. Once, she was a lost little girl with a power that terrified her, and the Professor saved her from that.

'Can I really do the same?'

---

Logan wipes down his bike outside the mansion. The sun beats down, but the breeze keeps the heat at bay. As the wind blows past him, however, he picks up a familiar scent.

Standing up quickly, he double checks and grits his teeth.

"Sabretooth." He growls.

The scent is distant, probably just outside the city, and getting closer. Too close.

'Ballsy of him to show up on my turf. If he wants a fight that bad, I'll give it to him.'

---

"All I'm saying is zhat it's not entirely my fault if I'm late. School is just too early." Kurt protests.

"Yeah, try using that defense next time Darkholme catches you." Scott replies as the two get back to the mansion. But as they make their way up the walk, a motorbike rushes by them and out the iron gates. It happens fast, but Kurt catches a glimpse of a fully-suited up Wolverine putting pedal to the metal.

"Vhat's up vith Logan?" Kurt asks as they watch their instructor floor it out of here.

Scott blinks. "Woah. That man is packing some serious attitude."

Kurt almost laughs. 'More zhan usual?' But realizing this could be an important X-men mission, he starts getting excited. 'Y/N gets to go on a mission today! It's my turn!'

"Wanna follow him?" He asks, making his best puppy dog eyes at Scott.

For a second, he thinks Scott's going to say no. But then he grins back at Kurt. "Let's go!"

'JA!!'

The two of them race to the garage, and Kurt looks around with glee, pointing out the impressive black van. "Should ve take ze X-van?"

Scott smirks. "Uh, a lower profile, I think. And cooler, besides." He replies as he hops into his polished red sports car. "You comin'?"

Kurt teleports into the passenger seat and leans back, feigning coolness. "Hit it."

"Put your seatbelt on though."

"Ja, ja, let's go!"

'Zhis is gonna be way better zhan school!'

---

Kitty places her books in her locker as students file out of the hall. The bell signals that it's time for gym class.

'Great. Just a cherry on top of a perfect day. No doubt Riley and her minions will be there to torture me.'

Thinking back to last night, her hand shakes. She'd been feeling so weird the past few weeks, but she'd thought it was just normal, gross puberty stuff. She'd just turned fifteen, y'know? Oh, what she wouldn't give for it to be normal, gross puberty stuff... She sighs, wishing that this day is just some crazy continuation of her nightmare.

And just when she doesn't think things can get any worse, two sets of hands shove her into her locker.

"World closing in on you, Kitty?" She hears Riley and Amy laughing as they slam the door shut on her and mess with the combination lock.

"Hey! Let me out, you jerks!" Kitty yells as she bangs on the door angrily, "Open this door! Somebody open this door!" She gives a strangled cry, knowing that they're long gone. A small tear runs down her cheek as she clenches her fists.

Everything is so wrong. Not just this freaky new ability either. Being treated like a prodigy by her parents. Being treated like a kid by her peers. Feeling gross and wrong and so alone.

'Why? Why me? I should be used to this though, shouldn't I? Maybe I deserve this. I must have done something awful to have been cursed like this..'

Her thought is interrupted by a sound from the hall. A hissing noise, and.. 'Is someone whistling?' As they approach, her heart leaps and she starts banging on the door again. "Hey! Who's out there? Can you hear me? Let me out-!"

Her hands come down, but they don't land on the locked door. They just keep going. Then, that momentum pitches her whole body forward so fast she can't even process it. Suddenly it's bright, and she's falling on top of somebody.

After collecting herself, she realizes she's on the floor of the school hallway, looking right at the locker she was just trapped in, the door still sealed tight.

"Hey!" She jumps and looks at the boy she fell over picking himself off the ground. He's grinning at her, and asks excitedly, "You see what you just did?"

She scrambles up. "What? I- I, like, just fell out!" The lockers are covered in streaks of red paint, and this boy, whoever he is, is holding the spray can. A bit of paint got on his face, too, but he doesn't seem to care.

"Yeah, man! Right through the door! That is so cool!"

"You're crazy!" Kitty backs away and tries to make a run for it, but he grabs her arm.

"No, no wait a minute!" He exclaims, pulling her closer, "I'm the one guy around here who gets the beauty of it! Cuz you're just like me! Really!"

This catches her off-guard. 'Like me?' She thinks, then shakes it off. 'No, no way.'

She shoots him a skeptical look, and he grins as if accepting a challenge. "Alright then! Check this!" The boy lets go and extends his arms, like he's reaching for something. The hall begins to rumble and all of a sudden everything is moving. Kitty watches in shock as his eyes roll up into his head, and an earthquake spreads through the area. Locker doors clang open and shut as books and papers come flying out. Despite her fear, she can't bring herself to pull away from him, lest she lose her balance. Then, as his eyes go back to normal and he puts down his arms, everything becomes still. He's panting, like whatever he'd done had been a strain, but still he looked at her with a victorious grin. "Get the picture?"

Her heart skips a beat, then beats faster and faster. "No! You're just, like, some freak!" She yells, yanking her arm away as he tries to grab her again. "Leave me alone!"

She runs, frightened and vulnerable, as fast as she can away from him. His voice calls out behind her. "You can run, but you can't hide, because I'm gonna rock your world!"

---

You and the Professor are on a grassy knoll by the school, and you watch Jean's form receding slowly toward the track field. You'd wished her good luck with her mission, but she doesn't really need it. Jean is one of the nicest people you've ever met, so it'd be strange if she doesn't succeed in helping Kitty. But for some reason, Jean felt different when she left. Not very happy. You've been really stressed ever since the ride here, so maybe that came from her. Then again, she's gone now and you're still feeling stress, so you could be completely misreading things... again.

"Ready, Y/N?"

Turning to the Professor, you ask shyly, "Ready for what exactly?"

"To test your abilities." He answers, "We've only ever meditated on your powers within the Institute, in relative privacy. Out here, however, is an environment more representative of what you'll have to face day to day. Tell me, Y/N, what do you feel?"

You take a deep breath and close your eyes, trying to focus on your powers like he taught you. "It's... it's kind of like a pressure coming from the school?" You try to explain, "Like a dam that could overflow. And people around me, it's like their emotions just flow right into my body.. I try to block them out, but it's so hard."

The Professor nods. "Yes, it is awfully difficult to feel all of that at once. But instead of blocking those emotions out, maybe you should try to let them flow through you. Let them in, and let them go. It may help to relieve the strain."

"Maybe.. but I don't want to feel any of it." You look at the ground, "It's so confusing. I don't... I don't even know when I'm feeling something anymore."

He rolls to you side and puts a hand on your arm gently, eliciting a small smile from you.

"What do you feel now?"

"What?"

"When I touched your arm. What did you feel?"

"..Good? Um... it's like.. soothing?"

"Where do you think that feeling originated?"

You pause. "I guess in me? But what if-?"

"This isn't something you need to guess at." He continues with soft eyes, "You described how emotions flow into you, but this one didn't, did it?"

After a moment, you realize. "I don't think so? I don't know.."

"It seems to me that when you feel overwhelmed with the amount of emotions you feel at one time, you forget which ones are your own. But trust me, with enough practice, you will know the difference. On some level I think you already do."

Everything the Professor is saying seems like the truth. You do get overwhelmed and doubt yourself. Maybe practice will help?

Then again, practice means going near lots of other people.

"Let's start slow, shall we?" The Professor grins, "A walk through the park. Every time you feel a new emotion, try to sense which direction it came from and then let it drift away. Resist the urge to shut them out."

Biting your lip, you nod.

'I hope Jean is having a better time than me right now...'

---

Jean looks around the field, watching the high school girls warm up for their gym class. 'She should be somewhere around here...' Soon her eyes land on a girl who's running pretty late. She matches the description, and Jean doesn't need to read her mind to recognize the distress present on her face. Being a mutant is hard to get used to.

"Hey, Amy. Check who got out." Jean turns to see two girls closer to her, pointing and smirking at their late classmate as they finish up their stretches.

The Coach whistles, leveling her gaze at the girl. "Pryde, you're late."

"Sorry Coach." Kitty replies, panting. "I was like, um, having trouble with my locker."

The two girls closer to Jean snicker at that, making her glare at them discreetly. 'Bullies.' She thinks, wishing there was something she could do about them. But for now, she can't get involved, or she might freak Kitty out.

"Alright you three, to the long jump." The coach orders, "Pryde, you're tardy, so you're first." Jean watches her, waiting for the right moment.

---

Lance's eyes narrow at the scene unfolding below. He's discreetly perched on top of the roof of the administrator's office, overlooking the track field. He smirks when he catches sight of a certain ponytail brunette, then frowns at the two prissy rich girls making fun of her.

"Trailer trash", they called him the other day. It took everything in him not to shake things up and wipe those grins off their faces.

The bickering behind him annoys him even further. "Shut up with the cloddin' around!" Lance snaps at his partners in crime. The only reason he's working with these two is because one of them claimed to be an "expert lock-picker."

"Stow it, Griff!" One hisses at his friend, who fiddles with the rooftop hatch. "Can we bust in through here or not?"

"Not. It's wired into the alarm system."

'Great. I teamed up with these idiots for nothing.'

"Now what, Alvers? We've got, like, no way into this stinking office and midterms start in the morning!" They both turn to him, but Lance doesn't break his gaze from the field. He keeps watching her, the girl who fell right through a locker, a plan formulating in his mind. Sometimes the pieces just fall perfectly into place.

"Yeah and exam answers ain't exactly gonna fetch a prime price after the test." Griff continues when he doesn't answer. Lance feels a hand on his shoulder. "Can't you just, y'know, make a door?"

Lance turns his head, glaring daggers at this moron. "Sure, and have them know we were in? They'll change the tests!" He stops and smiles. "I have a sweeter idea. Her."

She's stretching now, and Lance can't help but notice how good she looks in the gym uniform.

Griff scoffs. "What? What, are you gonna have her long jump through the wall? C'mon, get serious!"

The boy has no time to react before Lance grabs his arm. "You riding me, Griff? Huh?" Lance spits in his face. The roof starts to tremble as Lance's grip tightens. "Are ya?!"

"Sorry man, I was I was just-"

"Woah, woah, it's cool Lance!" The other approaches with his hands up. Lance takes a breath and lets go, the rumbling fading. He points in their faces. "You two losers just line up the customers. I'll snatch the answers."

The guys back away, whispering to each other about him. Lance smiles. It feels good to scare them. They're not his friends, they're not his equals, and sometimes they need a reminder.

That aside, Lance watches the girls practice. Kitty runs up for the long jump, but ends by face-planting in a way that makes even him wince in sympathy. She sits up and hits the sand in frustration, and he smiles.

'She's cute when she's angry.'

His frown returns when the dumb rich girls make some more snide remarks at her. An idea comes to him though, and he gets ready as the queen bee Riley lines up for her turn. When she starts running, he uses his power. Everything around him starts shaking, and he feels the vibrations echo in body. A rush of adrenaline shoots through his bloodstream as the earth quakes wildly. It's a strain, but he focuses enough to send a seismic wave in her direction. It ripples through the grass, and as Riley makes the jump he pulls up, and a jet of sand comes bursting out of the ground. He practically doubles over laughing, seeing her knocked over and covered in dirt. 'How does it feel?' He thinks, then turns his attention to Kitty.

She's looking up at him, and he grins and waves down at her. Her eyes widen, then she starts running off the field toward the drama department.

'Huh.' His face falls, 'I guess she wasn't as impressed as I thought. But she'll come around.' As he thinks this, he notices a strange redheaded girl following after Kitty.

'Now, who do we have here?'

---

Kitty runs. What else can she do? That boy literally moved the earth for her! At first, it was hilarious to see Riley fall on her privileged butt. Then she remembered how crazy this all is.

She bursts into the auditorium and clambers onstage. It's filled with props arranged in a dining room scene. Stopping to catch her breath, she can't help but be angry.

'It's not fair. It's not fair!' She kicks over a chair in her fury, though watching it clatter to the ground gives her no satisfaction. Sighing, she leans back against the table. However, her weight throws it off balance, and it flings a bowl of fake fruit into the air. Startled, she tries to catch it on instinct. It literally slips right through her fingers.

Kitty gasps as it clatters on the floor and looks at her hands. 'How do I keep doing that?' Hesitantly, she gets down on her knees and reaches for the bowl. She touches it. Her fingers press against it, feeling the smooth, hard surface. Then, frightened but curious, she tries to put her hand through it.

She isn't sure what to expect. Her body hasn't exactly been doing what she wants it to do today. Hell, it hasn't done what she wants in years. Puberty sucks. But when she sees her finger pass through that solid bowl she was just touching, she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

About to try again, she's startled by a new voice. "Kitty?"

---

"Kitty?" Jean calls out, spotting the girl onstage. Relieved, she begins walking down the aisle towards her. "Are you alright?"

Kitty backs away. "Is that 'Ra-Ra-Riley' a friend of yours? Because, y'know like, I had nothing to do with what happened to her out there in the sand pit." Jean remembers the scene outside, not exactly subtle on Lance's part. That's something she'll have to tell the Professor about.

She tries to approach more slowly as Kitty takes a decorative mask off the wall and starts fiddling with it. "I know. And I'm not Riley's friend. My name is Jean." Hopefully, she can get Kitty to be a little less hostile.

Kitty narrows her eyes and holds the mask up. "Well, you look like you'd be her friend."

On stage now, Jean stops. "Kitty... look, there's no need for masks. I know what's going on."

"You, like, don't know anything!" Kitty snaps, "And neither does that creepy guy out there!"

"Who, Lance? Forget about him." Jean tries to refocus, "This is about you. You and your wonderful new gift."

Kitty scoffs. "I don't have any gifts. Just a curse."

"Only if you let it be." Jean replies quietly. Memories of her own childhood resurface, and she sighs. "I'd like to help you understand it. Together we-"

"Look! I don't want any of this! It's, like, hard enough just being normal y'know?!" The girl yells. "I never wanted to be gifted! I never wanted to skip a grade and be that weird smart kid with no friends!" Jean doesn't want to lose her, but Kitty is so scared, she's pushing her away. Should she... show her? Making a decision, Jean holds out her hand.

"Kitty.. Look, I want you to watch me for a second. Please?" Kitty stops, looking unsure. Jean, not so sure herself, looks at the mask Kitty holds. Reaching out, she wills it to move. The girl is left mouth agape as the mask floats out of her hands and places itself perfectly back on the wall. Then she looks at Jean with eyes so astonished and asks, "H-How'd you do that?"

Jean smiles gently, stepping forward. "The same way you pass through walls. Just like you, one morning, I woke up, and I had this power. And trust me, I hated it too."

She's so close now, Jean can hear some of the thoughts running through Kitty's mind.

'It doesn't look like she's lying.'

'I thought I was a freak..'

'What if she's right?'

'She's like me. I'm not alone.'

That last thought seems to scare Kitty though, and she pushes away. "I.... I don't believe you! This is a trick!"

"No." Jean replies quickly, desperate to keep that connection, "You do believe me. I know because of my other ability. I can read your thoughts."

One second is all she needs to realize that was the wrong thing to say. Kitty's expression shifts to one of panic and horror. Jean tries to reach for her, but she recoils. "No! Stay out of my head! No!"

"Kitty, wait!" It's too late. Kitty has run away, right out the door. Before she can go after her, Jean feels a rough hand grab her shoulder and comes face to face with Lance Alvers.

"Piece of advice, Red." He snarls, "I'm the only friend that girl's gonna need, and I'll be teaching her what's what, so you just back yourself off!" He pushes past her, and Jean lets her failure sink in.

'I had her. I had her and then I lost her.' She scolds herself, sitting down on the stage to avoid returning to the Professor for a few minutes.

---

You squeeze your eyes shut tighter as you concentrate. A feeling enters you, making your skin crawl, and you try to force it away.

"Don't fight it, Y/N. Feel it."

You do your best, letting the discomfort flow into you. Part of you wants to laugh, another is about to gag.

"What are you feeling now?"

"Mostly uncomfortable." You reply, shaking your head, "Like... grossed out?"

"Which direction did it come from?"

Eyes opening, you point hesitantly. You gasp, however, when you see you're pointing at a little girl, recoiling away from a little boy holding a worm in her face. The boy is laughing.

The Professor grins. "See? You're getting better at this."

You smile slightly, then sense your mood changing. "Another one... or... wait.." Your eyebrows scrunch together as you try to figure it out.

A hand on your back. "Relax. Take a breath and try again."

You follow his lead, breathing deeply and closing your eyes. Then, a moment later, they fly back open. "It's more than one! Close together... one is relaxed and nice, but the other is frustrated." You whip your head around and grin when you see two teenagers hanging out together. The boy is playing games on his phone while the girl next to him crosses her arms and looks at him expectantly.

'I wonder what that's about?'

"Ah, to be young." The Professor remarks, and you just look at him confused. He smiles. "You're doing splendidly Y/N. As you practice around more people, the better you will get at sorting out their emotions."

You feel warm and perk up again. "Oh! This one's happy. It's-" You stop when you realize it's coming from you. Then you smile even harder. "Thank you, Professor."

He looks as if he's about to answer when his phone rings. "Ah, excuse me." You nod as he takes the call. He says a few things like "Of course" and "Good" until finally saying "I'll be right over."

"Where are we going?" You ask when he ends the call. He shakes his head. "Only I, actually. I have a quick errand to attend to, and I'd like you to wait here and continue this exercise as you wait for Jean. She's only a few minutes away."

"How do you-? Oh, yeah." Sometimes you forget that the Professor knows everything. He seems to be in a hurry, which is curious. But you push your wondering aside and let him go. Before he does, he makes a remark. "Perhaps try practicing on Jean. It may help." He's off before you can think to ask what he means.

You sit down at a picnic table and close your eyes. There's a lot of emotion in the school's direction. Too far away to be too affected by it, but close enough that you sense it there. It's sort of like the static sensation one gets before accidentally shocking themselves. A faint buzz.

Closer by, there are the people in the park. Most are good feelings, happiness and excitement. Those only make the negative ones stick out more. You zone in on one such feeling, a sadness, or.. disappointment? But deeper than that, somehow. As you try to track down the direction it came from, you realize it's coming towards you. You jump, turning around so quickly you make Jean jump as well.

"Y/N!" She exclaimed, "Wow, you really startled me there."

"Sorry!" You respond as she laughs lightly, but you can't laugh along. You're too worried. "What's wrong?"

Jean looks surprised, then her expression falls and she looks down. "Oh! It's nothing, it's fine. My mission just didn't go as planned."

You frown. "Kitty didn't listen to you?"

"I practically drove her away." Jean replies, then shakes her head. "It's alright... I already knew I wasn't cut out for this."

Your eyes widen a little. "But you're really good at it."

"At what?"

"At making people feel better."

"Thanks, Y/N, that's really nice of you to say." She smiles, but you know she still feels the same.

"When I was ready to leave the Institute, you convinced me to stay!" You exclaim, "And more than that, you made me feel like.. like I belonged with you all. You did that."

Her mouth hangs open slightly, and she takes a second to respond. "Did it.. Did I really help that much?"

"Yeah, of course you did! Why don't you think you can do the same for Kitty?"

Jean hesitates, then sits down with you. Looking at the grass, she tells you. "The Professor is trusting me with this. If I mess up, I'm going to let him down. He's done so much for me, ever since I was a little kid, so what if I can't do this? I won't just be failing Kitty, I'll be failing him."

You take hold of her hand. "You're one of the kindest people I've ever met. Kitty will listen, she has to! And if she somehow doesn't, it's not your fault. And I haven't known him for long, but I think Professor Xavier will be proud of you." You squeeze her hand, trying so hard to get her to understand. You aren't sure if the words you say are expressing exactly what you want them to. Then, her other hand covers yours, and she's smiling again.

"Thank you, Y/N." she says, "You know, you're pretty good at making people feel better too." And you smile as well because you think you may have finally done something good with your powers.

---

The last bell has finally rung, and Kitty is exhausted and kind of scared. She keeps looking over her shoulder for that mind-reading redhead and the earthquake boy, Lance. They just won't stop talking about her powers! And just thinking about them makes her mad.

She finds herself wondering if staying home would've been better. But, as she takes some books out of her locker, she can't help but wince at the memory of her parents' faces last night. The horror when they saw her bedsheets hanging halfway through the basement ceiling. Home just doesn't feel as comforting anymore.

'So, like, now where am I gonna go?' She asks herself as students file out to the buses.

A finger taps her shoulder, surprising her. She turns quickly, dropping her books as she does.

Lance raises his hands in the air. "Easy! I won't shake things up, I promise." He cautiously moves to picks up her books, and hands them back to her with an almost bashful look on his face. "I'm, uh.. my name's Lance. We should really talk."

'Can't he take a hint?!' Kitty yanks her books back, and yells. "Why can't everyone just, like, leave me alone?!" She slams her locker shut, making Lance flinch. In an effort to finally ditch him, she starts to storm off.

"You feel sick inside every time you think about it, don't you?"

She stops, caught off guard by his words.

"You want it to go away." He continues somberly, "But it won't. You're afraid of what might happen. Your parents are clueless. Probably ashamed. Being alone don't help."

"What, are you, like, reading my mind too?!" Kitty accuses him, clutching her books tighter.

He shakes his head. "No way! It's.. just that I've been going through it myself. Y'know, tryin' to figure it out." Her heart beats faster as he approaches her. "But I've figured out how to control it. Meet me outside the office in an hour! I'll show you how."

Kitty doesn't know what to say. Everything he's saying rings so true for her, she's scared. But for some reason, looking into his eyes, at his softened face when he says it all, hearing his voice change and become gentler... she believes him. And knowing that there's someone else who really understands what she's going through... well, it's a lot to handle.

So, she turns to go, walking away from him without a word and thinking about his offer.

---

"Excuse me, ma'am, I merely wish to inquire about her records." The Professor speaks into the phone, mildly irritated, "Frankly, as her current guardian, I think I'm entitled to that."

He rolls out of the building, listening as the voice on the other end goes on for a while, then sighs. "Well, it's in your interest to know that I will be filing a formal claim soon." His eyebrows furrow. "Yes. Goodbye."

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he does so. Just one more issue to add to the pile. After recollecting himself, he makes his way down the ramp and his cell rings.

"Hello?"

"Professor."

He smiles lightly at Jean's voice, but senses hesitancy. "Jean. How have you been faring?"

After a pause, she sighs. "I haven't been able to connect with Kitty. I told her about my powers, and she ran off. I'm so sorry, I know you're counting on me."

"I have faith in you, Jean." He replies, "Ever since you counseled Y/N on her first day, I knew you were ready for this. I'm sure if you persist, you will earn Kitty's trust."

Jean doesn't answer immediately. Xavier waits a moment, then asks, "Jean? Are you still there?"

"Yes, sorry!" She answers quickly, "It's just funny. Y/N said something similar."

Xavier smiles. He had hoped you would be able to help Jean find her strength. In turn, he hopes you will be more confident in your abilities.

Jean continues. "There is a big problem, though. Apparently, Lance Alvers is also trying to befriend Kitty."

Stopping in his tracks, the Professor frowns. Lance Alvers manifested his powers a couple months ago, and Xavier reviewed the boy's background. A troubled youth, to say the least. The poor boy has been passed around foster homes since he was born and developed a rebellious attitude. His record is a mile long, but that isn't the main reason Xavier didn't extend an invitation to the Institute.

"Sounds like Lance is trouble. If he bonds with Kitty, we may not be able to reach her."

Jean responds. "I agree. And he is reaching her."

"You have to stay with her, Jean. I don't want to lose her. Whatever obstacles get in the way, remember, they can be overcome. Xavier out." He hangs up and puts down his phone, gazing off into the distance. 'Though, some obstacles are more irritating than others..'

---

"Happy, relieved.." You say to yourself quietly as a group of teenagers pass by, chatting. 'Maybe because the school day is over?' You're really starting to get into the swing of things with figuring out your powers, even deciding to venture farther towards the school. Every time you figure out what people around you are feeling, there's this nice flutter in your chest. Of course, a lot of that excitement is coming from around you as more students go home.

You smile as you watch groups of friends walking together, thinking of joining Kurt at Bayville. If you can walk all the way up to this school, maybe going to high school won't be as bad. For once, you're actually confidant.

Right then, you feel something new, making you stop in your tracks. It's a strange mix of feelings, difficult to pull apart. As you try, it all gets even more muddled and hard to discern. This makes you frown, and you keep trying to no avail, getting more frustrated as you do. The only thing you can tell is that it comes from the same direction, so you're drawn through the trees in pursuit of this mystery.

Through the branches, you see the source a few yards away from you. Leaning against the side of the school in a secluded area is a boy about your age. He's much taller than you though, and dressed in a rough jacket with cutoff sleeves, a black tee underneath. His face is contorted in an angry expression, as if it just rests that way. Seeing as he gives off the general vibe that he'll beat you up if you look at him wrong, you begin to turn back.

Then his emotions hit you again, clear enough to dissect. Contrary to what his face would make you believe, he isn't particularly angry. He's... nervous? Like he's waiting for something. Whatever it is makes him feel all sorts of things. Excitement, stress, and a kind of longing. Then something else that you can't put your finger on, but when it passes through you it makes you hot in the face. You inadvertently make a noise of discomfort.

"Kitty?" The boy looks up with a smile when he hears it, but frowns when he sees you. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

His initial excitement cut by a wave of hostility makes you falter. You sheepishly emerge from the brush. "Uh, sorry, I was just-"

"Whatever, just get out of here before I make you!"

As your face pales, you're about to apologize again and leave. Then you realize something. "I- Wait, you know Kitty?"

Now he looks surprised for a second. Then he steels himself again. "You're with that redhead, aren't you? I told her to back off."

"You're Lance?" You gasp, remembering.

"Yeah, what of it? And I don't know who you people think you are, but you don't wanna have problems with me."

"N-no. Not really.." You stutter, and he nods, smiling to himself.

"Right. No one really knows her, except for me! I know what she needs." He looks like he's saying this to himself more than you, as he puts a hand on the building and smiles viciously. It makes your stomach turn. Then he turns his glare back on you. "Didn't you hear the school bell, loser? Get lost, already! Go home!"

A flash of emotions drifts by, quick enough that you almost miss it. The anger and annoyance in the anger obscure it and make you want to leave, to run away from him. But it's a feeling you know all too well, and you identify it right away.

Fear.

There's no reason for him to be afraid of you though, it makes no sense. He could easily beat you up, and honestly, the longer you stay here the more it looks like he might. But you know what you felt, and you also know a really good reason why.

"Are you..." You ask softly, shaking a little, "Are you afraid to go home? Your foster home?"

His eyes widen and the fear shows on his face. "H-how did you-?"

There's so much you want to say to him. That you're afraid too, of going back to the Home. You're still afraid even though you're not there. To think that maybe he understands... but the words don't come to you. Instead, you reach out a hand and touch his arm.

Rough hands grab your collar and you're face-to-angry-face with Lance. The ground shakes beneath you, but you can barely feel it as he lifts you off the ground.

"Are you trying to mess with me? Huh?!"

"What?! N-no! It's my powers, I can feel that you're-" You're thrown to the ground before you can finish.

"You're crazy."

"She's insane."

"What?" You reply shakily, seeing Lance glowering down at you.

"Get out of here!" He screams, and you scramble away, crying. "Don't even think about coming back here, freak!"

---

Logan stands atop the parking garage, trying to get a better scent to track, since he lost the old one. The wind today is not on his side. As he concentrates on this, he almost tunes out the rumble of an engine getting closer and closer.

He turns just in time to see the bike jump from the previous building, aiming to land on him. Flipping out of the way just in time, he levels his glare on Sabretooth.

A monster, to say the least. He's been after Wolverine ever since he can remember, and intent on winning some grudge match he doesn't know about.

Sabretooth turns his bike and revs the engine menacingly. "Unfinished business, runt."

"Bring it on, pops." Wolverine growls as his metal claws emerge. "Bring it on."

His enemy floors it toward him, and he waits until the very last second to dodge. Using this opportunity, Wolverine's claws rake through the bike, cutting off the front wheel completely. It loses control and pitches over the edge of the building, taking Sabretooth with it.

'Hopefully, all the way down.'

Unfortunately, no sooner does he finish that thought when the concrete below him begins to break apart. Some poor sap's car is shoved up from the next floor down, causing him to fall as the roof caves in.

'He's gotten stronger.' Wolverine thinks bitterly as he tries to get up from heavy debris. But Sabretooth has the upper hand and pins him against a pillar with another car.

He struggles as he feels his ribs threatening to snap, and still the car is crushing him more every second.

"One shall fall by the other's hand." Sabretooth goes on, ranting about the same thing as always. "Our destiny. We can't change it."

He feels like rolling his eyes. "I didn't know.. you went for that.. philosophy.. mumbo jumbo... urgh!"

"Hey hairball! I've got your destiny right here!"

Sabretooth is hit by a red laser, sending him flying into the side of a van. Wolverine pushes the car off himself, finally able to breathe again. Then he looks up to see Cyclops and

Nightcrawler in their uniforms. Before he can say anything, the blue elf teleports onto Sabretooth, like he can take him. The big guy easily throws Nightcrawler off, but to the kid's credit he doesn't seem that fazed. "Typical." He mutters.

Sabretooth turns on the kid, and Wolverine's running. Just before Nightcrawler gets sliced into ribbons, he tackles the villain away. He uses more force than he thinks when he sees the kid in danger, sending him and Sabretooth into an open elevator.

Wolverine lifts up his claws, ready to gut this chump, but Sabretooth kicks him out as the doors shut. Frustrated, he shreds the doors to pieces, only to see the elevator is long gone. From the dark shaft comes an echoed voice.

"A taste of things to come, Wolverine!"

He stares down, knowing it's too late. Teeth clenched, he thinks angrily. 'I should've stopped him. If it hadn't been for these dumb kids getting in the way..'

Said dumb kids join him by the empty elevator shaft, and Nightcrawler has a triumphant smile on his face. "Ha! Ve showed him! Ve are ze X-men!"

Wolverine turns a glare on him, which doesn't seem to dispel the blue elf's glee in the slightest. "I don't fight your battles," He merely growls at them, "So don't fight mine."

He stalks away, leaving Cyclops and Nightcrawler to find their own way home.

"Ehhh, he loves us." Nightcrawler says.

"Oh, yeah. Big-time."

Wolverine grunts, irritated as he listens to them. 'Idiots nearly got themselves killed.. They need to stay out of this.'

---

You run, hitting branches and stumbling more than a few times on loose rocks. It's hard to see with the tears blurring your vision. All you can do in your panic is latch onto a distant warmth and run towards it.

'What was I thinking?? I shouldn't have told him that! I shouldn't have talked to him, I shouldn't have even gone towards the school! Stupid, why do you always mess everything up? I can't go to high school, I can't control my powers, and I'll have to go back to the Home!'

"Y/N?!"

You run straight into Jean, and after a moment she wraps her arms around you. "What happened? Are you okay?" She asks worriedly.

"I tried to- I tried to use my power!" You manage to choke out. "I thought I could- I thought I could help Lance!"

"Lance?" She exclaims in alarm. "Lance Alvers?"

"I'm sorry." You whisper. Of course you'd never be of any help to anyone. Your powers are never going to do anything but hurt. You never should have gotten your hopes up.

"You did everything you could, Y/N." You turn to see the Professor approach, and he's smiling sympathetically. "Some people don't want to be helped, Lance Alvers among them. That doesn't say anything about your ability to empathize with others."

You dry your tears with your sleeve, calming down slowly. "Sorry, I- I'm sorry."

Jean squeezes your hand. "Hey, you're okay. Don't apologize."

"It was just-" You take a deep breath, "It was just a lot."

"I understand."

They're both beside you, and you feel less weak. All that anger, that fear, all the bad feelings that came crashing down on you with his words... you had lost yourself in them. But Jean and the Professor found you.

Once your breathing gets back to normal, you look at the ground meekly. "Sorry. I overreacted."

"Y/N, seriously, you don't have to apologize." Jean says, "The next time I see Lance, I'm gonna cut off his-"

"Jean." The Professor interrupts sternly.

"He deserves it! Not just with Y/N, he's been harassing Kitty, too! Who knows what he's planning for her?"

You shudder for a second, a reaction to a residual feeling. Dread. Something about the way Lance had looked..

"Professor?" You ask, "Do you know what that building is, through the trees over there?"

He raises an eyebrow as he looks in that direction. "I believe it's an administrative building for the school. Perhaps the office. Why?"

"Lance was hanging around there, and I think he was waiting for Kitty." You say shyly, "And this look he had.. I just think something bad might happen."

The Professor and Jean look at each other, then back to you. "I think you two had better suit up." Professor X finally says, and your eyes widen as he continues, "I'm going to get Kitty's parents on call."

---

'Who does she think she is?!' Lance thinks angrily, trying to keep from using his powers again. He chased that you off, but he can't shake off the things you said to him. 'Talking like she knows me! Nobody knows me!'

He never talks to anyone about his foster parents. The idea that some stranger knows about his business makes him uneasy. And someone like that, a girl with these wide, innocent eyes.. Lance grimaces, almost feeling bad for scaring you, but then quickly shakes his head.

"She's with that redhead know-it-all." He mutters to himself, "They're trying to get her away from me. Mess with my head."

Ever since this morning, he hasn't been able to stop thinking about Kitty. The girl who can fall right through a locker door. She has the power to take back everything they've been denied, turn the tables on every adult who's ever hurt them. And he knows she wants it too, because that anger in her eyes reflects his own. She's just like him, and he can show her how to really live.

"H-how do you take control?"

He turns, a smile gracing his face as Kitty steps through the foliage. Until this moment, he hadn't realized how nervous he was that she might not show up. But there she is, looking so vulnerable in front of him. It's kind of cute, actually.

"By admitting something no one wants to cop to." He replies honestly, "That we are outsiders. That there is something wrong with us."

Kitty's head bows, letting the truth of it sink in. Then Lance reaches out and lifts her chin up. "Hey, don't fret it. Embrace it! The way I see it, fate dealt us winning cards.. if we play them together."

Their faces are so close, and Lance likes the feeling of his hand on her face. It surprises him, and her too by looks of it. She blushes a little, and turns her head away.

"Nothing is making any sense." She sounds so lost. Lance can't help but revel in his role in showing her the way.

"That's why I'm here! To light your path." He walks behind her and puts his hands firmly on her shoulders, pointing her the right way. "And the first step leads us right into that office."

She looks up at him, unsure. He smiles back. "You can do this. I believe in you." Lance squeezes her hand as he walks around the building, "I'll be waiting on the other side."

---

It's taken everything in her to convince herself to come here. Now, Kitty is standing in front of a brick wall as Lance waits on the other side.

Lance. She doesn't know what to make of him. He's always been in the background of her world until today, and they shouldn't have anything in common. He's a punk, she's an honor roll student. But now he seems like the only person in the world who understands her. When he touched her, she felt something, like butterflies in her stomach. That's never happened before.

'Get a grip, Pryde!' She thinks forcefully, 'Focus!'

She's been scared before to even try. But, somehow, the fear isn't as bad anymore. Bravely, she closes her eyes and walks forward in concentration. A few steps later, she peeks at the inside of the school office.

'I...I did it!' A smile comes to her face as she realizes. 'He was right!' Looking around excitedly, she spots Lance in the hall outside and runs to let him in.

"Did you see me? Did you?" He laughs as she jumps up and down, but she's too giddy to be embarrassed.

"Yeah, wow Kitty. How did it feel?" Lance asks.

"It was, like, totally unbelievable!"

In a moment of absolute joy, she pitches forward and wraps Lance in a tight hug. Her elation rises even further when he returns it.

"You're making it yours, Kitty." He whispers to her, "Once you own it, nothing can own you."

They pull back, and spend a long moment just smiling at each other. They're looking at each other for so long that Kitty blushes and begins to turn away, but she's stopped as he seizes her and pulls her into a kiss.

At first, she's surprised and even afraid. This is her first time. But in a split second those feelings melt away as she kisses him back. He, in turn, presses his lips against her more forcefully. It feels so different. It feels dangerous. It feels good.

As he lifts her up onto the desk, she can't help smirking.

'If only Riley could see me now.'

---

You're in your suit, an X emblazoned over your chest. You've only ever worn it before in the few training exercises you and Nightcrawler had with Logan. Rigorous and exhausting, as per Wolverine's usual instruction, but never dangerous. The feeling in your gut is telling you that this is different, and something bad is about to happen. It doesn't help that the Professor has the same instinct.

Jean puts a hand on your shoulder, red hair flowing out from her black and green uniform. "Don't worry. We're not putting you in any danger."

'It's not me I'm worried for.' You think soberly.

A car pulls up, and Mr. and Mrs. Pryde dash out quickly. The Professor rolls over to meet them.

"Where is she?!" Mr. Pryde demands, worry plastered all over his expression.

That fear and anger coming from the parents you are already somewhat prepared for. It's still so powerful and uncomfortable that you want to take a step back. When you do, you realize you've stepped closer to a similar feeling. It's faint, but that's because it's coming from...

You gasp. "The school!"

Jean looks at you, then puts her fingers to her temples and closes her eyes. A moment later, she steps forward. "Kitty broke into the office!"

Kitty's mother shakes her head in shock. "She-she's never done anything like this before!"

"Go with them, Jean!" The Professor says hurriedly, "I'll catch up." The adults hurry with Jean towards the school, and you keep pace with the Professor. You're worried, because as you get closer, so do those negative feelings.

---

Kitty lays against the desk, catching her breath. Lance's hands move up and down her body as he peppers her neck with kisses. Then he stops, much to her disappointment. "One second." He flashes her a grin, then goes to sit behind the desktop computer.

She gets up as he types away at something. Curious, she approaches, watching as he hits the download button.

"Hehe. Test answers present and accounted for." She hears him chuckle to himself.

Something shatters in her. "That's what this is about?" She exclaims, voice near breaking, "Cheating?!"

"Hey!" He argues back, "This crummy school uses these kinds of tests to keep us down, Kitty! No more." A smirk plays on his face. "We take control." 

Kitty shakes her head, sad and angry. 'He doesn't even get it. Did... did this mean anything to him?'

"Now, lets modify some grades... You're having trouble in gym, right? Pryde, P-R-"

"No!" She pushes his hands away from the keyboard, and in a flash he's up, looking down at her.

"Look, there's no victim here! We're just evening the score!" His eyes pierce hers, looking so sympathetic.. and yet she can't ignore the glint of something more malicious in his gaze.

"This doesn't feel right!" Kitty exclaims, "It.. I've changed my mind! I wanna go!"

Turning to leave, she feels a large hand grip her arm. It hurts.

"Woah, woah, what are you doing? C'mon, Kitty!"

"Let go of my daughter!" The door bursts open, and there's her Dad glaring daggers at Lance. Her mom is there, too, eyes wide. Kitty stares at them speechlessly, almost afraid, as her furious dad marches towards them.

Lance's grip tightens. "Far enough old man!" His eyes go up into his skull, and Kitty braces herself as the whole room begins shaking violently. She gasps as a bookshelf falls over onto her father, knocking him down.

"No! Stop!"

As she shrieks, Lance pulls her to the wall she came in through. "They're just going to confuse you, Kitty!" He yells, "We're outta here!" The wall starts crumbling, but she can't take her eyes off her father.

"Kitty, please! We can work through this together!" She can hear the tears in her mom's voice.

Kitty turns to Lance angrily. "Let go of me!" She tries to wrench herself loose, but he holds fast. Then, the wall comes down, throwing her off balance.

Lance spins her toward him, all gentleness gone from his face. "We're in control now! We make our own way!"

She's so confused, and only vaguely aware that the redheaded girl from earlier is moving the bookshelf off her father. Her mom helps him up, and they hold each other as they stare at her imploringly.

"Kitty, I pushed you to this, I know!" Her dad says, voice shaking, "I-I wanted to pretend nothing was wrong.. I'm not perfect! I'm learning. Just like you are."

Kitty tears up as she looks at him. He doesn't think she's a freak! He's been afraid, all this time, because he loves her. "Daddy?" She chokes out.

Lance pulls her back angrily. "Forget them! C'mon! I'm bringing this place down!" He strains again, causing the building to fall apart. The roof starts caving in on the other side of the room, debris falling over her parents.

Before it can land on them, though, the rubble bounces off some giant, invisible shield. Kitty sees Jean with her arms outstretched, sustaining this force and protecting her parents.

"You called your gift a curse!" She calls out to Kitty, "If you go with him, I guarantee you, it will be!"

"Please, Kitty, listen to her!"

"Sweetheart, we love you!"

Tears stream down her face.

"They're too late! You're with me now!" Lance drags her along, about to force her through the destroyed wall. But before he can, she moves through him.

"No! I'm not!"

Her arm phases through his hand seamlessly, everything in her being pulled towards her family. As she runs to her parents, she hears a scream and is shaken to her core.

That's when the roof caves in on her.

---

The building is collapsing rapidly, and it's taking every bit of energy Jean has to shield the Prydes. But after seeing Kitty buried alive like that, her concentration is slipping as grief and shock set in.

'Jean, your powers! Use your powers!' The Professor's voice urges her.

She grunts. 'I'm trying.. It's too much!'

'I'll assist you. Keep your mind clear.'

'Kitty-!'

'Keep your mind clear!' He commands, and she tries. But the debris keeps on coming, she doesn't know how much longer she can hold it.

"No... Kitty.." Mrs. Pryde says sorrowfully, and Mr. Pryde looks on as they embrace each other tightly. "My little girl..."

Jean almost loses control, distracted by the despair and horror. But the atmosphere suddenly changes as she senses someone in front of them. Slowly but surely, Kitty Pryde emerges from the dense pile of rubble unharmed.

"Woah." The girl exclaims, and Jean sighs in relief knowing that she's okay. Strength renewed, she keeps the shield up over the younger girl as well.

"Kitty?" Mrs. Pryde smiles as her daughter runs into her arms and sobs, "Kitty.."

"Okay. Everyone grab onto me." Kitty says in determination. "I'll get us out."

Jean smiles, placing a hand on her and relaxing as the whole building comes down.

---

You don't know what's happening. The building is falling apart with Jean and the others inside, and the Professor is outside with you, concentrating. He told you to step back, so you're stuck pacing and watching the scene get worse. Not to mention the rollercoaster of emotions emanating from the scene. You've clenched your fists so hard that your nails break skin.

A stream of unbridled anger and horror and grief slams into you, and you scream. It's so intense that you fall to the ground. It hurts so bad that you just want to shut it out and stop feeling anything. But you remember what the Professor said and close your eyes. Trying to breathe through it, you let the shock and terror in, let it electrify your body. Then, after what seems like hours, it fades away.

"Y/N? Y/N, are you alright?" The Professor calls, still concentrating on holding the building up, but concerned nonetheless. You nod, reeling from the experience. Following the trail that feeling left, you see someone on the other side of the building. A boy running into the trees.

'Lance?'

Then, as the entire office collapses, you should be crying. How could they possibly have survived it? And yet, you feel relief in front of you, coming from the wreckage. You look at the Professor, and he's smiling. Then you look back and a smile comes to your face as well.

Jean, Kitty, and her parents walk right through the pile of debris, holding onto the youngest girl. You step forward, amazed at her ability and grateful for it.

The Professor also looks pleased with her. "Yes, Kitty. It is a gift." He tells her, "And you've used it well."

Kitty, in turn, smiles at Jean. "I have her to thank, for helping me realize that."

Jean beams brightly, if not a little tiredly. "It's what we do." She looks at you, "Right, Y/N?"

"R-right!" Jean did it! You knew she could.

Kitty hugs her mom. "Mom, I'm so sorry. And Daddy.." She turns to him, "These people, they, like, wanna help me. I trust them."

He puts his hands on her shoulders. "I know sweetie. And so do I." He and his wife look to Professor Xavier gratefully. "Professor? I think we have some things to talk about."

"Yes, we do."

Kitty turns to you and Jean. "So, like, tell me more about this Institute." She starts chatting away with Jean, and you listen, thankful that they're both safe.

That makes you think though, and you look over your shoulder for the boy that ran away. He's gone, but that horror he felt.. You don't know what to make of it.

---

From an overlooking hill, Lance watches the chaos as authorities swarm the school.

'I...I didn't mean to hurt her..' He thinks, the horrific memory of Kitty being buried alive playing over again in his head. He just got so angry, he couldn't... 'No! No, she should have come with me! Why didn't she choose me?!'

He turns to leave, not willing to stick around for the cops to find him. But in just a few steps, he's startled to come face to face with someone. A rich looking lady in a neat blazer, nastily smirking down at him.

"I'd say you've blown your chances at this school, haven't you?" She asks mockingly. He tries not to show on his face that he knows she's right. That the school, his foster parents, the cops, everyone in this city will want him gone. He wants to scream, to tear apart the world that rejects him.

"And you are?" He asks instead.

"Your new adviser." She replies, "I've made an opening for you at Bayville High. I have much to teach you, my young Avalanche."

As he watches in shock, she changes before him, body reshaping itself, skin blue and hair blazing red. Her pale yellow eyes look to him, expectantly.

'Well..' He thinks, 'It's not like I've got any other options.'

---

"Yes, Professor?"

He's called you into his office to talk, though you aren't sure what about.

"Ah, hello Y/N. Jean told me you helped Kitty get settled. Thank you."

"Oh, it was nothing, really!" You reply, "I just told her what it's been like for me so far."

Kitty just moved in this week, taking the room next to yours. Her first day, whenever Jean wasn't around, she asked you all about the Institute, the teachers, and the training sessions. Your description of Logan's course didn't seem to enthuse her all that much, but that's to be expected. Overall, you've mostly gotten positive emotions from her so far, which is a relief for several reasons. Even though you've improved, it's still hard to hold a conversation with someone who's feeling bad.

She's been talking to you a lot actually, which made you realize she's probably as chatty as Kurt. You think they'll make good friends for each other. The two haven't hit it off just yet, though.

"You know, Y/N," the Professor continues, and your attention snaps back to him, "I've been considering it a lot this past week, and I think you're ready to begin attending Bayville High."

You can imagine that you've gone quite pale. "I-but-what if?" You stutter out, but he holds up a hand.

"The way you handled yourself on the mission was excellent. You improved a lot, and supported a teammate in need."

"But I still lost control and freaked out with Lance." You admit shamefully, "I wanted to quit."

"And yet you recovered, and kept in control when the situation turned dire. If it weren't for you, we may not have gotten to Kitty in time." He wheels forward and puts a hand on your arm, "You must give yourself a chance, Y/N."

You bite your lip, thinking of how much  it would mean to Kurt if you agreed. You're not sure if you trust yourself, but if Kurt and Jean are there with you, you're willing to try. "Okay." You reply with a tiny smile which the Professor returns.

"Wonderful. Ororo will have you ready by Monday. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some important calls to make."

You thank him and are about to leave when you remember something. "Professor.. I was wondering.. Why did you invite me to the Institute but not Lance?"

Professor Xavier nods. "Unfortunately, Lance's anger issues and his ability to create massive seismic activity pose too much of a threat to the safety of other students and staff at the moment. As much as I want to help him.. Well, I'm responsible for my students first. Perhaps somewhere down the road, things will change. As for you-" He continues, grinning a little, "Why wouldn't I invite you to stay here?"

You blush, trying to let it sink in. Maybe you do have a place here, and maybe Lance could too, one day. "Thanks, Professor." You say again, and leave feeling... good.

"Meine freundin!!" Kurt exclaims, practically jumping on you. "Logan's making me take an extra class! And after I defeated a ferocious beast with Scott and him too!"

You giggle at his theatrics. "Isn't that the reason why he's making you?"

"Ja, and it's not fair." He pouts, then grins again. "Vant to go get burgers?"

Days ago, you would have never wanted to step outside. But now?

"Let's do it." Well, you can at least try.

---

"Hello, Ms. Whedon." The Professor speaks to his lawyer on the phone, just a few minutes after you've left, "Yes, this is about what we spoke of before. I'd like you to look into Matron Mary's Home for Orphaned Children, especially pertaining to Y/F/N's treatment. Let me know what you find."

Chapter Text

"Heads up!"

You jump out of the way as yet another rubber ball gets launched at you, and you turn to see it hit the wall behind you instead with a loud slap. There's no time to process before you hear the machine fire off another round.

The Danger Room has become a lot less scary since your first time in it, but no less exhausting. Somehow, Logan's class makes easy mode seem impossible to beat. He has you, Kurt, and Kitty doing laps while the room fires projectiles. Thankfully, the rubber balls aren't lethal, but they still hurt way too much for you to slow down. You duck as another one passes you by, then look up ahead. The finish line still looks a million miles away, and you groan in defeat.

"Hey, Y/N, no vorries! Zhis exercise isn't zhat bad!" Kurt exclaims nearby, "No problemo, as you say in America! Ve got zhis!" His joyful optimism is slightly undercut by the fact that he isn't even running, rather walking and teleporting forward every few steps.

"Easy for... you.. to say!" Kitty gripes breathlessly, a few yards behind you. Despite being in no danger of getting hit since the balls fly right through her, running doesn't seem to be her strong suit. You can relate as her frustration and exhaustion comes through.

Being the only one with inconvenient powers, you've had to work really hard in Logan's classes. You don't think you've ever worked out as much as you do now, and you're probably healthier for it. Still, exercise isn't exactly enjoyable. The biggest reason you work so hard is so you can be of real use. The Professor tells you that your powers are already helpful, but when Jean and Kitty were trapped in a collapsing building you couldn't do anything about it.

'I can at least do this!' You think as you eye the finish line.

Of course, things rarely go as planned. Kurt, getting a little too cocky, accidentally teleports directly into the path of a ball that knocks him over. The other machines seem to recognize this and take aim.

You turn around and yell worriedly. "Kurt! Look out!"

"We're almost there!" Kitty shouts, running past. You hesitate for a moment before running back towards Kurt.

He sits up and recovers enough to notice the incoming barrage and yelps. Just before you reach him, he disappears and you're left in his place, unfortunately directly in the line of fire. You barely get your arms up to shield your face before six balls hit you in rapid succession, knocking you over.

You yell in pain and someone else yells too, but you don't find out who before a deep, irritated voice yells, "Computer, end program!"

Wincing half from your welts and half from Logan's expression, you stand up carefully. Looking around, you see Kitty shoving Kurt angrily and stomping away. Your eyebrows furrow at the scene as you wonder what exactly happened.

"That was embarrassing!" Logan shouts, and you flinch. "S-Sorry, sir!" You say automatically. He looks at you funny, then sighs. "Not you, kid. And don't call me sir."

"Yes, si- I mean, um, Logan." You comply, a little relieved that you're not feeling much anger from him. Mostly exasperation.

"You two, on the other hand." He jabs, eliciting a protest from Kitty.

"Hey! I would have gotten there if Kurt hadn't just- ugh!"

"I'm sorry, Kitty, I didn't mean to teleport into you!"

'Oh.' You think. 'That's what happened.' You feel a headache coming on with all the negative emotions brewing.

"Enough!" Logan snaps, shutting the argument down, "Elf, it's called the Danger Room for a reason, take it more seriously. You put Y/N in harm's way with your stunt."

Kurt looks at you and gasps. "Y/N!" He teleports to your side and checks you over, "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you! If I had I vould've gotten us both out of ze way!"

"And on top of me!" Kitty snaps.

"No, no, it's okay! I'm fine!" You grimace as you see the redness on your arms. He doesn't look quite convinced, but you smile and reassure him. "It was an honest mistake. That's all."

'I'm more to blame.' You don't say, 'If I weren't so useless, he wouldn't need to save me.'

"Go clean up." Logan sighs, "We're going to have a demo here later, so maybe you all can learn from that. Or at least try to."

The three of you nod and rush out before he decides to change his mind and dole out a punishment. "Phew, zhat vas hard." Kurt exclaims, draping an arm on you, "Ve almost got to ze end zhis time!"

Kitty squints at him. "We would have if you hadn't messed around."

"But training is no fun if you don't mess around a little!" Kurt smirks, "Remember zhat time vhen Storm stepped out of ze class, Y/N?"

You snort, "Oh my gosh, Scott's face when you teleported to the board and rewrote all the prompts in German!"

"How did Ororo know it vas me??"

You both burst out laughing. The memory of that dumb joke is funny enough that you barely register the twinge of envy.

"Mhm. Well, me and Y/N are going to go change in her room. No boys allowed, later!" Kitty takes your hand and pulls you away before you can say anything.

"Finally, we can hang out!" Kitty says when you get inside, excitement so strong that it's impossible to deny her. Since she came to the mansion, you've been hanging out more and more, probably because you're close in age. She's only a year younger, but you're both in the same grade! You like having her as a friend. She usually brings a positive energy to the room. However, whenever she and Kurt are around each other, a tiny problem arises. They don't get along, like, at all.

You think it started when they first met. Kurt decided to prank her by popping out of nowhere, and Kitty wasn't used to seeing blue guys with pointed ears with fangs. The Professor chewed him out pretty good, and he felt bad and apologized. Ever since then, Kitty just hasn't warmed up to him. You can feel her distaste whenever he's around, and it sucks. Kurt is such a sweet friend, and if she gives him a chance she could see that.

'They're my friends. I should try to bring them together.' You think, clearing your throat to get Kitty's attention.

"Kurt's really nice, and, um... he's funny! He makes me laugh and cheers me up a lot!" You try listing off his good qualities, "He's kinda like a brother."

Kitty raises an eyebrow and scoffs. "Yeah, an annoying one. Which top do you like better?" You deflate a little, but point to the pink one.

"Maybe, um.." You try again quietly, "Maybe we can all be friends?"

But she doesn't seem to hear you. "You're right, pink's definitely my color. And I think F/C suits you." Kitty holds a F/C butterfly barrette up to your hair and you blush. She fastens it and gives you a hug, then whispers. "I'm so glad there's someone here who, like, gets me."

You blush and smile back. She didn't really answer you about Kurt, but seeing her like this makes you think they'll start getting along soon. She just needs to see his good side.

"But man, it's so dull around here sometimes." Kitty remarks, flipping through a magazine. "Where's a good party when you need one?"

---

A house sits at the edge of Mississippi swampland, lights flashing and music blaring. The local teens are all inside, dancing and shouting and drinking like they don't have to go back to school on Monday. One girl, however, stands alone on the back deck, away from the cacophony of adolescence. Rogue, dubbed that nickname by an old friend, gazes out over the bayou.

She doesn't really even know why she bothered to come to this dumb thing. Noise and, well, people aren't really her forte. It's just that she feels like she's suffocating in that new house. Lately, Irene's been inventing every excuse to keep her at home. Finally, Rogue managed to guilt trip her into letting her go out tonight.

"I still don't know anyone in this town." She said, "I thought I could make some friends or something."

Now here she is at a weekend rager, out of the house at last. It's only when she arrived that she remembered how much she hates socialization. She retreated to the back deck for some peace, but apparently that isn't going to work. As she stares off into the night, she can hear two buzzed guys walking over. Rolling her eyes at her destroyed peace, she catches a bit of their conversation.

"Aw, come on. I'm just, you know, picking my moment. Taking it slow."

"Cody, I've seen glaciers move faster! There she is! The girl you've been staring at all week! Please tell me you at least know her name."

"..."

"You lame-o! This ends now, c'mon."

"Ty, I-!"

Rogue hears the boy stutter and turns around. She raises an eyebrow when she sees two guys in letterman jackets, one pushing the other toward her.

"Can I help you?" She asks with about seventy percent attitude.

"Uh, Dance! I mean... would you like to? With me that is? Together?" The bashful blonde one splutters as his friend facepalms behind him.

Rogue hesitates. She fiddles with her gloves, Irene's voice in her head telling her to be careful not to touch people because of her sensitive skin. It has been feeling sort of itchy lately.

"I'm really just hanging out here, um.." She begins to say, but the boy looks so dejected. He is kind of sweet, and nice looking too. She debates it for a moment, then smiles. "Ah, why not? After all, what's the harm in one dance?"

She walks toward the door, leading him in. He happily follows and his friend high fives him as Rogue smirks.

'Hell, maybe this night won't be so bad.'

---

A few miles away from the party, a middle-aged woman sits in her living room, walking stick in hand. Something flashes across her pale eyes, hidden away by her darkened glasses.

In seconds, the blind woman sees.

A dance.

A fall.

A hand touching her wrist.

She gasps. "No! Don't touch him! Oh my dear child!"

---

His name is Cody, and apparently he's pretty popular. Rogue isn't all that into sports, which most people would assume anyways from her punk-goth aesthetic. So, dancing with a linebacker isn't something she's used to. He's surprisingly sweet, though, giving her some space. For once, Rogue feels okay with letting loose in a crowd.

It's hard to hear over the music, but she sees Cody's friend Ty move in and say something to him. The next second, Cody is shoved into her, both of them falling to the ground.

A few people stop and see him on top of her. Her face flushes as Cody clumsily climbs off.

'Great. This will be the school's new favorite joke next week.'

She has half a mind to tell him off, but he looks about as mortified as her. He even reaches to help her up as he apologizes, but she moves her arm and he ends up fumbling and grabbing her wrist instead of her hand. Her sleeve rides up, exposing her pale skin to his touch.

The sensation is like having the breath sucked out of her lungs and getting electrocuted all at once.

'It hurts!' She can't speak, she can only yell incoherently, 'Make it stop!'

She manages to yank her arm away, and the pain stops just long enough for her to register Cody's body slumping over.

Then it hits her again, an incredible pressure in her head that makes her double over. Memories fly by every second.

He's climbing a tree.

He's getting lunch in the school cafeteria.

He's winning the football game.

"My head! These images! What's happening to me?" Rogue, no, Cody? asks, panicking, "What am I? Who am I?"

He... She? They get up and see Cody- himself- sprawled on the floor in front of them. Everyone is gathering around now, music still going loudly.

"Cody? Cody, what's wrong?" The friend is shaking the limp body.

'His friend? Ty! My best friend?'

Ty turns an accusing look at her/him. "What did you do to him?"

'I'm scared. Leave me alone! I don't... I know you! No!' Rogue or Cody, whoever they are, runs for the door. Ty blocks them but they push past him just like Cody had done at last month's game, knocking him to the ground.

'That game... Why do I remember that game?'

Crying, the lost teenager runs off into the night, two identities overlapping in their mind.

---

It's been an hour since Irene's vision came to pass. The blind woman saw that boy touch Rogue at the party and knew it was too late to stop. She still called her child over and over, hopelessly praying that she'd pick up. Then the sirens sounded past her home and she knew there was nothing left to do.

Nothing except to call her.

"That's not what I said!" Irene explains, exhaustion and irritation creeping into her voice as she grips the phone tightly. "I see pathways, probabilities. I predicted what form her mutant powers would take, not when they would manifest!"

Her voice softens as she feels the edge of a picture frame, portraits of her and Rogue that she can't look at. "Yet, I did take precautions. The phony skin condition, the way she dressed... but she's a teenage girl! I couldn't keep her in isolation."

She hears the sharp voice on the other end of the line and sighs.

"Of course you're coming. I know. And the others, Xavier's team, they're coming too."

The line goes dead and Irene falls back into her chair. It's been a long time since she had last taken up her old moniker. "Destiny." An appropriate name for the reader of fates. But meeting with her old partner again, after all these years... She shakes her head, banishing the thought. The only person she needs to worry about right now is her child. She takes a deep breath and calls up her driver.

---

It's a quiet night outside the X-Mansion. Crickets chirp and leaves rustle, but other than that everything is as quiet as a mouse. Even the man currently jumping the fence makes no sound, even as he scales the walls of the building and accesses the vents. The intruder crawls inside, dropping into the attic stealthily.

"Impressive. You got past the automated defenses by using the air vents." The masked intruder whips around to see Storm step out of the shadows and raise a hand. "But you won't get past me!"

By her summons, wind comes blasting through the windows. Thinking quickly, the man jumps back up and escapes the way he came. Storm's amused voice echoes around him as he crawls away.

"Testing me, hm? Alright then. It's time you remembered why they call me Storm!"

He hears the crash of a lightning bolt outside. Then, a howling noise like an approaching typhoon. The intruder looks forward and sees the torrent of rainwater coming towards him. He cries out in surprise, but it's too late. He's carried away through the vents until he spills out onto a metal floor, sputtering.

"Look a little flushed!" Her voice sounds like it's coming through an intercom, and the intruder looks up to see her standing in the control tower of the massive Danger Room. "And the forecast isn't good."

He quickly jumps up, but is blasted to the wall by a freeze ray. It only takes a moment for him to break free, but now he's more than a little pissed. "Now, that was cold." He grumbled.

"Then let's warm you up."

A laser gun begins firing, but he dodges and jumps onto it. Metal claws appear from his hands and he sinks them deep into the machinery, yelling as the electrical current hits him. The gun blows up and blasts him back, burning away chunks of his black garb. Despite the burns, he gets back up undeterred.

"Gotta connect first." He goads her. "Got any other party tricks?"

The room splits open as a contraption rises, four long metal prongs spinning out at him. Exhilarated, he weaves between them, making it to the center and tearing the machine apart. He's just about to deal a fatal blow when another voice broadcasts over the room, this time telepathically.

'Stop!' The Professor exclaims, 'It is, at the moment, as much as we can afford, Wolverine.'

To illustrate his point, the machine whirs to a stop and collapses in on itself, thoroughly slain.

Wolverine takes off the black mask and smirks. "Hey, when I give a demo, I give a demo."

---

You watch Logan walk out of the Danger Room into the elevator, traveling up to the control room where you and all the rest of Xavier's students are spectating from. Your fingers touch the glass panel and you let out a breath you hadn't known you were holding in. That performance had your heart racing!

"Is that 'demo' as in 'demolish' or 'demonstration'?" Scott says as a very expensive looking machine falls apart down below. "What was the point?"

"The point, young Cyclops, was to teach you something about how to find the weak points in sophisticated security systems." Storm explains as she inputs something into the system. As a teacher, she always carries an air of gravitas that captures your attention. Seeing her and Wolverine in action gives you a new sense of admiration for their strength. Their powers are amazing!

The elevator doors open and you see Logan enter. "That's right, bub." He says in his gravelly voice. "And I'd say ours needs a little work."

It's difficult not to worry too much when you see Logan's burned black suit. The Professor has already explained about his fast healing powers, but he still must feel pain. You hope he's okay, and turn to survey your team's faces.

Kurt doesn't seem all that bothered. He's hanging upside down from the ceiling in his natural blue form, munching on a bowl of popcorn.

"Zhat vas tight! I give it two thumbs up!" He says, not realizing that in his current position his thumbs are pointing down. Jean smirks and gives you a look. You shrug and smile at his antics.

"The vents were pretty easily breached. Gonna need to fix that." Logan says to Storm, who's reviewing footage of their battle. "Maybe electrify me or install poison gas sprayers..."

"Wolverine."

"Alright, alright. Knockout gas then."

You frown when you hear this, but a wave of anxiety comes over you that makes you turn around. Kitty is standing in the corner, arms crossed and clear displeasure on her face. "Is it just me or is anyone else, like, seriously freaked by this?" She asks. No one answers and she rolls her eyes. "Oh right, it's just me? Great."

You weren't going to say anything before, but now that Kitty has brought it up... "Um, I also think this is kind of... freaky." Everyone looks at you and your face goes red. "I mean... do you think bad people could really... break in here? Past all that security stuff?"

Something you said must have struck a nerve, because now you're getting that anxiety from all around you. The students look at the adults, who quickly look to each other. Logan looks away and Storm speaks. "This is all hypothetical. You don't need to worry about break-ins. We just thought you may be interested in... security protocols."

The others relax and you look down. 'Right. Of course. I shouldn't have said anything.' You ignore the worry still lingering in your stomach.

Someone pulls you over, wrapping their arm around you. "Well, at least somebody here isn't crazy about lasers and weird ninja fights!" Kitty exclaims. This lifts your spirits a little.

Kurt, still hanging around, smiles over at you. "Relax, Kitty and Y/N. You'll be fine." He teleports to your side, giving you a quick hug. "Ve're right beside you!" Then he teleports to Kitty's side, extending the snack bowl with his tail. "Popcorn?"

Unfortunately, an already on-edge Kitty isn't prepared for him suddenly popping up so close to her. She gasps and jumps back, accidentally shoving into you.

"Ah! Sorry Y/N!" Kitty exclaims before shooting a dirty look at Kurt. You remember the cartoons where characters literally stare daggers at each other, and realize it feels just as painful.

Kurt looks sheepish as he puts the popcorn down. "Oops, hehe, sorry. I forgot you vere such a Scaredy Kitty."

Kitty crosses her arms, unamused. "Charming. Look, guys, it's late. If it's no biggie to you, I'm gonna, like, drop out."

"Aw, c'mon Kitty! I vas joking!" Kurt says, but Kitty ignores him completely and turns to you. "Coming, Y/N?"

"I... um..." You look from her expectant gaze to Kurt's, "I'm gonna stick around a little longer."

"Oh. Okay. Goodnight." An uncomfortable feeling sits in your chest as she sinks down though the floor. Kurt groans. "Ach. She's fully not into ze fuzzy dude." He sits down on the table and adjusts his watch so that he appears normal, "Not zhat I really blame her."

Your eyes widen as his sadness floats by. "Kurt, no, she's just tired! And stressed out! It's not your fault."

His face scrunches up. "Yeah. You know vhat? It's not my fault. She's just no fun!"

"Huh?"

"But she can do vhat she likes! Me and you have vay more fun on our own anyvay vithout
her bringing ze mood down!"

"Um.." The uncomfortable feeling expands as you sense something bad starting to brew. Almost as if you predicted it, the Professor enters just then with a serious look on his face.

"X-men, we have an emergency. Scott, get the Blackbird prepped for launch. And since it's a weekend, assemble the full team."

Everyone stands at attention, and Scott steps forward. "Yes sir. What's the mission?"

"Cerebro has detected a new mutant in Caldecott County, Mississippi." The Professor explains as you and Kurt look to each other with similar expressions of surprise. "My mental impressions from the scene indicated a highly disturbed individual. Our mutant is a danger to herself, and possibly others as well."

"Professor?" Kurt asks excitedly, nudging you, "By full team, do you mean-?"

"Yes, you, Y/N and Kitty as well." The Professor nods, "This is a serious matter, so do as your instructors tell you. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Kurt turns to you, and his joy is infectious. "Zhis vill be ze perfect time to test out your new codename, ja, Avatar?"

---

Breathless, they run aimlessly down the road, pushing past anyone in their way. Rogue, Cody, Rogue, Cody- Different memories from two different lives overtake them. They are two people, but one person. It hurts.

Bright lights flash and the teenager who could be Cody or Rogue stops. Their heart pounds as the car swerves, narrowly missing them and hitting a lamp post. The clang of metal on metal reverberates, adding to the pressure in their head.

The driver gets out angrily and shouts, "What are you, nuts?! Crazy kid!"

But they're already running again, holding his/her head as she/he tears up.

'Home! I need to go home!'

---

You grip your seat tightly as the Blackbird makes its take off. Most people would think that the anxiety would be lessened on your second flight, but your heart is beating faster than ever. Of course, that's likely due to the fact that none of the adults are driving.

Cyclops is at the main controls, Nightcrawler co-piloting. You aren't actually sure how legal it is to let a teenager fly a jet, but no one else seems to question it.

You take a deep breath, calming yourself down. 'It's fine. Cyclops looks like he knows what he's doing, and the Professor is sitting right over there!' You are a touch more worried about Nightcrawler, though.

Despite your fears, Nightcrawler actually looks to be trying his best. He's focused on the sky in front of him as he speaks to Cyclops. "Stealth mode stable. Leveling off at 10,000 feet."

"Steady. Hold it right there." Cyclops responds, then turns and smiles. "And you've got it! Nice job Kurt! You'll make a pilot yet."

Kurt leans backs and drives with his feet. "Zhanks!"

As Scott mutters, "Or, maybe not..." You lean forward and look at Nightcrawler worriedly.

"Kurt, please! I really don't want to crash and die today!"

He laughs. "Ah, relax, Y/N. I am only joking." He puts his hands back on the controls and grins at you. "Vhat did you zhink? You zhink I'm ze best pilot, ja?"

Yet again, his positivity is irresistible. Your lips pull up into a small grin of their own.

"So, are you excited for ze mission?" Nightcrawler asks, and you're about to answer when you feel two hands grab your shoulders. "Sorry!" Kitty says, phasing you out of your seat from behind, "I need Y/N back here!"

You make a small noise of surprise as Kitty pulls you to the back, strapping you in next to her. Jean looks at you and raises an eyebrow as Kitty starts to chat. "Honestly, he's so immature! Teasing you like that." She says, gesturing to a now frowning Kurt, "But whatever! It can just be me and you on this mission, Avatar!"

"Who's being immature?" You hear Jean say under her breath.

'Does she mean me?' You wonder with a pang of embarrassment, 'I guess I am too scared of flying...' But Jean sends you a smile, confusing you even more.

"I've logged our flight plan with the FAA. We're cleared through to Jackson. We'll take the van from there." Cyclops states, and looks back at the Professor who nods. "Good. You're picking up logistics quickly, Scott." Cyclops smiles, and you sense the pride he feels in that moment.

Kitty is also watching him. "Scott seems so, like, together! So cool and..." She leans into you and Jean conspiratorially. "He's kinda cute."

Jean laughs, but in a weird breathy way. "Cute?" She exclaims incredulously, "Uh, stiff? Maybe, exacting? Definitely. But...hm," She focuses on him, "Y'know, from a certain angle..."

Your heart starts beating fast again, and you can't explain the muddled mess of feelings that you get. There's something strong, and warm... no, hot.

"Ooh, Y/N! Do you, like, like Scott??" Kitty exclaims, nudging you. Jean turns to you quickly when she says this and the feeling slowly fades.

"Um... uh..." You try to say something, but just as one emotion leaves, another enters that is even more confusing. It's almost.. possessive?

You barely have time to process that when you hear the puff of smoke, and you realize in horror that Kurt is currently standing on the front of a speeding jet.

"Kurt!" You yell as you unfasten your seatbelt and stand up, starting to panic. For a second, he has the goofiest look as he strikes a pose, but then the wind catches up and sends Nightcrawler flying. In another burst of smoke, he teleports back inside with an unfortunate amount of momentum. You gasp as he tumbles back, and jump to try to catch him. The two of you end up colliding and landing on something soft.

As you shake off the daze, you hear the Professor scold. "Kurt! The Blackbird is not the place to be fooling around. You've frightened Y/N, and now you've landed on Kitty!"

Just as he says it, you look up to see and feel the seething irritation of the Kitty you just landed on. Nightcrawler helps you up, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, Y/N. I did not mean to scare you. Sorry, Kitty."

Kitty unbuckles, brushing off her suit. "Ugh, just like stay away from me and Y/N!"

"Yeah? Vell, maybe Y/N vould rather not hang vith a rude person!"

"That's exactly why we're getting away from you!"

"W-wait!" You protest as they keep arguing, "Maybe we can.. We can try to, all of us..."

'You're failing again. Everyone is upset because of you. Your fault.'

"That's enough." Kitty and Kurt stop to look up at a stern Jean, "You'll need to work together today, so take a break from each other. Go cool off."

Kurt looks down and teleports away, while Kitty huffs and marches toward the front. You sadly watch her walk away, but then you feel a touch on your shoulder. Jean is looking at you seriously.

"Hey. It's not your fault if they don't get along. It's also not your responsibility to mediate. That's on them, not you. Okay?"

You nod and she pats you, then goes to sit back down for the rest of the flight. You're trying to take in what she just said. 'Did she read my mind?' You wonder, and then a different question, 'Could she be right?' You sit back down, trying to get rid of the negative feelings so you can think clearly.

---

Logan watches as Shadowcat storms up to the front and plops down in a chair, sulking about some stupid argument. He rolls his eyes.

"Kids."

Trying to train up these amateurs has been giving him a slowly worsening migraine that seems to be immune to his healing factor. He would rather be fighting Sabretooth again than be stuck in this teenage drama.

"By the way, Wolverine," The Professor says beside him, "The kids are with you."

Logan balks. "No way. Storm could-"

"Storm's not the one who was worried about leaving them alone at the mansion while we're on a mission." Xavier counters.

He growls in response, but the Prof isn't wrong. Ever since Sabretooth tracked him to the city, Wolverine's been on high alert. That's why he's been drilling the newbies so hard, why he wanted to retest the security system. As long as Sabretooth is out there, all the kids are in danger because of him.

That doesn't mean he wants to babysit the twerps, but he doesn't have a choice. "Fine." He grumbles, then levels a glare at Charles. He's known him long enough to notice how his eyes crinkle like that.

"...You're enjoying this too much, Chuck."

The Professor turns away, obviously trying to hide a smile. Logan sighs and grits his teeth.

'It's gonna be a long night.'

---

Destiny's hands nervously rub the top of her cane as she hears the engines closing in outside of the limo. With a deafening roar and a blast of air, the jet lands close by. It's been years since she last sat by her. Has she missed it? Yes. Has she been glad she's gone?

..Yes.

The other passenger door opens and Destiny catches that familiar perfume. At least one thing about her hasn't changed. "You made good time, Raven."

"Our organization's mysterious founder has certain... resources, Irene." Raven, or Mystique, replies.

Raven's voice has always been sharp, but there was a time it did nothing but warm Destiny. Now it gives her frostbite.

"What happened?!" That frigid voice demands, "I left the girl in what I thought was your safekeeping!"

The accusation stings and elicits a pang of defensiveness and guilt from Destiny. But she doesn't show it, not to her.

"At the party her mutant powers manifested and she accidentally made physical contact with a local boy." She explains concisely, as neutral as can be.

"Absorbing his memories and physical abilities. Wonderful." Raven responds facetiously. "We keep her hidden away in this backwater for the better part of ten years and in ten minutes it all falls apart."

'I kept her hidden. You weren't here.'

Raven raises her voice, enough that Destiny can practically feel it vibrate in her ears. "We cannot lose her, especially not to Xavier! She possesses the potential for limitless power!"

Destiny's grip on her cane tightens. "Limitless power for your benefactor?" She asks. Though her voice remains steady, the atmosphere of the vehicle changes.

"What?!"

"Isn't everything you do for him now? Or are you just in it for yourself at the end of the day?"

"And you would, what, put her in Xavier's hands instead?!"

"Of course not. But is your man so much better?"

"He has a plan for the future, Irene, one you just don't understand."

Destiny laughs. "I think you know I understand the future better than anyone, Raven."

That renders them both silent for a minute. After rounding a few corners, Raven speaks again in a quieter tone that feels vaguely reminiscent.

"It seems we have both chosen our paths. They don't align anymore... but..."

'But I wish they did.' That's what Destiny wants to say, what she feels Raven wants to say as well. Sadly, she knows there is no future where either of them admits it.

What do you see, Irene?" Raven says instead, "Where will she go?"

Destiny sits back and images slowly filter through her mind's eye. There are so many possibilities, but one is most prevalent. Her helpless girl, wandering into an unfamiliar house. She's looking for something... for..

"Home. Or what she thinks is home."

---

'I recognize this house.' She/He thinks, relieved, 'Cody's... My house. My dad.'

The thought puts a smile on their face as they run toward the suburban home's front door. It's locked, but the pressure in her/his head returns as another memory surfaces. The spare key. They reach for it and unlock the door, stepping into what they hope is safety.

---

Tyler paces back and forth across the cramped hospital room. Cody's been out for hours, completely unresponsive. His parents arrived a while ago and have been sitting with him, but Tyler just can't sit still. If he stops, he'll start thinking, thinking about his best friend never waking up ever again, thinking about never getting the chance to tell him-

The door opens and Tyler turns. It's a nurse he hasn't seen before. She has red hair and looks pretty young. Tyler would think she's a teenager if not for the uniform. She strides to Cody's side and puts her hand on his forehead.

'Is she checking for a fever?'

He'll be okay right? You'll help him?" Tyler pleads, and the nurse smiles at him.

"Yes, we will."

With that, she leaves the room without checking anything else. He's about to call after her when he feels someone take his hand. He turns and gasps, seeing Cody stirring a little. His friend's hand has unconsciously made it into his own.

Tyler smiles with tears in his eyes because he knows in that moment that everything is going to be okay.

---

Wolverine taps his fingers on the wheel of the X-van impatiently, waiting for Jean to come back out of the hospital. He eyes the cops near the entrance warily. No doubt they're here to talk to the same kid.

"This really necessary?" He asks, and Charles nods.

"Yes, Logan. The boy, Cody, is the key to finding our Rogue. But he's unconscious and his mind is elusive. To isolate his memory patterns, I need someone on the inside."

"You sure it's not too much for her to handle?"

"Jean is strong." The Professor replies, "Stronger than she knows."

Wolverine raises an eyebrow, but Chuck has that pensive look on his face, so he doesn't pry. Instead, he looks over his shoulder at the three knuckleheads he's going to be in charge of. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat are sulking and ignoring each other, and you look really high-strung. He has sympathy for you having to deal with this childish B.S.

"There." The Professor says, and Logan turns to see his hands on his temples, "Jean accessed his mind." He pauses, and Logan picks up on the hesitation. "What?"

"..Nothing pertinent." Charles answers, "I can sense a similar pattern not far from here."

Wolverine starts the van as he sees Jean approaching in the nurse uniform. It's time to find a rogue mutant.

---

Destiny feels the car pull to a stop, knowing they've arrived. Call it intuition, but she can feel her child nearby.

The passenger door clicks open and Destiny grabs Mystique's hand. "Don't you dare harm her."

"You really think that low of me?"

"She's your-"

"I know, Irene, I know." Mystique interrupts, and no one but Destiny would be able to detect the layer of hurt under the annoyance.

"Trust me." She feels Raven's hand on her shoulder, a reminder of a better time when they had been able to comfort each other. But her old lover removes her hand, and the new darker voice falls back into place as Mystique speaks, "She will come to us willingly. Given the right incentive."

Destiny knows by instinct that the woman beside her has shifted, changed into a new form to fit her schemes. She changed long ago on a much deeper level.

The blind woman navigates her way out of the car and starts to walk, ready to play her part. She knows what is bound to happen, the vision has been building in her mind all night. She has too much experience to be anything but resigned to fate, no matter how much it pains her.

One way or another, she will lose her child tonight.

---

Albums of Cody are spread out on his bed, and the teenager looks at all the pictures long and hard. The trophies, the bedspread, the smell, the view out the window... None of it feels quite right.

"All this is me? Mine?" They ask themselves. Two answers from two people in their head respond.

'Yeah, I'm Cody.'

'No, I'm Rogue, not him.'

They sigh, on the verge of crying again, and get up to look in the mirror. Rogue stares back. "But... which me am I?"

Looking at the trophies, their thoughts argue again.

'My trophies. I won them.'

'Not mine. Not here.'

'I live here-'

'No!'

They yell in frustration, knocking the trophies onto the floor. But another loud noise quickly turns their attention to the kicked-in bedroom door.

A strange man stands there in a yellow costume of some kind, with black stripes across it. His cowl hides his eyes, but his bared teeth make his expression quite clear. A predator after his prey.

"W-who are you and what do you want?" They stutter out as the frightening man stalks forward.

"You, girlie." He growls, "I want you!" From his fists emerge long, sharp metal claws, and he pounces at her. She dodges just in time, and the feral man crashes through the closet doors.

As Rogue.. Cody? No, Rogue backs toward the exit, the man gets up, stepping over the splintered wood from the wreckage. "Hold still and make it quick!" He shouts, "You're dealing with the X-men now, and you ain't got a chance!"

She picks up a piece of wood, brandishing it shakily. "X-men?? I don't understand! I just want you to leave me alone!" Shouting her plea, she swings at him and runs out, darting down the stairs and out the front door as he howls behind her like some demented werewolf.

---

Mystique stops howling and follows slowly, changing from Wolverine to Storm. "One more turn of the screw and you will come running into my arms." She chuckles, following Rogue into the night.

---

With Cody's mental patterns, the Professor had been able to narrow down the search to a large neighborhood in the suburbs. You, Nightcrawler, and Shadowcat have split off with Wolverine to cover more ground.

"What happens if we find her?" You ask your instructor, who is sniffing around the alley to pick up a scent. Usually you'd be too intimidated to approach him, but this mission is currently more intimidating.

"Well, according to Chuck, this kid is pretty disturbed. Best case scenario, we talk her down and take her with us." He sniffs, "Worst case, she flips out and attacks. Which is why you three are gonna be extremely careful, got it?"

He sounds angry, but he doesn't exactly feel angry. You aren't sure what he's actually feeling, so you just nod quickly and fall back.

Kitty and Nightcrawler are trudging along behind you, not together. They both haven't been in the best mood since the jet, so you've been trying to keep your distance. It hurts to be around them right now, it literally hurts. But, then you also feel guilty for avoiding them.

'I'm a bad friend if I can't fix this.' A thought echoes in your mind.

Exhaustion and annoyance creep up behind you as Shadowcat groans. "So does this, like, bite or what?"

Wolverine doesn't even turn around. "The Prof says the girl's mind is confused and difficult to pinpoint. So keep looking."

Kitty huffs and mutters. "Super fun mission. Ten out of ten."

"Vell, maybe you can stay back at ze mansion on ze next one." You hear Nightcrawler mutter back and grit your teeth as the anger flares back up.

'Not again..'

"Excuse me?"

Kurt rolls his eyes. "I'm just saying, if you're not cut out to be an X-man-"

"If anyone's not an X-man it's you! You're always messing with everyone!"

"Maybe if you had a sense of humor-!"

"Maybe if you stopped acting like a freak-!"

Each insult tears through you as you clench your fists. "Guys, please stop-"

"Zhat's it!" Nightcrawler exclaims furiously, "Avatar and I are going to team up und find ze mutant on our own!" He grabs your hand and your eyes widen.

"No, but-!" You try to protest.

"No way!" Kitty takes your other hand and glares, "She's coming with me!"

"No, she's coming vith me!"

As they tug you back and forth their fury at each other burns you up until it's too late. It bursts out in flames.

"STOP IT!!"

You yank your arms back and glare at them, unable to hold yourself back. "I hate this! I hate being in the middle of your fight! All of your feelings have to go through me and it hurts, okay?? I hate it!"

A tight grip lands on your shoulder and you instinctively push this person in rage. Only as the anger dies down do you realize it's Wolverine. A new emotion fills you, all your own. Fear.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I-"

"Walk up in front with me." He interrupts, "You need to calm down."

You glance at Kurt and Kitty's stunned expressions and shamefully walk away. It takes a lot of deep breaths before your face cools down.

'Why... Why did I say that?' You think, 'They'll both hate me now.'

---

'Help me... Someone...'

The young mutant runs through the backyards, stumbling over herself to get away from that monster. If she could remember how to run like a football player she might be better off, but the traces of Cody are slowly fading from her mind. Still, she can't quite remember who she used to be, and doesn't have time to as she scrambles to get over a high fence. Perched atop the fence post, struggling to get her foot over, she looks back.

There's a tall, white-haired woman draped in blue robes standing there, no monster in sight. She tries to cry out for help but the look in this woman's eyes stop her cold.

"One well-placed lightning bolt-" The stranger lifts up her hand, "One ex-mutant."

As the woman's hand comes down an explosion of electricity nearly hits the girl. She shrieks, falling over the other side. Her head hurts, and everything is out of focus.

"Rogue!" A familiar voice calls out. The girl recalls a small home, newly moved into, and a blind woman waiting in an easy chair. As her vision clears, she sees that woman standing above her. "It's me, Irene! Try and remember!"

"Who? Wait.. Irene.. Yes, but-" She.. Rogue.. breathes quickly, holding her face in her hands, "I'm so confused! Strange thoughts in my head... People chasing me!"

"Easy, easy honey!" Irene's voice is comforting, like a mother. 'Is this my mother?' She wonders.

Irene reaches a hand down to her and continues urgently. "The police are coming. The X-men will not risk a confrontation."

"The X-men?" Rogue's voice quivers.

"Yes, mutant hunters. Now hurry! I have a friend who can help you! I'll take you to her!"

Rogue takes her hand and uses it to steady herself as she stands. She's still unsure, eyes darting around for those two X-Men who'd attacked her. "All this is happening so fast, I don't-" Then she sees him. Fear grips her as she spots him, that animalistic man with the metal claws, approaching in the distance with some strange others.

"It's him! The one who attacked me! Run, Irene, run!"

She pulls away, running for her life as Irene stands still, holding the glove she left behind.

---

The second Wolverine caught a scent, the four of you were jogging through fenced-off back alleys of the neighborhood. Now, you spot some people up ahead. One woman with dark glasses and a cane... A blind woman? And next to her is a teenage girl, looking pale and wary.

"That's her!" Wolverine grunts as you all move forward. When the girl looks your way, she gasps. You're knocked back slightly by that wave of emotion. It's enough to make you tremble as you try to keep pace with the others.

"She's terrified!" You exclaim.

"Was?" You jump, noticing Nightcrawler at your side.

As Wolverine and Shadowcat continue on, Rogue screams and runs away, leaving the blind woman behind.

"Vhat did you say?" Kurt asks again. After your previous outburst, you can't look him in the eye.

"She's scared." You answer quietly. "Of us."

Just as you say this, the girl scales a fence haphazardly in a desperate escape. "Please! Leave me be!" She cries out, and your heart aches.

In a second, Nightcrawler disappears from your side and reappears in front of Logan, blocking his way.

"Volverine, vait! Avatar says ze girl is scared! She seems to be terrified by you!"

Logan stops and looks back at you, then sighs gruffly. "Well, what do you expect me to do? Not go after her?"

"Let me try." Nightcrawler answers, "All of us! Ve're her age, right? So ve're less scary!"

Wolverine grunts, obviously not too happy about this development. "If she touches you-"

"She von't! Kitty can phase past her, I can teleport, and Avatar can stay distanced from her! Ve'll be careful, just like you taught us!" Nightcrawler wears his signature goofy smile, but something is different. You can sense a seriousness and determination from him.

For a tense moment, Wolverine is silent. "Okay, kid." He finally agrees, and the shock is palpable from all three of you. Wolverine letting Nightcrawler call the shots?

As you start to wonder if your instructor has been replaced by an alien, he starts to sound normal again. "Just don't mess up, capische?"

"Yes sir!" Nightcrawler beams.

"I'll go find the Prof and get the others over here quick. You three find the girl and try to keep her here. But do not confront her if she's acting dangerous!" Wolverine points to Nightcrawler, "And Squirt? Put on your best face. No sense freaking out the poor kid anymore than she already is."

Kurt gives a big thumbs up and changes into his civilian mode. Kitty, who'd fallen a bit behind, catches up completely out of breath.

Pointing at her, Wolverine looks at you and Kurt. "And keep an eye on the half-pint here."

"Hey!" She exclaims, but he ignores her and turns to you, holding out a small device. "If anything happens, use this communicator to call the Professor."

You take it and watch him leave, and in a second he's already gone. After seeing how fast he moved in the demo, you figure he'll be back in no time.

Then, you suddenly realize who you're alone with, and nervously look to the ground. 'What do they think of me now?' You wonder sadly, wishing you hadn't lost control of that anger. Another worry bubbles up that they'll just start fighting again, and it'll be another barrage of negativity. Or maybe they'll call off your friendship completely, and you don't think you can handle that right now.

"I'll- I'll go around this way!" You suggest, "And you two can go the other way!" Avoiding them is all you can think to do.

Shadowcat starts to object, "But-!"

"Okay, Avatar." Kurt interjects, "Ve can find her from both sides zhen! Ve'll meet up around ze block."

He smiles at you, and you're confused as you dash off. 'I thought he'd be mad at me..'

---

Kurt watches Y/N run off and frowns. He turns and Kitty is glaring at him once again. At this point, he's over it.

"Why did you let her go off alone?!" She demands, "What if she runs into Rogue and gets hurt?!"

"She's better off alone zhan vith us." Kurt mutters, and starts off going the other way around the block to look for the new mutant.

Kitty catches up, slightly out of breath. "What... do you... mean?" She asks in between intakes of air.

"You felt it, didn't you?" He asks seriously. When you yelled at them, it was like he could feel your anger. Then, your fear and your shame. By the look on Kitty's face, she felt it too.

"Ve vere bad friends!" He exclaims, "Ve didn't even zhink of how she felt vhile ve vere fighting, how putting her in ze middle could hurt her!" Kurt feels awful that he hadn't noticed the little things he now remembers. How you wince when people start to raise their voices, how you would try to mediate and deescalate the conflict.

"I... also didn't think of that. I didn't get how she would feel when we fought." Shadowcat isn't glaring at him anymore. She looks almost embarrassed.

Nightcrawler sighs. "I'm just tired of arguing vith you, Kitty. At first, I vas just joking around, but zhen I vas really mad because of you and Avatar."

"What do you mean?" She replies, looking confused. Kurt shrugs.

"I shouldn't have been so jealous."

Kitty stops. "Wait. You were jealous of me??"

Kurt nods, and hesitates before saying this next part. "Avatar's my first real friend. I've made a lot more since getting to ze Mansion, but I feel like she really understands me. She doesn't care vhat I look like, and she always listens to my jokes, and ve eat burgers together, and... I vas showing off on ze jet to get her attention, because I had zhis stupid idea zhat since you don't like me, Avatar might stop being my friend if she likes you more." Kurt pauses, then grins his best grin, "But I don't want to make her choose like zhat. Let's share, ja?"

Kitty is struck silent, it seems. Nightcrawler thinks she has a funny dumbstruck look on her face. It's much better to look at than her glare.

Then his invisible blue ear twitches, catching the sound of an exhausted girl coming to a stop in the next yard. "Found her first! I vin!" He exclaims, and teleports away just before Shadowcat can protest.

'Now I shall charm ze girl vith my vinning smile and infecting personality!'

His teleport lands him on a swing, and he grins at the girl who has her back to him. "Gutentaug!"

Rogue turns around and gasps, obviously surprised by his appearing. He frowns seeing how scared and tired she looks. "Please, don't be frightened!" He teleports again, this time onto a bird fountain beside her.

She turns to him, eyes narrowing as she steps away. "What do you want?"

Kurt hops down. "To help you. Ve're the good guys. Especially me!" He laughs, trying to cut the tension.

"I don't want your help! I'm so confused, I don't know what's happening, and I- I just want to be left alone!" She cries.

Kurt takes a step towards her, and she crosses her arms but doesn't back away. "I vas like you once. Alone. Unsure vhat I vas. Afraid to show my face." He smirks and flips his hair. "Can you believe it?"

She looks skeptical, but she's stopped at least. As long as he can calm her down...

He sees Kitty creeping up behind her a second too late.

"Kitty, no!"

---

"Found her first! I vin!"

Kitty is caught off guard, to say the least. She doesn't have a second to react to what Kurt says before he teleports away again.

'Ugh! Why does he always do that?!' She thinks, waving off the smoke with irritation, 'This isn't a game! This is, like, dangerous! He could get hurt!'

She wasn't this worried about him before. Somehow it annoys her more now that she is. And all because he had to go and be sincere about his feelings!

Kitty sneaks along, following the sound of voices as she phases through backyard fences. Her chest feels all twisted up and she exhales hard out of her nose. She's angry at Nightcrawler... mostly because she knows he's right.

'It's our fault Y/N got so upset. My fault. And he..' She sucks in a breath, 'He was jealous of me?'

The irony sets in slowly. Come to think of it, she was being just as jealous of Kurt. She didn't want the Institute to just be a repeat of her last school, lonely and friendless. Y/N was so friendly, and Kitty thought she might finally have a friend in her grade. And then Kurt was there, always making you laugh... and Kitty got scared.

As Kitty's face goes through another fence, her eyes lock onto them. Nightcrawler and- the mutant! She panics as she sees them standing so close.

'She's dangerous!' Shadowcat remembers Logan saying, and steels herself as she creeps forward. As soon as she's close enough, she launches herself onto the girl.

"Kitty, no!"

Shadowcat barely registers Nightcrawler's plea as she grapples her. Suddenly, as if she's been hiding some secret strength, Rogue throws Kitty off with a surge of power.

Shadowcat grunts as she hits the ground. 'I suddenly wish I'd tried harder in gym class..' She silently bemoans on her aching back.

"Shadowcat!"

'Y/N?!'

---

You jog along the way your group came from and round the other side of the block, absent-mindedly keeping a lookout for the scared girl. However, you can't seem to keep focus. All you can think about is how you yelled at your two new friends, and what they must think of you.

You shake as hidden memories surface in your mind.

---

"Do you know why no family has adopted you, Y/N?" Matron Mary glowers down at you, holding a ruler.

You shake your head.

"It's the same reason you have no friends." She continues, "The same reason you were dumped on my doorstep in the first place."

She leans close as you shake, and whispers in your ear. "You're alone because you deserve to be alone."

---

"Please. Please." You reach out to a girl, an older girl at the orphanage.

She smirks. "Why should I be friends with a spaz like you?"

"I'll..." You grip your dress, "I'll do anything..."

"Anything?"

You nod. You're desperate.

The girl picks up a dead cockroach off the floor. "Eat this."

---

You gag just thinking about what you did, all just to call one person your friend. Having a friend means you aren't alone, and being alone means you deserve it. Eventually that's what you came to accept.

Now, there are people who not only want you as a friend, but who might accept you without conditions.

'Do I deserve that?' You wonder, 'Do I deserve to want more than a friendship that makes me feel... bad? Shouldn't I just put up with them fighting? Be stronger? I'm so weak.'

Your thoughts are stalled when your own distress is interrupted by another's. A deep and weathered sorrow fills you to the brim and pours out in a torrent. You look up to see that same blind woman from before, still standing where you all had run past to pursue the mutant. The woman holds a black glove in her hand which she grips tight.

"Excuse me?" You ask quietly so you don't startle her. She doesn't make any move, "Um, are you lost?"

"Not me.." She whispers almost imperceptibly. The despair hugs you close, desperately.

'I know I'm on a mission, but,' You look at the woman, 'I can't just leave her here, not like this.'

"Here, let me take you back to the main road." You step forward and her head tilts up, as if she's looking directly at you.

"You're one of Xavier's children." She says, a sternness entering her tone that sets you back.

"Wh-what?" How does she know-?

"You're looking for my child, the same as the others." Her eyebrows furrow, "I know this is unwise.. I know his ideas are foolish dreams.."

She seems to be talking to herself more than you, and you can't quite understand her meaning. 'Her child? Is the mutant girl her daughter?'

There's a hand on your wrist, and you gasp as the woman's face leans in close to yours. "But right now I don't care about the far future! Only tonight! And if that means she chooses you, so be it!"

She releases you, and her resolve and desperation comes cascading down. She points her cane down a dusty way.

"Go! Find her! You must hurry!"

You don't know why, but your legs start to move before you tell them to. You just start running in the direction she points without a second thought.

Almost like fate, you hear yells in that direction and your pace quickens. You recognize your friends' voices!

"Kitty, no!"

"Agh!"

Bursting through the gate, your eyes take in the scene. You arrive in time to see Kitty knocked to the ground hard by the girl. "Shadowcat!" You cry out, and rush forward. Her eyes widen when she sees you, and you go to help her to her feet when you are stopped short by the rush of emotions.

Anger, frustration, fear. You turn to see the girl about to flee when Kurt grabs her arm, trying to stop her. It's impossible to move as her fear takes you over, your breathing accelerating with hers. Rogue raises her hand and her fist comes down on Kurt's holowatch, transforming him.

She screams at the shock of Nightcrawler's true appearance, and before anyone can stop her, her bare hand flies out to push his face away.

The moment she touches him, you feel it all. The pain, the confusion, the overwhelming power of every bodily sense. You think you're about to pass out, can see the black dots creeping into your vision. But when you can't feel Kurt anymore, the adrenaline hits.

'Help... I have to help!'

Without really thinking, you push yourself forward, knocking into someone. A sound of surprise, the smell of smoke, and the sensation of hitting hard stone ground. That's the last thing you remember before you can't fight the darkness anymore.

---

Rogue yelps as she lands on something hard. Looking around, she's shocked to find that she's no longer in someone's grassy backyard, but in a dank, cool cemetery. "What just happened? Wo bin ich?" She nearly chokes when she hears herself and touches her throat. "I can speak German?!"

She stands, trying to regain her senses. Some girl grabbed her, and that boy, that boy had turned into some fuzzy, blue, devil thing? Then when she pushed him, when she touched him, that sensation happened again. Now, all these new memories are swirling around her head.

"The fuzzy one, Kurt.. I'm him, like I was Cody." But she's still Rogue, too, because she's always been Rogue. This time, maybe because she's been through this before, she can think more clearly. "I think I'm catching on now."

However, that still doesn't explain her current surroundings. "But how did I-?" As she wonders aloud, a memory shows Kurt teleporting into that backyard. Since he could do that, does that mean-? She teleports to the top of the mausoleum and gasps, then concentrates and tries again. Like before, she teleports a few yards away in a puff of smoke. Then again and again, and as she gets the hang of it she starts to laugh. It's ridiculous, after all, popping up all over the graveyard. Everything about this night has been ridiculous, and surreal, and terrifying... She teleports onto some old stone, and as it crumbles beneath her so does that brief moment of ecstasy.

On the cold ground, the fear begins to creep in again. She curls up on herself and mutters softly. "When is this all gonna end?"

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Rogue sees a girl, about her age, lying unconscious on the ground. And out of Kurt's memories, a name comes to mind.

'..Y/N?'

---

"Nightcrawler?" Shadowcat calls out, racing over to his limp form and turning him over. "Nightcrawler? Kurt? Kurt!"

It all happened before she could even get to her feet. Kurt changed, then that mutant girl touched him, you knocked into her and teleported off together to who knows where, and Kurt collapsed onto the ground. Kitty can't tell if he's even breathing.

"Say something Kurt, please! Tease me, scare me, anything! Oh, please don't be dead." She tears up, "If you're dead, I can't argue with you during Mr. Logan's classes! And you'll never show me that burger place that you're, like, totally obsessed with. Unhealthily obsessed. And.. And I won't get to tell you I'm sorry. That I was being jealous too. Please, Kurt." Shadowcat tries to catch her breath. "C'mon Kitty, okay. What would Wolverine do? I mean, besides dice up like half the landscape! Avatar has the communicator, so how do I call for help?? Wait.. The Professor can read minds, right??"

'Maybe he can hear my thoughts!' She thinks as loud as she can.

---

The Professor stops, concentrating on a quickly fading mind. Despite his efforts, it disappears completely. He looks up at Cyclops, Jean, and Storm, who had been following him along the sidewalk. "Odd. The trail seems to have gone suddenly cold. I can no longer read Cody's brainwave patterns."

Jean looks worried, "But if he's gone then-"

"Then it may simply mean the effect of transference is temporary." The Professor cuts in calmly, "Our problem now is how to find the girl."

He senses Wolverine before the man hops the fence to join their group. "Try about ten gardens due west." His old friend relays in his ever gruff temperament, "She was scared of me, so the kids are trying to keep her from bolting."

The Prof nods, his mind reaching out in that direction. "Then we must- Agh!"

'Professor! Professor!'

"Kitty!" Shadowcat's voice bursts into his mind, loud enough to cause a migraine. He grimaces. 'Kitty? Not so loud. Slowly, please. Order your thoughts.'

She still sounds panicked, but he manages to make out her message. 'It's Kurt! She hurt him! She did something to him! And she and Y/N are gone!'

'Stay where you are, Kitty. Help is on its way.'

He looks up at Logan, who's standing at attention. Knowing him for as long as he has, Xavier can recognize the worry in his eyes. "Wolverine, it's Nightcrawler. Rogue has his mind and his abilities. It seems he's unconscious, and the girl teleported away somewhere with Avatar."

Wolverine growls, and his claws emerge as a sign of anger more than anything else. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have left the little squirrel in charge." He takes off back toward Kitty and Kurt, jumping over the fence again.

The Professor turns to the others. "I'm getting a clear reading now on Kurt's brainwave patterns. She's more focused each time she uses her power. You three go ahead. I'll guide you." Storm, Cyclops, and Jean run off, leaving him following slowly behind. Just as they depart, the Prof senses, much to his relief, another of his student's mental patterns begin to surface.

---

You wake up with a pounding in your head. Whatever you felt in that yard really overloaded you. Sitting up sluggishly, you notice something right in your face. When your eyes adjust, you realize that the mutant girl is standing over you, brandishing a long stick.

"D-Do I know you?" She begins shakily.

You swallow hard and try to find some words. "Uh-uhm, I don't know you? At least, we've never met?"

"No, no, you're Y/N! You're like the others!"

She knows your name? "Others?"

"The X-men!" Rogue points the stick at you again and you just stare at it. She points it closer. "Well?!"

You stutter. "Uh, u-um-"

"What?" She demands.

"Are you..." You ask, still shaking off unconsciousness, "Are you going to hit me... with a stick?"

Her face goes red, and after a moment she lowers the stick and laughs. Maybe because you're feeling her emotions, or maybe because you're on an exhausted high right now, you laugh, too. There you two are, having a fit of laughter in the middle of a graveyard. It's not the usual joyful laughter you're used to, but a sort of tired and hopeless laugh.

She manages to catch her breath before you and shakes her head. "What am I thinking?" she mutters, "Like a stick could do anything against you guys."

You sit up slowly and shrug, "Well, I guess a stick is better than anything I can do.."

"...You can..." The girl touches her forehead, "You can feel what other people feel... right?"

"Y-yeah." You look at her curiously, "How do you know that? How do you know my name?"

"That guy, Kurt... I think I have his memories."

As she says that, you remember. "Kurt!" You look around frantically, "What happened? What did you do to him?"

She glares at you in response. "What did I do?! You mutant hunters have been after me all night! He attacked me!"

"They're not mutant hunters!" You protest, "The X-men are good people! They've been trying to help you!"

Rogue falters, then presses her lips into a frown. "You have no idea what I've been through, stop pretending like you want to help me!"

"But I do!" You stand up, then sway and lean on a grave marker, "I promise you, I'm not here to hurt you. I couldn't even if I wanted to." She looks at you, and you know she knows it too. "All I can do is feel how scared and confused you are."

"I.." She puts a hand to her head, "Ugh, all these memories.. I can't think straight.. You- You need to go! I want to be alone!" She yells and takes a step back.

You look down. "You really want to be alone?" You ask quietly, "I hate being alone."

Rogue looks at her hands and glares at the ground. "Maybe some people deserve to be alone."

You finally notice the emotion you two have been sitting in this whole time. It was obscured by anger, fright, and confusion, but underneath everything you feel it. A pool of loneliness surrounding you both.

'She's like me.' You think in surprise.

Then an idea dawns on you and you take out the communicator Wolverine gave you. "Maybe, I mean, if you change your mind and need help later, you can take this?" You hold out the device and, after a few seconds contemplation, she carefully takes it.

"Latest fashion accessory, huh?" She has a half-hearted joking tone, but even that little bit of levity makes you smile.

"Y-Yeah. Newest craze with all the kids these days." You watch as she examines it, and then pockets it, "What's your name?"

"Call me Rogue." She says, eyes connecting with yours.

"Rogue?"

"Yeah, what of it?" She asks with a little barb of defensiveness.

You smile a little, thinking of the strange coincidence of the X-men calling her that all night. With a small wave, you say, "Nothing. I'll leave you now, since you want me to. It was... it was nice to meet you, Rogue."

As you start to walk away, you hear her voice call out behind you. "Y/N, w-wait!"

You turn around, and it looks as if she's deciding something. "Yes?"

"I-" She stops, and all the color drains from her already pale complexion as she spots something behind you. You whirl around to see Jean Grey, Cyclops and Storm approaching. Rogue's fear returns as she stares at them.

"Y-Y-You!" She stutters before you can say anything, "No, you won't take me!"

Your heart falls as she runs away again, and you reach out your hand as you cry. "No, wait! They're not-!" But it's too late, and she's already disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The others catch up, feeling as confused and distressed as you. "Avatar!" Cyclops exclaims, approaching you, "We've been looking for you. Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah." You reply, then remember, "Nightcrawler? And Shadowcat?"

"Wolverine is with them now. They're in good hands."

You sigh in relief, but shake your head. "I was talking to her, and she was calming down, but.. I don't know what happened! She just got so scared again."

Jean puts a hand on your shoulder. "It was when we showed up. We scare her."

"No you. Me." Storm interjects softly, "She looked right into my eyes and ran. For some reason she's afraid of me."

Cyclops looks around. "Well, she looked pretty beat. She can't have gone far."

You look at him worriedly. "What are you going to do?"

"She hurt Nightcrawler, and she might hurt you, too. We need to find her before she does something drastic. You stay here and rest, we'll try to talk her down."

Before you can protest, all of them spread out in different directions, leaving you behind.

'Because you're weak.' A voice  in your head says. 'They know you can't do anything to help.'

But you think about that blind woman, about what she said to you, and you can't explain it but you know you need to help. You start to run across the stone and dirt to find Rogue.

---

Wolverine knows he shouldn't have left the kids alone. As he runs to Kitty and Kurt's aid, he angrily lets his claws out and chops down a fence post.

'They're just kids!' He grits his teeth, 'They're just dumb, stupid kids and I left them alone!'

It was Nightcrawler who had changed his mind. For once, the joker was taking a mission seriously. Logan thought that maybe they were finally ready to face a challenge on their own. Now, because of his misjudgment, the elf is hurt and another kid is unaccounted for!

His ears twitch as he picks up a familiar voice, and closes in on Kitty's cries.

"C'mon Kurt! Wake up! You know, I'm-I'm still not big on facial hair but, like, the pointy ears are starting to work for me!"

Wolverine leaps over the fence into the backyard where Shadowcat cradles Nightcrawler's body. She turns to him, tears in her eyes. "Wolverine! He's not waking up! Is he... Is he...?"

He kneels down and looks over Nightcrawler, relaxing when he sees the steady rise and fall of the kid's chest. After a quick check-up, he nods.

"He's just unconscious."

Shadowcat lets out a shaky but relieved breath. "Thank goodness.." Then, still crying, she looks up at Wolverine, "It's all my fault! Nightcrawler and Avatar were trying to help me when... and... I'm so sorry!"

She dissolves into sobs, and Wolverine kneels there awkwardly, not really knowing how to handle this situation. "Um... Hey. It's, er, it'll be okay?" He sighs, "Look, half-pint. You messed up? That's life. What matters is what you do next."

Shadowcat sniffles and looks at him for a moment, then at Nightcrawler. Her face changes and she turns back to Wolverine. "Then... let's get him to the others so the Professor can help him! And find Avatar!"

She looks determined, and Wolverine cracks a small smile. Then her face falls and she looks to him sheepishly.

"Could you, uh, like, carry him?"

Wolverine groans.

'Dumb kids..'

---

Rogue crouches against the stone casket in the dank mausoleum, breathing becoming more and more rapid. 'Y/N... I let down my defenses around her, I almost trusted her! Then the lightning woman came back... But why does she hurt me in some memories and smile at me in others?' Rogue thinks, the pressure in her head deepening. 'She's after me... Someone is after me!'

The sound of footsteps jerks Rogue around, and she sees a boy jump in through the open ceiling. His strange uniform bears a yellow X, and his visor gleams red above his twisted frown.

"Thought you could escape us, did you?" He calls out angrily, "The X-men don't leave loose ends."

Rogue yelps as he pushes over one of the stone statues which shatters on the floor inches from her. She quickly jumps up and runs for the exit. But, as she looks over her shoulder to see if he's pursuing her, she runs right into someone outside. To her horror, it's the same guy!

'How did he get out here? Can he teleport too?' Rogue doesn't have time to question this, and like a cornered animal she lashes out and pushes him. He cries out with something like surprise. When he hits the ground, something flashes from his visor and shoots out, hitting the power line tower above. Sparks fly everywhere, and Rogue takes some quick steps away from the fireworks and back into the cold, stone building.

There waiting for her the second she turns around is another one, a girl with long red hair and a mean look. "You really just don't know when to quit, do you?!" The redhead raises her hand menacingly. Whether she's going to produce more lightning or some other torture, Rogue doesn't want to know. She backtracks so hastily that a stone catches her heel and she falls to the floor.

When she gets up, the tall redhead is gone, and Rogue is alone in the dark. At least, it seems that way until she hears a voice.

"Rogue?"

She turns to see wide eyes staring back at her. "Y/N?"

Y/N stands there, looking around, then motions for Rogue to come closer. "They're gone." She whispers, "It's just me now."

Rogue's eyes water up, and she staggers forward. "They-They're trying to catch me. Y/N... Y/N, help me. Please."

Y/N cocks her head. "Are you scared?"

"Wha-what?" Y/N's eyes look different. The whites look more yellow.

Y/N smiles, but not the sweet way Rogue had seen before. It's malicious. "If you're not scared... you should be."

The girl before her changes, all the while laughing as she morphs into a hideous, scaly beast. She stands over Rogue, leering down.

"Never trust an X-man." The monster sneers, and a claw comes swiping down. Rogue's arms go up to block as she inhales-

-and then she's outside. And in free-fall. Rogue screams as the graveyard ground fast approaches, then squeezes her eyes shut and wills herself to teleport again. She appears a few feet above the earth, and lands hard. The soft, muddy ground breaks her fall slightly, but her bones ache as she attempts to sit up.

"Are you hurt? Lie still! Don't try to move!" That voice is unmistakable, and Rogue quickly crawls away from the redheaded girl running towards her. The pain radiates throughout her body as she does so.

Then behind her, another voice. "Child, what is it? We are your friends." The lightning woman!

'No, I won't be fooled again!' As the woman reaches down, Rogue acts on instinct and hurts her the only way she knows how. She grabs her wrist.

She and the woman scream together, and the memories come flowing in again. This time, Rogue is prepared. She can remember who she really is. Even so, nothing can prepare her for the rush of electricity shooting through her veins.

---

A blast of wind knocks you back suddenly as you're racing through the headstones. It's as if the very air is changing on a whim. Turning a corner, you take a shocked breath when you view the scene.

Rogue is rising up into a steadily darkening sky as a hurricane forms around her. Trees are ripped up out of the ground, and everything is torn apart by wind, rain, and lightning.

You run to Jean and Cyclops, who are looking up with similar shock. As the storm begins to toss large branches and debris around, Jean creates a telekinetic barrier around you three.

"I can hold it off a little.." She grunts. You sense a flash of worry from Cyclops' direction as he yells over the howling gusts,  "She's got Storm's powers but not her control!"

'If she has Storm's power..' You realize, and you whip your head around frantically. Finally, you spot her, unconscious but afloat in a huge muddy puddle the rain has collected in. The pylon above her creaks as broken power lines are blown all around. Sparks fly dangerously close to the water.

"Storm's in danger!" You cry out, pointing. "If the power lines hit the water-!"

Cyclops jumps into action immediately, quickly wading into the water and picking Storm up. The power lines nearly hit the water, but Jean extends another hand and lifts the two up into the air just before they do. You can see the electric charge running below them.

Jean's arms shake. "I can't keep this up for long!" She says through gritted teeth, struggling to keep all of you safe from the torrent. You look up at the girl in the sky who's barely holding herself together. Every gust of wind carries a piece of her misery and pain.

'What can I do?' The thoughts begin again, 'I'm useless! Even when I talked to her earlier, I couldn't-' Your eyes widen, and without a second thought you snatch Jean's communicator off of her and press into it.

"Rogue!" You yell, "Can you hear me?"

Static. Then, "Wh-who? Y/N? No! No, stay away! Monster!"

'Monster?'

You begin to shake. "Rogue, please! If you don't calm down we're going to get hurt! You're going to get hurt! Please stop!"

"I can't!"

"You can!" You shout, barely seeing her among the clouds anymore, "When your power gets too big and tries to drown you, just breathe! You're not alone! You're not alone!"

The winds seem to die down a fraction, enough that Jean can levitate Cyclops and Storm away from danger. But the hurricane rages on still, and you grip Jean's communicator tightly as Rogue's voice cuts in and out.

"Too much.. power! I can't.. control it! I have to-!" A guttural scream rings out, one that makes your head hurt. Then, in a flash of light, Rogue disappears. Without her, the sky clears up almost immediately.

The cemetery is half-flooded, with broken branches all over the place and many crumbled memorials. Jean lets down her shield with a deep exhale and rushes over to check on Cyclops and Storm.

You stay put, still holding the communicator. It's gone completely silent. Your knees are shaking, and you're holding your breath, waiting for any noise from it, waiting to hear that she's okay.

"Wha-What do you think happened to her?" Cyclops asks, sounding slightly dazed.

"She's gone.. somewhere." You turn at the Professor's voice, surprised to see him rolling up to the scene. "Her mind is a jumble, I can't trace it."

'But she's alive.' You think gratefully, and then you see Wolverine carrying Nightcrawler, Shadowcat trailing close behind.

"Kurt!" You rush over to see him, then look up at Wolverine, "Is he okay?!"

Your instructor grunts, "He'll be fine. Just knocked out. You were the one caught in a typhoon. By the way, what happened to you using the communicator if anything happened?"

"I'm so sorry, Y/N!" Shadowcat bursts out in front of Wolverine and takes your shoulders, "This is my fault! And I was such a terrible friend, and-!"

Your eyes widen at her declaration and you pull her into a hug without a second thought. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Kitty hugs back, and as her feelings flood in, you find they match yours perfectly.

Wolverine groans. "Charles, never put me in charge of these three again. I'm not built for all this... melodrama."

But the Professor just hums distractedly. "I strongly suspect the hand of another at work here." He says thoughtfully.

Wolverine sniffs the air and sneers. "Hm. Mystique. She can change her body but not her scent."

"Mystique?" You ask, "Who's that?"

Wolverine's response is a furious growl, and the Professor bows his head. "She's a mutant, a shapeshifter, and not our friend."

You pale at that. Someone who can look like anyone or anything... and this person is an enemy?

Kitty's rage flares beside you. "Then we have to go after her!"

"There's been enough damage done today." The Professor says decisively, "And the girl must come of her own free will... or not at all." You remember Rogue's face, her fear towards the X-men, and look at the communicator once more. Chances are slim that she will ever talk to you again, and that thought gives you a sinking feeling.

"And we must first tend to our own." The Professor concludes. As he does, Storm and Nightcrawler begin to stir. Your heart leaps as Wolverine sets Kurt down and he groans, blinking wearily. He looks around at the surrounding calamity and tiredly says, "Looks like I missed quite a party.."

You laugh abruptly. Of course Kurt would crack a joke the second he wakes up. But before you can say anything, Kitty steps forward with the biggest smile on her face. "Kurt! You're alright!"

He starts to sway but she props him up, glee radiating off of her. "Easy, you fuzzy elf, everything's going to be just fine." Your jaw drops, and Kurt blinks a few more times before looking to you.

"Fuzzy... elf?" You mouth to him, too shocked to produce any noise. Did you miss something?

He shrugs, looking kind of concerned at Kitty. "Did you get hit in ze head?"

"Hush. You and Y/N were right." She smiled, "Let's just, like, all be friends! 'Kay?"

You slowly grin as you prop up Nightcrawler's other side.

"Okay."

---

Cody sits in the hospital bed feeling pretty good for someone who mysteriously fell unconscious for the night. The doctors say that he probably just didn't drink enough water or get enough sleep this week, so his body must have shut down to conserve energy. When he woke up, his best friend was there with a big smile on his face. Even when Cody's parents took a break, Tyler stayed with him every second. His friend is currently rambling like usual, always the more talkative of the two.

"Whatever this was, try to shake it off quick, okay? The game against Jackson is next week and the last thing we need is Stevens taking your position." Tyler tosses Cody the football he brought and says the next part more quietly. "And, you know, I want you to be okay."

Cody stares at Tyler, and a blush grows on his friend's face as he tries to continue on like normal. "I mean, Stevens is the clumsiest receiver on earth! I seriously think Coach took pity on him when she let him on the team!"

"Tyler?" Cody asks, and his friend stops.

"Y-Yeah?"

Cody tosses the football in his hands. "When I get checked out, do you want to see a movie or something? On a date?"

Tyler smiles. "Yeah, bro. I'd love that."

The boys happily talk together while outside a jet takes off back towards New York.

---

"What's wrong, Y/N?" The Professor asks, and you sit up from your chair in his office.

"Nothing! I mean, nothing should be wrong." You look down guiltily, "I have friends, really nice ones, and a place to stay. I should be grateful."

The Professor nods to himself thoughtfully and looks at you. "You do have friends here. And, if I may, I'd like to hear what's bothering you so I can help. As friends do."

"I... I just wish I could've done more to help on the mission. I lost my temper at one point, and I couldn't stop people from getting hurt, and-" You think about a pale girl, scared and running away from everyone, "It just seems like the mission would have gone better without me."

"Is that what you think?" The Professor asks with a smirk, "I think you played a very important role this weekend. You helped Kurt by breaking him and Rogue apart quickly. If you had not, he may have been asleep for much longer."

Just the thought that Kurt could've been seriously hurt is enough to make your heart drop. You didn't know your actions made that much of a difference.

"Not to mention, you and Kurt were the only X-men to meaningfully connect with that poor girl." He continues, "Thanks to you, she may not be too far gone."

You received a communicator of your own upon your return, one you put on your bedside drawer. Last night it was hard to sleep as you waited to hear something from it.

"All things considered, I believe you are one of the strongest members of our team." He said, and quirked an eyebrow, "Which is why I know you'll do brilliantly in school today."

"Thank you, Professor." You say, getting up and slinging your backpack over your shoulder.

"Have a great first day, Y/N!"

You leave his office and suddenly two arms hook yours from either side. Kitty and Kurt grin at you and drag you along.

"Yes! I'm finally going to have someone to talk to in class!" Kitty giggles.

"Hey! You can talk to me vhenever you vant!" Kurt replies, eyebrows waggling at her.

Kitty sniffs, turning her head. "You mean never?"

"Oh! My tender heart! It's broken!"

"Go cry about it somewhere else! Y/N and I are too cool for you!"

They're arguing, but not angrily anymore. Instead, they have smiles on their faces and laugh after every jab at each other. You don't know what happened, but Kitty and Kurt have been thick as thieves ever since the mission. It's a change you rather like.

The three of you meet Jean and Scott in the garage, ready to carpool to school. You bite your lip.

"Nervous?" Jean asks with a smile. You nod. "Well, after two missions, I think you can handle a few classes."

"Yeah, especially with the X-men to back you up." Scott adds with a grin.

You grin too, squeezing into his red sports car between your friends. With them beside you, nothing seems as challenging as it did before.

You smile. You are not alone.

---

Rogue pulls her sleeves down more as she sits. She's still acclimating to the cooler temperature here... among other things.

Her powers were explained to her so fast, she's still not really used to the idea of being a mutant. Looking at her hands, now securely gloved, she wonders if she ever will be.

The principal of this new school sits before her, looking down at Rogue intensely.

"Welcome to Bayville High. I'm sure you'll be very happy here. Happy and safe." She says these words slowly and carefully, and Rogue isn't sure if they're supposed to be soothing or not.

'Safe from the X-men.' Rogue figures she's implying.

Her mom, Irene, found Rogue that awful morning, crying on the curb of some strange street as the rainwater drained into the gutter. She told her that she's going through some changes, and her friend Ms. Darkholme can keep her safe. No X-man will be able to touch her in this school, they said.

"Sure. Thank you." Rogue gets up and leaves with a polite response. The rules buzz around in her head as she walks out.

'Keep your skin covered.'

'Do not make skin-to-skin contact with anyone.'

'If you do by accident, find Ms. Darkholme.'

'Under no circumstances can you befriend the X-men. They will act nice. They will try to trick you. Do not trust them. They are the enemy.'

A rule like that should be easy to follow. The X-men are monsters. They clawed at her, shot lightning and lasers at her, they can change how they appear and move things without touching them. Rogue wants nothing to do with them.

Which is why she doesn't know why she kept the communicator.

---

Rogue leaves the room and Raven Darkholme leans back with a smile. It falters ever so slightly when she detects the familiar metal jangle. Not too much, of course. She's expecting him.

"The girl has great power." His deep voice rings as paperclips float around her, "She is a fine addition to our side."

"Yes. We were lucky to get to her first." She changes back to normal, back to Mystique. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees his shadowed figure standing there. She doesn't dare look him in the eye.

"Indeed. You are certain any residual memories of the true X-Men have faded?"

"Positive."

Mystique would scowl if she wasn't being watched. The incident would've been much more cleanly resolved if she'd been able to find Mastermind. But that slippery coward has fallen off the grid yet again.

'It doesn't matter anyhow. I've made sure she thinks the X-men to be nothing but heartless monsters.'

"And you've reconnected with your old flame, Destiny." Mystique nearly shivers when he says her name, "Has she reconsidered?"

"She is a fool." Mystique answers automatically.

"Obviously. We only have need of your Rogue."

Her fingers grip the table's edge. Seeing Irene again was... difficult. Aggravating.

Leaving her was worse.

'It's for the best. She doesn't fit into my future. Rogue's future.' Mystique smirks. 'How does it feel, Charles? To have someone special taken from you?'

She hopes she can make him feel a thousand times worse.

---

You look down at the speckled hallway floors, concentrating.

Joy, frustration, boredom, anxiety, exhaustion, glee, anger... all these emotions and more mixing as they flow through you. The Professor said you may be more receptive than usual, but it will get better. You hope so.

At least Kurt and Kitty have been taking turns escorting you to your new classes so you don't get lost. Kurt is with you now, leading you to your English class. Unfortunately, he won't be joining you.

"My English is so good zhat zhey put me in ze special class!" He joked, "So I guess you have to vork up to my level!"

You wonder if they'll transfer you into the non-native English speaker class if you just... refuse to talk. Ever.

But his grin is so encouraging that you figure you have to at least give it a try. The second bell rings and he gives you a wave. "Teleporting vould make zhis so much easier. Normal people are boring, ja?"

After a quick goodbye and good luck, you face the classroom door with shaky breaths. You hesitate for a moment, then turn the knob and enter slowly.

Your face reddens as dozens of students turn to you. It seems most people have arrived already. You begin to sweat as they whisper among themselves, looking at you.

"Ah, new student, correct?" The teacher asks when he sees you. "Come in. What's your name?"

"Um, Y/N." You say quietly, "Y/F/N."

"Oh yes, another Xavier student." The teacher notes something in his clipboard, "Welcome. Take a seat and I'll put it down on the seating chart."

You dare to look up at the class, to feel the class. Unexpectedly, no one is really paying attention. While the emotions have flurries of everything you detected in the hallway, they're also overwhelmingly neutral. They are uninterested.

'Okay. I can handle this.'

You slink over to a lone set of two desks, the only empty seats, by the window. Sitting down, you hug your backpack to your chest and stare outside as the teacher gets started.

"Alright, settle down." The chatter dies down as the teacher addresses everyone, "We have two new students today. Y/N over here, and..." he looks at his clipboard, "Is she here yet? Ann-?

"It's Rogue."

Your mouth falls wide open when you see the lean, pale girl with the goth-punk clothes and white streaks in her hair standing in the doorway. Her eyes connect with yours a second later and she makes a similar expression. Then she scowls.

You cringe away from her utter disdain, and realize the only seat left is next to you.

'Never mind. I can't handle this.'

Chapter Text

The air is full of dust, a massive engine roaring as the monster truck powers over mounds of dirt. Even as the stadium of people hoots and hollers, the motor cuts through the noise with a deep rumble. Everybody goes nuts as the truck flattens a row of cars under its huge wheels.

Everybody except Raven Darkholme, of course. She sits cross-legged, brushing a piece of popcorn off the bench beside her with a frown of distaste. She hasn't come all the way down to Texas for some raucous show for country hicks. As the announcer begins to hype up the next act, she takes out her binoculars and leans forward.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the main attraction of the evening. Let's give it up for the world's strongest teenager: Fred "The Blob" Dukes!"

Another round of cheers and shouts begin as the young boy takes to the center of the arena. He makes a show of it, entering with a bulky cape covering his whole body and casting it off when he faces the crowd. As it turns out, the cape isn't that bulky at all, the boy is. He looks to be almost as round as he is tall, and he stands at nearly 6 feet. The colorful spandex outfit he wears makes it clear there are no tricks or padding. This kid is enormous.

But Raven doesn't care how big this kid is. It's what he can do that interests her. She settles into her seat as the real show begins.

"The Blob" stands between two monster trucks, both facing opposite directions away from him. Each truck has a thick chain attached to the rear, about ten feet in length. The crowd watches in anticipation as the boy lifts the ends of both chains, wrapping them around his arms in a tight grip. The drivers in both trucks rev their engines, and through her binoculars Raven can see a cocky grin form on his face.

The monster trucks take off at full speed but are immediately stopped by the unwavering teenager holding the taut chains. The crowd gasps as the trucks go up on their hind wheels, continuing to pull against the restraints. The Blob chuckles, barely working up a sweat. After a few more seconds to build suspense, he yanks the chains towards him, pulling both trucks in. At the last second, he jumps up, allowing the rear bumpers of the trucks to crash into each other before he lands on them. The force of his weight causes the back wheels to burst and deflate as he balances there, crossing his arms victoriously. 

The man conquers the machine.

As the crowd gets to their feet in amazed applause and cheers, Raven remains seated and cracks a smile. Her intel had been correct, it seems. But just as she is about to stow away the binoculars, she catches the flash of surprise on the Blob's face as he leans over for a bow and loses balance. After a second of flailing his arms to catch himself, the boy falls forward into the dirt. The cheering stops, and is soon replaced by jeers and laughter. Raven's smile grows wider as she watches the teen's expression harden, anger blazing in his eyes as he gets up and stalks out of the arena.

Anger is something she can work with.

As she gets ready to leave, she looks across the stadium through her binoculars one last time to check on the other attendees. Wherever a new mutant appears, Charles' team is never far behind. She'd noticed them hours ago, and no doubt the feral one would have smelled her if the entire arena didn't stink of beer and tobacco. Logan looks right at home with the rough-and-tumble folk, but the fiery redhead was easy to spot.

Raven scoffs. 'Idiotic of him to send his dog and a child.  It's always best to get things done yourself.'

As she walks along the bleachers towards the backstage area, Raven smirks. His loss is her gain.

---

"AAAUUUGH!!" Fred yells as he throws the table and chairs aimlessly. The second he'd stepped foot into his changing room he couldn't keep it in anymore. He's furious, the mocking laughter of the crowd still ringing loudly in his ears. When all the furniture is smashed to bits, he takes to the wall, leveling his large fist at it. His knuckles punch right through to the other side, and he barely feels a thing. Fred breathes heavily, his temper slowly subsiding the more stuff he breaks.

"Something wrong?"

He turns at the amused voice, seeing a strange woman leaning casually against the doorframe. She's dressed all neat in a blazer and pencil skirt, not like the usual crowd that comes to these things. Maybe she's someone's fancy-pants manager. Fred pulls his fist from the wall, drywall falling from the new hole.

"Yeah. These small-town hicks!" Fred vents, "They've laughed at me for the last time! I'm gettin' outta here for good!" With all the property damage, he's gonna be fired anyway. Serves them right, though. They don't respect him, they treat him like garbage! He is ten times more talented than those dumb truckers!

The lady walks forward with a smirk on her lips. "That could be arranged. In fact, I know somewhere where your talents would be truly appreciated."

"Listen, lady." Fred says in annoyance, brushing away her extended hand, "If you're from the circus, you can forget it!" He jabs a finger in her face accusingly and leers over her tiny form. She doesn't seem fazed though. In fact, she laughs.

"Oh no, no no no." The women chuckles as she lightly pushes his hand away. "I have something far more interesting in mind. Care to hear more?"

Fred raises an eyebrow. Then he looks back at the destruction, thinks of his current options, and shrugs.

"Huh. Yeah, sure. Why not?" He goes to close the door, not noticing the two people waiting in the hall.

---

Jean follows Logan down a hall in the stadium as he tracks the boy's scent. Professor Xavier had sent them to scout out a new mutant Cerebro picked up, Frederick Dukes. Since meeting Kitty, Jean has been eager to connect with and recruit new mutants to the Institute. So, when she heard about this mission, she told the Professor that she feels like she's getting the hang of it and wants to put her skills to the test again.

Logan said he'd missed the Texas bars.

And here they are! But she's a little concerned with how the show turned out. The poor guy, stage-named "The Blob", had taken a nasty spill and the audience was pretty harsh. It was hard to tell from their seats, but The Blob definitely didn't exit with the same energy as when he'd entered.

'He may be feeling scared and alone right now.' She worries, preparing words of comfort.

Logan stalls and Jean stops beside him, looking around in confusion. Have they gotten to the right room? The hallway is lined with doors, but Logan has stopped at one that's open. She sees his eyes widen as he looks inside, a growl escaping his throat. Jean tries to look, but the door closes before she sees anything. "What-?"

"Come on." Logan turns around and begins stalking away before she can protest.

"What's the matter? Was it the wrong room?"

Logan's voice is angry. "Oh, it was his room, alright. He already had a visitor." His eyes narrow with loathing, "Mystique."

Jean gasps sharply, looking back in alarm. "Mystique? Here? Shouldn't we-?"

"No." Logan growls, "It'll only get messy if we face her here. And while I'd gladly tear her apart..." He eyes a chatting group as they pass, "There are too many people around. Too dangerous."

Jean shakes her head in disbelief. "I don't get it. Why is she here? Why is she with that boy?"

"Probably to get him to sign onto her little team."

Jean's eyes widen. "What team?"

Logan sighs, taking out a communicator and pressing a few buttons. "The Professor's been looking into her since Mississippi. He has a good idea of her plan, and this just about confirms it. I need to let him know."

As Jean follows Logan out of the derby stadium, she looks back worriedly. Whatever Mystique has planned for that boy can't be good. With a pang of regret, Jean wishes she'd gotten to him first.

---

You sit in the drawing room of the Institute, wedged in between Kurt and Kitty on the couch. Jean sits on the arm of the couch and Scott stands next to her, all five of you looking at your instructors. The fire crackles in the fireplace, keeping the room from falling into total silence.

Everyone around you feels the same way you do, worried and alarmed. Finally, it's Scott who speaks first. "Mystique's making a team of evil mutants to fight us?!"

You feel the tension rise and your heart beat faster as you look to your instructors. Storm is sitting in an arm chair with a concerned look on her face and Logan is leaning against the back wall with his jaw clenched. The Professor, now looking at Scott, is keeping a neutral expression and you can't tell if he's as calm as he looks or just blocking his true feelings from getting to you.

"Now, I wouldn't say evil." The Professor continued carefully, "The mutants she's recruiting are as young as you, and misguided. She's likely primed them to view us as the enemy, just as she did with Rogue."

There's a dull pain in your chest remembering that night. And then, the awful morning when the two of you met again in class. It was so surprising then, so improbable, and yet there she was sitting next to you with enough hostility emanating off of her to make you nauseous. As it turns out, you weren't the only one with a surprise encounter. Next to you, Kitty is fuming with anger.

"This is crazy!" Kitty yells, making you wince, "Lance is a complete psycho who totaled my old school! Why was he even allowed to enroll at Bayville??"

After your first day, you and Kurt had been shocked to meet up with a furious Kitty. Anger wasn't the most fun thing to feel, and Kitty must've seen it on your face because she decided to walk home alone. She said she wanted to talk to you when her emotions weren't all over the place. It was a bit of a relief, but you felt guilty that you couldn't be there for her. Later, when she was more calm, she told you and Kurt what had happened. Her first class, who should walk in a half hour late but Lance Alvers. The thought of how hostile he was when you met him made you shiver. Kitty said he'd tried to talk to her after class but she'd ditched him in the hall, then spent the rest of the day dodging him. It was then when you mentioned Rogue, and all three of you grew super confused. Why were all these people showing up at your school?

This is worse than what any of you had imagined. After Jean and Logan returned from Texas, it wasn't long before Xavier called everyone together. Mystique, some enemy of his, the shapeshifter who played tricks on Rogue in Mississippi, was trying to create a team of mutants of her own. The Professor said he wasn't sure why exactly she's doing it, but she might start a confrontation with the X-men.

"Kitty is right, Professor!" Kurt agrees, "Zhose guys are bad news! Toad broke into ze mansion and started fighting me, and Lance can create whole earthquakes!" You feel Kitty tense beside you and her anger is underscored by fear. You hold her hand and offer a sympathetic smile as Kurt continues. "Und Rogue almost got me and Storm killed! Zhere has to be something you can do!"

You bite your lip, the last part not sitting well with you. Rogue might be dangerous, yes, but you can't help but think that she didn't mean to hurt any of you. Whatever Mystique did made her scared of the X-men, but what if she changes her mind? Then again, she hasn't said a word to you in class, and judging by her attitude she wouldn't listen to you anyway.

Surprisingly, you feel a similar conflicted feeling coming from outside of you and look over at Jean. She's listening quietly, but her expression isn't scared or angry, it's just unsure.

"I'm afraid the students are being enrolled in a special program funded by an anonymous donor." Ororo answers, "It's officially an outreach program to board and school underprivileged youths. It operates by the same standards as our Institute, with students' prior records being wiped clean." She sighs, "Unfortunately, I cannot call for their expulsion without any new misconduct to report. And..." Her lips tighten into a line, and across from her Scott crosses his arms and grimaces.

"We can't tell on them if they come after us with their powers." Scott said in grim understanding, "We can't expose mutantkind."

Your stomach twists, your mind drifting back to an unpleasant place. If they hurt you, you can't report it to anyone. This situation is scarily familiar. Everyone around you is distressed as well, voices overlapping in a chattering frenzy.

"What are we supposed to do?!"

"Zhere's four of zhem now, vhat if zhey start to outnumber us?"

"It's not fair!"

"Professor, we can't go back to school with our enemies waiting for us there!"

"Hey, hey..." Jean says, talking over the noise and getting everyone's attention. "Let's calm down. I don't think any of them are dumb enough to attack us in the middle of class."

"Lance sure is." Kitty mutters.

Kurt nods. "I don't zhink Toad has any brain cells. His head is filled vith flies."

"Mystique is in charge of them. She won't want them to start a powered fight on school grounds in front of non-mutants. It draws too much attention for someone accustomed to working in the shadows." The Professor assures you all confidently, "And the Institute's defenses have been updated to account for all their powers. Right, Logan?"

From the back, Logan grunts. "No one's getting in here unless they wanna be burnt to a crisp."

Despite that horrible image, the security puts your mind at ease a little, but you can tell that no one is completely reassured. "What if they start a fight when no one's looking?" Scott asks.

"Or corner us when we're alone." Kitty adds.

The Professor nods. "If it comes down to it, your safety is the most important. I give you full permission to use your abilities in self-defense."

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief except for you. After all, what can your powers do in a situation like that?

"I want you all to be able to avoid that possibility, though. Which is why you will all be taking certain precautions." The Professor looks at you all sternly, "I want all of you to avoid these students as much as is possible."

"We have class with them every day!" Kitty exclaims in frustration, "How can we avoid that?!" You nod, thinking about the impossibility of avoiding Rogue when you have to sit next to her an hour a day.

"That's where my second rule comes in. If you can't avoid them, stay together. They likely won't want to confront you as a group."

Jean nods and says, "Don't worry, Kitty. Your class with Lance is right across the hall from mine. We can meet up after they end and walk to lunch together." Kitty smiles gratefully, but you can tell she's still upset.

"I'll see if I can transfer into Y/N's Literature class with Rogue, just to be safe." Scott says. "I'd only have to swap periods."

You want to say that there's no need, but Scott has that 'made-up-his-mind' look on his face. Instead, you just nod agreeably. You don't think you're in danger of Rogue hurting you, but maybe if Scott joins the class you can sit with him and spare yourself a migraine.

Kurt smiles. "I don't have class vith any of zhem. Plus, if zhey ever catch me alone-" He teleports behind Kitty, "-I have ze perfect escape route."

Kitty jumps and yells at him, Kurt laughing and a few other people cracking smiles, including you. Kurt is good at lightening the mood, and even Kitty looks better after chewing him out.

The meeting concludes and everyone gets up and starts to file out of the room, probably to go to bed after a long day. You aren't sure you're ready to go back to school tomorrow, though. Then someone catches your arm in the doorway and you're struck with a sense of warmth.

"Hey Y/N." Jean says with a comforting smile, "You didn't say much back there. Are you worried too?"

"Um, well, yeah," You reply quietly, "Now that everyone's gone and I still feel worried, I guess I am. I don't understand how anyone can hate the X-men so much."

Jean scoffs. "Yeah. That Mystique sounds like a real piece of work. Some people just want to hurt people."

"Not everyone.." You say without thinking, then your face goes red, "I mean, um, maybe not everyone she has on her team is bad? Maybe they're just... scared."

Jean smiles. "Y'know, I think so too." She looks back in the room and frowns, and you follow her gaze. The adults are still in there, talking in hushed voices by the fireplace. "We should get to bed." Jean says with a tired sigh, and the two of you walk together to the dorms and say goodnight when you split off.

As you crawl into bed that night, you look at the communicator still perched on your bedside table, and your heart crumples a little.

---

Rogue groans as her alarm goes off. She sits up sluggishly and starts to get ready for more school. Ms. Raven Darkholme, codename Mystique, has her boarding with some other mutants in a rundown old building called the Brotherhood of Bayville. Honestly, she couldn't care less about the others. She's always been a loner, but these are the kind of creeps she usually goes out of her way to avoid. One an obnoxious pervert and one a hot-headed delinquent.

'Why did Irene send me here?' She thinks as she pulls a comb through tangled white and brown strands of hair. Being locked inside her house for the rest of her life almost seems preferable to hanging around these imbeciles.

And then there's the X-men, who are so hung up on her they decided to plant their agents in her classes. Rogue grimaces. Seeing Y/N everyday makes her so angry, especially when she acts all innocent!

She tries to ignore the communicator she has stashed away at the bottom of her school bag. If it's buried deep enough, maybe she'll forget about it.

With a sigh, Rogue grabs her bag and walks down the stairs, intent to skip breakfast and just walk to school. However, seeing someone new at the door stops her in her tracks. This guy is huge, just barely fitting through the doorframe. Behind him follows Ms. Darkholme, who's actually smiling for once. It looks like it's plastered on, but it's there.

"And here's where you'll be staying." She says. Rogue internally groans at the prospect of having another housemate.

"Okay." He replies, glancing at Rogue with interest. "Will there be a lot of girls here?"

Rogue wrinkles her nose. "Dream on, big boy."

The guy scowls at her, then huffs a laugh. "Yeah, like anyone would date you, er, goth girl! I'm The Blob, I don't need you."

"What a charmer." She rolls her eyes.

"Enough." Ms. Darkholme ends the exchange with her icy eyes, "You will both be living here and I expect you to get along."

"And just how many more troubled teenagers do you plan on bringing here?" Rogue asks pointedly.

Darkholme ignores her question and asks her own. "I'm just about to escort Mr. Dukes here to school. Would you like a ride?"

"I'm good. I'd like to walk." Any time to herself is a blessing, and she definitely does not want to share a backseat with that creeper.

Before she walks past them Rogue feels a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful. Remember what I told you." Darkholme says, then lets her go.

Of course, how could she forget?

'Don't trust the X-men.'

Rogue walks out the door and sticks in her earphones, trying to mentally prepare herself for the day.

---

"And this will be your schedule for the semester. Any questions, Mr. Dukes?"

Ms. Darkholme hands Fred a paper across the desk and he awkwardly leans over to take it. He's too big to fit in the chair, so he stands instead, squinting at the complicated print. He gives up for the moment, turning to answer her question.

"I don't know if I can do school again." He says, shrugging. "I didn't much fit into the other ones." This is probably the first time in a year he's been nervous about something, and he let a monster truck run him over at last week's show.

"You won't have that trouble here. As the principal, I can make sure of it." The principal smiled at him, and something in her eyes told him that nobody around here messes with her. He respects that.

Leaving the office and scrutinizing his schedule again, he begins to feel a little less sure. "First period, um.. Man, this is complicated."

A bell rings and students begin to leave the hall for classrooms, leaving Fred confused by himself. He hates feeling dumb like this, with words and math. It's beginning to frustrate him, so he looks up and finds a guy in a letterman jacket passing him by.

"Hey, hey you! Where-?" Fred exclaims, grabbing the guy by the jacket and yanking him back towards him. The student yelps and Fred accidentally slams his back into a locker putting him down. Whoops. "Where am I s'posed to be?"

He stares at the blonde boy, who looks him up and down before smirking.

"I don't know, how about a sideshow?"

The laughter that follows flips a switch in Fred. His face reddens, he clenches his teeth and growls. He throws the guy onto the ground. Blood pumping, he grabs a set of lockers and rips them from the wall with ease. He holds them over the terrified boy, feeling nothing but unbridled rage.

"Don't you make fun of me!!"

---

"Thanks for walking with me!" Kitty exclaims to you and Jean as the three of you make your way down the crowded hallway. You're getting a little better at handling the clamor of emotions from the bustling students. You don't have to concentrate so hard that you miss the conversation. As you all arrive at Kitty and Jean's classes, you nod in reply. "Glad to."

Jean smiles. "What she said."

"I know, but, like, seriously! Lance has totally been creeping on me. I feel a lot safer with my friends."

You try to give her a comforting smile as she waves gratefully and ducks into the classroom.

"Alright, let's get to your Literature class!" Jean says, already walking off. You catch up and shake your head.

"But, Jean, your class is right here. And, I'm fine walking on my own. Really!"

Your pleas don't seem to work as Jean keeps walking and shoots you a skeptical look. "Y/N, I can tell you're nervous. And I really don't mind. Plus, Scott wants us to stick to the buddy system. He'd be here with you if he wasn't getting his classes changed right now, and if I let you go alone he'll chew me out later."

She chuckles and you sigh. She isn't exactly wrong, but she isn't completely right. You are nervous, just not for the same reasons as Kitty. While Lance isn't someone you'd like to run into either, you've been more concerned about someone else. A girl with white streaks in her hair, someone who you so badly want to talk to and yet are always too overwhelmed to try.

Another thing Jean is wrong about: Scott would never chew out Jean.

The bell rings and you cringe, turning to Jean to try to convince her to turn around and get to her own class on time, but the look on her face stops you. She usually has an unconscious smile on her face, but now she's frowning as she stares off at nothing. With all the emotions still around, less now as the hall empties, you haven't noticed anything amiss from her.

"Jean? What's wrong?"

She blinks and smiles awkwardly. "Oh! I'm sorry, I must be tired. I was just thinking."

"About what?" You dare to venture.

Jean hums and the slight frown returns. "I was thinking about the Professor and our other instructors. I had a feeling something was going on that they were concerned about, but I didn't know for sure until they told us last night. Now, I.." Her brow furrows, "I just wish I had gotten to that mutant a little quicker. Maybe if I'd gotten to talk to him... I don't know. I just want to help out."

You understand how she feels. You feel the same about Rogue.

About to say as much, you're suddenly thrown off-balance by a powerful feeling. Rage.

"Y/N?" Jean asks.

"Someone's... really... really angry.." You say breathlessly, the malevolence of the emotion taking a toll on you. It reminds you too much of... some bad things you don't want to deal with right now.

Jean's hand is on your back, and she starts to say something when a roar rang through the empty hall.

"Don't you make fun of me!!"

You and Jean look at each other in alarm and quickly round the corner. To your shock, there's a large teenager hoisting three lockers over someone on the ground. 'Wait, isn't that Jean's boyfriend?' You glance at Duncan Matthews' fearful face for a second before looking back at the incredibly strong boy threatening him.

His feelings are hitting you hard. You grip the wall tightly, trying not to let the rage overcome you.

Jean looks at you once and then strides toward the fight before you can stop her. You watch, frozen, as she walks right up to the boy.

"Hi!" Jean says with a smile, "You must be new here!"

"Huh?" The boy voices confusion as he turns and looks at Jean. She's pretty tall, yet this guy still towers almost a foot over her.  You tense as he holds the lockers above your friend now.

"Uh.. I'm Jean Grey."

As Jean continues with a friendly voice, you can feel the anger subsiding drastically. It's replaced by a flurry of other emotions from you and others. Fear, worry, stress. It's a dizzying change.

You hear the big teenager chuckle awkwardly, almost like he's forgotten he's holding up a bunch of steel lockers in the air. "Heh. Oh. Yeah, I am. New, I mean."

Given the opportunity, Duncan gets up and bolts, knocking into you as he escapes. "Watch it." He mutters, and you wince. You look back at Jean and see her flash a look of distaste at his retreating form before smiling at the new kid.

"I-I figured. Welcome to Bayville." She continues as you inch forward. "So, what do your friends call you?"

He's putting the lockers back on the wall, now all bent and busted. It's strange, you've never experienced someone come down from anger like this. Usually, it's like taking a pot of water from a boil to a simmer. This is like he turned the stove off completely. It's a little unnerving.

"Don't know. Never had any friends." He says with a shrug, then smiles and hesitates but sticks out his hand. "But, my name is Fred. Fred Dukes."

The lockers he put back unceremoniously collapse together loudly and the three of you wince. But Jean quickly takes Fred's hand and shakes it.

"It's nice to meet you." She says, and you can tell she's genuine about it, the same as the day she met you and Kurt. Then she gestures at you, "This is Y/N."

You wave awkwardly. "H-hi."

"Uh, hey." He says back, then looks at the lockers guiltily, "These weren't yours, were they?"

You shake your head. Jean replies, "No. And, hey, don't worry. I'm sure the... special program you're in will take care of it."

It finally dawns on you. This is the mutant Jean and Logan went to meet in Texas, the one Mystique recruited first. You eye him warily.

"You think?" Fred laughs a little, "Sorry about that, though. People just really rile me up when they make fun of me."

"I want to apologize for Duncan. He can be a real idiot sometimes." You catch a flash of irritation from Jean as she says this, and you feel guilty for judging Fred so quickly. Of course Duncan started it. In the short time you've been at Bayville, you've learned to avoid the star football player. You see him make fun of people everyday, at least when Jean's not around. He's only said a few things to you, and you intend to keep him from noticing your presence. But it's harder for Fred to blend in, you realize.

"Y'know.." You say softly, wanting to try again with him, "I'm pretty new to this school too. I'm still getting used to the layout. Do you need any help?"

He blinks, then fishes a crumpled up schedule out of his pocket. "Yes, uh, please."

He hands you the paper, and you and Jean look over it. Jean deciphers it first. "Ok, hmm. Your first class is... right over there!" She points at a door a little ways down the hall.

Fred brightens. "Hah, Thanks!"

You give it back. "Good luck." You add, hoping Duncan lets it go and leaves him alone. Fred nods with an appreciative smile and looks to Jean.

"Don't worry, the first day is always the roughest." She says warmly, giving him a wave and starting to walk off with you following close behind. "It gets better. See ya around!"

"You sure will." You hear him say behind you. For an instant, you get a feeling you can't explain because you've never felt it before. It's too brief to know where it came from exactly, but it felt strange and uncomfortable. You shake off this bad feeling as you finally arrive at class.

---

As it turns out, one bad feeling gives way to another. It's not unexpected at this point since you've been sitting next to Rogue over a week now. The animosity radiating off of her makes it hard for you to concentrate. Her hostile aura did decline over the week, but a day ago you thought it would be a good idea to ask her for a pencil. The negativity flared up tenfold as she handed the pencil over harshly, and you since resolved to keep your mouth shut.

"Mr. Summers." Your teacher says as Scott walks in, "You're in luck, a student just dropped my class. You may have a seat next to Mr. Haits."

You perk up as Scott waves at you, but quickly wince when you feel Rogue tense beside you. Sneaking a peek, you see her eyes narrowed and fists clenched against her desk as she glares at Scott. You see Scott send her his own look of suspicion before joining his friend Paul in the front row.

The class excitement grows with the new entry, people looking over at Scott curiously or, in Duncan's case, with a sneer. Your brow furrows at that, but overall you're a little relieved that you're not the 'new kid' anymore. Scott's good with attention, you are not.

The teacher, sounding tired, begins passing little booklets around the room. "All right, for this drama exercise, you'll each be doing a scene with a partner. Since a few of you haven't chosen partners, I'll be pairing you up myself. Taryn, you and Paul are going to do Laura and Jim from The Glass Menagerie. Scott, you can pair up with-" He keeps going, assigning most of the class since most people never bothered to actually sign up with a partner on time. You're disappointed now, though, since you would have partnered with Scott if he'd been in your class before today. You just don't really know anyone else here, except for-

"And that leaves you..." The teacher says, handing one booklet to Rogue, "And you."

Your face flushes as you receive the matching booklet and look at your new partner with dread. She stares back at you, similarly unhappy with this.

The teacher continues monotonously. "You two will be doing Shakespeare's Henry V. I've marked it. Henry and Katherine, daughter of the French king."

Duncan barks out a laugh. "Good luck getting either of them to perform. They've never said more than two words!"

Giggles erupt around the room as you turn red. Duncan leers at you. "How about it, mousey? You gonna actually say something for us?"

A chair scrapes against the floor and everyone turns to Scott, who's on his feet. "Shut it, Matthews, or I'll make you!"

Duncan turns his glare to Scott, but the teacher steps between them. "All right, class, all right." Duncan just rolls his eyes and slumps in his seat while Scott sits back down. You throw him a grateful look as the teacher continues. "Now, I want you to get together with your scene partner and rehearse. You perform on Tuesday."

You suddenly become aware in the change of mood beside you. Glancing at Rogue, you see her looking at Scott with something like curiosity. Then she sees you looking at her and turns cold again. "What?"

"Um," You look down, "Are, uh, are you okay with this?"

Her eyes narrow. "I'm not afraid of you."

You look up at her, surprised. "I didn't say you should be." You say after a moment.

She appraises you warily and huffs. "Just tell your weirdo friends to keep their distance this time."

You sigh, looking at the booklet in your hands. Maybe Duncan is right. This assignment seems like a lost cause.

---

Lunchtime is a mixed bag. On the one hand, you get a much needed break from classes. On the other hand, the Bayville cafeteria is even bigger and louder than the one at your old school. Emotions run high as everyone hangs out with their friends. On the first day you had to eat outside to escape the chaotic aura of the room. But even though you expected to be alone, the other Xavier students came with you. You've all eaten together everyday, talking and laughing and sharing food with each other. Sometimes Scott will ask about your training, sometimes Kitty will go on about a sale at the mall, and Kurt always has a joke at the ready to make you laugh. It's nice to have lunch with the X-men, and being around friends makes the rest of the world a little bit easier to deal with.

Kitty stops in the middle of her rant about some reality show you've never seen and stares wide-eyed past you. "Woah. Is that humongous guy the one you and Logan, like, went to see Saturday night?" She asks Jean. You turn around and see Fred Dukes over in the lunch line getting served. He looks pretty calm now, such a stark contrast to the anger you witnessed before.

"Yeah, Fred." Jean says, "He's okay... when he's not ripping the lockers off the wall."

"He's the one who, like, did that??" Kitty exclaims in disbelief.

You nod. "Yeah. He held them over his head like they weighed nothing."

Kitty giggles nervously. "Freaky!"

Scott raises an eyebrow. "Didn't the Professor tell us to steer clear of him? He sounds dangerous."

Jean huffs. "I know how to take care of myself, Scott. Besides, didn't the Professor teach us to help people?"

"If Jean hadn't stepped in, he may have flattened Duncan into a pancake." You add, trying to back her up.

"I've also wanted to give Matthews a beatdown when he pisses me off, that doesn't mean I actually do it! God knows he deserves it." Scott mutters the last part away from Jean, but you can feel her tense up.

"Maybe Fred just needs some guidance." Jean retorts, "I'm not saying his behavior is okay, but he's not the only mutant who's ever lost control of his abilities." She looks down and a sad energy takes over her. "When my powers first emerged, I was hearing everyone's thoughts around me. My telekinesis flared up unexpectedly and... I hurt my parents once. Threw the kitchen table at them when I was angry about something petty. They only had minor injuries, thank god, but... it could have been worse."

Everyone at the table is quiet and somber. You ache hearing what Jean went through. It never occurred to you that someone so strong had ever felt so weak.

Scott, a guilty expression on his face, takes her hand. "I'm sorry Jean, I didn't mean to-"

"It's really fine, Scott." She says, brightening up a little, "I'm just thankful the Professor found me and took me in, taught me to use my powers for good with the X-men."

Scott smirks. "Was that when your code name was still-"

"Don't say it."

"-Marvel Girl?"

Jean groans and everyone else laughs. It spreads to you and you chuckle a little, glad that Jean is smiling again underneath a fake pout.

"Wait, seriously?!" Kitty exclaims, laughing the hardest.

"What do you want from me? I was, like, ten!"

More laughter, and Kitty sighs. "I guess you're right though, about, like, the control thing. When I first got my powers I fell through my bed into the basement! I'm surprised I didn't break my back!"

"Vhat, like you are an old lady?" Kurt teases, and Kitty shoves his face away. "Shut up! Like you weren't surprised the first time you teleported!"

"Ja, okay, I vas a little surprised." He admits, "But not as surprised as mein Mutti and Vati vere vhen zhey found me on ze ceiling!" Kurt laughs, then turns to Scott. "How about you, our fearless leader? Did you alvays shoot lasers out of your eyeballs?"

Scott rubs his neck and smiles nervously. "No... and it wasn't the cleanest discovery either. I blew a hole right through the ceiling."

"Vicked!" Kurt exclaims, and everyone chuckles. This conversation is fascinating for you. It turns out that everyone had their own share of troubles that came with their powers. Maybe the Professor is right. Maybe even you can learn to be stronger.

"Y/N? Have you ever lost control of your powers?"

Your heart stops at the lighthearted question. You know it should be fine, everyone else talked about their power mishaps after all. But what you did...

"Help!"

"Let me out! I'm sorry!"

"Please stop-"

"Just-"

"STOP!"

"Y/N? Are you okay?" You blink back to the present and immediately feel guilty seeing everyone's worried faces.

"I'm fine!" You say quickly, "It's just been a long day."

Scott nods sympathetically. "I'll say. I'm sorry you had to deal with the new kid and Rogue all in the same day."

"What do you mean?" Kitty asks, and you sigh.

"I, uh, I got paired up for an assignment with Rogue. And she hates me." You look across the room and see a small table in the corner. There sits Rogue, Toad, and Lance, though none of them really look together. Rogue is hunched over a book, and Toad is talking at Lance who's looking... at Kitty?

She follows your gaze and grimaces when she notices it too. "Creep."

"Come now, Y/N, it's not possible for someone to hate you!" Kurt says, moving over to you. "She's just a grouch. Vhat's ze assignment?"

"I have to play a romantic scene with her." You say glumly. Kurt just grins. "Ah, see! Zhat's perfect! First you charm her vith a romantic speech, zhen her icy heart melts and she falls in love vith you." He swoons and falls on you, leaving you both giggling loudly.

"Thanks Kurt."

Just as Kurt returns to his seat, a sudden jolt of anger that passes through you and makes you jump. But just as soon as it's there, it's gone again. You look around and see Fred passing your table by.

"What's up?" Kurt asks as you stare after him.

"Um... nothing." You decide.

---

Finally! Lunchtime! Fred walks into the cafeteria excitedly and makes a beeline for the food. All that boring class stuff has him starving! He enters the line, getting impatiently with the guy in front of him taking his time. It's Fred's turn! He shoves the guy aside and hands the lunch lady his tray. "Fill 'er up!"

She makes to grab a plate but Fred stops her. "Hey, woah, woah, woah! Who said anything about a plate? Now, load it up. Heavy!" He makes sure to watch as she scoops portions of everything onto the tray, and once it's heaped with food he nods happily and takes it.

Burgers, fries, pizza, chicken... He's salivating as he walks through the cafeteria toward an empty table. But as he does, he hears people talking.

"Oh my god, he's so big!"

"Gross, he's really going to eat all that?"

"What a freak."

"Hahahahaha!"

Fred grits his teeth at the giggling, anger flaring up inside him. "Jerks. They don't know me. They should! They should know not to mess with me..."

He sits down still angry, landing on the chair heavily. The chair legs snap and Fred pitches forward, flipping the table as he and his tray fall to the ground. Some other food and trash left on the table are launched into the air and across the room, all the way to Duncan Matthews. Fred hears the indignant cry from Duncan, and turns to see him and his two jock friends approaching.

"Bad move, Blob boy."

---

A moment after dismissing your concerns, you hear a loud commotion from the back of the cafeteria. You and the other X-kids turn to look, your eyes widening at the scene unfolding.

Fred is on the floor atop a broken table and chair, half his lunch on the ground and half on his front. Across from him, Duncan Matthews and two of his friends are a mess as well, and they look furious. 

"Bad move, Blob boy!"

As Duncan advances on Fred, a pang of fear hits you. No matter how big Fred is, he's only one person against three muscular football players. You're about to stand up when Jean puts a hand on your shoulder.

"Uh, stay here, Y/N. This could get messy."

"Yeah, 'cause, like, that hasn't already happened." Kitty mutters, surveying the scene excitedly. Jean stands up, and you can sense the anger flaring up in her as she starts toward Duncan. You bite your lip as you watch her confront the quarterback.

"Duncan Matthews! What the hell are you doing?" She yells and you cringe away, never having seen her this mad before. Duncan ignores her, still trying to march over to Fred.

"Teaching that tub of lard a lesson!"

"Oh no, you're not!" Jean grabs his arm as he tries to pass and makes him face her. You see the other jocks backing off, unsettled by the fiery redhead. "You know what? I'm finally seeing you for what you are. You're a bully, and I don't date bullies."

Duncan stops in his tracks and looks at her in shock. "Wha- Babe, you don't-"

"Don't call me Babe." She snaps, "I believed you, you know? I gave you so many chances, but you never actually wanted to change."

You see her turn her back on Matthews, whose shoulders slump in defeat. In all your worry for Jean, you're caught off guard by a bubble of delight. To your left, Scott is smirking at Duncan. You narrow your eyes at him, and when he sees you he immediately looks guilty. No matter what either of you think of Duncan, Jean's feelings are more important. You see her standing there, tears in her eyes, and stand up to go to her when suddenly-

CRASH!

You gasp slightly when you see Fred fall. He'd been trying to stand up and slipped on a spilled drink, faceplanting on the floor. The crowd of cafeteria goers turn their attention from the big breakup to the new kid taking a spill, and laughter rings out all around. You cringe sympathetically at the humiliation he's facing, but soon that's replaced by the horrible feeling from before.

The rage.

You aren't able to move, just stare as Fred's face turns red and he screams.

"Don't laugh at me!!!"

Anyone still laughing goes silent, but Fred doesn't stop. He gets up, grabbing the first thing he can reach, and throws it into the crowd. The lobbed pie flies through the air, crashing right into Duncan's face. This time Scott can't help a burst of laughter. But you can't even feel his glee, you can only feel Fred's anger and hate.

Duncan growls and retaliates, throwing his own lunch at Fred despite Jean's protests, and soon the two are chucking food everywhere, hitting random people in the process.

Kurt gasps. "Is zhis a-?"

Kitty groans. "Please, anything but a-"

"FOODFIGHT!"

Chaos takes hold of Bayville High as the cafeteria quickly becomes a battleground. Most people run for their lives, the rest sling greasy food all over the place. You and the others quickly duck behind the table, Kitty dodging just a second too late.

"Ew!" She yells, her pink cardigan stained by someone's discarded cheeseburger, "Excuse me, I'm skipping dessert!"

"Kitty, not in school!" Ignoring Scott's whispered protest, Kitty sinks through the floor and out of sight. He looks around and sighs. "No one's watching, at least."

You shake as you try to get a hold on Fred's fury so you can move, but it's so crushingly strong. It's so much worse than when Kurt and Kitty were arguing. Your fists are clenched so tight that you feel your fingernails breaking skin, and an intense heat is burning through your body.

"I... I need to get out of here." You manage to say through gritted teeth. Scott takes one look at you and his face softens.

He nods to Kurt. "Take her someplace you won't be seen."

"You got it!"

As Kurt pulls you into a teleport, the last thing you see is Jean approaching the raging mutant.

---

In the span of a second you're gone from the cafeteria fight and the wild anger causing you distress. Kurt's hand leaves your body and you slowly wind down, trying to figure out where you are. It's dark, and you reach out for Kurt only to find a wall. To your horror, your adjusting eyes make out the cramped walls bordering around you, and then they start to close in.

"No.." You say in frightened disbelief, knocking your fists on the wall, "No! Not again! Please, let me out!"

"Y/N?!"

"Kurt?!" You hear his voice but you can't make him out in the dark, "Kurt, get me out! Get me out!!"

You hear a jostle and then light floods over you as you and Kurt tumble out of the janitor's closet. Gasping, you crawl to the wall and sit there until your vision clears completely. Kurt is kneeling in front of you with a hand on your knee and a scared look on his face.

"Mein Gott, Y/N. Vhat- vhat happened?" He asks, shaking slightly.

"I- I- I-" Your voice trembles and the words can't come out. As tears escape your eyes, you lean onto him, seeking comfort. He immediately hugs you.

After a minute, he speaks again. "Y/N... Are you afraid of small spaces?"

You wipe your tears. "I'm- I'm sorry, I didn't know.. I thought I was somewhere else."

"Vhere?"

You hadn't meant to let so much slip out. But now, Kurt is holding you, doing his best to help you. For the first time, you're tempted to tell him the truth of what happened.

'Tell him? You idiot. You really think he'll be your friend after he finds out what you did? You'll be all alone again.'

Biting your lip, you look from Kurt to the janitor's closet.

"Um, I don't know." You lie, trying to ignore the confusion from him, "I just must have been, um, really drained from the cafeteria."

"Oh. Okay." He says, but you're not sure if he buys it or not, "I'm really sorry zhough. The closet vas ze safest place I could zhink of to teleport, in case anyone vas in ze halls."

"No, no, I get it. It's okay. I'm okay." You reassure him.

The hall is deserted. By the sound of distant noise, everyone has fled outdoors to avoid the food fight. Some are probably taking the opportunity to ditch classes. Either way, it's only you and Kurt.

"I've alvays vanted to see an American high school food fight, but it vasn't even fun!" Kurt exclaims in disappointment, "And zhat mutant really vent berserk."

You hum in agreement, remembering the anger that rendered you useless. Suddenly you notice the blood on your hands from digging your fingernails in too hard. Kurt notices at the same time and takes your arm. "Let's go to ze nurse's office!"

The two of you walk down the hall together and you wonder how your friends are doing.

---

"Aagh!" Kitty yelps as she falls through the ceiling. Leaving through the floor is always complicated, but there's no way she was going to risk getting ketchup in her hair. Blinking, she tries to make her eyes adjust in the dark room. She can make out some boxy shapes... maybe a storage space? Cautiously, she feels around on the wall until her fingers find a light switch.

As the fluorescent lights blink on, Kitty sees that she's right. This room is packed with boxes full of old junk. Forgotten gym equipment, ancient textbooks, and decades-old school projects gathering dust and cobwebs in Bayville High's basement.

Sighing, Kitty slips off her ruined cardigan and sticks it in her bag, then looks around the cluttered mess impatiently. "Where the hell is the exit to this creepy place?" She wonders aloud with a hint of frustration.

"Right over here."

She tenses when she hears him, slowly turning to see Lance Alvers standing by an open door. Her eyes dart between him and the exit and she gets ready to phase past him.

"Kitty, please, I just want to talk!" He says. His hands are up and his eyes are pleading. She rolls her eyes.

"I have nothing to say to you."

He stays put. "I didn't mean to bring the whole office down on you. You have to believe me!"

Kitty scoffs. "I don't have to believe anything. You almost killed me and my parents!"

"It was an accident!" Lance replies, having the nerve to look guilty about it, "I can't control my powers when I get all mad. I swear, I never wanted to hurt you."

"Yeah, right." Kitty narrows her eyes, "I guess using me to steal test answers doesn't count as hurting me then?"

He runs a hand through his hair. "What are you- Are you seriously mad about that? I showed you how to use your powers like you wanted!"

"To steal! From school! God, that's, like, the worst thing I've ever done!"

"You seemed to be enjoying it for a while." He mutters with a piercing look. As his eyes drift down, Kitty can't help but squirm thinking about how much of her she let him see, touch, in that office. "You're a pig."

"Please. I'm the only one who understands you!" He yells, "No one else cared about you, but I did! I do!"

She laughs darkly. "Newsflash, Lance. I do have people who care about me. The X-men are the best people in the world, and I'd pick them over you any day. I moved here to get away from you! So save your apologies, your regrets, all of it. I'm going to pretend you don't exist and live a better life for it." Done with talking, she walks right through him and out the door. Finding a staircase that leads outside, she pauses halfway up when he yells after her.

"You think the X-men are so great, huh?" He glares at her, the basement shaking slightly around him, "I can't wait to see your face when they meet the Brotherhood."

Crossing her arms, she keeps walking. She's not crying or shaking, in fact, she feels strangely better. Lighter. Because, after hearing all he has to say, she realizes how pathetic he is.

Lance Alvers is no longer going to hold Kitty Pryde back.

---

Jean holds up a hand and the food about to hit her is deflected against her invisible shield. She makes sure, with a quick mental scan, that nobody has lingered in the cafeteria who shouldn't see her powers. Even Duncan and his crew have fled, the quarterback flashing her one last sorry look before bolting.

She feels a pain in her chest thinking about it, but this was a long time coming. Over the past few weeks, she's been picking up hints of his bad behavior. Overhearing Kurt and Kitty complain about his teasing, Duncan brushing her off or deflecting whenever she confronted him. She ignored it so long because she really does like him. He has a sweet side, but it's just a side.

Jean blinks away the tears and refocuses. She can't think about this right now, there's more pressing matters.

Fred is creating a dangerous scene in the middle of the cafeteria. He's yelling incoherently and throwing anything he get his hands on. Someone must have hit him with something sloppy because his face and eyes are covered in greasy sauce.

"Fred! Fred, please calm down!" Since he can't see, she tries to talk him down, but he can't seem to hear her over his own yelling. Accessing his mind is proving difficult as it's currently a storm of unhinged anger. Besides, she doesn't like manipulating someone mentally if she can avoid it. She just needs to get him to hear her. Walking closer to him, Jean continues to try to calm Fred.

'Jean, no! Don't go any closer!' Scott's voice penetrates her mind.

'It's okay, Scott. I can reason with him.'

As she reassures her teammate, Fred reaches out and grabs the leg of a table. He swings it around recklessly, sure to cause major damage when he lets go.

"Fred, stop!" She rushes forward, hand outstretched and ready to stop the table before it can hurt anyone. But she loses balance when she skids on a puddle of ketchup, slipping and falling hard on the ground. Disoriented, she shakes her head, then looks up in fear as the mutant boy hoists the table over her head.

"Fred!"

Jean screams as the table is launched at her, but a blast of red light splits it apart in front of her. In a split-second, Scott is between her and Fred. "You okay?" He asks seriously, and she nods. Looking at Fred, Jean sees him calming down at last, wiping the gunk out of his eyes. He looks at her in confusion, and breathlessly asks. "Wha- Jean?"

"Calm down, Fred." She replies carefully and firmly, "No more throwing, no more fighting."

Scott glares at Fred, one hand on his shades. "You heard her, big man. But, if you wanna fight, try me."

She grimaces at his aggressive tone, and stands up quickly as Fred starts toward him. "Back off, Scott, I'll handle this!" She says quickly. "Everything's fine. Isn't it, Fred?"

He's breathing heavily, face still red and eyebrows scrunched together. "Th-they shouldn'ta laughed at me!!"

She shakes her head in agreement. "No, no, they shouldn't. Uh, Scott, uh, don't you have to get to class or something?"

'Trust me.'

Scott waits a moment, but nods. "I'll be close if you need me." He flashes a look at Fred. "Real close."

Jean smiles. "I'll be fine." And Scott walks out of the cafeteria, leaving her alone with the temperamental boy.

---

Rogue hopes lunch will never be that eventful again. Darkholme's newest student might be even more of a danger to her than the X-men at this point. Super strength and a short fuse are not a combination she's too happy about living with. And The Blob could have actually hurt someone with his stunt! When the fight broke out, she'd briefly considered trying to help somehow and get him to stop, but Lance and Toad sure as hell weren't gonna do anything, and what could she do on her own? Then the X-men got involved and she got curious. As all the other students ran as far away as possible, Rogue stuck around and spied on the encounter through the cafeteria doors.

Her breath actually hitched when Blob threw a table at the redhead, Jean Grey, and then the Cyclops one, Scott, blasted it apart. The way he protected her, it stirred something inside of Rogue. Something like envy.

Now Scott's walking out of the room towards her, and she's alone and he could smite her if he wants to. She ducks behind her locker door, hiding her face as she waits for him to come out. Darkholme would want her to run, to avoid him and all the other X-men, but... Rogue's kind of sick of running, of her defenses constantly being up. Maybe this is a bad idea, but it's too late to back out as Scott walks through that door.

"Wow." She says, surprising him as he notices her. After an internal debate of what to actually say, she settles on, "Y'all really look out for each other, don'tcha?"

She observes his reaction, ready to dodge a laser if necessary, but Scott just looks back into the lunchroom. "Yeah. Yeah, we do that."

His eyes are on the Jean Grey, and though she can't actually see his eyes behind the shades, she can imagine he looks at her with a fierce loyalty. Rogue's presence doesn't mean a thing to him, and she doesn't know how to feel about that. So, she closes her locker and walks away.

'They want to kill me... they tried to! But all week they've acted so... so... normal.' Rogue shakes her head in frustration. 'Irene, why did you send me here?'

As she turns the hallway corner, she nearly runs into another person she's supposed to avoid.

---

"Oh! Rogue!" You exclaim, stopping yourself short of bumping into her. You both immediately take an automatic step back, then stare at each other awkwardly. Oddly enough, though, you aren't sensing the usual hostility from her. There's still wariness, sure, but it doesn't seem like she hates you right this second. That's a plus.

"Sorry, I'll get out of your way." You say, about to move past her in order to not spoil whatever mood she's in.

"What happened to your hands?" She asks, catching you off guard. You hold them up, freshly wrapped up in bandages. "Huh? Oh, these. It's nothing."

"Did.." She grimaces and her eyes dart away, "Did Blob do that?"

She asks it so quietly you almost don't catch it, and even then you aren't sure you're hearing her right. "Blob?"

"Y'know, new kid. Big guy."

"Oh! You mean Fred! No, no, he didn't do this." You say, laughing awkwardly, "Just an accident! I'm just clumsy. Sorry to worry you." And she is worried, you realize in astonishment.

Rogue rolls her eyes, "You don't have to apologize for everything."

"Sorry. I mean!" You resist the urge to face-palm with your injured hands, "Yeah. Anyways, Kurt helped me get patched up so they're all good! Don't even hurt much."

Her eyes widen a little and you catch a fleeting feeling that you don't fully understand. "Always looking out for each other." She mutters.

"What?"

"Nothing."

You both stand there awkwardly a bit longer, then you speak. "Thank you. For your concern, I mean." You offer her a tentative smile and she seems to loosen up a little, not smiling but not frowning at you either.

"You're welc-"

"What's going on here?!" You and Rogue jump as Principal Darkholme appears out of nowhere. You haven't seen her much since you got your class schedule, partially because you've been avoiding the scary woman. You catch the waves of disdain from her as she glares at the two of you, and you want to be anywhere else in the world.

"Nothing!" Rogue quickly answers her. She seems to be as scared as you, so you try to cover for her.

"We were just talking about our assignment, ma'am!" You lie. Rogue catches your eye and nods along.

The principal looks unimpressed. "You had best stop your talking and get to class! Have I made myself clear?"

She looks down at Rogue, who quickly agrees. "Yes, ma'am." She begins to walk away, and you wave after her.

"I'll meet you in the park after school!"

She turns and you get a hint of a smile that makes your heart flutter. That feeling is quickly shut down, however, once Rogue rounds the corner.

"Listen here." Darkholme leans over you and whispers sharply, "You and the rest of your friends better stay away from that girl. She needs good influences. Certainly not someone like you."

You freeze up under her icy gaze. Your mouth opens but no words come out.

"If I catch you hanging around her after today, you do not want to know what the consequences will be. Do you understand?"

She waits until you can choke it out. "Y-yes, Matr- ma'am!"

"Good. Be on your way, and stay out of mine."

You don't let yourself breathe until the sound of her heels clacking fades to silence. As you ground yourself, you notice the students returning to the hallway.

"Y/N!" Kurt waves as he and Kitty approach. "I found her outside!"

You take in her quietness and ask, "How are you doing?"

She shrugs. "Fine. It's just been, like, a super draining day."

You nod in agreement, and hope that the rest of the day won't be as emotionally taxing.

---

Fred is heaving deep breaths as he sits beside Jean, trying to shove the mocking laughter out of his head. Slowly but surely, his anger fades and he unclenches his fists.

"Urgh." He grunts, rubbing his eyes, "It's just, when they laugh at me I kind of explode inside, y'know?"

Jean's hand touches his shoulder, and he feels funny. Usually he has to punch something to calm down, but Jean makes it different. She's so soft and nice, and she even kicked out that annoying dork in the red glasses and broke up with the blonde jerk... just to help him. And she's such a good listener... and so pretty. Like a pretty red flower.

"I understand, Fred." She says softly, "But you've gotta learn to control yourself. You can get training!"

He rolls his eyes and scoffs. "Yeah, right. Where?"

Jean hesitates, then continues. "I learned to control my gifts at the Institute where I live."

He looks at her, shocked. "Gifts? You mean, you have powers too?"

She nods with a smile. "Uh huh. Watch." Getting up, Jean glances around for a second and lifts her hand. Fred looks where she gestures, and his jaw drops as a distant chair begins to shake and lifts into the air. She moves her hand and it whizzes through the air, fast as a fly. He grins as he imagines it smashing against the wall at that speed. Or, better yet, some jerk's face.

"Woah!" He exclaims, standing next to her, "You could really pound people with that!"

But Jean frowns as she sets down the chair. "No, Fred! That's what we learn not to do. That's what the Xavier Institute is all about, control. I'd love to take you there sometime. I know the Professor would like to meet you." She touches his shoulder again and he gets that funny feeling.

"Just let me know when you're ready." Jean begins to walk away, and Fred's eyes drift downward. He likes what he sees.

"I'll think about it." He replies, grinning. This is it. He likes a girl! And she's always smiling at him and touching him... she broke up with her boyfriend for him!

"Great!" She waves at him, and his heart beats faster. "Well, I gotta run. I'll catch you later, Fred!"

He's so distracted by her pretty body, like a real life Barbie doll, that he nearly misses her forgotten bag. Once he sees it, he quickly calls after her. "Hey, Jean!"

"Yes?"

But Fred's eyes darken when he sees who's holding the door open for her. That dumb guy in the red shades frowning at him.

Fred frowns back, gritting his teeth. "..Nuthin'."

Jean waves again and leaves with that jerk. He's from that Institute place, and he obviously likes her. Fred clenches his fist, anger slowly returning, and he picks up Jean's bag. He'll give it back to her when they're alone. On their first date.

A Polaroid sticks out of the front pocket. Fred catches a flash of red hair and takes out the photograph without hesitation. She won't notice it's gone. He blushes as he stares at her smile, forever trapped in this little square. The other half of the picture however, would have to go. Fred tears the picture in half, discarding the side with Scott onto the floor and crushing it under his foot.

What does he have that Fred doesn't? He's the Blob! He's amazing! And Jean is perfect.

She's gonna be all his.

---

"Agh, I can't believe you get out of training just because you have some stupid project to do!" Kurt complains as you, Kitty and him walk down the front steps of the school. You smile sympathetically and shrug. "I don't make the rules."

Kitty elbows Kurt. "Y/N's the one who has to put up with Rogue. If she tries anything, just let me know." She says, looking at you seriously, "She doesn't want to mess with me."

"Yeah, like how you von your last fight vith her!" Kurt laughs.

"She had football player strength! Football player strength!! That wasn't a fair fight!"

"It's okay, guys!" You assure them, smiling because their bickering is all in good fun, "I'll be fine. Worry about yourselves, Logan's lessons are tough."

Kurt makes a sad face. "I'm sore just zhinking about it."

"Well, the Professor is stepping in as co-instructor today, so at least Mr. Logan won't, like, completely torture us." Kitty sighs.

The three of you look up as Scott's sports car pulls up. "Need a ride?"

As Kitty and Kurt hop in, you wave them goodbye. "I'm going to the park to do the Literature assignment with Rogue."

Scott nods. "Jean's staying after too, Geology Club. You can meet up with her when you're done and I'll pick you both up."

"Alright, thank you. See you later!"

They drive off and you begin on the short walk to the park. It's still strange to be out in public like, dare you say, a normal kid. The Institute really has helped you in ways you didn't expect. Why such a place would have enemies is unfathomable.

You sigh. Is Rogue supposed to be your enemy? You don't want her to be.

There she is, waiting at a picnic table under a tree. Despite her dark demeanor, the sun catches her brilliantly. She looks up and bristles, and you try not to feel too hurt at the defensive wall around her.

"Hi. Room for one more?" You inwardly cringe at your awkwardness.

She just shrugs and gestures across the table. "Be my guest."

The two of you sit together awkwardly, then pull out your playbooks and start looking over the lines.

"Do you like me, Kate?" You ask in-character.

Rogue puts on a cute French accent for her lines. "Pardonnez-moi? I cannot tell what is 'like me'."

"An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel." You blush deeply at these words, not sure why your heart is beating so fast. Rogue snickers and you blush even harder. You must look ridiculous.

"It's really sappy, huh?" You say, trying to distract from your beet-red face.

Rogue hums. "Yeah, well. Sometimes I wish..." She trails off, but that flash of sadness you get makes you want to probe further.

"What do you wish?"

She looks up, hard expression softening ever so slightly. "Wish... I could get close to somebody. But you know what happens when I do." She says darkly, and your chest hurts. You've never contemplated her powers, how they could effect her. How it must feel to never be allowed to touch somebody... You want to hold her hand and ironically that's the kind of comfort you can't give her. And something tells you that any words of sympathy might be resented.

After a moment of quiet, Rogue looks to you. "So, what do you wish?"

The question catches you off guard, but you think for a few seconds and say, "I wish... sometimes... that I'd never been born this way."

She looks at you, interested. "Without your powers?"

"Yeah." You confess, "I guess I'm getting better at them now... but it's still so... loud. And draining. I have to focus every day to not lose myself in what someone else is feeling."

When you look at her again she looks confused. "What?" You ask.

She tenses, as if considering whether to ask something. "Um... what exactly are your powers?"

"I thought you knew." You say, a little surprised, "Oh. Well, I'm an empath. I can feel the emotions people around me feel."

Rogue looks more confused than before. "What about the other one?"

"What other one?" Now you're confused.

"That night in the cemetery, you..." Rogue crosses her arms, "You turned into a monster. All of you X-men tried to hurt me."

Your eyes widen at the accusation. "I... I can't do that, Rogue. And I never tried to hurt you."

"Why should I trust anything you say? This could be a trick!"

"It's the truth. I don't know what you saw, but, well, the Professor says it might have been the work of Mystique-"

Rogue scoffs. "She said you'd say that."

You feel that wall coming back up and stop. You're not going to be able to convince her with one conversation. Of course she thinks you're lying!

You sigh. "Rogue, I know you don't trust me, but... I hope I can earn your trust. Eventually."

The two of you sit there quietly, and Rogue finally moves to grab the playbook. "Yeah, well. Let's just start by getting this assignment done."

You nod, and go back to the beginning of the scene.

---

Jean tries to listen to Taryn as they exit the school.

"Like, there goes my weekend! I can't believe how much homework I've got." Her dramatic friend exclaims.

"Yeah, me too." Jean mumbles in response. Her mind is elsewhere, though, and Taryn seems to notice.

"What gives?" She asks, eyebrow raised, "Are you hung up on Duncan? You really handed it to him at lunch."

Jean frowns. "I don't really feel like talking about him right now." It still hurts, after all.

"Right. Well, if you change your mind, you can call me! And we can talk about whatever you want, even boring rocks and junk."

"Last I checked," Jean chuckles, "We're both in Geology club."

Taryn pouts. "I need the credit! Not everyone gets straight A's, Jeanie."

Jean smiles, then suddenly senses another presence. From behind a row of trees, Fred steps out in front of them. It happens so quickly that he catches Taryn off guard. She yelps and takes a step back.

"Oh!" Jean exclaims, stopping short of bumping into him, "Oh, hi Fred. This is my friend Taryn."

Fred doesn't really look at Taryn as he mumbles out a greeting. "Yeah, hi."

"Hi!" Taryn replies perkily, but Jean can tell it's forced. Fred's size and strength really freak her out.

"Uh, Jean!" Fred continues, looking nervous, "Would you... I mean... Would you like to... Wanna get a soda or something?"

"Ah, sorry Fred, I can't. I got some stuff I gotta do." Jean replies apologetically. Taryn's right, they do have a lot of homework. On top of that there's training, and she needs to get the Professor to sign her permission slip... She probably won't even have time to call Taryn later, much less go out. As she and Taryn walk past him to go home, she offers, "Hey, how about if I catch up with you tomorrow?"

Thinking that's the end of it, Jean is surprised when she hears Fred scoff behind her. "'Stuff', huh?" He grumbles, "That's the best you could come up with? 'Stuff'?"

The two girls stop in their tracks, Taryn looking between Jean and Fred awkwardly. Jean's a bit taken aback, but she figures she should clear this up. "Uh, Taryn, you better go on without me. I'll catch up with you later."

"You gonna be okay?" Taryn asks nervously.

Surprising herself, Jean hesitates. But, she's an X-man. She can take care of herself. So she nods and dismisses her friend, who walks away.

Turning to face Fred, Jean's mouth forms a tight line. "Look, Fred, I like you and all, but I have responsibilities. And that means I can't go with you right now." She hopes that that's firm enough for him to understand. Maybe she said something earlier that caused a misunderstanding, but now she's drawing a clear line.

To her shock, Fred's face twists into a frown and he grabs her arm, causing her to drop her books.

"But you're my friend."

Jean doesn't like where this is going. She tries to pull away but his grip is like iron. "I thought so, but friends don't hurt each other. Now let go of me!"

He doesn't. "Well, just let me talk to you for a second! In private!" Fred starts to drag her off somewhere and Jean starts to panic. He's not listening! Where is he taking her?

Fred stops behind the school, in a closed off area where construction is being done for an extension. No one can see them.

Jean pulls harder. "I said, let go of me, Fred! I have to go home!" She finally wrests it free and grimaces at the bruise forming on her wrist.

"You can't!" Fred starts to yell, "Y-you gotta go out with me!"

"I don't have to go anywhere but home!!" Jean yells back, hoping someone can hear. She makes a run for it, but he's faster than he looks. He grabs both her arms from behind.

"Let me go!! I'm warning you!!" Jean scans the area frantically as Fred keeps yelling at her to hold still. There's scaffolding climbing the tall brick walls of the school, and piles of cinderblocks and other equipment scattered around. She calls them to her aid, sending several blocks of concrete at Fred's back. He yells in surprise but they don't hurt him.

"That the best you got?!" He laughs.

Adrenaline rushes through her veins and she doesn't hold back. She sends everything she can handle flying at him. Cinderblocks, pipes, buckets, wooden planks. Finally her mind takes hold of something big and a dumpster barrels toward Fred at top speed. He has to let go of one of her arms to bat it away into the scaffolding.

One arm free, she pulls and pushes, and makes as much noise as she can manage. "I said, let me go!!"

But a loud rumbling drowns out her cries, and she and Fred both look up in horror to see the stories of scaffolding collapsing on top of them. Jean screams, trying to push away the debris, but she's already used her power so heavily to fight Fred off. It comes down too quickly, and Jean doesn't have time to react as the rubble buries them and something hits her on the head, knocking her out.

---

You leave Rogue in the park. She said she wanted to keep memorizing the lines but that you could go. She seemed like she wanted some time alone, so you packed up and made your way back to school to meet up with Jean. You come up on your planned meeting spot at the side of the school.  There's a landmark you check, the stairs that lead into the school's basement. Looking around, you don't see anyone else nearby. You check the time and frown. Maybe Geology Club went long?

There's a noise in the distance, towards the back of the school. Loud voices and clatter. You stop and listen, and you feel something faint but familiar. Anger. Fear.

Cautiously, you venture towards the noise, trying to figure out what's going on. You don't like what you're getting. Someone's in trouble, you can feel it. You're about to pull out your communicator when-

Scream.

Crash!

You gasp, then barrel around the corner to see what happened. There's been a huge accident, a collapse in the construction area. Then panic swells inside you as you realize you don't hear any voices anymore. Fearing the worst, you run in.

A huge cloud of dust hangs in the air, surrounding the collapse. You cough and look around for people in trouble, trying not to get too close. "Hello?!" You call out, "Is anyone here?! Are you okay?!"

The dust settles a bit and you see a large figure step out of the mess. Your eyes widen. It's Fred. And he's carrying-

"Jean!" You run towards them, taking in her state. She has a bloody gash on her head. "What happened?" You demand.

Fred stutters. "I... she... she wouldn't go with me..."

"What?"

"I didn't mean to... She... She's supposed to say yes!" As he mutters on incoherently, you feel a torrent around him. Guilt, anger... and a mix of other feelings you can't and don't want to describe. They feel... gross.

A pit forms in your stomach as it dawns on you. The yelling, the fear... it felt familiar because it was your friend. And the one scaring her...

"You're my friend, too!" Fred exclaims, stepping toward you with a wild look in his eyes, "You can't- You can't tell no one!"

You swallow slowly, trying not to shake. "O-of course, F-Fred.. But w-we need to get her help."

He shakes his head, holding Jean tighter. You want to scream at him to let go. "No! I'll fix it!" He continues, "And then she'll forgive me and everything will be perfect. She'll be my girlfriend, and you'll be my friend, and-and-and no one will ever laugh at me again! Ever!"

As he stares at Jean with a sickening smile, you reach into your bag slowly, hoping he won't notice. You take out the X-men communicator, waiting until he's completely distracted to press the button and-

"Y/N, I'm at the front, ready to pick up you and Jean."

Fred's head whirls around as Scott's voice comes out of the device. You press down the button to call for his help, but Fred's hand wrests it out of yours. He throws the communicator at the wall and it shatters. You open your mouth to scream but his hand comes down on your face. He holds you tight with Jean as you struggle. He's covering your nose and mouth, you're running out of air.

Fear.

Anger.

Pain.

Panic.

Your eyes tear up as your vision fades.

"You said you were my friend." Is the last thing you hear before it all goes dark.

---

"Uuuuuughh." Jean groans. Her head is throbbing. What happened? As her eyes blink open and focus, she sees that she's in a small, dreary room. There's some file cabinets covered in cobwebs and desk set in front of her. On it is a plate and plastic cutlery, an assortment of stale boxed food, and a few candles that dimly light her surroundings.

"Wakey, wakey, Sleepin' Beauty!" At that drawling voice it all starts to come back. Fred walks into the light, grinning. "Your table's ready! Pretty sweet, huh?"

She immediately moves to get out of her chair, only to realize that he's twisted a steel bar around her, trapping her. Then she tries to free herself with her mind, but cringes back as the pain flares up in her head.

"This can't be happening." She mutters as the pain sets in. 'Professor, I need help. Please, help me!' But she doesn't think she's actually transmitting anything. The pain is breaking her focus!

Fred is busy with the food, trying to put together something that resembles a meal. As Jean continues to reach out with her mind, she senses something stirring. Someone is very close. And realizing who it is, her eyes widen in horror.

---

'Y/N? Y/N! Are you there?!'

The voice in your head wakes you up, though you do find it weird that's it's not your own voice this time. Your mouth is dry and you let out a groan.

'Y/N, please, answer me! Are you okay?'

"Jean?" You ask, confused and starting to get scared. You don't know where you are. "What's going on?"

The memories come flooding back and you gasp. You get up and reach out in the dark only to find a wall. And another. And another. "J-Jean! Where are you?!" You yell, banging on the wall.

'Stay calm! Fred took us somewhere, can you see where you are?'

"N-no! It's dark!"

'Your communicator, do you have it?'

"I don't- Jean, I need to get out, I need to GET OUT!"

It's all happening again, you realize. Just like last time. Just like it always was. You can't feel your hands anymore as you keep banging on the wall.

'Stop!'

Her voice cuts through your mind and you freeze, feeling the fresh tears running down your face.

'It's okay, Y/N, it's okay.' You hear her say firmly, 'Just do exactly what I say and we'll be okay.'

You nod shakily.

'Close your eyes.'

You do.

'Think about school. What's your favorite class?'

"W-wha-? U-um... Art?"

'Awesome! Do you like to draw?'

"So-sometimes."

'I do too! We draw a lot in Geology Club, all the different types of rocks and crystals... Maybe you can join! We're going on a field trip in a little while! You could come!'

You sniffle. "Where?"

'To the mountains! I hear it's beautiful up there.'

Your heartbeat has finally started to even out. "That s-sounds nice."

It takes Jean a moment to respond, and she sounds strained. 'Yeah, it'll be... loads of fun.'

"Are you okay?" You ask, trying to focus on her and not where you are.

'Just a bump on the head. Makes it hard to... focus. Use my powers.'

You remember the gash on her head and cringe. "The X-men are on their way, right?"

Another pause.

'Right. So just hold tight. We're going to be out soon.'

You hug your knees and pray she's right.

---

Charles Xavier folds his hands as he watches Logan's training exercise play out on the green. His old friend had originally planned for the young ones to dodge lasers in the Danger Room. Xavier suggested something a little less rigorous.

Kitty laughs as she keeps the football away from a chasing Kurt, phasing through trees to keep ahead. Logan, dressed in a black gi, nods as she dodges. "That's it, half-pint. Keep the ball away from the elf. But you gotta concentrate, or-"

A loud thud sounds out as Kitty hits a tree. The football quickly gets scooped up by Kurt. "Ha! It's mine now, Kitty!"

"Give me that!"

She chases him as he teleports up into the trees, appearing from one branch to another. Charles smirks. They never did say the tree branches were out of bounds. Kitty makes a grab for him but Kurt teleports away to a thinner branch.

"Watch where you're 'porting!" Logan warns, but the branch snaps a second later and Kurt begins to fall. As he does, Kitty leaps off the trunk of a fallen tree, launching herself towards the blue boy. She phases through him, grabs the football, and pulls his tail for extra measure. Kurt yelps and falls to the ground and Kitty laughs, victorious.

Xavier hears Logan sigh and turns to see him facepalming. "What kind of move was that?" The instructor says in exasperation.

"Innovation. Adaptation." Charles replies, "It's what they're here to learn."

Logan shoots him a skeptical look. "You think stunts like that are going to help them against Mystique?"

Charles' face darkens. "We don't know what Mystique is planning."

"We don't need to know. We just need to take care of her before she can get to us." A gleam of adamantium silver peeks through Logan's knuckles.

"Logan." He chastises, "You know our goal here. The X-men aim to bring peace to the world, not start fights with misguided mutants."

Logan scoffs, but sheathes his claws. "Mystique must be the most misguided mutant there is."

Xavier looks away. He can think of one worse.

Then he feels it on the periphery of his mind. A voice. Listening intently, he can pick up bits and pieces.

'Professor... Y/N... help!'

His face pales and he holds on to that connection. He sees Jean, held captive... and Y/N not too far from her.

'Jean. Stay calm. We'll find you.' He sends down the line, and then turns to Logan. "Wolverine, Jean and Y/N have been kidnapped!"

The man immediately responds, calling the students over. "You, Elf! Get Cyclops! I gotta ride." Wolverine sprints off, ready to track down the missing teens.

"Vhat's going on, Professor?" Kurt asks as he and Kitty approach, both looking worried, "Is zhis part of ze exercise?"

"No, Nightcrawler, I'm afraid not." Xavier explains, worry gripping his heart as well, "Your teammates are in danger."

---

Scott taps his foot, checking his watch again. There's no way Geology Club went this long. He's trying not to be worried, but he sent his message with the communicator almost an hour ago. But Jean did mention losing her bag, and Y/N may have forgotten her communicator. Maybe he got the location wrong. Maybe he's supposed to pick them up at the park where Y/N is studying, and Jean's been waiting to chew him out for being late. Maybe.

He hopes so.

Scott gets back in his sports car and drives a block away, stopping to look into the scenic park. It's starting to get late and not many people are still here. As he scans the green for his friends, one face stands out. Rogue, sitting alone at a picnic table. If anyone knows where Y/N is, she must.

So he parks and walks over to her. She looks up from a playbook and raises an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry to interrupt." He apologizes, "I was wondering if Y/N is around here? I was supposed to pick her up."

"Y/N?" She replies, looking a little surprised, "She left ages ago to meet up with your girlfriend."

His face goes red. "Jean's not- I mean, we're not-"

"Cool it, Romeo." Rogue smirks, "I'm joking."

"Oh." Scott rubs the back of his neck, "Man, where are they?" He's getting more worried each passing minute. Maybe he should call the Professor...

"Hey, um." He turns to Rogue, who's fiddling with a bracelet, "You said before that X-men really look out for each other, right?"

"Uh, yeah." What's she getting at?

She turns calculating eyes on him. "Are the X-men-?"

A cloud of sulfurous gas appears as Kurt teleports onto the picnic table. Rogue cries out in surprise and takes off a glove.

"Easy!" Kurt exclaims at her, blue three-fingered hands held up, "I'm here for him."

Scott looks around, relieved the park has emptied out. "Kurt, why would you-?"

"Y/N and Jean have been nabbed."

Kurt's serious words sink in and before he knows it Scott has a hold of Kurt's suit. "What?!"

"Voah! Easy, mein freund!" Kurt yelps, "Volverine's on ze scent, but I'm supposed to collect you."

Scott lets go, sucking a deep breath in. This is all his fault! He's supposed to be the leader and protect everyone, and now two of his team are being held captive! Jean... his heart aches thinking of her in danger. And Y/N is so young, and she can't defend herself as well as the others... He should've been watching closer with Mystique's stooges on the loose. One in particular.

"Blob!" He growls as he realizes the likely culprit. Toad doesn't have the power and anything Lance might pull would have set off the seismometers at the Institute. And the way he was looking at Jean today... Scott knew something wasn't right! "If he's hurt them, I'll-!"

Scott stops, remembering the third presence. He swings around and points at Rogue. "You know anything about this?!" He accuses.

Rogue holds her bare hand between him and her, eyes shining with fear. Scott sees this and steps back, feeling slightly guilty. So, she is still afraid of the X-men. But she's on Mystique's team. And if she had anything to do with the kidnapping, scared or not, Scott would never forgive her.

"No." Rogue finally answers, scowling at him, "And even if I did I wouldn't tell you!"

Scott just frowns and shakes his head.

"Then I hope you can live with your conscience." He spits out. A flash of hurt crosses Rogue's face, but Scott has no time to regret his harsh words. He needs to be a leader.

"Let's go, Kurt!"

"Aye, captain!"

Kurt carries them back to the mansion, and Scott sprints inside. The change into his suit is swift and practiced, and he enters the briefing room two minutes later.

"Scott!" Kitty exclaims as he walks in, Kurt close behind, and the Professor looks up. He's standing before a big screen with a map of Bayville displayed. Without words, Scott conveys for him to begin.

The Professor nods. "I've been in mental contact with Jean, but she has no idea where she is. All I can tell is that she and Blob are somewhere in this area." The map zooms in to display a few square miles south of Bayville High.

"What about Y/N?" Scott asks.

The Professor's frown deepens. "I can sense her close to Jean but I cannot make contact. She may be under duress."

Scott grimaces. "Then let's move!" Kitty and Kurt follow wordlessly as he leads them to the garage. They pile into the X-Van and Scott steps on the gas.

'Hold on.' He thinks, hoping Jean can somehow hear him. 'We're coming to get you two.'

---

Jean tries again to loosen her restraints and fails, sweat beading on her forehead. Fred is smiling giddily as he places a napkin on her lap. "This is gonna be the best night you've ever had! Dinner, dancing-"

"Fred. This is all wrong." She pleads, "You can't force someone to like you!"

He just grins. "Why not? I'm stronger than everyone!"

She puts on a smile. "Being nice usually works better." She says as sweetly as she can, but it just goes in one ear and out the other.

"Oh yeah! I just remembered! I've got a surprise for you!" Fred exclaims, then turns and leaves the room. Looking past him through the doorway, Jean spots some mechanical equipment. Maybe they're in a factory? But she doesn't have the energy to contact the Professor again, she'd pass out, and she needs to stay awake for Y/N.

'Y/N?' She reaches out again, but receives no response. 'Y/N?!'

---

"Y/N! What have you done?!"

Matron Mary looks down at you as you nervously hold the hem of your skirt. "I'm sorry, Matron Mary." You say guiltily.

"What have I told you? You must stop this foolishness at once! Disrupting your classes every day with these insane outbursts!"

"I don't mean to!" You cry, "I can't help it!"

"You will learn to help it." Matron Mary hisses. She grabs your arm and drags you to the basement, all the way to the very back where it's dark and dusty, and opens a door. "From now on there will be consequences for this behavior. Get in."

It looks like a black hole, or a hungry mouth waiting to swallow you up. "Please.." You weakly plead, but she throws you into the closet and locks the door behind you. There's barely a foot of space in any direction around you and it's pitch black. You hear receding footsteps and start banging on the door.

"Please! I'll stop, I promise! I won't be weird anymore! Come back! Let me out, please! Please!!"

You finally give up and slump against the wall, hands throbbing dully and tears falling sedately down either cheek. You're alone again. Stuck in nothingness. You are nothing.

'Y/N!'

A warm face comes to mind. Just a flicker of light in absolute darkness. Another face, this time blue. One with a ponytail. Another with glasses. Finally, a bald man with kind eyes.

You don't want to be nothing, to disappear. You want to see them again.

'Y/N!'

You want to talk to them. Go to school with them.

'Y/N!'

You want to be half as good as they are. To love like them.

'Y/N!'

"J..." Your voice fails you, but you try to send a thought her way. 'Jean. Dark.'

'Please stay with me, Y/N. We're going to get out of this!'

'Want to stay...' You think before starting to drift off.

'Y/N, just stay with m-!'

---

She can't feel Y/N anymore. Jean panics. She needs to do something, but she's so exhausted. Her head feels split open.

'No, I need to try again. I must!'

She extends her mind outwards, as far as she can. She can barely manage it, but she pushes through the pain.

'Someone.' She sends out a message, 'Help us!'

'I hear you, kid.'

Jean's head snaps up. 'Wolverine?'

---

Logan pulls up to the old building as he hears Jean's message. Once he takes off his helmet, he just needs one sniff of the air to know he's in the right place. He pulls out his communicator and growls into it, "I found them. They're at the old ironworks at the South End. I'm going in."

Wolverine ignores the Professor's pleas for him to wait for back-up as he draws his claws and stalks toward the door. He's going to tear that boy apart if he touched either of his girls.

---

Everything is going to plan. Fred made a fancy dinner all for Jean and even has an old record player he found in the back playing her a sweet song to keep her entertained. Y/N is out of the way, locked in the storage closet. He feels a little bad about that, but... 'She was gonna ruin my date!' He sighs, shaking his head. Jean's his only real friend. The perfect girl for him. And once he shows her that he 'found' her bookbag, she'll be so flattered she'll have to forgive him! Maybe he'll even untie her later if she wants to get serious.

He giggles at the thought, walking back to Jean's room through the main area. There's lots of big factory equipment here, kinda like the place his Pa used to work before getting laid off. His Ma and Pa, if they could see him now! They don't know what they're missing.

A guttural yell surprises Fred, who turns around to see metal claws shredding apart the locked front door. Some weird guy in a yellow suit climbs through and jumps at him like a feral dog.

"Hey!" Fred yells as the guy grapples him, landing a punch across his face. It hurts a little, like an annoying bug bite. This guy is ruining his date! With a yell, Fred throws the guy off, growing even more annoyed when he lands on his feet. How is this puny man holding his own against him?! He's The Blob!!

The clawed freak comes at him again, but Blob sees it coming and dodges. Finding himself next to a giant mechanical doohickey, Blob rips it off its bolts and tosses it at the intruder. Then he hears Jean's distressed yell from the back room and gets even more incensed.

"Don't worry, babe!" He calls to her, "I'll take care of this loser!"

"You don't talk to her!" The man growls as he jumps on him again. Blob's eyes widen. Could this be... a love rival? He yells in rage and grabs the man by the arms, not caring about the cuts he gets from the claws. They're like splinters to him. With all his might he slams his jealous rival down on the floor and suplexes him.

His opponent starts to choke underneath him. "Can't... breathe..." He grunts, struggling less and less. Blob presses down harder.

"Jean's my friend! You can't take her!"

As the man in yellow stops moving, Blob suddenly feels a sharp burn against him as the room flashes red. He gets up, a little dazed, and grits his teeth when he sees him. He knows that smug face under the red visor.

"We're just giving her a way out." Cyclops says coldly, "Through you, if necessary!"

Another laser blast hits Blob and he takes it. The burn doesn't compare to the rage he feels looking at that poser. That guy doesn't deserve Jean! None of them do!!!

He roughly grabs up Wolverine and pitches him at full-speed. He hits Cyclops so hard they both go flying out the front door, knocking the former unconscious as they tumble into Wolverine's bike.

"Wha-? Hey!" Blob yells as Nightcrawler appears on the rafters above and throws machine parts at him. Shadowcat does the same from behind him. Anger boiling over, he screams and jumps as hard as he can, shaking the ground. Nightcrawler is knocked off balance and starts to fall, teleporting into a shaken Shadowcat. They only steady themselves in time to see Blob charge, slamming them both into the wall. They quickly slump to the ground, defeated.

Face red, Blob breathes heavily as he looks around at all these jerks. They thought they could fight him? The strongest man alive?? Everyone always treats him like a joke, it's not fair! Only Jean-!

A filing cabinet comes crashing into him from behind. Shocked, he turns to see Jean, glaring daggers at him from their ruined dinner date. The heavy metal cabinet begins to lift up into the air again, but Blob easily catches it.

"You." He says, betrayal aching in his heart as walks toward her. His face burns hot as he clutches the cabinet. "Nobody respects me!" After everything he did for her... "And you're the worst!" He points at Jean, "You pretended to be my friend!"

With an enraged yell, he throws the cabinet directly at her. It stops inches short of her head and flies back at him. He deflects it, and growls as Jean glares at him.

"You are not my friend." She says, narrowing her eyes, "They are."

Blob clenches his fists in frustration until an idea dawns on him. "Your friends, huh?" He grins bitterly, "Let's see how they like getting their hearts crushed."

---

Light suddenly floods in, waking you up slowly. You feel a rough hand grab and carry you out of the dark.

"Let's see how she likes it!"

"Fred, no!"

You open your eyes and see Jean's terrified face in front of you. Then, as the pain at your sides registers, you see Fred's hands wrapped around your frame. You gasp as he squeezes and your air gets cut off. Your bones feel like they're about to snap.

"Fred, please!" Jean yells in fear.

"I'm not Fred!" You hear his voice rumble, "I'm The Blob! And you are nothing!"

He laughs and Jean screams, and you shut your eyes in anticipation of a painful death. But then the room flashes red and you fall to the floor.

"Ugh!" Blob grunts, rubbing the back of his head. You look up and see his mohawk slightly singed. He turns around and you also move to look at your savior.

Rogue stands facing Blob, her fierce eyes glowing red with Cyclops' lasers. "Leave her alone, you yahoo!" She yells, and your heart skips a beat.

Seeing your chance, you scramble back while Blob is distracted and find Jean tied up, her head bloody. "Y/N!" She exclaims, "Are you alright?!"

You're shaking as you helplessly pull at the bar wrapped around her. "Sh-Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" You whisper breathlessly as you look around for a solution.

"Whatcha gonna do to me?" Blob laughs at Rogue, "Make me wear bad makeup?"

You see a slight smirk on Rogue's face as she walks forward. "Didn't Mystique tell you what my power is?"

"No. Cuz I don't care." He swings at her and she ducks, grabbing his arm with an ungloved hand.

"My power is your power and I can take more than one!" Rogue yells.

You watch in awe and fear as her touch throws Blob back like he's been electrified. Rogue immediately grabs him again and throws him into some heavy equipment, then blasts him with a laser for extra measure.

For a second, all is still.

Then Blob's hand reaches up out of a pile of junk, and he begins to rise. You gasp. 'It's like nothing can hurt him! We need to get out of here!'

"Y/N!" Jean calls out, and she nods her head at a lead pipe. "Can you try to pry me loose?"

You nod, picking up the pipe and wedging it under her restraints. You can hear Blob's laughter growing outside and pull with all your might. Just as your arms feel like they're about to fall off, you hear the rebar around Jean give with a metal creak.

"I think I can..." Jean grunts, eyes squeezed shut in concentration. Slowly, the metal begins to unbend and unpeel from her chair.

"Ha!" Your attention shifts to Blob outside, his arms stretched wide victoriously. "I got too much power, even for you!" He boasts to Rogue, "You can't hurt me! I'm THE BLOB!!"

"Nah." Rogue replies. "You're just garbage that wanted a date. Now, tell you what. I'm taking you out!"

You cry out in fear and Blob jumps at her, so huge she's completely obscured by his shadow. But Rogue's eyes light up the dark as she sends one more laser blast before he can crush her. It impacts with his chest, and in a powerful surge the laser sends Blob through the roof and far away.

---

Blob lands face first in a pile of sloppy grime. Dizzy, he takes in the garbage tram he's landed on, stacked high with putrid junk.

In his haze, he hears a cackle, and whirls around to see a seagull looking down at him. More fly in, all cackling constantly as they circle him. Blob screams.

"STOP LAUGHING AT MEEEE!!"

He chucks a tire at them and misses, falling into the rank garbage once again. Tears form in his eyes as he continues to yell incoherently, and the seagulls laugh at the pathetic mess.

---

You don't say anything and Rogue comes over and easily unbinds Jean the rest of the way. She doesn't either. The other X-men come to, Kitty and Kurt immediately running to help you and Jean. Wolverine stands up slowly and groans, obviously still hurting from the fight. He looks between all of you and gruffly asks, "Where is he?"

You awkwardly look up at the broken ceiling and over at Rogue, and Wolverine follows your gaze. The red glow is fading from Rogue's eyes, and Wolverine frowns. She takes a step back from him.

"It's okay." You reassure her, and look imploringly at Wolverine who just sighs.

"A little help." You all look at Scott who's lost his visor. Rogue finds it and walks over, placing it on him.

"There you go." She says quietly, "I only took a short-term dose of your power, you should be back to normal soon."

He looks up at her and offers her a small smile. "Thank you. And... I'm sorry, for-"

"Don't say it." She interrupts, crossing her arms. You walk up to her, confused. "How did you find us?" You ask.

She hesitates, then pulls out a small communicator. The one you gave her. "Heard it over this." She mumbles.

"Vait, she has one?" Kurt asks, "Is zhat allowed?"

You're about to protest when Rogue shoves it into your hands. "No. I'm not an X-man." She replies.

"But you helped us." Jean asks beside you, "Why?"

You can feel so much going on in her. Confusion, anger, fear, uncertainty, yearning... It seems to be too much for her as she backs away.

"I don't know. I just don't know!"

Rogue runs away and you begin to run after her. "Wait!" A firm hand stops you.

"Easy, kid. Let her go." Wolverine says.

"But she-!" You try to argue.

"She ain't ready. Trust me on this." There's something soft you can feel from him when he says that, something painful. You stop and watch miserably as Rogue leaves you again.

"Okay, so maybe she's part of the dark, icky side," Kitty says as Rogue's form disappearance in the distance, "...but I figure we, like, totally owe her now."

Scott sighs and you feel your sadness echoed in him. "Yeah." He replies, putting a hand on Jean's shoulder, "Yeah we do. Big time."

'...Thank you.' You realize you didn't say, 'You saved my life.'

---

Rogue's head is spinning. She doesn't understand. Why did she help the X-Men? They tried to hurt her! And yet, when she heard Y/N was in trouble... Her powers aren't helping anything. Having touched both Cyclops and Blob, their perceptions are at war inside her. Thankfully, both are fading as she steps up to the Brotherhood boarding house.

Darkholme is waiting for her inside. "Where have you been?" She asks wearing a deep frown.

"Um.." Rogue hesitates, "I was.. out for a walk."

"This late?!"

"Hey, you're not my mom, okay?!" Rogue snaps. She instantly regrets it as the woman fixes her with a sharp glare and moves to stand over her.

"Listen. Very. Carefully." Darkholme whispers, "I did your guardian a favor taking you in and shielding you from the mutant hunters. I am the only person who can protect you and teach you to handle your powers. So I would be more careful when addressing me."

Rogue looks down. "Yes, ma'am." She replies quietly.

"Good." Darkholme resumes her usual demeanor, "Now get to bed."

Rogue climbs up the stairs, stopping as Darkholme speaks again. "And where have you been?! A pig sty?!"

She turns and sees Raven address Blob as he stands in the doorway looking a mess.

His eyes are downcast as he answers. "I was.. er-" He looks up at Rogue. She narrows her eyes at him, reaching for her glove menacingly. He looks back at the ground. "Nowhere."

Darkholme groans. "Get out of my sight!"

Rogue walks back to her room, locking the door. The memories are faded but now she's got a headache. She lays back in bed and drifts off to sleep, tired of wondering about her enemies.

---

"Scott, really, I'm fine!" Jean huffs in annoyance as he fusses over her. She got checked out in the medbay, and now she's on a bunch of painkillers and can barely feel her head wound anymore. But at this rate Scott's nagging is going to cause a worse headache!

"I just want to make sure you're taking it easy!" He replies as she tries to read her book, "If you feel woozy, just let me know. Do you need more water?"

Scott gets up quickly to go to the kitchen but Jean shuts the door telekinetically. "I said I'm fine!" She groans, "And as much as I appreciate your mother henning, maybe you can go check on someone else. Y/N, maybe?"

The tall boy smiles sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, I mean, I was. But, uh, Kurt and Kitty told me I was smothering her."

Jean shoots him a look and he laughs. "Okay, you're right. I'll back off. I just..." He takes her hand gently, "I'm really glad you're alright."

She slowly smiles and squeezes his hand back. "Thanks, Scott. You're a good friend."

Scott coughs and smiles weirdly. "Uh, yeah! You too!" He points to the drawing room door, "I'll leave you be, then."

"Actually," They both turn to see the Professor sitting in the doorway, "If you don't mind one more interruption, Jean, I'd like a word."

She's nervous, but she doesn't show it. She merely smiles and nods, waving goodbye to Scott as he shuts the door behind him. The Professor approaches Jean with that ever indecipherable expression of his. Is he disappointed? He told them all to stay away from Mystique's team, but she'd still tried to get close to Blob. It feels like she's partly at fault for what happened to her and Y/N.

Biting the bullet, Jean speaks first. "I'm sorry. I ignored your warning and approached Blob at school. I wasn't careful enough-"

"Jean!" She's confused to see the Professor looking to her in shock. "You did nothing wrong! It is Mr. Dukes who is responsible for his actions, not you."

Jean's breathing hitches and her eyes well up a little. "I just feel stupid. I should have seen it coming."

The Professor takes her hand between his. "Kindness isn't a fault, Jean. You acted with the compassion and responsibility befitting a true X-man. Mr. Dukes hurt you and others, which is no one's fault but his." He shakes his head, "Jean. This is not your fault and I am so sorry this happened to you."

Jean wipes her tears. "Thank you, Professor."

"I wanted to tell you that I've taken steps to ensure this does not happen again. Everybody is receiving an upgraded communicator with a tracking device. Logan will be keeping a close watch on all the members of the Brotherhood, especially Mr. Dukes. Though, rest assured, I have probed his mind and do not sense any threat of retaliation from him."

"I know." Jean admits, "I checked, too. The fight seems to have knocked him down a peg."

The Professor continues. "I also wish to offer an ear, if you ever feel the need to talk. And, if you want to take some time off before returning to school-"

"I'm good." She replies quickly, "I'd fall behind on homework. And, honestly? I love school. I have my friends, my extracurriculars... I'm thinking of trying out for the soccer team. Being an X-man is great, but school is one place I get to feel normal, you know? And I'm not going to let one jerk ruin that for me."

Jean grins in defiance, and the Professor nods with a smile of his own.

"There's something else, though." Jean remembers, "About Y/N."

The Professor raises an eyebrow and she goes on. "Well, I know she's been through a lot." She says sadly, "She hasn't told me anything, but there's all these little hints. And then, while we were... trapped, she was locked away in a closet. I could manage to talk to her, but she was in a panic. It felt like more than just the current danger, like something else was scaring her. At one point she wasn't responding, and I could hear bits of her thoughts." Jean swallows, "Professor, I'm scared something really bad happened to her at that orphanage."

He's quiet for a few moments, and Jean doesn't know what he'll say.

Finally, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Jean. Kurt actually voiced similar concerns to me earlier about an incident at school."

Jean's eyes widen. "What does this mean?"

"It means that I've contacted Ororo, who has agreed to take Y/N away from the Institute for a few days to visit with her nephew. She needs a break, and I need to continue my investigation. I don't want to involve her with this yet, given what I suspect. Will you do me the favor to keep quiet about this for now?"

"Yes, Professor." She hopes against hope that she's somehow wrong, but knows deep down that it's true. All she can do is be there for Y/N through it.

God, she hopes that's enough to help her.

---

"Goodnight Kurt! Goodnight Kitty!"

Your friends leave your bedroom, having kept you company there all day. They've been spending extra time with you lately, and you can't help feeling guilty about it. Maybe if you could take better care of yourself, they wouldn't be so worried. Physically, you're all patched up. Just some bandaged arms and hands. It's just cuts and bruises, not a big deal.

You wish it wasn't, anyways.

The truth is that awful day has been keeping you up. You used to only have nightmares about the past, but now you have new fears. Blob hurt you, he trapped you... You don't remember much from being in that closet. It's all very blurry. Just panic and fear, that's all you could feel.

You shudder to think what might have happened.

What you might have done...

You shake your head. You're safe at the Institute. You're safe with the X-men. You just need to control yourself before someone gets hurt.

Before they discover the real you.

Chapter Text

You rest your head against the cool passenger-side window, the rumble of the road vibrating in your head. Trees blur by and become more scarce as you approach the city. New York City. A few months ago you wouldn't have ever thought you'd visit it in your lifetime. It might as well have been Candyland. A few days ago you might have been excited that you get to go. But, with circumstances as they are, you can't even manage a small smile. Because the reason you're going to New York City now is because the X-men just want to get rid of you.

It started after Blob kidnapped you and Jean. Everyone was worried about you two, but that was supposed to be normal. Then everyone started treating Jean normally again, but you were still treated like glass. Finally, the Professor insisted you take a few days off of school even though you'd be missing yours and Rogue's presentation. Even after your arms healed up, Kurt and Kitty followed you around like you would immediately trip and break them. You could hear the whispers behind your back, feel the emotions change when you entered a room. Even Logan let you out of training!

You don't have to be a telepath to know what they're thinking.

'Y/N is too weak.'

'We have to take care of Y/N.'

'She's not cut out to be an X-man.'

'She's a burden.'

So much of a burden that the Professor called you into his office the other day and told you that Ororo wants you to accompany her to meet her family. What a lie. Why would she invite you to a personal family gettogether? It's obvious that the Professor just wants you out of the mansion for a while.

A dark pit forms in your stomach. 'What if he sends me back to the Home for good?'

That feeling must be pretty strong because Ororo speaks up as she makes a turn. "Are you alright, Y/N?"

You shrug. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" An awkward silence follows as you hope she just drops the subject.

She doesn't. "I know this has been a difficult week for you. It would help to talk about it, about how you've been feeling... Perhaps you have been having nightmares?"

"No."

Every night.

"Or, maybe you have trouble breathing sometimes? Panic attacks?"

You don't respond. After a minute, Ororo sighs. "Alright. Just know that you can talk to me whenever you need to."

"Okay."

The city streets are bumpier so you sit up, laying back on the headrest instead and looking ahead. The sun is setting, casting the Thursday night sky in shades of red. The car's dashboard chimes and an automated voice says "One new message from Viv."

"Read message." Ororo replies, the voice taking a moment to process. "The message reads: Hey Dada! Left for Evan's game. Meet us at his school. He'll be so excited to see you!"

Ororo smiles and sends back a confirmation, adjusting the GPS. You soften a bit as you sense her own excitement growing.

'It must be nice to have a family.' 

---

The crowd is loud and emotions are running high as you and Storm shuffle through packed bleachers. You practice the breathing exercises the Professor taught you to keep from being overcome with all these feelings. It seems like the energy of the gymnasium shifts every time a new person takes possession of the ball. You feel a hand on your arm, Ororo guiding you over to a couple who are cheering wildly at the game.

"Dada!" Ororo shouts, and the woman turns and lights up, coming forward to hug her.

"Ororo! So glad you could come!" She then turns to you, "Y/N, right? I'm Vivian, Ororo's sister! You can call me Auntie Viv!"

You blush at her request, not sure how to respond. "Um.."

"Viv has a habit of adopting the whole neighborhood. She's everyone's aunt or cousin now." Ororo remarks.

Vivian laughs. "Treat everyone the way you treat your family and the world will be a better place!"

You smile, a bit relieved. It feels less awkward since she probably does this with everyone, so you don't mind calling her Auntie Viv if it makes her happy.

Despite how you feel about this little 'vacation', you find that can enjoy the game a little. You may not be the most athletic person, but you know the basics of basketball. And you've never gotten to see a live game before! The teams are blues, the home team, vs. reds, the visitors. Perhaps the energy of the crowd is rubbing off on you, but you find yourself getting pretty excited. The teams are similarly skilled, keeping the game neck-in-neck. Two players jump out at you as being really talented, both scoring more than anyone else. One is number 32, a very quick young man with white hair. The other is number 21 on the same team who, judging by the way his parents holler every time he scores, is definitely Evan Daniels.

Evan is shorter than most of the other players but he can jump higher. He's nearly as fast as 32 and has wicked aim. You watch the kid with the yellow dyed hair most of the game, clapping along in support with his family. The audience is going absolutely bananas in the last quarter as the scores on both sides continue to rise. It's currently 81-82 with visitors leading, and everyone shouts as the ball bounces off the rim of the basket and the reds miss their shot. The home crowd gets on their feet as Evan jumps in and steals the ball, quickly dribbling it towards the other side of the court. You glance at the clock. Thirty seconds left.

Cheerleaders jump and wave their pompoms as Evan leads the charge. The reds are hot on his heels and his coach is shouting encouragement as he crosses the halfway point. Then you see 32 wave at Evan, signaling him to pass. Evan passes just before he's stopped by the defense, 32 maneuvering around them easily. 

You sense a wave of cockiness coming from 32's direction, strong enough to reach you in the bleachers. So strong, even, that you genuinely believe he's going to make it. But when he shoots, the ball hits the rim and bounces off, the red team intercepting.

The huge groan from the crowd gives you shivers and you take a deep breath to ground yourself. Next to you, Evan's parents keep shouting.

"Get 'em! Steal the ball!"

"Set up your zone! Don't let 'em shoot!"

Ororo leans over to her sister, eyes wide. "Is it always this exciting?"

You were wondering the same thing.

Mr. Daniels grins. "No, this one's a real nail-biter!"

It sure is. There's only ten seconds left to the game and it's so close!

Number 32 intercepts the ball at the middle of the court, steering it back towards the basket. The crowd around you is in a frenzy as he gets closer and closer to the hoop, but it's so heavily guarded! You don't know if he can make the shot with three tall red teamers standing in the way. As 32 runs, you hear the Coach shout, "Daniels is open! Now!"

The white-haired boy runs for a moment longer, and you're not sure if he's going to listen to his Coach or try to make the shot himself. Finally, with five seconds left, he passes to Evan.

"You can do it, Evan!" Even Ororo is getting into it now, cheering her nephew on, "Shoot! Shoot!"

He dodges one defender and jumps up to toss the ball over another. You suck in a breath as the ball flies up towards the basket, defense being too late to stop it. One of them, however, has jumped at Evan so forcefully they accidentally knock into him the second after the ball leaves his hand. As most of the crowd watches the ball, you look worriedly at the two boys falling to the ground.

There are moments when it feels like the whole world slows down. You can't believe your eyes when you see strange spikes protruding out of Evan's forearm midfall. It all happens in a heartbeat, but it's so surprising that you feel like you're staring at it for a full minute. Evan hits the ground as the buzzer sounds and everyone jumps up in exhilaration. You see the spikes carve a line into the court floor, looking like a skid mark, and Evan quickly covering up the spikes with his other arm.

Realizing what you just saw, you look around quickly. Thankfully, everyone's attention was on the ball as it scored the winning points last second. Everyone except... You make eye contact with Ororo, who looks back at you with that same knowing expression. You silently decide not to say anything and leave this to her. Looking back at Evan, his teammates have lifted him up in celebration. The spikes seem to have disappeared, his arms now thrown up as he whoops and hollers. Only one blue teammate stands to the side, arms crossed as he looks on. Number 32.

'He... He didn't see, did he?' You wonder, but then, what kind of reaction would that be if he had? You imagine he'd be making a big deal out of seeing something so out of the ordinary. 'No, he's probably just sour that he didn't score the winning shot.' You assure yourself.

What a way to end the game!

---

'It's fine, it's chill! No one saw!'

Evan reassures himself for the fifth time as he stuffs his jersey into a duffle bag. And anyways, he feels great! He came in clutch with that last shot, even with his little... slip-up. He grins as his teammates pat him on the back as they leave the locker room.

"Good game, man!"

"Yeah, Daniels. You rule, man!"

"Thanks guys!" Evan waves after them, "Good game!"

As he packs up the rest of his stuff, a familiar voice pipes up nearby.

"I shoulda known you'd hog all the glory."

Evan looks up to see the last guy in the locker room leaning against the wall and glowering at him. Pietro Maximoff.

"What are you talking, man?" Evan asks, not sure why his teammate is so upset, "Everyone knows that you-"

"Everyone knows that if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had that last shot!" Pietro interrupts, "I knew I should've just taken it myself!"

Evan rolls his eyes. It's always been this way with the two of them. They've been on the same team since primary school and Pietro always finds something to gripe about. Evan finds it funny to push his buttons sometimes, talking smack and all that.

"Hey, that was a great pass, man. But there's no way you could've made it down the court in time for a shot." Evan replies, shrugging dismissively in a way he knows will grind Pietro's gears.

"Hey, dude!" Pietro says sharply, fist hitting Evan's locker, "I got moves you can't even imagine! And I'm through holding back just to make guys like you look good." With that, his teammate slicks back his white hair and leaves out the back. Evan snorts at the dramatics, readying to grab his stuff and leave when someone else walks in.

"Seems like that boy has been competing with you ever since you were babies."

A grin immediately spreads across Evan's face as he turns around to see his favorite aunt. "Hey, Auntie O, what's up?" He exclaims, surprised and happy to see her, "Where's Dad and Mom?"

"Waiting outside." Ororo replies, "I think the boys' locker room makes your mother nervous."

Evan chuckles, knowing from stories that his aunt was part of a nudist tribe in Africa. This stuff doesn't faze her in the slightest. "Right. Some game, huh? It's tight that you showed!" He says gratefully, picking up his duffle.

"And miss my favorite nephew's big game?" Ororo laughs and pulls him into a tight hug. "Not a chance."

He squeezes back. "Thanks again for coming, Auntie."

It's a nice moment. Then, she pulls back and looks at him seriously. "Evan.. are you alright? I've been concerned about you lately." Her voice is soft as she takes a seat on the bench in front of him. "You know, about the things we've discussed before?"

Evan puts on his best face, acting like nothing happened. "Yeah, yeah. No problem, Auntie O. Everything's cool." Hopefully, she takes his word for it and drops the issue-

"Evan, I saw what happened to you out there tonight. When you fell."

...or not.

Evan starts to panic. "Okay, listen, it wasn't what it looks like-!"

"Evan..."

"It's no big deal, really!"

"Evan-"

"I got it under control-!"

"Evan!"

He stops and looks down at the spikes protruding through his now-ruined tank top. "...Busted, huh?"

Ororo nods. "Big time."

Evan sighs, grunting as he pulls the many spikes back into his body, leaving his shirt full of holes. "You're the only one who noticed, right? Mom and Dad didn't...?"

Ororo gets up, hands on her hips. "As far as I know, they are preoccupied with your winning basket."

"So no one else saw." Evan sighs, but pauses when his aunt shakes her head.

"I didn't say that." She says, then turns her head to the entrance, "Y/N, you can come in!"

---

You hear Ororo call you from the spot outside the locker room she told you to wait at. It's a small relief to leave the crowded hallway, full of families meeting up with and congratulating their kids for the hard-won game. You know all these emotions are going to give you a killer headache, but at least you didn't have a total meltdown today. That's a win.

Stepping into the mostly-empty locker room, you sense the surprise and embarrassment as Evan spots you. "Auntie O!" He exclaims, wrapping his arms around a weirdly torn tank top.

"Squeamish like your mother, hm?"

"She's my mom! This is... I don't even know! Who is this?"

Now you're embarrassed. "Sorry, I can leave if you-"

Ororo interjects. "No need, he's all dressed." Evan mutters something to her with a scowl and she smirks. "Mostly. Evan, this is Y/N. She's from the Xavier Institute."

You're about to extend your hand when you feel the change in his mood. "The Institute?" He looks at you, eyes wide and now full of reproach, "Auntie, I can't believe you! You think she's gonna convince me to go to your weird mutant school?" He turns on you angrily, "Well, you can forget it! I'm not joining any freak show, so you can just leave me alone!"

The words hurt, the negativity biting at you sharply. But something has changed. You used to lie down and take it when people said such things to you, and you still do sometimes, but right now? Right now you're just too tired for this. Before Ororo can say anything, you reply, a quieter anger in your own voice.

"Fine. Do me the same favor."

You hear Ororo chastise Evan behind you as you walk out, and you even feel a bit of regret from him. Good riddance. You didn't come here to sell him anything, you didn't even want to come here! Finding a quieter corner by a water fountain, you lean against the wall and sigh. The worst part about getting angry is the constant doubt that maybe you were the one in the wrong. Either way, you just burned a bridge with Ororo's nephew as you're staying with his family.

'Why can I never just get it right?'

---

Okay, maybe he was out of line snapping at Y/N like that. His aunt sure let him know it, giving him the look of disapproval all the way to the parking lot. Y/N didn't even look at him when they got home. Evan sighs, shaking his head as he sits on the back patio. His Mom and Dad are barbequing dinner, Y/N helping set the table. The guilt grows inside him as he remembers her icy response.

"I'm not joining any freak show, so you can just leave me alone!"

"Fine. Do me the same favor."

Evan puts his hands on his face and groans. Yeah. He was way out of line.

"Sounds like an inner turmoil."

He looks up at his aunt as she takes a seat across from him. "If you're here to tell me I have to apologize to Y/N, I know. I'm just... figuring out the words."

Ororo hums. "You've been figuring out a lot lately."

He averts his gaze as she turns the subject back to... that. "Right. Yeah."

"When did it start, Evan?"

He bites his lip. "About a year ago?"

"Evan!"

"Hey, I didn't know the whole time! It started small, I thought it was just acne??" Then it grew from small bumps to prickly points to sharp spikes. He got used to the feel of it fast, but there were still a lot of little incidents where he got too excited and they started to peek out. Also, there was that time he sneezed and a foot-long spike shot out of his chest and impaled the wall. He moved his dresser in front of the hole.

Back at the grill, his dad waves over. "Still can't get over that last shot, son. What a beauty! You're gonna remember this game for a long time!"

"Yes!" His mom exclaims, placing the pasta salad on the table. "Wasn't it exciting?"

Evan waves at them with a smile plastered on, letting it go as he turns back to his aunt. She shakes her head. "What amazes me is that you've kept it concealed for this long."

He puts on another smile, summoning all his confidence. "I told you, I've got it covered. A few points, a few spikes, I mean, so what? This is New York!"

"Evan." She says firmly, "You need to take this seriously. The Xavier Institute can offer you training."

"I don't need training, man!" He exclaims, standing up "I can take care of myself." He raises his forearm to show her as the spikes come out at his command. He flexes his arm and smirks. "Anyone messes with me, BAM!" He slashes his spikes against a tree, leaving three lines carved there.

Ororo looks back at his parents, who are oblivious to all this, and then turns back to him with a frown on her face. "No, Evan. You mustn't use your powers like that. You have to learn control." She gets up and tries to touch his shoulder but he recoils from it, annoyed.

"Hey, I've got control! See?" He recalls the spikes and they sink back below his skin. "Everything's cool!"

"Like in the locker room?"

"All right, so it's not perfected yet.." Evan replies reluctantly, crossing his arms. He feels a hand on his back, his aunt smiling sympathetically at him. "I think we'd better continue this conversation with your parents." She says softly.

Evan huffs. "Like I didn't know that was coming..." After all this time hiding it, how's he gonna tell his parents that... that he's a mutant? He sighs. "Look, can't this wait 'til after school tomorrow? I mean, this is a big night for them!"

They look back at his parents who are still very excited about celebrating Evan's win. "Get 'em while they're hot!" His dad calls them, serving up some tasty smelling BBQ steak. Evan looks at his aunt with pleading eyes and she sighs with a smile.

"Alright." Evan grins and kisses her on the cheek, running off to dinner. "Evan!" She calls before he's gone, "You do need to apologize to Y/N."

"I will." He says truthfully, "Promise."

Turning back toward the food, he spots Y/N getting served and feels that guilt again. That's not something that can wait until tomorrow.

---

Ororo watches as her nephew runs off to dinner, high-fiving his dad at the grill. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. She knows he sees her as the bad guy here, but Evan needs guidance! He's young and rash, thinking he can take on the world alone. He shouldn't have to.

'Ororo.' She hears the Professor call out to her mind, 'How's it going with your nephew?'

In the past few weeks, she had begun to suspect that Evan's powers had emerged. She'd asked Charles if he would keep an eye on Evan's Cerebro profile in case there were any changes. It seems he checked in tonight during the game, messaging Ororo soon after to ask if anything had happened. She quickly filled him in on the incident, and Charles said he would message back in a few hours after making sure there is no evidence of Evan's mutation online. All that's left to do is for Ororo to convince Evan to stay at the Institute, which is not going well.

Ororo closes her eyes, leaving her mind open for the telepath to listen. 'Just as I feared, Professor. He's being stubborn.' She doubts Evan will agree to tell his parents tomorrow, and instead try to delay the matter further.

'Has he talked to Y/N at all?'

'Yes, and it hasn't helped matters. Let's just say they've gotten off on the wrong foot.'

'Oh dear.' He sounds worried, 'Is Y/N doing alright?'

Ororo looks over at you, eating quietly in your own little corner of the table. 'I don't think she wants to be here. I've tried to talk with her but she barely says a word.' She frowns. 'I suppose they're both being stubborn. Professor, perhaps sending Y/N with me wasn't a good idea. I don't know how to help her.'

'You are helping her, trust me. Right now, she needs to be away from the Institute. And perhaps she and Evan will reconcile, leading Evan closer to you.'

'Perhaps.' She replies doubtfully, 'Or perhaps it is time for a Plan B.'

She can almost see Charles' understanding nod as he replies. 'Alright. Scott and Jean will arrive in the morning.' Then a brief pause before he continues, 'Er, by the way, Cerebro detected another mutant's signature at the game tonight but couldn't get a clear reading on it for some reason. Did you notice anyone else there unusual?'

'You mean someone other than Y/N?' Ororo asks, thinking back to the game. There wasn't anything extraordinary that she saw other than a few amazing plays. Then again, some mutant abilities manifest themselves as heightened athleticism. 'I'm not certain, but there were a few players who could potentially be mutants. I'll ask Evan when I can.'

'Very well. Keep me informed.'

The connection ends, Ororo no longer feeling the Professor's presence in her mind. The notion of another mutant at the game is curious, but right now Ororo has other things on her mind. Tomorrow will be an important day, and she hopes she's able to finally get through to her nephew.

---

The steak is delicious, and you let the Daniels know with a polite compliment. In response, Mr. Daniels is practically blushing and Auntie Viv pulls you into a hug and ruffles your hair. It catches you by surprise, but you figure they're just a really warm and welcoming family.

Well, almost all of them are anyways.

Once everyone is all finished chowing down, you can see stars up above. Since the Daniels had you over and cooked for you, you feel it's only fair to help clean up.

"Oh no, you don't!" Viv says, snatching your plate away as soon as you pick it up, "You're a guest here, honey! We'll do the dishes. Evan, be a good host and show Y/N where she'll be staying."

The protest dies on your tongue as she says this and you look at Evan. He also looks awkward as he responds. "Uh, yeah. C'mon, let me show you the guest room."

You follow him inside as the adults clear up and keep your eyes on the ground. If you look at him, he'll just start up a forced conversation, and you know he just wants this to be over and done with. Downstairs, there's a small bedroom with little roses painted on the walls.

"You can just drop your stuff in here." Evan says, "Me, Mom and Dad have our bedrooms on the top floor, and Auntie O is gonna be right upstairs on the couch."

"I don't need this room is she has to sleep on the couch!" You exclaim guiltily. But Evan puts up a hand. "Nah, don't sweat it. Auntie prefers it up there, she doesn't like basements. Are you okay with it, though?"

You look back in the room. "Is it okay if I keep the door open?" You ask quietly.

"Sure! But you might want to close it in the morning, that's when Mom does laundry down here."

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

Both of you linger there for a second, and you start to feel even more anxious. Then you realize it's not just coming from you.

"Hey, um.." Evan runs his fingers through his short yellow hair, "I've been wanting to say that I'm sorry. For, uh, for snapping at you back in the locker room."

He actually feels nervous, but you still aren't sure. "...You don't have to apologize just because Ororo told you to. It's fine if-"

"No, it's not!" He exclaims, "I was being a jerk, and it sucked. I wasn't really mad at you, I'm just frustrated because... because..."

"Um, Evan?" You say, eyes wide. He looks at you and you point to the spikes poking through his shirt.

"AGAIN?!"

He groans and pulls the spikes back into his skin, and you feel the wave of embarrassment and frustration coming from him. "Hey, it's okay!" You try to comfort him, "It happens!"

"Not to normal people.." He sighs. You hesitate for a second, then gesture into the bedroom.

"This feels weird to say because it's not my house or anything, but, um... you wanna come in?"

Evan takes a deep breath and nods, following you to sit down on the bed. "You know, at first I thought it was kind of cool." He says, leaning forward with his arms on his knees, "Sure, they tear up my clothes, but the spikes are rad! Then I started getting the talk from my parents and Auntie O... I know they didn't mean to but it made me feel like a freak. Like, now I have to go to a special school and everything because of how much of a freak I am!" He winces. "Sorry, I didn't mean-!"

"No, no, I get it!" You assure him, "I think a lot of my friends have felt the same way. I kind of do too..."

"How?"

You look at Evan and sigh. "So... I'm an empath. I've felt other people's emotions my whole life, and.. well, you see..." You trail off, exhaling in frustration.

"Hey." Evan looks at you earnestly. "Don't sweat it. You don't have to talk about it."

And he means it, you realize. He doesn't want to fix you, he just wants you to say what you want to say. Suddenly, the words come much easier to you.

"I'm scared. I'm scared that I can't control my powers, scared that I'll get hurt, scared that I'll hurt the others. I try to pretend that I'm fine, but now everybody knows that I'm not and they're trying to fix it but they can't. I just want them to treat me the same, but they sent me away because I don't belong there."

Evan looks at you seriously. "Hey man, you may think that but I'm sure the others don't. At least not Auntie O! She thinks you're awesome, hundred percent. And if the others at the Institute don't think so, then I definitely ain't going."

You smile. "Don't worry about that. The people at the Institute are the best people you'll ever know."

He sighs, laying back on the bed. "I know... They're probably fine... I just wish I had a choice in all this, y'know? Not just with the Institute..."

With being a mutant.

You lay back next to him. "Yeah. I know. I'm sorry you're going through all of this."

He looks at you and smiles. "Well, at least I met someone who I can talk to about it."

You chuckle. "Anytime."

"Oh!" You both sit up when you hear Viv walk in, looking at you both in surprise. "There you are."

"You need help with anything, Mom?" Evan asks.

"No, it's alright, I didn't mean to interrupt! You two hang out in here a little longer." She says with a smile, "Just keep the door open!"

She leaves with a wave and Evan blushes. "Mom!" He cries.

You're not sure what he's upset about, but you were going to keep the door open anyways so it doesn't really matter.

---

"Professor, someone named Ms. Whedon is here to see you." Charles looks up from his computer as Scott pops his head in. "Should I find Kurt and tell him to be in, uh, incognito mode?"

Xavier smiles. "No need. She's a trusted friend of mine."

"Okay. Jean and I are heading out, we'll see you tonight." The Professor nods and Scott walks off, his footsteps soon being replaced by another's. A young woman walks in wearing a dark blazer and heeled boots. She removes her sunglasses and looks at him. "Charles. Funny how you always call me up here when you never bother to visit me in D.C."

"I suppose that's because you possess a much more affordable method of transportation." He replies with a grin.

She snorts. "I fly coach, thank you very much. Though, part of me would love to see people's faces if they saw a dragon take off from Reagan National."

Xavier chuckles. "It's good to see you, Vange."

"You too." She replies, setting her briefcase down on the desk. "Should we get to it?"

The levity is broken by the seriousness of their task. Xavier nods solemnly and Vange takes out a stack of folders.

"Matron Mary's Home for Orphaned Children, established circa 1901. It's generationally owned, the founding family having had close ties to politicians who kept them funded. Matron Mary VI has been running the group home since May of 1992, and within her tenure there have been ten reports of unsatisfactory management, including yours. Five are health code violations, the rest are concerns of neglect. All have been investigated and dismissed by the local authorities."

His brow furrows. "And how extensive were these investigations?"

"Not very. And I can figure why. Their files are a mess. It took me seven hours on the phone with an officer for them to find everything. A lot of local departments don't get the funding to move to digital, so most reports are hidden away under decades of paperwork." She sighs, "Most of these investigations probably took place assuming there were no previous offenses or accusations simply because they couldn't find any. But I have."

She hands him a file to flip through. "24 years ago, kid found on the side of the road 10 miles from the Home. Says that Matron Mary dropped him there and left him. Later changed his story and said he ran away, which he had done once before, only making it about three blocks before being caught."

Another file. "16 years ago, kid arrives at the hospital covered in liquor and with a huge cut on her face. Doctor suspects someone threw a bottle at her and the police check the orphanage. It's clean, and the kid doesn't talk."

Vange hands over another file, and Charles freezes when he sees the picture.

"5 years ago, Y/F/N doesn't show up to school for a week because apparently she's got the flu. When the kid does come in, she looks like she hasn't eaten in days and faints in class. Teacher gets suspicious and reports it, the Matron claims she's still feeling under the weather."

Xavier's lips press into a tight line. He believes in the good of humanity, but there are some people that truly test his faith. His finger slides against the photograph of a younger you, emaciated, dark circles under your eyes. He has to close the folder before it becomes too much to bear.

"Then, we have a charge?" He asks, folding his hands together in front of him.

"We definitely have a charge." Vange replies, stacking the files back up neatly. "Now, it's a matter of making sure the charge sticks. We need to gather overwhelming proof of this woman's guilt, and that includes witness accounts. Which brings me back to Y/F/N.."

The Professor immediately shakes his head. "No."

Vange frowns. "Charles, maybe I can get ahold of some of the kids who've aged out of the system. Maybe some of them are survivors, maybe I can convince them to testify... but Y/N's testimony is a clincher. It proves recent and continuous abuse and neglect."

"I understand that." Xavier responds firmly, "But it is my professional opinion that testifying will only cause Y/N more trauma. She needs time to heal, and forcing her to confront her past demons will set her back years. As a psychiatrist and a guardian, I will not let that happen."

He lets his words sit there, staring down Vange until she finally sighs. "You really love making my job difficult, Charles... but I'll make it work."

"I know you will." He says with a smile, "Thank you, for everything."

Vange grabs her briefcase and stands up, sliding her sunglasses back on. "Don't thank me yet." She says as she walks out, flashing a grin at him on her way, "Thank me when I put that bitch behind bars."

---

Evan walks out of his last class at a slow pace, hoping he can somehow delay the inevitable. All day he'd dreamed up half-baked attempts to escape from telling his parents the truth. Maybe he could convince Auntie O not to tell them? Nah, she's not gonna have that. Maybe he should hop on his board and skate away from all his problems? Tempting. Very tempting. But his aunt would probably start a hurricane just to keep him from skipping town.

He sighs. 'It's no use. I'm a dead man walking.' Yes, he's being dramatic, but he deserves to be a little dramatic. His whole life as he knows it could get upended if his parents agree with Ororo. He doesn't want to go to a new town and new school where he doesn't know anybody! Well, mostly. At least in the worst case scenario he'd get to hang out with Y/N more.

As he opens up his locker, he finds himself smiling. Y/N... He really misjudged her. She's actually so cool and understanding! And she has really pretty eyes, and her smile-

'Wait, what?' He stops himself, feeling his face heat up, 'Do I like Y/N???'

"What's with the face, Daniels?"

Evan spins around, surprised to see Pietro right behind him. "Dude! You snuck up on me!"

Pietro smirks. "That why your face is so red? Or are you thinking of a certain someone? Wait." He laughs, "No way, you are! Who's the unlucky girl? Or did she already reject you?"

Evan rolls his eyes and grabs his stuff from the locker. "Ha ha, very funny."

"Hey, don't sweat it, no one can compete with a chick magnet like me."

"And you can't compete with me at anything else." Evan snarks back, happy to see Pietro get knocked down a peg. Then he checks his wallet and finds it empty, his eyes widening in angry disbelief. "Aw man! Not again!" He slams the locker door shut in a huff.

Pietro leans in, smirking again. "Somethin' wrong?"

Arms crossed as he leans against the lockers, Evan sighs. "Just get outta here, Pietro. Where did you even come from?" He's too irritated to deal with him and his drama right now.

His white-haired rival just shrugs, a smug look on his face. "That's a question you should be askin' on the basketball court."

This again. He's still sore about last night's game.

"Hey, look." Evan says placatingly, "I know you're fast, man. You were really busting some great moves last night."

Never one to stay still, Pietro spins around and points at Evan with a victorious smile. "Ah ha! You finally admit that I'm better than you."

"Ha." Evan smirks, his own competitive streak showing, "I said you were faster, not better. I still got a few tricks of my own, you know."

"Sure you do." Pietro laughs, "Tons of tricks. Like wooing the ladies?" He ignores Evan's blush and snatches the wallet from his hand, waving it around. "Or how about getting ripped off for the second time this month. What's up with that?"

"Yeah. And I even changed the combination." Evan groans, ignoring the jab. Some wise guy has been stealing from lockers during school hours for the past two months and no one's been caught! And now he comes to steal from Evan twice?

"Hmm. Sounds like a bonafide mystery, dude."

"Yeah, but I'm gonna trap this sleazeball." Evan promises, clenching his fists. Whoever this guy is, he's messed with wrong mutant on the wrong day!

"Sure, Daniels." Pietro responds sarcastically, but takes some money out of his pocket and stuffs it in Evan's wallet, handing it back. "But you're gonna need some bait."

"Hey! Thanks, man!" Evan beams. It's nice to know Pietro still has his back, even if they're feuding. "I'll get it back to you on allowance day." He sticks the bait back in his locker and and closes it, turning the combination to lock it up. Fist-bumping his teammate, Evan flashes him a peace sign as he goes. "Catch you later."

---

Pietro watches his rival leave, his smirk deepening into something more menacing. "Not even on your best day, Daniels." He mutters, "You will never catch me."

Sixth grade, Pietro transferred to the same school as Daniels. He seemed nice and friendly, sure, until he whipped Pietro's butt at basketball during recess. Didn't let him score a single point. All those other kids, laughing and mocking, and Evan acting like he didn't just invite him to play so he could get all the attention. Acting like they were friends now. Ha! If that punk knew who his father was, he'd be shaking in his Hi Tops.

But Pietro didn't need his dad to fight his battles for him. He still doesn't! So, Pietro joined the basketball team and made it clear he was the best, the fastest player on the court, and everyone loved him. That's how it was supposed to go, anyways. No matter how many times he beat Daniels, that punk always got him back. And despite being tied for wins, Evan is the basketball king of the school and Pietro takes the silver medal.

Silver is far superior to Gold.

He'll make sure to show everyone.

---

"Y/N! What's up?"

You look up from reading your book in the living room and smile when you see Evan come in. "Hey! How was school?"

"Eh, boring." He replies falling back on the couch with you. "Man, I hate math. Are you any good at it?"

"I'm okay, I guess." You reply with a shrug, "Jean and Kitty are way better at it than me, though."

"Well, if you're not a disaster, you're better than I am."

You laugh. "Don't worry, I'm a disaster in plenty of other subjects." The two of you laugh and continue to just sit and talk for a while. It's nice, but you can tell he's upset about something. When the feeling doesn't go away, you decide to ask, "What's wrong?"

He looks confused for a second, then remembers. "Right. Empath."

"Sorry." You backpedal, "I don't mean to pry, you don't have to-"

"No, it's cool." He replies with a smile, "I just forgot for a second, ha. I'm kinda pissed because someone stole the cash from my locker."

"Oh no! Did you report it?"

"The first time, yeah. The school just hasn't managed to catch this guy."

'That's frustrating.' You think, wondering who would do something like that. "Maybe your parents will lend you some money?"

He frowns. "Yeah, maybe. Still, it's really bothering me that this even happened!"

'On top of everything else.' You figure.

The doorbell rings, and Evan gets up to see who it is. You hear him open the door, then the voice on the other side.

"Hi! You must be Evan."

You jump up at the familiar tone and turn with wide eyes toward the front door. "Jean?"

Not just her, Scott as well! Scott waves at you. "Y/N! How you doing?"

"Uh, good! But.. I didn't know you were coming!"

Evan looks back and forth between you, finally asking, "You know each other? Y/N, who are they?"

Caught off-guard by this surprise visit, you stutter, "Uh, th-this is Jean and Scott. They, um-"

"I invited them."

You all turn to see Ororo standing at the edge of the living room, Evan's parents behind her. They all have matching sober expressions, and you feel uneasy as the room becomes tense and anxious. Ororo gestures at your friends. "They are students from the Xavier Institute, Evan."

'Oh.' You piece it together and turn to see Evan's face fall and then twist between anger, betrayal, and finally embarrassment when he looks at his parents. Ororo told his parents, and she brought Scott and Jean here as well. You didn't know this was going to happen, and you don't think this is a very good idea. But, it's too late now.

They're having an intervention.

A half hour passes as the Daniels greet Jean and Scott and everyone gets settled in the living room. Your friends sit on the couch, Ororo standing beside it by Jean. Auntie Viv is in an armchair, a serious look on her face, and her husband stands behind her with a supportive hand on her shoulder. You stand farther away against the wall, physically trying to separate yourself as much as you can from the uncomfortable situation. Evan also stands apart from the group, staring at the scene incredulously.

"Man.." He exclaims, hurt in his voice, "You don't give up, do you, Auntie O?"

Before Ororo can respond, Jean jumps in to pacify him. "That's because she loves you. She's concerned. We all are." You cringe at that, knowing the sentiment isn't going to do much to make Evan feel better.

In fact, Evan doesn't even look at Jean, he just keeps staring at Ororo. Despite her neutral face, you can sense the hurt she's feeling. It seems like everyone's hurt right now.

"This certainly explains why you're always coming home with holes in your clothes." Viv says. Evan can't seem to make eye-contact with her. You can see why. Despite the levity of the comment, his mom is clearly worried, as is his dad.

"We always knew this was a possibility, Viv." Ororo says, "While you did not receive the mutant gene as I did, we knew it could show up in future generations."

Scott speaks up, "It's really not so bad, Mrs. Daniels. Having special powers can be pretty cool sometimes."

"Oh yeah?!" Evan snaps at Scott and you wince, "I'll tell you what, Shades. Let me see what you've got that's so cool!"

"Evan!" He backs down as soon as his mom scolds him and mutters an apology.

"No, really, it's okay!" Jean tries to calm things down, "It's just... Scott's powers aren't really what you'd call 'indoor-friendly'." She and Scott share a smirk, a small burst of positive energy you desperately need right now.

"Evan, I just don't understand." His mom says, "Why didn't you tell us you're a mutant? We would have helped you!"

"I don't need help!" Evan exclaims, "I'm fine!"

"She told us about the incident at the game, son." His dad responds. "You obviously need people who can help teach you about these sorts of things. Your aunt will be at the Institute with you, and-"

"So you're just making me go?!" Evan shouts, spikes coming out of his arms. "I like it right here, I'm not going!"

Ororo and you speak at the same time, "Evan-"

"Now, if you'll excuse me," He ignores you, "I've got school stuff to take care of." He stomps up the stairs and you all hear his door slam shut.

Everyone sits there awkwardly for a moment, then Mr. Daniels speaks up. "I apologize for my son. He's obviously dealing with a lot right now. I'll talk with him." He moves to follow Evan upstairs.

Ororo goes to comfort her sister, and Jean and Scott get up, Jean sighing. "Well, that went well."

"Yeah, and I thought we were really making a connection there." Scott replies sarcastically. It hits you the wrong way, hearing that. Of course Evan is upset, everyone basically cornered him. It was hard to watch, and even harder to feel. Jean seems to notice something on your face, though, and immediately directs her attention to you. "Y/N, are you alright?"

You nod, but Jean and Scott don't stop looking at you. "Are you sure?" Scott continues, "A lot of emotions in the air.."

You know they mean well, but this is so frustrating! They've just arrived and they're already waiting for you to have a breakdown. No wonder the Professor sent you off, you're just a distraction to them-

Mr. Daniels comes back downstairs, his confusion and worry interrupting your thoughts. "I couldn't find him, his room is empty."

'What?' You glance up the stairs, wondering where Evan could be.

Jean gasps, and you see her with her fingers at her temple. "He left out the window!"

You all immediately run to the front door, looking outside for Evan, but he's nowhere in sight.

"Oh no.." Everyone turns to Auntie Viv, who's hand is on her forehead. She explains, "Sometimes, when he gets upset, he takes his skateboard and rides off somewhere. I thought this had stopped, but..."

You feel a pang of worry. It's getting dark, and he could be anywhere! Everyone else feels similarly and the adults start to put on their coats and shoes. "I'll take the car." Mr. Daniels says, "You two head down Maple and..."

"Y/N?" Jean touches your shoulder, "I'm sure he'll be okay."

"Yeah." Scott steps in, "Why don't you go sit down and try to relax?"

Here they are, treating you like this again. Well, you're not going to be useless today!

"I'm going with Ororo." You declare. Before anyone can stop you, you put on your shoes and grab your communicator. Scott and Jean stare at you, looking unsure, but then you feel another hand on your shoulder.

"Alright." Ororo agrees.

Viv nods. "I'll stay here in case he comes back. I don't want to leave our guests on their own, either."

"Oh, it's fine-" Scott begins to say.

"C'mon, let me make you some cocoa." She walks into the kitchen, not letting them argue. You and Ororo step out the door and Scott calls after you. "Stay safe, okay Y/N?"

You nod. "I will."

---

'Stupid powers. Stupid spikes. Stupid Institute.'

Evan skates faster and faster, his anger burning up inside him.

'Stupid school. Stupid locker thief. Think you're so tough, huh? Think now that I'm being forced to move you can just get away with my cash, huh? No way!'

He readjusts his direction and heads straight for his high school. He yanks on the doors and finds them unlocked, so he rides his board inside. Skating through the dark halls, he makes a beeline for his locker. He's about to open it when he hears it. Footsteps echoing around the corner. His eyes widen and he finds a place to hide, crouching behind a row of lockers.

"Okay sneak thief." He says under his breath, anger growing, "You wanna play tonight? The spike man is ready!"

He waits as the footsteps get louder and louder, stopping right in front of him. With a smirk, he lets the spike emerge from his arms and jumps out at the thief.

But... there's no one there.

"Huh?" He wonders aloud, sure he'd heard someone. Then a sharp gust of wind blows past him, like someone just turned on an industrial fan behind him. He turns, but again there's nothing there. Then the wind starts up again from the other direction, becoming more and more powerful. It nearly blows him over, and all the locker combinations in the whole hall start spinning. "What the heck?!"

All the locker doors fly open, the wind sucking all the contents out like a typhoon. "Ah! Freaky, man! What's going on?!" Evan exclaims as countless papers swirl around him. Not knowing what else to do, he readies his spikes. "Whatever it is, it stops now!" Throwing out his arms, Evan lets long spikes shoot out in front of him, forming a barred barrier between him and the chaos. And, as if he could get any more confused, he's suddenly surrounded by the sound of a shrill laugh.

On the other side of his spike bars appears Pietro, seemingly out of thin air. With his appearance, the chaos stops and all the papers fall to the ground.

Evan gawks at his teammate, now wearing a weird blue and white suit. "Pietro??"

"Call me Quicksilver." Pietro has always been a fast talker, but now he's talking so fast it's hard to understand him. "Like the outfit? Made it myself! Took about a quarter second. Well, would ya look at this?" Pietro grips the spikes and leans forward. "Seems my old pal has a few tricks of his own. But as usual-"

Pietro starts to blur. He's moving so fast he creates another whirlwind, yanking the spikes up from the ground and scattering them through the already messy hall. He stops again and smirks. "-not as good as mine!"

"You..?" Evan asks, dumbfounded, "You got powers too?"

"DUH! Finally!" Pietro's grin widens, "Remember, Daniels, anything you can do, I can do better. Mind if I take that back?" He lifts up Evan's wallet playfully.

More confused than anything, Evan just asks, "But... why would you want to rip me off?"

"Kicks, man! For the challenge!" Pietro exclaims, looking like a nutcase. He starts moving at lightning speed from place to place as he continues, "Look, when you live as fast as I do, there ain't enough things to occupy my time." He appears again, dropping a dozen stolen bookbags on the floor. "I gotta entertain myself!"

Evan just stares at him incredulously. His friend... well, he thought they were friends.. has been playing a sick game with him. With everybody! Pietro doesn't show an ounce of remorse as he laughs in Evan's face. "Ha! And you thought you could stop me. Well-" His hand comes so fast Evan doesn't even see it coming. Pietro slaps him across the face, mimicking a buzzer noise. "EH! Wrong again!"

Holding his face, Evan feels the anger welling up in him again. He growls and produces a spike from his arm. "Don't bet on it!" He swings, but just as his spike is an inch from Pietro's face, the guy disappears again.

"Too slow!" Evan grunts as Pietro pushes him from behind. "What a surprise. Y'know, I think you're gonna need some more time to work on those powers of yours. Maybe I can arrange it."

Evan glares up at him. "What do you mean?"

Pietro crouches down, as slowly as he's ever moved, and smiles maniacally. "Can you say "scapegoat"?"

In a split-second, Pietro's gone, knocking Evan over in another dizzying whirlwind. When his eyes focus, he sees red and blue lights reflecting off the floor. Looking up, his heart stops as he sees the two cops running towards him.

"Freeze!" One yells, a hand on his gun. Numbly, Evan just puts his hands up slowly and surrenders as they handcuff him and roughly lead him outside.

---

You rub your cold arms as you and Ororo walk down the dark street. Among the shadows, there's no sign of your new friend. It's been an hour now, and the two of you still haven't had any luck. Ororo has always been such a pillar of confidence, but now she feels so unsure beside you.

"He'll be okay." You say, trying to offer some comfort. Ororo smiles gratefully at you. "Thank you, Y/N. I don't understand why Evan is acting this way, he's always been such a good boy." There's frustration in her voice, and you realize something. You realize she has as much trouble understanding Evan as he does understanding her.

"I think I understand why." You say, and Ororo looks at you with a raised eyebrow. You swallow and continue. "Ororo... I know you want to help him with his powers, but it's a really big change for him. Big and scary... I think he feels like he's not in control of his own life, you know?"

Ororo stares at you. "Did... did Evan say all this to you?"

You bite your lip, not wanting to reveal too much of a private conversation. "I think you should let him tell you what he thinks."

"He doesn't talk to me anymore." She laments, "It seems that no one does."

"Maybe he feels like you won't listen to him? Or that you'll force your own opinion onto him? Maybe if you let him come to you, let him make a decision, then he'll trust you with what he's going through."

Ororo hums, then smiles softly at you. "You are wise beyond your years, Y/N."

You blush. "Th-thanks." You hope it helps.

A beeping cuts through the silence and she takes out the communicator. She reads the message and you feel the spike of panic. She turns to you, eyes wide. "The Professor used Cerebro. Evan's in jail!"

"What?!" You gasp.

---

Ororo and you were already close to the station, and it took one quick message for the Daniels to arrive soon after. The four of you burst into the police station, Evan's parents charging the front desk.

"Where's my son?!" Viv demands, the receptionist looking taken aback.

You hold your arm tightly as you feel their fury, not envying the surprised receptionist in the slightest.

"What seems to be the problem here?" A tall man in a police uniform enters the room, hands resting on his belt. You can immediately sense the disdain coming off of him as he eyes Evan's parents.

Evan's dad steps forward. "Officer, my son Evan Daniels is being detained here and we're here to get him."

"Afraid I can't allow that." The officer sniffs, "Young man dangerously vandalized school property, and he has no I.D. on him either."

"He's fifteen!" Viv protests, "We're his parents!"

"Well, can't really confirm that, can you?"

"Listen here, sir." Mr. Daniels points at the officer, who growls.

"No, you listen! You're disrespecting an officer of the law-"

"Please, can we settle down?" Ororo steps in, "We are not here to fight."

The policeman sneers at her. "Listen Lady, maybe you should go back to Africa if you can't understand American laws."

You can't believe what you're seeing. Evan's family looks like they're about to punch this man, but you're afraid of what he might do to them if they do. You're about to reach for your communicator when the precinct door opens and a woman in a blazer walks in.

"Hello, officer." She greets, "My name is Vange Whedon, and I'm here to act as Evan Daniels' attorney."

Everyone turns to her in surprise, and the officer crosses his arms. "Like I said, there was no I.D. on-"

"Surely his parents can identify him for you, then?" Ms. Whedon interrupts, "And you shouldn't have any trouble releasing him to their custody since you violated his basic legal rights by denying him a phone call." The policeman goes stark white at this, and Viv crosses her arms defiantly.

"Show me my son. Now."

The officer begrudgingly leads them back to the cells, and soon they come back with Evan in tow. You run forward to hug him. "Evan! Are you okay?"

He hugs you back but doesn't say anything. You don't need a verbal answer, though. You know he's not okay, and you hug him harder.

"Make sure to show up at the court date." The officer sneers, "Unless you wanna spend another night in here."

"We'll see about that." Ms. Whedon mutters as he leaves.

"What happened, baby?" Viv asks, her hands cradling Evan's face. He's scared.

"I didn't do it, I swear! I went in the school, but the doors were unlocked... They thought I trashed those lockers, but I didn't!"

"Evan." He looks up at Ororo. "It's okay. We believe you."

"Do you have any idea who did it?" Ms. Whedon asks.

Evan looks away. "..No." He answers, hesitating a split-second. You grow confused at this, not sure if he's telling the truth. You sense suspicion from Ms. Whedon as well, but she just sighs. "So be it. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Vange, and I'm a friend of Charles Xavier."

You and Evan stare at her in surprise. "Like... the Institute Xavier?" He asks.

"The very same. I was in the area and he asked me to pop in, just in case you needed any legal help. Made me miss my flight, but I suppose I'll be in town a little while longer than I'd planned."

"Thank you, Ms. Whedon." Mr. Daniels says, shaking her hand, "And we'll have to thank the Professor as well. We owe him a lot."

You sense a pang of despair from your side and look at Evan's downcast expression. "Evan?" You ask, and he sighs.

"Guess this is it." He says sadly, "It's either this jail or another."

You don't understand, but Ororo does. "Evan, no! We would never threaten your freedom and safety just to make you choose the Institute!"

"You're already forcing me to go, what does it matter?" He replies, anger in his eyes.

Ororo pauses. "It matters because it should be up to you." She says finally. Glancing at you for a moment, she leans down and puts her hands on Evan's shoulders. "Evan, I'm sorry I forced the Institute on you. I never meant to make you feel like you had to run away just to feel in control of your life. If you choose to attend the Institute, you will meet many young mutants like yourself and they will train with you as you develop your powers. But it's up to you. If you want to stay with your parents, you can. We'll get these charges dropped no matter what."

Evan stares at her astonished for a moment, and then at you. You smile encouragingly, and he smiles back slowly. "Maybe... maybe I will go."

---

Everyone's pretty tired as they get ready to depart. You, Jean and Scott help Evan pack after you introduce them to each other for the second time.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier.." Evan offers, embarrassed.

Scott shrugs with a smile. "It's alright."

"Sorry for coming on too strong." Jean adds.

It feels good to see them start over. You give Evan a thumbs up when he looks back at you with a smile.

After packing up Ororo's car, Evan goes to say goodbye to his parents. As he leaves, you feel off and turn to see Scott and Jean looking at you again. "Hey, Y/N.." Scott starts, and you brace yourself for more worrying and probing. "Earlier, you seemed really tense. Do you want to talk about it?"

Your teeth clench together, and you don't know what to say as they wait for your answer expectantly.

"I'm sure if Y/N wants to talk about anything," You all look to Ororo who stepped up behind you, "She'll say so."

Surprised, you smile at her. She smiles back, then gestures to the car. "We'd better get back. It's going to be late when we arrive, and you two have school in the morning."

Scott and Jean look a little taken aback, but they nod and get in the car, Jean sitting up front with Ororo. In a moment, Evan climbs in the back with you and Scott, bumping into you in the process.

"Oops! Ah, sorry!" He tries to scoot over and ends up squishing himself against the window. You giggle. "I think we're all going to be smushed together for awhile."

He relaxes and laughs. "Y-yeah. Totally."

"Come visit anytime!" Auntie Viv calls through the window, her and Mr. Daniels waving, "That goes for you too, Y/N!"

You and Evan wave goodbye as Ororo pulls onto the street and begins the drive back to the Institute. As Evan's parents disappear from sight, you feel his emotions fall. It's been a rough night for him. You don't know what to say, so you just hold his hand. You sense a feeling spark in him that you don't fully recognize, but it's positive so you don't let go. And as the car tires rumble over the street in a soothing vibration, you find yourself drifting to sleep.

---

Evan can't really relax on the ride to the Institute since a certain someone fell asleep on his shoulder. 'Cool it, dude! Y/N's just a friend!' He thinks, but he can practically smell your hair in this position. You look so peaceful, too, and he's afraid if he moves too much you'll wake up.

It seems he didn't do that great of a job because his aunt shakes him awake a few hours later. "Evan, we're here." She says quietly. He opens his eyes and immediately blushes when he realizes his head is resting on yours. Screaming internally, he manages to quietly untangle himself from you and get out of the car. His aunt is smirking at him and he points at her. "Not a word, Auntie O. Not a word."

"I've got her." Evan watches Scott reach in and scoop you up in his arms, carrying you inside. He feels a pang of jealousy and rolls his eyes. 'I could've done that.'

"Let me show you your room. You can unpack in the morning." Ororo says. He nods, following his aunt into the admittedly very cool mansion. They find the room and say a tired goodnight, Evan flopping into bed and hitting the light.

Unfortunately, despite being the most tired he's ever been in his life, he just can't fall asleep. Every time he closes his eyes for too long he gets scared that he's back in that dark cell. The weird night shadows and strange room make it all worse. He turns over, burying his face in the soft pillow.

Before he knows it, he's crying.

---

You yawn and stretch, waking up comfortably in the familiar room. You don't really remember getting back to the mansion, but you were really tired last night so you don't think much of it. You probably just flopped into the bed with your shoes still on and passed out immediately. As you get up and change, the events of yesterday come back to you slowly. The intervention. The search. The jail.

'Oh, Evan..' You can't imagine how awful it must have been for him. Thinking he might be at breakfast, you pick up the pace and make your way to the dining hall.

Just before turning into the room, you feel the mix of morning emotions. It makes you hesitate, wondering how their feelings might turn when they see you. Will cheer turn to sadness, excitement to worry? You brace yourself and step inside.

As you expected, the conversation halts awkwardly and faces turn to you. But instead of the excitement dampening, it swells.

"Y/N's back!!!" Kurt exclaims, teleporting from his chair to you and wrapping you in a hug. "You have no idea how terrible it's been vithout you! Kitty has been nagging me nonstop-"

"Move over, blue boy!" Kitty shoves him aside and hugs you instead, Kurt gasping.

"Mein Gott, it's happening again! She's grown too powerful, Y/N!"

Your anxiety disappears and you find yourself laughing, "I was only gone for two days!" You exclaim with a smile.

Kitty rolls her eyes. "Two whole days I was left alone with this menace. That's enough for me."

Your friends look at each other with narrowed eyes, then drop the act and laugh. You look over at the Professor, Jean, and Scott, who are all smiling at you. Even Logan's not scowling as hard as usual.

"Welcome back, Y/N." The Professor says, "Please, join us for breakfast."

You nod, taking a seat next to Scott as Kitty and Kurt sit on either side of Logan. Scott turns to you, asking, "How did you sleep?"

"Good." And it's true. You must have slept so deeply that you didn't dream at all. About to ask the same of Evan, you realize two people are missing. "Where are Ororo and Evan?" You ask, checking the time. It's already 10:30.

Kitty hums in agreement. "Yeah, I was wondering. Like, where is this new guy?"

"Still sleeping." The Professor replies, taking a sip of his coffee, "He had a rather difficult evening."

Your heart sinks, knowing the arrest must have affected Evan more than he let on. As you serve yourself, you make a mental note to save him some French toast.

"And Ororo just left. She's up in her garden." Kitty tells you, "So, did you do anything fun on your, like, mini vacay?"

You nod, telling her and Kurt (Though, Kurt is a bit distracted inhaling his food) about the basketball game, Auntie Viv, Mr. Daniel's amazing BBQ, and having fun with Evan. You smile at that memory, thinking that once Evan adjusts to the Institute he'll have no problems making friends here. As Kitty grills you about "cute basketball boys", your ears catch a snippet of the conversation next to you.

"I think he knows who trashed those lockers." You look at Scott, who's talking to the Professor. "Did he tell you?"

You think back to Evan's strange answer back at the precinct. You'd also sensed that he was lying about the culprit, but you can't fathom why he would.

"No." Professor Xavier answers. "And I'm not going to pry. He'll tell us when he's ready." You think he flashes you a quick look there, but it's gone in a blink.

Logan grunts. "Hm. You ask me, he's lookin' to settle that score personally. Pass the sausages, Red."

Your attention turns to him as Jean levitates the sausage platter across the table. Kitty gags at the dish. "Ew. That stuff, like, totally plugs your arteries, y'know?"

"I appreciate your concern." Logan replies dryly, spearing three sausage links with his claws.

"I suspect you may be right about Evan's intentions, Logan." The Professor responds, and you gulp. Surely Evan can't really be thinking about taking the law into his own hands?

Logan's next statement doesn't put you at ease. "Yeah, trust me, Chuck. I may not be able to read minds, but I know what a boy's thinkin' about when he's been wronged- ELF!"

You jump as Kurt suddenly lowers himself from the chandelier, reaching for the sausage platter. Logan sighs in exasperation. "How many times I gotta tell ya, ask and it'll get passed to ya?"

Kurt smiles apologetically as he hangs there upside-down. "Sorry. I didn't vant to interrupt you." He teleports back to his seat.

"That's better. Now, mind your manners." Logan says, sliding the plate over to him. You giggle.

"In any case, it might be best if Evan had other things to distract his mind." Xavier continues, "I've already enrolled him at Bayville. Now, Scott, could you introduce him to the basketball coach?"

Scott smiles. "Sure. After that last game he played in New York, Coach will jump at him."

"And Y/N." The Professor turns to you, "It may be easiest on Evan if you were to show him around, seeing as you've already spent some time together. Will you be his guide to the Institute?"

"S-sure." You reply, surprised. You didn't think the Professor would trust you with a role like that. You're barely even an X-man... But this may be your chance to prove your usefulness to the team. You won't let him down!

"Good." The Professor concludes, "And let's hope that Evan's desire for vengeance is short-lived."

You finish up your breakfast quickly and excuse yourself from the table to clear your plate. As you leave the kitchen, you're struck with a negative emotion. Confused, you look up to where the feeling came from, spotting a door closing at the top of the stairs. Normally you wouldn't want to seek out negativity, but there's only two people not at breakfast and Storm's garden is in the other direction.

"Evan?" You call out quietly when you reach the upstairs hall. Your footsteps tap against the hardwood floor as you search, at last coming to a small sitting area. Standing by the window in his morning robe is Evan, and he looks none too pleased.

"Hey." You greet him, "We missed you at breakfast."

"Yeah?" He huffs, his arms crossed. You notice the holes in his sleeves. "Sounded like a ton of fun. 'Let's hope that Evan's desire for vengeance is short-lived.'"

Ah. So he overheard. "I'm sorry." You respond, inching forward, "I don't think they meant any harm."

"Yeah, well, they shouldn't talk like they know me. They don't know me."

"Not yet. But, they still care about you. I care." You feel him soften at that, and he uncrosses his arms and sighs.

"...I don't know if I fit here, Y/N."

You stand next to him, gazing out the window. "I know that feeling.. It gets better, though. Trust me, everyone here is going to love you." There's that strange positive feeling from him again. You're glad he's feeling better, but you still need to ask one tough question. "Evan... Do you really not know who stole from your school?"

If he had been a little quicker, you might not have caught the quick emergence of spikes before he pulled them back in. Your eyes widen. "Why? If you tell the lawyer who actually did it, your name would be cleared!"

"This isn't about my name!" Evan says, glaring at nothing in particular, "I just want him to pay for what he did to me! The police sure as hell won't do anything! They almost killed-!"

His breaths are shaky and his anger is palpable. Grimacing through the negativity, you put a hand on his back. "Evan.."

And just as quickly, he's crying. You wrap your arms around him and let him.

Once the tears are dry, you both sit against the wall and you listen. "It was freaking terrifying, Y/N, when I saw those red and blue lights. And I couldn't explain that.. that the real thief was a mutant."

You gasp. "What?!"

"Yeah." Evan breathes, fists tightening, "A guy from my team, actually. And he set me up. He called the cops, he sent me to... If he wants a fight, then I'm gonna give him one! I'm gonna show him-!"

"Evan, no!" You stop him, "You could get hurt! Let's just tell the Professor, I'm sure he'll know-"

"No way!" Evan grabs your shoulder and looks you fiercely in the eyes. "You can't tell anyone this! Not him, not Auntie O! No one!"

You look back at him, caught at a crossroads. You don't want to break Evan's trust, but if he goes after another mutant... You've seen what they can do. You don't want him getting hurt because of you. But if you tell his secret, will he even stay at the Institute? You could ruin his chance of getting help from the X-men!

Your eyes widen in realization. 'The X-men...'

"Okay, listen." You say firmly, "I won't say anything if you promise me that you won't go after him right away. Stay here and train with the X-men first! They'll help you control your powers better, defend yourself better... and then you wouldn't have to face him alone."

You look at him pleadingly, and he hesitates. "This X-men training... It'll make me stronger?" He asks slowly.

"Yes." You answer. If he holds off on his revenge, maybe he'll cool down enough for you to get him to rethink it. At the very least, it gives you time to figure out what to do.

"Okay." He finally says. You sigh in relief and take his hand. "You won't regret it!"

He looks a little flushed as he replies. "Y-yeah. Dope."

"So." You say, standing up. "Have you thought of a codename? Mine is Avatar."

"Avatar?" He chuckles, "I like it. My codename..." He summons a spike from his arm and smirks.

"I think I've got it."

---

Rogue sits in the school office outside Principal Darkholme's room. She's hot, she's tired, she's bored, and worst of all she's surrounded by the goons she's forced to board with. Toad is catching flies out of the air and hopping around restlessly. Blob is picking his nails and sniffing at the gunk he finds underneath. Lance is brooding in a corner, as he usually does. The school secretary eyes them, quickly looking away when Rogue fixes her with a glare. Then the goth girl sits back and sighs.

'Why do we have to meet like this every week?'

"So! Mystique sure is busy today, huh?" Toad says, slinking closer to her. Rogue glares at him in warning, but it seems to go completely over his head, "Why are we here anyways? Maybe the boss lady wants us to do some teambuilding! How about it, Rogue? Wanna, hehe, bond?"

She kicks him and he falls back with a yelp, quickly hopping away. "Bond with my foot, lizard boy." She growls.

"Touchy." Toad huffs, then turns to the others. "C'mon! Am I the only one excited about this? We're a bunch of super cool people with super cool powers, so that means we can practically do whatever we want! We can run this school!"

Blob chuckles at that. "Y'know, that's not a bad idea! But, wait... Didn't Mystique say to keep our powers a secret?"

Toad shrugs, "Well, yeah, but she isn't here right now, is she?"

Blob and Toad smile conspiratorially, making Rogue roll her eyes. Then a loud noise gets all of their attention as Lance's fist smacks against the wall.

"Run the school? Please." Lance mutters darkly, "The only way you're gonna do that is if you beat the X-men first."

The atmosphere changes as he says this, Blob and Toad frowning as Lance continues. "Those X-men... They're so full of themselves!"

Blob snarls. "Buncha goodie-goodies. 'Look, I'm Jean Grey and I'm sooooo pretty and better than you!'"

"Acting so tough, like Summers! And that Nightcrawler.." Toad continues with a sneer, "Ooh, I'd love to smack the smirk off of Blue Boy's face!"

"And Kitty Pryde." Lance sneers, "I'd like to show her what she's missing."

"How about you, Rogue?" Blob says, smirking at her, "Mystique says the X-men did a number on you."

Rogue turns away, trying to ignore them, but Toad presses on. "Oh yeah, didn't they try to kill you? I heard you knocked out the elf but then the others nearly smoked ya!"

"Even Y/N?" Blob laughs, "No way! She's pathetic!"

Rogue's fists tightens, and she doesn't know why she has the urge to defend you. But, before she can say anything, Lance interjects.

"Don't underestimate her or any of those posers." He looks directly at Rogue, "They'll get into your head, make you think they like you... until they leave you for dead."

She looks away, trying not to shudder. She doesn't know what to think of the X-men... but she can't trust them. Not even you.

"Geez, why is Mystique taking so long?" Toad whines.

---

"I'm honored that you've come." Mystique says to her unexpected guest as she sits in her disguised form at the principal's desk. She knows it's him by the way the air suddenly chills and raises goosebumps on her skin.

His deep voice echoes around the small room. "I'm not here for your little 'student body meeting', Mystique. Behold."

The small metal disc lands gently on the desk and projects a hologram image of a young boy. He looks to be a teenager, slim fit with slicked-back white hair. He wears a blue and white suit, and he's grinning mischievously.

"Ah." Raven realizes with a grin of her own, "So, this is the speed-demon I've been hearing about."

"Pietro Maximoff." She turns to the figure stepping out of the shadows, his helmet and cloak obscuring his features, "He is of... particular interest to me. I have waited for just the right moment to approach this young man. And now is the time."

Mystique's eyes widen. It's been a long time, but she remembers Pietro. She also remembers his potential. "Then we shall extend the hand of friendship to the boy."

Her benefactor shakes his head. "It will not be that easy. He believes he needs no one. However, there may be a way." A second disc displays the image of another, a dark-skinned boy with yellow dyed hair. She looks at it quizzically.

"Yes?"

"Young Pietro has long had a grudge rivalry against Evan Daniels."

A smirk dawns on Mystique's face. "The new student Xavier enrolled here last week."

"Yes." The shadowy figure continues, "Pietro has recently taken the advantage in that competition, and I believe Mr. Daniels would like to... settle the score."

"Well, then." Mystique chuckles, "I know just how to bring them together." If there's one thing she knows how to do, it's manipulate a situation to her benefit.

"Excellent." He chuckles, "Then I will take it from there."

---

It's been a week, but Evan still can't get over how the X-men 'train'.

'Man, these people are crazy!' Evan thinks as he surveys the Danger Room, 'I thought when Y/N said 'training', she meant lifting weights or something!'

On his first day, he dodged lasers with Shadowcat and Nightcrawler. Then he had to run a booby-trapped maze with Cyclops and Jean. Today, the Danger Room is decked out with a crazy skate course just for him. It's ridiculous, it's insane... and it's so so awesome!!!

Well, it was awesome during his first run, and then Cyclops blasted him off course with a laser. Then on his second run Jean hit him with a dodgeball. Third time, Nightcrawler teleported in front of him and he swerved offcourse. An hour and a half in and Evan is on the ground panting.

'How the hell do they do this every day??' He wonders as he catches his breath. A tall figure looms over him. "That was your fifth run, Spyke. You wanna take a break?" Cyclops asks.

Evan grins, liking his new moniker.

"It's like, S-P-Y-K-E. The Y makes it cooler." He'd said to you the other day, and you'd giggled back.

"If you say so."

Spyke shakes his head at Cyclops, getting up quickly and grabbing his board. "No time for breaks, man. You got me here to train, so let's train."

He sees Cyclops look down to Wolverine, who's supervising from the ground floor. The instructor chuckles. "You heard the man. Let's roll."

Spyke eyes the ramp and takes a breath. 'You can do it this time. You can do it.' After a moment, he jumps onto his board and begins run number six. The track is full of twists and turns, but Spyke's been skating ever since he was four. The hard part is dodging all the mutants out to get him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Jean levitate four balls in his direction, quickly gaining speed. They come in high, so he manages to duck as they whoosh overhead. Then they stop in their trajectory and come right back at him, and he knows it'll be too hard to dodge them all. 'Let's hope my aim is getting better.' He thinks as he shoots two spikes out of his arm. They pierce two of the balls, making it so he can skate between the two remaining. 'Yes!'

Then Cyclops' lasers start hitting the track, and Spyke tries to remember the evasion tactics Wolverine taught them. 'Okay, okay, I just gotta keep low to the ground... or, wait, was it bob-and-weave?' He hesitates, leading his board straight into the next blast and off the track.

"AH!" He yells, falling to the floor. Good thing he wore his helmet, because that fall really stings... Spyke grunts and looks up at Wolverine standing above him. He tenses, wondering if he'll get chewed out for forgetting the lesson, but the instructor grins.

"Not too shabby, Porcupine." Wolverine offers a hand, and Spyke takes it with a grateful smile. He dusts himself off, admiring how the special suit they made him doesn't have any holes from his powers. Honestly, this X-men stuff is a lot more fun than he'd expected. It's hard work, yeah, but he'd been expecting something like a mental hospital crossed with a military boarding school. Bayville High isn't that bad either, and the basketball team is pretty good! He misses his old school sometimes, but at least he doesn't feel as weird about his powers anymore. He's allowed to use them in the Institute whenever he wants!

'Then there's Y/N...' He thinks happily. After a week, he can't deny it anymore. He has a huge crush on you. How could he not? You're so sweet and funny and caring and pretty and... He shakes his head, getting carried away. It's true, though. You've been there for him all week, training with him, showing him around the mansion, eating breakfast with him.. But, how can he tell you that? He'll just mess it up somehow if he asks you out.

He sighs, looking around the Danger Room. Wolverine's left, and the others are coming over to check on him. He already knows you're not there, you said you had something to do. Whenever you aren't there, the room just feels empty no matter how many people there are.

"Spyke!" He jumps, craning his head up to the control tower when he hears Shadowcat's voice. She continues on the intercom, "The coach just called. Says you gotta come to the gym. You've got a game tonight."

He takes his helmet off, raising an eyebrow. "There wasn't one on the schedule."

"Well, there is now." Shadowcat continues, "Coach says Principal Darkholme, like, put it together last minute. Says he wants you suited up in, like, one hour 'cause you're starting against P.S. 104."

Spyke's eyes go wide, barely registering Nightcrawler appearing beside him excitedly. "Dude! Alright!" The German boy exclaims, "You get to play against your alma mater!"

Not just that. He's going to play against Pietro Maximoff. This will be the first time he's seen him since that jerk sent him to jail. Spyke mutters something in response and marches past Jean and Cyclops, ignoring the weird looks they give him.

'Pietro...' He grits his teeth. He'd almost forgotten why he started training in the first place. Tonight's not gonna be a game, it'll be payback. Now, Pietro's not the only one who knows how to use his powers.

'I'm going to make him sorry he ever messed with Spyke.'

---

You hit the punching bag over and over, working up a sweat. Today is a specialized training session for Spyke and you aren't needed. The thing is, you've had less training sessions than the any of the others since you got injured. You know they just want to make sure you're healed up, but you're fine now! And since the Professor hasn't given you the go-ahead to return to school, you're a bit bored and frustrated. Hence, you've been training on your own a little.

It's kind of ironic that you miss school. A few months ago, you'd have given anything to never go again. But that was before Bayville, before the Institute. Now, you miss going to class and learning new things. You miss lunchtime conversations with your friends. You miss... An image of Rogue smiling flashes across your memory. You stop punching the bag, face hotter than before.

"Nice workout."

You turn around, surprised to see Ororo standing in the doorway. She looks around. "I didn't know you trained on your own."

"Um.." You take off the gloves, "Yeah. I was feeling better and I don't want to fall behind, so... I found this room. It's like a small gym."

Ororo hums. "Yes. I believe Logan practices in here." You follow her gaze to the back of the room, seeing claw marks carved into several burst punching bags. You smile, then turn back to her.

"Hey, uh," You ask quietly, "Do you mind if I ask you not to.. to tell anyone about this?"

She quirks an eyebrow. "Why do you want that?"

"Well... I just don't want to worry anyone... for them to think I'm..." You trail off, sitting on a bench and drinking some water. Ororo comes to sit next to you, and you look at her. "I'm pretty sweaty."

"I don't care." She smiles. Then, she gets this far-off look in her eyes. "You know, for a long time I wouldn't have been able to be in a room like this."

You blink, confused. "Like this?"

"Confined, underground... No windows or clear way to see the sky." Ororo sighs, "When I was just a little girl, much younger than you, my house collapsed in an air strike. My mama and baba did not make it, and I was trapped for many days in the rubble."

Your breathing falters as you stare at Ororo, feeling a deep pain resonating inside her. "I'm so sorry..."

"I am thankful that I survived, and that I eventually found family again. The Professor was the one to tell me I had a half-sister in New York. I met her, and I met my beautiful mpwa, Evan. I went on to live my life despite living a tragedy, and I like the life I live. However, it wasn't easy. I have claustrophobia, and while I have overcome much of it, it still haunts me sometimes. Being trapped in a small space, feeling like the world is closing in... Some days I am fine, and others I need to step outside in order to feel better. Even right now, I am a little afraid in this room."

She is. It's a faint fear, but it's there. Yet, despite that, she is so determined and confidant, the fear subsiding every so often as if she is constantly reassuring herself.

"How do you do it?"

The question slips out, and Ororo smiles at you. "I had help. The Professor, my sister... They both were there for me when I would fall. They helped me realize how strong I am."

"What if.." You start to tear up, "What if I can't be strong? What if I'm just... weak?"

Your voice cracks with that last word. You lean forward, tears starting to fall down your cheeks. It's a fear you've been struggling with ever since Blob kidnapped you, even before that. Admitting it causes despair and panic to well up inside you, as if speaking it aloud would make it true and make everyone believe it. But a hand lands gently on your back and rubs soothing circles into it. Ororo waits for you, waits until you can look at her again. Her eyes are misty.

"Y/N." She says, her voice steady, "Strength is not the absence of weakness. Strength is the power to overcome the weakness, to not let it impede you. It is not a destination, but a long and arduous journey. One cannot be without strength, because, Y/N," She puts her hands on your face and stares intensely into your eyes, "To live is strength."

You finally feel like you can breathe again. You're not sure exactly how long you stay there, how long you're hugging her before you let go and dry your tears. "Thanks." You sniff, "You really know how to say the right thing.."

She laughs softly. "Well, I actually learned that from you." She smiles at your confusion, "I was not sure how to connect with Evan, but you did so effortlessly. You taught me that I needed to stop trying to fix his feelings and instead to understand them. Thank you."

"Thank you, too." You reply, and Ororo gets up and makes for the door. Before she leaves, she turns to tell you something.

"Asking for help doesn't make you weak, Y/N." She says, "We are stronger together."

You smile as she exits, and lean back against the wall.

'Maybe I'll talk to the Professor later...'

Done with your workout, you head down the hall to the locker rooms so you can change out of your uniform.

"I don't know, Scott, Evan seemed really off."

You hear Jean's voice, turning the corner to see her and Cyclops suited up from their training exercise.

Cyclops shrugs. "I mean, it might be hard for him, playing against his former teammates and all."

"What?" You exclaim, eyes wide, "What are you talking about?"

They look at you, surprised. Cyclops replies, "Kitty just told him ten minutes ago, it turns out the school is holding a last minute game tonight. It's Bayville versus his old basketball team. He ran off so fast, I didn't even catch him in the changing room."

"His old team?!" You remember with dread that the mutant who set Evan up is one of his old basketball teammates. Evan must be going to face him alone!

"Y/N? What's wrong?" Jean asks at your alarm. You pause, caught in a dilemma. Evan made you promise not to tell anyone, but now he's about to fight another mutant and could get hurt! Even if he never wants to talk to you again, you care more about his safety. So, you look at the two X-men fiercely and make the decision.

"We need to get to Bayville. Evan's going after the mutant who framed him!"

---

Evan watches silently as students file out of the visiting bus with their gear, all familiar faces he ignores as he waits for the last student. Pietro steps off, his bag slung over his shoulder as he wears his usual cocky smirk. God, Evan can't stand him. Pietro lingers in the parking lot as the others go inside. This is his chance!

It's Spyke time!

"Hey, Maximoff!" Spyke steps into view, puffing his chest out and glaring at the speed demon.

Pietro turns, looks him up and down, and then immediately bursts out laughing. "What are you wearing? Your pajamas??"

Spyke deflates a little, then tries to regain his composure. "It's not-! It's my super suit!"

The white-haired boy just laughs harder. "Super suit, uh huh. I'm surprised to see you out of jail already, but I guess that stupid outfit is part of your punishment!"

His words make Spyke's blood boil. "You really don't care, do you?! Because you don't know what it's like to look like me and get the cops called on you!"

"It's not my fault you're too slow to not get caught." Pietro replies, rolling his eyes. He walks forward and pokes Spyke in the chest, "But, yeah, I don't know what it's like to look like you. And thank god for that."

'That's it!'

"We've got a score to settle, Pietro!" Spyke jumps forward, but just as his arms wrap around his nemesis, the boy vanishes.

"As usual," Spyke hears from behind him before he's pushed to the ground, "Too slow." He rolls over with a groan, Pietro gloating over him. "Props for the attitude! Might be hope for you after all, Daniels."

"Hey!" Spyke's eyes widen when he sees someone he knows catch Pietro by surprise.

---

You run from the van as soon as you see Spyke go down. The white-haired boy is too busy gloating to notice you approach. You grab the assailant by the shoulder and yell. "Hey!"

The boy whirls around, then smirks. "We're in the middle of something, if you don't mind, so scram."

You stand your ground and harden your gaze. "Stop hurting him."

"Y/N!" Spyke exclaims from the ground, "Leave us alone! This isn't your fight! This is between me and Pietro."

Pietro laughs. "Y/N? Who is she, your girlfriend?"

Spyke splutters. "She- no! She's not-! I mean, she's not my girlfriend!"

"Oh... She's not, is she?" Pietro asks, a sly look on his face. Before you know it, he's wrapped his arm around you. "Then you won't mind if I make her mine?"

"Pietro!" Spyke gets up, activating his powers all along his arms. You struggle in Pietro's grip, but he holds tight and leans in close to you.

"Do yourself a favor, babe." He whispers cockily, "Drop the zero and get with the hero."

"Get off me!" You shake yourself loose and stand next to your friend. Pietro reaches for you again but is stopped by another hand.

"You touch her again, you'll be sorry." Cyclops warns, holding Pietro's arm in place as Jean stands on his other side, "So. What's going on here?"

Your face brightens at the well-timed backup, but you sense irritation next to you. "Nothing I can't handle!" Spyke says tightly, and you frown.

Jean crosses her arms. "Is this the guy who was stealing from the lockers?"

You cringe at the feeling of betrayal as Spyke looks back at you. "Y/N, you promised!"

"Hey, she was worried about your safety." Jean says, "We're here because we want to help you prove your innocence."

Spyke grits his teeth. "Stay out of this."

"These weirdly dressed looney tunes are your new friends, Daniels?" Pietro cuts in, "Why am I not surprised."

Cyclops frowns at him. "You're awfully chatty. Care to tell us the truth and confess to your crime?"

Pietro pauses, then smirks, confidence oozing off of him. He smacks Cyclops' hand away.

"Actually, yeah. Yeah, I trashed those lockers. Why? You gonna do something about it?"

You can't believe how unapologetic he is about this. He literally just confessed to a crime and he's acting like nothing's wrong with that!

"Look, I think you better come with us." Cyclops says, making to grab Pietro again. Pietro moves so fast that it's a blur, whipping around Cyclops and throwing him to the ground.

"I don't think so."

"That's it, Pietro!" Spyke yells, "You're going down this time!" He lunges forward, brandishing his spikes. But yet again, Pietro is too quick and easily dodges him. "Ooh! Sounds like a challenge." He exclaims, and you catch his amusement. "Come on, Daniels. Let's see what you got."

Pietro runs off at super speed, wind blowing at you in his wake. Spyke's frustration makes you cringe as he yells after the mutant.

"Trust me, man, you're gonna find out!" He fastens his helmet and gets out his skateboard.

"Wait!" You yell, but he's already riding after him at top speed. You turn to Cyclops and Jean who looked stunned.

"Wow. That guy's fast!" Jean breathes as she helps Cyclops up.

You look between them and the direction Evan went. "We can't let him do this alone!" You cry.

Cyclops nods. "When you're with the X-men, you're never alone. Let's go!"

The three of you begin to run after them, and you just hope they haven't gone too far.

---

Spyke can't believe you would rat him out like that! As he rides after Pietro, pushing himself to go faster and faster, angry thoughts run through his mind. 'I need to do this! I'm the one Pietro wronged! And now that I can control my powers better, I'll be able to beat him!'

Just when he thinks he's never going to catch up, Pietro slows down and laughs at him. "Give it up, Daniels! You're out of your league!" He taunts.

"Not this time, Pietro. It's time I win one!" Spikes protrude out of his arms and he shoots them at his opponent. Quicksilver dodges every time, cackling harder. Fed up, Spyke rides closer and makes a jump, jagged points aimed at the criminal's back. He nearly has him, but Quicksilver turns to look at him with that familiar glint in his eye. Spyke tries to stop, but it's too late. In a flash, Quicksilver runs around him and pushes him off his board. Spyke flies through the air and crashes into a brick wall, crumpling onto the ground.

"You call this a challenge? You can't even touch me, no matter what I do!" Quicksilver mocks. Gritting his teeth, Spyke stands back up. His rival just smirks. "Check it out, Spike Boy. Say bye-bye to Bayville!"

Quicksilver takes off, faster than ever before. It's like how it was in the school that night, the wind blowing harder and harder the more he runs around the street. Glass shatters, and Spyke gasps as, one-by-one, all the streetlights burst under the strength of the wind. And it doesn't end there. Window rattle and break, trash cans are sent flying through the air, even cars are swept up and flipped over by what is now practically a hurricane.

He realizes in horror that they are outside a bunch of townhouses, and Quicksilver doesn't even care that he's endangering the people inside! He's too busy laughing up a literal storm. And worst of all, Spyke can't stop him.

'I'm not strong enough..'

But, just as the situation begins to look hopeless, Spyke hears the steps coming up behind him.

---

"Spyke!" You call, finally catching up with Cyclops and Jean. Behind you, Jean gasps at the damage Quicksilver is wreaking. "We have to stop him!"

Spyke rounds on the three of you angrily. "I've tried! He's just too fast! I thought you said all that training stuff would help!" He throws his helmet down on the ground in frustration and holds his head, "I can't do it, I wish I had never-!"

"Hey!" You step forward, "I know you're frustrated, but we can still stop him. We just have to work together."

"Avatar's right." Cyclops agrees, "Training's just one part of it, Spyke. Teamwork's another."

That's when you feel it. The insecurity reflected in Spyke's eyes, the insecurity you still deal with. Remembering Ororo's words, you repeat them back to him.

"Asking for help doesn't make you weak."

He looks at you hesitantly and you hold his gaze. Then the wind picks up again and blows past you. Quicksilver whoops gleefully as he rockets around you, and Spyke follows his path with a glare. For a moment, you're worried he'll just want to face the him alone again. But Spyke lets out a deep breath and nods at you. "What do we do?"

"Hey guys." The four of you turn to see the white-haired boy crouched in the street. He winks at you and you narrow your eyes, but he just grins wider. "On your mark, get set!" He chants to himself playfully. Spyke grabs your arm as panic flares up in him. "Get down!"

"SEE YA!" Quicksilver blasts off from his starting point, his trajectory marked as the concrete tears up from the ground beneath him. Spyke pulls you down and Jean does the same with Cyclops, keeping you all grounded enough not to blow away. The older two deflect pieces of concrete with lasers and force fields.

"Jean! He can't run if his feet are off the ground!" Cyclops yells over the howling wind.

"On it!" She concentrates, and all of you watch the streak of silver end as Quicksilver is lifted into the air.

"Huh? Hey! What's going on?!" You almost sigh in relief until Quicksilver's feet begin to blur, his running still propelling him around in midair. He keeps gaining speed until you can't see him anymore. Instead, you see a silver tornado form from the force.

Jean groans beside you. "I can't hold him.."

Quicksilver's laughter echoes from the tornado. "Hehehehehe! Hold on to this, baby! It's twister time!" As the funnel touches down, Jean loses her grip on him and the vortex begins to suck you all in. You yelp, but a strong hand grabs you before you reach the twister.

Cyclops pulls you back, and you latch onto the lamppost he's holding. Spyke and Jean are holding onto a nearby mailbox, but none of you can keep your grip for much longer. The cockiness emanating from the whirlwind gives you hope, though. It's the same feeling he had when he missed the winning basket. If Quicksilver thinks he's already won, maybe he'll make a mistake like last time. There's one person who would know better than anyone.

"Spyke!" You call, "You know him best! Is there anyway to slow him down?!"

"He never slows down!" Spyke responds, "He's always trying to beat me to prove-" His eyes widen. "I have an idea!"

After quickly explaining it to you three, you all nod and get ready. Jean reaches for Spyke with her free hand, trying with all her might to levitate him further down the street. As she does, he calls to the raging silver tornado ripping through the area. "Yeah, go on and act like a big shot, Pietro! It doesn't matter! You're always going to be second best!"

"Oh yeah?" The twister thunders, "Not if I cream you, right here, right now!"

"Then come and get me!"

You suck in a breath as the tornado rushes past you three towards Spyke. It's nearly upon him when he yells, "NOW!" and Cyclops fires his laser. Quicksilver, too distracted and self-confidant to care about the three of you, is stunned and stopped by the blast. He falls to the ground, and before he can recover, several spikes pin his costume to the brick wall behind him.

You and your friends land on your feet as the winds fade away, leaving only the sound of a struggling mutant.

"I can't get loose!" Quicksilver yells as he tries to unpin himself, "I can't get loose!!"

As the four of you surround the boy, you catch Spyke's smug grin. "Not so fast now, are you, Quicksilver?" You have to admit, you're feeling a little smug, too.

The captured boy huffs, smirking despite the nervousness you feel from him. "Yeah? What good's it do you, Daniels? You still can't prove I had anything to do with getting you in trouble. Can you?"

You shake your head. He's still trying to win! Still, he's right about one thing. The X-men may have stopped him from hurting innocent civilians, but are the police really going to believe Pietro's the real criminal? Certainly not the officer you met.

But just as you start to lose hope, you hear your friend cheekily feed Quicksilver his own words.

"Ooh." Spyke grins, "Sounds like a challenge." From his pocket, Spyke produces a recording device. "I did pick up one thing from Wolverine's lessons. Check it out." He presses play, letting Pietro's smug voice ring out into the night.

"Actually, yeah. Yeah, I trashed those lockers. Why? You gonna do something about it?"

Quicksilver frowns and you feel sense of satisfaction when all the bravado leaves his body. Cyclops laughs and pats Spyke's shoulder. "Good shot, dude. Looks like some of that training did pay off."

Distant sirens begin to get louder, and you see Spyke tense up. "We should go." You suggest, and he nods, placing the recording on the ground and playing it on loop for the police to find.

"Wait! Don't send me to jail!" Quicksilver starts to plead, then takes a deep breath and looks tearfully at Spyke. "I'm so sorry. For everything. Please, Evan, can't we just start over?"

Your friend raises an eyebrow, then looks at you. "Avatar?"

"Oh, he's one hundred percent lying." You reply as Quicksilver pouts, "Yeah, not one guilty bone in his body."

"C'mon, don't you dig a bad boy?" He tries with you, and you just roll your eyes. The cop cars are just around the corner, and the four of your take off down the alleyway as Quicksilver protests.

"Hey. Hey! Hey, let me go!! HEY!! Don't leave me!!!"

"...please don't leave me...!"

The strange voice in your head catches you off-guard, but you keep running.

'What was that?' You wonder.

---

"Hey! Hey! You gotta let me outta here!" Pietro yells, tugging uselessly at the bars of the prison cell. He runs at super speed from wall to wall, but there's nothing he can do.

'It's all Spyke's fault!' He thinks angrily, 'When I get outta here, I'm gonna show him! Maybe I'll steal his little girlfriend, just to see the look on his face.' However, a very real possibility hits him, that his speed can't get him out of this mess. The thought of being stuck in this small cell, unable to run as far as he can, works him up even more as he shakes the bars again.

"I want outta here!" Pietro screams, the bars rattling. Then he notices that the rattling doesn't stop. In fact, the bars rattle so hard that they throw him to the ground. Looking up, he sees the shadowed figure float into the room in eerie silence. The helmet and cape are unmistakable.

"Huh? Dad?"

His father lands in front of the bars, his deep voice ringing out. "It is good to see you again, Pietro. Even under such... distressing circumstances."

'Good to see me after, what, eight years?' Pietro thinks, not bothering to hide his annoyance as he pulls on the bars again. "Yeah, well, you can make 'em a lot less distressing, y'know? C'mon! Hustle it up, move it!"

"Still impatient." His father sighs, "But you have grown much, Pietro. And I have need of your services. If you think you can handle the job.."

"Sounds like a challenge." Curiosity shoves annoyance aside as Pietro contemplates this proposal. Knowing his dad, whatever he has in store is big. And if he's asking for Pietro's help, he must finally realize how talented he is. "Okay! Whatever you want, just, let's bail this jail!"

"Very well." Pietro steps back carefully as the metal bars bend open with ease. His father extends a gloved hand. "Come with me."

Pietro smirks, taking the hand and stepping out of the cell.

---

You knock on the door hesitantly, waiting for the Professor's voice to call you in. As you step into his office, he looks up from his work and smiles. "What can I do for you, Y/N?"

"Hi. Uh, do you have time to talk?" You ask nervously. He nods and gestures to the seat across from him. You sit, not sure how to say what you want to say. So, you decide to start with something else. "Do you know if anyone got hurt last night?"

"Thankfully, the police reported that all civilians took cover and stayed safe for the duration of the 'storm'. No one was injured, and no one witnessed anything that took place on that dark street. The only person of interest spotted that night was a young teenager trapped in the chaos with a recorded admittance of a previous crime." He quirks an amused eyebrow at you and you smile.

The Professor continues, "I am glad that you had the foresight to bring Jean and Scott along with you. The damage may have been more severe if you hadn't."

"Well, I figured I should ask for help." You reply truthfully, then take a breath, "Professor, I... I was talking with Ororo and she told me about her claustrophobia. It made me realize that... um, that I think I have it, too." Your words come out awkward and stilted as you try to explain, "I felt it when I was trapped by Blob, and a lot of times before that. It gets really hard to breathe and I start to panic. At first, I didn't want to tell anyone, and I'm still really nervous telling you now... but, Ororo says you helped her with hers... and I thought..." You stop, voice failing you as you stare down into your lap.

"Of course I'll help you, Y/N." You look up, and he's smiling gently. "You should know, many people grapple with a fear of small spaces. It is something you can learn to manage with time and counseling." Then he adds, "It was very brave of you to tell me this. In fact, you've been very brave lately. I think it's time you return to school, if you're up for it."

You perk up. "Really?"

He chuckles. "Of course. And don't worry if you've missed some schoolwork. There's still time to catch up."

A true smile dawns on your face as your excitement grows. The Professor smiles back. "We'll work out a schedule for us to talk. But, right now I believe the others are having a pool party. Why don't you go have some fun, and we can talk more about this later?"

You nod and stand up. "I'd like that."

Once you get back to your room, you change into the swimsuit that Kitty surprised you with. It's a F/C suit with a pretty flower design. You weren't sure about wearing a two-piece, but you're only swimming with your friends. Maybe it's time to step outside your comfort zone.

The sun is shining bright, and it's a pretty hot day for spring. Jean and Scott are in the water chatting and laughing. Kitty is relaxing on a floaty in the middle of the pool. And just when you were wondering where he is, you hear Kurt yell, "CANNONBALL!"

You laugh as Kurt jumps in the pool, splashing everyone and capsizing Kitty's floaty. She resurfaces coughing and glares at him. "Kurt, knock it off!" He just laughs and splashes her again as she screams.

Further away, you see Evan talking to Ororo and the Professor on the other side of the pool.

'I wonder what they're talking about.'

---

Evan laughs at Kurt's big splash and turns back to his aunt and the Professor with a big smile on his face.

"It's good to see that smile again." Ororo says. 

He shrugs. "Yeah, well. That's thanks to you." The way she smiles at that makes Evan even happier.

"Congratulations, Evan." The Professor says, "I understand you've been cleared of all charges."

"Yeah. It feels good to have that off my record." He says honestly, but he also knows that other things can't be so easily erased. That night he was arrested is going to stick with him for a long time... but it at least helps to remember that so many people have his back. He smiles at Xavier gratefully. "Hey.. Thanks for your help, Professor."

From the pool Kitty shrieks. 

"Ew! Professor! Kurt's, like, totally getting fur in the pool!"

"I am not!"

The Professor smiles and shakes his head amused. "We're just glad to have you with us."

"Thanks." Evan turns to jump back in, but when he does he sees you across the pool. His heart leaps.

'This is my chance to impress her!'

---

You wave across the pool when Evan notices you, happy to see him having fun. Then he calls to you. "Hey, check this out!" With a running start, he excitedly jumps in the pool in a corny pose, flexing. However, you see the spikes poke out under his arms.

"Evan, your spikes!"

You see his expression change midair as he plummets into the pool, landing on Kitty's raft. When he resurfaces, it's impaled on his spikes. He holds it up sheepishly as Kitty glares at him, and you can't help giggling at the sight.

"Hey, Y/N." You turn to see Kurt swim up to you and whisper, "Vant to help me splash Scott and Jean?"

You can't say no to that face. After you get in, you and Kurt swim quietly over to the two older kids. Once you're close enough, you both burst out of the water and splash them, soaking them both.

"Hey!" Scott yells, wiping the water off his glasses. But Jean doesn't say anything. She just smirks and raises her hand, you and Kurt sharing a doomed look. A small tidal wave sweeps you both up and pushes you into the water. When you surface, you realize Jean's wave got Kitty and Evan too. All six of you look around at each other, until Kitty finally throws down her deflated floaty.

"WAR!!!!!"

And so starts the most chaotic splash fight you've ever been in. You laugh and shriek and duck underwater for cover, your eyes meeting Evan's. You smile at each other, and you think to yourself.

'There's no place else I'd rather be.'

Chapter Text

Question 1: Who do all the X-men main in Mario Kart?

Evan: Dry Bowser! He's literally a big skeleton dragon monster. C'mon!

Kurt: I like Yoshi! He's always helping Mario in ze other game-

Evan: Until he runs off a cliff.

Kurt: Nooooooo!

Kitty: How can I pick between all these hot ladies? Rosalina is the queen of space-

Kurt: How could you drop your Yoshi?!

Kitty: But Peach comes in rose-gold!

Evan: Easily.

Kitty: And there's the Peach with the cute cat onesie-

Evan: Furry.

Kitty: I AM NOT A FURRY EVAN.

Kurt: But I'm furry...?

Evan: BAHAHA

Ororo: Why do you always fight with this game? It doesn't seem like that would be fun..

Evan: It's part of the experience, Auntie O! Here, join us for the next race, I've already picked out your character.

Ororo: Wa- Lui- Gi?

Scott: You're all missing the point. It's not about the character, it's about constructing the perfect kart.

Evan: You play your Mii every time, dude, that's lame.

Scott: It's a constant variable!

Jean: I like Bowser Jr. He's just a little baby driving a tiny bathtub, it's hilarious.

Evan: And you laugh so much it distracts you and you place 11th.

Jean: Some would say it's better to enjoy the game than win it.

Evan: Yeah, like losers.

Ororo: What does this button do??

Jean: How about you, Y/N?

Y/N: Oh! I don't know, I like a lot of them. Maybe Koopa Troopa? He's kind of an underdog, I like that.

Ororo: Can we start on an easy one?

Evan: Sure!

*Evan selects Rainbow Road*

---

A/N: My main is Ludwig! I love that little monster, haha. What's your main?

---

Question 2: Hey Jean, how come your codename is just your regular name?

Jean: Ah. Um. Sooo.... Haha, this is a little embarrassing-

Scott: Her codename used to be Marvel Girl!!

Jean: Scott!

Scott: ✨Marvel Girl✨

Jean: I. Was. Ten.

Scott: And you. Were.

Jean: Don't say it-

Scott: ✨Marvelous✨

*Jean telekinetically throws Scott out of the room*

Jean: Ugh. When we were kids, we came up with little codenames to sound cool like the adults. But we don't really need them since we're not government agents or anything. We protect our identities by hiding our powers, not our names. So, when I grew out of my old codename, I just decided to use my actual name. Scott says he kept his codename to maintain a sense of gravitas in our missions, but I think he just gets excited about it the way the younger kids do. It's cute.

---

Prompt: Hey could you do one where reader gets trapped with Mystic and she picked up on their feelings for Kurt after they figure out they are related?

You wake up tied to a chair, a single light shining down on you in the otherwise pitch black room.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" You gasp when a blue woman steps out of the shadows.

"Gasp!" You gasp, "Mystique!"

"That is correct, Y/N." Mystique chuckles, "I'm going to torture you until you tell me all of the Institute's secrets!"

"Not if I can help it!" Kurt teleports in.

"Gasp!" You gasp."

"Let her go, Mystique, or else!"

"Tsk, tsk, Nightcrawler..." Mystique replies with a knowing smirk, "Would you really hurt... your family?"

Yours and Nightcrawler's jaws drop as you notice the family resemblance. He's blue, she's blue... there's no denying the truth.

"You're... You're... my..." Kurt gulps, "You're my grandmother????"

. . .

Mystique: Bitch, what the fuc-

---

A/N: Okay, yes, I know, the prompt was for a serious scene. BUT, it would've definitely clashed with the canon of the story I'm planning. I guess this is a bit of a spoiler, but I'm planning both some interesting Kurt & Mystique stuff, as well as some kidnapped reader down the line. Also, being honest, this was way more fun to write lmao. So take this silly non-canon bit and enjoy it because you know my canon's gonna have a lot of angst and trauma. 

Hehehehehe. >:D

Chapter Text

"It happens when I'm in small, dark spaces." You explain quietly, trying not to fidget in your chair too much. "I can't breathe, and I can feel my heart in my chest, and I need to get out."

The Professor hums thoughtfully, nodding. "Do you ever feel these things when you are not in a confined space?"

"Um.." You take a breath, "Sometimes I have... um, nightmares about it. Then I wake up and I don't know where I am. I keep a small light on so I remember..." Your cheeks redden as you divulge this. You know the Professor, and you know he won't judge you for doing something so childish, but it's still embarrassing. What teenager needs a nightlight?

Maybe noticing this, the Professor leans forward and smiles. "I have nightmares on occasion. Sometimes I wake up and go down to the kitchen for a cup of tea before I sleep again."

You perk up a little. "Sometimes I get a glass of water.. but I'm always afraid I'm gonna run into someone in the dark."

"The only one you should worried to see that early is Logan. He's dreadful when he's sleep-deprived." The Professor chuckles. "And if you run into me, we'll go down to the kitchen together and I'll make us some hot cocoa."

"Sounds nice." You reply, a shy smile on your face. Maybe these therapy sessions with the Professor won't be that bad.

"You know, about 12% of people have some level of claustrophobia." Xavier explains, "For the more severe cases, there is usually an inciting incident. Is there anything that you believe to have caused this fear?"

You swallow, nerves coming back. You want to be honest with him, but there's certain things you promised you'd never tell anybody. If you did... If they knew everything about you, the X-men would never want to see you again.

"I don't know." You avert your eyes, afraid he'll catch you in a lie. After a brief pause, the Professor speaks again. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, Y/N. It's all up to you."

You hesitate, but upon feeling how sincere that statement is, your defenses come down a little. "I think... I think it started when I was 11. I... um... I got stuck in a closet one day."

"For how long?"

"Not sure." You reply truthfully. It could have been weeks, but you can't the Professor that. Not now, anyways.

He writes something down and looks at you again. "That must have been very scary. I'm sorry you went through that."

You nod, not really sure what to say.

"If you want, we can be done for today. It can be exhausting to remember some things."

"Yeah." You agree, "I'd like that." You get up and begin to exit his office, stopping at the door. "Uh, thanks."

"Anytime." He replies with a soft smile. You leave, feeling just a small bit lighter than before.

---

You have to squint as you step out into the sunny courtyard of Bayville High. Spring's been getting warmer day by day, and while you miss the shade that cloudy skies can afford you, the sun is what convinced the others to eat outdoors today. You'll suffer a little sun if it means you can get out of the crowded cafeteria and into the open air.

Stepping onto the pavement, you look around for your friends. There are some boys playing basketball nearby, a couple kids on skateboards, and some other students sitting on the stone steps to eat. You realize that the X-men are not at their usual outdoor table, instead taken up by some upperclassmen you don't know. In fact, all the tables you can see are taken. It seems everyone had the idea to eat outside today.

You turn around to search the other end of the courtyard, accidentally knocking into somebody. Both of you tumble to the ground.

"Hey!" You recognize the voice, sitting up quickly to see Rogue sprawled on the ground in front of you. She meets your gaze and looks surprised. "Y/N?"

"Rogue! I'm so sorry!" You exclaim, scrambling to help. You see a book she dropped and pick it up for her, reading the title. "Dracula?"

"Yeah, well.." She dusts herself off, and you can feel her annoyance, "I thought I'd read something light-hearted for a change."

"...So you chose Dracula?"

"I was being sarcastic."

"Oh."

You both stand up, awkwardly lingering in front of each other. "I-I really am sorry. I didn't see you."

Rogue sighs. "No, it's fine. I wasn't really looking where I was going either." Then, she frowns as she looks at you, and you pick up on a faint bit of concern. "I didn't know you were coming back today."

"Oh, yeah." You respond nervously. You'd lost about two weeks of school since the X-men's fight with Blob. "I wish I'd been able to come back sooner, but, um.. I needed to recover."

Rogue doesn't meet your eyes. You've been wondering about her ever since she helped to save you from Fred. Does it mean that she wants to be friends? That she doesn't believe Mystique's lies anymore? But if that's it, why can you feel that she still doesn't trust you?

"You missed our presentation." Rogue says flatly, "Mr. Hamill says we can do it on the make-up date since you were.. sick. Don't miss that one, got it?"

"Oh! Okay." You agree as Rogue walks off towards the wooded side of the school. "Um, wait!"

She turns. You point at her book.

"Tell me if it's good?" You ask, and she blinks. Then, for a moment, she feels a little more at ease. She doesn't quite smile, but her face is softer. "Sure."

"Y/N! There you are!" You turn in surprise to see Scott jog up to you, "I was wondering where you were."

"Sorry, I was trying to find you!"

"No problem. We're sitting over there." He points and you see the X-men sitting at a table across the courtyard. You're about to thank him when the shift in mood becomes much more tense. You look between Scott and Rogue, both eyeing each other distrustfully.

"Everything okay here?" He asks you, not taking his eyes off Rogue.

"Y-yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" You ask, a little worried. Then Rogue scoffs.

"I was just about to leave." She grips her book tightly and stalks off into the woods. Before you can say anything, Scott puts his hand on your back and steers you toward the lunch table.

You frown. Most of the X-men have gone back to treating you normally, all except for Scott. Whenever he's around, you can detect a steady undercurrent of concern. It isn't just with you, though. If it was, you'd probably be a lot more resentful of his attention. But you've noticed that he's been hovering around all of the X-men lately, always keeping an eye in case one of the Brotherhood gets too close.

Unfortunately, it seems to be really getting to Kurt. When he'd filled you in on what you've missed at school, he had more than one story of Scott keeping everyone on a tight leash.

"He's acting like he's our babysitter. You know, he asks me every day if I've remembered to calibrate my holowatch? Yeesh! He really needs to take a chill pill."

You can't really disagree as Scott leads you over to the picnic table and away from Rogue.

The others are crowded around the table eating and chatting. You grin as you take a seat between Kitty and Evan. "Finally!" Kitty laughs, "Where were you?"

"I was just talking to Rogue."

"Wait, isn't Rogue one of the Brotherhood crew?" Evan asks, finishing off a milk carton. "Are you alright?"

You stomach twists at his worry. Since Pietro enrolled, Evan has been filled in on all the Brotherhood stuff. He was understandably upset that Pietro went free so soon, and he probably would've gone off to fight him again if you hadn't talked him out of it. Thankfully, the X-men were there to rally around and support him. So far, Evan and Pietro haven't made contact past a quick glare in the halls.

You can't blame him for his worry when you feel the same for him, but Rogue isn't Pietro.

"Rogue's... She's different." You try to explain, "She's not as bad as the others.

"You sure?" Evan asks, unsure.

"Yeah. I think she's being tricked by Mystique."

"Either way," Scott interjects, "It's best to avoid her. She's still dangerous."

You frown, wanting to protest but also not wanting to start something right now. Instead, you start to nibble on your french fries and try to enjoy a nice lunch with your friends.

"Anyways!" Kitty speaks up, cutting through the awkward silence, "I hear there's a party tomorrow!"

"A party?" Kurt perks up, and you sense his enthusiasm, "A real high school teenage party?"

"Yeah." Jean grins, "Taryn says some guys on the football team are planning to celebrate their big win."

"We have to go!" Kurt exclaims, "I need zhis to complete my American high school experience!"

"For once, I agree with Kurt." Kitty continues excitedly, "It's not on a school night, so maybe the Professor will let us go!"

"Sounds epic." Evan adds, turning to you. "What do you think, Y/N?"

Honestly, you're not sure. There's so much excitement buzzing around the table that you can't tell if any of it is coming from you. Plus, the thought of being at a huge party where everyone's feelings are on a high? You don't know if you can handle it.

Scott cuts in, saving you from having to provide an answer. "Go to a football party? I don't think so."

Everyone quiets down, heads turning to your stubborn leader. Kitty and Kurt look at him incredulously, and you begin to fidget in your seat. The silence breaks when Evan loudly slurps the rest of another carton and sets it down, pointing at Scott's. "You gonna finish that moo-juice?"

You can't help but smirk, then slide your carton over. "Here, have mine." He grins at you and chugs it as you watch, amused and slightly impressed.

"C'mon, it might be fun!" Jean prods Scott, but he remains unmoved. "The football team is a bunch of jerks." He states matter-of-factly.

"No, they're not!" Kitty protests.

"Oh yeah?" Scott challenges, "What about Duncan Matthews?"

You nearly choke and look over at Jean, whose face has fallen slightly. You give Scott a look and he raises his hands. "What? I just don't think any of us would be comfortable at a party he's at."

"Well, that's not really for you to decide." Jean says, not making eye-contact with him. Scott frowns, giving off a small pang of shame. He probably realizes that bringing up her ex is crossing a line.

"I'd still totally go!" Kitty exclaims, oblivious to the tension.

Scott just gives her a look. "The party is juniors and seniors only. No sophomores or freshmen allowed."

Oof. You see Kitty visibly deflate and cross her arms. "Aw, the football team are jerks!" She mutters.

But Kurt isn't so ready to give up. "Ve're the X-men! Ve can just sneak in and no one vill know! Like Ocean's Seven!"

"Eleven." You correct.

"You get my point."

Scott shakes his head hard. "Half of the school will be there. Suppose somebody gets too close to Kurt? That holo-projector won't stop them from feeling his fur."

"Hey, chicks dig ze fuzzy dude!" Kurt protests, then leans over to Kitty with a flirty grin, "Right?"

She scoffs. "I am, like, so outta here." She picks up her empty tray and walks off. "Later!"

"YOU CAN'T RESIST ME!" Kurt yells after her, grinning. You snort, laughing even harder as Evan steals Kurt's milk while he isn't looking.

"I'm trying to be serious here!" Scott exclaims over the laughter, "Look, if we go to the party, suppose Dukes or Maximoff try to start something? We're not the only mutants in the school, you know!"

You squirm in your seat thinking of Fred. 'Maybe Scott has a point.' There's a similar discomfort next to you and you look at Evan, who's clearly thinking the same about Pietro. Not wanting to see your friend like this, you nudge him softly. "Yeah, we're just the cool ones."

"Yes!" Kurt laughs and high-fives you. Evan smirks and takes the high-five, too. "Ha, right."

"Hey, c'mon, Scott." Jean coaxes him, "What's wrong with a little socializing?"

But even Jean can't sway him on this, and Scott sighs. "I'm sorry, but I just don't think it's a good idea."

As Scott cements his stance, you feel the rush of annoyance come from your friends, most of all Kurt. "Dude! It's just a party!" He yells in exasperation, "Ve're only teenagers once! Ve deserve to have fun!"

You frown, not loving the negative energy. That, and the attention that Kurt is drawing. Eyes glance at your table as Kurt stands up and points at Scott. "You can't stop me from partying!"

Kurt jumps up on the table and begins to dance playfully. "See? Zhis is what fun looks like! Shake zhat tail!"

Your eyes widen as Kurt's tray is knocked off the table by an unseen force, realizing his tail must have hit it. His true form is invisible to the naked eye, but his tail doesn't just disappear. And if anyone were to feel it by accident..

A spike of panic leads you to Scott, who must have noticed the same thing. He whisper-yells, "Hey, watch the tail!" and reaches out, gripping the invisible appendage and pulling Kurt down from the table before you can stop him. Kurt cries out in protest, moving away from Scott, who is looking around. You take a look too, and thankfully no one seems to have noticed anything. This doesn't stop Scott from turning on Kurt, though.

"Now, see? That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

But Kurt just stares at Scott in furious disbelief, the hurt coming off him in waves.

"Y-you pulled my tail, man!"

"Grow up, Kurt." Scott bites back.

Your head starts to hurt as they yell back and forth, and you run your temples.

"Lighten up, dude!"

"You're always goofing around!"

"And you're seriously cramping my style!"

"Guys, calm down." Jean says, looking at you. Scott spares a glance at you and sighs. "Listen-"

"No, you listen!" Kurt huffs, "There's a sound I vant you to hear. And it's-!"

BAMF!

Kurt disappears in a cloud of smoke, all his anger going with him. "Kurt!" You exclaim in shock, looking around. Some students look at your group curiously, but none of them were paying close enough attention to see anything important.

And Kurt's nowhere in sight.

'I hope he knows where he's going..' You think worriedly, knowing he can sometimes teleport without thinking when he's upset. If he doesn't have a destination in mind, he could end up anywhere.

Scott coughs and waves the smoke away, and you can feel his anger dim and a soft frustration take its place. "...I blew it, didn't I?"

Jean nods. "Oh yeah."

"Totally." Evan agrees, stacking all the empty cartons on his tray in a pyramid.

Scott looks to you, then looks away with a frown. "Sorry, I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have blown up like that."

Your lips tighten, and you sigh. "I don't think you need to apologize to me." You reply, grabbing your own tray to dispose of. "I'll see you later."

You'll feel a lot better once you find Kurt.

---

"How long?!" Rogue had demanded.

"I can't be sure, my dear." Irene's voice came through the phone.

"Really?" Rogue rolled her eyes, "And here I thought you could see the future or something!"

"It doesn't work that way." She heard Irene sigh, "What I do know is that you're right where you need to be."

"Yeah, that's a ton of help. Thanks!" Rogue snapped as she hung up the phone.

The conversation has been replaying in her head all day.

'Why does she have to be so goddamn cryptic!' She thinks in frustration, shifting around against the tree she sits under. Her book lies open in her lap, her attention elsewhere. 'Why can't she just give me a straight answer?'

Of course, Irene was never that straightforward, even before she started talking about the future and prophetic visions. Cover up your skin, never touch anyone directly. Why? Because Irene said it was best for her, and Rogue trusted Irene.

Now that trust is fractured. She still wants to trust her mom, the one who raised her, the only mom she really remembers... but she can't get past all the secrets.

'Did she know I'm a mutant?' Did she know what I'd do?' Rogue wonders, thinking back to that awful party. The life draining from Cody's face...

'I guess no one's who they appear to be.' She gazes at her gloved hand. 'Not even me.'

Rogue takes a weary breath and gets back to her book. But just as soon as she finishes the page, a noise startles her and she sits up.

There's a clatter nearby, coming from the stairs at the side of the school. She assumes those stairs lead to the school's basement. A smell wafts over and she wrinkles her nose. It smells sulfurous. Standing up to get a better look, she sees there's indeed a smoky cloud rising up from down there.

'Was there an accident?' Rogue worries, cautiously walking towards the scene.

---

Okay, maybe teleporting away in a huff wasn't the best move... especially since Kurt had no idea where he was going.

"Ungh.." He groans as he lays atop the crushed cardboard boxes, "I have got to vork on my re-entries."

As he sits up, he notices he's in some old empty storage room. At least he didn't appear in front of anyone! Scott would never let up if that happened! Then he sees his hand glitching in front of him, blue, furry, and three-fingered. He immediately fiddles with his holowatch to turn back, but it must have hit the ground too hard.

"Aw man!" He grumbles as his watch fizzles out and his disguise drops completely. Now Scott is just going to be even more annoying! He can practically hear him now..

"Teleporting at school? What were you thinking? And why are you wearing your X-men uniform? You shouldn't use your image inducer to simulate your clothes!"

"I vas going to be late for school, vhat do you vant from me?!" Kurt yells, then instantly feels like an idiot for getting angry at an imaginary Cyclops.

Yes, he knows he was reckless. But he was mad, and he saw you getting uncomfortable. 'Y/N hates fights. I had to get out of zhere.'

Kurt runs his hand along his slender blue tail, still sore from Scott yanking it.

'Jerk... shouldn't have pulled my tail.'

"Who's there?"

"Huh?" Kurt turns quickly to see a shadow descending down stone steps. Panicking, he searches for an escape, his eyes landing on the only other door in the room.

A door with a big sign reading 'Stay Out'.

Hearing the footsteps approach and not seeing many other options, Kurt grits his teeth and teleports to the other side of the door, hoping not to crash into anything else.

Thankfully, he doesn't crash, but his entrance does kick up a lot of dust. Kurt coughs and mutters, "Man, someone should fire ze custodian." Fluorescent lights blink on, humming softly. As the dark disappears, Kurt gapes at the contents of the room. It's full of big, old computers and machines. There's one large monitor at the front, and Kurt curiously steps forward to check it out. To his surprise, all the computers come to life as he approaches.

'Maybe zhey vere triggered by a motion sensor?'

The monitor starts playing a video of a young man on its staticky screen. He has long dark hair to his chin and a casual smirk on his face.

"January 22nd, 1978. Hi there!" The man remarks cheerily, "If you're hearing this message, you've got ten seconds before this lab self-destructs. Have a nice day! What's left of it.."

Kurt's heart nearly jumps out of his chest as the countdown appears on the screen. "Uh oh." He runs forward, desperately trying to find the off button, but the keyboard is indecipherable. "I knew I should have paid more attention in computer lab!"

With five seconds left, Kurt says a quick prayer as he hits all the buttons he can.

---

"Hello?"

Rogue wanders into the basement, the faint smell of sulfur still hanging in the air. Something definitely happened in here, as evidenced by the crushed boxes in the middle of the room. And she could've sworn that she'd heard a voice in here a second ago. Looking around, she sees the cordoned off door at the end of the room. 'Maybe they hid in there..' She thinks as she takes a step toward it.

Her second step is interrupted by an explosion.

Instinctively, Rogue dives aside and covers her head. She just barely sees a flash of blue fly across the room and hit the back wall. After crouching in the corner for a few seconds, she stands up and coughs on the smoke and debris in the air. She shakes off the shock and squints through the dark fumes, which clear up to reveal the blue X-man collapsed on the ground.

Worried for a moment when he doesn't move, Rogue runs over to him. "Hey! Hey, are you okay?!" She crouches down and sees him blinking slowly awake. He looks a bit dazed, and part of his red suit is torn. Unsure what to do, she just asks, "What happened?"

Kurt groans, rubbing his head. "Lab... booby-trapped..."

"Lab?" Rogue looks at that cordoned-off door, now blasted open with smoke drifting out.

'The hell is a lab doing in a high school basement?'

Seeing that the X-man isn't badly hurt, Rogue stands up and walks over to the source of the explosion. Waving off some smoke, Rogue peeks inside and gasps. "Woah."

It really is, or at least it was, a lab. Now all the computers are completely fried. "Whatever this stuff was, it's thrashed now." Her eyes pan across all manner of strange machines, burnt and sparking. But tucked in the corner she notices something behind what must be reinforced glass. She steps forward, careful of the booby-traps Kurt mentioned, and approaches the pedestal it's resting on. Unlatching and lifting the glass lid off, she finds the strange thing untouched. "All except for this..."

Rogue picks the machine up curiously by its two handles, like a bicycle grip. It kind of looks like something out of Star Wars, with a domed top and a big slot on the front. She turns it over, looking at the curious buttons and meters on the back. 'What is this thing?'

"Vhat are you doing here?"

Rogue turns to see Kurt eyeing her suspiciously as he walks in.

She snorts. "Ha, look who's talking. At least I didn't blow the place up!"

'What's he doing here in the first place looking like that?' She thinks, eyeing his uniform warily, 'Were the X-men trying to use this lab for something?'

Kurt's eyes land on the machine she's holding and his eyes go wide. "Hey, let go of zhat!" He yells, rushing forward. Before Rogue can do anything, he latches on and tries to pull it away from her.

Rogue's memories from that night in Mississippi are confusing. She absorbed Cody's, Kurt's and Storm's memories, which all conflated with the events of the night. But from what little Rogue can remember of Kurt, she knows one thing.

She can take this scrawny little imp any day.

"Back off, blue boy!" She yanks it back, "Who says you're in charge here?" With one final pull the machine slips through his blue fingers. Rogue stumbles back, trying to reassert her grip on the object and feeling her fingers brush against a few buttons.

The machine whirs to life, startling her and Kurt both. Before she has a chance to react, a strange orb of light shoots out of the slot and envelops Kurt. He yells, the red and yellow light wrapping around him and shrinking into nothingness.

Rogue recoils, dropping the machine instantly. Her lip trembles as she reaches a hand out to where Kurt was standing just a moment ago, waving it around the empty space. As the last particles of energy dissipate from the air, she steps back in horror.

"He's gone!"

---

Kurt covers his eyes from the blinding colors, and for a second it feels like he's drifting in mid-air. Then the light fades and his feet touch the ground again. He looks up, expecting to see Rogue in front of him in the basement. Instead,  he's somewhere else entirely.

It almost looks like the main school hall, except everything is grey and warped, and a thick fog makes it hard to see more than ten feet in front of him.

"Was?" He breathes, touching the Bayville High trophy case,  "Vhat happened? Vhere am I? Ze Twilight Zone?"

An eerie echo of laughter has him whirling around, seeing shapes emerge from the mist. He gasps as ghostly students fade in and out of existence, the sounds of their voices nothing more than a haunting whisper. Kurt stumbles back against the lockers, away from these spirits. Then, he hears a voice he recognizes.

"Man, Scott's gotta lighten up." Evan says to Kitty as they come out of the fog. They look just as ghostly as the other students, but Kurt's the only one who seems to notice.

"Yeah, but Kurt's gotta, like, know when to quit." Kitty replies, the two of them walking past Kurt without sparing him a glance. His heart leaps after them and he reaches out.

"Kitty? Kitty!" Kurt's hand goes through her shoulder and makes him stop in his tracks.

'She must be pranking me, she has to be!'

Yet when he tries to grab Evan, he gets the same result. Kitty's laughter echoes through the hall as she and Evan disappear in the mist. "No, wait! No!" Kurt cries, but he's lost them.

It's like everyone around him is a spirit. Or, Kurt realizes with horror, maybe he's the ghost that nobody can see or touch.

"Vhat's happening to me??"

---

A little black beetle scuttles across the parking lot pavement. Toad crouches over it, licking his chapped lips. It looks like the type that's crunchy on the outside but juicy on the inside... He's salivating just thinking about it!

Toad stills and waits for the right moment, ready to catch the insect with his long tongue. However, the car angrily honking at him has other plans. He jumps back in surprise as the green convertible pulls into the parking spot, nearly running him over.

"Out of the way!" Darkholme yells from the drivers' seat. Toad flinches, then looks down sadly where the front tire squashed his bug.

"Aw, my lunch!"

Angry heels click up to him and he looks up at the glowering principal.

"You are to stay away from this area, Mr. Tolansky!" She demands, shoving a manicured finger in his face, "If I see one drop of slime on my new car, it's detention for life! Are we clear?" Not waiting for an answer, she stalks off  toward the school building.

"Oh, yes, we're very clear." Toad mutters with a scowl, blowing a raspberry after her. Lunchless and demeaned, yet again, he sticks his hands in his pockets and trudges around to the side of the school. Hopefully he can find some good grub in the woods there.

Not surprising that Mystique's stupid Brotherhood program doesn't include free lunch. At least he gets breakfast and dinner at the boarding house, which is more than his deadbeat dad ever made him. He was usually too drunk to cook, so Toad's used to scrounging up his meals.

As he passes the courtyard, he spots other students finishing lunch, including Summers and Jean Grey. 'Hmph. Figures. Fancy rich X-men get school lunch and live in a mansion.'

A buzzing catches his attention and Toad locks eyes on the fly. He follows it into the wooded area, creeping after it carefully. His tongue shoots out, narrowly missing as the fly swerves and makes for an escape. He glares at the bug, but before he can make a second attempt, something else catches Toad's eye.

Rogue is walking to the dumpster, holding some weird device away from her with a mop handle like it's radioactive. He watches as she carries it to the garbage, where it slips off and falls onto the grass. She gasps and shields herself like the thing is gonna blow up, but it doesn't do anything. Curious, Toad walks over and reaches down to pick it up. "Ooh, what's this?"

"Don't touch it!!" Rogue practically shrieks at him. He recoils instantly. "Why not??"

"It's- Never you mind!" Rogue yells with a glare, grabbing it herself. "Just leave it alone!"

Todd rolls his eyes. Rogue always acts so tough, like nothing can touch her. Well, nothing actually can touch her, but that's not the point! Just because she's Mystique's favorite doesn't mean she's better than him. "Aw, what's the matter?" He teases, "Little Rogue get into some trouble?"

"Trouble? No." She answers quickly, narrowing her eyes at him, "There's just one less X-man to push us around."

Toad straightens up from his slouch as she dumps the machine and dusts off her hands. "Say what?" He asks, suddenly very interested in the hunk of junk, "You mean you toasted one of them goody-goods with that thing? Wicked!"

"Hey!" Rogue snaps, getting up in his face, "Just leave it alone! You got it, swamp breath?"

She storms off and Toad shakes his head in disbelief. "Geez, what is this? Abuse-the-Toad Day?"

Immediately he starts digging around in the dumpster for the thing. He grabs ahold of it and starts fiddling with the buttons, not getting any results. He starts to wonder if Rogue was just messing with him when the machine begins to whir loudly, spooking Toad into dropping it and ducking behind a tree for cover.

He watches from his hiding place as a red and yellow orb of light shoots out of the device and surrounds the dumpster. The orb shrinks away, taking the 2-ton bin of garbage with it. His jaw drops.

"Cooooooooooool."

It's like a laser gun that can make things disappear!! He picks it up, suddenly feeling very powerful. The possibilities start to cross his mind and his smile grows.

Maybe they'll think twice about abusing the Toad when they see how powerful he can be!

---

You step back out into the courtyard as lunch wraps up, just a little concerned. You'd thought of a few places Kurt might have gone when he teleported away. The bathroom, the locker rooms, even the janitor's closet you'd escaped to weeks ago. But he didn't turn up in any of these places, so you decided to check the courtyard one more time in case he'd come back.

It doesn't look like it. You sigh as you walk along the the edge of the woods, looking for any sign of your friend. Just as you're about to give up, you sense someone's panic. Just around the bend, you spot Rogue leaning against the brick wall and breathing heavily. She's almost completely obscured by the trees, and you wouldn't have found her had her emotions not been riding so high.

"Rogue?" You ask, approaching with concern.

She startles, making you pause. When she sees that it's you, there's a new mix of feelings. Fear, concern... guilt? And definitely distrust. "What do you want?"

You wince at her harsh words. "I was just walking by, looking for my friend..."

Something indiscernible flashes across her face when you say this, and her face hardens. "Well, he ain't here! So leave me alone!"

"Gladly." You turn around in surprise as Scott speaks up behind you. He crosses his arms and stares down at her harshly. "Don't yell at my friend."

Rogue looks between you and him, then shakes her head and walks away. "Fine! Whatever."

You bite your lip as he leads you away from Rogue again. He must see some discomfort in your expression because he raises an eyebrow and asks. "What's wrong? Did she say something to you?"

Part of you wants to shrug it off, pretend it doesn't bother you. If you tell him he's being overprotective of you, how's he going to react? You don't want to hurt his feelings. But after seeing the issue boil over at lunch, how it's affecting the others, keeping quiet might just make it worse.

You choose your words carefully. "We were just talking. You didn't need to step in."

"Sounded like yelling to me. I just wanted to make sure you're okay." He dismisses, and you hesitate again. Kurt and Kitty have been saying you need to stand up for yourself more, speak up when something's bothering you. You think of them when you continue, a little more bluntly.

"I know, but... sometimes it feels like... like you don't trust me."

You don't even need your powers, you can see his surprise is written all over his face. "What? Of- of course I trust you! It's her I don't trust."

You frown. "She saved my life remember?"

"Yeah." He says, and you sense regret from him and assume it's for how he treated Rogue. "I'm really grateful for that, I am. I don't hate her, I don't even think she's a bad person... I think she's being fooled. Mystique got into her head that night, made her see us as the enemy."

"If I thought she would hurt me, I wouldn't talk to her." You reply softly, "I can feel her emotions, Scott, and she doesn't hate us. She's just afraid."

"Exactly. She's afraid, and that fear might drive her to hurt one of us again, like she hurt Kurt and Storm."

You wish you could convince him that Rogue isn't dangerous, but he makes a valid point. You have hope that she'll come around, but this Mystique may try to trick her into fighting the X-men. Despite this, you have faith in her, faith that you can't rationally justify. It's just something you feel when you're around her. So, as the two of you move into the main hall, you drop the Rogue issue and refocus on your original point instead. "Anyways, it's not just about that. Lately, you've been acting kind of... strict. You remind us every day not to use our powers at school, but we already know that. And whether or not anyone in the Brotherhood is nearby, you're always hovering like one of us is gonna slip up."

"Hovering?" He exclaims. "I don't hover!"

You raise an eyebrow. "What about the party?"

"A party could be dangerous!"

"For mutants who can't control their powers, maybe." You sigh, thinking mostly about yourself, "But Jean, Kitty, they can all handle themselves fine for a night."

"And Kurt? You saw him teleport in the middle of the courtyard! It's a miracle no one saw..."

"He only did that because you were too hard on him!" You snap, then cover your mouth. Realizing you got carried away with the heightened emotions of the conversation, you take a break to center yourself and lean against the trophy case. Scott leans next to you, his forehead creased.

"Sorry." He apologizes quietly, "I shouldn't have gotten so worked up around you, I-"

"No, it's fine." You reply, a little embarrassed at your outburst, "This is just something I need to deal with. Give me a minute."

The two of you stand there silently as students mill about the hall, their emotions flurrying by. You plan to drop the issue, but then Scott asks, "Do you.. Do you really think I was too hard on him?"

He's not asking defensively. He's genuine, worried. You take a deep breath and answer honestly.

"Yeah... I mean, you pulled his tail. It's sensitive, you know? He doesn't like people touching it."

"I- I didn't mean to hurt him." Scott replies, shocked. He must have not known. "I just wanted him to stop goofing off."

"I know. And Kurt does goof around a lot, but that's because-" You pause, not wanting to divulge too much. Kurt probably wouldn't want you to tell Scott everything he told you about his past. His story is his to tell. You decide not to relay too many details, but still explain it the best you can.

"You know how Kurt only got the image inducer when he came to the Institute? Before that, he had no way to hide what he was."

You see the wheels turning as Scott figures it out. "He didn't get to go to school."

"He's so excited to just get to be a normal teenager." You smile, thinking about how endearing his excitement is when he goes to buy a burger, or plays volleyball in gym, or sings really loudly and off-key in music class. How he says hi to students in the hallway he doesn't know just because he's so excited to be around people. "So for him, going to a party is really important."

"He's never been to one." Scott realizes, shaking his head in disbelief, "God, I'm.. I'm so stupid."

It takes you a moment to realize you're crying, and a moment longer to realize it's because Scott is. His shades hide it well, only a stray tear falling beneath them. Your eyes go wide and you panic, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm not mad!"

"No, no, it's not you, Y/N." He reassures, wiping at his eyes. You calm a bit, but still watch him with concern. He takes a shaky breath and looks up at the ceiling. "I'm a terrible brother." He mutters.

"Huh?" You ask, confused. He blinks, like he's shaking himself out of a daydream. "Leader. Sorry, I meant leader."

Your brow furrows, not sure what to make of that slip-up. Then the bell rings, and Scott stands up straight and puts on a smile. "C'mon, let's get to class."

Following him past rows of lockers, you offer your opinion. "I don't think you're a bad leader."

He smiles again, even though you know he's still sad. "Thanks, Y/N. I'll try to ease up on the, uh, hovering." He ruffles your hair, and you let out a giggle as the tension eases.

What's this?" Jean approaches you two, a playful smirk on her face, "Has Y/N coaxed you down from your high horse finally?"

Scott looks at her and groans. "So, you think I should apologize to Kurt, too?"

"Well, what matters is what you think." Jean replies with knowing eyes. It's kind of funny how quickly she can disarm Scott sometimes, who's now muttering his arguments. "You gotta admit, sometimes he jerks around way too much."

"So, is that worth losing a friend over?"

Yep, Jean wins. Scott surrenders with a fall of the shoulders. You cover a grin when Jean winks at you, and Scott sighs.

"Yeah, okay, I guess I can-"

"AH! GHOST!" The three of you turn toward the fearful voices. Two students bolt out of boys' bathroom, clearly freaked out. Their terror puts your hair on end and you have to remind yourself that you're not the one who's scared.

"We just saw a ghost!"

"Blue hairy demon!" The other one shrieks as they rush by, and your face goes pale.

'Kurt??'

Scott curses. "I warned him!" He exclaims in frustration and runs into the bathroom. You and Jean wait for him as he calls out for Kurt.

"I don't get it.." Jean wonders aloud, "If his image inducer stopped working, why wouldn't he teleport back home?"

"I don't know." You admit, "Do you think he'll get in a lot of trouble?"

"Well, I've tutored those two freshmen." Jean replies, "They kind of have a rep for being stoners. I don't think anyone will believe them. In a few hours I don't think they'll even believe themselves."

"Huh." You look back at the bathroom, definitely picking up the smell of weed. The few students left in the hall are either rolling their eyes or laughing, and you don't sense any suspicion, so you take that as a good sign.

Scott finally returns, scratching his head. "Not there?" Jean asks.

"No." Scott replies, "You'd better contact him. Tell him to knock it off and get somewhere private."

You take Jean's book as she puts her fingers to her temples. This is pretty bad timing for Kurt to get caught in mutant form. You can't help but be a little annoyed at Kurt too, since you just stood up for him and everything. But something about this seems wrong, since Kurt of all people should know how important it is to keep his identity hidden.

After a few moments, Jean blinks open her eyes in confusion. "I can't pick up a trace of Kurt anywhere. It's like he doesn't exist.."

You frown, the pit in your stomach deepening. "Doesn't exist?"

"I checked everywhere! The school, the Institute.."

"His favorite burger place?"

"Yes!"

Now Scott's getting worried as well. "Try again. He's got to be somewhere."

"I am, I'm not getting anything!" Jean exclaims in frustration, "He's just... completely gone!"

It's hard to suppress the panic that ensues, especially since you can so clearly sense Scott and Jean's uncertainty and fear. Then Scott's eyes narrow at something behind you. "Or somebody did something to him..." He growls.

You turn to see Lance and Blob stalking down the hall in your direction. Seeing them makes your skin crawl, and your first instinct is to avoid them, but Scott moves in front of you and starts to approach them. "Scott?" You ask, surprised and anxious.

"What are you looking at, Summers?" Lance glares as he passes by.

"Where's Kurt?!" Scott demands furiously, making you take a step back.

'What is he doing?'

Blob smirks. "Ha! Yeah, like we'd tell you."

Your heart nearly stops. 'Did they take Kurt??'

Scott runs forward and Jean yells at him to stop, but he grabs Lance by the shirt and pins him up against the lockers.

"I said, where is he?!" Scott demands venomously.

Lance struggles in his grip. "Get off of me!"

"What have you done with Kurt?!"

You can't believe your eyes. Scott is the most furious you've ever seen him. Other students are taking notice and flocking towards the scene, making it all the more uncomfortable. You feel Jean put a hand on you and firmly say, "Stay back, okay?" She steps into the confrontation before you can protest.

In a split-second, everything goes from bad to worse when Blob lifts Scott off the ground. "Get lost, Slim!" He laughs, holding him high up in the air. You let out a shriek of protest, unheard over the clamor of the tightening crowd. Jean's angry yell is much clearer. "Put him down!"

Lance steps in between them and sneers. "Back off, Red, or I'll rock ya!" His fingers flex and you pick up on the subtle rumble of the lockers. You see Jean's arm raise on instinct and stare terrified at the stalemate.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Chants the crowd, and you cover your ears to block out the ravenous onlookers. You search around for someone or something that could stop this, and your eyes lock with someone across the hall.

Rogue, looking about as scared as you feel.

"What is going on here?!" Principal Darkholme's commanding tone cuts through the noise. Students quickly disperse to avoid her rage. When you look back at Rogue, you see she's disappeared along with everyone else.

"We weren't doin' nuthin'." Blob states, and you stare incredulously as he continues to hold Scott two feet off the ground. "Put him down, already!" You exclaim, and the principal turns her glare on you but waves at Blob to let go. Scott drops to the floor and you and Jean rush over to him.

"Summers here just went ballistic on us for no reason!" Lance argues, glaring down at the three of you.

Scott glares back, fists tightening. "Oh, I've got a reason!" You hold his arm, half afraid he's going to throw a punch. Jean does the same, whispering his name pleadingly. "Scott!"

"Quiet!" Darkholme snaps, arms crossed, "You three, in my office now." She looks to you, Scott, and Jean.

"But Ms. Darkholme, Y/N wasn't part of this!" Jean protests.

"I'll be the one to determine that." Darkholme narrows her eyes at you and a chill goes down your spine. You remember when she told you to stay away from Rogue, the disdain you could feel behind her words. What did you do to make the principal hate you so much?

As the three of you follow after Darkholme, Scott's anger still simmering, you hear mocking laughter behind you. Blob and Lance are looking after you with a smug satisfaction. You think of what Fred said about Kurt, and anger starts boiling up in you too.

'If they did something to him, I'll never forgive them..'

---

Rogue watches silently as Darkholme leads away the X-men. She'd panicked when she caught your eye in that crowd, quickly slipping away and hiding behind the door of her locker. It felt like you could see right through her, see what she'd done.

'I killed him.'

She shakes her head, sweat dripping down the side of her head. As much as she wants to run away, she can't keep herself from watching the X-men from afar, waiting for them to prove her wrong. But she heard the telepath say that she can't sense him anywhere..

'Murderer.'

"No!" She cries, sinking to the floor of the empty hall. She looks to her shaky hands and laughs bitterly. Even when she's not using her powers, she's hurting people. And now...

Now what?

She should go to Mystique, right? Mystique will protect her from the X-men's wrath. But Mystique will also say she did well, and that thought is sickening. Just remembering Kurt's shocked face disappearing in a burst of light makes her want to vomit.

She can't tell the X-men, they'll kill her! Right? She saw Scott attack Lance and Blob just a minute ago. He was furious! He'll probably laser her in the face once he finds out the truth.

'What about Y/N?'

Her first thought is surprising, just the look of heartbreak on your face once you learn your friend is... Then she thinks of your form becoming monstrous and slaying her where she stands. And then, inexplicably, she thinks of this morning.

"Dracula?"

"Tell me if it's good?"

Rogue sighs heavily, folding her legs into a crouch and burying her face in her arms.

"What do I do, Irene?" She whispers. But if Irene were here, she wouldn't tell Rogue the whole truth. This revelation leaves her angry, frustrated.

Alone.

"You're not alone!"

Rogue sits up, her lips tightening into a grimace. Maybe it's stupid, what she's deciding to do, but it's the only thing that sits right with her. Even though it could go horribly wrong, even though she's afraid..

'I need to tell Y/N.'

---

The smoke clears and Kurt opens his eyes only to groan in frustration. This is the tenth time he's tried to teleport home, and every time he ends up in some random part of the spooky high school. He can't even teleport anywhere out of his line of sight! A few feet, sure, but if he tries to go to the courtyard, he ends up in the computer lab. Then he tries the computer lab, and he's in the boys' bathroom! Walking around is twice as dizzying, nothing being where it should be. Once he steps into the fog outside the bathroom, he emerges in the chorus room instead of the hall. Finally, he's back in the main hall where he began. All the while he sees and hears ghostly whispers of students and teachers.

Trying to get their attention is a waste. He might as well be dead to them. For a good minute, he'd feared he might actually be dead, but he doesn't feel dead. His heart is beating like crazy, he's sweating - the sweating actually helped him to not panic. Ghosts don't sweat, so he's not a ghost! That's comforting, at least. But, it doesn't help solve where he is.

He takes a deep breath, talking out loud to keep himself from going insane. "Okay! Okay. Vherever zhis is, I can't teleport out. Agh! Zhis is just vay too freaky!!" He cries, losing his cool. If he can't get out of the Twilight Zone, how's he gonna eat? Is he just gonna starve? Are the X-men going to save him? Can they??

His panicked train of thought is derailed by a flash of light from above. Kurt looks up and gasps at the large mahogany desk about to flatten him. He yelps and teleports away, aiming for the opposite row of lockers. He reappears just in time to see the desk crash down, right where he'd been standing. Before he can react, he sees another flash out of the corner of his eye, turning around to see a desk chair fall out of a red and yellow light.

"It's raining furniture?!!"

Another flash above him and Kurt is teleporting away again, not eager to get crushed to a pulp today.

---

Toad cackles as he aims the laser at the mahogany desk with Darkholme's little nameplate on top. "See the desk," It disappears in the red and yellow orb, "Don't see the desk!"

"See the chair, don't see the chair!" He grins, baring his yellow teeth triumphantly. "So, Ms. Big Shot, let's see how you like my new clean office policy." Toad laughs even harder as he blasts the rest of her furniture out of existence. Revenge is truly delicious.

His ears perk up as he hears the door to the outer office open and Darkholme's muffled voice. "Inside, all of you!"

"Uh oh." He mutters, looking for a quick exit. Hopping over to the window, he unlatches it and jumps down two stories to the ground, landing in a crouch. "Saved it." He says, quite proud of himself, and then realizes where he is. The faculty parking lot.

And wouldn't you know it, there's that shiny new green convertible.

Toad looks down at the laser projector, then back up at the car. He grins.

'...It won't have a speck of slime on it...'

---

"Summers, Grey, and Y/L/N..." Principal Darkholme condemns as she ushers the three of you into the main office, "I should've known you'd make trouble with the Brotherhood sooner or later."

You want to protest on your friends' behalf, but Jean touches your shoulder and shakes her head. Even Scott is keeping reluctant silence, his ire calming.

Darkholme opens the door to her personal office, a deep frown lining her face. "I don't care what influence Xavier has with the school board, I am going to get- What?" She rushes inside, and when you see the room your jaw drops. Her office is completely empty. And if her fury is anything to go by, this is not an intentional design choice.

"What happened here? Who took my furniture?!" She whirls around on you, as if somehow you have it all hidden in your pockets.

"Principal Darkholme, we were with you the whole time." Jean says reasonably.

Your principal looks like she's about to snap back, then makes an angry, wordless noise and storms out. The three of you are left alone, looking at each other in sheer confusion.

"Maybe it's a senior prank?" Jean suggests and Scott moves toward the wide-open window. His face becomes alarmed and he calls, "Over here!"

You and Jean go to the window and look out into the parking lot. You do a double take when you see Toad, decked out in the same uniform he wore when he broke into the mansion on your first day. He's holding a weird looking machine and pointing it at a green car. As if your jaw could get any closer to the floor, you watch as an orb of red and yellow light emits from the machine, enveloping the car and disappearing with it. You stare dumbly as Toad chuckles at the empty parking space and hops away.

"Bet I know what happened to Kurt." Scott says darkly.

Your heart jumps as you realize it. 'What did Toad do to him??'

---

Kurt glances around warily. He thinks he's in Principal Darkholme's office, or at least the Twilight Zone version, but it's completely empty of furniture. He doesn't have much time to dwell on that though, because the light flashes again and a convertible plummets through the ceiling.

"AH!" He yells, shielding his face and teleporting away again.

---

Even in your present distress, you notice another presence in the room. Someone's behind you. You turn around and gasp when you see Kurt.

"Guys, look!" Scott and Jean quickly turn to see him too. For a second, Kurt is drifting in front of you like a specter. Then, he's gone again.

"It's Kurt!" Jean exclaims in shock. Scott looks more spooked. "O-or his ghost.."

'His ghost?!' You don't even want to consider that!

"No, I got a brief mental reading!" Jean says, fingers on her temples. You and Scott let out an audible sigh, and you nod. "I felt him too. He's scared.."

"It's like he's trapped somewhere..." Jean guesses.

Scott looks outside, expression hardened. "I think we'd better have a talk with the Toad."

You nod, beginning to feel angry. Not because of Scott or anyone else. It's all from you.

Toad messed with your friend, and he's going to be sorry for that.

---

Kurt lands on hardwood floor and looks around quickly, relaxing when no bursts of light appear to drop anything else on him. He recognizes the gymnasium, a little less misty than the rest of this weird ghost school. He can see all the way to the bleachers across the room. Making his way in cautiously, Kurt catches sight of the approaching shadow before it's on him. He teleports instinctively, locking his eyes on the bleachers above him.

He half expects a piano or something to come crashing down where he was. After all, his life is now basically a Woody Woodpecker cartoon. But what he sees as he hangs from the bleacher railing is even more shocking.

A person!

A real, non-ghost person, currently coughing and waving away Kurt's teleport smoke.

"Woah!" The young man exclaims, looking around in confusion. "Where'd you come from?!"

Relieved and excited, Kurt flips down from his perch and lands in front of the first real person he's seen in an hour. But he kind of forgets that his holowatch is broken, and ends up giving the guy a scare.

"Gah!"

"Relax!" Kurt says quickly, trying to keep the man calm. He looks a few years older than him, with dark skin and chin length black hair. He seems familiar, but Kurt can't put his finger on it. Anyways, he can focus on that when this guy isn't freaking out.

"What are you, man??" The stranger is looking Kurt up and down with wide eyes, but he's not running away. Hopefully that's a good sign.

Kurt offers a friendly smile, but tries not to bare his fangs too much. "Don't let my looks fool you. I'm a harmless blue fuzzball. Really!" Then it finally clicks, and Kurt gasps. "Hey, I know you! You're ze one I saw on ze computer screen just before it blew!"

The boy shrugs with an expression that almost looks sheepish. "Uh, yeah... The name's Forge. So, um, you found my lab, huh?"

"Ja, right before it exploded!" Kurt exclaims, waiting for him to explain. Forge chuckles nervously.

"Sorry about that.. I was trying to protect my gear from government spies... The blast's not meant to be lethal though."

"Yeah, but it sure stung!" Kurt replies, rubbing the bump on his head, "But, you know vhat, I don't even care! I'm just happy someone can see me!"

"The feeling is mutual, you have no idea.." Forge sighs with an awkward smile. "So, uh, what's with the Halloween get-up?"

"Ah." Kurt hesitates, not sure if telling him the truth would freak him out again. On the other hand, the two of them are already in a really crazy situation, so maybe he'll be open to new ideas! It's worth a shot...

Kurt wiggles his three fingers and flicks his tail. "No costume. I'm human, but I'm a mutant. I know I look strange, but..." He teleports behind Forge and smiles, "...zhere are some fringe benefits!"

Forge gasps, but it quickly turns into a huge grin. "Trippy! I thought I was the only one!" He extends his forearm and Kurt watches in surprise as the skin shifts and hardens into a massive metal contraption with dozens of little claws and tools coming out the end. A smile dawns on his face too, and for the first time in an hour, Kurt feels like laughing.

---

"Shadowcat, Spyke, you patrol the back of the school. Jean, Avatar, you're on the left. I'll take the right. If you see Toad, report back and we'll converge on your location. Got it?"

Everyone nods as Cyclops gives his instructions outside the X-Van. Once school hours ended and the building cleared out, you'd all gotten changed into your suits and formed a plan to find and confront Toad. Cyclops said it was important to be prepared for the possibility that you may have to fight the Brotherhood. Needless to say, you're nervous for a load of reasons.

First of all, is Kurt okay? The thought that he could be hurt makes you so scared and angry. That ghostly vision of him had his arms up in front of his face, like he was shielding himself. He was scared of something, and not knowing what just makes it all worse.

Then there's the Brotherhood. If you do have to fight them, what will happen? You've been training hard, but will it be enough to make up for your useless powers? And even if you don't get hurt, that doesn't mean someone else on your team won't.

And it's all capped off by the fact that it's just the five of you this time. Every other mission you've been on, you've had Storm or Wolverine there to help and guide you. But Storm is out of state helping with the flooding in South Carolina, and apparently Wolverine's gone off somewhere without telling anyone. You feel like you're walking a tightrope without a safety net.

"Are you sure we can do this?" You ask Cyclops away from the others.

He leans down and takes your shoulder. "Avatar, I promise you, I will protect you. None of you are getting hurt on my watch. I will be a better leader this time."

You feel that wave of regret from him again, but Cyclops is walking away before you can ask about it. "Let's go, Avatar." Jean says, and you follow her around the school.

"Hey, Jean?" You ask after a few minutes, "Is Cyclops okay?"

She sighs. "Yeah, I noticed it too."

You shake your head in confusion. "He feels bad about something... Maybe I said something wrong."

"It's not you, Avatar." Jean asserts firmly, "I think... I think he just took what happened to us really hard."

It takes you a second to realize what she means. "Oh. Blob." You think back, and it's true. Most of the overprotectiveness started there. "But that wasn't his fault."

"He doesn't see it that way." Jean explains, "Me and Cyclops, we've been teammates since we were ten. Even back then, he always took on the leadership role, wanted to make sure he kept me from getting hurt. So, when Blob took us, I think he saw it as a personal failure."

Your eyebrows pinch together as you remember something Scott said earlier. "Jean... Does Scott have a sibling?"

She pauses, caught off guard. "How did you know that?"

"It was something he said... Sorry, I was just curious."

Jean is silent for a long minute. "Scott had a little brother. Alex. But... he and their parents died in an plane accident when Scott was eight."

This stops you in your tracks. Scott never mentioned that he's an orphan too... But then, why would he want to talk about something so painful? Losing a sibling is a grief you can't imagine.

You feel as though something clicked into place, and suddenly you understand Scott a little better than before. He's always had the energy of a big brother to you and the other X-men, and you realize that that's exactly what he wants to be. And he's terrified to lose any of you like he lost his family..

"I think I owe him a hug." You say after a while, and Jean breathes out a laugh. "I think we all deserve a hug after today." She replies.

The crackle of the communicators on yours and Jean's belts precedes Spyke's voice. "We've found him! He's got the device! Sending our location!"

You and Jean look at each other in alarm, then start running towards the back of the school.

---

Kurt grunts as he gets a better grip on the equipment he's carrying. He and Forge went scouring the school for things that could help them escape. With all the furniture and stuff appearing out of nowhere, they picked up all they could carry and wandered until they made it back to the gym. They even found a good workshop table for Forge to tinker on. Kurt groans as he sets down his load, wishing his teleporting powers would work better in this place.

Forge had his own theory for why Kurt couldn't teleport anywhere out of his range of sight. "This plane isn't stable, it's like a sliding puzzle. I tried making a compass, then a radar... space just works differently here. There's no location to pinpoint, and even though it looks like we're in the gym, it's just an image of the real gym being projected back at us somehow. We could loop back to the ground we're standing on now and it could look like some place completely different. So, yeah, navigation's been a toughie."

Kurt looks around at the eerie gym, its walls wavy and distorted. He tries to imagine that the basketball hoops, the bleachers, even the floor beneath him, aren't really there. That he's just floating in a bunch of empty space that looks familiar. It makes his head hurt.

"Mutant, huh?" Forge wonders aloud as he starts sorting through various items and disassembling them with his cyborg limb, "There wasn't a word for that when I was in high school. I just thought I was some weirdo."

"Ha, ja." Kurt replies with a small smile, "I felt ze same vay until I met ze X-men. My Mutti and Vati had to move around a lot vhen I vas little because ze neighbors kept finding out about me."

"I'm guessing they didn't react well?"

"Nein." Kurt says quietly, remembering a particularly bad night when he was younger. A night of pitchforks and torches that he tries not to think about.

"Some things never change. Even before I could do this," Forge waves his arm, "Me and my family were outsiders. My parents were practically forced to leave the reservation and assimilate into 'civilized society'. My brother, though, he never gave in. He used to say that what makes us different is a gift." His smile falters, and he pauses in his work for a moment before resuming. "I used to dream about developing a new age of technology, using my gift to change the world for the better. Just my luck I'd get stuck here, where I can't change anything."

Forge says the last part light-heartedly, like it's an old joke. Kurt can't find it in himself to laugh, so he watches. Screws coming loose, metal prying apart, wires being cut and reconnected. It's amazing how hyper-focused Forge is with his craft. Kurt feels kind of useless, just standing by while the other boy does all the work. "Is zhere anything I can do?"

"Unless you've got some extra tech on hand, my man.."

Kurt wracks his brain, and an idea comes to mind. He takes off his image inducer and hands it over. "Maybe zhis? It's broken, but maybe zhere's a part zhat you can use?"

Forge turns it over quizzically. "A watch?" Upon further examination, his eyes widen in fascination. "Woah. This is so sophisticated... the chip is fried, but the battery's still intact."

"Uh, great!" Kurt replies, rubbing the back of his neck, "Vhat does zhat mean, exactly?"

His new friend turns to him with a huge grin. "It means we have a shot at getting out of here!"

---

You and Jean round the corner just in time to see Toad dart away with the machine, pursued by Spyke, Shadowcat, and Cyclops. "There he goes!" Cyclops shouts, and you and Jean give chase as well.

Toad hops quickly between park benches and trees, trying to lose you. To slow him down, Cyclops shoots a laser near him. It works, Toad tripping up and the X-men gaining ground.

Not ready to go down yet, Toad turns the device around. "Take that!" He yells, an orb of light shooting out of the projector toward your friends.

Jean sees it's trajectory before you do. "Shadowcat, down!" You suck in a quick breath as Shadowcat sinks into the ground, the light grazing her hair and landing on the water fountain behind her. As it vanishes, you feel sick. That could have been Kitty!

It might have already happened to Kurt..

"Get him!" Cyclops orders, and Shadowcat rises back up. You breathe a sigh of relief and fix your eyes on Toad.

'He's not getting away with this.'

You and the X-men continue to give chase as he makes his way to the side of the school,

---

Kurt is settled into a bored crouch on the table when the light flashes. He yelps, covering his face, and a water fountain falls onto the hardwood floor. Whipping his head around, he sees Forge still working on his project completely unfazed. Kurt doesn't know how he can stay so calm, clutching his chest as he exclaims, "Man! Somebody's really giving zhat gizmo of yours a vorkout!"

Forge finally looks up with a raised eyebrow. "That 'gizmo' is a transdimensional projector." He says, seeming slightly annoyed at Kurt's choice of words. Then he softens and gets back to work. "It was my science fair project back in '78. But when I fired it up, it created this pocket dimension that I call 'Middleverse'. I got caught in the ray myself, and I've been here ever since."

Kurt's jaw drops.  "'78? But you still look-?"

"Like I did then? I know." Forge says with a shrug. "I can't explain it. They shut down and locked my lab after the accident. Everyone was totally freaked when I disappeared."

'Forge has been in zhis place, zhis 'Middleverse', since the 70s...' The thought slowly sinks in, and Kurt balks. 'If he's been trying to escape for so long..'

Kurt voices his concerns aloud. "So zhere's no way back?"

"Not without help from the other side." Forge elaborates, his smile a little more genuine as he goes on. "And I'm thinking that you may be able to help out on that. And man, I'm telling ya, I'm ready to go home."

Kurt smiles in relief, nudging Forge playfully. "I'm sure your brother vill be happy to see you!"

Forge's face falls again, and Kurt wonders what he said. Finally, Forge sighs. "My brother died in 1975. He was... he was drafted into the war in Vietnam and.."

"I'm so sorry!" Kurt exclaims, horrified at his mistake.

"Don't be." Forge replies, offering Kurt a forgiving smile. "I'm not even sure if my parents are still around. But if there's a chance.. I just want them to know what happened to me, you know?"

Kurt stares at Forge. The guy has a smile on his face, but it doesn't reach his eyes. 'I felt so alone here in my first hour, but he's been here for decades. He may not even have a home to go back to..'

It's heartbreaking.

Kurt decides then and there that the two of them are getting out of here no matter what. "You said I can help. Vhat do you need me to do?"

"You'll see. I just need to adjust the power converter... and..." Forge's arm reverts back to normal and he lights up. "Ha! Done!"

In his hand is a rough-looking device with a few buttons and a meter. It's attached to some straps and a headset, with a few wires hanging off it. Kurt doesn't know if he should be impressed or not, but it's definitely a diversion from the junk he started with. "Vhat is it?"

Forge holds it up with reverence. "This little baby will alter the phase-shift frequency of your teleport power!"

"Uh.. My English is a little limited."

"You can teleport back to the real world."

"All right!" Kurt cheers. He could kiss Forge right now!

"But only for a sec!" Forge stresses, his tone turned serious. "This thing takes a lot of power, and even these batteries you gave me aren't gonna be enough for a full ride home. Still, with luck, you can tell somebody on the other side how to help us."

An awful thought suddenly hits Kurt. "Oh, I just hope zhey don't zhink I'm joking!" He groans, thinking back to his argument with Scott. Forge just gives him a confused look, and Kurt sighs. "I kind of have that rep.."

---

If you weren't so angry with him, you'd almost feel bad for Toad. Left with nowhere else to run, he'd scurried up a tree. Now you and your team are looking up there, waiting for him to give up already.

Which he clearly doesn't want to do. "Get lost! I'm warnin' ya!" Toad yells, brandishing the ray gun projector. You're not too worried though, as he can't do much with one hand on the machine and the other clinging onto a tree branch. Cyclops blasts the branch apart, sending Toad tumbling to the ground with a small yelp. Jean catches the machine telekinetically, levitating it safely into her hands.

Toad gulps. "That's it, I'm outta here!" He makes a run for it, but a spike pins his suit to the tree trunk before he takes two steps.

Spyke smirks. "Why don't ya stick around for a while?" He's clearly proud of himself for that line, and you'd roll your eyes at him any other day. But right now, you just want to know that Kurt is okay. Cyclops doesn't waste time either, crouching in front of Toad with his hand resting menacingly on his visor.

"Now, tell us what you did to Kurt." He says, deadly serious.

Toad cowers away. "I didn't do anything!" He pleads, and it gives you pause. You don't sense any deception from him, and it causes you to doubt. "Cyclops, maybe-"

"He didn't."

You and the rest of the team whip around. Rogue emerges from behind a tree, her features tightened into a cool glare.  "I did." She admits, and your breath leaves you. "If you all wanna find blue boy, you better let him go."

"You what?" Cyclops demands, his anger rising again.

"I'm the one who shot him with that thing. So let the creep go and I'll show you where it went down." Rogue crosses her arms, eyes locked with Cyclops. You wonder if she's avoiding your eyes or if she just doesn't care. Has she been playing you this whole time? Was Cyclops right about her? You can't think straight with all your friends' poisonous emotions around you. They're all furious with Rogue.

'She took Kurt.' You think dumbly, 'She took him, she knew, and she didn't say anything..'

Cyclops lets out a defeated grunt and yanks the spike from the tree, freeing Toad. The pallid mutant scampers away the second he can, leaving all of you alone with Rogue. "Now do your part. Show us." Cyclops says, barely keeping his voice level.

Rogue nods, and her eye finally catches yours for a split-second before turning her back and walking away. You all follow carefully, and in those tense minutes you find yourself gritting your teeth. All the way down into the school's basement you keep your fists clenched, watching Rogue with a feeling you'd never had toward her before. Anger and betrayal, as well as anger at yourself that you'd trusted her.

'Is this my fault?' You think, wondering if letting your guard down around her somehow led to this.

Finally, she stops in a room that looks like it survived a war, full of broken computers and scorch marks on the wall. "This is where it happened." She states, her face neutral.

You all immediately begin searching for any clue to what exactly happened to Kurt. Shadowcat and Spyke look over Toad's machine while you, Jean, and Cyclops scan the room. "Here!" Jean calls from a pile of crushed cardboard boxes. She holds up a strip of red fabric with telltale blue hairs stuck to it. Your throat closes up in a choked gasp, and Cyclops turns on Rogue.

"If you've hurt him, I'm gonna-!"

"You start threatening me, and you're never gonna find your friend!" Rogue snaps back. The two look moments away from fighting, and Jean has to step in. "Woah, take it easy, Cyclops."

His shoulders loosen as he sighs and returns to searching the room. Rogue backs off too, her eyes landing on you again. "Y/N.." She starts.

"Don't." You spit. "Whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it."

She has the nerve to look hurt by that. "I didn't... I mean.. I-"

"Did you or did you not shoot my best friend with that thing?" You demand, gesturing at the machine Spyke is currently examining. She nods, looking away. "You may have killed him! He might be dead!" She flinches, but you keep going. "Because that's what you want to do, right? To kill us?"

"I don't-"

"Cyclops was right about you." Your voice breaks, "You are the enemy."

Her eyes widen, and then she glares and takes a step back from you. "Fine, then."

You turn away, vision getting misty. A hand lands on your shoulder and you blink away the tears. "You alright?" Cyclops whispers.

"Yeah." You reply, feeling anything but. "Let's find Kurt."

---

"Where can we find your team?"

Kurt had to think about it, coming to the conclusion that his friends would be able to follow the breadcrumbs back to Forge's lab. After a tense while traversing the labyrinth that is Middleverse, looking over his shoulder for any more falling appliances, Kurt finally arrives at the school basement with Forge in tow. "Ve found it!" Kurt exclaims once the mist clears and he sees where they are. To his delight, he hears some familiar voices.

"Zhey're here!" He exclaims, pulling Forge into the room to see the translucent forms of his friends. They're all in X-men uniforms, trying to solve his disappearance. He's taken aback for a second when he notices Rogue there too.

'Vait. Did she lead zhem back to me?'

Then his excitement takes over again when he sees you. "Y/N! Forge, zhis is mein freund! She is ze sweetest person you'll ever know! Oh! Kitty! And Evan!"

"You know, I've seen some weird outfits throughout the decades.." Forge remarks, looking Cyclops up and down in amusement, "But these are a whole new level."

Cyclops starts moving towards Rogue angrily, and Kurt watches attentively as his echoed words slip into their dimension.

"If you've hurt him, I'm gonna-!"

"You start threatening me, and you're never gonna find your friend!"

"Woah, take it easy, Cyclops." Jean steps in, and Kurt finds himself nodding along. "Yeah, Cyclops. Just like I'm alvays telling you." Even though he can't actually make physical contact, he pats Cyclops on the back as best he can. His friend does seem to calm down, walking away from Rogue as Kurt looks on proudly. But, just when he thinks the X-men are done fighting, he hears something he didn't expect.

"Y/N.."

"Don't. Whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it."

Kurt looks at you, shocked. He's never seen you so mad, even when you got frustrated with him and Kitty fighting.

"I didn't... I mean.. I-"

"Did you or did you not shoot my best friend with that thing? You may have killed him! He might be dead! Because that's what you want to do, right? To kill us?"

Kurt looks between you and Rogue. You look pissed. And Rogue... He looks at her, conflicted. Yes, she shot him with the projector and sent him to an eternal limbo, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't mad about that.. but something tells him that she didn't mean to. Or, at least that she regrets it. Why else would she bring his friends here?

"Cyclops was right about you. You are the enemy."

It hurts Kurt to watch you like this. Even Forge can't help but take notice. "Wow. I thought you said she's the sweet one?"

Kurt doesn't reply, just watches you in concern from beyond the veil. 'I'm okay, Y/N! I'm right here!'

"Yo, guys!" Shadowcat calls to her friends. Kurt sees her and Spyke holding the projector, a small panel lifted up to reveal various buttons and meters underneath. "We've been running a diagnostic on this thing."

Spyke nods. "Can you believe it? It uses C.P.M.! I mean, talk about retro, man!"

Kurt inwardly cheers for his smart friends. Forge looks surprised. "I didn't know your friends were computer nerds."

Kurt grins proudly. "Evan's dad fixes computers for a living. And Kitty.. Well, Kitty's just a nerd about everyzhing."

Shadowcat, further proving her nerdiness, continues. "It's putting out some kind of, like, steady, low-power pulse wave that just seems to disappear into thin air."

Cyclops raises an eyebrow. "And, that means what, exactly?"

"Well, we figure that the pulse has trapped the Crawler in some other dimension." Spyke elaborates. Kurt's and Forge's jaws drop as he nails it on the head. They grin at each other gleefully.

'Ve may not even have to use ze teleporting device!'

Cyclops nods. "Okay, so let's trash this thing."

Forge suddenly pales, yelling at the people who can't hear him. "No! No, they've got it all wrong!" He grabs a startled Kurt by the shoulders. "If they destroy the projector, we'll be trapped here forever!"

---

You wait tensely as Cyclops sets up a perimeter around the projector, placed on a table in front of him. "Everyone, stand back!" He warns, "I'm gonna use full power. This could get messy." You comply, feeling slight discomfort as your step back takes you closer to where Rogue stands against the back wall.

Before Cyclops can blast it, Shadowcat raises her hand.

"Um, you know, I could just, like, phase through the gizmo and, like, quietly short it out?"

Cyclops and Spyke just look at her blankly, and she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. "Right. Forget I mentioned it." She leans over to you and Jean, whispering. "Like, what is it with guys and explosions anyway?"

Jean chuckles, and you give her a small smirk before turning your attention back to Cyclops. You watch in anticipation as he raises a hand to his visor.

---

"Forge, hurry!!" Kurt pleads, barely able to keep still as Forge hooks him up to the teleport device. "Zhey're gonna nuke ze projector any second!"

Forge's cybernetic arm screws in one last thing before he grins manically. "Done! I think it'll make you visible for a second, but I was so rushed putting it together-"

"Just tell me vhat to do!!" Kurt interrupts frantically, seeing Cyclops line up to shoot.

"Push that button and teleport." Forge explains quickly, "Tell them not to destroy the machine. They have to reset it instead! But you've only got a second before you're pulled back."

Kurt nods, adrenaline pumping. "Right. I'm gone!" He exclaims, pressing the button and aiming to teleport right in front of the X-men.

---

The flash of light isn't what you're expecting. It's not the line of bright red burning through the air that comes with Cyclops' optic beams. This light is brighter and shorter, like a flashbang. As your vision clears, you don't believe what you're seeing.

Kurt?!

He's standing right there in front of Cyclops! He's translucent, like he looked in Principal Darkholme's office, and he's wearing some strange device strapped around his chest and head. Before your eyes, he looks directly at you and opens his mouth.

"Reset, don't d-!"

And then he's gone again without a trace.

Cyclops looks back at the rest of you, all stunned. "You guys saw that, right?"

"He's still alive!" You hear Rogue exclaim from behind. She sounds relieved, but how can you believe that? Anyways, all you care about is that Kurt was trying to tell you something.

"What did he say?" You ask. He spoke so quickly, it was hard to catch. It didn't sound like a full sentence, either. Jean and Shadowcat shrug at you, but Spyke speaks up excitedly.

"He said 'Reset, don't'. You know, don't reset it. He wants you to blow it up! Do it!"

Shadowcat groans. "I swear, these guys are, like, obsessed!"

Despite Spyke's confidence, you're not sure he's got the right idea. Kurt's English isn't perfect, but it's never been that clunky..

Cyclops seems to agree, hesitating. "It sounded more like a warning to me."

---

Kurt and Forge watch with bated breath as the X-men deliberate.

"Do you think they'll get it?" Forge asks.

Kurt bites his lip. "I just hope zhey believe it..."

Spyke laughs. "A warning? From the goofman, himself? Nah, c'mon. Shred that sucker!"

Kurt groans and Forge looks at him incredulously. "Man, you do have a rep.."

'If I could just go back and not have zhat stupid argument vith Scott!' Kurt thinks guiltily, 'I never should have teleported avay like I did!'

"You really think that Nightcrawler would teleport between dimensions just to mess with us?" You reply to Evan, and Kurt looks at you hopefully. "He likes to joke around, yeah, but he'd never take a dangerous situation like this lightly."

"Y/N, thank you!" Kurt exclaims.

Cyclops walks up to the projector, nodding slowly. "Avatar's right. Nightcrawler's a joker, but even he knows when it's time to get serious."

Kurt gasps. "Yes!"

"Look, if he wanted to blow up the projector, why didn't he just say 'Don't reset', instead of 'reset', then 'don't'?"

"Oh, Cyc!! You da man!!!"

Cyclops picks up the projector and turns it over. "I think he wants us to reset this thing!"

Forge and Kurt whoop and holler, high-fiving each other. Kurt can feel tears pricking at his eyes.

His friends are coming to get him.

---

You watch nervously as Cyclops' eyes scan the buttons on the projector. "Intensity settings, power regulators, beam width..." He mutters, then exclaims, "Restart!"

The moment Cyclops presses the right button, the machine begins to vibrate intensely. It hums to life and emits a ray that forms a huge orb of energy at the end of the room. The orb is flashing, pulses of red and yellow light swirling around it. What really gets your heart racing, though, is who you see within the light show.

It's Kurt, more visible than ever, still wearing that weird device with a headset. Next to him is someone else, a stranger. They're both bracing themselves against the winds kicked up by the pulses of power.

Kurt's eyes meet yours and you smile at the same time, relief flooding through you.

"C'mon!" Cyclops calls over the wind, "Teleport through!"

You watch as Kurt speaks to the stranger, their voices completely drowned out. But you don't need to hear his voice to catch when his face falls. A flicker of panic and stress makes its way to you, a feeling you're sure comes from your trapped friend.

"What's the matter?! Let's go!" Cyclops continues, worry manifesting in him as well.

"Something's wrong, I can feel it!" You shout, "I don't think they can get through!" The fear of that notion is driven home by the slow shrinking of the orb. But as you try to extend your powers towards Kurt, you pick up on another feeling.

Hope.

"They have an idea!" You say just as Kurt and the other boy teleport out of sight. Watching them disappear scares and excites you simultaneously. 'Please, whatever they're thinking up, let it work!'

"What are they doing?!" Spyke asks loudly, the high energy still causing a noisy howl of air whipping around the basement.

Cyclops looks to you, and you nod. He looks back to the orb as it becomes gradually smaller. "I don't know, but I hope they hustle!"

"There they are!"

You start at the voice and turn around to see Toad leading Blob and Avalanche inside. All three of them are suited up, and the hairs on your arm stand on end at the sight. "And they still got the ray gun thing I was telling you about!"

You feel the emotions behind you coalesce into one. The X-men stand together, ready to defend the projector and Kurt's ticket home. Despite the inevitable fight looming between the groups, your fear is calmed by the determination of a team protecting their own.

'Remember your training. You can do this. You have to do this.'

'For Kurt.'

Avalanche steps into the room first, his eyes darting to Rogue. She's looking between the two groups tensely.

"Rogue!" Avalanche calls her, frowning, "Mystique sent us to find you. So, you with us, or them?"

"So, I guess you're officially part of the Brotherhood now." Cyclops says icily. His words sting you, the vocalization of an uncomfortable truth. One you'd been so set on disbelieving.

And you're not the only one bothered by what he says, as Rogue quickly steps forward and glares in his face. "Hey, Summers! You got your friends, I got mine!" Then her eyes flick over to you, and her expression darkens. "But this ain't my fight. I'm out of here."

You watch warily as she stalks past the Brotherhood and out of the room. Again, you have to ignore the pain in your chest. Why should you pity her after what she did?

As soon as she's gone, Blob grins. "Okay, fork it over, losers!"

"Or this place is gonna rock." Avalanche adds, his footstep making the walls quake.

Cyclops steps in front of you, a barrier between his team and theirs. "The projector stays with us! X-men, keep that portal open!"

Avalanche shrugs with a smirk. "Your call."

His face contorts and his eyes roll up into their sockets, only the whites showing as he strains to summon his power. With a heavy grunt, he slams his foot against the floor again, and the ground you stand on rocks beneath you.

The Brotherhood charges forward.

---

Kurt blinks as the lights swirl around him and Forge. The two of them stand in a large yellow and red orb, like the one that sent him to Middleverse. He looks up and the real world is much clearer, his friends just on the other side of their bubble.

'It vorked!'

"Hang on!" He exclaims excitedly, holding onto Forge, "Let's go!"

"Wait!" Forge yells over the wind, kicked up by the large burst of energy, "You can't take me with you!"

"Vhat?" Kurt asks in astonishment, "Vhat do you mean?"

"Look!" Forge points to the power meter on the teleporting device strapped to Kurt, "The battery's nearly tapped out! You barely have enough juice to teleport out of this dimension yourself, and if you try to bring me with you..." He shakes his head sadly. "Go. Your friends are waiting for you."

After all this time, he can't take Forge with him? Kurt can't believe it, won't believe it. He looks back to his friends, sees Cyclops waving at him frantically. Sees Kitty watching in confusion, waiting for him to come back. He sees your panicked expression as you no doubt realize something is wrong.

What's more, the red and yellow bubble is slowly but surely shrinking around the two of them.

"The portal won't last much longer!" Forge pleads, "It's now or never! You don't want to be stuck here too!"

"I'm not leaving vithout you!" Kurt refuses, trying to think, "Ve just need more power, ja?"

"Forget it, we'd practically need an automobile engine to get us both out of here!"

A car?

Nervous excitement takes over as Kurt remembers the green convertible that crashed into the Middleverse version of the principal's office. "I know! Come on!" He says, grabbing hold of Forge's arm.

"What are you doing? Kurt!" He protests, "You can't teleport us both out of the orb!"

"I'm not! I'm teleporting us to ze office!"

"How can you be sure you'll land anywhere near there?! You know you can't navigate Middleverse!"

"Not on my own, but maybe zhis invention of yours can help!" Kurt taps the headset, concentrating hard on that green car. It's a long shot, but if this thing could help him travel to the real world, maybe it can help him pinpoint an object from the real world in this dimension. If he's wrong, they're probably stranded here forever. But if he's right, and he prays to God he is, then he and Forge will finally be free of this place! "Now, hold on tight!"

He squeezes his eyes shut and teleports with as much determination as he can muster. Still, he's afraid to open his eyes when he feels his feet on the ground a second later. Hesitantly, he peeks at the room in front of him and lets out a startled breath.

The green convertible! It's not in Darkholme's office anymore, now its surroundings look like the band room. But it's here and they found it! A smile spreads across his face and he looks at Forge, who shakes off the dizziness and gapes at the battered car in front of him. Then, hope puts a grin on Forge's face as he summons his mechanical arm. "Far out, man!" He exclaims, rushing forward to start reworking the futuristic machine.

Kurt laughs. "First zhing vhen ve get back, ve're getting you up to date vith ze lingo! Yours is totally whack!"

---

Blob approaches and you recoil. There's no way you can take him one-on-one! You may have learned some fighting moves, but he could crush you like a bug!

"I got it, Avatar!" Cyclops says, stepping between you, "Cover Shadowcat!"

You nod, quickly getting to the left side of the room to stand beside your friend. The two of you guard that end as Blob laughs, continuing down the middle toward Cyclops.

"C'mon! Hit me with your best shot, Slim!" Blob goads him, not pausing in his stride. Cyclops complies, adjusting his visor to send a concentrated power beam to Blob's stomach. The goliath staggers but recovers quickly. He grins maliciously. "Ha! Takes more than that to stop The Blob!"

"Thanks for the tip." Cyclops replies dryly, turning to his right. "Jean!"

They work in sync, Cyclops' beam hitting the ground below Blob and Jean telekinetically lifting the broken pieces of tile out from under him. Their combined attack is executed with the effortless precision of two people who have been training together for years. Blob topples over like a house of cards, his impact shaking the room. But as the tremors grow more severe, you realize that Blob isn't the main cause.

Avalanche steps toward you and Shadowcat, half grinning and half sneering. "Why don't you sit this one out, Avatar?" He chuckles, "Not like powers like yours are gonna do much good against me." His fingers curl and the floor cracks beneath you, making you stumble and fall down with a yell.

"Leave her alone, Avalanche!" Shadowcat yells, pointing at him angrily, "It's me you want!"

He smirks back at her. "You're right. You and me got a date, Pretty Kitty. How about a ride on the concrete coaster?!" He brings his foot down and the ground ripples, sending large waves of stone heading to Shadowcat.

Your heartbeat spikes, but you know your friend, you've seen her train. She's prepared for this. In the meantime, Avalanche has decided you're too weak to pay attention to, giving you an opening.

'Remember, kid, you don't always need to overpower them.' Logan's voice rings in your mind, 'You just need to take 'em by surprise.'

You slip behind Avalanche just as you catch sight of Shadowcat being thrown back by the tremors, phasing through the wall before she hits it. Hoping to interrupt his powers, you quickly place a kick to the back of his knee. He howls, crouching down to hold his sore leg as the earthquake subsides. You bring your arms up defensively as he turns to you with a furious glare. "Why, you-!"

"Hey!" Shadowcat jumps out of the wall, knocking him back with a kick of own as she lands on stable ground. "Lousy ride, loser!"

You and her share a smile before the voices behind you capture your attention. Jean and Cyclops have driven Blob to the right, leaving Spyke defending the middle from Toad. The agile little menace hops around, taunting your younger friend. "Can't catch me! Nuh-uh, I'm too quick! Bring it on, pal, bring it!"

You send Shadowcat a wordless message that you're going over to help him, Kitty nodding as she stands her ground against Lance. Spyke's frustration is getting the better of him, and he's swinging too hard and not precisely enough to land a hit. Toad is practically dancing around him.

"C'mon! C'mon! What you got? You ain't got nuthin', that's right, you ain't got nuthin'!"

Spyke makes a dive for Toad and misses, and Toad quickly hops past him for the projector. One wrong button, and he might trap Kurt forever! You race forward to intercept him. Toad spots you in his peripheral last second and hops back before you can grab him. He tries to get around you, but you match his movements, determined not to let him through. But then he smirks, and spits a green globule at your feet. The slime catches your boot and sticks, making you land on your face when you try to take your next step. Toad cackles, and you look up to see him arrive at the table with the projector.

"No!" You scream, still stuck in place.

You hear a sharp whoosh as many long spikes fly over your head, planting themselves firmly in between Toad and the table. Toad crashes into them and falls to the ground, dazed.

"Ha! You call that nothing, ya slimeball?" Spyke calls out smugly, producing a spike that cuts through the gooey trap you're in. He helps you up and you smile gratefully. "Thanks, Spyke!"

"Anytime, Avatar!" He replies, going red when his voice cracks. You ignore his embarrassment and turn instead to the boy who almost stranded your best friend in another dimension.

Toad looks up at your narrowed eyes and gulps.

---

Forge is beneath the hood of the car, his arm whirring away and connecting various wires to Kurt's teleport device. Kurt doesn't know how to feel about the jumper cables currently attached to him. "Hurry! Zhat portal's almost gone by now!"

"I've got it!" Forge yells excitedly, not bothering to close the hood as he hops in the passenger seat next to Kurt. "Just hit the gas and teleport to your friends!"

"You sure zhis vill vork?"

"No!"

Kurt eyes the wall a few yards ahead of them and swallows nervously. "Wunderbar! Let's hit it!"

His blue fingers grip the steering wheel and his slams on the gas. He sends out a silent prayer as he attempts to teleport.

Inches away from the bumper, the wall vanishes in a flash of yellow and red.

---

The Brotherhood regroups at the front of the room, staring down your team intensely. They all look pretty sore, but then again, so do you. You're starting to get tired, and the Brotherhood isn't letting up. Worst of all, with every second that passes, the orb behind you gets smaller and smaller. It's roughly the size of Blob now, and it'll probably be gone in the next minute at the rate it's shrinking. You wish you could feel Kurt.

Blob steps up, raising his fists. "Okay, enough of the warm-ups. Time for some serious smashin'!"

The X-men and you maintain your position around the projector. But as you brace for attack, you hear something odd.

A car horn?

The beeping seems to be approaching from behind, and you look back at the orb, now the size of a beach ball. Instantly and overwhelmingly, you're hit with a sense of fright. You're moving before Cyclops calls out to the rest of the team, "Look out!"

In a flash, a green car flies out of thin air while frantically beeping. With the X-men out of the way, it pitches toward the Brotherhood. You shield your face and-

CRASH!

You open your eyes fearfully, expecting to see a gruesome accident. Instead, you see the Blob shielding his teammates, the front of the car pressed up against him like a crushed soda can. The Blob puts down the car and lets out a nervous breath.

"Good thing I'm the Blob..."

Toad looks like the soul left his body for a moment. "Yeah, you can say that again."

"Aw, come on, guys." Avalanche gripes, gesturing to what used to be the projector before it got turned into roadkill, "This party's over." The three of them, now with nothing worth fighting over, turn to leave.

The shock finally wears off and you realize who must have been driving that car. "Kurt!" You get up and rush over to the remains of the convertible, waving away the smoke billowing out of the hood. "Kurt! Are you okay?!"

You feel a rush of joy and relief when you see him, the blue boy grinning like he just won the lottery. "Never better!" He and the other boy are leaning against the car's airbags, looking relatively unscathed.

"What the heck are these?" The stranger wonders, patting the air bags. You look at him curiously as Kurt answers the question. "Re-entry cushions. Cool, eh?"

"Nightcrawler!" Cyclops runs over. "Are you hurt?"

"A-okay, Captain!" Kurt salutes, then leans back tiredly. "It's good to be back."

You laugh. "It's good to have you back."

---

The X-men hate her. That much is clear to Rogue.

Whatever doubt she has about the night they met doesn't matter much now. The moment she hit Kurt with that ray, she sealed her fate as their enemy. They will try to get revenge, and Mystique will protect her from them. She'll protect herself if she has to.

Rogue shoves aside the relief she felt when she realized Kurt was alive.

She ignores the stabbing pain she felt when you looked at her with contempt so fierce she could feel it.

Mystique's right. Letting her guard down around the X-men will get her killed. She can't afford to show them weakness.

As the sun sets, Rogue waits silently behind a tree. She watches as the X-men leave with Kurt, uninjured. Her eyes linger until they're out of sight.

She sighs, and then slowly walks off into the darkness.

---

"Never do that again, you moron!" Kitty yells, swatting Kurt's arm, "You had us all worried sick!"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Kurt cries, "Don't hurt me!"

You chuckle as Kitty nags him, feeling much more comfortable in your civilian clothes. All of you have changed back, except Kurt since he busted his holowatch. You stand in the darkened school parking lot by the X-Van.

"You're a jerk." Kitty replies, hugging him. He gives you a look that says, "Help, I have no idea if she's going to kiss me or kill me!"

"Alright, Kitty, take it easy on him." You say gently, "He's already been in a car accident today."

"Yeah." Evan adds, "Not to mention getting trapped in a pocket dimension."

"Okayyyyyyy, fine." Kitty pulls back, and Kurt giggles. "I guess you missed me?"

"Missed you? We fought a battle for you! You should've seen our fight with the Brotherhood!" Evan exclaims, "Cyclops blasted Blob and Y/N kicked Avalanche, I caught the Toad in a spike trap! It was epic! And when you drove that car through the portal?! Dude!!"

Kitty crosses her arms with a smirk. "I could, like, totally turn you in for driving without a license. Maybe jail time will teach you to stop hogging the bathroom."

"Like I'm ze one who hogs ze bathroom!" Kurt shoots back, "Besides, I vas driving vith an adult! He's vay older zhan he looks."

"Right.." You look over at the boy introduced to you as Forge, who's now having a discussion with Scott and Jean. "When did you say he got stuck in Middleverse again?"

"1978." Kurt answers soberly. You're stupefied, wordlessly contemplating the immense amount of time Forge spent in limbo. A deep pity blooms in you as you wonder how one can cope with losing so many decades.

"That's crazy, man." Evan says, shaking his head, "And to top it all off, he's a mutant, too? What a weird coincidence."

"You know, I was thinking..." Kitty responds, "I wonder how many mutants are even out there? And, like, how long have they been around? I never would've believed any of this stuff when I was fourteen... If Forge is from the 70s, how come more people, like, don't even know about mutants?"

You hum as you think about that. Kitty's got a good point. Maybe there aren't many mutants out there at all. Or maybe mutants are just good at hiding. Professor Xavier is probably right that normal people won't accept mutants if they find out about them. You know what happens to people who are different. All of you do. Chances are, things were much worse for mutants in the past.

"Everybody in!" Scott calls, "Professor wants us back so he can check us out in the medbay."

As your group heads over and starts piling into the van, Scott turns to Forge. "Hey, you're welcome to crash with us a while, Forge. Xavier's cool, you'd like him."

Forge smiles, shaking his head. "Thanks, but, I'd better go find my parents. I'm few decades late for curfew!" He laughs it off, but you can't help noticing the sadness behind it all. Then he looks to Kurt appreciatively. "Thanks for bailing me out."

Kurt beams and fist-bumps him. "Anytime."

"Hop in, we'll give you a lift!" Scott offers.

Forge waves a hand. "No problem, it's just a few blocks."

"Okay." Scott writes down a number, "But if you need any help, just call."

Forge takes it and nods. "Sure, I'll do that."

"See ya, dude!" Kurt calls as Forge walks off, all of you waving after him. You'll always be grateful that he helped Kurt get back safe and sound, and you hope his homecoming is full of joy and love. Anyone in his position deserves that, at least.

Speaking of being grateful, you give Scott a hug before he gets in the van, catching him by surprise. "What's that for?" He asks.

You shrug, smiling. "Just for taking care of us."

He blinks, and a warm feeling grows between you. "C'mon, get in." He says, ruffling your hair with a small smile of his own. You laugh and climb in.

Jean and Kitty sit in front with Scott at the wheel, and you, Kurt, and Evan squeeze in the back of the van. As Scott adjusts his rearview mirror, he eyes Kurt. "Uh, you're gonna have to duck until we get you a new holowatch."

Kurt gasps dramatically and leans forward to meet his face. "So, it's true! You really are ashamed of me!" Everyone laughs, and you feel so glad to have Kurt back at his usual antics again. And you're not the only one, it seems. After chuckling along, Scott's smile drops away.

"Hey, listen. About what happened before.. My bad." You see Scott's eyebrows furrow as his regret swirls around the vehicle.

Kurt shakes his head, his own feelings matching Scott's. "No, it vas on me, too."

"Maybe..." Scott sighs, "Maybe you're right. I take things too seriously. I need to lighten up some!"

Jean fakes a gasp. "Oh, Scott, not you!"

"Check his temperature! Mr. Military's goin' soft!" Kitty puts a hand on Scott's forehead teasingly and he swats it away with a smirk. You giggle at the cute moment.

"Yeah... And I could probably dial down ze goofing a little." Kurt admits. Scott grins, offering his fist. "Welcome back!" Kurt takes the fist-bump, and a tension that's been lingering between the two of them finally dissipates.

Scott leans back in his seat and flashes a smile to everyone. "Okay, so, now what do you say we head home, gear up, and run a level 3 training sim in the Danger Room?!"

All your friends groan, and you watch in amusement as Kurt facepalms. "Oh, man! See? Zhat's vhat I'm talking about! Alvays serious!"

But a smirk from Scott betrays what you could already tell. "Sike!" He exclaims, shooting finger guns at you all like the cornball he is deep in his heart. It takes everyone else by surprise though, and they laugh and nudge Scott as he pulls out of the parking lot.

"Aw, very nice." Kurt chuckles, "Zhere's hope for you yet!"

"Yeah, well," Scott shrugs, "Tell me about it on the way to the football party tomorrow."

This time, you're just as surprised as the rest of your friends. Knowing what you know now about Scott's past, you understand why he's so protective of his team. Yet, despite that, he listened to you and is clearly making an effort to be less strict. You smile softly, and he smiles back at you through the mirror.

Kitty has a more sour reaction. She crosses her arm and huffs. "Aw, some of us can't go, remember? I'm, like, only a sophomore."

Scott puts a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you're also one of the X-men."

Jean nods along. "Don't worry, we'll make it happen."

Kitty's frown turns to a smile, and you think when you feel her excitement that you might give that party a shot. After all, with the X-men there, you know you'll be okay.

"Let's roll!" Kurt exclaims, him and Evan whooping and hollering for the party as Kitty covers her ears in annoyance. They make you laugh as Scott drives back to the X-mansion.

---

Wolverine watches the X-Van drive off from his vantage point in a nearby tree before finally speaking. "They're headin' back now."

'Good.' Charles Xavier's voice penetrates his mind, 'Thank you for keeping an eye on them.'

"I get it." Wolverine jumps to the ground with a grunt, sniffing the air to make sure he's alone. "Those kids may not have us to back them up one day. It's important they can fight on their own."

'I hope it never comes to that.'

"You and me both, Chuck."

Wolverine puts on his helmet and mounts his motorbike. He grimaces as he trains his eyes on the speck of the van disappearing in the distance. As he feels Xavier leave his mind, he lets loose his own thoughts.

'But hope is for suckers, you know. Some kind of war is comin ' , and the kids need to be ready for it. If not, they'll just wind up dead.'

---

"It vas so creepy, Y/N! I actually zhought I might be dead!" Kurt exclaims with wide eyes as the two of you sit in the kitchen. You take a sip of cocoa to offset the shiver you get thinking about that. "I'm so sorry that happened to you.."

"I met Forge, at least." Kurt says with a small smile, "Mutti says zhere's alvays a silver lining!"

"Still, Middleverse sounds terrible." You blow on your cocoa and frown. "I can't believe I trusted Rogue. If she tries to hurt you again, I'll-!" You don't finish the thought, not really knowing what to say. You're too mad to say anything.

Kurt frowns, his blue fingers tapping against the table idly. "So... I actually heard vhat you said to her in ze basement, vhile I vas in Middleverse."

"Oh." Your cheeks redden. "I'm sorry, I should control myself better-"

"No apologies!" He stops you, waving a finger, "You're allowed to feel your feelings just like everyone else! Got it?"

You shrug noncommittally. "Yeah, I guess, but I know it's a nuisance for other people.."

"No buts! No apologies!" He insists, and you surrender with a sigh and a nod.

"I can tell it bothered you, though. Seeing my... my anger."

Kurt hesitates. "It vasn't ze anger, really. It vas seeing you so angry at Rogue that bothered me."

You raise your eyebrows. "Kurt, she tried to kill you!"

"I don't zhink she did, zhough." Kurt replies, and you listen as he explains. "She... vell, I don't have your powers, but she just didn't seem like she meant to shoot me vith zhat ray. She looked so shocked. If she'd done it on purpose, vhy vould she bring all of you to ze basement to find me?"

"Maybe she just did that to stall for time so Toad could bring the Brotherhood to fight us." You reason.

"Vhile she leaves? She didn't fight us vith zhem."

"I don't know, I just don't know!" You exclaim, gripping your mug harder. "I don't want to give her the chance to hurt you again..."

Kurt's face softens and he takes your hand. "I'm glad you're here to protect me."

You squeeze his hand back. "We'll protect each other."

The conversation turns to more light-hearted topics, such as upcoming field trips and funny cat videos. But in the back of your mind, you worry. Were you too hard on Rogue? Were you wrong? Or is this just a trick of hers or Mystique's? You don't know if you can trust your feelings after today.

You can't get hurt by her again.

---

"What were you thinking, you idiots?!" Darkholme growls at the boys standing before her. Though, Rogue finds that the gesture is less intimidating than usual as she had to borrow a classroom table to replace her desk for the time being. Still, the principal makes no attempt to hide how furious she is. "I told you to find Rogue, not to battle the X-men!"

"What's the big deal? I thought that's what we're supposed to do anyways!" Blob asks, Lance joining in. "Yeah, Mystique! You said if I joined the Brotherhood, I could prove to those X-freaks that I'm more powerful!"

"Oh yes, losing a fight you started is very powerful." Darkholme mocks, her disguise slipping away to reveal the blue woman with sharp pale eyes. "You fight the X-men when I say so! Now get out of my sight!"

Rogue watches as Lance and Blob leave the room grumbling, Toad moving to join them. "Not you!" Mystique commands, and Toad freezes. "If you think you're going to get away with destroying my office, my new car-!!"

"It- It wasn't me! Honest!" Toad pleads, looking terrified. "Tell 'er, Rogue!"

Mystique turns her piercing eyes on Rogue, who shrugs. "Must've been the X-men." She says, just wanting to leave. The shapeshifter sighs, waving her hand dismissively. Toad flashes Rogue a gross grin that might be construed as thankful before darting away.

"Rogue." Mystique says when they're alone. "Tell me what happened."

Rogue recounts the events of the day, and when she mentions how she blasted Kurt, the woman's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. "Was he harmed?" She asks tensely.

"No." Rogue doesn't admit her relief, already sure Mystique will chastise her for not taking the chance to rid herself of an enemy.

"Good."

Rogue straightens up, surprised. "But, I thought.."

"Now was not the time to antagonize those mutant hunters." Mystique explains, circling around the table to Rogue's side, "If you'd seriously hurt him, they may have come after you again. Be sure to stay away from all the X-men from now on."

"I've learned my lesson." Rogue says truthfully.

Mystique's hand snakes onto her shoulder. "The X-men and their leader are cunning. They know they can't take you by force with you under my protection, so they will lure you in with false kindness. You know better now."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mystique nods, her hand squeezing Rogue's shoulder in a gesture both comforting and intimidating. "Good girl."

Chapter Text

"I raise!" Kitty assertively throws the card down and adds another cardboard gold coin to the pot. Kurt and Evan join her, adding their fake money excitedly, but you shake your head.

"Sorry guys, I'm out." You say, playing an exit card. No way you're about to lose another round of gambling.

"Alright, Eve the Illusionist is out." Kitty says, referring to your player character. She gestures to herself and smirks. "That means Deirdre the Priestess is in the lead!"

"Come on!" Evan groans, waving his cards in distress. "I'm a Half-Ogre! You know I don't have good gambling cards!"

Kitty's smirk deepens. "Pass or no?"

Evan slumps back, grumbling. "..Pass."

"And if I remember correctly, Kurt said he's out of gambling cards too, so I win!" Her hand reaches toward the coins, but Kurt protests.

"Not so fast! You don't vin until Fleck ze Bard passes, and I haven't passed yet!"

"You can't filibuster it, Kurt. If you can't play any cards-"

"Who says I can't?"

It goes deathly silent, Kitty's eyes wide and Kurt's face pulling into a grin. You and Evan watch the chaos unfold as you munch on a bowl of popcorn.

"You wouldn't dare." Kitty narrows her eyes.

"Vouldn't I?" Kurt smirks, and slams down the card so hard the deck collapses. Kitty shrieks, and the rest of you laugh as Kurt sweeps all of the gold into the Inn's pile.

"Ah, the 'The Wench Thought That Was Her Tip' card. Classic." Evan nods approvingly. You chuckle as Kitty fumes and protests the existence of that card. You'd never played 'The Red Dragon Inn' before, but it's really fun! Especially for a late night game night.

"And two drinks for my friend, Gog!" Kurt puts two drink cards in his deck, and Evan grins, putting on a deep, ogre-y voice. "Keep 'em coming! Gog loves drinks! Almost as much as Gog loves WAR!!"

"And I'll take my drink.. DRAGON BREATH ALE??"

"Ooh, add two more alcohol content, Fleck."

"Don't spike my drink, Deirdre!"

You settle into an ease you haven't been able to enjoy in a while. First the Blob incident, and then the Middleverse incident... You've been on edge for the last few weeks, waiting for the other shoe to drop. When will the Brotherhood strike next? Or Mystique herself?

'Or Rogue?'

You shake yourself out of that thought. No. You're not going to get stuck thinking about her again. You're having a fun night with your friends.

"I'll skip my action. And..." Evan looks around, then puts a drink card in Kitty's pile, "I'm ordering Deirdre a drink."

"No way! Why me?? Y/N doesn't even have any drinks in her pile!" Kitty points, and she's right. You're pretty new at this, but you know it makes the most sense for him to order you a drink instead so your character doesn't sober up.

Evan shrugs. "Gog thinks the priestess needs to loosen up some."

"Yeah, totally. It's not like Gog has a thing for Eve or anything." Kitty shoots back, and you raise an eyebrow. You didn't read anything in the rules about character relationships. Then you notice how flustered Evan is beside you. "N-No! Not at all! Why would you even think something like that??"

He laughs nervously, face reddened as you get a strange feeling from him. Come to think of it, you've sensed this before and never known what it was. It's kind of a warm feeling, good and uncomfortable at the same time.

'What does Kitty mean about Gog and Eve?'

"Drink event!" Kurt declares, and you all groan, ready to inch your alcohol markers upward. "Oh! Forge called earlier by ze vay, asked for me to say hallo! He seems to really like ze new phone."

"That's great. It was nice of the Professor to get him one." You smile and talk as you play, "Is he still working on his GED?"

"Ja. He's taking ze test zhis week. I bet he'll pass alright, he just needed to catch up on recent history."

"Like the last few decades." Evan exclaims. "Man, I thought my tests were stressful.."

"Don't even remind me." Kitty sighs, "I've been studying so much, and I still don't feel ready."

"We've still got some time before exams." You hand a gold coin over to her with a gentle smile. "Try not to wear yourself out. Maybe take some time to relax."

Kurt agrees, adding, "You're going home for Passover tomorrow, right? Zhat should be nice, seeing your family."

Kitty nods, perking up a bit. "Yeah. I guess I've been, like, a little homesick. You know?"

Evan and Kurt make noises of affirmation, and you get the same wistful feeling from all of them. It's bizarre, this feeling of homesickness and missing your parents. It's just something you never experienced, not for the Home, anyway. But seeing them talk about their families so happily... It's times like those when you wish you could relate.

The moment of melancholy comes and goes, and you refocus on having fun. "It's a big veek for many of us." Kurt remarks, nudging you. "You have your field trip vith Scott and Jean! Zhat's awesome!"

"Yeah, almost makes me wish I'd joined Geology Club like you." Evan grins, "I hear you're taking snowmobiles up into the mountains! That's wicked!"

You grin, truly excited. "Yeah. We'll only be on them for a small part of the trip, and I can't drive, but it'll be fun to ride with Jean! And the caves are supposed to be really big and beautiful."

"Maybe I'll hitch a ride." Evan jokes, "Get on my board and hold on to the back of the bus."

You all laugh, Kitty rolling her eyes and pointing to you and Kurt. "I'll be gone after the mission, so it's up to you two to make sure he doesn't actually do that and get himself killed."

As Evan protests needing a babysitter, Kurt lets out a big yawn. You glance at the clock and whistle. "Maybe it's time to call it a night. Especially with the mission and all.."

"Ja, you're right." Kurt agrees, "Ve all know I vas going to vin anyways."

"Yeah right! Deirdre was obviously in the lead!

"Gog has y'all beat!"

The playful bickering peters out as you put away the game. You walk with your friends down the hall, saying good night and going to your rooms to turn in. As you change into some soft pajamas, you shiver. It's a bit cold, today, it seems. Nothing that curling up under the covers won't fix. You switch on the nightlight the Professor got you and crawl into bed, drifting slowly to sleep.

With luck, you won't be kept up by nightmares tonight. You need your energy for the mission tomorrow.

---

The night sky casts darkness over the isolated peer, a large warehouse faintly outlined against it. A chain link fence stretches around the nondescript building, adorned with signs that read 'Keep Out' and 'Official Personnel Only'. A thick fog slowly rolls into the area, obscuring the ground from the few security guards patrolling outside.

One such security guard walks the perimeter of the building, flashlight pointed ahead. Little does she notice the X-man stealthily rising out of the ground behind her. Shadowcat smirks at her unwitting target, tapping her on the shoulder playfully. The guard turns around with a gasp, inhaling what Shadowcat sprays in her face very deeply. She falls to the ground with a groan, and Shadowcat lifts up her communicator with a triumphant grin.

"North perimeter secure." She reports, scanning her surroundings for other guards. If Spyke does his job, there won't be any.

---

On the other side of the warehouse, another patrolling guard walks along his route. He doesn't notice the boy above him, attached to the upper wall of the building via the spikes in his arms. Once the guard has just passed him, the X-man retracts the spikes and falls out of the shadows, landing in a crouch.

The noise alerts the guard, but Spyke is fast. He sprays the man just as he turns around, not even having time to reach for his weapon. Spyke can't hold back the excitement in his voice as the man falls unconscious and he reports in.

"This guy's catching Z's!" It takes him a moment to remember he's supposed to be on a serious mission. "Uh, I mean, South perimeter secure!"

He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, hoping the Prof won't chew him out later.

---

You spy Spyke through your binoculars, smirking at his message. From your vantage point on the warehouse roof, you sweep the area one last time before turning to the rest of your teammates. "That was the last one."

Jean, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops stand at the ready, your leader nodding at your word. "Okay. Let's make it a clean rescue."

This mission is the most complex you've been on yet, and the stakes are high. Storm has been captured by enemy forces and is being held in this warehouse. The X-men need to get past the guards and other security measures to rescue her. You swallow the nervousness you feel at the gravity of the situation, focusing on what you need to do.

The warehouse has a glass portion of ceiling, your entry point, but it's locked. The plan is to get in and out without triggering any automatic security measures or alerting any guards, the problem being you don't know exactly how many guards are in there. The lights are out inside, and the glass is dirty, making anything below the metal girders a blurry mess.

"Jean, can you sense anyone in there?" Cyclops asks, and she shakes her head with a frown.

"I can't know for sure unless I'm inside."

"That won't work, we need you up here for the plan.." Cyclops furrows his brow, then looks over at you. "We can send Avatar in."

"What?" You thought you were just going to be the lookout! "But-"

"If Nightcrawler teleports you in there, you'll be able to sense the presence of other people by their emotions, correct?" Cyclops asks, and you reluctantly nod. "Don't worry. We'll cover you."

You take a deep breath as Nightcrawler extends a hand. "Come on," He jokes, "I promise not to drop you."

Your laugh comes out more wheezy than you expect, and you take his hand. He wraps his arms around your waist. "Ready?" He asks.

"Ready." You answer, and Nightcrawler looks at Jean, who nods back. Before you take another breath, the rooftop disappears in a cloud of smoke.

A second later, Nightcrawler and you are hanging midair on the other side of the glass, thirty feet above ground. You silence a yelp as the two of you begin to fall, but an invisible force catches you a second later. Nightcrawler squeezes, holding you tighter. Looking up, you see the blurry shape of Jean through the roof window, barely making out her stressed features as she keeps the two of you in the air.

'Got you.' Her voice echoes in your minds, 'Do you see a safe place to land?'

You and Nightcrawler look around, and you spot something. "Over there!" You point to a walkway just under the metal girders. It stretches across the length of the warehouse, a door at either end. It's close enough to the floor that you'll be able to sense anyone inside.

As Jean gets the message, you and Nightcrawler slowly float over to the walkway. Once you're there, Jean lets go and your feet land on the metal slatted panels. The two of you instinctively duck, looking around for any threats. Nightcrawler flashes his fangs at you in a smile. "Your turn."

You bite your lip nervously, then close your eyes and open yourself up to any emotional signatures around you.

Nervous excitement, anticipation...

You open your eyes and shake your head at Kurt. "I can't get anything with you right next to me, I'm only feeling your feelings. You need to go back up there."

Now concern. "I can't leave you!"

"We need to know if anyone's here, right?" You sound more determined than you feel. "If I sense any trouble, you'll be able to come and get me, no problem."

Reluctantly, Nightcrawler acquiesces and teleports away, leaving you alone on the walkway. The eerie silence is disconcerting, but you need to push away your discomfort in order for this to work. You need to concentrate.

Emotions are like ocean waves. You can feel the force of them better the closer you get. If you're too far away, they've rippled out too thin to notice. With your eyes closed, you wait for a feeling to brush past, but the waters remain still.

Your eyes open and you lift your communicator up to your lips. "I don't sense anyone."

"Good. We're coming in." Cyclops responds.

Something isn't right, though. "Wait. I can't feel anyone in here. I can't feel Storm."

Seconds of silence. Then Cyclops' voice again. "What do you see from there?"

You squint through the darkness. "Lots of crates. And those red laser sensors across the floor." Those were a big reason you couldn't enter the warehouse at ground level. Thin red lasers stretch out in a grid across the floor, ready to report any disturbance to security.

Then you catch something hidden behind a large stack a crates, a shape poking out into view. You move to the side until you can fully see it, and gasp. "I see her!"

On the other side of the room, chained to a support beam, is a figure. A person covered in a burlap cloak, but a person nonetheless. Storm!

"She must be unconscious!" You say worriedly, soon answered by Cyclops' steady voice. "Alright. Me and Nightcrawler are coming in."

In a puff of smoke, Nightcrawler and Cyclops appear beside you. Cyclops gets right down to it. "Storm may be injured, so we need to get her out fast. Jean's going to lift us over the sensors to her."

After a quick confirmation through the communicator, you feel yourself lifted off the ground again. This time feels a bit jerkier as you figure Jean must be having a hard time lifting all three of you.

Your suspicions are confirmed as you hear her voice. 'You guys are.. really.. urgh... heavy..'

Nightcrawler looks up and makes an offended noise. "Are you trying to say I've put on veight?"

'You don't have to.. eat breakfast burgers.. seven days a week.'

"Vell!" Nightcrawler huffs, "Next time I'm not giving you my fries.."

Nightcrawler drops for a second and he yelps. "Ah! Fine! You can have my fries, okay??"

"Focus, team." Cyclops reminds firmly, looking at Storm's prone form as you slowly approach. "She's chained to that support beam. Maybe I can.."

He lifts his gloved hand to his visor, turning the dial precisely and carefully aiming before shooting at the chain with his optic blast. He lets out two short bursts, each missing her binds by a few inches.

"Nice aim." Nightcrawler teases, and you imagine Cyclops is rolling his eyes right now. He tries again, and this time the red beam splits the chains apart. Your leader smiles triumphantly, taking Nightcrawler's high-five. "Alright!"

You let out a small laugh, and then Jean interrupts through the comm. 'Celebrate after you find a place for me to put you down!'

Cyclops coughs, his expression sobering. "Right. Avatar, do you see-?"

He doesn't get to finish his question before you all start falling. Jean's telekinetic grip is gone, interrupted somehow. You can't help the small shriek of surprise as you fall down a few meters, hitting the ground with with a heavy thump.

"Ow..." You groan as you lift yourself off the ground. Thankfully, you don't think you're hurt, just a bit sore. Cyclops and Nightcrawler look about the same, picking themselves up quickly. Then you look down and gasp, realizing the laser grid has switched off, surely sending a silent signal to security.

Cyclops is two steps ahead of you, pulling you up to your feet. "Quick, we need to grab her and 'port out of here!"

You nod, running over to Storm. It's legitimately unsettling that you can't feel her, and that she's not even moving. You crouch over her burlap covered body, trying to pull it off so Nightcrawler will be able to properly hold onto her. As you do, the body starts to move underneath. "Storm? It's us! We're here to rescue you!" You exclaim, trying to uncover her. Her hand comes out and-

'That's not Storm's hand.'

You freeze, stunned to stillness as the pale hand reaches for you.

"Avatar!"

Cyclops pushes you aside, grabbing the stranger's sleeve before they can reach you. You watch as he glares at the still covered figure, pulling the burlap of their face. "If you aren't Storm, who are you?"

The burlap falls away and Cyclops' question ends in a startled noise. Your eyes widen when you see Rogue sitting there, a smirk on her face. She takes advantage of Cyclops' surprise by wresting her hand from his grip and touching his exposed face.

"Gotcha." She whispers, and her eyes glow red.

"No!" You cry as her laser blasts Nightcrawler back. Then she turns her eyes on you, the intensity building and about to fire your way.

"Hold it! Hold it! Stop the simulation!"

Cyclops yells, and Rogue's eyes immediately fade. Her expression goes blank and she collapses on the floor of the warehouse, which is also fading away. Soon, it looks like the place you've been training all along.. the Danger Room.

In the sudden quiet, you hear yourself breathing. The pulse of your heart seems like it's in your ears.

A door slides open and in come a group. Kitty and Evan, still in X-men uniform, Ororo and Logan, dressed as security guards, and Professor Xavier, looking rather displeased.

"Scott. You are never to stop a simulation unless you're hurt." He scolds.

Kurt gets up, clearly sore from the low-intensity blast. "Trust me, zhat hurt!"

"Kurt." You finally come back to yourself, breaking your eyes away from the Rogue puppet to look at him in concern. "Oh my gosh, are you alright?"

He shrugs, stretching out his back. "I mean, it's better zhan Logan's classes, at least."

"Low bar." You hear Evan mutter, then see him shrink away as Ororo gives him the stink eye.

Jean enters from the elevator, completing the party. Scott gestures to Rogue, clearly frustrated. "Why's Rogue in this mock-up? She was not part of the briefing!"

"Simply the element of surprise." The Professor explains with a quirked eyebrow. "It's part of life, so expect it on every exercise."

You look at her again, rubbing your arm nervously. "But... did you have to make it look so... real?"

"In order to prepare you all for any outcome, yes."

Any outcome.. Does the Professor think something like this will happen? You look at the Rogue puppet again, not feeling a thing from it. It makes you feel a little sick.

"Well, we're finished." The Professor concludes with thinly concealed disapproval. "Kitty, Ororo will be out front with the car. Have a great week. As for the rest of you, better get ready for school. I'll have your individuals reports ready later."

Everyone begins to file out, but your feet remain planted in place.

"Y/N?" You turn to see Jean approach you. "Are you okay?"

She's worried. You try to bring a convincing smile to your face as you answer. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She lingers on you for a second, then turns her head. "Scott?"

He's in front of the fake Rogue, looking down at her limp form. You sense feelings not unlike your own. Confusion, frustration... conflict.

"Come on." He finally says, "We've gotta help Redetzke load for the field trip." He starts to walk out, and you sigh and follow him.

"Yeah." You mumble, keeping your eyes on the ground ahead of you.

---

For the last week, you've done a pretty good job at avoiding Rogue. The closest you've gotten was during a stilted Shakespeare presentation, acting across from her. The scene was a romantic one, or it was supposed to be. The whole time you could feel nothing close to affection from either of you. Mr. Hamill gave you a passing grade, and the next day you switched seats.

Just as you've made no move to interact with her, Rogue hasn't approached you. You still see her in the halls, at lunch, in class, but the two of you have unofficially decided to pretend each other doesn't exist.

It turns out having to fight her in a simulation disrupts that illusion. Now you're back to thinking about her, feeling angry and guilty and all kinds of complicated feelings.

'She hurt Kurt!' You think in frustration as you zipper your backpack closed. 'Why should I feel guilty?'

And then a little voice that sounds an awful lot like Kurt says, 'Maybe it really was an accident! If she's being tricked by Mystique...'

But what more can you do? You've told her the truth again and again, and if she doesn't believe you, it's on her. You can't let your guard down. You can't let her hurt more of your friends!

'..Would she really hurt you?' That little voice asks.

You can't find an answer.

With a heavy sigh, you sling your bag over your shoulder and head out to the front of the school where a bus is warming up. Maybe this field trip will take your mind off things for a while.

Mr. Redetzke, a science teacher and the Geology Club's supervisor, stands in front of a crowd of students, clipboard in hand. You approach the group as he lists off announcements.

"All right. Double-check your spelunking gear. Make sure your packs include a hard hat, spiked boots, rope, compass, rations, lamps, candles, and matches. Remember, there are no sporting goods stores in the Tapo Caves. Oh! And I better not see any game-toys!" He ends, shaking his pen at the group in warning.

The teenagers around you roll their eyes, someone whispering, "Does he not know we have phones, or...?" You ignore the negativity, thinking it kind of funny that Mr. Redetzke is a bit old-fashioned.

You've checked that you have everything packed, so you throw your bag in a pile with the others, waiting to be stored beneath the bus. Realizing Jean and Scott aren't among the group, you go up to the teacher.

"Mr. Redetzke?" You ask shyly, "Um, do you know where Scott and Jean are?"

"Huh?" He looks up from the clipboard. "Ah, yes. I sent them to print out some worksheets for me in the classroom."

"Worksheets?!" Someone exclaims, followed by a cacophony of groans. Redetzke shoots the teens a hard look.

"You're all getting out of classes today, so I better not hear you whining about one worksheet!"

He turns away to chew out some kids who are messing around with the snowmobiles that are tied to the back of the bus, leaving you to look towards the Science wing. It's right around the corner, so you figure you can go see where your friends are, and if they need any help. Better than being stuck in the middle of this large group feeling overwhelmed. You set off down the sidewalk path, away from the buzzing excitement. You're just about to turn the bend when you hear Jean's voice.

"So, he threw off your game by sticking Rogue in the simulation. What's the big deal?"

You stop. Peeking around the brick wall, you see Jean and Scott having a tense conversation.

Scott frowns and shakes his head. "Me fouling up isn't the problem."

"What, then?" Jean pauses for a moment, then asks, "Because he chose Rogue?"

"Yeah... I guess." That guilt you've been trying to ignore washes over you again. Except, this time it doesn't come from you.

"Look, it felt weird to have her as the enemy in a battle simulation. I don't know why, okay?" Scott admits, and you're stunned. You thought he saw Rogue as the enemy. He was always the one to warn you about her. Is he having doubts?

Jean touches Scott's shoulder, always a calming presence. "Hey, it was only a simulation, Scott. Nobody wants you to stop trying with Rogue."

"I'm not trying anything with her, I just..." Scott sighs. "It's fine, okay? I overreacted. The Professor's right, we should be prepared for any possibility. Even fighting Rogue."

Your stomach twists again, and you realize you really don't want that. Even after what she did, you don't want to fight her. It just hurts knowing you can't trust her.

And to add more sickness to your stomach, you sense a negative presence sneak up on you. Whirling around, you're met with the intimidating figure of Principal Darkholme. "Ma-Ma'am!"

"Isn't there some place you ought to be?" She asks, her eyes narrowing accusingly.

"The- Um, the field trip." You stutter, pointing weakly at the bus. Her scrutinizing gaze doesn't waver as she stares you down. Finally, she waves a hand like she's swatting away a pesky fly. "Go on, then. A cub shouldn't stray far from their pack."

With that, she marches off towards the gymnasium. You release the breath you were holding and lean against the wall. Times like these, your power seems more like a curse than a blessing. You can't deflect the reproach Darkholme feels towards you, and you can't understand what you did to earn it.

"Because you're you. Who wouldn't hate you."

You shake your head and try to focus on something else. Scott and Jean, the field trip... Yes, you can help them and Redetzke pack up! And then you can just enjoy a nice field trip into the mountains.

---

Well, that was quite informative.

Darkholme smirks as she crosses campus, eyeing the group of students preparing for the annual Geology trip. It's a wonder how much information a principal is privy to. Students think they're so discreet, when really every one of them is an open book. The X-men are no exception.

Scott Summers, the golden boy, so protective of his friends and oh so eager to please that Professor of his.

Jean Grey, the voice of reason among an otherwise inane group of youths, with so much pressure on her shoulders she may very well someday snap.

Y/F/N, the weak, near-powerless runt of the group whom everyone swarms to take care of.

And Rogue.

Her young charge is clever, but not clever enough to conceal her doubts. She knows that Rogue has been pulling away, little by little. If she's not careful, the X-men may swoop in and take her away.

She must come up with a plan. A plan that is certain to cure Rogue of her doubts once and for all, and expose the X-men as monsters.

And what do you know? The X-men just handed Mystique perfect ammunition to use against them.

---

"Hyah!"

Rogue's fist connects with air. She brings her arms back in and adjusts her footing on the mat, then tries again. She throws punch after punch, then a kick, then another punch. Sweat beads on her forehead as she grits her teeth and lunges into a spin kick. She doesn't stick the landing, though, grunting as she loses her balance and falls back onto the mat.

She finally lets herself rest, panting heavily from the intense workout. She came to school early for this, partially because the workout rooms are empty in the morning, but mostly because she couldn't wait to leave that boarding house.

That place looks like a pig sty. None of the guys like her, and that's just as well because she doesn't like them. They're just a bunch of perverts, bullies, and egomaniacs. And as much as she doesn't care, the constant sneers sent her way got old real quick. Her morning workout gives her a chance to get away from the Brotherhood for a while and work out her frustrations.

'Like I'm supposed to work with those clowns.' She scoffs. Then, from outside, she hears faint voices. Something draws her to the window, and she purses her lips when she sees Scott Summers and Jean Grey out in front of the school. Two picture perfect teenagers, smiling and laughing as they secure some snowmobiles on a rig behind the bus.

Rogue rolls her eyes and pulls the blinds down, blocking the X-men from view. Just as she's about to turn away, another voice makes her stop.

"Here, I got it!"

Rogue parts the blinds with her fingers, peeking out to see you helping Scott and Jean. You look... happy. Rogue's eyes narrow as she observes from afar.

It's been about week since Rogue has seen you like that. When she's near you, all you do is turn and walk away. 'Wouldn't want to consort with the enemy, Y/N.' She thinks bitterly.

And the cruel twist of it is that Rogue knows she should hate you. She knows, and Mystique reminds her of it every day. You're dangerous, and so are all the X-men.

So how come Rogue still likes seeing your smile? Why does she hesitate every time you walk by like she's going to apologize to you? Why is her head so messed up that she can't remember if you're a monster?

Whatever she's hoping for, she knows it can't be. You're never going to smile at her again, and Rogue just has to deal with that. She drops her hand and lets the blinds close.

As she turns to find a punching bag, she nearly walks into the silent figure waiting behind her. Rogue gasps, startled. "Principal Darkholme!"

Her caretaker looks to the window, then down at her. She speaks as though she's disappointed. "They're never going to be your friends. You know that."

Rogue's heart beats faster and she tries to act nonchalant. "Who, the X-men? I ain't interested in them!" She walks to a heavy punching bag and starts hitting it.

"Really?" Darkholme follows, sounding skeptical. "Tell me dear, have you forgotten how the X-men attacked you? How Irene sent you to me so I would protect you?"

"No!" Rogue protests, "It's just that.." She trails off, trying to form her feelings into words. Darkholme continues before she can come up with anything.

"Just this morning I overheard them discussing their simulated battle exercises..." Darkholme comes up behind her, putting her hands on her shoulders and leaning in to her ear, "...with you as their target."

Rogue stops punching, frozen in place. The X-men were... training to fight her?

"But, why?" She whirls around, hurt escaping through her voice. "Why would they do that?! Why won't they just leave me alone?!"

"You know the X-men won't give up that easily."

Darkholme holds her gaze as Rogue's mind keeps turning. The X-men are planning to fight her, maybe kill her, just like that night in the graveyard. But that was the same night Rogue spoke to you, and you made her feel okay when everything was falling apart around her. But then you turned into a monster, and-

"Nothing makes sense." Rogue whispers, her body shaking.

"Listen to me." Darkholme holds Rogue's shoulders and looks deep in her eyes. "Trust me."

Can she even trust herself anymore?

Rogue slowly nods. "Okay."

Darkholme's hand drops and she crosses her arms. "I think it's time that you be reminded just who your friends really are." The woman begins to walk away, flashing Rogue a grin. "Enjoy the field trip, dear. It should prove most enlightening."

As the principal exits, Rogue looks toward the blinded window and glares. All this confusion, all these doubts... She's sick of it.

'I'm going to end this today.'

---

You've decided to help Scott and Jean load the rest of the bags into the bottom of the bus. It's really nice how they volunteered to help out Mr. Redetzke, who got called into the office last minute, and you're glad to be contributing. Scott wipes his brow. "Alright, I'm gonna triple check that everything is secured in back. You two got the rest of these?"

"Yeah!" You reply, "There's not that many left."

"Yes, go triple check your knots, boy scout." Jean teases, and Scott salutes her as he goes. She laughs, then loads the next bag. As you find another one to hand her, Jean's voice gets soft. "Hey, Y/N. I didn't really get a chance to talk to you before, but are you doing alright? After our training exercise, I mean?"

You bite your lip, having hoped she wouldn't bring it up with you too. "Yeah, I'm fine!" You lie, not half as convincing as you tried to be.

"I understand if you don't think we should be fighting Rogue. If you still want to be her friend."

Leave it to Jean to know exactly what's on your mind, telepathy or not.

"I don't know." You admit, brows knit together. "I mean, what if we do have to fight her? I don't know if I..."

Jean sets down a bag and comes over to you, patting you on the shoulder gently. "It's okay if you don't want to give up on her."

You give her a small smile, appreciative of her concern. She smiles back and turns away to finish loading while you let your smile drop away.

'Is she right?'

Scott jogs back over and helps you finish up, throwing the last duffle in. "That does it. Let's tell Redetzke that-"

"Jean!" Speaking of the teacher, Redetzke is walking towards you now. You immediately detect his solemn energy, and you wonder what's wrong. "Bad news."

"What?" Jean asks, confused.

Redetzke shakes his head as he speaks. "Seems administration won't clear your time off for the field trip. Something about too many absentee days in your file?"

Absentee days? You feel the same shock as Jean. Scott jumps to her defense quickly. "Woah, wait a second! Those were all approved!"

You nod, "Most of them were sick days, too! Jean doesn't skip school!"

Jean snaps out of her shock. "If they just call Professor Xavier, he'll-"

"I wish we had the time, Jean, but they've already filled your spot." Redetzke says apologetically. "I promise, we'll clear this up when I get back."

You haven't felt a sad Jean many times, but it's always awful. There's nothing you can do as the disappointment washes over her, and it's so frustrating! You can't be mad at Redetzke either, because he obviously doesn't like what he's doing.

"Hey. I'm really sorry." The teacher says softly, and it's genuine. Unfortunately, it can't do anything to help Jean. Your friends slowly grabs her bag out of the bus and offers a half-hearted reply. "Yeah, well... Have fun."

She walks back inside and your heart hurts. It's not fair! She's been in the club longer than either of you, and she has to stay behind?

Scott lets out a frustrated noise. "Oh man, that stinks! Who filled her spot?"

Mr. Redetzke gestures over his shoulder at the kids loading onto the bus. "Transfer student, just signed up."

You look behind him and nearly gasp. Rogue, dressed in a long brown trench coat with the collar pulled up, is about to step onto the bus as Jean's replacement. You look at Scott, who's frowning at her with distrust. You look back at her and find her looking directly at you. Her lips pull up into a smirk, her eyes glinting dangerously. Then, she winks at you! Your face goes red as she climbs aboard.

'What's she doing here??'

Mr. Redetzke's voice calls out, "Okay, junior geologists! Let's pile in! We're behind schedule."

---

Charles Xavier sits in his study, leafing through the pages of an old classic: 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde. A strong gust of wind comes in through a tall open window, rustling the pages and disturbing his peace. A heavy shower of rain is beginning, the droplets flying inside and landing on the carpet.

'Strange.' He thinks, 'That wasn't in the forecast today.'

The Professor marks the page and sets down his book, then wheels over to shut the window. Its tall glass panes are opened like shutters, stretching from floor to ceiling. He pushes them to a close, moving to latch them shut when they forcefully push open again. He barely has time to register his surprise when his wheelchair jerks back. It moves out of his control, carrying him in jolts and turns to the back of the room. He crashes against the cabinet, not hard enough to throw him out of the chair, but the collision does knock a lamp and potted plant onto the floor. Xavier catches himself with a grunt and quickly looks back at the window.

It's wide open, harsh winds and rain invading the office and blowing loose papers around. The windows, the lamps, and many other objects vibrate with power. Anything made of metal, Charles realizes with a start.

"Magneto!" He calls out, probing the area with his mind. Not that it would be of much use. This is one man who could always resist his mental power. "Why are you here?" He demands.

At first, there's nothing but the roaring rain, as if he is being haunted by a silent specter. Then, a familiar, low voice resonates through the room.

"I've come to pay you a compliment." Magneto voice replies, and Charles' chest seizes up at the sound. "Your young charges. They seem to be flourishing under your tutelage."

Charles discreetly moves a hand to the buttons on his wheelchair arm, plugging in a distress code while carrying on with a steady and neutral voice. "Yes. They're doing quite well. Jean and Kitty got straight A's this quarter, and Kurt is adapting well-"

"I'm referring to the development of their mutant powers."

His gaze hardens as he looks through the window. "I'm very proud of them." Charles states resolutely.

"Proud?" Magneto mocks. "Yet, you don't trust them."

"But I do trust them. With my life!" Charles bites back, his hand curling into a tight fist.

And behind the wildly waving tree branches, a figure hovers in the rain. His dark blue cape drifts on the wind, and beneath his metallic red helmet Charles can see his sharp eyes narrow.

"But not with the truth!"

Magneto's voice rings out loudly as Charles' wheelchair is pulled to the window, gaining speed towards a two-story fall. Charles gasps and braces himself, but the window slams shut at the last moment. He crashes into the metal frames, covering his face as the glass panes shatter and shards fall around him.

The next second, he looks up and Magneto is gone. The storm rages on without him.

From behind, a door is kicked open and he hears the unsheathing of metal claws. "What's the matter, Chuck?!" Logan asks, his voice a fierce growl.

Charles' mouth forms a hard line.

"An old friend came to visit."

---

You lean against the bus seat, trying to get comfortable. Hours into the drive, your knees are starting to get sore. You fidget in your spot next to Scott, who's seated by the window. He looks at you sympathetically. "Only one more hour, right?"

"Yeah." You laugh lightly, "Just wish I could stretch my legs."

"Hey, it's starting to snow!" Paul exclaims from the seat ahead of you. You know him from Literature class, and he's also a friend of Scott's. He's pointing outside, and the other teens on the bus are now clamoring to look out the windows.

It was raining before, but you must be at a high enough altitude that the rain's frozen. The snowflakes flurry by as the bus continues on, and you can feel the excitement flurry around you, too. It is quite pretty, almost like being in a snow globe.

Redetzke, however, doesn't seem as taken with it. As he drives, he shouts back, "This isn't a snowmobile trip, people! Too much of the white stuff means we turn around."

Everyone protests with groans of disappointment, and now the snow outside has you worried. It's already sticking to the ground, and it'd be a shame to have to turn back.

"Hey, Scott, buddy!" Paul turns in his seat facing you two. "Mind if I sit with you? I wanted to talk!"

Scott smiles apologetically. "Sorry man, but Y/N's sitting here. We can still talk like this."

"Nooooo, but this is guy talk!" Paul pleads, and you smile awkwardly. "Oh, it's fine! I can just move!" You say.

"Are you sure?" Scott asks.

"Totally!" You grab your bag and get up, "I can stretch my legs for a second this way."

"Thanks, Y/N! You're the best!" Paul flashes a grin and moves in. As he squeezes past you, you suddenly get a weird feeling of annoyance from him. You don't say anything, just move back a couple rows to an empty seat and sit down. Scott and Paul are already chatting, but you can't shake off the feeling you got.

It felt like Paul didn't like you.

You don't know why. You've barely talked to him before, but he's always seemed nice enough. 'Maybe he's just tired.' You fiddle with your hoodie string anxiously, hoping that's the case.

You peel your eyes away from them and only now realize who's in the back with you. Across the aisle, Rogue is sitting with her feet kicked up on the seat. Her probing eyes are on you, and you immediately stand up to find another spot.

"Hey! No more moving around back there! Stay in your seats." Redetzke calls, and your face reddens as you sit back down.

'Guess I'm stuck here.'

You glance at Rogue, who's smirking again. Then, she turns away to look out her window, and you do the same.

'Why does she keep looking at me like that?!' You think furiously, 'Is she just gloating that she took Jean's spot?'

You wonder to no avail as you climb higher and higher into the mountains.

---

"I told you, man!" Evan exclaims as he catches the basketball, "Waffle fries are the best fries, no contest!"

He makes the shot, and Kurt tries to intercept but just misses. The ball falls into the school's basketball hoop as Evan smirks victoriously. Kurt picks up the ball and starts dribbling. "But curly fries are so fun! Vaffle fries are vay too crunchy."

"The crunch is part of it!" Evan protests, blocking as Kurt tries to get past him, "At least they don't get all soggy like curly fries. Hey!"

Evan yells as he feels an invisible tail snake its way around his leg and trip him. Kurt cackles and leaps up to dunk the ball, swinging from the rim gleefully.

"C'mon, that's a total foul!"

"Vhat is? Looks like you tripped, to me."

"Blue jerk!" Evan yanks Kurt's legs down, bringing them both to the court floor. They sit up and laugh at each other. It's nice to spend free period on the outdoor basketball court. Quiet, too, with the weather and all. It was really pouring earlier, but it's let up a bit. Right now, it's just a drizzle. Evan's glad his new friend isn't bothered by a little rain, either. He'd really needed to get out and shoot some hoops, and it's always better when he has someone to play with.

The Bayville basketball team is fine and all, but Evan doesn't really know them. He's the transfer kid who the coach made a special exception for, and he knows the other players don't like that. They think he didn't earn his spot. They make it clear enough when they don't make the pass to him at practice. He misses his old team, the guys he played with since middle school.

And then there's Pietro.

Seeing him in the halls makes Evan's blood boil. After everything Maximoff put him through, he gets off scot-free. He'd try to fight him if he hadn't failed so miserably before. Besides, he knows the other X-men, Auntie O... they want him to play it safe. And he is, but every time he sees Pietro is just another reminder of that awful night.

"Hey. Are you doing better?" Kurt asks, "At night?"

Evan nods, Kurt being the only person he's really told about his nightmares. Kurt found out by accident, rooming next door and hearing him one bad night. When he asked about it, Evan started by denying everything, brushing it off. Then Kurt told him about his own nightmares... Now, Evan doesn't mind talking about it a little with Kurt, as long as no one else finds out about it. He doesn't want the Professor prying into his head, everyone treating him like he's messed up. Kurt seems to get that. "Yeah. Thanks man, you were right about the candle stuff."

"Lavender really helps me relax." Kurt beams, "Just make sure to blow it out before you go to sleep!"

"I know, I know." Evan sighs, staring off at nothing in particular. "You think Y/N likes lavender?"

"Vhy?" Kurt asks, and Evan rolls his eyes at his friend's smirk, "Are you planning on getting her perfume?"

"No, what? No way!" Evan denies, picking himself up, "...But, I mean, do you think she'd like that?"

Kurt laughs, following Evan. "Oh, Kitty vas right. You have it bad!"

"What do you mean?!" Evan's voice cracks as he flushes, then picks up the basketball and begins to storm off. "Whatever, it was just a question!"

"Uh huh. Ja. Sure." Kurt mimes zipping his mouth shut, Evan groaning as he walks away. He tries to get his stupid face under control as he makes for his next class, but the heat doesn't subside quickly.

He just can't stop thinking about you... As free period ends and the rain starts coming down harder, he wonders how you're enjoying your field trip.

---

The continued fall of snow only exacerbates your nerves as you gaze out the window. It's only been a half hour and the air outside is a thick white cloud. It looks worse on the other side of the bus, which overlooks the cliffside. Scott, Paul, and Rogue are all on that side with a better vantage point, but even from where you're sitting you can tell how obscured the view is. The cliffs may as well drop into a white void.

The bus begins to make a turn, but something feels wrong. Instead of turning, the bus starts to skid down the road. You feel thrown off balance, and a few people shriek as they realize what's happening. Up front, you hear Redetzke shout, "Hold on!"

Gripping the seat in front of you, you hang on for dear life as the bus swerves and skids wildly down an iced over road. The students are in an uproar, and you can feel the panic swell around you. You whimper and look at the other side of the bus, your eyes widening in fear as it slides closer and closer to the cliff's edge.

'Are we going to die??'

Your eyes dart over to Scott. Paul is next to him, fearfully gripping the seat, but Scott is up on his feet, sticking his head through an open window. Over the noise of panic, you don't hear it, but you see the flash of red light faintly shine through the frosted windows. You watch as Scott sits back down and braces himself.

Instead of pitching over the edge of the cliff, the whole right side of the bus seems to drop into a ditch. The sudden force of it loosens your grip and you fall across the aisle as the bus tips precariously. You land roughly against something soft and hold your breath as the bus slowly tilts. Finally, by some miracle, gravity pulls the left side back down to the ground. Everything is still slanted towards the right, but it's stopped moving. You sigh in relief, reaching for the top of the seat to pull yourself up.

"Hey!" Your wrist is caught in a gloved hand. You crane your neck to see Rogue, who caught your hand inches away from her face. "Be careful!"

You blush furiously when you realize you landed in her lap. She lets go of your wrist and you scramble to sit up and move away. "S-Sorry, I-"

She just stopped you from accidentally touching her, you realize. You stop on the edge of the seat and stare at her dumbly. "Why did you...?"

"Everybody okay??"

You turn your head towards Mr. Redetzke, who's standing up at the front of the bus. Everyone seems to be fine, if not shaken from the experience. You notice the panic subsiding around you.

"Y/N! You're alright?" Scott asks worriedly, and you nod. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Dude, that was nuts!" Paul exclaims. "Now what?"

"We head back." Redetzke answers firmly. Some students voice their disappointment, and you can't blame them. This was supposed to be a fun trip, but now it's way more exciting than you bargained for.

Unfortunately, the prospect of going home seems to dim with every attempt Redetzke makes to move the bus. It sounds like the wheels are turning, but they certainly aren't going anywhere. The restless chatter gets louder and Redetzke has to shout over the growing chaos. "Okay, okay, people! Now, who wants to get out and push?"

"Mr. Redetzke." You look at Rogue in surprise as she speaks up.  "Why not take our snowmobiles to the cave and wait out the weather there?"

You hear whoops and hollers for the idea, and Mr. Redetzke seems to realize that he's lost this battle, putting his face in his hands. "Fine, fine! Everybody outside, let's go."

As people file out excitedly, Rogue moves past you. You stare after her uneasily, not able to shake the sense that she's up to something, but you don't know what. As you wonder, you follow the rest of the students outside and find Scott.

"That was crazy." You breathe, pulling your hood on and shoving your hands in your pockets to protect from the cold. Scott's brow is furrowed as he looks at the bus. "We won't be able to get our bags out like this. Our communicators are in there."

You follow his gaze to the cliffside ditch that stopped the bus from going over. It's a freshly carved trench, with the pavement around it reduced to pieces. You look back at Scott with nothing but admiration. "You saved everyone, Scott. That's amazing."

He frowns, still unsure. "But with the baggage compartment blocked-"

"Once the storm's over, someone will find us." You assure him, having full faith that if the authorities take too long, the X-men will step in.

"Thanks, Y/N." He replies gratefully, his distress lessening slightly.

"Alright! Everyone calm down." Redetzke calls over the excited group, "Now, this road should lead right to the caves. It's two to a snowmobile, and only the people who got licensed for this are allowed to drive. I've got a list, so don't you dare try to sneak one by me. I'm looking at you Mr. Haits."

"Dang it." Paul mutters. Scott shoots him a smirk, grabbing a set of keys. "Guess you shouldn't have skipped the licensing exam."

"Not like he would've passed it." Rogue walks up, twirling her own set of keys around her finger.

You blink at her in surprise, not sure why she approached you. Scott goes on guard, looking her up and down skeptically. "How did you get a license? I seriously doubt you learned how the snowmobile in Mississippi."

"Nah, but I can drive an ATV." She replies smugly, putting on a helmet, "Administration says that's close enough."

"Yeah. Bet Darkholme didn't have anything to do with that." Scott shoots back, and Rogue narrows her eyes at him. You shiver at the intense air between them.

Finally Rogue breaks off their staring match and tosses you a helmet. Startled, you fumble a little as you catch it. Rogue nods her head at her snowmobile. "You're with me."

Your eyes widen and Scott protests. "What? No way!"

Rogue scoffs. "What, you gonna make me take this guy?" She gestures at Paul, who shrugs. "C'mon, Scott, let the girls ride together. It's no big deal!"

No big deal, sure. Just being alone on a snowmobile with a girl who probably hates you and has the ability to suck the life out of you with one touch. No big deal.

You force yourself to take a breath and think before you panic. Whatever Rogue's up to, she can't just kill you in front of all these people. And, if you can trust your powers, it doesn't seem like she's feeling murdery. Really, this might be your best chance to figure out what she's playing at.

"It's okay. I'll ride with Rogue." You decide hesitantly. Scott frowns, clearly unhappy about it, and Rogue's smug smirk doesn't make things any better. Worried about the not-impossible chance that they might actually start fighting, you begin to lead Rogue to the snowmobile and away from your friend.

You put on your helmet and look to her. Rogue's face is unreadable, and right now you're having trouble concentrating on parsing her emotions. She takes a seat and gestures behind her. "Hop on."

You put your leg over the side and awkwardly sit behind her. Unsure what to do, you place your hands on her shoulders. She sighs with something like irritation, turning and grabbing your hands with her gloved ones. "Just hold on to me like this. You're not gonna get put in a coma., alright?" She wraps your arms tightly around her waist. Your face gets warm, and thankfully she can't see it from her position.

"Everyone ready?" Redetzke calls, and gets several positive responses. "Then let's go!"

Rogue revs the engine and the snowmobile jolts to life. You find yourself holding her even tighter as you ride bumpily along. You must have hit a rock at some point, because the snowmobile pitches upward suddenly. You yelp, and even though you can't hear her well over the rumbling engine, you can feel her laugh.

"Not funny!" You exclaim in embarrassment, but she just laughs harder.

Her voice carries faintly over the wind. "Big, tough, X-man is afraid of a little snowmobile ride?"

"Only when it's with you!" You answer honestly. And then you're smiling. For a minute, it feels like it did before between you two. Not easy, but a sort of understanding. Rogue seems to ease up as well, as if there's a momentary truce in effect.

You have to admit, the ride is pretty fun. Once you get over the constant jostling, there's something thrilling about cutting a path through this snowy road. The mountain on one side, a cliff on the other, beyond which lies a swirling sea of snowflakes.

Another engine approaches, and you turn to the right to see Scott and Paul keeping pace with you and Rogue. Scott is keeping an eye on you, not at all subtly. Rogue sees them too, and that troubling glint reappears in her eye.

"Test your mettle, tough guy?" She calls over. Before you know it, she floors it on the gas. You shriek as your snowmobile speeds ahead, and from behind, you hear an incensed Scott. "Oh, you're on!!"

And so the race begins.

You hold on for dear life as Rogue tears through the snow, Scott and Paul following close behind. With every turn, the adrenaline rises, and you find yourself laughing even though you're terrified right now. Scott's snowmobile pulls closer, and he has the same look about him that he does when he flies the Blackbird or practices in the Danger Room. Excited, and determined to win.

Rogue may be even more determined, however, because one second you're on the road and the next she veers off the path. You yell again as she drives across uneven ground, then up an incline. You see the end of it and gasp.

"NonononononoNOOO!" You scream as Rogue makes the jump, flying six feet above the guys and landing just ahead of them. You're pretty sure your heart skipped a few beats there.

But again, Scott gains ground and pulls up on your right. "Nice try!" He calls, his competitive streak taking over and letting him have fun, "But you know we don't give up so easily!"

Then, it's like something breaks. You can no longer sense the wild excitement ahead of you. Instead, Rogue's mood darkens drastically. Before you can react, she's veering to the right, crashing into the side of Scott's snowmobile and throwing it off balance.

"Rogue!" You exclaim, but she does it again, too close to the cliff for comfort. Your heart leaps as you see Scott's snowmobile swerve out of control, nearly tipping over the side of the mountain. Rogue speeds ahead despite your protests, and you turn to look again. Just before they're out of sight behind the snowfall, you see Scott bring the snowmobile to a safe stop. You let out a sigh of relief, and hold on to the silent, angry figure in front of you with a mix of confusion and wariness.

---

Scott just barely manages to get control again, veering away from the cliff and sliding to a stop. It takes him a second to get over his shock, unclenching his hands from the handlebars.

Paul takes a shaky breath behind him. "Woah. That girl is crazy! She didn't care what happened to us, man!"

Scott looks ahead at the disappearing forms of you and Rogue, cursing. He'd gotten so caught up in the race, he wasn't being careful! Rogue had nearly gotten him and Paul killed, and for what? "Hey, you alright?"

"I guess.." Paul replies, his eyes wide. "That Rogue... You don't think she did this to get alone with Y/N, did she?"

Scott balks. "What?!"

"Yeah, dude. I mean, I heard her talking to some of those sketchy Brotherhood guys earlier. I think she said something about finishing what she started?"

Finishing what she started... Scott's eyes widen beneath his glasses. Rogue stranded Kurt in Middleverse... Maybe Mystique has finally turned her against the X-men. If she's planning to hurt you-!

Paul yelps as Scott floors it, driving to the caves as fast as he can.

---

Rogue pulls to a stop in front of the caves and dismounts swiftly, leaving you to shakily find your legs after that harrowing race. Once you're on your feet, you give her a hard look. "What was that?!" You demand.

"A winning strategy." She crosses her arms and leans against the cave's entryway.

You stare at her incredulously. "You could have seriously hurt them!"

"Like I hurt Kurt, right?" You stop, caught off guard. Rogue walks toward you slowly, continuing with a spiteful smile. "Like I could hurt all you X-men. You said it yourself." She stops inches in front of you. "I'm the enemy. Remember?"

As if you weren't confused enough, you start to feel the whirling mess of emotions in Rogue. Anger, frustration, distrust, hurt. What could you have done to make her feel this way? It's you who should be angry!

"It was a race." You manage to say, "It was a game!"

Rogue raises an eyebrow. "Funny how games can get people hurt."

"What are you...?" Your question is cut off by the noisy snowmobile engine approaching behind you. Scott jumps off it the second he's stopped and goes to your side, maneuvering himself between you and Rogue. He glares at her. "Nice stunt you pulled back there."

Rogue meets his aggressive tone with a taunting grin. "No trophies for second place."

The amount of ferocity he's giving off is worrying, so you touch his arm cautiously. "Scott? You're okay, right?"

When he looks at you, he seems to calm down a bit. "Yeah." He casts a suspicious eye at Rogue as he replies. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I am." You assure him. The sound of motors in the distance signals the arrival of the rest of the Geology Club. As it steadily gets louder, you turn to Rogue one last time with a wary glance. Her eyes bore back into yours in intense silence. Then, she turns away and stalks into the cave alone.

You shake your head and stick with Scott, who still seems worried about you. You have no clue why, since he's the one who nearly got driven off a cliff. Paul approaches, shaking his head. "Something is seriously wrong with that girl."

Scott hums in agreement, but you frown, unsure. "I guess," Is all you say, and you feel a quick twinge of distaste before it's gone again. You look at Paul, confused, but he's already back to talking with Scott. Whatever you felt was probably just from the other students disembarking.

The wind picks up, and you wrap your arms around yourself to conserve heat as you shiver through it. Thankfully, you'll soon be able to take shelter inside the cave. But as the blizzard grows, you nervously wonder how long you'll have to weather the storm.

---

The rain is cascading over the windows of the mansion in torrents, a liquid curtain between the warmth indoors and the cold, dark clouds rolling in. Professor Xavier sits restlessly by the roaring fireplace, contemplating a hefty issue. Leaning against the mantle, Logan removes a pick from between his teeth and voices his suggestion.

"Why not tell 'em the truth?"

He makes it sound so simple when it's anything but. Charles folds his hands together and frowns. "How do you tell your students that their principal, whom they're supposed to respect, and their enemy are one and the same?"

Logan scoffs. "Are you really concerned with 'em respectin' her?"

"I want them to respect even the people they disagree with. To not see in such a black-and-white way as 'us vs. them'." Charles replies, "But, you're right. My main concern is that they be allowed to live a normal high school life... or as normal as is possible."

"But these kids ain't normal, Chuck." Logan argues, "They're gonna have to deal with the cold hard truths of the world eventually."

"They're still so young." Charles objects, thinking of all his students. Scott and Jean, his bright, oldest pupils. All the younger ones, still adjusting to life as a mutant. "They deserve not to have their sense of safety ripped away from them."

After a few seconds, Logan sighs. "Look." He says, his eyes softening, "If there's anything those kids are used to doing, it's keeping their cool and keeping their secrets. They're more resilient than you give them credit for."

As sure as his friend sounds, Charles is still on the fence. "I don't know.."

"They'll deal with it. Trust me. You've taught 'em a lot."

Charles is glad, at least, to have such a loyal confidante. He's known Logan for quite a while now. It took a long time to earn his respect, and even longer to earn his trust. Charles values their friendship deeply, and he owes it to Logan to seriously consider his advice.

Before they can continue the discussion, however, the drawing room doors open and Jean and Ororo enter. Ororo has a sober look on her face. "Trouble's brewing. A blizzard in the mountains."

Jean chimes in, concern written on her features as well. "The geology club left for their field trip up there this morning."

"Jean." Xavier turns his chair, surprised, "I thought you were going with them."

"Yeah, so did I." Jean replies, "But, I found out Darkholme deep-sixed me at the last minute to make room for her little Rogue."

"Rogue?" Charles asks, and Jean carries on with a hint of frustration. "Yeah, Principal Darkholme seems to prefer the Brotherhood kids. But, that's not important. I'm worried about Scott and Y/N getting caught in that storm."

"They haven't answered their communicators." Ororo adds.

Charles' heart sinks and he shares a look with Logan as yet another voice enters the conversation. "What?" Evan walks in, eyes panicked, "Y/N's in trouble? We've got to go get them!"

"Evan, we don't know-" Ororo begins, but Charles cuts her off. "You're right. Trouble is brewing." He says, his forehead creased. He has an awful premonition that his students are caught in a plot of Mystique's. "Logan, prep the Blackboard. Ororo and I will meet you down there."

"But, Professor!" Jean protests.

"We're coming too!" Evan demands.

"No." The Professor states firmly, wheeling past them. "These weather conditions make for much too perilous a flight. Jean, I need you to look after the Institute while we're gone. Can you do that?"

She doesn't look happy, but she nods anyway. Evan shakes his head furiously. "No way! We can help!"

"You can help by remaining here!" The Professor says sharply, in a tone that he rarely uses. Evan backs down, surprised. Then, his shoulders fall and he mutters a quiet, "Fine."

"Good." Charles replies as he exits, moving to the hangar as swiftly as possible. If his instincts are right, two of his students could be in serious danger. He'd can't risk bringing harm to the rest.

He just hopes that harm hasn't befallen you yet.

---

The caves are bigger than you'd expected, stretching high up with stalactites hanging down like pointy teeth. As creepy as it looks in the dark, at least you aren't feeling claustrophobic. It's still pretty cold, but much better now that the wind can't reach you. You rub your hands together to keep warm as you sit on a large flat stone.

"I think I've got some heat pads if you need them." Scott says, sitting down with you. He offers two and you take them with a grateful smile. "Thanks." You reply as you slip them in your hoodie pocket and stick your hands in. That's a bit better.

You notice Scott looking tensely in a certain direction and follow his gaze across the tunnel to Rogue. She's leaning against the cave wall by herself. There's a steady wave of anger coming off of Scott, and you feel as if you should say something. "She shouldn't have pushed your snowmobile like that." You tell him, trying to be supportive.

"My fault for letting my guard down." He says, eyes not leaving her, "The Professor was right. We should be prepared for every possibility."

Part of you wants to agree with him, but you can't ignore what you felt, or rather what she felt. Rogue was having fun during the race, until she wasn't. And what she said before...

"Funny how games can get people hurt."

You shake your head. Why does she have to be so confusing? You're tired of going back and forth on whether she's a friend or foe, but every time you think she's one she becomes the other! As you wrestle with this, you remember something Jean said earlier.

"It's okay if you don't want to give up on her."

And you don't, you realize. Not yet, anyways. There's still something left unsaid between you and Rogue. Until you confront it, until you confront her, you won't be able to give up on her.

Scott, on the other hand... His aversion is clear. He's made his decision on Rogue, and you can't hold it against him after that race. But, being the way he is, he probably won't leave you alone with Rogue for a minute. You're going to have to lose him.

Redetzke's voice rings out, echoing around the cave and reaching everyone. "Okay, we're stuck here. Might as well make the best of it. So, in review, metamorphic rock." You smile at the teacher, carrying on like normal. Mr. Redetzke, the type of teacher who doesn't cancel class for the biggest New York blizzard since 1982.

"Who cares if it's -100 degrees out there?" Scott mutters sarcastically. "We've got learning to do!"

You giggle as the two of you stand up and cluster around Redetzke as he tours you through the caves, pointing out various metamorphic and igneous rocks. As you get farther in and the lecture drones on, you realize you don't see Rogue anywhere. You stop and wait, seeing if she's trailing behind, but everyone passes by you and she's nowhere to be seen. You're about to catch back up to Scott when a light in the darkness catches your eye. Turning quickly, you see Rogue and her flashlight disappear down another tunnel.

You look between her and the tunnel the others went down, both lights already fading. Having to make a quick decision, you find your feet moving after Rogue before you can wonder if it's the best idea. Too late to turn back, you follow the passage away from Mr. Redetzke's echoing voice. Equipping your own flashlight, you search for any sign of Rogue.

After a short time, the tunnel opens up into a huge cavern. You shine your light over it and stare in awe. Before you, there's an enormous, underground lake. The reflection of your flashlight glitters across it as you walk forward for a better look. As you get closer, you start to stumble over the edge of something. You drop your flashlight, watching in horror as it plunges into a deep chasm. You feel the rock crumble beneath your toes and flail your arms as you begin to tip forward. "Aaah!!"

Two hands grip your elbow and yank you back, away from the dark pit. Your heart pounds in your ears as you back up a few more steps, then finally turn to see your savior.

"Rogue." You breathe, adrenaline still high. She's breathing heavily in front of you, and you don't know for sure, but some of the fright you're feeling seems to be coming off of her.

Once you've both caught your breath, you stare at her searchingly. "You.. You saved me. Again."

Her face hardens, and you have to will yourself not to step away from her as her negative emotions push you. "I..." She begins, then shakes her head. "I don't know why I did. It would've taken care of my problem."

That hits you like an arrow to the chest. You sigh painfully and ask, "So then.. why didn't you let me fall?"

Rogue's eyes are intense. "I need to know, Y/N. What is it you want from me?"

"What?" You ask, confused, "I don't want... I mean... I guess I want to know what you want!" You admit honestly, still so conflicted about what Rogue's after.

"You want to know what I want?" She marches up to you, looking you in the eye, "The truth. Am I a target for you and your X-Freaks?"

Your eyes go wide, and hers soften. A flood of hurt washes through you as she utters her next words. "It's true, isn't it? I know all about your battle simulation. The one where I'm the enemy."

You're speechless. How does she know? Is this why she's been acting so strange on this trip? Staring at you so strangely, veering into Scott's snowmobile for seemingly no reason. She thinks you're out to get her! This whole time, you've been so angry with her for what she did to Kurt. You still are, on some level, but now you realize the truth. It really was just an accident.

Rogue begins to walk away, and you fear that it may be the last time she does so. "Rogue, wait!" You plead, "It's- It's all a misunderstanding! I thought that you-"

"There's nothing you can say to make this better!" She snaps.

You try again, more desperate. "I don't want to fight you! I never wanted to fight you!"

She pauses, and you can't breathe as she casts her eyes over you. Then she frowns, and with her next words you know it's over.

"I don't believe you."

And that's it. You can see in her eyes that she means what she says, and she's not giving you anymore chances. She'll go back to Mystique, the shapeshifter that manipulated her since the beginning, and it's all your fault.

"I'm sor-"

"Y/N!" Scott's voice booms through the cavern, making both you and Rogue jump in surprise. You see him run in through the tunnel, Paul following close behind with a flashlight. Scott jumps between you and Rogue. "Leave her alone!" He warns.

Rogue bristles and you move to stop Scott. "Wait!"

"Leave her alone?" Rogue repeats, her voice rising, "Leave her alone?! Since before I got to this goddamn town, you haven't left me alone!!"

Scott starts to say something, but she cuts him off. "No! You listen to me now!" She snarls, "If either one of you, any of you come near me ever again, you know what'll happen!" You suck in a breath as she hooks a finger under her glove, and Scott instinctively reaches for his glasses.

"Woah, woah, woah! Easy everybody!" Paul comes in, waving his hands with a nervous laugh, "Redetzke was wondering where you went. We should probably get back."

"Gladly." Rogue huffs, and starts to walk away. Scott sighs and looks between you and her, as if waiting for you to explain. You don't, pushing past him.

As you walk by Paul, you pause. The amount of sheer satisfaction from him startles you, and you look up at him. He looks at you, and though his smile never wavers, his emotions dip into disgust. "You okay?" He asks in a fake cheery voice. "Next time, don't stray so far from the pack, yeah?"

It takes you a moment to realize where you've heard that before, and when you do, the wheels don't stop turning. Paul's emotional aura is exactly like someone else's, someone close to Rogue, someone who seems to hate you. And all at once you have a sinking feeling as you stumble away from this person.

"St-Stay away!"

Everyone seems to freeze in place. Rogue stops short of leaving the cavern and looks in bewilderment. Scott is staring at you with similar confusion and a hint of concern. You're rooted to the spot before this Paul, shock evident on his face for a split-second. Then he recovers and smirks. "Haha, um, what's up, Y/N? You good?"

He steps toward you but you shove him back, eliciting a surprised noise from Scott. "Y/N!" He yells, startled, "What are you doing?"

"It's not him! It's not the real Paul!" You insist, holding your arms up in front of you to shield yourself. "It's Principal Darkholme!"

Paul's eyes widen, then turn cold as he grins. "Well." A different and familiar voice comes from his mouth as he begins to change shape, shifting into a tall, thin woman with severe features, wearing her usual blazer and pencil skirt. "Very good, Y/N. I underestimated you."

"P-Principal Darkholme?" Scott stutters, shocked.

She turns her dark grin on him next. "Hello, Scott. Are you more surprised to see me?" As she steps toward him, her disguise drops away. For the first time, you see her as she really is, a tall, blue-skinned woman with scarlet hair and pale yellow eyes, wearing a white dress adorned with miniature skulls. "Or me?"

"You're Mystique?" Scott realizes in disbelief. The shapeshifter rolls her eyes. "You never were that bright. I thought you lived at an Institute?"

You're trembling where you stand, terrified to act. If only you had your communicator!

"What's going on?!"

Your eyes dart towards Rogue, who stares at Mystique in shock. 'She must not have known Mystique was here.' You realize.

"The Professor.." Scott continues as you feel the dread pooling around you, "How... how could he not know?"

"Try to keep up. The Professor knew all along. He just neglected to tell you." Mystique states in amusement, every word of hers twisting inside you like a knife. "Nice of him, wasn't it? You have no idea what he's been hiding from you."

"He... he must have had a good reason!" You protest, shrinking away the second Mystique's eyes fall on you again. Her hate, no longer disguised, physically hurts. You look to Scott, your lifeline, but he's stuck in his own head. The weight of his doubt and hurt is crushing.

"Scott?" You whimper, and he looks up at you with a pained expression. Then he curls his fists and stands up straighter, facing Mystique with more bravery than you can muster. "What do you want?!" He demands.

Mystique laughs, a humorless, lifeless noise. "I want to fill you in on what the good Professor failed to teach you." She states, walking closer to Scott and the cliff's edge. She points a sharp nail at his chest. "You X-men are nothing but puppets for Charles Xavier." Then she twists around to look at you, your breath catching in your throat. "And I am a sharp blade cutting your strings.. just so I can watch you fall!"

She moves so fast you can't react in time, shoving Scott into the deep, dark chasm. You scream as his terrified face disappears over the edge. The rest of the world disappears, and you run towards him without a second thought.

Mystique's foot makes contact with your face in a swift, hard kick. You're unconscious before you hit the ground.

---

Rogue can't help the horrified scream ripped from her throat as Mystique pushes Scott off the cliff. Her own cry is drowned out as she hears your anguish and sees you run forward. Rogue runs too, if only to stop you from diving in after him and killing yourself.

Then as quick as lightning, she watches Mystique knock you out with a hard kick to the face. Rogue grabs ahold of your body to keep you from falling over the edge. She hovers a hand over your face, her breath shaky as she looks down into the black hole. She blinks back tears. "Scott.."

Rogue turns an accusing glare at Mystique as she kneels over you. "Wh-Why did you do that?!"

"I am protecting you, dear." Mystique's voice is soft and calm. Way too calm. "Don't you see? The empath has been affecting your emotions."

"Y/N didn't- She-!" Images of a monster from the cemetery flash through her mind. "You killed him! You- You tried to kill her!"

"They wanted to hurt you." Mystique continues, explaining slowly, as if Rogue were just a small child. "Just like Charles Xavier and all the other X-men."

Mystique reaches to touch Rogue's shoulder, but she slaps the shapeshifter's hand away. "And you don't?!" She retorts angrily, "What did you do to Paul?!"

"Let's just say he missed the bus thanks to a little miscommunication about the departure time." Mystique smirks. Rogue gapes at her guiltless expression, shocked.

"Why?" Rogue asks again, the only thing she can think to say.

"Listen to me." Mystique continues, stepping closer. "I'm here to take care of you. Remember? Think of Irene."

She does. Her mother trusts Mystique, her mother told her to come here.

'But Scott.. Y/N..'

"With these two gone, you will be safe. Come." Mystique extends a hand, one that shifts back with her into the shape of Paul. "Let's rejoin the others and break the tragic news."

Rogue breathes heavily, looking up at the person who's supposed to protect her. She looks at your still body, one she remembers declaring her an enemy. She looks into the dark pit that Scott disappeared into.

She makes her choice.

"No more secrets!"

Slipping her hand out of her glove, Rogue grabs Mystique's wrist and lets her power take over. Mystique cries out in strangled protest, but she's already too weak to pull free. Rogue gasps as she absorbs Mystique's strength, pressure building in her head. Still, she holds firm, motivated by a fierce determination.

"Your powers are mine!" She yells as Mystique attempts to wrench free, "Your memories are mine!"

---

Mystique and Irene in a car.

"Absorbing his memories and physical abilities. Wonderful."

Mystique changing into Wolverine.

"She will come to us willingly, given the right incentive."

Mystique attacking Rogue with metal claws.

Mystique stalking Rogue in the graveyard.

"We cannot lose her! Especially not to Xavier!"

Mystique and an obscured, helmeted figure in her office.

"She is a fine addition to our side."

"Yes, we were lucky to get to her first."

"Indeed."

---

Rogue's eye burst open wide as she lets go of her hand. Sick to her stomach, she pushes back all of Mystique's torturous thoughts to the back of her mind. She's seen enough.

'It was all her.'

Rogue barely registers the dull thud Mystique's body makes when she passes out on the cave floor. She's too overcome as she finally discovers the truth.

"Scott!" She cries, her body shifting into him unconsciously, a remnant of Mystique's power, "Oh Scott, I'm so sorry!"

Her eyes drift over to Mystique, and she wants to scream. She only manages another wet cry as she slams a blue fist against the ground. Oh. Now she looks like her.

A soft groan catches her attention, and she scrambles to your side as you begin to stir.

"Y/N?!" She asks desperately, "Oh, Y/N, please wake up!"

---

Your head hurts. Dazed and aching, you slowly come to as a voice calls your name.

"Y/N! I'm sorry, just... just wake up!"

You blink open bleary eyes and immediately recoil at the blue face in front of you.

"It's okay! It's me!" That voice... The blue fades away and it's Rogue. Her eyes are red. "I-I took her powers."

You can feel how distraught she is, how desperately lonely. 'This isn't Mystique.' You think, looking around until you spot the shapeshifter's body. And as it all comes back, your face pales in horror and you make for the chasm.

"Y/N!" You hear Rogue cry, but you ignore her. You fall to your knees when you reach the edge and call into the dark.

"Scott!!"

Your yell echoes slightly, muffled by the sound of water falling from the lake. Is there a river down there? Could he have fallen into the water below? Could he still be alive? Your heart races. He must be. He must be!

You whip around. "Where's your flashlight?!"

Rogue is still for a moment, then fumbles for her coat pocket. She rushes over and hands you the flashlight, and you shine it down below.

The circular beam traces over the cliff walls and waterfalls, and you hold your breath as you search every crevice.

You move the light so fast, you almost miss it. Down below, maybe fifteen, twenty feet, a slab of rock juts out from the jagged wall. Splayed across it is Scott, unmoving. You make a sound between relief and terror, still fearing the worst.

That fear is matched beside you as Rogue gasps. "He's alive!" She exclaims, "He has to be!"

"We need to get help!" You look back, trying to remember the way back to the group.

"There's no time!" Rogue protests. "We don't even know where the others are now. Help lower me down!"

"What?"

"I still have Mystique's abilities, but I don't know for how much longer!" Rogue explains quickly, pulling her glove back on. "She's strong. I can pull him up!"

The clock is ticking. You bite your lip and nod, maneuvering to take her hands. Once you have a firm grip, she slips over the side and you lay on your stomach as she dangles from your hold. "Careful!" You grunt, and feel her hands change. She's Mystique again, and she lets go. You watch as she lands next to Scott in an acrobatic crouch.

Panting, you sit back up and call out fearfully. "Is he alive?" You wait as Rogue checks. "Yes! He's waking up!"

You sigh in relief as you make out Scott's stirring form. That relief is short-lived, however, when you register the quickly growing anger behind you.

"You." A seething voice has you turn around to see furious pale eyes glaring at you. Mystique grips you by the collar and lifts you up. "This. Is all. Your. Fault!!"

She hurls you off the edge and you scream, plummeting into the darkness. Then, you stop suddenly when you're caught by a grip on each arm. You look up, and there's Scott and Rogue, holding onto you for dear life. They pull you up onto the small ledge and you fall into Scott's arms.

He's breathing hard, and his voice is gravelly. "It's getting hard to tell the players without a score card around here..." Scott mutters, looking between you and Rogue. You breathe a small laugh, interrupting all to soon by the ferocious scream above.

The whole cave seems to shake as Mystique's wordless yell reverberates, and Rogue's panic spikes as she points up. "Look out!"

Above, a large black shadow crashes towards you. A boulder! Scott grabs you and Rogue, pushing you with him off the ledge before the boulder can smash you to bits. The three of you scream as you fall, only going quiet once you hit the water.

It must have been a big fall, because the water hits you like a brick. It knocks the wind out of your lungs, and it's so dark you can't tell which way is up.

By some miracle, you break the surface. Spluttering and coughing, the current drags you along blindly. "Scott?!" You manage between gasping breaths, "Rogue?!"

"Here!"

Again, Scott's hand grabs yours and pulls you close. You see Rogue attached to his other side, both trying their best to stay afloat and stay together.

But the obstacles are far from over. Just up ahead, you see the end of the underground river. There's a growing light peeking through gaps in an otherwise solid stone wall, the water crashing against it before getting sucked down below. Your eyes widen. Either you'll be smashed flat or dragged and drowned.

"Hold on!" Scott yells, moving your hand to his shoulder. You wrap an arm around him and as he takes off his shades. A surge of unbridled red energy shoots forth, blasting apart the rock to reveal a white snowstorm outside. The river flows through the new opening, spilling into the outdoors and taking you with it.

"Swim!" Scott yells, and you begin to kick as hard as you can to the left, the side of the waterfall. As the three of you begin to get swept over the edge, Scott grabs onto a chunk of rock from his blast, pulling you and Rogue from the water with him and dangling over another deep chasm.

You hold on tightly as he scales the mountainside, inching along the cliff. "There." He grunts, and you see a ledge below. Taking a deep breath, you let go and drop down. The snowy rock is slippery and uneven, but you keep your balance. Rogue drops down next, then Scott's fingers finally give out and he drops too.

But the weight proves too much for the ledge to bear, and it crumbles beneath you, sending you tumbling down a small landslide. You hear Rogue's and Scott's yells mingle with yours as you plummet, soon landing on a solid surface.

Your ankle twists painfully as you fall on it, and you collapse onto icy stone. The world seems to swirl around you for a moment, or perhaps it's just the blizzard. Now that you've stopped moving, you realize that you're freezing.

"Y/N!" You hear Scott call, and look up to see where you've landed. By some miracle, the three of you fell onto a thin stretch of rock bridging across a deep valley between mountains. The river falls from the opening Scott made in the side of the mountain, pouring down farther than you can see. You swallow thickly, something telling you that you won't get lucky if you fall again.

Scott and Rogue are on the ground ahead of you, drenched and shivering in this snowstorm. You can't feel your fingers as you crawl towards them. "H-Hey.. Are you o-okay?" You stutter out through chattering teeth.

"A-Are you?" He asks back, and you take stock of the nasty bruise forming on his head. Scott notices and brushes it off. "Just a little bump. I'm f-fine."

You turn to Rogue, who's looking over the ledge with a pale face. "Rogue? You sh-shouldn't get s-so close t-to the edge."

She looks at you and laughs, but you can't feel any joy behind it. Just guilt and sadness. "This is all m-my fault." Rogue says, starting to break down, "I... I don't deserve your c-concern."

"H-Hey." Scott says, his expression serious. "It's n-not your fault. Okay? Mystique lied to you." You feel a sympathetic wave of sadness come over him. "Sometimes... the people you trust d-don't tell y-you the truth.."

With everything happening so fast, it's only begun to sink in that Professor Xavier must have known about Mystique being your principal. He's a telepath! It hurts, and it's confusing. Why would he lie to you like that?

"Rogue... I'm sorry too." Scott continues, and Rogue looks surprised. "I j-judged you too harshly. I'm s-so sorry."

"Me t-too." You continue the sentiment, your heart twisting when Rogue looks at you. "Y-You're not our enemy. You n-never were. I.. I sh-shouldn't have-"

As you inch forward again, you hiss in pain. Scott and Rogue look to you in alarm.

"Y/N?"

"What's wrong?!"

"I'm f-fine, I just twisted my ankle, I-"

You're cut off by a terrifying howl. Dread pools in your stomach as you look up, seeing a wolf stare you down from a mountain ridge. A wolf with with piercing, pale yellow eyes.

- - -

The Blackbird cuts through the blizzard like a knife, snow and wind deflected by Storm's powerful will. Charles sits at the controls with Wolverine, navigating the mountains in tense silence.

But as the search goes on, the silence seems too much for Wolverine to put up with. "We're moving too slow!" He growls, "Spread a little more sunshine, would ya?"

"I'm a weather witch, not a snow plow!" A frustrated Storm shoots back. "I'm doing the best I can!"

As Charles probes the vast area with his mind, he can only hope that their best will be enough.

---

"Mystique!"

Rogue exclaims, terrified, as the wolf jumps down onto the stone bridge. She bares her teeth at you and growls. You try to move, but your ankle protests and you can only sit there helplessly as Mystique prowls closer.

"No!" Scott yells as he jumps in front of you and Rogue. "You're not touching either of these girls unless you get through me!"

Mystique snarls, leaping at him as you and Rogue yell. Scott wrestles the wolf to the ground, even as she bites and claws at him. After a moment of confusion, you realize why he isn't using his power. The ground isn't stable, and one wrong laser could collapse the stone bridge entirely. But even without his eyes, Scott is holding his own against Mystique.

At least until she changes forms.

The wolf grows and shifts until she's a large snow leopard, digging her claws into Scott's jacket. He yells as Mystique tosses him through the air like a rag doll, hitting the cliff wall with a sickening crack. You and Rogue cry out as Scott slumps limply to the ground, and Mystique sinks her claws in him to toss him once more. She throws him at you, as if to gloat, and he slides to a stop in your arms.

"Scott?! Scott!!" He groans painfully, and then he's gone. Your heart stops in that moment when you can no longer feel his emotions. No anger, no fear, no anything. You can't even tell if he's breathing.

'No.. No, he can't be..'

The agony swells inside you as you stand, the pain of your ankle feeling numb in comparison. You look up at the leopard stalking towards you, and glare with a thousand daggers.

"Stay away from him." You utter quietly. The shapeshifter ignores you, gaining ground. Your fists tighten and a white hot rage shoots through you.

"I.. said.. STAY AWAY!!!"

The scream seems to echo around you, rippling though the air with the weight of your malice. It reaches the beast, who reels back in surprise. You watch coldly as Mystique involuntarily shifts back to herself, her face struck with fear.

"Wh-Wha-" She stutters, her voice trembling, "What did you do?"

You step towards her, your vision red. You want to see her even more terrified. You want to make her feel small and worthless and pathetic. You want her to suffer.

"Y/N?"

Rogue whimpers, and you turn to see her looking just as scared as Mystique. Suddenly, all the anger drains out of you. All you can focus on is the terror in her wide eyes.

'I did it again.' You think in horror, 'Oh god, I did it again.'

"Monster."

"HYA!" Mystique's fist connects with your stomach and you reel back in pain, giving her the chance to sweep you leg and knock you down. Your ankle is throbbing full force as she hoists you up by your collar.

"You idiotic, useless girl!" Mystique screams in your face, "You ruined everything!"

"She's so weird."

"You deserve none of what you have! None!"

"Ungrateful."

"You're weak! You shouldn't even be alive!"

"Just die!"

"And now she knows who you really are."

You can hardly breathe, your vision blurring as her grip tightens. All the while, you can't stop thinking.

'I hurt her.'

'I hurt Rogue.'

'She'll hate me.'

'They'll all hate me.'

You stop fighting as Mystique drops you, the pain in your ankle numbing with every other bodily sensation. The mutant leers down at you with pure hatred. "So I will rid her of you myself." She growls, and you close your eyes and wait.

Then, a sharp red light flashes outside your eyelids, and you hear Mystique cry out in pain. You open your eyes slowly to see Mystique knocked back from you several yards, doubled over. Rogue steps up beside you, and her anger makes you wince. But she's not angry with you. Her irate gaze is focused solely on Mystique.

"You're right. I do know who Y/N really is." Rogue snarls, "She's my friend. And you?" She huffs out a mirthless laugh, and her eyes glow red, "You messed with the wrong girl."

A red laser blasts from Rogue's eyes, just as intense and radiant as Scott's. It hits Mystique, who tumbles over the edge of the rock bridge and into the snowy abyss below. Rogue puts her glove back on and kneels at your side. "Are you okay?" She demands, with a protectiveness similar to Scott's.

"Mm.. No?" You answer honestly. Your head feels cloudy, and that can't be good. "Y-You took his power?"

"It's all I could think of." She confesses, "I tried not to touch him too long."

"Then he's...?"

"He's alive." Rogue nods, smiling reassuringly even as you can feel her fear.

You feel the ground shake beneath you, cracking and rumbling threateningly. The shock of the laser blast must have been too much, because now the bridge is beginning to crumble.

"H-Hold on!" Rogue exclaims, grabbing hold of you and dragging you backwards. You wish you could move, but it's like your limbs aren't even there. All you can do is watch the ground split and fall apart slowly.

Rogue gets you as far back as Scott before collapsing, the cold and exhaustion overtaking her too. "W-We're g-gonna die, aren't w-we?" She chokes out.

Even if your lips weren't frozen, you're not sure you'd be able to answer her.

---

Charles senses a short spike of power, ordering Logan to go northeast on the slim hope it belongs to one of his students. The trail goes cold just as suddenly, and for a few minutes it seems as though finding you or Scott would be as likely as finding a ray of sunlight.

But out of the blue, the Professor senses a faint presence and latches onto it with all his might. He knows this mind.

'Y/N. Y/N!' He calls out telepathically, 'I hope you can hear me. We're on our way! We're-!'

The connection weakens, the mind too close to shutting down. "They're hurt!"

Wolverine curses as he flies where Charles directs him. "Great! How're we gonna find 'em in this whiteout?"

Charles doesn't reply, too busy trying to reestablish the mental connection.

---

'We're on our way! We're-!'

You almost think you've imagined it, but it's really the Professor. He was in your mind, and he's coming to get you!

"The X-men.." The words are getting harder to say, like your jaw is freezing, "Th-They're coming.."

A spark of hope from Rogue, who manages to sit up and look around. "What? They are? Great!"

But with the Professor's voice gone, you realize, "They.. They can't.. find us.."

You see the hopeful expression drop from Rogue's face, see Scott still lying motionless. The ground beneath you is unsteady, it could give way any minute. Tears fill your eyes as you shun the inevitable outcome. 'Why did it have to be them?' You ask an unfair universe. Your friends don't deserve this end.

"Then..." Rogue looks up at the sky defiantly, "We'll give 'em somethin' they can find!"

She lays next to you, and you feel the heat from her reddening eyes as she uses Scott's power to shoot a beacon into the sky. It blazes upward like a fiery pillar, cutting through the white sky. You watch it, and her, in amazement.

---

Wolverine's sharp eyes catch it first, pointing it out on their right. "There!"

A red laser. Scott!

"Charles, take the controls." Wolverine directs as he stands up, and Charles complies, pressing forward towards the flare with a regained hope and determination.

He is bringing his students home.

---

The beam fades, Rogue sighing beside you. "It's gone." She says, sounding defeated, "I can't..."

"You did." You say, smiling softly at her, "Thank you."

She smiles back, a moment wrapped in so many emotions you don't even try to sort it out. You just let it be.

A screech sounds above you, and you see her. Those same pale eyes, this time on a vicious eagle. Of course, she couldn't just leave you to die in peace. But for the first time, you aren't afraid of her. There's nothing left she can do to harm you. It's over.

But she still has a hold over Rogue, who's shaking beside you in fear and anger. With some effort, you lift your arm and lay it over her, and you stare up at the eagle.

'I won't let you hurt her again.'

You feel an extra weight on your arm, and see Rogue's gloved hand clutching it. She nods at you, and you grin. You move your arm to interlace your fingers with hers.

The eagle screeches furiously. As it swoops down with its sharp talons, you reach over to Scott with your other hand.

'I love you.'

The last thing you hear as you close your eyes is the deafening noise of a jet engine overpowering the howling blizzard.

---

Rogue can't believe her eyes as the massive black jet ascends from the storm, pitting itself in between them and Mystique's eagle form. A door opens on the side and a costumed man steps out, a man who she used to fear. He's admittedly still intimidating as he draws his sharp metal claws and locks eyes with the shapeshifter.

"Give it up, Mystique, or you'll be tanglin' with a Wolverine!"

The eagle screeches again, and Rogue's afraid for a moment that Mystique will never let her go. But the mad creature turns and flies away ruefully, and Rogue lets out a sigh of relief.

The stone cracks as the jet moves closer, and she locks eyes with Wolverine. His expression is hardened, and she shrinks under his gaze. Then, he leaps over and scoops her up, slinging her over his shoulder and Scott and Y/N over the other. "Hang on."

She does, and feels his muscles tense as he makes the jump back. The bridge finally gives way once his feet have left it, fully collapsing. Her heart skips a beat as they hang over certain death for a moment, only resuming its rhythm when they land with a thud on the steel steps of the jet entrance. Wolverine climbs inside, and Rogue watches as they leave the freezing blizzard behind them. The door can't close too soon.

She registers being set down and wrapped in a warm blanket, adult voices asking her questions. It takes her a minute to process, the seats collapsed to make beds, the feeling of gaining altitude. She sees Scott being attended by a woman.. Storm.

'Y/N?'

Rogue looks to her right and sees you lying on one of the beds, face pale as you're wrapped in blankets.

'Please be okay.'

After some time of watching the adults take care of you two, Rogue is approached by Wolverine She curls up tighter in her blanket as he looks down at her. "Where's your allegiance, kid?" He asks gruffly, "Us or them?"

She eyes the door warily. "If I don't say 'you', will I get thrown out of this jet?" She asks, shivering.

The man crosses his arms. "Nope, not our style." He replies, "We've either earned your trust by now or we haven't."

Rogue looks over at Scott and Storm, then to you. She nods. "I'm with you."

And then, for the first time, Rogue sees Wolverine smile. "Welcome to the X-men."

---

"Zhere she is!"

Your weary eyes open to a room full of smiling faces. Immediately, you're overcome with relief and worry. A mix of emotions courtesy of Kurt, Evan, Kitty, and Jean, apparently. Kurt flashes his usual cheeky grin as he continues. "Hi, Y/N! See you here a lot, huh?"

He yelps as Kitty elbows him, and you realize what his bad joke's about. You're back in the Institute's medbay.

"Seriously, though." Kitty leans in and hugs you. "Don't make a habit out of it, okay? We were worried!"

"Kitty." You blink slowly, "I though you went home. Wait, what day is it?"

"You've been resting for two days." You turn to the new voice and gasp when you see Scott sitting on the bed next to yours, a bandage around his head. "Scott! You're okay!"

"Yeah, well." He smiles, "I've been told I've got a thick skull."

"You sure do." Jean replies, putting an arm around him. You notice the blush on his face, and feel a tingly sensation you can't name. It grows when a hand touches your arm.

"Are you okay?" Evan asks, his worry stronger than the others. You smile to try to put him at ease. "Does anything hurt?"

You pause to take in your own injuries. Your ankle is sore, and you have a bit of a headache, but other than that you feel alright. "Yeah, I think I'm okay."

"You were out in that storm so long, we thought you might catch hypothermia or something!" Evan half laughs and half sighs. You start to remember. The storm, the cliff... the fight!

"Wait, where is-?" You ask, and spot a figure leaning against the doorway. "Rogue."

She looks at you hesitantly, staying separate from the group. "Hi."

"Hi." You reply breathlessly. "Are you... here to stay?"

"If, um.." Rogue says nervously as the others look at her. "If it's alright."

Before anyone can say anything, Kurt marches up to her and pinches her arm. "Ow!"

"Zhat's for stranding me in Middleverse!" Kurt states, then smirks. "Now ve are even."

"God, you are just like an annoying little brother." Rogue grumbles, rubbing her arm. Kurt sticks his tongue out playfully and you burst out laughing. Then the others join in, too, and even Rogue cracks a small smile. You sit up in your bed, happy to be with all of them.

"I hate to ruin the moment." Scott says, his face back to serious, "But now that you're awake, we need to talk about Mystique."

"You're right, Scott." Your eyes widen as the Professor appears in the doorway, Ororo and Logan in tow. "It's time you all knew the truth."

---

You sit there silently between Rogue and Scott on the drawing room couch as a warm fire crackles in the fireplace. All around you is a tense air, from Kitty and Kurt by the mantelpiece to Jean and Evan behind the sofa. Logan and Ororo stand on either side of the Professor, who sits across from you and waits for his students' reactions.

Jean's the first to speak up, her steady voice not betraying any of the hurt she feels. "It's the same as lying to us. We had a right to know who our principal really was!"

The others voice their agreement over each other. "Ja, man. Vhat did you zhink ve vere gonna do? Go after her?" Kurt exclaims incredulously.

Evan crosses his arms. "Man, we know better! She wants to play like nothing's goin' down? So can we!"

"It's like we were playing with fire and didn't even know it!" Kitty adds with a tone of displeasure.

You nod, agreeing entirely. "Why didn't you trust us?" You ask quietly, and everyone turns to Xavier.

He folds his hands and sighs. "I only wanted you to feel safe at your school. Had I thought Mystique would actually make a move against you, I never would have left you in the dark so long. I miscalculated, with her and with you."

Your brow furrows as you try to feel him, to know that he means it. As if understanding, he lets down the shield he uses to keep his emotions from bothering you and lets you in. Your face softens when you feel his regret, and know that he really did do what he thought was best for you. You can't find it in yourself to stay mad at him, even if you still feel a bit betrayed.

Rogue shifts beside you, an aura of discomfort around her. You turn and ask under your breath, "You okay?"

Before she can answer, the Professor asks, "Rogue?" An invitation to join in the conversation. Rogue initially seems unsure. "It's... not my place." She replies, eyes cast downward.

"Yes, it is." You reassure her, and your friends chime in, too.

"You're part of the family, now!"

"Yeah, girl! Tell us what you think."

Rogue looks surprised, and Scott gives her an encouraging smile. "You're one of us. You always have been."

A smile spreads across your face as Rogue's emotions grow lighter, warmer. She starts slowly.

"Well... I think.. No. I've learned that honesty is very important between people you care about. At least it is to me."

The Professor considers this for a moment before nodding solemnly. "You're right. All of you." He shares a quick look with Logan, who smirks at him, before continuing. "I must apologize for keeping this secret from you. But please understand, there are many challenges in your future. Secrets, elements of surprise. Some you're ready to deal with, and some you're not. In the future, I will try to do better in knowing which is which."

"Thanks, Professor." Scott smiles, "We're all in this together. It's nice to know we've all got something to learn. That's what makes us X-men."

"Man." Evan says after a second, "That's mad corny."

Everyone laughs, and you feel much better for it. The laughter doesn't make all the pain go away, but it makes the pain lighter, easier to deal with. Maybe Scott's corny words are right. Whatever secrets or obstacles come their way, the X-men will get through it together.

"Alright! Now..." Kitty announces with the clap of her hands, "Who's up for a game of Red Dragon Inn? I've got the Villains expansion pack~!"

---

"Hey, she's back!"

Mystique stalks over the threshold and into the boarding house, the curious eyes of the Brotherhood residents on her. There's a dull throb on her stomach, overshadowed by a burning rage inside her.

"Hey, Mystique! Hey! Where were you? You were gone for, like, two whole days! And Rogue's been gone, too! Hey, where is sh-"

Her hand shoots out and grabs the Toad by the shirt, rendering him silent.

"Leave. Me. Be."

Her eyes bore into him as a makes a little squeak and nods. She releases him and he hops away as she continues up the stairs. When she makes it to her room, she shuts and locks the door, then slowly goes to the phone and punches in a number.

It barely rings before the clairvoyant picks up. "Hello, Raven."

"Destiny." She replies, her voice close to breaking. "I've lost Rogue."

A beat of silence. "...I know."

"You know?" Mystique's eyes narrow, "Or you knew?"

Silence.

"Why?!" Mystique bangs on her desk, "How could you not tell me?!"

"It is the path she chose. If she is fated to be an X-man-"

"Her fate," She spits, "is not with Charles Xavier! It is with me! I am the one who will lead her to greatness!!"

"When, Raven," Irene's voice coldly asks, "have you ever led anyone to anything but ruin?"

Mystique stops, the words halted on her tongue. She holds the phone silently until she hears a tired sigh and a click on the other end. Slowly, her hand begins to quake.

She chucks the phone across the room with a guttural cry, shattering the boudoir mirror. She tears the paintings from the walls, flips and throws any furniture not bolted to the floor. She punches the wall and screams.

And when she's done, she hunches over that shattered mirror and cries silent, anguished tears.

Chapter Text

'Wolverine.'

The large man growls, his mind stuck on one track.

'Wolverine.'

Ever since they last fought, he hasn't been able to find him. His foe is covering his tracks.

'Wolverine.'

That won't stop him, though. His prey is somewhere in this town. He knows it. And from the right vantage point...

The chain link fence with a 'No Admittance' sign is torn apart quickly. He stalks through it, toward the old water tower. A clawed hand grasps the first rung of the ladder, and the predator begins his ascent.

'Wolverine.'

---

A bell rings, signaling the conclusion of a class period at Bayville High. As most kids stand up and depart with excitement, one student remains seated at his desk, gazing in dismay at his graded report.

"D?" Evan Daniels sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Man, Auntie's gonna ground me for the rest of my life!" He scratches at his skin absent-mindedly, a habit developed from his bones being constantly ready to jump out of his skin.

"Mr. Daniels?" He looks up at his teacher calling him from the front desk. "Could we talk for a moment, please?"

Evan reluctantly stands up and trudges forward, practically dragging his sneakers across the floor to avoid the confrontation. "...Yes?"

"Admittedly, I asked for a report on the Star Wars Program." His social studies teacher, Mr. Vandermeer says as he erases today's lesson from the chalkboard. "However, I wasn't talking about the movie."

"But, I like movies.." Evan argues. He'd worked really hard on this report, he'd even looked up all this neat behind-the-scenes info!

"Which is fine." Vandermeer reassures, "But I was expecting a report on the National Space Defense System."

"Oh..." Evan looks down at his report, then at the ground. "That makes sense... Hey, is there anything I can do to make this up? Extra credit? Anything?" He looks to his teacher pleadingly, pulling his best kicked puppy impression.

"Well, there is something I thought might work." Evan's hopes soar as the teacher turns to pull something out of his desk drawer. "Despite the mix-up, I was happy to see how much effort you put into the report. So I thought up a project that might suit your interests."

Out of the drawer comes a hi-tech camcorder, and Evan's jaw drops. "Woah!"

"You know, Evan, current events can mean a lot of things. Including things that are important to people your age. They don't have to be huge, they just have to mean a lot to you. How would you like to do a film report on that?" Vandermeer offers the camcorder, and it doesn't take half a second for Evan to snatch it excitedly. "You mean it??"

His teacher chuckles. "You got it. Project is due by the end of the week. If you show me that effort with this and your final exam, you'll be just fine."

"I'm on it!" Evan exclaims, slinging his backpack on and running out of the classroom. "And thanks for the second chance, Mr. V!"

The young mutant bumps into a few people walking down the hall, much more focused on inspecting the camera than watching where he's going. "Look at the optics on this!" He marvels, playing around with features as he films passersby. "And the zoom!" He looks around and finds an open window, grinning as he gets a sweeping shot of Bayville. The video quality is amazing, zooming into pristine images of buildings hundreds of meters away. He even catches a clip of someone shredding downtown on their motorcycle.

"Hey, is that..?" Evan zooms in as far as it lets him, laughing in delight when he sees the familiar bike. "Logan, carving the streets like an absolute animal! Wait, can I see the Institute from here?" He pans to the right, excitedly filming his new home, just visible past the woods.

"Evan!"

A hand shoots up from the window and grabs Evan by the shirt. "Wha- Hey!" He reflexively spikes out his arm, but retracts them the minute he realizes who's out there. "Kurt!"

His new Institute roommate lets go of his shirt, waving impishly at Evan from where he hangs one-handed from the windowsill. "Hi."

"Man, don't scare me like that! I almost shish-kabobbed you!" Evan whispers as he looks behind him. All clear, there's no one nearby.

"Sorry! Image inducer's on ze fritz." Kurt explains as he glitches between his disguise and his true blue form. "I've got to get back to ze Institute before someone sees me. Can you tell Y/N zhat I'm missing shop class?"

"Sure!" Evan agrees, his smile growing just thinking about you.

"Good! And maybe you can also tell her zhat you like her." Kurt smirks.

"Get out of here, already!" Evan grumbles, and Kurt cackles as he vanishes in a puff of smoke. He huffs, then rolls his eyes and returns to playing with his new toy.

---

Claws tighten curiously around his military grade binoculars. The water tower has a view of Bayville that goes for miles. As he searches for his foe, the man spots a familiar blue creature hanging out the window of a children's school. Just as soon as he spots him, the boy disappears.

That child... He was with Wolverine in the parking garage. A growl rips out from the his lips. Those stupid teenagers had no right to involve themselves. This feud is between him and Wolverine.

The animalistic instinct to hunt stirs inside him, and his eyes narrow on the blue boy's companion. A young boy with a camera. If he knows the blue boy...

...he could know Wolverine.

His lips curl up, revealing sharp fangs. Putting away the binoculars, the predator stands up and leaps from the tower.

The hunt begins.

---

Wow. What a week.

Not only are exams and final projects right around the corner, but your X-men training has been amping up as well. Logan has been giving all of you more intense exercises. You're glad you're all healed up, but part of you wishes you were still too hurt to participate. Logan can be really strict, and his exercises can make you really sore... You understand training more since you, Scott and Rogue faced Mystique in the mountains, but you wish he'd just cut you all a break.

On the topic of Mystique, she's MIA. It seems the principal of Bayville High has taken an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons, and the assistant principal will be taking over until she's back.

'Hopefully, she never comes back, for Rogue's sake.'

It's been an adjustment for her, you're sure, being at the Institute now. Everyone's been really welcoming to her, so you hope she doesn't feel as out of place as before. And hey, maybe Kitty can help with that, too! Last week, Professor Xavier decided to pair up some of you as roommates. Evan is with Kurt, and Rogue got Kitty. You're the only younger student with her own room, which bummed you out a little. You understand why, though. You're just glad Rogue has the opportunity to bond with a new friend.

You leave your Science class and turn down the hall to where you normally meet up with Kurt. After a few minutes, though, he still hasn't shown up. 'Weird. Did he get held up?'

"Y/N! Hey!"

You turn around and grin when you see Evan jogging up to you, bumping into someone on the way. You giggle as he apologizes hastily to the annoyed student, then continues toward you. "Hi Evan! I'm just waiting for Kurt."

"About that.." He says, and you raise an eyebrow, "Kurt had to go home. He was feeling a little blue, if you catch my drift."

"Ah, okay." You nod, hoping Kurt got home okay without anyone seeing him. Thankfully, he's able to teleport from here to the woods surrounding the Institute, and that area's deserted. "So, where are you heading?"

Evan grins, lifting up an expensive looking camera. "Wherever inspiration takes me!"

You listen as he tells you all about his new project, his excitement palpable. You knew he was into movies, but you didn't know he was into making them! It's not something you know too much about, but the feeling of his enthusiasm is infectious. "Wow, that's awesome!"

"I know, right?!" His smile softens, and you begin to feel something strange. It's like you're picking up on an emotion you don't fully recognize, one that feels like your stomach is twisting. You're about to ask if he's okay when you hear a loud voice ring out behind you.

"Just admit it! I saw it!"

'Wait, isn't that Kitty?' You think, turning around in confusion. 'She sounds mad.'

Suddenly, Evan takes your arm and drags you behind the lockers. "Wha-?"

"Shhhh!" Evan crouches down, pulling up the camcorder and hitting a button. "And... action!"

You watch in confusion as Kitty and Rogue come around the corner, and while you can't get a good sense of their emotions from here, they certainly don't look happy.

"For the last time, I didn't swipe your stupid novel!" Rogue replies with an annoyed glare.

Kitty scoffs. "Oh, right, I suppose it just got into your gym locker by accident?"

"You loaned it to Kurt, and he loaned it to me. I was gonna give it back!"

"Oh, right!" Kitty bites back sarcastically.

Your brow creases. 'Oh no.. I guess they aren't getting along as well as I hoped.'

"Just because we're roommates doesn't mean you can take my stuff!"

"I never asked to be your roommate. If it were up to me, you could have your book and your room back!"

"Why, you-!!"

"Oof!"

Distracted by her argument with Rogue, Kitty runs right into a passing boy. They both drop what they're holding, books and papers falling to the floor.

"Oh, sorry!" Kitty exclaims, and like a flipped switch, changes to a cheerful attitude. She runs a hand through her hair awkwardly. "Could I be any klutzier?"

"No problem." The boy replies with a charming smile. "Let me help." He picks up her books and what looks like a stack of posters.

Kitty giggles. "Hey, I feel like such a dork. I mean, I really should look where I'm going."

"And enter the love interest.." Evan whispers below you, and you roll your eyes at him. You feel bad about spying, but now that you are, you feel like you're kinda stuck here.. It is a little funny watching Kitty flirt, the way she gets all giggly. Rogue certainly looks annoyed at suddenly being ignored, too, making a gagging face beside the two. You chuckle.

The boy gives Kitty the books back. "Here you go."

Kitty giggles again, a pitch higher. "Thank you, Jason!"

"Thank you, Jason!" Rogue parrots mockingly, Kitty pausing to shoot her a dirty look.

Jason chuckles nervously. "It's Kitty, right?"

"Uh, yeah, Kitty, that's right, yeah!" Blushing profusely, Kitty babbles. "Hi! Oh, I already said that. Um, whatcha doin'?"

Rogue rolls her eyes as Jason answers. "Hanging posters." He holds one up, and you lean forward to read it. 'Dracula: A Rock Musical'? Huh. "Auditions for the school play are Monday after school. Hey, you're gonna try out, right? We need girls who can sing and dance."

"Maybe." Kitty says coyly.

"How about you?" Jason looks at Rogue, "You totally have the vampire look down! It's perfect!"

Rogue raises an eyebrow silently, and Kitty jumps in front of her before she can even reply.

"So, like, what part do you play?"

Jason looks away bashfully. "Um, I'm the, uh, male lead."

'Wait, did he cast himself as the lead?' You wonder.

"You're gonna be Dracula? Cool! Well, then, duh! I mean, yeah, sure! Of course, I'm gonna totally try out!" Kitty laughs, practically bouncing on the spot.

"Great! Well, then I'll see you Monday!"

He walks off to put up more posters as Kitty waves after him.

"Wow." Rogue finally says, "Just when I thought you could not possibly get more pathetic."

Kitty's smile turns back to a glare. "At least I've got some hope of getting cast, unlike you!"

"Ooooooh, that's cold!" Evan exclaims.

"Should we step in?" You ask, a little worried.

"What? No way! It's just getting good!"

"Look at me. I was made for this play." Rogue argues, turning her head dismissively. Unfortunately, when she does, her eyes just happen to make contact with a camera lens. "HEY! What are you playin' at, Porcupine?!"

Busted. You and Evan sheepishly step out from behind the lockers, the two girls looking at you in surprise and irritation. "Y/N, you too?" Rogue exclaims, her eyes narrowing, "What are you doing?"

You bite your lip guiltily, hard-pressed for a good response. "Um, we-"

"It's cool!" Evan jumps in, "I'm just doing an assignment for Vandermeer's class. I made Y/N stand there so she wouldn't get in the way of the shot!"

You send him a grateful look as Kitty sighs in exasperation and Rogue puts her hands on her hips. "I better not see my face on that tape, or they're gonna be calling you Spyke-less!"

Evan quickly nods. Rogue is truly terrifying when she needs to be. "Uh, yeah, hey, don't worry about it! So, are you guys gonna audition for this?" He points to the poster, trying to change the subject. Good move. You take a closer look too, your head tilting at the image of Nosferatu jamming out on electric guitar.

"Well, I am." Kitty says confidently, sending a smirk to Rogue, who crosses her arms. "Yeah. Me too."

You start to sweat as they glare daggers at each other. "Oh, that's so cool!" You say, trying to diffuse the tension. "Rogue, you've read Dracula, right? Maybe I should too, to, you know, learn the story before I see the musical."

"Yeah. Can't believe you remember that." Rogue replies, her smile calming your nerves a little. "I have the book. I'll let you borrow it."

"Really?" You beam, "That would be great." You linger with her in that moment, content. Then..

"See how easy it is to get permission to borrow something?" Kitty remarks snidely, and Rogue's temper flares up instantly.

"Oh my GOD-!"

You shrink back, teeth clenched uncomfortably. To your right, Evan has his camera out again to film the drama. "Cool! Character conflict! Now, that's what I'm talking about!"

You look between him and the feuding girls, then shake your head and walk away. 'I tried..'

---

The predator watches and waits from building tops, surveying the children's school. When the bell rings and the children come out, his sharp eyes lock onto his target.

The boy with the camera. He's speaking with a young girl by the entrance, and then waves as she leaves him. He puts on a helmet and pulls out a skateboard.

This chase will be good practice.

---

"Bye, Y/N!" Evan says with a grin, waving as you depart. He let you know he's gonna skate home. It'll make great footage, and his teacher said to film things that are important to him.

Shredding pavement is extremely important.

'It's gonna be so epic!' He thinks as he pulls out his board. 'I can't wait for Y/N to see it!'

Alright. Lights, camera, action!

"And now," He announces into the lens, "..for an Evan's eye view of what it means to be a truly thrashin' street skater!" With one hand strapped to the camera, he jumps on his board and grinds down the stair rail, launching over some surprised students at the bottom. "Woo!"

This is where Evan always feels right. Swerving and jumping and tearing up the streets with his board. The rush of pulling off a rad trick, of going maximum speed down a hill, he loves it. And when he's in it, he can forget all the other crap.

He's free.

Evan laughs giddily and mugs to the camera, getting some sick first-person shots. "Okay, okay, watch this!" He exclaims, trying something he's been working on. He's never done it with one hand before, but there's a first time for every legendary trick.

Crouching down, he places his hand flat on the board in front of his feet. Taking a breath, he launches forward, putting his feet up in the air. "Yes!" He cheers, doing his best to film himself riding upside down on one hand. Before he can lose his balance, he brings his feet back down and pumps his fist in the air victoriously. "I did it- Woah!!"

Distracted, he hadn't noticed the cat in his path. The feline only just notices him, yowling in surprise as he barely misses hitting it, swerving just in time. The cat doesn't seem very grateful, hissing before it runs off.

"Phew!" He exclaims, trying to regain control of his board as it continues to swerve. But before he can, he feels someone push him from his blind side. "Ah!" Evan tumbles off his board, dropping the camcorder and crash-landing in an alley.

---

The predator leaps from building to building, chasing the little lamb as he skates obliviously down the sidewalk. It's mildly entertaining, hunting down such a helpless creature. But ultimately, he's after a much bigger bounty.

Like a lioness, he waits for the right time to strike. He finds it when the boy barely misses the smaller animal in his path. Baring his teeth, the man leaps down onto a moving truck, then jumps at the boy. Not for the kill, no. He shoves the boy aside swiftly, sure not to leave a lingering scent. If Wolverine knows too soon, he'll just run off, tail between his legs.

No more running. It's time to end this.

He makes quick work of scenting him, confirming the boy's relation to his nemesis. But he won't be down for long. The predator snatches the camcorder the boy dropped and ducks beneath a set of stairs some yards away. He flips the cover open, tracing the buttons with his claws until he finds the right one.

'Playback'.

"Hey, is that..?" A laugh as the camera zooms in on a motorbike. "Logan, carving the streets like an absolute animal! Wait, can I see the Institute from here?"

The predator's fangs pull up into a grin.

'There you are.'

Now to leave a little thank you present...

---

"Ow..." Evan groans, sitting up sorely in the alley. Thankfully, some garbage bags were there to break his fall. He smells his armpit and wrinkles his nose. "Gross. Now I need a shower.."

The frustration leads way to anger as he grabs his board and goes to confront the jerk who pushed him. "Man, somebody is lookin' for some trouble!" Ready to flex out his spikes if he needs to, Evan looks around and ends up confused. There's no one in sight.

'Hey, wait, the camera!' He realizes he dropped it, and starts searching for it. 'Did they steal it?' He'll flunk for sure now! No way Mr. V will believe him that-

Then Evan hears it. His own voice, just a little further down. He runs over and sees the camcorder lying open at the bottom of some stairs, playing the film he got with Rogue and Kitty in the hallway. Relieved but still a bit worried, he picks it up and checks it over. "Oh man, I hope it isn't busted!"

He starts rolling, making sure all the buttons still do their thing. "Seems to be okay.." He mutters, the adrenaline coming down. Man, he needs to be more careful. Bayville's smaller than NYC, but he could still get jumped. He just doesn't get how whoever pushed him got away so fast!

"S'up, Daniels!" Toad hops into frame, mugging at the camera. Evan's eyes narrow. "What do you want, Tolansky?" Not this Brotherhood joker! He's so weird...

"I heard about your movie! Check me out!" Toad shouts excitedly, hopping off the stair rail to a window ledge, then flipping off it onto the ground. "Style, charisma, the Toad's got it all, yo! So, start shootin' already!"

As the scrawny kid poses like he's flexing, Evan just shakes his head. "How did you know that? Were you following me?"

"What? Follow you? Me?" Toad laughs unconvincingly.

"Wait, were you the one who pushed me?!" Evan exclaims angrily. Before Toad can answer, he shoves him onto the ground. Toad makes an offended noise. "Hey, what the heck?"

"You're lucky I didn't spike you instead." Evan threatens, getting back on his board. "And no way I'd ever put you in my film! I got too much respect for my craft."

He rides off frustrated, not caring if he maybe took it a bit far. Toad's one of the Brotherhood! He deserves it after pulling a stupid stunt like that.

Well, at least he got some good footage while skating. He's gonna make this film amazing!

---

You yawn, walking lazily to the kitchen for some breakfast. It's Saturday, and since you (thankfully) don't have any training sessions today, you're trying to decide what to do. Everyone else is pretty busy. Kitty and Rogue are practicing for auditions, Scott and Logan are going to do some higher level exercises, and Jean's going to tutor Kurt for his English exam. Oh, and Evan has his movie! He seems really into it, which makes you happy. Anyways, you've got to amuse yourself somehow.

"Good morning, Y/N."

"Good morning, Ororo!" You reply as you step into the kitchen. The woman smiles kindly, taking a bowl from the fridge. "I made some Vitumbua. Would you like some?"

"Oh, sure, if there's enough."

"Of course there is."

"Thank you." You say genuinely. The two of you chat while she serves you a plate of the doughnut-like food, also giving you some tea and a slice of date nut bread for good measure. She mostly asks about how school is and what classes you like. It's sweet the way she seems to look after people, even you. Then she excuses herself and you thank her again, taking your meal out to the dining room to eat.

You don't think you really enjoyed food before the Institute. Nothing was ever home-cooked at the Home. It was much more of a 'fend for yourself' situation. Sometimes you were the last to get anything because everyone else was bigger and faster and left you with the scraps.

But it's better here, so you should just focus on that.

Scott walks in with his own plate of food and gives a tired wave, which you return. "You're up early."

"Yeah." You reply, "I guess I was just eager to start the day." Truthfully, a bad dream woke you up around 5, and you couldn't get back to sleep. They've been happening a bit more since the mountain. Since you almost... lost control. And because of your powers, Professor Xavier thought it best you have a room to yourself instead of having a roommate like your friends.

You frown. It would have been nice to room with Kitty or Rogue. You wish you could just talk about the nightmares to make them go away, but then you'd have to open up about your past. No, that is something you can't talk to anyone about.

"Y/N!"

"Huh?"

Oh, Scott's been trying to get your attention. You can sense his concern and put on a fake grin. "Sorry, just thinking about, uh, my homework." The excuse seems to work, and an easy smile comes to Scott's face as well. "I get that. Don't stress, though. You've got all weekend."

"Yeah." You agree, finishing off your plate. It's a nice day. You should enjoy it.

---

Evan's running, sweat pouring down his face as he passes rows and rows of open lockers. He's in his old school in NYC and something... something's after him. He needs to escape.

The door is right at the end of the hall, but no matter how fast he goes, he can't reach it. There's paper strewn all over the floor, tripping him up as he runs. He slips, falling hard onto the checkered marble.

No, no, no. He can't stand up, he can only turn to look at what's chasing him. Flashing lights, blue and red, close in. Shadowy figures draw guns and bark at him. "Freeze!"

He tries to put his hands up, but when he does, spikes poke out from his skin. "N-No, wait!"

"Fire!"

BANG!

---

"Ah!" Evan yells in fear, shooting up out of bed. The spikes fly out in all directions, hitting the wall, breaking a lamp, and shattering the mirror. It isn't long before he realizes where he is.. and where he's not. He breathes a sigh of relief and winces when he fully takes in the damage. "Aw, man..."

At least Kurt wasn't here to witness that. A sharp beeping on his side makes Evan jump, but he manages to hold the spikes in. It's just his alarm. He silences it as someone knocks on the door.

Ororo steps into the room, raising an eyebrow at the destruction. "I thought I heard you yell."

"Oh! That! Uh, I, um, I sneezed." He lies, "Sorry, Auntie.. I'll clean it up, promise."

He's not sure if she believes him. Her eyes seems to bore into his soul. But, she moves on without pressing. "Just be more careful, Evan. Now, up and at 'em, little man. You're missing breakfast." She grins, "I made vitumbua."

His mouth is watering. Evan gets up quickly, putting on some slippers to avoid stepping on any far flung mirror shards. As he puts on a shirt, he catches Ororo inspecting something on his dresser.

"And what's this?" She asks, picking up the camcorder. Evan brightens. "It's a school project! I'm recording current events from the Evan Daniels perspective!" He tells her excitedly.

His aunt smiles. "I don't mind the Evan Daniels perspective." She says, pulling a spike from the wall. "But, I don't think a Spyke-eye view is such a good idea."

"Uh, yeah. I see what you mean." He laughs nervously, eyeing the broken mirror and trying not to think about his dream.

"I think you better let us take a look at your film before you turn it in. Understand?" Ororo says as she hands it to him.

Evan nods. "Yeah, no problem, Auntie O!" Probably not a good idea to hand in a movie about the X-men to his social studies teacher! That's okay, though, there's gotta be plenty of cool stuff to film around this mansion...

As soon as his aunt leaves, and he finds a broom to sweep up the mess, Evan throws on a shirt and cargo shorts. He grabs what he's dubbed his 'director hat', a backwards black cap. Today's gonna be all about crafting his masterpiece.

He walks down the mansion halls, filming randomly. Then, he hears a voice coming from the bathroom. The door is cracked open, and he smirks. 'Well, if she wanted privacy, she should have closed it..' Quietly, he presses the lens up to the gap.

Jean's standing in front of the mirror, holding up two outfits in front of her pensively. "Hmm. Maybe the red?" She thinks on it and frowns. "No. Maybe... ugh."

A giggle escapes him as she gets so frustrated over clothes, of all things. Jean whirls around instantly, her eyes widening when she sees him. "Hey! What are you doing?! Get that camera out of my face!" She yells, bringing her hand up angrily.

"Woah!" Evan cries as a force knocks him back against the wall, and the door slams shut on its own. He just sticks his tongue out, annoyed. "Touchy, touchy.. Wasn't even that interesting, anyway!" He stands up, walking down towards the kitchen.

'Whatever. I'll get breakfast, and then I'll find some real action!'

---

You're nestled into a comfy armchair in a small wing of the mansion when you hear it. A voice singing softly, with rough edge and a southern accent. You put down your book and listen as it draws nearer.

"He wants my hand,

I'll have to think,

He'll never have my heart,

Know that when I sing,

Wanna wed, but I fled,

Wanna wed, but I fled.."

Her voice trails off, and you hear a sound of frustration as she turns into the room. Rogue takes a sharp breath when she sees you, looking around and then sighing. "...You heard all that, didn't you?" She asks, a blush creeping up on her face.

"Yeah." You reply, "You sounded really good! Are you practicing for your audition?"

"Tryin' to." She frowns, irritation coming off her. "Kitty's hogging the audition tape, so I can't remember the whole thing.."

"Huh. How come you both didn't get a tape?" You ask, not really knowing how these things work. You weren't really involved with the extracurriculars at your last school, much less the theatre program.

For some reason, you feel that Rogue's embarrassed at the question. "I just forgot to pick mine up yesterday.." She says quickly. "Anyways, I don't know what the big deal is with her sharing stuff." She crosses her arms, and you think for a bit before answering.

"She's probably just not used to having a roommate." You suggest.

"You sure it doesn't have anything to do with me being a former enemy?" Rogue laughs cynically, then looks away awkwardly. "Sorry, I don't know why I said that.."

"Kitty doesn't judge you for your time in the Brotherhood. None of us do." You rush to reassure her. "You know, Kitty and Kurt didn't get along at all at first, and now they're thick as thieves. It's not you."

That seems to ease her worries a little. She relaxes her posture and points to your book. "You like it?"

"Oh, yes!" You tell her excitedly, happy to share your thoughts with someone who's read it. "It's so interesting how it's being told through this guy's letters... And the way he writes makes the Count and his Castle sound so creepy! He's going to try to escape, but I don't know if he will. I hope so though, so he can warn people about the vampires."

Rogue nods, sitting down on a bench next to you. "Weren't those vampire ladies awesome, though? They were really about to eat him!"

"Right?? They did sound cool, how they're scary but beautiful.." Your mind goes to Rogue and the slightest pink colors your cheeks. "H-Hey, maybe you can play one of them in the musical!"

Her emotions dip into the negative again, and you frown. "Sorry, did I say something-?"

"No, no, it's fine!" Rogue insists, standing up. "I've got to go practice some more... See ya." She turns and walks away so quickly you can barely say goodbye. You sit there puzzling over what just happened. What's bugging her? Did you make it worse?

You sigh. For as much as you feel people's emotions, it never gets easier to understand them. You peer out a window at the blue sky, and the trees swaying lightly in the breeze.

Maybe some fresh air will clear your head.

---

The sky is clear, and it's not too warm or too cold. Wolverine breathes it in. 'Perfect day for a training sim.'

He turns to his trainee, a determined looking Cyclops. He has to hand it to him, the kid works hard. Since his bout with Mystique, Scott bounced right back, eager to improve his combat skills. 'Maybe a little too eager.' Wolverine thinks with slight irritation. He's got his own business to take care of today, but the kid begged him for extra practice.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you just 'cause that shapeshifter kicked your ass."

Cyclops blinks in surprise, then smiles, undeterred. "Wouldn't dream of it."

A smirk tugs at Wolverine's lips as he turns to their training course. It looks as innocuous as any other paved path cutting through the Institute grounds, at least until he activates it. A computer panel rises out of the ground, and he quickly types in a command.

'Field Battle Training Sim VII: Activate.'

The screen lights up, displaying a map of the course lined with red indicators. Ahead of them, projectile launches rise from the grassy lawn, taking aim. The computer beeps a countdown, and Cyclops and Wolverine get ready.

3... 2... 1... Go!

Wolverine quickly takes the lead, the faster of the two. The first few launchers shoot hard clay balls. He could easily slice through them, but this training sim is for the kid's benefit. He dodges instead, leaving it up to him how to get past them. A flash of red tells him Cyclops couldn't dodge as quickly, cutting through a couple with his eye beams.

The projectiles steadily increase in frequency, pushing Wolverine harder. He dodges faster and faster, jumping and somersaulting to avoid being hit.

"Watch your back!" He hears Cyclops shout, and doesn't hesitate to turn and shred the net flying at him to bits. Catching a glimpse of his student, Wolverine counts himself impressed at how well he's keeping up.

Not that he'd tell him that, he doesn't want to give him an inflated ego.

Turning back to the course, he slices through more clay shots and charges ahead.

---

"C'mon, there's gotta be something worth shooting out here.." Evan thinks aloud as he skates along the winding paths of the grounds. He'd fled the mansion after Kitty caught him filming her rehearsing. Something has her annoyed today... She threatened to sink him into the floor!

But as fun as it is to pester her, it's not really the kind of thing he wants in his movie. He keeps searching for something inspiring, something exciting! Something important to him, like Mr. V said.

An unexpected sight has him braking, and he peers through the trees with a growing smile.

There you are, sitting under a tree with your head stuck in a book. Evan pulls up his camera and starts rolling, growing warmer when he watches the way your expressions change in reaction to the story. Eyebrows pulled together, then widened eyes and mouth agape, followed by an excited gasp as you lean in further.

Evan chuckles, the camera dropping as he just... looks at you.

"Watch your back!"

The amateur director turns at the shout, interested in finding out where it came from. He skates toward it, camera ready to capture whatever action appears.

And oh boy, it doesn't disappoint!

He spots Cyclops and Wolverine ahead, fighting through a badass obstacle course, through all these huge guns and stuff!

"Oh, I can't miss this!" Evan exclaims, the prospect of filming a real-life action sequence too tempting to miss out on, and he follows behind them.

Bolas fly out at Cyke, catching him at the ankles and sending him to the ground. "Oof!" Evan zooms in on the spill, laughing as he passes him by, "Now, that's reality TV!"

"Wha- Evan?" Cyclops says in confusion, but the skater has already moved on. Wolverine is still going, and now the launchers are shooting spiked clay balls at him at top speed. The man slices them clear in half, and Evan's eyes widen as the pieces fly back at him. "Woah!" He ducks in time, and they whiz over his head. Turning to film them, the clay halves crash to the ground and splinter apart, creating a small explosion of dirt and dust. "Awesome!"

He really should have kept his eyes ahead..

---

"Awesome!"

Wolverine whips around as soon as he hears the boy's voice, teeth gritted in angry frustration at the intrusion. 'Stupid kid, what's he doing?!' The computer will designate him a target, and then all these launchers will be aimed at him! But at this level of difficulty...

He breathes sharply as he spots the last of the launchers rise up and eject a pair of circular saw blades. They cut through the air right for Evan, who isn't even looking where he's skating. "No! Look out!" Wolverine roars, lunging forward as fast as he can. Evan turns and his eyes flash with fear.

In a quick movement, Wolverine knocks him off his board onto the grass, then brings up his adamantium claws to shield him. Not a moment too soon, because the circular saws are deflected inches from Wolverine's own face, each flying off course into the grounds. One cuts into the Institute's brick wall, and the other flies into the trees. His eyes widen as he tracks its trajectory, seeing one heading close to another student.

"Y/N, move!!"

---

After your talk with Rogue, you thought you'd continue your book outside. It's nice and sunny, and there's plenty of trees to sit in the shade of. But just as you're getting into Mina and Lucy's correspondence, you hear Logan shout. "Y/N, move!!"

His voice brings with it a jolt of panic that has you reacting before you can look up to see what's wrong. You scramble away from the tree, short of breath, and catch a glint of silver as it whizzes by. Only after it embeds itself in the tree trunk do you see that it's a circular saw that flew your way. You let out an anxious breath, your eyes probably as big as saucers as you stare at the thing that almost took your head off. Well, maybe that's an overreaction. The saw actually hit a couple feet higher than where you sat, which helps calm you a bit. Still, way too close for comfort.

You regain your senses and stand up, looking around cautiously as you assess what could have just happened. You don't have to look far, though. A little ways away, it looks like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Evan are all on a training course. You jog over there, concerned, and arrive just as Wolverine roughly hoists Evan up and holds onto his shirt.

And, wow. He is really angry.

"What do you think you're doin' here, bub? Those things could've taken your empty head right off!" Wolverine bats Evan on the head to make a point, gesturing to you next. "It could've taken Y/N's head off!"

Amid the uncomfortable heated emotions, you realize what happened and make eye contact with Evan. He looks a bit shaken, making you forget any anger you might have at him as worry swells up instead. But Wolverine's anger is still going strong, so you give the two of them a wide berth.

"I-I'm sorry!" Evan exclaims, holding up his camcorder. "I-I was just tryin' to get.."

Something flashes in Wolverine's eyes, and he snatches the camera away. "Gimme that thing!"

"What? Hey!" Evan protests as Wolverine presses 'Erase' on the last video. "Aw man! Why'd you do that?!" His words turn to more of a squeak when Wolverine glares at him, voice low and dangerous.

"Let's just say you got on my bad side. Now, what else you got on this machine?"

As he scrubs through the other videos, you find that the tensions have relaxed enough that you can approach Evan. His disappointment turns to guilt as he apologizes to you. "I'm so sorry, Y/N! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just a little surprised." You assure, but frown as you continue, "Evan, what were you thinking? You can't get in the middle of a training sim like that!"

"I know, it was dumb.." He looks down in shame, "I wasn't thinking."

"I'll say!" Cyclops walks over, disentangled from the bolas, "You know, just because it isn't the Danger Room doesn't mean it isn't dangerous! And what, were you planning on showing a video of the X-men for your school project?"

"No, of course not!" Evan defends as he gets chewed out. "I just thought it was cool, and, I don't know, maybe keep a video for myself?"

You sigh, exasperated at the excuse. "Just-" But you stop what you're going to say when a shock of alarm hits you. Turning towards the source, you see Wolverine still looking over the videos. Something is off.

"Wolverine?" You ask, looking over to see what's wrong. You see his eyes, and they frighten you. They're dilated, honed in on the screen like he's tensing for an attack. You look at the camera, perplexed as it plays back a mundane shot of the city with the sound of Evan's commentary over it. Then, the screen glitches, and you catch a glimpse. Long hair, sharp teeth, yellow eyes. It keeps glitching like this until it fully switches over to a video of the man.

A man that looks part animal..

"Thanks for showin' me where Logan is, kid." The stranger says to the camera with a grin, though it might just be him baring his fangs. "I owe you one."

And that's it. The video glitches again and goes back to a view of Bayville. If Wolverine was angry before, that was nothing compared to this. A growl rips from Wolverine's throat, making you shudder and take a step back. "Who.. Who was that?" You ask through gritted teeth, but Wolverine doesn't look at you. He just shoves the camera in your hands and walks away from you, muttering a name under his breath.

"Sabretooth."

You rejoin your friends to get some distance from Wolverine's seething fury, taking a deep breath and remembering to let the emotions pass through you. Once the anger's dealt with, you have room to take notice of other feelings, like Evan's confusion. "I didn't film that! Who is that?!"

Cyclops takes the camera and frowns. "I remember him. He's got old issues with Wolverine. Me and Nightcrawler helped fight him a while back."

You remember Kurt telling you about that. Last they saw, Sabretooth escaped down an elevator in a parking garage. Despite Kurt's excitement about the fight, his description of the vicious man completely unnerved you. And with Wolverine reacting like this... something is very, very wrong.

"Wait! Is that who pushed me off my board? He snatched my camera!" Evan says, his eyes wide, "I thought Toad... But, why?"

"My guess," Cyclops replies soberly, "To find him." He points at Wolverine, then looks at Evan. "And it looks like your film clued him in to our location."

Before that can sink in, alarm sirens start blaring around you. Your chest tightens with fear.

"Ya think?" Wolverine grunts from his place yards ahead, and unsheathes his deadly claws.

Along with the alarms, the launchers from the training sim reactivate and point in the direction of the front gate. You see other machines rise out of the grass, and the sound of laser fire not far away. "He's here now??" You exclaim, moving into a defensive stance by Cyclops. Evan doesn't move, stunned to silence as he stares fearfully ahead.

"Let's just say, I don't think you two have time to change into your uniforms." Cyclops replies seriously, "Avatar, Spyke, stay by me!"

"Okay." You nod, heart beating faster as you hear an explosion. A cloud of debris covers the hill where the lasers have gone eerily silent. From it, a figure emerges. A large man lumbers forward, his wild hair and long, tattered coat drifting in the dusty remains of the Institute's defenses. He tosses the cleaved upper half of a laser gun to the ground with a sharp, clawed hand.

"Not bad, Logan." He snarls with the same threatening voice from the video. "But not good enough!"

'Do not panic.' Xavier's voice echoes telepathically in your mind. 'Help is on the way.'

A second later, the doors to the Institute open, and the rest of the X-men run out: Jean, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue, and Storm. You smile, feeling much braver with them by your side. But before any of you can jump into the fray, Wolverine holds out his arm.

"He's mine!" He snaps, and rushes at Sabretooth, leaving you confused and worried as he begins to fight the intruder. You look to the other adult, Storm, for instruction, and definitely pick up on some of her irritation. She flies above the scene, summoning dark clouds with her power.

"No!" She commands, "This is not the place for your private war!" She sends a bolt of lightning down on Sabretooth, stunning him momentarily. A powerful wind blows him over, but he digs his claws into the ground. The sheer vitriol he has as he inches toward Wolverine makes you squirm. He truly does not want anything but to hurt him.

Storm's actions are all the X-men need to jump into action. Cyclops and Jean step up for long range attacks. While Cyke blasts Sabretooth with his lasers, Jean finds all the heaviest objects she can (rocks, pieces of broken machinery) and throws them at the combatant. Sabretooth keeps getting up, determined to power through and get to Wolverine. Finally, Jean hits him with a cement bench that knocks him off balance. Storm's winds carry him away, and he lands roughly in the grass and dirt far away.

Sabretooth stands back up, but doesn't move forward. His coat is smoking from the lightning strike, but he doesn't seem like he's in pain. He only glares at you all.

"This isn't over, Logan!" He snarls before turning and running away. Wolverine growls and runs after, even as Storm yells at him to stop. She sighs, and looks back to the rest of you. "Good work. You should all head back inside for now."

While Cyclops and Jean go to speak with her, Nightcrawler teleports over to your side with a goofy grin. "Zhat's right! No one messes vith ze X-men!"

"Yeah, we didn't even have to do anything!" Shadowcat rolls her eyes. "Like, did I really have to stop practicing for this?"

"Well, as long as you're done with the musical track-" Rogue starts, and you can feel another argument brewing as Kitty shoots her a look.

There's only one person unaccounted for. Your eyes land on Evan, who's staring off where Sabretooth and Wolverine disappeared beyond the property.

"This is all my fault.." He whispers. You reach out to comfort him, but he brushes past you into the mansion. 'Maybe he just needs some alone time.' You think, trying not to be too hurt by it. After all, you understand how guilty he's feeling right now.

Glancing toward the front gates of the Institute, you purse your lips. You can only hope Evan's mistake doesn't bring more misfortune.

---

Logan's fist curls so tight that his nails cut into his skin, but he doesn't care. All he can think about is how he let Sabretooth get away. "I tracked him all the way to the river. I couldn't pick up his scent after that, and he covered his tracks."

Across the study, Charles folds his hands in his lap and looks at him seriously. "Logan, I thought you had prevented Sabretooth from following you here."

"I did last time, Charles." Logan says ruefully. "But this time he had help." Damn that kid and his camera! But as angry as he is with Evan, he's angrier with himself. He should've solved this problem long before coming to the Institute. It's too late now. "He'll be back, you know."

Charles wheels nearer and speaks resolutely. "Well, he won't come here again." Not a bad move on Chuck's part to show off the mansion's defenses. Even after tearing through them, Sabretooth had to cut his losses when faced with the assembled team of X-men. But Logan knows his foe too well after so many years of fighting, and he knows he'll play dirty.

"That's the problem. He'll wanna get me away from here. Get me alone." Logan frowns. "And to do that, he's gonna need.."

"A hostage?" Charles guesses, eyes widening.

"Got it in one."

"Hm." He can see the wheels turning as the Professor thinks. "This means all the students are in danger."

"Yeah. And I gotta do something about it." Logan says, and he knows Charles won't like it. But he also knows that he can't stop him. There's one sure way to protect those kids and he's gonna do it.

---

All the excitement earlier planted a pit in your stomach that you can't get rid of. Because of your powers, you know you're not the only one nervous about Sabretooth. The adults are anxious too, and that doesn't seem like a great sign. You walk through the halls of the Institute, on your way to see if you can talk to the Professor about this. To your surprise, you find Evan leaning against the door of the Professor's study, listening to something inside.

"Evan?" You ask quietly, "What are you doing?"

He starts, then puts a finger to his lips and continues to listen. You narrow your eyes and are about to scold him when you hear Logan's voice.

"I'm leaving the Institute."

You freeze, your eyes locking with Evan in pure shock before joining him at the door.

"Logan, please, there must be another way."

"There isn't. Sabretooth doesn't stop. All he wants is me, and as long as I'm here, I'm putting a target on all these kids' backs. It's only a matter of time before he snatches up one of them to get to me."

A long pause.

"I suppose there's nothing I can do to persuade you to stay?"

"Sabretooth won't quit until one of us is dead." Another pause. "It was wrong to bring my problems here with me. I'm leaving tonight."

You don't have time to react to this news before you hear the footsteps coming closer to the door. Evan takes your hand and the two of you sprint away down the hall before you can get caught. You stop after a while, both of you trying to catch your breath while processing the conversation you heard. Logan is leaving because of Sabretooth, and it sounds like he's never coming back.

The sadness you feel is overshadowed by Evan's guilty conscience as he rubs his hands over his face. "I can't believe this! Y/N.." He looks at you with watery eyes, "This is all because of me!"

"Hey, you didn't mean for any of this to happen." You put a hand on his back, your own eyes getting misty at the prospect of saying goodbye to your instructor.

"Doesn't matter. It still happened." He mutters, leaning against the wall and glaring at the floor. "This is so stupid! I wish the X-men could just catch this Sabretooth guy and..." He trails off, something dawning on his features. "Wait. Catch Sabretooth! Y/N!"

You blink in confusion as he shakes you. "Huh?" The sadness and guilt are fading, replaced by a new determination and hope. But you're not sure you like the reckless look in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Look, Logan's only leaving because he's afraid Sabretooth will get us. But what if we get him first?"

"We? As in you and me? Are you crazy?" You exclaim.

Evan thinks for a moment. "You're right. We're gonna need backup. Come on!" He runs off and you follow him, confused and steadily more worried. Finally you catch up outside Rogue and Kitty's room, Evan opening the door to an argument.

"I've gotta practice for the audition and you've been hoggin' the tape all day!"

"Well, maybe you should have picked one up yesterday!"

"I told you, I forgot, so can't you just- Hey!" Rogue turns to see you two, then crosses her arms suspiciously. "Y/N? Evan? What are you doing here?"

Evan puts on a smile and enters the room like he's about to sell them something (which, you figure, he is). "Ladies, ladies! Maybe we can all help each other out here!"

"What do you want?" Rogue and Kitty ask at the same time, fixing Evan with annoyed glares.

"Me and Y/N need your help capturing Sabretooth before tonight!"

"You.. what?" Kitty raises an eyebrow and turns to you. "Y/N, what has he roped you into?"

You sigh, explaining what you heard to the two girls, who's faces fall at the news.

"Mr. Logan's leaving?" Kitty asks, "I mean, his classes aren't, like, the most fun, but he's still part of the team. He can't just go!"

"Yeah." You agree. On the outside, Logan seems kind of scary and abrasive. But you know that he really cares about all of you, even if he doesn't say it. "I don't want him to leave, either."

"None of us do, but we can't change his mind." Rogue states, her cold exterior hiding the hurt she's feeling.

"Yes we can!" Evan argues, "I have a plan!"

"A plan that's probably going to get us all killed!" Rogue continues, "You don't even get how serious this is, Evan! You shove a camera in our faces all day, filming whatever you want, and you expect us to follow some half-baked, immature scheme? No way!"

She turns away, and Kitty bites her lip. "Sorry guys." She says, going to close the door. You're about to give up when Evan speaks again.

"...I'm sorry."

The girls pause and look at him. You do too, and notice that he's dropped the goofy smile for a sincere, apologetic expression. "I know I act like an idiot sometimes, and I'm sorry for filming you without permission. But I do know how serious this is, and I don't just want to go in half-baked. That's why I need your help. I know I can count on all of you to help me fix my mistake." He looks at you. "Please, help me make it up to Logan."

You're still nervous, but maybe it's Evan's bravery rubbing off on you that makes you say, "Okay."

Kitty and Rogue look at you in shock, and you nod. "Logan's taught me so much. And he's not just a teacher, he's a friend. If we can't help our friends... what's the point of having powers to begin with?"

"Yes!" Evan shouts excitedly. "You in?"

Kitty and Rogue stand there a moment until Rogue groans and Kitty rolls her eyes. "What's the plan?"

Evan grins. "I'll explain on the way. But just to warn you first, we might have to do a bit of improvising."

---

Damn those costumed freaks, interrupting his fight with Wolverine! Sabretooth growls from his place among the trees, eyes on the iron gate he shredded to get into the mansion.

Wolverine is his enemy. They had no right to interfere! But if they want to be involved so badly, he'll rip them to shreds. His cowardly foe has gotten much too comfortable in these walls. He'll just have to wait for the opportunity to draw him out.

His ears perk up at the oncoming engine. Through the gate comes a small group, two girls riding a scooter, one on a bicycle, and the last one.. the boy with the skateboard. They ride off, carefree, and away from the protection of home.

Sabretooth grins, his mouth watering. "Four little piggies, all alone. Logan, you're making this too easy."

Hidden by the foliage, he stalks after them. Once they stop, he'll make them squeal, and Wolverine will come running.

---

Logan takes one last look at the walls of the Institute as he walks to the front with a duffel slung over his shoulder. He's never been much for sentimentality or goodbyes. When you're like him, and trouble always seems to follow wherever you go, you learn not to get too attached.

So he ignores the small part of him that fooled itself into thinking this was forever and goes to leave.

Down the stairs in the foyer, he sees Scott walking towards the door. The teen sees him and gives him a quick wave. "Just heading out to meet up with a friend."

"No, ya ain't, bub." He commands, "None of you are leaving the premises until tomorrow." By then, he'll be miles away and Sabretooth will have followed.

"Aw, man-"

"Don't even start!" Logan snaps, and the teenager puts up his hands in surrender. "Jeez, okay! I got it!" Maybe it's unfair to him when the kid doesn't know what's going on, but Logan's at the end of his rope and past caring how he comes across. He'll be easier to miss this way anyhow.

A thought crosses Logan's mind, and he suddenly demands, "Where are the others?" This place isn't as annoyingly noisy as usual.

"Uh.." Scott replies, looking a bit caught off guard, "Jean's tutoring Kurt, they're upstairs. I think I saw Evan, Kitty, Rogue, and Y/N leave a few minutes ago, though. Something about an audition?"

Logan lets out a frustrated growl, his claws coming out on instinct. He grabs his mask from his bag and makes for the door.

"I'll come with you!" Scott offers, but Logan cuts him off. "No! You stay put and look after the others!" He shoves open the doors and runs off to get his bike. He can already smell Sabretooth's stink in the air as he begins to track the kids.

'If he touches one hair on their heads, I'm going to rip him apart.' He thinks with teeth gritted, 'And then I'm gonna kill those little idiots myself!'

---

You and the others stop at a clearing in the woods, far away from the public in case things get ugly. Sabretooth probably saw you all leaving, Evan on his board, Kitty biking, and you riding on the back of Rogue's scooter. That means he's on his way. You try to keep your hands from shaking from all the nerves. For the plan to work, you all have to act natural, like you're not expecting anything.

Evan's nervous too, you can feel it. But he's confidant, and you're trying to trust in that. He's at least good at faking naivety.

"Alright, now, let me film some of your moves!" He announces loudly, holding up the camcorder.

The cover story you're all going with is that you're going to film Rogue and Kitty's dancing so they can review it for the audition. You had to give Scott some excuse on the way out. Evan said it would add authenticity to the trap, and Kitty said she may as well get some practice in while she's risking her life.

You hit play on Kitty's phone, starting the music. Evan holds the camera as Kitty and Rogue start to dance, and you try to inconspicuously monitor the emotions in the area. It's a little distracting with all your friends nearby, though. A pang of discomfort draws your attention to Rogue, who's not dancing nearly as confidently as Kitty. While Kitty moves freely, Rogue's movements are stiff and hesitant until she stops and crosses her arms.

"C'mon, Rogue, get with the program!" Evan cheers, "Shake that thing!"

"Hey! She's got her moves, I've got mine!" Rogue snaps, and you remember her feeling similarly uncomfortable during your talk earlier.

Kitty laughs. "Yeah girl, you gotta go with it, you know? You're like a walking zombie or something!"

Rogue isn't amused. "Forget it! I'm not gonna do the stupid audition!"

Kitty stops, surprised, and you send Rogue a look of concern. "But, I thought you wanted to audition, too?" You ask.

Rogue throws her hands up in frustration. "Look, I've never... gone up in front of people like that before, okay?! Kitty's right, they're never gonna cast me anyways, so what does it matter?!"

Kitty frowns. "Jeez, Rogue. I, like, didn't know you cared about it so much."

"I don't." Rogue glares.

Kitty looks down, and you feel a trickle of shame. Then she continues. "I'm sorry, Rogue, that was, like, totally uncalled for. Honestly, I was just mad because I was afraid Jason would cast you and not me."

"...Really?" Rogue asks hesitantly.

"Duh! This show was made for you, remember??" She gestures at Rogue's whole look, and you snort. She's not wrong.

"I heard you singing earlier." You recall encouragingly "Jason would be crazy not to cast you."

"And, full disclosure, maybe I was a little jealous." Kitty admits reluctantly.

Rogue raises an eyebrow. "Jealous? Of me?"

"You're so cool and aloof-"

"But I suck with people, you're all friendly and-"

"I thought maybe Jason would like you more-"

"Ew, he's so not my type!"

The girls look at each other for a moment and smile.

"Awww! A touching end to a character arc!" Evan exclaims while filming.

"Shut up!"

You laugh. "So, you want me to start the song over?"

"Yeah, let's do it!"

"Fine."

This time, Rogue gets more into it, and you beam as her emotions seem more at ease. The two of them play off each other well, and their performance is so fun to watch you almost forget what you're supposed to be doing. You close your eyes, trying to gage all the feelings around you. Happy, nervous, relieved...

A new feeling sends a shiver down your spine. One you can only describe as.. bloodthirsty.

Trying to calm your heartbeat, you try to track this wretched feeling down. It's getting stronger, coming closer, it's..

It's behind you.

"He's here!" You shout as you roll out of the way, feeling something large come very close as you do. You recover from the roll and turn on your heel like Logan taught you in his combat classes. A couple yards away, Sabretooth is hunched where you were. He's obviously perturbed that he wasn't able to take you by surprise, and he angrily brings his foot down on Kitty's phone.

"Hey!" Kitty shouts as the music fizzles out. "You're gonna pay for that you overgrown hairball!"

Sabretooth just bares his teeth in a sick grin. "Which little piggy should I take to market?"

"You're not taking anyone!" Evan yells as he charges at him. Seeing him run at a guy three times his size is terrifying, even though it's part of the plan. Sabretooth laughs, grabbing Evan and hoisting him up into the air as your friend yelps.

"You're mine!" Sabretooth declares, holding Evan over his head. But Evan smirks. "We've been expecting you."

Spikes come out from all over Evan back, arms, and legs, taking Sabretooth by surprise. He howls in pain and drops him, Evan smiling victoriously. "You gotta be sharp if you're gonna mess with the Spyke!"

Rogue runs over to make the finishing move, his glove slipping off. After she knocks him out, you'll call the Institute on your communicator, and the adults will take care of the rest.

But Sabretooth recovers quicker than you thought he would. Just before Rogue can touch him, his arms fly out and he grabs her wrists. She grunts, unable to wrest free or touch her fingers to his skin. Your confidence plummets as Sabretooth sees through the plan, putting together that Rogue's touch is dangerous. He flings her into Evan, and horrifyingly her hand touches Evan's face. You yell as they both fall unconscious, Evan from the touch and Rogue from the force of the landing. She groans weakly on the ground, pinned underneath Evan's form.

Sabretooth looks between you and Kitty, deciding. "Then I'll take you!" He says, lunging at Kitty. She squeaks and braces herself, and Sabretooth grins and reaches out... just in time to phase right through her.

"Okay." You pull out your communicator while he's distracted, "Plan B." Just as you hit the button to call the Institute, you hear Kitty shout. "Y/N, look out!"

You turn and gasp at the massive tree trunk hurtling in your direction. You hit the ground, the log barely missing you and crashing into the thorny brush.

"Ah!" You hear Kitty yell, eyes widening as Sabretooth throws her against a tree. She must have been distracted by his attack on you! She crumples to the ground with a pained whimper, and your breath hitches. Where's the communicator??

It's in the grass ahead of you. You reach out... and a large boot crushes it. You look up in fear at the animalistic man looming over you. His eyes are wild and hungry. "And this little piggy went wee, wee, wee.." He says hungrily, reaching a claw hand out for you, "All the way-"

"Pickin' on kids, Creed?" You and Sabretooth turn to see Wolverine step into the clearing, radiating fury. "Big mistake."

Sabretooth grins ferally as Wolverine jumps at him, extending his arms as your teacher tackles him to the ground. Then his sinks his claws into Wolverine's back, who yells out in pain. You crawl back, watching the fight and feeling helpless. Then, amid all the ire and adrenaline, you sense her. Rogue is stirring, pushing Evan off of her and sitting up. She takes in the scene in a shock and locks eyes with you. Something unsaid passes between you, and you stand up.

As Sabretooth throws Wolverine off him, you shout. "Hey, ugly!" He turns his fierce gaze on you and growls as you yell at him, "You call that a fight?! He's barely trying!!"

He snarls at you, and Wolverine knocks him back with a kick. "Kid, run!" He yells as Sabretooth retaliates, swinging his claws.

"Why?" You continue, harnessing their rage to keep going, "This guy's a chump! He needed to warm up by fighting a bunch of teenagers!"

"Shut up!!" Sabretooth roars, lunging at you. Wolverine grabs him by the coat, though, hoisting him up and throwing him. He lands in a crouch, so focused on you and Wolverine that he doesn't notice how close Rogue is until she's right behind him. He reflexively turns to grab her arm as she reaches for him, and a spike shoots out from her and impales his hand. His howl of pain is all the opportunity she needs to grab ahold of his skin.

Sabretooth screams in agony when she touches him, and from so close by, your powers pick up on how disorienting Rogue's ability is. Her pain makes its way to you, and you're not sure you can breathe for a moment. Then it's over, you can see straight, and Sabretooth falls to the ground unconscious.

You... You did it. You got him!

Rogue groans as her body starts to change. Her hair grows longer, on her arms and legs, too, and her fingers become clawed. Her shoes, sleeves and tights tear in places, her eyes dilate and fangs grow into her mouth. Your jaw drops as you watch.

When the transformation stops, she looks down at herself and groans. "Aw, c'mon, I liked this shirt!" Her voice sounds a little funny, more growly, and it's so unexpected that you laugh.

"Y-You kinda sound like Wolverine." You explain.

"I do not!" She growls, making you laugh harder.

"That was gnarly!" You and Rogue both look at Evan, who's on the ground filming.

"How long have you been awake?!"

"Did you fake being unconscious?!"

"Woah, woah, you KO'd the guy, like, right as I came to!" Evan explains, "Right in time for me to catch that nasty werewolf transformation on video." He laughs, waving the camcorder.

Rogue lifts up her claws threateningly. "Erase that or I shred you."

"Ugh.." Kitty gets up and winces, "Like, what happened? Did we get him?"

"You sure did."

All levity evaporates as the four of you stare at a very irritated Wolverine. He narrows his gaze on each of you, finally pointing at Evan. "You planned this, didn't you, Porcupine?"

"Um.." Evan replies nervously, all excuses forgotten, "Yeah, a little bit."

"Well, don't do it again!" You all cringe as he rips you a new one, "You could've all been killed! What were you thinking?!"

"Well.." You murmur, "We didn't want you to leave."

Wolverine stops and stares at you. "What?"

"We heard you were leaving because of Sabretooth. Because he might hurt us."

"Yeah." Evan nods, "We thought if we could catch him, you wouldn't have to go."

"You're, like, one of our favorite teachers!" Kitty adds with a nervous smile.

"He's one of our only teachers." Rogue corrects her, and gets elbowed for it. "Ow!"

For a second, he just looks at you all, the anger slowly fading. Then, his expression hardens. "It was still incredibly stupid. And don't give me those puppy-dog eyes, Half-Pint!" He says to Kitty, who pouts, "You're grounded, all of ya."

A wave of disappointment settles over you as Wolverine picks up Sabretooth's body, slinging it over his shoulder to carry. Evan tentatively asks, "Um, for how long?"

"I don't know." Wolverine sighs, exasperated. "Until She-Wolf there gets a haircut, anyway." Rogue glares at him, crossing her arms, but you let a small smirk onto your face. After all, you can feel something from your instructor that the others can't.

Affection.

"Now, let's go."

As the five of you start walking back, questions arise. "What are you gonna do with Sabretooth now?" Kitty asks.

"Yeah!" Evan joins in, "Scott says you two been duking it out for years!"

Wolverine doesn't give away anything with his expression, and his emotions are just as unreadable when he replies, "He and I got unfinished business."

"So, what's gonna happen to him?"

"Oh, he'll get a little coolin' off period." Wolverine smirks.

"And... does that mean you're staying?" You ask. Everyone looks to Wolverine.

He rolls his eyes. "If I leave, who's gonna stop you from doing something like this again?"

You smile.

---

It's cold. That's the first thing Sabretooth notices when he wakes up. The ground beneath him is icy and white.

He looks around. Everything's white, for miles and miles. How did he get here?

He was looking for Wolverine. Didn't he find him? Where?

He can't remember.

Holding his head, he's unsure if he really hears the jet engine above or if it's just the sound of his splitting headache.

However he got here, it doesn't matter. He'll find Logan again.

Then they will end it, once and for all.

---

"These kids..." Logan grumbles, looking out the window. All of them are outside playing soccer, Evan with possession, then Kurt teleporting in to defend. Jean's the one who ends up making the goal, getting past Scott as goalie. An argument seems to spark over whether or not she used her powers, then it devolves into laughter. Logan shakes his head. "They pulled a really stupid move."

"I admit, I wish they'd come to me first." Charles comments, bringing over a mug of hot tea, "But their hearts were in the right place."

Logan scoffs. "I can't believe they did this all to keep me from leaving! Of all the dumb.." He sighs, taking the mug. "Sabretooth's memory was completely wiped?"

Charles nods. "Yes. He no longer remembers our location. I wasn't able to erase his memory of you, however."

"Figures." Logan takes a sip. "He'll never forget the chase. And I'll never remember how it began."

Charles hums thoughtfully. "If you wanted, I could see if I-"

"No can do, Chuck. You know how I feel about you poking around in my head. Besides," He takes another sip. "I'm used to it by now."

"Well, I'm glad that you're sticking around, old friend." Charles grins, nodding at the window. "And I know they are, too."

A scream as Kitty misses your ball, and it flies into the goal behind her. Your team cheers and high fives you. Logan cracks a smile.

'Dumb kids..'

---

"Whatever, man!" Evan rolls his eyes at Kurt's teasing. So what if his team won? They had Jean, and she's insanely good even without her powers!

"Vhat is ze American saying? Vinners rule, losers drool?" Kurt laughs as Evan shoves him. "You know, you looked pretty happy vhen Y/N scored zhat goal."

Evan's face gets hot. "O-Obviously! We were down, like, six points!"

Kurt looks like he doesn't believe him, shaking his head. "Just tell her!"

"I.. I don't know.."

"I know it's scary. But, if you never tell her how much you like-"

"Soccer! I like soccer!"

Kurt smirks. "How much you like 'soccer', zhen you'll never know if she feels ze same vay."

They separate down different halls, Kurt leaving him with two thumbs up, and Evan groans. How can he tell you? He'll just get his words all mixed up and look stupid. He walks into his bedroom and sighs, picking up the camera to get to work on his assignment. Uploading all the videos to his computer, he scrolls through them and stops.

'Maybe..' He thinks as he starts editing, 'Maybe I don't have to tell her..'

---

It's finally opening night!

You grin excitedly as you walk into the school with everyone, all of you there to support Kitty and Rogue in the school musical. They've worked super hard these past few weeks, and you know they're nervous about tonight, so everyone at the Institute is going to root for them from the audience.

Even Logan's here, and you don't think 'Dracula the Rock Opera' is his brand of music.

This is just the break you need amidst spring exams, and you're happy everyone turned out. Kurt and Evan are at the concession stand, they promised to grab you something. Ororo is handing Professor Xavier the playbill and looking through it with him, Logan pretending not to be doing so as well. Scott and Jean are sitting together and laughing abut something, and you smile. You know how Scott feels about her, and they look so cute like this. Maybe he'll work up the courage to tell her this summer.

The lights dim and a hush falls over the auditorium. Evan and Kurt make it back just in time, squeezing into the row and handing you a bag of popcorn. You thank them quietly and turn your attention to the stage as the curtain rises and the music starts.

---

"Well, that was definitely different from the book."

Your friends laugh as you step into the mansion after getting back from the show. Rogue and Kitty are decked out in their vampire costumes (minus the teeth, which they ditched as soon as possible) and each holding a bouquet the Professor got them. Rogue smirks at your comment. "Yeah, believe it or not, Van Helsing didn't play synth bass in the original."

"No vay! Really?" Kurt asks jokingly, "Zhey don't actually defeat Dracula vith ze power of music?"

More laughter, and Kitty grins. "Speaking of Van Helsing, that guy who plays him, Nick? So cute."

"What happened to Jason?"

"Please." Kitty rolls her eyes and smirks, "That was, like, so two weeks ago!"

"Well, I'm beat." Rogue announces, "I'm taking off this makeup and going straight to bed."

You hear murmurs of agreement as everyone shuffles off to their rooms, all except one.

"Y/N?" Evan asks, his shyness a stark contrast to the air of amusement from before. Not one to ignore a friend when something's bothering them, you stop to listen. "Yeah? What's up?"

"Um, I was wondering, I mean, hoping... Can I show you something?"

"Of course." You reply, curious about whatever's made him so nervous. Come to think of it, he's been quieter than usual today, and hasn't said much to you.

'I wonder why?'

He continues, fidgeting a bit. "Cool! So, um, remember my social studies project? The movie?"

You nod as the two of you walk to the living room. "Yeah, you said you got a really good grade on it."

"Well... Do you want to watch it?"

"Of course! Can I?" You grin, excited to see it. This must be why he's acting strange, he's just nervous to show you.

You sit down on the couch with him and he gets out his phone, pulling up a video. Probably because it's late and he doesn't want to disturb anyone, he gets out some earphones, handing you one and putting the other on. Once yours is secure in your ear, he holds out his phone and presses play.

It opens on a sweeping shot of Bayville, and the title comes onscreen.

'Family'.

"Welcome to Bayville, my new home." Evan's narration starts, and your face brightens.

"It's really kinda laid back here compared to New York City, where I'm from. But, I'm getting used to it."

A shot of Evan grinding down a stair rail on his skateboard. "That's me. Evan Daniels, thrashin' skater!" You giggle.

It fades into a scene of Logan leading a karate class outside with you all. You recently graduated to a yellow belt, which you're really proud of.

"This film is about what's important to me, and that's my family. I mean, these guys aren't my real family. but they've kinda taken me in, you know?"

Cut to Scott hosing down his beloved red sports car. "Like any family, we're all different. That's Scott! He's cool, but can be kinda stiff." Scott waves at the camera, and you laugh as Kurt sprays a hose in his face. "Kurt usually takes care of that problem."

Now it shows Jean working on a sculpted bust of Professor Xavier as he poses. You remember her telling you how the detail work in helps her with her telekinesis since she has to have a firm mental picture of what she's using it on.

"The Prof's like my new dad. Don't worry, old pops, you're still my number one! But the Prof's all right. And so is Jean. That girl's got looks and talent!"

The video moves on, showing that time Ororo played for you all after dinner. "That's Auntie Ororo at the piano. She's a real classy lady."

"And speaking of classy ladies, check out Rogue and Kitty! Man, they got the moves!" You recognize that video of them dancing. That was from the day you tried to catch Sabretooth! Your eyes soften as Rogue's confidence grows while she dances.

And then it cuts to Kurt doing a goofy dance on his bed. "...And so does Kurt. He likes to party!" He falls down and you chuckle, turning to Evan. "This is really good!"

He smiles back, rubbing his neck. Is it just you, or is he getting more nervous? You shrug it off, watching a few more scenes as Evan's narration plays over it.

"We usually all get along pretty good, you know? But even when someone's mad at me, they're still there when I need help. That's what being a family's all about. Hangin' tight through the good times and bad. And these guys always hang tight!"

It seems like it's coming to a close as the screen fades to black, but then the narration keeps going.

"And there's one person I know I can always count on."

You open your mouth in surprise when you see a video of yourself. You're reading a book under a tree. You didn't know he filmed that!

"Y/N's been my friend since Day 1, and she's really, like, the coolest girl in the whole world."

A blush deepens on your face. What is this feeling? Haven't you felt it before? It's like a pressure in your chest and a twist in your stomach, uncomfortable and nervous and... good? And as the narration continues over a montage of candid videos of you, the feeling grows.

"She's always so sweet and kind to other people, she's never selfish. She's smart and funny, really funny when you don't expect it. And, I mean, look at her! She's literally so pretty!"

You stop breathing.

"...I really like her. Like, really really like her. And I'm too chicken to tell her to her face. But, this film is about what's important to me... and that's Y/N. So, this film's dedicated to her, and the rest of my new family."

The credits roll, playing music over the otherwise silent room. Slowly, you turn your head and look at Evan, astonished. He's looking you right in the eyes, and you feel it. He's scared, he's happy, he's... that feeling. You know what that feeling is.

Love.

And you have no idea what to say.

---

Sabretooth sits by a fire on a cold night, finishing off the leg of the deer he caught. His instincts tell him something's near. He turns and growls warningly into the darkness, claws ready to eviscerate anything that comes close.

"Who are you?!" He demands, his eyes able to make out the floating figure. The mask hides his face though, and Sabretooth doesn't like that.

"Just a concerned party." A deep voice answers, tone friendly. It's always the friendly ones who want something. "I've come to offer my assistance."

"Keep it. And get out of here before I rip your helmet and your head off!"

The figure laughs, as though the threat is sincerely amusing. "You wish to kill Wolverine, yes?"

Sabretooth narrows his eyes. "How do you know that?"

"I know a lot of things. I know you'll never stop until he's dead. I know he's holed up with a group of mutants called the X-men. I know you're much older than you look, Victor." Sabretooth snarls at the sound of his true name, but the figure continues unbothered. "I think our ambitions are aligned, and I'd like to help you achieve your mission."

"I work alone." Sabretooth spits, and lunges forward. His claws catch nothing but air. Even as the figure has disappeared, his voice echoes all around.

"My offer still stands. Until next time, Sabretooth."

Chapter Text

It's impossible to enter the Stokes County Maximum Security Facility without proper authorization. The complex is surrounded by a fifteen foot wall topped with five feet of barbed wire. Each gate is tightly guarded, and each entrant is thoroughly vetted before they're allowed within. Between the gates and the facility, there's about a quarter mile of surveilled land, scanned by searchlights from watchtowers and military grade radar equipment.

Inside, it only gets more challenging. There's the main facility, which houses all kinds of dangerous arms dealers and terrorists, each inmate nothing below a class five security threat. Past that, if one wants to enter the secret levels, they'll need to pass a few more checkpoints.

There are the iron barred doors, opened via two guards vetting the entrant and simultaneously turning their keys on opposite sides of the room. Then, the entrant will need a special key of their own, one of only three copies, to open the next door. Another is opened via handprint, after which the entrant crosses a catwalk over a hundred foot drop to get to the cylindrical room at the center of the facility. Indeed, the reason this facility was built in the first place.

The entrant steps into the doorway, and the outer layer of the cylinder spins slowly around until it lines up with a vault-like door. With one successful eye scan, the three feet of solid steel unlatch and open, revealing one of the most classified spaces in the whole country.

So, yes, it is impossible to enter, let alone get to the heart of, Stokes County Maximum Security Facility without authorization. Only the Warden can pass through these measures on a semi-annual basis without raising eyebrows. And, according to every guard, today he did.

They would be wrong.

The person who looks like the Warden steps into the heart of the complex, surveying the room for the first time. The cameras are right where they should be. Pulling out a device, the assumed Warden places it on the wall and waits.

The red light on the camera flickers. It's done.

In two seconds, Mystique shifts back to herself, a much more comfortable form than the idiotic pig whose identity she stole. Where is the real Warden? Safe, unfortunately. He'll wake up in time to face the consequences.

Speaking of, Mystique strides to a computer panel near the room's center. These past few months will have been worth it if her intel is correct. She types in a long code, pressing a button that flashes white. The center of the floor begins to rise up with a loud mechanical whirring. She smiles widely as the tank hidden below reveals itself, as well as the gargantuan man trapped inside it.

He must be nearly eight feet tall, his thick arms and legs chained to the tank's bottom. He looks to be asleep, thanks to that greenish liquid he's submerged in. She'll take care of that. A few more inputs and the liquid begins to drain away.

Mystique puts her hand on the reinforced glass. "Wake up, Cain." She calls gently as his head emerges from the surface, "It's time you had a long overdue reunion with one Charles Xavier."

His eyes open.

---

You sit on the couch in awkward silence, both you and Evan sitting perfectly still and staring at the phone's black screen. You can feel his heart beating loudly in his chest, full of fear, and excitement and... affection.

He's waiting for an answer, and you have no idea what to say.

After a while sitting frozen, Evan speaks up, his voice nervous and shaky. "I, uh, I just wanted to tell you, so you know. How I feel. And... And maybe know... if you feel the same?"

Do you feel the same? You can't tell. How much of what you're feeling is you, and how much is him? How does he even feel any of this for you? What even is love?

Your fingers fidget nervously as you avoid his eyes. "I..." You whisper, cheeks red. "I think I... I just need some time. To think."

Silence, and the disappointment stabs you like a knife.

"Oh. Y-Yeah, sure. I'm gonna just.." He gets up, pointing his thumb at the door. "I'm gonna go. Um... Good night, Y/N."

You mumble the same to him as he leaves you in the middle of a storm.

---

"Line up!"

You jump out of your memories at the loud voice, following the other students as they quickly drop their bags and line up outside the school bus. Squeezed between Rogue and Kitty, you stand at attention for Sergeant Hawke.

The drill sergeant paces in front of you all, the group of Bayville students who decided to spend the first week of summer at survival camp. As he passes by, you straighten up tensely. He seems to pause in front of you, but you can't tell if he's looking at you through those sunglasses.

"At this camp, you will not be making wallets, necktie racks, or paperweights!" Hawke barks out, and you flinch at the noise. "You will not be engaging in potato sack races, water balloon tosses, or pony rides! You will be taking 20 mile hikes, rappelling 200 foot cliffs, and crossing treacherous water with no more than a rope and all the courage you can muster! Do you read me?"

"Yes, Sergeant Hawke, sir!" Some other students yell, giving you a start.

"I said, do you read me?!"

"Yes, Sergeant Hawke, sir!" You join in, yelling with your full chest. The stone-faced sergeant seems satisfied with that, lowering his voice to a still commanding tone and crossing his muscled arms.

"Welcome to Iron Back survival camp. A name you won't soon forget."

'That's ominous.' You think, wondering why exactly you decided to come here in the first place.

Sergeant Hawke approaches Scott, who's probably the least nervous looking out of all of you. "Now, here we have a young man, Scott Sumner-"

"Summers." Scott corrects.

Hawke ignores him and continues on. "-whose teachers at Bayville High and Xavier's Institute have praised his leadership qualities. You think you're a good leader, son?" He leans in intimidatingly.

Scott doesn't waver. "Yes, sir!"

"Then here's your time to prove it." The sergeant addresses all of you. "Today, Sumner is leading the warm-ups! You will do as he says!"

Mixed in with all the trepidation, you sense pride. 'At least Scott's enjoying this.'

"You've got ten minutes to stow your gear and report to the training field." Hawke blows his whistle and you flinch, "Dismissed!"

You can finally relax a little when the sergeant walks away, your shoulders dropping tiredly. That is one loud and scary man. You really have to work under him for an entire week?

Adding to the feeling of frustration, your friends all grumble around you, lingering by the bus while other students carry their bags to the cabins. Kitty plops down on top of her suitcase in defeat. "Oh, I'm gonna be dead in, like, two days!"

"What about me? I'm a city kid!" Evan laments. He turns to look at you and you instinctively look away, not ready to face your feelings.

The mood dips even lower as Kurt, who can make fun out of anything, shakes his head sorrowfully. "Vhat did ve ever do to deserve zhis?"

Rogue slings her duffel over her shoulder. "I'm going AWOL. Anyone know how to hot-wire a school bus?" You snort, and she looks you in the eyes. "I'm dead serious. Let's go."

"Woah, woah!" Scott jumps in her path, hands up to stop her. "Slow down, Private."

"Private?" You remark. He is clearly taking the whole military thing to heart.

"Come on, we're not washing out in front of the whole school." Scott says, and you look around at the maybe thirty students who signed up for this. You look back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, not the whole school." Scott amends, "But, Professor X endorsed this place."

Jean joins in, trying to get you all to look on the bright side. "Yeah! At least he gave us a choice. Survival training here or with Wolverine."

The rest of you shiver at the thought. 'Oh yeah. That's why I came here.' Meeting Sergeant Hawke, though, it doesn't seem like surviving this will be much easier. Rogue agrees with a scoff. "Some choice.."

Scott stands with Jean, pumping his fist. "Come on, we can do this!" It doesn't do that much to uplift the general mood, but you appreciate the effort. You could use some positivity.

Unfortunately, when you see a familiar group lingering by the trees, you know you're not going to get it.

"Aw man, the Brotherhood are here? Seriously?" Evan exclaims angrily, glaring at Toad, Blob, Lance and Pietro. You see them look over, and your eyes connect with Lance's. He glares, and you draw back, remembering when you first met behind Kitty's school. Then Scott steps in front of you and you feel a familiar protective anger radiating from him.

It's a tense few moments before Jean claps her hands. "Alright, it's not ideal. But we'll keep our distance, just like at school. We managed to avoid them all last month, right? As long as they don't bother us, we won't bother them. Now, come on!" She picks up her backpack and smiles brightly. "Let's go get unpacked! I'm sure we can still make this a fun and productive week."

"...Right." Scott agrees, though he's lost some of his previous enthusiasm. That doesn't bode well. You sigh and pick up your bag, carrying it to the cabins.

"Hey, Y/N!" You bristle as Evan runs up behind you. "I can carry that for you!"

"Oh, no! That's okay. Thanks." You give him a strained smile and carry on, trying not to freak out. Yep, he still clearly likes you. And you still have no idea how you feel. You bite your lip, frustrated. It was so much easier before, when you two were just friends. Now you're friends with feelings, feelings that could ruin everything.

"Your feelings always ruin everything."

It's been harder to keep that little voice away, lately. You wish you were still at the Institute so you could talk to the Professor about it. But, he said he had some important work to complete this week. 'I wonder what.'

---

Lance sneers as the X-men walk away. They're getting on his last nerve. Just because they won a couple fights doesn't mean they get to walk around school like they own the place. The way Scott stepped in front of you, playing the hero, like always... It makes his blood boil. "Of course, Sergeant Hawke makes Summers the group leader." He spits, "They get everything handed to them."

Blob pounds his fist into his hand. "Yeah. I should be group leader!"

Lance rolls his eyes as Pietro scoffs. "You can't even spell 'group leader', Blob."

"Can, too!" Blob protests.

"Not!" Pietro says smugly, speeding around Blob when he swings a punch. "Too slow!"

Blob glares, crossing his arms and sulking. "Can, too..." He mutters, and Toad pats him on the stomach. "We know, buddy."

"You know what I can also spell? D-O-O-M-D." Blob cracks his knuckles. "Which is what that goody-goody gang is after I get them alone in the woods!"

"Yeah, I can hear it now!" Toad adds, pretending to speak into a microphone, "Search and rescue efforts abandoned for missing teens. No traces found." He cackles loudly.

"Man, did you see Daniels?" Pietro nudges Lance, "Looks like he's still nursing a crush on that Y/N girl. What a loser! Bet I can score with her before he does."

Lance grunts, thinking back to the first time he talked to you. Your stupid sympathetic face. 'Thinks she knows so much about me... None of them know a goddamn thing.'

He then catches a glimpse of Kitty laughing with Kurt, and his eyes narrow, 'Those X-men think they're so much better than us.' He grabs his bag. 'Let's see how they do today. Maybe steal the crown from 'Sumner'.'

Mystique sent them here to get stronger, after all. What better way to do that than to show up the X-men?

---

The feeling is slowly coming back to him as the remaining green liquid drips off his skin. He can't move anything except his eyes. They move from side to side sluggishly, taking in the strange room he's in. There's glass between him and the woman, at least he thinks it's a woman. She's blue, with scarlet red hair and a white dress adorned with small skulls. And while he can't speak, her voice fills the silence.

"Cellular paralysis bio-fluid. Amazing. It actually stopped the unstoppable."

The glass lowers, and she looks upon him like he can't just crush her like an insect.

"It'll take a few moments before you can move." She continues casually as the shackles release from his arms and legs. "Then I'll sneak you out of this horrible prison where - Now, who was it that locked you away? Oh, right. Charles Xavier."

She says that name with such glee, the name that burns inside him. Unable to control his limbs more than a slight twitch, he grunts angrily.

'Charles...'

The woman smirks. "Sore subject?"

Finally, his tongue is released from paralysis. "Who... are you?" He grunts, voice low and gravelly from disuse. Just how long has it been?

He can feel his strength slowly returning as she goes to retrieve something from a safe. In her hands is a red, dome-shaped helmet. His helmet.

"A deal maker." She answers, approaching again. "I arrange your early release, and you deliver to me one item in Xavier's possession. His mutant detection system known as Cerebro."

She places his helmet on his head and fastens the four latches securely to his suit.

He turns his head. "And.. Charles..?"

"I leave his fate in your capable hands." She stands in front of him with an admiring grin, her arms crossed. "You are, after all, the unstoppable Juggernaut."

That's right. A dark energy stirs within him, fueling his rage and determination. He can hear the voice now, beckoning him.

'Use my power.' It says, 'Destroy him.'

"Now, I have a plane waiting. It will take you-" The woman natters on, boring the Juggernaut. He steps forward and pushes her aside like a pesky gnat.

"No one takes Juggernaut anywhere. And nothing-" He states, punching through three feet of steel, "-gets in my way."

---

The brute shoves Mystique to the ground and walks past her arrogantly. She narrows her eyes at him, and mutters, "Charming."

No matter. This isn't the first ignoramus she's used to get what she wants. As long as he goes after Charles, there will be no one stopping her from procuring Cerebro for her employer. Maybe he'll even do her a favor and finish the job.

She closes her eyes, remembering a silly little musical about vampires. Slipping into the audience with a young man's face, watching from afar..

'Xavier will pay for taking her from me. He'll pay for them both.' Mystique promises, following the Juggernaut through the gaping hole in the wall.

---

The whistle blows, and you stop doing jumping jacks with everyone else, catching your breath. Sergeant Hawke nods at Scott, his voice booming. "Good job leading the warm-up, Sumner."

Scott, a little out of breath himself, stands up straight. "Yes, sir! And, actually, it's Summers-"

"For our next exercise, we're splitting up into groups!" Hawke continues, and you're starting to wonder if he's ignoring the correction on purpose. "If I read off your name, you're in Group 1!"

You listen as he lists off names, and other students get instructions for different activities. Finally, you hear your name, along with some other familiar ones. "Y/L/N, Sumner, Grey, Wagner, Pryde, Daniels, Adler-" You blink, connecting the dots and looking at Rogue. She catches your eye and shrugs, but you swear you feel a tinge of upset from her. Then, the other names come. "Maximoff, Alvers, Dukes, and Tolansky." Hawke finishes, "You're Group 3."

Shocked, you and your friends look over at the Brotherhood. They're glaring daggers back. Scott steps up with his hand raised. "Sergeant Hawke, sir, I don't think this group is a good idea."

Hawke raises an eyebrow. "Your principal specifically requested the groups, son. Is there a problem?"

'Mystique.' Your brows knit together in anger and confusion. 'What does she want? What are the Brotherhood here to do to us?'

"What's wrong, Sumner?" Lance jeers, "Scared we'll beat you?"

Scott's gaze hardens. "Not with your track record."

Lance's face twists angrily and he steps forward like he's about to start something. Then the shrill whistle blows again and Hawke barks, "Enough! I don't know what's between you and I don't care! Whatever it is, it gets settled on the obstacle course, ya hear?"

'Obstacle course?' You and the rest follow the sergeant to a structure with a dozen ropes hanging down from it. He points. "On my mark, you'll climb to the top of those ropes. Then, you'll zipline down there." He gestures to where the lines end by the lake. "The two who get to the lake first will race their rafts downstream, and whichever one crosses the finish line first wins. Got it?"

Well, that sounds complicated. And how come there's only one winner? You shake your head, making for the ropes. Just as you're about to take one, Evan steps out in front of you.

"Woah, weird! I was just about to pick this one, haha." He laughs awkwardly, "Well, I guess I'll just take the one next to-"

"Whoops! Missed." Pietro slides in, taking the rope next to yours before Evan can. He leans over to you with a smug grin. "How about it, Y/N? Wouldn't you rather hang with a guy you wouldn't prick your finger on?"

You narrow your eyes. "Hey, Evan's my friend!"

"Ooh, just friends?" Pietro presses, "So, you're available?"

You blush, confused. "Wh-What?"

"Back off, Maximoff!" Evan yells, the anger in his voice pounding against your head painfully.

"Why? Scared I'll steal your girl?"

"That's enough!"

An irritated Rogue throws her rope over to Evan. "You take this, I'll take this one.." She grabs yours and points to the right, "Why don't you take the one over by Scott, Y/N?"

"O-Okay." You agree quickly, grateful for the intervention as you escape. What was that?? You take the rope on Scott's right, sighing with relief. But, there's a weird, greasy feeling on your other side.

"Single, huh?" Toad waggles his eyebrows at you. Then he gets distracted by a fly and catches it with his tongue. You gag, looking away just as the whistle blows and the race begins.

You're almost thrown off in the first second when the whole contraption violently jolts. A glance to your side tells you that Blob's rope snapped under his weight, landing him heavily on the ground. "I'm not built for this kinda stuff!" He grumbles loudly. The force of his incident made some of the others lose their grip and fall too, but you hold on tight and wait for the rope to steady before climbing up.

It's hard work, and your sweaty hands keep slipping, but you're determined to do this. Your powers aren't much help in the field, not like laser beams and telekinesis. So if you can just get a little stronger, you might be able to deserve your place on the team.

Scott overtakes you quickly, neck in neck with Lance next to him. There's a burst of competitiveness from them, and it reminds you of when Scott and Rogue got into that snowmobile race. However, there's a lot of negative emotions between them too. You hope it doesn't get out of hand.

It's no wonder that Scott and Lance make it to their ziplines first, at the rate they're going. Kurt follows shortly after, and then you finally reach the top of your rope at the same time as Jean. She pants heavily but sends a smile over to you. "Ready?"

You look at the zipline handles nervously, never having done this before. "Don't worry." Jean assures, "I won't let you fall."

You take a breath and jump onto the zipline, squealing as it gains speed down the hill. It's scary, but it's also kind of fun! As long as you don't think too much about the drop, that is. You feel yourself slow down a bit near the bottom, and you send a suspicious look over at Jean. She looks nonchalant and you laugh as you reach the end. The two of you land on the grass, the whirring sound of more ziplines approaching behind.

"Scott and Lance are racing to ze boats!" Kurt says, pointing over to the lake. Indeed, you see them nearing two rafts tied up at the shore. As the rest of your friends land, Kitty looking awfully annoyed at this whole exercise, Jean beckons.

"C'mon, let's follow them along the shore!"

---

'I can't let Alvers win!' Scott thinks furiously, 'The last thing the Brotherhood needs is an ego boost.' Scott pushes himself to climb faster, zipline faster, and run faster to get to the rafts first. He's been training as an X-man for years, and Lance is just some dropout punk!

As much as he'd hate to admit it, though, Lance is doing pretty well. They've been neck in neck this whole time, trading angry glances. Scott just barely pulled ahead on the zipline. And part of him is having fun with this race, with being challenged.

The other part of him is a simmering rage he's trying to suppress. He hasn't forgotten how Lance treated you and Jean. How he treated Kitty.

Getting to the first raft, Scott starts untying the rope keeping it moored. Behind him, he hears Lance's smug voice. "You swim?" By the time Scott looks up, the ground is trembling beneath him. "Hey!" He yells, losing his balance and falling into the water. When he resurfaces, coughing up the lake, he sees Lance jump in his boat.

"Aw, pity." Lance smirks, grabbing an oar and paddling away.

'He used his powers!' Scott thinks incredulously. Of course, he wouldn't care about keeping it under wraps! He wouldn't care about fighting fair! Looking to his right, he spits the other raft deflated, a suspicious gash in the side. The simmering heat boils over into anger, and Scott takes a deep breath and dives under.

'Fine. I'll make it a fair fight.' Scott decides, reaching for his glasses.

---

You can feel the slight tremor when Scott falls in the lake, and there's no mistaking Lance's posture.

"That cheating chump!" Evan exclaims, his own anger mingling with yours when you realize what's happened. He lifts up an arm and spikes poke through his skin, but Jean stops him. "Listen, we agreed not to use any powers out here, remember?" She reminds him, gently pulling his arm down. "You know, just man against nature."

You frown. "We didn't know the Brotherhood would be here, though." You feel bad for saying it when you see Jean's disappointed face. And Evan, despite putting his spikes away, isn't calmed. "That guy needs his boat popped!"

"I wouldn't mind seeing Lance drenched." Kitty adds, arms crossed.

"Just calm down." Jean waves her hands, "You'll see, Scott will handle it like a leader should."

"Vhere is Scott?"

You turn back to the lake and squint. Kurt's right, you don't see him anywhere. For a moment, you have a horrible thought that he's gone under. Then, you spot the slightest red glow from under the Lance's boat. In a huge splash of water, masking the red beams, the raft upends and throws him overboard as he shouts in surprise. Then Scott bursts out from the waves, flipping the boat upright again and climbing aboard with paddle in hand.

Your friends cheer and you smile, but not without noticing the pang of annoyance from Jean. As Scott rows, you all run along the lakeside with him, spurring him on as he docks his boat and makes for the finish line. He throws his arms up victoriously as he runs through the ribbon. You spare a glance to a soggy Lance coming ashore with a glare set on him. There's an odd sense of satisfaction at the sight, and even though it feels wrong, you join in your friends' jubilant cheers.

"Yes!"

"Go Scott!"

"Woohoo!"

You laugh with them, enjoying the triumph, but the celebration quickly turns sour as Blob stomps over. You're not proud of yourself for taking a step back, still a little scared to be close to him. Jean puts a steadying hand on your shoulder, and you brace yourself for his temper.

"That loser Scott shoulda lost, and you know it!" He yells, getting up close and pointing in your faces. His temper is as strong as ever, and you grit your teeth. Pietro and Toad aren't far behind him.

"Yeah, just because he slipped and took a bath, the guy went ballistic!" Pietro exclaims, and Kurt shakes his head. "Slipped? More like avalanched!"

Toad hops forward. "He stole that first place ribbon!"

"He did not!" Kitty protests.

"You want that first place ribbon so bad? I'll pin it to your forehead, you freak!" Rogue retorts, and the three glare daggers at her. Your hands are shaking, and you're trying so hard not to let the emotions get to you.

"You're calling him a freak?" Lance stalks over, soaking wet and glaring at Rogue. "At least he didn't put anyone into a coma!"

Rogue's eyes widen. "Th-That's not.. It was an accident!"

"Mystique's favorite girl." Lance laughs bitterly, "You may have left the Brotherhood, Rogue, but you'll never fit in with the X-men!"

The amount of hurt and guilt you feel from her is staggering. Something snaps, and you stare in wordless fury at Lance.

"Hey! Lay off!" Scott yells, stepping in, "Rogue's one of us, got it?"

The others join in, shouting in Rogue's defense. Then, they shout all their frustrations.

"You almost stranded me in another dimension!"

"You kidnapped me, you entitled, selfish jerk!"

"Do you know how it feels to be held at gunpoint?!"

"You used me! You took advantage of me!"

"If you ever hurt my friends again, I'll end you!"

The Brotherhood's voices mix into the cacophony.

"You made me feel special, but it was all a trick!"

"You always thought you were so much better than me, with your perfect family!"

"I'm not someone you can push around!"

"You think you're so great, looking down on us! How would you like feelin' like dirt, huh?!"

You remain silent, anger pouring out of you in every direction. The voices melt together, and then it's dark, and you're banging your fists against a door.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT!"

"Y/N!"

Her voice snaps you back, even among the yells of everyone else. Rogue's grip on your arm as she looks at you, face twisted between anger and concern. You don't understand.

Then a sharp whistle cuts through the noise. Everyone's voices around you come to a slow stop, like a car running out of fuel. There's confusion, and then a deep voice bellows. "Break it up!"

It's Sergeant Hawke, looking incensed. The air turns to embarrassment as the X-men and Brotherhood step away from each other with muttered apologies, "Sorry, sir."

"Follow me!" He orders, and you try to comply, but Rogue's hand is still on your arm.

"Are... Did you...?" She starts to ask, but Hawke interrupts. "I mean, now!"

You walk, staring at the grass, your brain so foggy you can't begin to piece together her question. You can only move your limbs. Then, someone ushers you away and puts something cool in your hands.

---

Scott's muscles ache as he and the rest of the punished group finish their penalty pushups. "58... 59...... 60!" His arms give out and he drops to the grass, and by the resounding thud, it seems everyone else did too.

He'd been about ready to start throwing punches back there. Everything had escalated so quickly, Scott's not even sure what happened. He really wanted to hurt the Brotherhood, and while the workout cooled him off a bit, that anger still isn't completely gone. He turns and scowls at Lance, who's similarly panting on the ground.

"On your feet!" Sergeant Hawke commands, barely giving them time to breathe. The Brotherhood and X-men stand up wearily, excluding one member. 'Hope Y/N's feeling better.' Scott thinks, guilty that the near fight had disoriented you so much. At least Hawke gave you some water and let you sit out of the punishment. You'd looked like you could barely breathe.

Hawke shows no such tender care now, though. "Here at Iron Back, we've got ways to weed the loud mouths from the tough guys. We fight it out in the wilderness, against the wilderness!" He shouts, "You grunts wanna prove how tough you are? Fine! First team to snatch a flag I planted up there on Mount Humiliation and brings it back to me wins!" The sergeant points to the peak of a nearby mountain.

A race against the Brotherhood? Scott considers this. 'Maybe... But how do we know they won't try any tricks?'

Just as he thinks it, Pietro steps forward with a smug grin. "Cake walk! Give me five, and I'll get it myself!"

'Of course they'd cheat again!' Scott tightens his fist, 'Well, if they're gonna use their powers, we will too!"

Kurt must have the same idea as he faces Pietro and crosses his arms. "Not if I beat you zhere!"

The Brotherhood glares daggers at that, and the X-men glare right back. But before they can get into another shouting match, Hawke puts his foot down.

"The whole team or no one! As proof, I want a snapshot of every member right there at the top! Are we clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Scott's shoulder fall a little, but he reassures himself. 'We can still beat them. We're the X-men.'

"You leave at dawn from opposite trails. Be ready."

Scott looks around at his team. Kurt and Evan look disappointed, Kitty seems exhausted, and Rogue... She's got that hard look in her eyes. Scott's starting to recognize the aggressive walls she puts up when she's hurting.

They need this win. He needs this win.

Everyone starts to disperse after Hawke leaves, the younger kids off to the cabins. Soon it's only he and Jean left. She's looking at him like she's worried, and he's about to ask about it when a snarky voice cuts in.

"Don't even bother leaving in the morning, Sumner." Scott's eye twitches as Lance deliberately says his name wrong again. "We're getting that flag no matter what."

"Yeah?" Scott glares at him, "Sounds like you're scared of getting shown up. Again."

Lance scowls. "If it hadn't been for your stupid eye beams-"

"You started it, Avalanche. I just finished it."

"Scott.." Jean says behind him, but he's focused on the enemy.

"Better say your farewells." Lance spits. "'Cause you guys aren't coming back."

His eyes widen at the blatant threat, suddenly overwhelmed with the instinct to protect his team. "Oh, you got something in mind, rock tumbler?" Scott reaches for his glasses, "'Cause I-!"

"Scott!" Jean grabs his hand, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing!" He replies irritably, not sure if he really means it. "I'm just fed up with those delinquents getting away with everything while we're stuck playing by the rules! Just because they couldn't beat us without their powers-!"

"Hey!" Lance shouts and steps up to him, "We don't need our powers to beat you!"

Their faces come within inches of each other, both seething. "Fine! Then we'll all play it straight." Scott challenges, "Only the strongest wins. And you know what?" He smirks, "We'll even wave to you from the top."

There's a silent threat in his eyes that if Lance or any of the Brotherhood goons try anything, he won't hesitate to blast them off the mountain.

"Good!" Jean inserts herself between them, "That's the deal! We're all competing fairly, no powers."

The tensions holds for a moment, until Lance finally steps away. "Tomorrow." He promises, and leaves.

Scott's half-tempted to jeer something after him, but he's quickly dragged away by the ear. "Ow, ow! Hey, Jean, stop! What?!"

She finally lets go when they're in front of the cabins, gesturing wildly. "What was that?? Scott, we decided no powers-"

"Yeah, we just said-"

"No, I mean at the beginning! You and me decided we'd all get through survival camp without our powers, and then you blast Lance out of the water!"

Scott shakes his head in disbelief. "Didn't you see? He started it! You were on my side after the race, what happened?"

"Everything got really heated, okay?" Jean admits, her voice softening, "I don't even know why I got so angry over something like that, but I'm glad Sergeant Hawke stopped it before things got really bad."

"Things are already bad!" Scott snaps, then takes a step back and sighs, "Look, Jean, can we not talk about this right now? I'm exhausted."

Jean purses her lips, but she relents. "Fine." Scott nods and starts his trip to his cabin.

"Remember, no powers!" She calls after him, and he pretends not to hear her.

As far as he's concerned, the gloves are finally coming off.

---

"Thinks I can't beat him without my powers?" Lance mutters as he stomps aimlessly around the campgrounds. "I'll show him."

He didn't have his powers for fourteen years as he was passed from foster home to foster home. Cast out, written off, left to fend for himself. No kid living in a cushy mansion could survive the way he did. None of them have what it takes.

"Alvers!" Lance turns his narrowed eyes at the sergeant, not in the mood to deal with his orders. "What?"

The man just stares him down, his face a stony mask. It unsettles Lance, and he asks a little more aggressively. "What?!"

Slowly, Sergeant Hawke reaches up and takes off his cap, wiping the sweat off his brow as he looks up into the sky. "I've seen all kinds come to this camp. Quiet ones, loud ones, confident ones, and troubled ones." His voice is low and casual, unlike how he's ever spoken before. Lance's confusion grows as Hawke continues. "I've seen a lot of kids who start fights because they want to hurt. And I've seen kids who start fights because they're hurting." He replaces his cap, then puts a strong hand on Lance's shoulder. "If you want to talk about anything, you come talk to me."

Lance feels his body become rigid under the touch, looking at the sergeant with confusion and distrust. He shrugs the hand off, backing away with a glare. "I don't... even know what you're talking about!" Lance says aggressively, "What do you want?"

Sergeant Hawke pauses, then points. "I want you to climb your mountain." Without another word, he walks away, leaving Lance even more confused.

'The hell was that about?'

He shoves his hands in his pockets, trying to ignore the nagging feeling inside him. Adults don't care. He can't forget that.

Lance is on his own.

---

"A race?" You exclaim, taking another sip of water from the bottle Sergeant Hawke gave you.

"Yeah, up a mountain!" Kitty groans on her cot, "As if the push-ups weren't punishment enough! I'm still sore."

You wince. "..Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Jean asks, "You were probably the only one who wasn't screaming her lungs off."

"Like, it's not your fault things got overheated." Kitty agrees, "The Brotherhood totally had it coming!"

"Right.." You reply quietly, not sure if you agree. Your head is killing you.

"Sooooo..." Kitty sits up, sour mood lightening as she smiles mischievously. "I saw Evan and Pietro having a fight over a certain somebody at the ropes course... Any comment, Y/N?"

Your face heats up as you choke on your water. Through your coughing fit, Jean looks between you and Kitty curiously. "What? Over Y/N? Why?"

"He's.." You clear your throat, "Evan and Pietro hate each other, that's all!"

"Oh yeah?" Kitty smirks, "Because I think that Evan likes-"

She gets interrupted by a pillow thrown in her face. "Hey! Rogue!"

"Leave Y/N alone." Rogue says, "She's had enough drama today. I have, too."

"Rogue's right." Jean agrees, and you sigh in relief, "We should rest. We've got an early start tomorrow."

You ignore Kitty's tired groan and Jean's peppy encouragement to send a grateful glance over to Rogue. She nods back, then turns over in her cot. You lie back in your own, staring at the ceiling and wondering if any of this will make more sense tomorrow morning.

---

Charles Xavier sits at his desk, newspaper in hand. The cover story is about a shocking arrest on the West Coast.

'Matron arrested on child abuse charges. Orphanage to be investigated.'

He'd had a long phone call with Vange earlier, and she's confident the charges will stick with the witness testimony she's gotten. More importantly, she's assured him that they should be able to keep a certain student of his out of the press circus.

He folds the paper and tucks it away in a drawer. It's a victory, but right now, knowing everything that this woman has done, it's hard to look at. Instead, he decides to use Cerebro some more tonight. Pressing a hidden button, the false wall moves, revealing the mutant-detecting machine behind it. As minor alerts blink on the screen, Charles senses Logan entering the study behind him.

"Is Cerebro locating new mutant sigs?" His friend asks, eyeing the monitor.

"No, just our students up at Iron Back." Charles replies as he fastens the helmet. "They've been a little active."

Logan raises an eyebrow at that. "Hm. Did ya tell 'em not to use their powers?"

"No. I was hoping they'd make that decision themselves." He admits, a little disappointed.

"Well, I still say you should've let me handle their survival training." Logan grunts, crossing his arms.

"I gave them that choice, Logan." He gives a wry smile, "They felt they had a better chance of surviving the camp." Then his eyes wander to his desk drawer. "Besides, it's better if Y/N isn't here. I'd rather she didn't come upon the news by surprise."

"Are you gonna tell her?"

"In time." Charles answers, deep in thought. "I'm afraid she isn't ready just yet."

Just then, Cerebro's lights flash red, a big alert coming in. "Well, well." Charles remarks, "It seems we have a new mutant on the scene after all."

They both watch the screen curiously as Cerebro gathers the data. The automated voice speaks with a Scottish accent, modeled after an old friend of his. "Discovery. Enhanced non-mutant signature. Identity confirmed and matched to archive file."

Now, that's very surprising. "What?" He exclaims as a 3D render begins to take shape. "Who would-?"

The model becomes clear, and a gasp is ripped from his throat.

"Name: Cain Marko." Cerebro reads, "Residence: Stokes County Maximum Security Prison, Virginia. Current location: In transit. Moving North."

A chill falls over Charles as he sees the blip on the map moving steadily closer to New York. "No!"

"Cain Marko?" Logan asks, voice laced with careful concern, "Who's-?"

"Someone very dangerous who wants me dead." He takes off his helmet in a daze, eyes staring disbelieving at the screen. "Somehow, he's escaped. But that's.. That's impossible.."

Logan leans forward. "I thought Cerebro only detected mutants. What's an 'enhanced non-mutant signature'?" He asks, and Charles collects himself. Now is not the time to let fear take over. "It's rare." Charles explains, his gaze wandering to the fireplace, "Cain never possessed the X-gene, but... something happened to him. Something unnatural, that gave him dangerous, mutant-like power."

"What do you mean by 'unnatural'?"

Charles brings up the keyboard and types something in, pulling up the image of a crimson red gemstone. "It's called the Gem of Cytorrak. When Cain found it, the immense radiation altered his body and mind. He's become a Juggernaut. Invulnerable."

Logan starts to pace. "Well, there's gotta be some way to stop him!"

"Not stop. Only slow down." Charles says, rolling to the fireplace resigned. He knew deep down that facility wouldn't hold him forever. No matter what, his past will always come back to haunt him. "We may only have hours until he's here."

"Then, we need to prepare." Logan states, crossing his arms. "I'll prep the mansion's defenses."

"I need Storm." Charles realizes grimly, "If we don't act soon, we're not the only ones Juggernaut will hurt."

---

The voice pushes him forward, reminding him with every step what he needs to do.

'Destroy Charles Xavier.' It whispers, and the Juggernaut follows. Nothing can stand in his way.

As if challenging this truth, two blaring sirens approach from behind on this long rural road. He doesn't spare them a glance, even as the squad cars pass and blockade his path. Without missing a step, he flips them over with an ounce of his strength.

'Pitiful.' He thinks as the cars roll away. No one will deny him his revenge, least of all these pathetic humans. Cain Marko was weak once too... but no more.

Charles Xavier will die, and the Juggernaut will never be undermined again.

---

"Come on!" Scott shouts as he charges ahead on the woodland trail, "Let's pick it up! We're almost to the base!"

Your feet beat against the dirt path as you try to keep up with the group. At the crack of dawn, Scott had you all wake up for the race up the mountain, and you're honestly not sure why he's so into it. What will winning this prove? That the X-men are better than the Brotherhood? That doesn't seem like it'll change anything.

The general sense of dismay is carried by a lot of your friends, too. "What's with Mr. Decathlon?" Rogue complains breathlessly. "He's as bad as Sergeant Hawke!"

Kitty rolls her eyes. "All he cares about is winning this thing. Hey Kurt? Can't you, like, make yourself useful and just teleport us to the top?"

"Zhis trip is of ze power-free variety, I'm told." Kurt replies with a frown, and Kitty groans.

Evan swats at the air around him, "The mosquitos here are the size of pelicans! Why are we here again?"

"C'mon, just follow Scott's lead on this!" Jean says, giving Evan a pat on the shoulder, "We'll win, you'll see."

"Who cares about winning this stupid race?" Rogue remarks cynically, "It won't stop the Brotherhood."

"It's not about proving something to them, it's about proving it to ourselves." Jean replies, "We don't need our powers to be strong. We have other strengths."

'Other strengths?' You wonder. You've thought before about how useless your powers are in a battle. You're scared of dragging everyone else down because of that. Maybe... Maybe if you can conquer this mountain, it'll count for something.

The thought gives you a bit more motivation, but your lungs are reaching their limit. You come to a stop, resting your hands on your knees as you breathe heavily.

"Y/N?" Evan's concern floats closer, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. Just need... to breathe.." You manage to get out. Then you feel his hand on your back and you freeze. All his words play over again in your head.

"...I really like her. Like, really really like her."

"I, uh, I just wanted to tell you, so you know. How I feel. And... And maybe know... if you feel the same?"

"I'm okay!" You quickly step away from his touch and laugh suddenly, "You go ahead! I just need a minute!"

Evan stays, face twisted between emotions. "Y/N... Do you-?"

"Move it, Porcupine." Rogue stands between you two, taking you by surprise. "I have to talk to Y/N about something. Private."

After a hesitant moment, Evan hangs his head. "...Sure." He mutters, and jogs up the hill. His sadness washes over you, and you cover your face with your hands and groan. "Why am I like this???"

"I don't know why you're asking me." Rogue remarks, "It's not like I have the best track record with boys, either."

"Then.." Your look up, face flushed. "You know??"

"That he told you he likes you and now you're avoiding him? Yeah, I'd say it's pretty obvious."

You groan again and Rogue chuckles, gesturing for you to follow. "Let's walk. Don't want to get too far behind."

The two of you catch your breath as you walk through the forested foothills. The mountain looms ahead ominously, and you sigh. "I don't mean to avoid him. I mean, I do? Whenever I see him I just think of how he likes me and how I don't know how I feel. I never know how to feel." You say bitterly. "It's all so complicated now, and I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I don't know how! I think... I think I'm a terrible friend."

All is quiet for a few seconds. Rogue hums thoughtfully. "You should tell him that."

"What?"

"What you just told me. I've never really... had friends. Always been kind of a loner." She shrugs, "Easier that way when you move around a lot. And then when I got my powers.. Well, if I had friends, I'd want them to tell me stuff like that. Even if it's hard, and my feelings get hurt. I'd want them to be honest."

You look at her carefully guarded face, and slowly nod. "I think you're right." You owe it Evan to be honest with him.

"Pietro was also flirting with you pretty hard." Rogue smirks, "You're popular."

You laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. "I don't even know where that came from! But, I don't think it's real. Like, his feelings, they weren't like Evan's. It was weird."

"He's probably just trying to mess with Evan." Rogue replies, "But, who knows? Crushes can be weird."

"I'm not sure if I've ever had a crush." You admit, "Sometimes, it's hard to tell if my feelings are my feelings, you know?"

Rogue nods, "I hear that."

The two of you start moving again to catch up to the others. As you jog along, you turn to her. "By the way... you have friends now. If you want them."

She smiles at you. "Thanks." You grin back and pick up the pace.

---

Pietro grunts as he ascends the cliff in painfully slow fashion. It's been vertical practically the whole way! 'Sergeant Hawke probably gave us the worse path on purpose.' He thinks bitterly.

He and Lance are tied to Blob, who's scaling the mountain above them at a snail's pace. Pietro's going crazy, moving this slow! He doesn't even get why his dad is making him slum it with these guys at a survival camp. He's plenty good at surviving already!

"What's taking you boys so long?" Toad taunts, hopping up the mountainside with no problem. Pietro glares as he disappears up onto a ledge, and turns to Lance, holding onto a rope next to him. "How come Toadboy is allowed to use his powers and I'm not, huh?"

"His sticky fingers and your super speed are way different." The other boy mutters, all serious and broody like usual. "Those X-men will just say we cheated because we were afraid to lose."

Pietro snorts. "Yeah, right. I've never lost against them." In NYC, it was four against one, totally unfair. It doesn't count.

Blob kicks some little rocks down as he climbs, which land in Pietro's face. He spits them out, irritated. "Watch it! Man, if he slips and falls, we are history. Death by Blubber Bomb!"

"Fastest way to the top is a straight line, Pietro." Lance replies, eyes narrowing as he looks up. "We are winning this race, make no mistake."

Pietro just rolls his eyes and continues climbing. Lance may think he's the leader, but Pietro's just too bored to take the reins. He could if he really wanted to. But, whatever.

'I'm too good for these guys.' He thinks, and prepares to make another snarky comment. 'I'll make my dad believe it, too. Soon.'

---

Charles watches the news report through tired eyes, the anchor explaining a strange phenomenon. "...and efforts to locate this convict have been hampered by the unexpected appearance of a dense, inland fog. Let's go to Haley Taylor for more on this strange weather.." Satisfied, he tunes out the broadcast and puts his fingers to his temples.

"Very good, Storm. Keep it up." His telepathic powers receive a positive reply, taking a small weight off his shoulders. Using the X-jet, Storm will blanket the surrounding area with fog, keeping the police or civilians from intercepting the Juggernaut. They'll only be hurt or killed if they interfere.

As he blinks the sleepless night away from his eyes, he makes one last check on the mansion's defenses. Everything is fully operational, and Juggernaut should be scanned and identified soon after stepping into the surrounding woods. After that... well, that may be up to Lady Luck.

Logan comes in, geared up in his suit and ready for a fight. "If I can't stop him, Charles, your best protection will be in the Danger Room. I've got it ready." He gestures, and Charles nods and follows him out to the hallway.

"Yes. It may slow him down, but it won't stop him."

"Do you have any defense against him at all?" Logan asks, and to anyone else his voice may be read as annoyed. But as a friend, Charles knows that he's worried.

"Just one." He admits, stopping at a wall that moves aside to reveal the concealed elevator. "My mind."

He and Wolverine enter and travel down to the mansion's hidden levels that contain, in part, the Danger Room. "With enough psychic blasts, I can disable him, unless he's wearing his helmet. It seems to have been gifted to him by whatever force gave him his power, and it blocks my mental influence."

"So I need to unlatch it before he gets to you." Wolverine confirms, "And this gemstone or whatever, we can't just destroy it?"

"It's just as invulnerable as he is." Charles replies as the elevator slows to a stop. "And knowing as little about it as we do, it's better to let the researchers continue their work."

"And the kids-?"

"Aren't getting involved. It's not their problem."

There's a tense silence. Wolverine sighs. "You have history, huh?"

Charles casts a dark look at the ground as he wheels out of the elevator. "...He's my stepbrother."

---

The heavy fog isn't enough to deter the Juggernaut. He knows this road, he knows where it leads.

A blurred memory of his past life invades his mind, of driving and shouting, speeding toward a cliff. He'd wanted it to be over then, for both of them.

'It's his fault.' The voice goads, 'It's his fault your father is dead. Kill him.'

The clanging bells of the railroad crossing beg him to slow down, a train rolling out like a great wall to block him.

Nothing blocks the Juggernaut.

He walks straight through it, the train cars crashing on him and derailing, piling up in a smoking heap behind him.

---

Blob kicks his feet into the solid rock, creating his own footholds as he hoists Lance and Pietro up by ropes. Every time his hand punches into the mountain, he pictures Summers or some other annoying X-freak. Gradually though, he starts picturing his teammates' faces as Pietro keeps commenting about how he'll fall and squash them with his big butt, and Lance keeps nagging at him to hurry up. He wants to shout back, but instead he just bites his tongue and punches harder.

"Come on up!" Toad grins as Blob gets up to the ledge. He notices a big boarded up archway in the side of the mountain, pointing as he pants, "Whuzzat?"

"I dunno, I'm gonna go look! Cover for me!" Toad replies, hopping into that dark tunnel. Toad doesn't make fun of him so much. Blob likes that.

"Hey, Freddy?" Blob grits his teeth as Lance calls him by his old name impatiently, "A helpin' hand, please?"

'Oh, I'll help ya..' He stomps forward, dragging Lance and Pietro's ropes up roughly as they cry out. "Ah, stop!" Lance yells, but Blob keeps going a few more feet after they're already onto the ledge. Then he stops and smirks at the two annoyed, scraped up boys. "Whoops."

After they untie the ropes and dust themselves off, giving him some pointed looks, Lance and Pietro join Blob by the tunnel entrance. "An abandoned mine?" Lance asks.

'Huh. So that's what it is.'

"Toad's checkin' for a shortcut." Blob supplies, and a moment later his small friend appears from the dark. "Hey, there's a tunnel in there that's, like, a ladder to the top!" Toad exclaims.

Lance grins. "Now you're talkin'! That flag is ours! Blob?"

On cue, Blob rip away the wooden board with a big 'KEEP OUT' painted on it, unblocking the mine for the others to walk in. As they do, he flips over the board and notices a sign on the back.

'DANGER'.

"Pfft. Whatever." He laughs, tossing it away and following the rest of the Brotherhood in. He's the Blob! How dangerous could a dumb old mine be?

---

Scott wipes the sweat off his brow as he makes it to the base of the mountain. Turning around, he frowns impatiently when he sees how far behind the others are. "C'mon, people!" He calls, "We're getting close!"

But, there rest is going to be an uphill battle. Scott squints up at the mountain peak, the sun too bright to see any sign of their goal. A nagging voice in his head asks, 'What if we're too far behind? What if the Brotherhood gets there first?'

No, they can't. Scott needs to be a leader, and leaders don't let the enemy win.

"Spot ze flag?" Kurt asks, pulling up behind him.

"No." Scott replies, having an idea, "Pop up top and see if it's still there."

Kurt raises an eyebrow. "But, I zhought..?" He says hesitantly as he looks behind them, "Vhat about Jean?"

'Yeah, what about Jean?' The other voice asks. But Scott brushes the angel off his shoulder.

'She'll understand.'

"You want to win, or not?" Scott asks, and Kurt caves in. "Okay, fine! But she's not going to like zhis, I can tell you zhat."

Kurt disappears, reappearing a moment later as Evan, Jean, and Kitty catch up. "It's zhere. Ve are very close." He grins, "And no sign of ze enemy."

Excitement bubbles up in Scott at the news. "Forget the pitons!" He declares, "Evan, spike a rope up there! Time is wasting."

Evan takes the rope and looks at him skeptically. "You sure?"

Scott nods and Evan grins, tying the rope around an arm spike and launching it as far up as he can. It jabs itself tightly onto the cliff side, and Scott tugs on the line with a satisfied smile. "That flag is ours!"

About to start climbing, Scott suddenly feels daggers at the back of his head. He turns and sees Jean's annoyed expression as she crosses her arms at him. He hates that look, like a disappointed parent. Hoping to make peace, he offers her the rope with a smile, but she walks right past him.

Jean starts scaling the cliff with her own bare hands. 'Fine, be that way.' He thinks irritably, hoping she's reading his mind just so she knows it. "Let's go!" He commands the others, seeing you and Rogue approaching. "We don't have all day!"

---

Toad shows them the way through the mountain, hopping over old mine cart rails. He's leading the way to victory! Maybe his math grades aren't great, but he can figure that this tunnel is a faster way to the top of the mountain than any crummy path.

"Here it is!" He says excitedly, pointing out the faint light beaming from above. The others catch up, and Lance looks up at the vertical shaft, his features darkening. "You bonehead!" He yells, and Toad flinches, "We can't get through there, it's way too small!"

Lance hoists Toad up by the shirt, pinning him against the wall angrily. "We've probably lost 'cause of you!"

Toad squeaks, eyes going back to the shaft. It's not that small, is it? Well, not for him, but Lance and Pietro couldn't squeeze up there, and definitely not Blob. It dawns on him that he's majorly screwed up, and Lance looks about ready to bring the mountain down on him.

'Wait, that's an idea!'

"I-I kinda figured you could, y'know, avalanche it loose a little bit?" He suggests, sweating profusely in Lance's grip.

"Yeah!" Pietro chimes in. "Just give it some more juice, Lance, and you'll unclog it!"

"...Alright." Lance agrees, letting Toad fall to the ground where he promptly scrambles behind Blob. "Stand back!"

Toad watches his eyes roll back all creepy-like as Lance stretches his arms up and groans. Everything starts shaking, with rocks falling from the shaft and widening it. But Toad hears a loud crack, and looks up in shock to see the wooden support beams above them snapping. 'Uh oh.'

"Look out, it's comin' down!!" Blob yells, and Toad darts underneath him as everything goes pitch black.

---

By the time you and Rogue arrive at the mountain base, Scott already has a rope set up. You see Jean scaling the cliff on her own, and look between them in confusion. Catching Scott's stormy attitude as he orders you up, you're not sure you want to know what's going on between them.

The rope is secured by one of Evan's spikes, you realize when you make it to the top. So much for no powers... You're one of the first up, and you help Scott pull Kitty and Rogue up next. Jean makes it to the ledge a little after, pointedly ignoring Scott and vice versa. You try to shake off the discomfort and focus. You need to get your thoughts together if you're going to talk to Evan...

The last up, Evan takes a step onto the ledge when suddenly the whole mountain begins to rumble. You wobble where you stand, nearly falling over before you catch yourself. However, Evan isn't so lucky. He loses his footing and falls backward over the edge with a yell, his cry of fear driving a stake into your heart.

"Evan, no!" You reach out, but it's too late. There's arms wrapping around you, and you hear Scott yell. "Jean!"

Evan stops about twenty feet down, hanging in midair. You sigh in relief hen you see Jean's concentrated expression, arms extended to pull him back up. Slowly, Evan rises through the air, and you and Kurt take his arms when he's close enough and pull. He tumbles forward onto solid ground.

"Woah." He gasps, "I don't recommend that." Despite his light-hearted comment, you know he's more scared than he's letting on. Kurt pats him on the back with a relieved grin. "Next time you go skydiving, don't forget your parachute."

Evan laughs shakily. He turns his back on you as you reach for his arm, and you awkwardly draw back as he and Kurt do an elaborate handshake. There's a weird, sour feeling in the air. Or, maybe you're just psyching yourself out. As Kurt heads over to Kitty, you look at Rogue, who motions towards Evan. You take a deep breath and put on a small smile as you reach out again.

"Hey." You touch his arm gently, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Surprisingly, Evan doesn't smile back, and his feelings are anything but positive as he casts a blank expression. "Oh, I guess you're talking to me now that I almost died?" He says lowly, catching you off guard.

"Evan.."

"Well, I'm fine." He lies, walking away leaving hurt in his wake.

You never meant to hurt him...

'I have to fix this.'

---

"Nice move." Scott nods at Jean gratefully once Evan is safe. Jean lets out a tired breath, but sends a small smile back. It's enough for him to hope that she's over whatever she was angry about before and ready to back him up. After a quick onceover on Evan, Scott turns his attention back to the mountain. He spots a white cloth waving up on the peak, elated at how close they are to winning.

But, they're likely not the only ones.. "That tremor had to be Lance, so they've gotta be close." He deduces, and feels justified now that they've broken the rules like he knew they would. This time, he's not letting them get away with it. "Jean, levitate us all to the top!" He orders.

When nothing happens, he turns to see Jean put her hands to her hips, looking annoyed again. "No way, forget it." She states, and now Scott's getting annoyed, too.

"What?" He exclaims, "You just used your powers! What's the difference?"

"That was life and death!" Jean raises her voice, "This contest isn't!"

"That.. That's not what I meant! Come on, Jean!" Scott rolls his eyes.

"Come on? What is the matter with you?"

"What's the matter with me??" Scott runs his hand through his hair, "Have you forgotten everything the Brotherhood has done to us? Because I haven't! I think every day about how they've hurt my friends, about how Mystique nearly killed Y/N and Rogue on that mountain and I couldn't stop it! Did you forget that??"

"No, Scott, I haven't!" Jean yells back, fire burning behind her eyes, "You don't think I still get scared when I see Blob? He hurt me, he kidnapped me, and I couldn't get away! I was terrified!" Scott's breathing slows as his own fire dies out, consumed by hers. "You know what the worst part was? Being powerless. I could barely protect myself, let alone Y/N. And when I think about it, I get so, so angry! But I'm not allowed to be angry, no, because I have to be the reasonable one. You get to throw a tantrum and I have to babysit you instead of getting to let out my own feelings!"

She finally pauses to take a breath, and Scott is rendered silent. He feels so stupid suddenly for not considering any of this. He thought he was protecting her, protecting the team... Was he just being selfish the whole time?

"...I..." He stops, unsure what to say. But maybe his face speaks for him, because Jean's eyes soften. She frowns, shaking her head. "Scott... I get it, okay? Part of me just wants revenge... But we're the X-men. We need to think about what's right for everyone, and not just what we want." She looks up at the flag. "That thing would be easy to grab with our powers, but... my powers haven't always saved me. We need to stop relying on only our mutant abilities, because we're not just mutants. We're human. All of us." She puts a hand on his shoulder. "The Brotherhood forgot that. That doesn't mean we should."

Scott closes his eyes, all his resentment raging inside him. "It's just not fair, Jean..." He says quietly, remembering how much the Brotherhood has hurt them.

"No. It's not."

His mind is full of 'What If's. What if Blob had done more to Jean? What if they never got Kurt out of Middleverse? What if Mystique's blow had sent him to a cold, icy death? Maybe if he had played dirtier, crossed more lines, maybe they never would've gotten a chance to hurt anyone. It's an endless black hole he hadn't realized he was falling into.

Jean's hand is there, pulling him back up like Evan, reminding him that he's better than this. He can't stop the Brotherhood from breaking the rules. That's their choice, and he has a choice, too. He can follow them into that hole, or he can be the leader the Professor Xavier trusted him to be. A leader who makes the right choices instead of taking the easy way out.

His eyes open, and Jean's smiling at him, reading his mind without reading his mind. She knows, and he knows, what he's decided.

---

"Evan?" You call quietly, moving closer to the rock he's perched on. His emotions have dulled, become sadder. He looks at you slowly and sighs. "Sorry I snapped. But.. Did I...?" He puts his face in his hands. "I don't get it. Why do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you!" You exclaim, shocked he would think that. "I could never hate you."

"But you've been avoiding me, ever since..." He trails off, and your cheeks redden. You sit next to him, wrapping your fingers together anxiously.

"I know. I'm sorry." You start, trying to get all the words right, "I am so, so sorry. I wasn't avoiding you because I hate you, it was because... well, I was afraid of making you hate me."

A noise of surprise. "What? But, why would I?"

You shrug, "Because when you told me how you feel, I didn't say it back. And I thought that if I spent some time alone, I'd be able to know how I feel and tell you. But, then, it just became so hard to talk to you because I felt... different."

The way his emotions seem to plummet make you tear up. "So.." He says quietly, "You don't like me. Not like that."

"I don't think I can, honestly." You choke out. "Every day, I feel so much, from everywhere. It's like I'm drowning."

"I... didn't know that." He replies a few moments later. "...That must suck."

"Yeah." You let out a breathy laugh as you wipe your tears, and Evan gives a tiny smile. "So.. you thought I would hate you for.. not liking me back?"

"It sounds a lot sillier when you put it like that."

"Uh huh." Evan chuckles, then drops the grin. "Y/N.. It was awful when you were avoiding me. It felt like I'd just lost one of my best friends. I don't want to lose you, ever."

You nod, leaning in to hug him. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay if we're just friends."

"I won't do it again, I promise."

This close together, you can feel every uncomfortable, unhappy feeling between you two. It's impossible to sort out, so you just accept the amalgamation of sadness for what it is. There is, however, a sort of weight that's no longer on top of you. And for that, you smile. "Thanks, Evan."

"What for?" He asks, inconspicuously wiping away his own tears.

You don't have an answer. "Just thanks." And the two of you leave it at that.

"Hey, come look at this!" Your attention turns to Rogue's call, her voice bringing you some sense of comfort. "Want to see what's going on?" You ask Evan. He looks between you two, replying, "...Sure. Yeah."

You two get up and walk around the cliffside, coming upon Rogue crouched over something on the ground. "What's that?" Evan asks, and you see the large hole in the ground. Half of it is framed by wooden beams, but the other half is caved in. You gaze at it in worry. "Maybe you should step back, Rogue?"

"Worried about me?" She smirks, and you giggle, feeling another pang of sadness. It's probably just the aftershock of you and Evan's emotional conversation, so you don't pay it much mind. "Seriously, though, it looks unstable."

"Yeah, but the cave in is recent." Rogue touches the edge gingerly, "The earth is disturbed here, probably by that tremor." You and Evan stare at her. "What?" She exclaims, "I listened to Mr. Redetzke's Geology lectures!"

Now that you think about it, this isn't an earthquake area. You'd been too distracted by Evan to realize, but Lance must have used his powers! At first, you're mad that his quakes jeopardized Evan's life. Then, you're confused as to why you haven't seen the Brotherhood yet if they're so close.

"Can you two give me some space?" You ask, "I want to try something."

They comply, backing up a ways and waiting to see what you're gonna do. You close your eyes and focus your senses around you. You can feel the X-men on the ledge with you, but no Brotherhood. Casting a net, you look for any emotion that comes from a different direction or seems out of place.

Then, you feel the panic. It's faint, but you know that feeling. It's something you feel whenever you're trapped in a tight space, and you think you're back in that closet. But, this panic is coming from the hole.

"Oh my god." You realize, paling, "They're in there."

You quickly shout to get Scott and Jean, then turn your voice to what seems to be a half-collapsed mine shaft. "Hello?! Is anyone down there?!"

"Hello?!" That's Toad's voice, shrill and scared, "Help! We're caved in!"

You feel your friends gather around as Toad's pleading continues. "C'mon, don't leave us down here, man! Not for some stupid flag!"

"We won't!" You look over your shoulder to see Scott's determined face. "Just hold on, we'll get you out!"

---

"You've never pressed me about my past, Chuck. So I'm not gonna do that to you." Logan says as they enter the Danger Room, "But it's probably better to go into this with a clear head."

Charles sighs. He's not wrong. It's a painful subject to talk about but... he owes his friend some sort of explanation. Folding his hands, he keeps his tone steady and objective with practiced ease.

"My stepfather was not a fair man to Cain and I. After my mother passed, he became worse. Cain blamed me for this, grew angry and resentful. And after Kurt Marko died.." Images of a cold night, a drunk Cain at the wheel, a fight that nearly ended their lives. "I left, and Cain enlisted. Then, while he was overseas, he went missing in action. He was presumed dead, but only later did I discover what had really befallen him."

"He was empowered by that gemstone, and his anger became ten times more destructive and dangerous. He had to be locked away. I... had no choice." Charles' tone slips, the years of regret finding their way in. Even after all these years, he tries to think of something he could have done differently.

There's a firm hand on his shoulder, and Charles looks up gratefully. He and Logan share a silent moment before the lights flash red with a beeping alert.

Logan pulls the cowl over his head. "He's here."

---

Juggernaut walks through the front gate, the iron locks snapping like twigs.

"Lay out the welcome mat, brother." He says darkly as he steps onto the familiar grounds, "I'm comin' home."

It's different now, though, all the new defenses springing up out of the grass. Guns and lasers and circular saws, all bouncing off him harmlessly as he sets his sights on the front door.

'Charles..' He yearns, anticipation leading him up the steps. But before he makes it to the door, an angry howl descends from above. Some smaller creature, clad in yellow and black, jumps onto his back. Juggernaut hears a small click of a latch being undone before he reaches up and throws the animal off of him. Then the clawed man jumps in front of him, and the Juggernaut appraises him with an offended look. "You can't stop the Juggernaut." He states as fact.

"Forgive me for tryin', bub!" The lesser creature leaps toward him, swiping his claws against his helmet. The Juggernaut feels them rake against it, but still barely leave a dent. As he brings up his fists, the smaller man dodges a few of his blows. He can't dodge them all, though, and one is all it takes to send the costumed guard dog through the glass doors of the mansion.

The shards crunch under his feet as he steps in, called forward by the voice. 'He's here.' It says, and points in a straight arrow. The Juggernaut moves with it, not wasting time with doors. The walls will move for him.

---

Close behind the behemoth, Mystique enjoys the show. Wolverine is down in a matter of seconds, a brick through glass. And what a red carpet that's been laid out for her; The defenses torn to bits, the door wide open. As Juggernaut plods ahead, she takes her time to survey the inner halls of the Institute.

"Hm." She crosses her arms, eyes moving from the grand staircase to the crystal chandelier, "...I expected better." It's almost too easy at this point. But Wolverine's splayed body is stirring, and she needs information.

She relishes the recognition in his eyes. "Mystique.." He grunts, slowly standing.

"Make it easy on yourself and tell me where the Professor keeps Cerebro." She bargains, "Then I might call off the big guy."

"Yeah, right." His eyes narrow, "If you really had him under your thumb, he wouldn't have smashed right through that computer you want so bad."

Mystique stops, a flicker of panic as she glances to the gaping hole in the wall. "You lie."

"I have bigger fish to fry, sweetheart." He glares before dashing after Juggernaut, "But I'll be coming for you next."

She ignores his threat, preoccupied with the pile of rubble in the next room. It looks to be the remains of a desk and a large computer, crushed to bits. The dented helmet on the floor is confirmation. There's no doubt that this was Cerebro.

Hot fury courses through her as she throws the helmet across the study. "No! That muscle-head!" She salvages what she can, which is very little. There's no telling if she can even extract any data from the wreckage. All those months of surveillance, from D.C. to Muir Island, and all her hard work is crushed under the foot of some dim-witted giant!

"He will pay for this!" She promises, furiously following the sounds of fighting.

---

The clawed man is useful enough as a wrecking ball, Juggernaut decides. Despite the best efforts to hamper his success, he gets ahold of the weakling over and over and throws him through wall after wall. It's almost impressive how he keeps getting up, but his attacks are only a minor inconvenience.

Finally, they come to a large metal door, and the Juggernaut knows he's here. The X on the circular entrance marks the spot, and the voice grows louder.

'Go! Destroy him!'

The Juggernaut charges forward with a yell, knocking into the meddling beast in his way and breaking through the thick steel like it's made of paper. And as the unconscious masked man slides forward on the floor, the Juggernaut finally comes to a screeching halt.

At the room's center, there's a man in a wheelchair. His face is older, but the eyes are the same. 

Those same damn eyes.

"You lumbering imbecile!" A sharp voice approaches, "What did you do, sit on Cerebro?!" The shapeshifter moves in front of him, her finger pointed at his face. "You've smashed it! What happened to our deal?!"

He turns his eyes down on her then, annoyed at the interruption. "I don't make deals." He says, cementing the point with a hard shove. The blue woman flies across the room and lands with a pained shout on the floor, right next to the person he came here for.

"Charles." The Juggernaut greets, "Aren't you gonna welcome me home?"

---

Lance coughs, buried up to his waist in dirt. One by one, his team has been thrown a rope and hauled out of this mess.

This mess he made.

He clenches his fists, angry at himself not for the first time. He didn't mean to cause a cave in, he just wanted to beat those X-jerks for once. There was a moment he wasn't sure if he'd killed his team, and he'll never admit how terrifying it was.

'You're trouble, Lance, and that's all you'll ever be.' He hears his former foster parents say.

He'd brought down that office on Kitty, too.

'No wonder she hates me.'

The light from above is blocked out by a form, and as it rappels closer he realizes it's Scott Summers. Of course, he would be the one to save Lance. It's infuriating, the way he carefully frees Lance's legs from the dirt. Then he reaches for Lance's arm. "Hang onto my back, I'll pull you up-"

"Forget it!" Lance pushes him off, grabbing the rope, "I'll pull myself up!"

Scott frowns, but relents. "See you at the top."

And that's it. No comeback, no nothing. It almost makes Lance feel bad, but he pushes that feeling away, too.

'No way I'm going to look weak in front of him.'

---

The rescue effort goes smoothly under Scott's supervision. You're able to securely fasten the ropes, thanks to Evan's spikes, and Scott rappels down one at a time to get them. First comes Toad, then Pietro, then Blob. Now, Scott's getting out with Lance, and you feel relief that they're all okay. Despite everything the Brotherhood's done, you wouldn't want to just abandon them down there. It would keep you up at night, doing that to someone.

With the danger past, you look to the rescued Brotherhood, who are standing awkwardly opposed to your friends. The tension is palpable, and you're worried this might descend into another fight. Evan and Pietro, especially, are glaring daggers at each other. You step in, taking Evan's arm and guiding him away. "It's not worth it." You whisper.

Evan's emotions simmer dangerously. "I wish we'd left him down there." He says darkly.

You don't know what to say.

"Hey, look!" You turn to see Blob pointing up at the flag. It's just a few meters up. Before anyone can say a word, there's a blast of air from the silver streak zooming past you. Pietro.

"Oh no you don't!" Kurt yells, teleporting away. You watch in astonishment as Pietro arrives at the flag just as Kurt does, and they grab it at the same time. It soon becomes a game of tug-of-war.

"Hand it over, blue boy!"

"No vay! I got it first!"

You've had enough arguing for one day. Taking a deep breath, you shout loudly. "Stop it!"

Kurt and Pietro stop fighting over the flag long enough look down at you, and everyone else's eyes turn to you too. It makes you nervous, but you can't back down. You have to say what you feel.

"You both got there at the same time. Everyone saw it." You look around for support, and Jean steps up. "Y/N's right. It's a tie."

"You're just sayin' that because you lost!" Pietro argues, pulling the flag towards him. "You want half the glory!"

"No, we don't. Kurt!" Scott calls, and Kurt reluctantly lets go of the flag and teleports back down. Pietro smirks, carrying the flag to his team and handing it to Lance.

Lance, you notice, doesn't look very happy about it.

"Hey. You can either take the flag for yourselves," Scott says calmly to him, "and tell everyone that you beat us, or.. we can split the win and take a photo together. It's your choice."

Lance looks at the flag in his hands, then scoffs. "Like we'd take a pity victory." He says, to your surprise. "Come on, let's get this dumb photo over with."

There's still negativity as the X-men and the Brotherhood gather around the flag, more than can be dealt with in a day. But, there's also a tentative compromise, the smallest amount of trust being exchanged. It's weird.

Kitty sets the camera up, and no sooner than the flash goes off do you hear the rumble of a powerful engine. Everyone looks up at once, surprised to see the X-jet lowering to a hover over the mountain peak.

"X-men!" You hear Ororo's voice projected through a speaker, "Professor X is in danger, and so is Mystique!"

Everybody freezes, their concern and fear morphing together as one. And you know, for once, that you're just as terrified as the rest of them. 'Professor X is in danger?!'

"X-men, move out!" Scott orders, shaking you out of your fear, "Brotherhood, too, if you're up for it." The question is directed at Lance, who doesn't hesitate in nodding. "Let's go."

"Wait.." Toad interjects, "You guys have a jet? How come we don't have a jet??"

---

After all these years, Charles finally lays eyes on his stepbrother once again. Or at least, the person who used to be his stepbrother. Looking into those dark eyes now, Charles isn't sure if there's a person left in there.

The red giant lumbers forward slowly, and fear rises in Charles' heart as he wheels backward. Mystique moves beside him, her own fear showing through the cracks in her mask. "You ungrateful thug!" She yells angrily, but the Juggernaut doesn't take his eyes off Charles.

Maybe, just maybe, Cain Marko is still in there. And despite everything, Charles feels he owes him one last chance.

"Cain," He pleads as he and Mystique reach the wall, "This doesn't have to end badly. This Institute, it's about new beginnings. It can be that for you, too!"

Juggernaut steps over Wolverine's limp body, Charles' brow furrowing with worry at his friend's state. "You're right, Charles." He replies in a low rumble, "This is the beginning for me, and the end for both of you."

Hearing it isn't a surprise. Still, it pains Charles deeply when he says, "You've learned nothing.. You never will." He gave his brother a chance. Now, it's time to give himself one. "Activate: Logan's Run X-13. Target: Juggernaut."

The computer follows his order immediately, the Danger Room coming to life. From the walls emerge long mechanical arms bearing sharp blades. They spring at Juggernaut, who tears them apart. At the center of the room, a mechanism rises up with spinning maces. Juggernaut punches clean through it. Obstacle after obstacle appears in his way, only to be trampled. Charles watches anxiously as the threat inches closer, knowing that removing his red helmet is the only way to avoid death. It seems that Wolverine only managed to undo one latch, however.

He's stirring now, Charles senses, but he's still severely injured. His only hope is that Storm may make it back in time to-

His eyes widen. Across the room, a large group runs through the demolished entrance.

His students!

---

Suited up, you run with the others from the hangar to the Danger Room. It's odd running side by side with the Brotherhood, but today you have a common goal. When you see the destruction, you gasp, hoping it's not too late as you rush inside.

Wolverine is on the floor closest to the entrance, and Professor X and Mystique are on the other side of the room. And in the middle, punching through the Danger Room defenses, is the attacker Storm warned you about. The Juggernaut.

"Take a break, Wolverine!" Cyclops calls, and you see your teacher struggling to stand. You run over to help him as Avalanche steps up next to Cyke. "We'll take it from here, old man!"

Wolverine growls at that as you support him, walking him towards the door while the others jump into action. "Need to... get the latches.." He grunts, trying to pull away.

"We know!" You reassure him as his worry claws at you, "Trust us, we have a plan. Just watch."

You both turn your attention to Juggernaut as he tears through the Danger Room's final defense. Mere feet away from the Professor, he reaches out to grab him. Suddenly, he's hoisted backward into the air. As he floats there in confusion, you look to Jean, who's taken a knee at the sheer effort of holding him up. She can't do it for long, though, collapsing as the Juggernaut lands on his feet. He turns a glare on her and charges.

Before he can flatten your weakened friend, the Blob body-slams his blind side, knocking the Juggernaut off kilter. The large teenager grins. "Unstoppable? Meet the Unmovable."

With Juggernaut open, Nightcrawler teleports on top of him and undoes a second latch. The giant is quicker than expected, though, and throws him off before he can undo any more. You let out a quick sigh of relief when Nightcrawler teleports away before hitting the ground, but Blob isn't so lucky. Juggernaut body-slams him right back and knocks him into the wall as you wince.

Wolverine tries to move again, but you hold onto him stubbornly. "Sit still, you'll heal all wrong if you don't!"

"What, are you a field medic now?" He asks, his irritation spilling over to you as you retort, "Yeah, unless you want me to go fight that tank."

He grumbles something indecipherably, but stops moving. You stand guard over him as the battle continues.

Cyclops hits him with a laser, then dodges the large piece of machinery Juggernaut throws at him. Avalanche takes the opportunity to extend his arms and rock the ground beneath him. The Juggernaut loses balance and falls to his hands and knees as Quicksilver zooms in and manages another latch. You watch anxiously as not even Quicksilver is fast enough to dodge the Juggernaut's hand, a simple graze from his finger sending the speedster back ten feet.

Jean couldn't hold him, and he reacted faster than Quicksilver? There's something ominously wrong about this man, and you can feel a hateful presence emanating off him. It's unnatural.

'Just one more latch.' You pray. Storm whips up a whirling cyclone around the raging man, corralling him to the side of the Danger Room. Spyke throws a round of his sharp barbs into the tornado, and they scratch and swipe at Juggernaut as he's forced back. As soon as he's in the right spot, Storm releases him, and Juggernaut stumbles back into the wall with the spikes pinning him in place. "Now!" You yell, and Shadowcat and Rogue phase through the wall together. Shadowcat goes for the latch as Rogue reaches to pull off the helmet, but Juggernaut swings his arms back at them with an angry yell. He shoves them away and stands with his helmet still on. Your heart drops as he runs for the Professor. "No!"

"I got it!" Shadowcat yells, "I got the latch! Take it off!"

But no one can get close enough without Juggernaut knocking them out of his way. "You really think you can-?" He starts to ask, but then a sticky green tongue stretches down from above, its mucus holding the helmet tightly as it retracts. The red dome lifts off, flying right into the arms of Toad as he sticks to the ceiling.

"No, NO!" The Juggernaut feels his head, realizing his protection is gone.

"I'm sorry, Cain." The Professor says sadly, though you're not sure why. He brings his fingers to his temples and Juggernaut screams furiously, his anger and hatred so palpable it makes you want to throw up. He runs at the Professor again, and you're afraid it's too late. Then he begins to stumble, as if a great weight as been thrown on him. The stumbling turns to crawling, as the Juggernaut struggles through some mental torment. Then that determination to destroy fades, and he collapses at Charles Xavier's feet.

The air swiftly fills with exhilaration as all the X-men and Brotherhood let out a cheer for the hard-earned victory. You smile, but hesitate in joining them. After all, you didn't do anything. Do you really deserve-?

"Go join 'em, kid." You look at Wolverine, who's leaning against the wall with an arm bracing his stomach. He nods at the others, "You deserve it."

You flush, then smile again and run to the team without guilt. Shadowcat pulls you into an excited hug, and Spyke gives you a fist bump. As you celebrate, you turn to a new face and falter as you and Avalanche stare at each other, both of you slowly recalling past events.

"Gimme five, girl!"

Toad grins at you, his hand in the air. You look at it, and he waves. "Don't leave me hangin'!"

After a moment, you high-five him. He whoops and hops over to Blob, and you let out a surprised laugh. Then, you offer Lance the same gesture.

He raises an eyebrow, sighs, and high-fives you back. Something sparks, a small, good feeling. There's still bad feelings, but.. right now it's good.

Or, it's good for most of you. Your powers make it impossible to ignore the immense sorrow permeating the room. The Professor is staring at the unconscious body of his attacker, wordless.

"Professor? Are you okay?" You ask when you're closer, and he looks up.

"Yes." He replies with a distant look in his eyes, "Or, I will be."

"Well, now." You bristle at Mystique's voice, taking a step back on impulse. She's not even looking at you, though, instead gazing at the X-men and Brotherhood celebrating together. "There's something you won't see every day."

"I agree." Professor Xavier responds, a hard look fixed on her, "And that's a shame."

She huffs a sardonic laugh, then looks at you. Her eyes narrow, and your hands shake. Someone moves between you two.

"Come on, Avatar." Nightcrawler says protectively, "Let's go help Volverine."

Mystique's eyes widen when she looks at him, and you're hit with a strong emotion. It's a little like sadness, but it pulls at you uncomfortably.

"Actually, perhaps you should be going, Mystique," Xavier says casually, but it's clearly a warning, "Before Wolverine feels well enough to fight again."

"Perhaps I should." She replies, turning to leave as if she wasn't the one to cause all this. At first, you question why he's letting her go. But you feel the exhaustion in the air, and it's enough of an answer. No one wants another fight.

The jubilation is gone as Mystique cuts through your friends and the Brotherhood. "Come on, boys. Let's get out of here before you're invited to a slumber party." Just like that, the lines are drawn again, and the Brotherhood boys turn to follow her out. You watch them leave with disappointment, wondering if it's always going to be this way.

The last out, Avalanche turns to look back at Cyclops. "Hey, Summers. As a group leader, you're only half bad." He smirks, and you blink in surprise. Cyclops, also unexpectedly, grins back. "Well then, next time you can call the shots."

Your eyes widen. That's as blatant an invitation as any. But Avalanche just laughs. "Trust me, there won't be a next time." He replies, and leaves. You don't know what to make of it, but it leaves you with a small sense of hope.

"Not to interrupt the moment but.." Spyke points at Juggernaut's body, "What do we do with him?"

You all turn to the Professor, who nods, resigned. "All of you can go take off your uniforms and go rest, except Cyclops and Jean. You two, meet me in the hangar in ten." He looks down at the Juggernaut. "I have something to show you."

---

Charles watches somberly as the cellular-paralysis fluid fills his unconscious stepbrother's tank. The holes in security that Mystique exploited have been patched up. Now, only Charles himself has the clearance to enter this room. Charles and whoever he brings with him, that is.

He's promised his students more transparency. So, in addition to Logan, he brought Scott and Jean to ensure his stepbrother's incarceration and explain what he can of their past. They listen quietly, and when he was done, he asks for a moment with him. Deep asleep in the tank, the Juggernaut's face is almost serene.

Charles hopes that his dreams are peaceful.

"You can't control the will of others, Charles." Logan speaks behind him, "They do what they want."

It's something he tries to remember. Charles replies, "And we do what we have to do." Then, he voices something that's been nagging at him since the fight. "You told Storm to bring in the students even though I didn't want to."

"Is there a question in there?"

"No." He replies, and looks at his friend. "Just a thank you."

Logan nods. "..You ready? The repairs on Cerebro are waitin'."

He lingers for a moment, then presses a button that sinks the tank down into the floor. "Yes." Charles turns and wheels toward the exit, where Jean and Scott are waiting for him. They remind of just how bright the future is.

And when he thinks of that, the past becomes more bearable.

---

Scott walks back through the dozens of security measures in this facility, hands in his pockets as he looks at the Professor ahead of him.

'Who knew the Professor had a stepbrother?' He thinks, wondering how hard it must have been to lock him up. And how could Cain have come to hate Professor Xavier so much? If Scott still had his brother... he could never hate him.

'Hate..' His mind wanders to the past couple days, how wrapped up he's gotten in beating the Brotherhood. He thought he hated them for what they did to his friends. He still doesn't forgive them, but after that fight, there's something he has to admit to himself.

"It felt kind of right, didn't it?" Scott says, turning to Jean. She looks confused. "What did?"

"Us and them, the Brotherhood, fighting alongside." He shakes his head, "I mean, why can't they just stop drawing battle lines in the sand? Why can't they just be... good?"

Jean hums. "It's not always easy. Not even for us." She glances at him, "But it's like Logan said. You can't control the will of others."

Scott sighs. "Yeah, I know. It's up to us to choose what's right."

"Who knows?" Jean shrugs with a smile, "Maybe one day, they'll come around."

"Hey, and you can be their conscience!" Scott smirks, "You're pretty good at it."

"Oh, shut up!" She laughs, giving him a playful shove. "Hey, even good guys need a nudge once in a while."

Scott looks into her beautiful green eyes, how they crinkle at the edges when she's happy. Slowly, he reaches up and lets his arm rest on her shoulder. Jean leans into it, touching his hand with her own. His insides flutter.

"Jean, whenever you think I need it, nudge away."

---

Evan walks into his and Kurt's room after a long shower, tired from them fight and the day's events. All he wants is to sit on his bed and watch YouTube videos on his phone, but Kurt's inside waiting for him.

"So?" Kurt asks, his tail wagging curiously, "How did it go vith Y/N?"

Of course Kurt was watching, probably Kitty too, the gossips. Evan wants to laugh, but it comes out as more of a choked sound, and then he's just crying. Kurt rushes forward and hugs him. "Oh no, I'm sorry.."

He feels like the spikes are bursting to get out, to keep everything and everyone away from him. Evan doesn't want to cry, he wants to be tough, he wants to be cool... He just wants to stop feeling this way. But, right now, all he can do is hold tightly as Kurt hugs him.

"Do you vant me to get Ororo?" His roommate asks.

"No, no way." Evan replies immediately. He doesn't think he can deal with the 'first heartbreak' talk right now.

"Do you vant to talk about it?"

Evan nods without thinking, and soon they're sitting on his bed and Kurt is teleporting back with tissues.

"She just wants to be friends." He tells Kurt, "She doesn't think she can like anyone right now."

Kurt pats him comfortingly, "Zhat's rough, buddy."

Evan wipes at his nose. "...I kinda think she does like someone though." He sees the way you look at Rogue. Maybe he always has, and he just didn't want to admit it. "But she doesn't know it yet.."

He sighs, eyes stinging. "It's not like I don't want to be friends, I do! I wasn't lying, I just.."

"Need some time to get over her?" Kurt finishes, and Evan nods. His roommate smiles sympathetically. Then his eyes glisten with mischief. "Hey, I know vhere Scott's secret cookie stash is hidden. You vant to raid it and vatch Star Wars?"

Evan laughs, throat still clogged with tears. "Yeah, man. That sounds great."

---

Mystique walks into the abandoned building, her steady pace hiding the absolute fear gripping her heart. She didn't fulfill her mission.

The old ironworks factory is dark and forebodingly silent. As she grips something in her hand, Mystique hopes for a moment that her reckoning has been delayed. Then the building hums with deadly energy, and she freezes.

From the pitch black ceiling descends a figure, his cape floating around him with ethereal grace. She swallows her fear as his voice bellows out from his helmet.

"Where is Cerebro?"

"I-It was destroyed by the Juggernaut." Mystique answers, feeling those eyes narrow at her, "He backed out on our deal-"

"I didn't ask for excuses." Magneto says cooly, "I asked for results."

"Charles Xavier won't be able to use Cerebro now!" She argues, "Until it's rebuilt, he won't be able to recruit any more mutants to the X-men! Surely, that's worth something."

The voice scoffs, sending a shiver down her spine. "Charles Xavier's X-men are of no concern to me. They will either join us, or be easily crushed underfoot."

The bolts rip out of the machines around Mystique, whirling around her threateningly in a tornado of metal. "You return empty-handed, yet you return nonetheless." He says lowly, "How am I to believe you're truly committed to our cause, Mystique, if you cannot carry out your duties?"

Her shoulders tense at the question, indignation rising up in her.. But, she pushes it back down, letting the tension melt away as she puts on a placating grin. "Who says I'm empty-handed?" Mystique asks, holding up a small microchip.

After a tense pause, it floats from her grip towards her boss. Mystique puts her hands on her hips. "Cerebro may have been destroyed, but I was able to extract some recent data from the wreckage." She states, "Namely, the location of the Gem of Cyttorak."

A gloved hand reaches from beneath the cape and takes the chip, inspecting it carefully. Finally, he looks back down at her. "This has not been a complete failure, it seems."

Mystique lowers her head respectfully, her eyes hardening at the ground. "I assure you, I am fully committed to our cause. I will do whatever it takes."

"Good." A hand lands on her shoulder, and she looks back up. She can see past his helmet to the face underneath, the face that saved her from a pitiful existence so many years ago. She believes in his dream, and she's already given up so much for it. And when this man reshapes the world, she will be right by his side.

She's earned that.

"Continue to train the Brotherhood." He commands, "Soon, they will need to be ready to prove themselves."

"..Of course." Mystique bites down on the disappointment of babysitting those weaklings. But, if he says they're important...

Her leader takes off, ripping the machinery off the factory floor and taking it with him. The trail of steel disappears through the skylight and into the night as she watches.

Mystique closes her eyes and imagines joining him up there in heaven. Then, she opens them again and returns to her job on the Earth, among the dirt and insects, holding onto the promise that one day she'll rise above them all.

---

You miss how easy things used to be with Evan. You're so glad you're still friends, but days later, there's still an awkward tension between you when you hang out. Jean says it's normal, and you'll both get past it eventually. It just takes time. You wish it didn't, though.

"Hey, Kitty, what's that?" You ask as you find her writing something in the living room. Thankfully, her and Kurt haven't pushed the whole Evan topic. Kitty backed off after she heard what happened, and it's nice to talk about things other than boys with her. When you speak, she looks up from her pen and paper and grins. "Well, the Professor let Sergeant Hawke know that he picked us up on the other side of the mountain so he wouldn't, like, report us missing or anything. Bet he would've thought we were, like, eaten by bears, can you imagine?"

"Bears, no." You sit down with her, "That's far too mundane for the X-men."

She laughs, "Yeah, you're right. Anyways, I figured I'd send him proof that we completed his task in case, I don't know, it counts as completing survival training? I really do not want to repeat that with Logan."

"I doubt we're going to get out of it that easy."

"It's worth a shot!"

"Hey, can you thank the Sergeant for helping me?" You ask, remembering him giving with some water and space to recuperate after that big argument. It's kind of fuzzy to remember for some reason. But, you feel a bit bad since you thought he was pretty scary at the beginning of camp. It turns out, he was pretty good, a bit like how Logan is. He's rough, but he cares.

"Yeah, of course." As Kitty finishes writing, you pick up the photo half hidden under the white flag. You see everybody, X-men and Brotherhood, gathered around the flagpole. Everyone looks... together.

"Done!" Kitty states, putting the letter into the envelope with the flag as you hand her the picture. "Ooh, let's go ask Ororo to drive us to the post office! I can mail it there and then we can walk to the mall! Summer's just begun, yeah?"

You smile. "Yeah, okay. Sure!" Forget about the Brotherhood and Mystique. Forget about crushes and heartbreaks. Forget your past. For a few hours, just forget it all and have some fun.

Chapter Text

"..Happy birthday to youuu~!"

You cheer and clap along with everyone in the mansion's dining room as Kurt, adorned with a dorky blue and yellow spotted cone hat, takes a deep breath and blows out sixteen candles. He laughs and takes a bow, "Zhank you, zhank you!"

"Congrats, old timer!" Evan quips, and Kurt huffs indignantly. "I'm not old! I'm... how do you say?.. distinguished!"

"That's another way of saying old." Evan smirks, and you chuckle, looking around. The grown-ups are shaking their heads with wry smiles, Ororo putting her hands on her hips. "I suppose I am ancient, then?"

As Evan sputters trying to save himself, the rest of the X-kids continue to celebrate the birthday boy.

"What are you waiting for?" Scott asks, Jean jumping in, "Yeah, open a present!"

"Okay, okay!" Kurt agrees, his excitement peaking when he reaches for the pile of gifts on the table. By chance, he grabs yours first and your face gets red.

'I hope he likes it..' You wish nervously, not in the habit of gift giving. Kitty spent a day brainstorming with you until you landed on something.

The warmth in the room swells when Kurt lays his eyes on it, and you're relieved when he grins at you. "A charm bracelet! And look!" He holds up one of the charms with a laugh, the one you specially picked out. "It's a Smurf!"

You giggle, remembering your awkward first encounter with Kurt. Hopefully, this charm makes him smile and laugh like he did then.

"Zhis is perfect, meine freundin!" He exclaims, teleporting to you and giving you a big hug.

"You're welcome." You reply, the emotions pulsing in your chest happily.

"See? I told you there's nothing to worry about, he loves it!" Kitty elbows you, and you blush.

"No vay, you vere vorried about zhat?" Kurt exclaims, "It's amazing! I don't know how I'm going to top it vhen it's your turn."

You hearts pangs uncomfortably as Kitty speaks. "Oh yeah, when is your birthday, Y/N? I should put it in my phone!"

Eyes fall on you, and you shift awkwardly. "Um, I don't know.. when my birthday is.."

There's a silence that feels like it lasts forever, every emotion in the room making you feel worse. Pity, regret, embarrassment.. You want it to go back to happy. You need them to be happy. Oh no, you haven't ruined Kurt's party, have you?

"Y/N, I'm so sor-"

"Oh, zhat's okay!" A chipper voice cuts through, and Kurt is still grinning. "I don't know my birthday either!"

Everyone looks at him confused, and you ask, "But, I thought that's today?"

"Vell, today's vhen my parents adopted me, so ve always just celebrated today." He explains, "I don't know ze actual day I vas born. But, I can still celebrate vithout knowing."

There's a peculiar feeling from him, mostly happy, but with an undercurrent that's more bittersweet. Yet, his admission did relieve the tension in the room. Everyone is nodding along, voicing support.

"Of course!"

"Totally."

"Yes, and choosing your own birthday could be fun." Ororo looks to you. "Think about it and let us know. We still want to celebrate you."

"It's also okay if you don't want to celebrate your birthday." Rogue suggests with a shrug, "Not everyone does."

"Okay." You smile, then try to get the attention back on the actual birthday boy. "Kurt, want to open another?"

"If you insist!" He says and snatches the next gift ravenously, everyone chuckling at his antics. As he opens Jean's present, you look to where Rogue's standing by the doorway, a little bit separate from everyone else. You make your way over there and talk to her quietly. "Hey."

"Hey."

"So, you don't like birthdays?" You ask, genuinely curious.

"Yeah." She replies casually, "I mean, I don't love big parties either, and those kinda go hand in hand."

"I know what you mean." You say, "But I don't mind it so much here." You look at Kurt beaming, Evan and Kitty bickering about whose present he opens next, Scott and Jean laughing, and Ororo and the Professor watching in amusement from their seats. Logan's the only one not in attendance, but he did drop off a small gift earlier. You smile. "It's nice."

Rogue's lips turn up slightly, but you can tell her mood isn't changed. She's still uncomfortable in some way, and you wish you knew how to fix it.

"Alright, enough presents!" Kurt declares, "Time for cake!"

Everyone agrees, and you reluctantly leave Rogue's side to grab a slice. Jean and Scott baked it together, a chocolate cake with mousse filling and strawberries. Kitty hands you a plate with a big piece. "Extra cake for the birthdays we missed." She whispers, and you grin and nudge her with your elbow. "Thanks."

You wish this day didn't have to end.

---

Kurt chows down on a second slice of chocolate cake, ignoring Jean's remark about getting a tummy ache. It's his party, one of the best parties he's ever had, and he's going to celebrate!

Before the Institute, his Mutti and Vati made sure to always make the day special for him. Looking the way he does, he was never allowed to go out and make friends for his own safety, so he never had anyone to invite. Still, his mom would make his favorite food, and his dad would bring home a gift. Nothing fancy, they couldn't afford much, but Kurt was always so grateful. They'd sing songs, and his parents would tell him all the funny and embarrassing stories of him growing up, and they were happy.

Beneath his joy, Kurt is a bit homesick.

It's okay though, because this is a birthday party he thinks he'll remember forever. Everyone got him the best presents! Evan got him a cool video game, Jean made a cute sculpture of him that he put on his bedside table, and Kitty gifted him a box set of High School Musical movies.

'And Y/N's present, too.' He smiles fondly while playing with the charm bracelet.

And after all the fun is over, Kurt goes back to his and Evan's room to finally open the letter he got from his parents.

'Happy birthday Schatz!
We're so happy you get to celebrate with all your new friends! One day we hope to meet them. There's a little birthday gift from us in the envelope. Please be safe and have fun on your special day! We miss and love you so much!
Your Mutti and Vati'

He pulls out their present, a silver chain with an engraved cross.. His mother's rosary! Kurt smiles, but deep down in him something aches. It started earlier when he told everyone that he doesn't know his birthday. He didn't lie or anything, it really is okay! He loves his adoptive parents so much. It's just that.. ever since he found out, he's always wondered.

'Who vere my first parents? Vhat happened to zhem?'

It's not a question that eats him up as much anymore, he's moved on. It's probably just being away from his Mutti and Vati that's bringing it back.

Kurt sticks the letter in his dresser drawer with a stack of others, making a mental note to write back tomorrow. Unfortunately, their little German village has woefully bad cell reception, but he doesn't mind this method of correspondence. Muti always said he had nice handwriting.

He yawns and turns out the light, shutting his eyes on a wonderful day.

---

Night has fallen, and the party is thankfully long over.

Don't get her wrong, Rogue's happy for Kurt. She's glad she was there, glad he liked the Sandman comic collection she got him. It's just that parties aren't her thing.

Well, maybe not just that. She sits on her bed, watching the old Frankenstein movie on her phone with her earphones on. Kitty's bustling around in the background, getting ready for bed, and no doubt dying to ask a million questions about her whole 'not liking birthdays' thing. Hence, the earphones.

Rogue doesn't want to get into how it was always just her and Irene every year. She was never allowed to go to the other kids' parties, and only now does she know it's because of her powers. But she always enjoyed it still, celebrating with her mom.

She hasn't called her in months.

Kitty's going to sleep now, grabbing her little dragon plushie and turning out the light. Rogue sighs silently, getting under her own covers and pausing the movie on a shot of the gothic castle. She puts her phone on her bedside table and drifts off to sleep as the full moon shines through the window.

Then the dreams are back.

Rogue tosses and turns as the unsettling images flash through her mind, ones that have been plaguing her for months.

Wolves.

A castle.

A bridge.

A lab.

A dark figure.

A fire.

A child's scream.

All these things blurring together, but so much more vivid than it's ever been.

"Monster!"

Whose voice is that?

Someone's running, someone's crying..

A baby?

Oh god, no, the baby.

Rogue reaches out a hand in terror as the baby slips from her grasp, plunging into the cold.

It's too late.

"NOOO!"

---

You shoot out of bed breathlessly, heart racing. There's a cold sweat on your brow as the fear beats against you, and you fight to regain your breath. You're no stranger to nightmares, but this is different. There was no nightmare, just normal dreams.

'But then, why I am so afraid?' You shiver, shaking the sleep off and trying to focus. It's then when you realize the feelings wrapped so tightly around you are not your own, and you hear a scream.

"NOOO!"

"Rogue!" You exclaim frightfully and jump out of bed. You dash out the door and down the hall, opening the door to her room urgently. Rogue's curled upright on her bed sobbing, her feelings so strong your own eyes begin to water. Kitty's halfway between her bed and Rogue's, and she looks at you in surprise. "Y/N?"

"Y/N!" Rogue shouts, her eyes wide and frenzied, "I dropped him! I-I-I dropped the baby!" She chokes on her cry, and you and Kitty are at her side immediately. You hesitate in reaching out your hand though, unsure how to comfort her. Kitty gets there first, resting a hand on Rogue's covered shoulder. "H-Hey, it's okay.."

You think of your own nightmares, how it can take a while to realize you're not in them even after you wake up. So, you say to her what the Professor told you to say to yourself when this happens.

"You're safe. It was just a dream, it can't hurt you." Your own shaky voice isn't as sure as you'd like it to be. It's hard being close to her when she's so distraught, even after all your training. But the emotions ease up slightly as Rogue's eyes become clearer, like she's really waking up this time.

A light turns on and you reflexively squint at the oncoming brightness, turning to see Scott and Jean in the doorway. They come in, looking worried. "Rogue, are you alright?" Scott asks, kneeling down between you and her. "What happened?"

Rogue doesn't answer immediately, her face in her hands. Part of you wants to shove Scott out of the way, the other part wants to get out of the room as fast as possible. Finally, Rogue speaks, "I..I don't know! I was dreamin'.. some kind of awful nightmare with these- these images! It's horrible.." Her voice fades to a whisper and Kitty speaks up. "Yeah, her shrieking totally freaked me out! I just about phased through the bed. Then Y/N came running in here right after." She looks at you, "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I.. I felt it." Is all you can say, the tears starting to stream down your face. There's a hand on your arm that starts to lead you away, but your focus remains on Rogue.

'It's alright, Y/N, we're not leaving the room.' Jean's voice in your head soothes, and you reluctantly follow her back towards the wall by the door. 'It's okay to need a little space.'

'I want to help.'

'You can help her over here.' Jean promises, 'We'll help together.'

The distance helps a bit, and you wipe the tears away. But now you're mad at yourself for not being able to comfort Rogue like Scott does. His voice is low and gentle as he talks to Rogue, and you can feel the panic from her subsiding ever so gradually.

"Maybe it was the movie?" Kitty suggests.

"So, you were watching a scary movie?" Scott confirms as Rogue nods, "That's probably it then, sometimes those things can be really overwhelming-"

"No!" Rogue protests, "It's not the first time. I've had this dream before! They started when I moved to the Institute."

"A recurring nightmare?" Jean asks as Kitty exclaims, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It wasn't this bad before, and-and I could never explain it." Rogue supplies, arms hugging herself tightly, "But tonight it was so.. real, and.. and awful!"

Your heart aches, knowing how awful it really must be for her. The hint of shame also tells you she never wanted to tell any of you about her nightmares. You understand that, too. And yet here you are, speechless when you should be comforting her.

'What can I say?' You think, 'How can I make it better?'

A loud yawn turns your head to the door, where Evan and Kurt are joining the party. Evan asks sleepily. "What's going on, man?" He glances at you, a flash of concern on his face. "Are you guys okay?"

"Rogue's having creepy nightmares." Kitty supplies as you nod at Evan, trying to look okay. He comes over to you while Kurt looks at Rogue and exclaims, "Voah. Vhat about?"

"I'm not sure.." Rogue recalls, her brow pinched, "There's... uh, a castle, and wolves." Her voice suddenly breaks with a sob. "Oh, the poor baby.." Whatever nightmare this was, it's affecting her, and you, very strongly. The tears prick at your eyes again.

"A baby?" You ask, remembering her saying something like that before. Rogue doesn't look up as she answers, as if searching her own thoughts. "I-I didn't really see his face, but I seem to know.." Then Rogue stops, and looks up in shock. You follow her gaze to the doorway.. to Kurt. "..know him somehow!"

It's like she realized something, but you're not sure what. Kurt seems confused as well by her sudden stare. "Vhat? Vhy are you looking at me like zhat? Vhat's wrong?"

"It was you!" Rogue exclaims, shocked.

"Vhat vas me??"

"Somehow, I just.. know!" Rogue clutches her sheets. "The baby was you, Kurt!"

Everyone's silent for a moment, no one sure what to say to that. Then Kurt speaks, "Tell me more." There's a seriousness in his eyes that catches you off guard, but you don't have time to dwell on it as Rogue continues.

"In the dream, there was a baby cr-crying. Someone, a woman, I think.. I didn't really see her face, it was like I was her. She was running. And she.. the baby was dropped into the river!" Rogue's voice raises at the end, panic and fear returning quickly. You suck in a breath at the horror.

Kurt comes closer to Rogue. "And you zhink zhat baby vas me?"

"Why am I having this dream?!" Rogue shouts, hitting her mattress in frustration. Your hand clenches tightly, nails tearing at your palm. Then a hand grabs yours, loosening your fist. Evan's right by you, looking worried. You hold onto him gratefully.

Jean's voice manages to calm the frantic energy in the room. "Maybe the Professor can help us sort this out. But, let's do it in the morning. It's pretty late."

'That's alright, Jean.' You hear, along with everyone, the Professor's voice. 'This is important. Rogue and Kurt, please come to the library. And the rest of you, try to get some sleep.' You frown, watching your friends slowly depart to meet the Professor. As Rogue passes by, you wince involuntarily. She gives you a strange look and walks away.

"Well, you heard the Prof." Scott says. "Let's get back to our rooms."

"I'm gonna walk Y/N to her room first." Evan says and leads you away, hands still entwined.

A little ways down the hall, he lets go. "Sorry, I hope that wasn't too weird. I don't want you to think.. I mean, I know you don't feel that way, and I wasn't trying to-"

"I know." You say, and smile a little. "It helped. Thanks." You look down. "I just wish I could've done more."

"Hey, it's chill. You can't help nobody if you can't help yourself first." He says, then pauses and grimaces. "Ugh, I'm turning into my mom."

You giggle. "Your mom's pretty cool, though."

"Noooo, don't say that!"

The two of you laugh as you get to your door. You hang out there a moment. "Thanks, Evan. I'll probably be able to make sense of things in the morning."

"Anytime, Care Bear!"

You give him a look and he smirks. "What? You remind me of them."

"..I rescind my thanks."

"Hey, wait-!"

You shut the door on him and chuckle quietly. Then you trudge over and flop back down in bed. Rogue's nightmare really affected you.. Why? Are your powers just flaring up weirdly? Maybe you'll mention it to the Professor your next session. Anyways, at least nothing really bad happened.

Right?

---

Rogue quietly walks to the library, still shaken up about the dream. And now that she knows Kurt was in it... well, she doesn't know what to think. Kurt's beside her, glancing over curiously ever so often but not saying a thing. She's glad. She doesn't really want to talk.

When she woke up, it felt like her heart getting ripped out of her chest. Then everybody was there. Scott was there with her, which really helped. He's so considerate. 'And Y/N..' Rogue thinks, conflicted. You were there first, but you hardly said anything. She realizes you must have felt everything. 'I hope she's okay..'

Her mind stays on you a while longer, on something important she's been wanting to talk to you about, but isn't sure how. Then, they've arrived.

The Professor is sitting in a green robe by the bookshelves. Rogue sits uncomfortably on the couch and Kurt perches on an armchair. Finally, he bursts out, "Okay, seriously, vhat is happening?" He turns to Rogue, "Vhat's up vith me being in your dream? Is it-?"

"Kurt, patience." The Professor quiets him and turns to Rogue. "Are you alright? That sounded like a nasty nightmare."

"Yeah. I'm sorry I woke you up, it's.. it's silly." Rogue says, embarrassed for causing a scene.Kurt makes a noise of objection. "No, it's not! Ve care about you."

"I concur." The Professor nods, "And I have a feeling this is more than regular dream."

"Like vhat?" Kurt asks. "Like, it's real?"

Rogue looks at him, unsure. "It... felt real. But, I don't know how.."

Kurt frowns, and quietly says, "I've always known zhat my parents adopted me, but zhey never said anything about me being fished out of a river." He seems almost nervous about it.

"Don't worry, Kurt." The Professor assures, "We'll try to sort this out. Rogue, since this was your dream, I think I should start with you. Would you mind sitting here please?" He gestures to the chair next to him, and she hesitantly moves there. "May I have your permission to reach into your mind to find this dream? I won't look at anything else."

She thinks about it, then nods. The Professor rolls closer to face her. "Now, just relax. Try to think of the dream." He reaches his hands out to hover over her face. Before he can start, she worriedly asks, "You sure this isn't gonna hurt?"

"Yes." Rogue swallows thickly. "Now, please, just close your eyes and concentrate."

She lets her eyes fall closed and tries to recall everything she can about the dream, already hazy in her mind. She can kind of feel the Professor's presence in her mind, the same as when he telepathically communicates with them. Slowly, the images become clearer, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. Some of it is still missing, but the big picture is easier to see. Rogue watches again, through the eyes of that woman.

She's in a lab. Strange test tubes and machines sparking green electricity. There are shadows on the wall, arguing with one another.

"Monster!" The woman yells, "What have you done to him?!"

Without waiting for an answer, she holds a little bundle to her chest and runs from the old castle. Down the snowy mountain, looking behind her to see a shadowy figure floating after.

"Come back at once!" He commands.

She picks up the speed. Then she hears the howls.

A pack of hungry wolves give chase, hunting her. She's tired, but she makes it to the rope bridge. The wolves bite at her heels as she tries to cross, jumping around her with nashing teeth. The bundle cries, and she looks down at the small, blue baby with pale yellow eyes. A wolf lunges and she turns quickly, but trips. She loses her grip, and her baby falls over the side.

"NOOOOOOO!" She reaches out as he falls down into the icy river. It's too late. She collapses to her knees, and wolves cease their attack to run fearfully from the shadowed man hovering above her. She looks up at his helmet covered face and sobs. "Why?! Why...?"

There's more, the Professor's powers guiding Rogue to see it.

An early morning by the riverside. The woman watches from afar as a couple find the baby floating in the water. They dry him and hold him close. The baby starts to cry, and they comfort him. And from afar, the mysterious woman pulls up her hood and sneaks away.

Rogue opens her eyes, matching the surprise in the Professor as they stare at each other for a moment. Then Kurt stands up anxiously. "Vell? Did you see anything else?"

She looks at his wide eyes, unable to forget the resemblance between him and that small baby. And all the while, she's embarrassed because she thinks she shouldn't have seen what she just did. It seems too personal. Rogue doesn't know what she can even say to him after that.

The Professor answers when she doesn't. "Apparently, Rogue, your dream isn't a dream." He says with a thoughtful look on his face. "It's a repressed memory, not just your imagination."

A memory? Rogue doesn't understand, and Kurt asks, "But, if I'm in it, zhen vhy is she having ze dream? Shouldn't it have been mine?"

"Yeah Professor, what's going on?" They stand beside one another, looking at the man imploringly. Instead of answering right away, the Professor folds his hands and seems to ponder it for a moment. "Well, I'm not quite certain. You must have absorbed the memories of someone who, indeed, knows about Kurt's past."

Another mystery. Kurt suddenly perks up energetically. "She touched me! Back vhen ve first met, remember, Rogue?"

Rogue winces. "I said I was sorry-"

"No, no, you see?" Kurt explains, "Maybe you got zhose memories from me!"

She frowns, somehow feeling that's not right. "I don't know if.."

"You were just an infant in the dream." The Professor interrupts. "It is possible that you could have memories that far back." He gives Rogue a quick look, and she keeps her mouth shut. Is there something he's not telling them? Kurt doesn't notice and excitedly volunteers. "Probe my mind now, Professor! To find out more! Maybe I've got more memories about vhat happened later!"

The Professor nods. "Yes.. That might help. But not tonight." He concludes, "We've had quite enough excitement, I think, for now."

Kurt pouts. "But, Professor!"

"Tomorrow, Kurt." He says firmly, "We can do it in the evening, once I've dealt with a few errands. Now, try to get back to sleep."

Reluctantly, Kurt concedes. He looks to Rogue. "You're telling me everything tomorrow, ja?"

"Of course." She agrees, and he smiles. Then he huffs and exclaims, "Ach, how can I sleep now??" before disappearing into a puff of smoke. Alone with Professor X, Rogue rubs her sleeve nervously. "Is that really all?"

The Professor raises an eyebrow. "Do you think there's more?"

Rogue looks down, remembering some parts of the dream that didn't line up. "I think so."

"...Tomorrow, Rogue." He promises. She hesitates, then leaves the library with a million more questions. One rises above the others. If the memories aren't Kurt's...

Whose are they?

---

You wake up with a weird taste in your mouth and a sense of lingering embarrassment. As you perform your morning routine, putting on a nice light outfit for the warm day, you keep thinking about how you handled things last night. The Professor says you're improving, but are you? Strong emotions from others still make you freeze up, or worse..

You shake your head. No. It won't get worse, you won't let it. 'I should still apologize to Rogue.' You think on the way down to breakfast. The way you reacted.. You hope she's doing better, too, and maybe you can ask about her strange dream if she is.

"Good morning, Y/N!" Kitty greets cheerily.

"Hey, Kitty." You smile, then look around, "Do you know if Rogue's up?"

"Yeah, I think she, like, went to take a shower? That was a while ago though. Hey, how come this mansion has, like, a gazillion bedrooms and we all share a bathroom? That's insane!"

"It's the one closest to our rooms." You shrug, smirking at her grouchy tone. "Kurt beat you there again, didn't he?"

"How can I beat him?! He literally teleports!" She exclaims in frustration, then rolls her eyes. "Whatever, he gets a post-birthday pass. Oh, hey, that stuff with Rogue's nightmare the other night? Freaky. Once, I had a dream where I was a giraffe-"

"That makes sense." Evan quips, joining the convo. Kitty glares. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, you know, your neck is.." Evan measures exaggeratedly with his hand. "Extensive."

"You-!" She swats his arm lightly as he laughs. "Keep it up and I'm not helping you today!"

"Helping?" You ask curiously, "With what?"

Evan grins. "I got this new animation software I wanna try! It's kinda hard to figure out though, and Jean's busy." Another swat to the arm. "Kidding!"

"Oh?" You smile at the two. "That sounds cool. But what's Jean busy with?"

Kitty gets a mischievous look on her face and leans in conspiratorially. "She's going out... with Scott!"

Your jaw drops. "What??"

Evan cuts in skeptically. "Yeah, right. They're just going to the movies."

"That's romantic!"

"They're bringing their friends."

"It still counts!"

Your excitement fades and Kitty's face falls into a pout. "Okay, whatever. I'm just saying, Jean's single, Scott obviously loves her-"

"Duh!" Evan says as you nod along, "And he's never in a thousand years gonna man up and tell her."

Their playful argument continues, and while you understand Evan's point, you hope Kitty's right. You've seen and felt how much Scott and Jean care about each other, and definitely Scott's feelings for Jean. You want them to get a happy ending together, like a fairytale.

"Come on, let's get breakfast before it's cold." Kitty says, Evan turning to you. "Coming, Y/N?"

You're about to agree when you hear someone come down the steps behind you. Rogue tiredly approaches, her gloomy aura giving you pause. "Uh, in a minute." You reply, "I just needed to talk to Rogue about something." Evan and Kitty nod and walk into the dining room, the smell of delicious breakfast food tempting you. But no, this is more important. You approach Rogue at the foot of the stairs. "..Hey. Good morning."

She looks up at you, surprised, like she was too tired to notice you. "Mornin'." She says, voice dry. Her melancholy guilts you even further, and your apologies rush through your mouth. "I'm sorry. For last night, I mean. I was a mess."

Rogue quirks an eyebrow. "Um, so was I? You don't need to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Sorry." She gives you a look. "I mean! Um, I felt bad that I couldn't be more helpful. You were hurting and I was stuck in my powers.."

"Seriously, don't sweat it." Rogue says, her emotions easing a bit. "I know what it's like to have.. disruptive powers."

"I guess you do, huh?" You smile, earning one from her. "Well, I'm doing better now so, uh, if you want to talk about your dream or anything.."

She hesitates, and you sense a lot going on inside her. "You don't have to, though. I get it."

"Yes you do!" Kurt yells as he appears between you, both you and Rogue also yelling as he pops out of nowhere. Rogue angrily shouts. "Kurt!"

"You promised you'd tell me about ze dream! Zhat means now!"

"I just woke up!"

"I already vaited all night!"

From the look of his eye bags, that seems to be true. As the feelings get heated, you put up your hands and try to calm things down. "Okay, okay! How about we talk about it over breakfast?"

"I was gonna go to that new coffee shop.." Rogue says, looking away.

Kurt grins. "Great! Ve'll all go!"

"Uh.." You look between them, and by Kurt's determined stare and Rogue's relenting eye roll, it seems the matter's settled. "Okay."

Rogue sighs. "Fine, just.. put on some normal clothes."

"Vhat?" Kurt looks down and realizes he's still in his pajamas. "Oops." You giggle as he teleports away, then look at Rogue in concern. "Are you really okay with this?"

She has a dark look in her eyes. "..I owe it to him. To tell him."

You nod slowly, her serious tone making you uneasy. What kind of dream was it? You go to let Ororo know where you'll be, and soon the three of you are out the door, anxious about what you'll learn.

---

It's the summer school session at Bayville High School. The halls are mostly empty, save for a few students who fell behind during the year. Charles Xavier wheels along the corridor towards his unscheduled meeting.

On the way, he's stopped by a young man. "Hey, you're that principal of the special school Jean goes to, right?" The blonde boy asks. Charles stops and nods. "Yes, she is a very gifted student of mine. May I ask who you are?"

"Uh, Duncan Matthews, sir." He responds, and Charles remembers him as the boy Jean dated a few months ago. He also remembers the fight between him and Scott at a football game, and the troubling things he's heard about him when his students don't think he's listening. Duncan Matthews, he's learned, is a bully.

But right now, the bully looks bashful, guilty even. "I was hoping, um.." Duncan stutters, "Could you let Jean know I'm sorry? I was a jerk, and.. I miss her."

Charles pities him because of all the wasted potential of this young man. He believes anyone can change for the better, and he truly hopes that for him. "If you wish to apologize," Charles states, "you should apologize directly. To her, and to anyone else you've hurt."

Duncan blinks. "Um, oh. Okay."

"If you'll excuse me, I have an important meeting to get to. Have a good day, Duncan." Charles says and moves along. He, unfortunately, doesn't have much time for him right now. He pulls up to the office, wheeling past the secretary's empty desk and through the door to the principal's office. Ms. Darkholme stands inside, gazing out the window. As the door shuts behind him, she speaks without turning around.

"What are you doing here, Xavier?"

Her voice cold and steady, as always. Charles doesn't flinch, approaching her desk and speaking to her seriously. "You've been carrying a terrible burden for many years, Mystique."

She doesn't respond, doesn't move. His frown deepens as he continues. "Rogue's recent contact with you seems to have given her some of your darker memories. Nightmares about a very unfortunate incident involving an infant."

"You're fishing." Raven turns finally, an angry look on her face. "You know nothing."

"I know about your relationship with the boy, Mystique." Charles presses, "What I don't know is what Magneto did to him. Why did you run that night?"

His voice isn't accusatory. It's sincere, curious, even sympathetic.

Predictably, her reaction is to mock him. "Dear, dear Charles." Raven smirks as she walks to the bookshelf, "How incredibly frustrating for you to realize that that amazing mind of yours knows so very little, really." She picks up a book, flipping through it aimlessly, ignoring him.

Charles shakes his head. "What were you two up to in that dreary castle? Was it worth the loss of your son?"

He senses it then. The weakness, the opening. He subtly glances at the images surfacing in her mind. Then, as quickly as it opened, it closes.

"How dare you lecture me about loss after what you've taken?! Get out!" Raven whirls around on him furiously, dropping her book. "Get out now!!"

She points to the door and he complies with a small sting of guilt, but pauses in the doorway. "Just in case you're curious," Charles looks at her pointedly, "He turned out to be a very fine lad." Then he leaves her alone in that dark room.

Once he's outside the school, he sends a mental message to Wolverine, who's waiting for word in the hangar. 'Logan. I've got the coordinates.'

'Fire away.'

Bullies may choose to better themselves, and Charles truly hopes they do. But, right now, it's important for him to look out for the people they hurt.

---

Raven doesn't move from her angry stance until the Professor is well out of earshot. Once she's sure she's alone, her body lets out a bone shaking sigh. Her anger drains out of her with her breath, and she holds onto the bookshelf for support.

Yesterday was difficult enough to get through. Now, the memories come flooding back unbridled.

The argument, the chase, the bridge.

---

"NOOOOOOO!"

Raven collapses on the wood planks, her heart ripped from her body. All she can hear are the growling wolves and the roar of the deadly water below. 'Let the wolves have me.' She thinks, 'It doesn't matter anymore.'

But the wolves stop growling as the shadowed man descends on them, fleeing from the menacing figure. She looks up at him, through his metallic helmet. "Why?! Why...?" She sobs.

'Why couldn't it have been me?'

She stands suddenly, gripping the ropes and leaning over the edge. Staring at the icy abyss below.

"Are you going to jump?"  He asks.

She doesn't answer.

"What good will that do?"

She makes a strangled noise and steps back, then spins around and pounds her fists on his chest. "You did this! Y-You changed him!"

"I fixed him."  He snaps,  "If you hadn't run off, he-!"  Magneto stops and takes a breath.  "Raven. I'm truly sorry this happened."

Raven stops hitting him, her cries softening into whimpers. "My baby.. My baby boy..."

He wraps his cape around her and lets her cry.  "You will see. One day, it will all be better."

---

"He's alive, Irene, I saw him!" Raven exclaims angrily, "That human couple have him, they're.. they're treating him like their own! He's not theirs, he's mine! He's ours!"

Irene steps closer, feeling for her hand. Raven takes it.

"Raven.." She says somberly. Her partner looks at her, concerned. "What? What did you see?"

"..You asked me to see his future."

Raven waits desperately, hand squeezing Irene's.

"Our paths are... diverged."

"What does that mean?!" Raven demands, "I'm his mother! We were going to raise him!"

"I know." Irene says, sadness coating her voice, "But if he were to stay with us.. he'd be in danger." Her brow twists in anger, "If Magneto knew he was alive-"

"No!" Raven denies, "He wouldn't, he- It wasn't like that! He was sick and Magneto cured him!"

"Magneto experimented on your baby! Are you really okay with that?!"

"He saved his life! He could have died, he could have been normal human if.."

There's a tense silence. Irene lets go of her hand. "You may be willing to forgive him, but I'm not. And if you're willing to defend that man.."

A divide forms between them. Raven blinks, and Irene speaks.

"..then your son is better off without you."

---

Raven swallows thickly. It wasn't only her and Kurt's paths that diverged that day. A deep regret fills her gut, one of a life she might have had, the family she might have grown.

She looks out the window, an impulsive idea forming.

'Is it too late?'

---

"Just give her a minute, that's all I'm saying." You tell Kurt as the two of you wait in line at the cafe. Rogue's waiting at the table outside. "It's probably tough for her to talk about it. You saw her last night."

Kurt fidgets restlessly, sighing. "I know, I know. You're right, Y/N, it's just.. It's about me! It's about my past! I can't just vait for my parents to write me back, I need to know now. Especially if.." There's a sad hopefulness you catch, and you fill in the blanks. "If she saw something about your birth parents."

He nods, about to say something when the person in front of you moves and the cashier greets you. "Hi! Welcome to Beanie's, what can I get you?" The nice looking girl with long dark hair looks between you, her eyes landing on Kurt's wrist. "Oh, that's a cute bracelet!"

"Zhanks! Birthday gift." He nudges you, and you smile. The cashier asks, "Oh, is it your birthday?"

"Yesterday."

"Well.." She leans in conspiratorially, "We have a 'free drink on birthdays' policy, and I won't tell if you won't."

"Really? Zhank you!" Kurt exclaims happily. This girl has a nice, positive energy that you like, and from what you feel, you think Kurt likes it, too. After getting your drinks, Kurt's chocolate frappe on the house, you two walk back outside and find Rogue sitting at a far table under the umbrella.

"It's so hot today." You lament, handing Rogue her iced coffee, "I'm glad we got cold drinks."

"I like it." Rogue replies, a fond look on her face, "Reminds me of the South."

You take a sip of your cappuccino on ice, never having tried one before. It's not bad! You're about to ask Kurt how he likes his coffee, but the look on his face stops you. His jaw is very tense, like he's trying very hard not to say anything. He's also focusing very intently on the tablecloth. Emotion-wise, he's practically bursting with curiosity. Maybe you shouldn't have said anything about Rogue...

She notices too and rolls her eyes. "Just ask."

Kurt gasps like he's coming up for air and immediately blurts, "Vhat did ze Professor show you last night? Did you see more about me? Did you-"

"Okay, calm down! Geez, I'll tell you everything." Rogue says, glancing at you. You give her an encouraging smile as her trepidation flares up. She takes a breath, and tells you and Kurt everything that the Professor showed her. By the time she's done, your drinks are empty. You're speechless, but Kurt seems to have a million more questions.

"Vhere vas it? It must be in Germany, ja? My parents have never lived anywhere else." His eyes widen, "Zhen, maybe my birth parents live in Germany, too!"

You furrow your brow. "The woman who was carrying him, was that-?"

"My mother!" Kurt exclaims, "It must be, right? Vhat did she look like?"

Rogue shakes her head, "I don't know. I never saw her face."

"Zhere must be something!" Kurt stands up suddenly, walking fast down the sidewalk. You and Rogue look at each other, then rush to follow him. "Kurt, where are you going?!" You ask.

"Back to ze Institute! Prof said ve'd look for more answers today!"

"Didn't he say tonight?"

"I can't vait any longer!" Kurt says, stopping to grin at you. "Don't you see? I could learn who my birth mother is!"

His excitement is powerful, and you have to keep yourself from bouncing like he is. It really is amazing, you think. Finding out about his birth parents? What if you could find out about yours one day? You'd be excited, too, but also scared..

Rogue mirrors your nervous side as she asks, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Vhat? Of course!" Kurt replies, looking bewildered she'd even ask, "Vouldn't you? Both of you? I mean, haven't you ever vondered who your birth parents are?"

"Yes.." You admit. Sometimes, when you were lonely at the orphanage, you'd imagine another life where you have a family, or any sort of past. But you came to accept that it wasn't going to happen. You look to Rogue curiously, remembering her mention that she was adopted around the age of five. She never really went into though, and you didn't want to press.

Rogue rubs her arm anxiously at Kurt's question. "I guess so, yeah. Sometimes. But Irene was always a good mom to me." There's something hurt deeply in her as she talks about it, "I mean, sometimes she could be real strict and all, but..." She trails off.

Kurt's face softens, "My adoptive parents vere great, too. But.. I always felt zhat zhey vere keeping something from me. Vhenever the subject of vhere I came from came up, zhey vere alvays vague. Zhey never mentioned anything like ze stuff in your dream."

"Maybe they didn't know." You suggest. Then Rogue quietly adds, "Or, maybe they were just trying to protect you."

"How?" Kurt asks, frustration bubbling up, "By hiding my own past from me?"

"I just don't see how finding that woman will help anything!" Rogue protests, and there's something angry about her voice.

"She's my birth mother!"

"And she abandoned you!"

Rogue shouts it, and you can feel it go through Kurt's heart like an arrow. You try to interject, "Hey-"

"She didn't- You don't know zhat!" Kurt defends, getting angry too, "Zhere vas someone chasing her, and-and wolves!"

"She found you and she left you! I saw it!" Rogue throws her hands up, "She betrayed you! Why would you want anything to do with her??"

"Guys, please!" You beg, trying to stop this.

Kurt storms past you both, words loud and forceful. "Listen, maybe you can live vithout knowing, but I've got to know ze truth about my life!" Before you can stop him, he steps into the alley and switches off his holo-projector. "I'm outta here!" You see his blue form with tears in his eyes for a split-second, then he's gone.

You're frozen in shock. How did it all go wrong so fast?

"Kurt!" Rogue says too late, the regret seeping in. "Dammit!" She hits the wall lightly, then leans against it tiredly. You hesitate, then touch her lightly on the sleeve.

"That.. wasn't really about Kurt, was it?" You ask gently. The anger that came out, it wasn't directed at him. It was something else.

"Urgh.." Rogue puts her face in her hands, "I'm sorry. It just.."

After a moment of quiet, you tell her, "You don't have to talk about it. Not if you don't want to."

"...My mom, Irene." Rogue starts, "She knew about my powers before I did. She.. She sent me to Mystique. And I'm so pissed, you know? She lied about everything, or, I mean, she didn't lie but she didn't say anything either! Or she only told me half of it when.."

The sadness and anger in her right now feels so old and tired, like a weight she's been carrying all this time. "When's the last time you talked to her?" You ask.

"After the Geology trip." Rogue admits, and your eyes widen. It's been months! You had no idea she cut off contact like that. She's as alone at the Institute as you are, in a way.

"Parents aren't all they're cracked up to be." She concludes cynically, "In fact, they can be really disappointing. They can hurt you the most because, despite everything, you still.. love them."

"I.. don't know anything about that." You admit. If you had parents, you never knew them, or anything about them that would disappoint you. "But.. would you rather you never knew Irene at all?"

Rogue sighs slowly. "...No. I wouldn't."

You offer a hand, and her gloved one takes it. The two of you walk together back towards the Institute.

Neither of you notice the figure spying on you from the shadows.

---

Mystique watches silently, disguised as a young boy with orange tipped bangs. She's far enough away that your pesky empath abilities won't catch on to her. Though, she's been working to shield herself from that, as she does with telepathy and other probing powers.

From her spot across the street, carefully hidden from the three students of Xavier's, she hears Kurt's outburst as he transforms back.

"Listen, maybe you can live vithout knowing, but I've got to know ze truth about my life! I'm outta here!"

He teleports away as Mystique painfully tears away her gaze.

'He wants to know me..' She thinks, daring to hope for a moment. All this time, watching from the sidelines as he came to her school, never knowing who she is. Maintaining a distance, a coldness to keep him from suspecting. Hating Xavier for having him when she cannot.

It's not fair.

It's not fair that he has them both.

She looks at her former ward, Rogue, narrowing her eyes at the weak mutant girl who tore them apart. She hates you for it.

But now there's a chance, a chance to reclaim what she lost. If she can just see him, just explain... Maybe he'll see it. Maybe he'll join her, and they can finally be.. a family.

First, she needs to get a message to him.

---

Pietro Maximoff shifts on the crappy couch, trying unsuccessfully to get comfortable as he flips through TV channels at the speed of sound. Nothing catches his interest, leaving him as bored as he's been every day for the past month. 'Can't even splurge for a Netflix account, Mystique?'

He's the only one in the Brotherhood house right now. Blob and Toad went to kick rocks or something in the junkyard. And Lance? He's probably off brooding somewhere. Pietro rolls his eyes. That emo look does not do it for him...

Ever since that weird stint with the X-men and fighting Juggernaut, Lance has been extra broody. Snapping at everybody about how they'll "never beat the X-men at this rate!" He's so obsessed..

Now, Pietro? He couldn't care less about those losers, they're hardly worth his time. Especially that idiot, Daniels. He could easily sweep the floor with any of them. All he needs is the chance to show how vastly superior he is to him- them. That's all!

But how the hell's he supposed to do that if Magneto won't give him any action?!

Pietro groans in frustration, only for his ears to perk up a moment later when the front door opens. He speeds to mess with whoever came back, maybe spin them around a few times, mess up their hair. But the person he sees stops him in his tracks.

"Mystique?" He asks, the woman shifting from her Darkholme persona to her regular form as soon as the door's shut. Pietro raises an eyebrow. "Uh, what are you doing here? Didn't you tell us, and I quote: 'Don't even think about bothering me this week unless you have a death wish!'" He waves his hands for emphasis. She looks less than amused.

"Things change." Mystique replies cooly, "I have a job for you."

"Well, too bad the others are out. What a great team you assembled, always ready to answer the call!" He mocks dryly.

"No. This job is for you only, understand?" She says seriously, piquing his curiosity. "Ooh, a secret mission? What kind?"

'Is this a test from him?' He wonders excitedly. His excitement dampens though, when Mystique hands him a plain white envelope. "What's this?"

"A message. I need you to deliver it to Kurt Wagner."

"The weird blue X-man?" She glares at him. "Not that there's anything wrong with blue!"

"Go into the Institute, get it to him, and leave." Mystique instructs.

Well, this is strange. "What does this have to do with helping Magneto?"

Mystique scoffs. "I wouldn't expect a child to understand." His eye twitches as she smirks, "Are you saying you can't do it? The Institute does have many defenses.."

"Of course I can!" Pietro argues, "I'm fast enough to get in and out of there without raising a single alarm! But why is it so important?" He asks, cracking a smile, "I mean, what are you telling that blue-furred freak anyway?"

"I said it's none of your business!" Mystique shouts suddenly. She points a finger at him warningly, "Just. Deliver it."

"Okay, okay, geez!" He pockets the envelope and moves past her. All his restless energy bursts out as he runs like lightning, out the door and through town towards the Institute. His body buzzed with energy, and his mind buzzed with some tantalizing questions. What does Mystique want from Kurt? What does the letter say?

'Well,' He smiles as he takes out the envelope, 'One way to find out.'

It takes him two seconds to get it open, read and reread it. When he's done, he smiles. 'Oh, this is interesting..'

---

Within the Institute's hidden lower levels, Charles Xavier watches the computer screen zone in on a small region of Germany. A blip on the screen shows the X-jet's path, and Wolverine's voice comes through the comms system. "Looks like this is the place, Charles. I'll set her down in the woods nearby and go in on foot."

"Good." The Professor messages back. "Keep me informed."

"Right. Wolverine, out."

Now, all that's left to do is wait. Unfortunately, there's not much time left to do that. It's already taken a few hours for Wolverine to touch down, and evening is fast approaching. Charles begins to contemplate what to say to Kurt, who's no doubt been waiting anxiously all day for answers.

But what if the truth only hurts him? Charles sighs, caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he promised his students more transparency. On the other, he's responsible for their wellbeing, and there are some truths he feels he must hide from them for their own protection.

Mystique is not a fit mother. Her inclusion in Kurt's life may only bring him pain. He's so young, he shouldn't have to deal with such a bombshell.

No, Charles can't tell him, at least not yet. There's still more information to uncover. Part of him hopes that Wolverine won't find what he suspects there to be. He doesn't want to think that Magneto might stoop so low as to... No, this isn't about him, it's about Kurt.

Watching as Wolverine's tracker inches close to the coordinates, Charles makes his decision. Kurt won't like it, but he'll have to delay their meeting for another day. At least until Wolverine is back and the picture becomes clearer.

---

"Look, the guide says-"

"The guide is boring! I just want to animate it already!"

"How are you supposed to know what to do if you don't read the instruct-"

"Move over, lemme try!"

"Hey, back off- OW! Did you just prick me?!"

"I did not!"

"You little-!"

"Ahem."

Kitty and Evan stop their tug-of-war over the computer to look up at Ororo. She's sitting across the room, holding a book and looking displeased. "If you two don't mind, other people are sharing this space."

"Sorry Auntie O.."

"Sorry Ms. Ororo.." The storm summoner smiles and returns to her novel, glancing at the children every once in a while as they try to figure out the software in hushed tones. Her eyes soften at her nephew, so excited about his hobby. She's glad he's getting into pastimes; they're hopefully helping him adjust.

She worries about him sometimes, if she made the right choice bringing him to the X-men. Seeing him bond with the others like this puts her mind at ease.

Suddenly, a burst of wind blows the door open, the gust making Ororo lose her page. Kitty shivers. "Hey, who left the door open?" She goes to close it as Ororo purses her lips. The door had been closed, she thought. And that weather didn't feel quite natural to her. Perhaps she'll take to the skies to check things over.

After all, strange weather does not bode well..

---

Kurt hangs by tail from the chandelier lamp in his room, hair loosely swaying from his upside-down head. It's a position that feels as natural to his body as walking or standing. It was only when he grew up that he noticed it wasn't the same for other people, that apart from strange looks and talents, something about Kurt was fundamentally different.

He holds a cherished photograph in his hand, staring at the worn image of his parents and him when he was around five years old. They all look so happy, but he can't help but frown.

"God loves you and so do we." His parents would tell him when he was in doubt. They love him so much, and he loves them, he knows that. Is it wrong to want to know his biological parents?

Rogue's words were harsh, and they hurt mostly because they were a little true. If the memory in her dream is correct, Kurt's own mother left him. Why should he care about her?

He wishes he knew more, but...

"I'm sorry, Kurt, but I have some important work to attend to this evening. We'll have to reschedule our meeting."

The Professor didn't say when, just promised that they'd find time to search Kurt's memories... eventually. But he doesn't want to do it eventually, he wants to do it now! What if this is his only chance before he completely forgets everything? There's so much more he wants to find out.

Who was his mother running from? She screamed about them doing something to Kurt, but what?

Gazing in the mirror, Kurt wonders for the first time if God really made him this way. He may never know now...

A rapid knock makes Kurt turn his gaze to his bedroom door. His expression sours when he thinks it might be Rogue. Did she come to say sorry? He hesitates, but teleports out to the hall.

A breeze hits his face, making him close his eyes briefly. 'Drafty in here..' When his eyes open a split-second later, he's confused to see no one there. Weird.

He teleports back inside, but lands on something. There's an envelope under his foot, and it looks like it was slipped under his door. Bewildered, he picks it up and opens it, reading the note inside.

'If you want to know the truth, come to the new mall construction site at sundown. Come alone.'

His eyes widen, and he wonders for a moment if this is a prank. But no, why would anyone at the Institute write something like this? They wouldn't. Which leaves the other possibility.. Did someone write this who knows about his past, about his mother? Or maybe, even his mother herself!

Or what if it's a trick? Could Toad or someone have snuck in and planted this here? But how could they even know about this?

His mind goes back and forth between hope and suspicion. Kurt glances out his window, seeing the sun fast descending towards the horizon. He doesn't have much time, he has to leave now.

If he doesn't, he may not get another chance!

Deciding, Kurt quickly stows the note away in his letter drawer with his parents' photograph. He looks at his holo-projector, still charging on his bedside table. Deciding against taking it, he opens his wardrobe and quickly pulls on his uniform. If this is a trap, he'll be better off going as an X-man.

And if it's his mother, she might not recognize him otherwise.

"Okay." He says to himself as he steps onto the balcony, nervous and excited, "Let's go."

And he disappears into the evening glow.

---

"That's what the note said, I'm telling ya!" Pietro exclaims in the phone as he leans against a tree in Bayville Park. "She's gonna meet that little blue creep tonight. And that Wolverine guy and the Blackbird were gone, just like you said."

"Hm. As I feared." The deep voice on the other end replies, "Good work, Pietro."

The boy's face lights up at the praise, his chest swelling with pride. He had a feeling Mystique wasn't telling the truth. What would his father want with a wimp like Kurt Wagner?

"I was in and out like that!" He gloats, "Zoom! No one saw a thing, even the Professor didn't-"

"Quiet." His father silences him before continuing. "Now I need you to do something further for me. Get the others and intercept Nightcrawler before he gets to Mystique. She must not tell him what he wants to know. I have to take care of a visitor."

Pietro raises his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Is that Wolverine guy onto you? Where are you, I can be there in two seconds-"

"Pietro."

The speedster bites his lip, hearing the edge to Magneto's voice. "Fine. I guess I'll call you later?"

"Do not bother. Dispose of that phone. I will contact you if I need you."

Pietro scowls, then hangs up and throws the burner phone in a pond. "If he needs me. Pfft." He mutters, then takes out his own phone and texts the guys. "He's gonna need me, alright.."

---

Wolverine hikes up the cold mountain, cautiously approaching the stone castle at the top. He darts between trees, blending into the dark night. When he's close, he sniffs the air and doesn't sense anybody close by. Still, he doesn't let down his guard as he creeps inside.

Musty banners of a deep purple don the walls of the entrance hall. It itches something in his brain, like a buried memory. He's not sure why, though. According to the Prof, this castle hasn't been in use since the 1940s.

At least, that's what everyone thought.

Sniffing around, there's clear signs of recent activity. Disturbed dust, crumbs of food, and a strange chemical scent coming from further in. He moves toward that, missing the cleverly camouflaged devices on the pillars of the archway. As he tries to pass through, he's shocked with volts of electricity. The metal in his body conducts it, burning his flesh as he yells. But he powers through, unsheathing his claws and shredding the device. The electricity ceases, and he cradles a sore right arm and he continues.

The next trap is far less subtle. Guns emerge from the walls with a whirring that his ears instantly detect. He dodges the lasers they fire, managing to claw one down and throw it into the other, destroying them. His nose guides him to a large wooden door, which he promptly kicks in.

The dark room is covered in broken machinery, sparking its last bits of life. Shattered glass and chemical puddles cover the floor. He surveys the scene with grim disappointment as his comm speaks up. "Wolverine, report."

He talks into it as he walks around, careful not to disturb anything. "Looks like I was expected. I think this place was some sort of..." He sniffs and wrinkles his nose, "..DNA lab or somethin'. But whoever was runnin' it pulled out recently. Real recently."

Just as he's about to take another step, he hears a faint beeping. His eyes widen and he sends another quick message as he bolts for the exit. "Sorry, Doc, I gotta sign off now!"

There's not enough time to get to the door, so Wolverine opts for the window instead. An explosion brings down the castle a moment later. It propels him forward and burns his back, but he lands on his feet and dodges the debris as the building comes down.

Safe in the woods, Wolverine snarls as all the evidence gets buried.

---

"I'm glad you got it figured out!" You grin, walking through the mansion with Evan and Kitty, "You have to show me the animations you make!"

"Totally!" He exclaims, "Evan Daniels: Famous Director! Has a nice ring to it."

"Just don't forget to thank me when you win your Oscar." Kitty nudges him.

"Fine, but you'll only be like, sixth on the list of people I thank."

"Who's above me?"

"My mom, my pops, Auntie O, George Lucas.."

You laugh, sobering as you arrive at Evan's door. The three of you came to check on Kurt, who's been holed up in their room all day. He didn't even come out for dinner, so you and Kitty are a little concerned. Evan is too, but he covers it up with jokes. "Man, Kurt's a lucky guy. If I ever skipped dinner, Auntie would have my..."

His voice trails off as he opens the door to an empty room. You raise an eyebrow as you step inside, Kurt nowhere to be found. "..Maybe he's in the bathroom?" Evan suggests, but you shake your head. "We just passed it by, door was open." You reply, as Kitty asks, "Are you sure he was in here?"

"I thought so. He never came downstairs." Evan frowns.

"Maybe he went out?"

"I'll text him." As Kitty takes out her phone, you absentmindedly lean against Kurt's desk. A small, persistent feeling tugs at you, and you look around in confusion. It sort of feels like when you sense a strong emotion from far away, except it's not coming from far away. You feel it so close.

"Hey, his phone is here." Kitty points to Kurt's bedside table as it lights up. "And his... image inducer?" She picks up the wristwatch, and your unease grows. Kurt barely ever leaves the holo-projector behind.

"Guys, I think we have a problem." You and Kitty turn to Evan, whose hand is on the door of Kurt's open wardrobe. "His X-man uniform isn't here."

"What? Why would he-?" As Kitty goes to inspect the wardrobe, you can't resist that nagging feeling anymore. It guides your hand to open a drawer, and you silently ask for forgiveness as you look inside.

It's a pile of letter envelopes. On top is a cute photo of young Kurt with his parents, but you ignore that as you pick up the open note on top of the pile. The feeling is still faint, but strong enough that you can recognize it a little. Shock, excitement... fear. And when you read the very simple message on the paper, you're filled with dread. "Look."

Kitty and Evan read it over, their reactions mirroring your own. "That's.. really suspicious." Evan says, and Kitty purses her lips. "I think we should tell someone."

You agree, reaching out to the Professor in your thoughts. 'Professor X?'

After a few moments, you hear his voice. 'Y/N? Is something wrong?'

'Kurt's gone and we found a weird note in his room saying to meet someone at sunset.' You explain, 'I think.. I think he thinks his birth mom sent it.'

The response is immediate and concerning. 'Hurry and get suited up.' The Professor urges, 'You must intercept him before it's too late!'

Kitty and Evan look at you with wide eyes, and you know they also got the message.

Kurt is in trouble.

---

"I was kind of hoping the main character would get together with her bodyguard in the end." Jean says, chatting with Scott about the movie they saw earlier. He nods. "Me too. They had such great chemistry!"

Her phone buzzes, and Jean frowns when she sees another missed call from Duncan. What could he want? Ignoring it, she turns back to Scott.

"You know who else had chemistry?" Jean smirks, "Taryn and Paul seemed pretty cozy together."

Scott looks kind of bashful and chuckles breathlessly. "Yeah, so, actually, Paul wanted to ask Taryn out, but he got nervous, so he asked if maybe I could come and invite you too so it's not awkward.." Jean grins as his face goes red.

"Aw, look at you playing matchmaker!"

"Ha, yeah. And, well, that movie was pretty fun. Maybe sometime we..?"

'Scott, Jean, Nightcrawler is in danger!' The Professor's voice suddenly comes to their minds, startling them. Jean and Scott spare a shocked glance at each other before running to get their suits on. A fierce protectiveness ignites in her as she telepathically receives the details.

God help whoever hurts Kurt tonight.

---

Kurt finally arrives, teleporting into the eerie silence of the construction site. All the workers are gone for the day, it seems. He cautiously steps forward, walking past the scaffolding and crane. Stopping in the center of the site, he looks around nervously.

"Okay." He tentatively calls out, "So, I'm here..?"

And as he's wondering if he somehow got the message wrong, a soft voice calls out from the shadows.

"Hello, Kurt."

He turns around quickly, breath hitching as he sees the cloaked figure. The voice seems familiar, but their hood is hiding their face. "You!" Kurt exclaims, "You sent the message?" He steps closer, "Who are you? Vhy don't you show yourself?"

"You already know me.." They reply, lowering their hood to reveal a blue face, red hair, and pale yellow eyes, "..Son."

The voice registers as soon as her face does. The cloaked woman in the dream. The enemy of the X-men.

Mystique.

"No!" Kurt shouts, recoiling, "No, it's impossible!"

Her hand reaches out hesitantly, and he might think a flash of hurt crosses her face. But this is Mystique! The person who tricked Rogue into thinking the X-men were the enemy, who pretended to be their principal until she attacked his friends on their field trip, who set the Juggernaut free to attack the Professor! She can't be his... his...

And all of a sudden he's so angry. "Vhat happened to me?!" Kurt demands, tears in his eyes, "Vhy did you pretend?! Vhy did you leave-?!" He thought that finding his birth mother would be happy, would get rid of the ache inside. Instead, it hurts so much more, and he has a million more questions.

Before he can ask anything else, a guttural shout cuts him off. Kurt looks up and quickly stumbles back as the Blob lands between him and Mystique. Where did he come from?? Was he waiting in the shadows this whole time?

Mystique's face twists as she grabs Blob's arm and snarls. "Get out of here!" But the large boy roughly shrugs her off and leers at Kurt, stepping closer. Kurt turns to escape, but Toad, Avalanche, and Quicksilver surround him.

"Whoa!" The speedster laughs, "That's as far as you go, fur boy! This conversation's over."

"Get out of here, all of you!" Mystique yells as Kurt's eyes dart around in confusion.

"No can do, boss lady." Quicksilver says smugly, "We got higher orders." He snaps his fingers, and Kurt doesn't haven't time to think before Toad launches his slimy tongue at him. The X-man teleports out of the way, landing on the giant hook of the crane. He looks down at the Brotherhood and Mystique, unsure if this is some sick joke. Has he been tricked after all?

"I got him!" Toad announces as he leaps up, and Kurt teleports away again. Perched up on a steel frame, he shouts, "Vhat kind of game is zhis, Mystique?!" He doesn't disguise his hurt, and she falters. "I.. Kurt!"

He doesn't see Toad coming this time, swinging the giant metal hook into Kurt and knocking him over. He plummets down to the ground, landing on a pile of hard earth. Stars dance in his vision as he looks at Mystique's shocked face, then Kurt groans and passes out.

---

As you and your friends pile out of the X-Van and run into the construction site, distress stabs through your heart. You follow its trace to the sight of Kurt collapsed on the ground, Mystique and the Brotherhood standing around him. Pietro is laughing, "Ha! That was easy!"

You feel the collective rage of the group as Cyclops steps forward and shouts. "Wrong! You mess with one X-man, you deal with the rest of us!"

The Brotherhood seem surprised for a second, but quickly turn their glares on you. Toad, maybe too enthusiastically, charges into the fray, the rest soon following. "Get 'em!"

The teams split among opponents, and it looks like you have to contend with Toad, whose sights are on you. "How could you all do something so cruel?!" You yell angrily, "Tricking Kurt with that letter?!"

"What letter?" Toad raises an eyebrow, "Look, I'm just here to finally beat Blue Boy once and for all. And hey, if you wanna join the winning side, I can make room for you, sweet cheeks!"

Disgusted, you lunge forward and swing a fist at him, but he slips away. "Have it your way!" He exclaims, and spits a wad of slime that catches your hand and sticks it to an unfinished wall. You struggle to get unstuck as he laughs, when another bout of fury comes your way.

"Hey, wart man!" Spyke yells, drawing Toad's attention, "Why don't you try against me?!" Barbs emerge from his arms, and Toad's eyes narrow. "Oh, it's on!"

Spyke takes the first shot, three sharp points flying at Toad. The froggy boy dodges them, and they fly at the wall you're stuck to. You yelp as one comes uncomfortably close. "Spyke!"

"Oops, sorry Avatar!" He balks, ceasing his assault. Toad takes the opportunity to launch his slimy tongue at your friend, who thinks fast and makes a long spike. He holds it up and Toad's tongue instinctively wraps around it. The froggish boy seems to realize what he's done with a quiet, "Uh oh."

Spyke smirks and heaves it over his shoulder. He flings Toad through the air and into a scrap heap, where he lands with a satisfying groan.

"Sorry again." Spyke winces as he cuts you free from the wall, "I'll watch my aim."

"You better, I don't want to be shish-kebabed." Looking around, you suppress a smile seeing Shadowcat somehow trap Blob in a cement mixer, turning it on to spin him around. Cyclops is having less luck pinning down Quicksilver, and you wince at the glare Spyke sends that way. "I'm with Cyke, you go help Jean with Kurt." You nod, separating from him to find your injured friend.

Jean is checking Kurt over when you arrive, and you gaze at his unconscious form worriedly. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Yes." Jean says confidently, "He's dazed, but he'll be okay. I've just got to get him out of here." She lifts up telekinetically, slowly so as not to agitate any bruises.

"Stop right there." Avalanche warns, standing between you and the van. "The fight ain't over yet."

"And why are you fighting us?" You ask, looking accusingly in his eyes. "What did we do to you, huh?"

He seems put off by your words for a moment, mixed emotions coming off him. Then he grits his teeth and grins. "Nothing personal, sweetheart. It's survival of the fittest." Avalanche raises his arms and sets you off balance with an earthquake. Jean stumbles behind you, trying to hold Kurt up as well, and doesn't see the debris falling from the scaffolding. "Look out!" You yell, pushing her and Kurt out of the way, and getting your arm grazed in the process.

Avalanche yells and you hear a thud as the shaking stops. You turn to see Rogue has tackled him to the ground, and she ungloves a hand. "Nothing personal, sweetheart." She parrots back dryly as she touches his face. They both tense up as you get a glimpse of what her power feels like again, the pain and intensity. Then Avalanche goes limp and Rogue rises, sending you a quick nod.

You smile back, then help Jean get Kurt into the van. Once he's secure, you turn to see a chaotic scene unfolding as the rest of the X-men try to catch Quicksilver. You're about to jump in when Jean points off to the side. "Over there!"

A cloaked Mystique is running away. "I see her!" You shout, giving chase. "Me too!" Rogue runs up, the two of you leaving the rest of the team to deal with the speedster.

---

Sure, the rest of the X-men were unexpected, but Quicksilver can handle it. Even though his team falls one by one, there's not a single X-man who can lay a hand on him now. He runs circles around Cyclops, the enemy leader missing him with every laser blast. "Come on, Shades!" Quicksilver taunts, "You can't hit me, can you?"

A spike whizzes by and he grins at his old rival. "Evan Daniels, number one champ!" He pushes him over, "Where are those skills now?" Spyke's angry glare just motivates him further. He dodges every eye beam and sharp spike and whips up a wind to mess with Shadowcat's hair for good measure.

If only his dad could see him now!

"Give it up, X-men!" He laughs, not slowing for a second, "I'm just too fas- Ack!" An unseen force yanks Quicksilver into the air, the sudden stop knocking the wind out of him. Before he can react to the telekinetic pull, he's blasted back by a laser into a pile of dirt.

"Oww.." He groans, "No fair..."

---

"Go that way!" Rogue instructs, and you split off from her to cut around the workhouse. Soon you run in front of Mystique, stopping her in her tracks. She sneers, "You again."

You clench your fists, gritting your teeth against her loathing. "I won't let you hurt another one of my friends, Mystique!"

"You know nothing, little girl!" She snaps and begins to run the other way before Rogue cuts her off. "Going somewhere?"

The loathing fades, replaced by a dizzying mess of emotions you can't begin to parse out as the shapeshifter stares at Rogue. Your friend's own anger is clear as day, however. "It's you, isn't it? The woman in my dreams."

"What?" Mystique asks, and your eyes widen. She's..?

"Me and Kurt have a few questions we need you to answer." Rogue demands. Mystique pauses, her very feelings hesitating to be known. Then, her feelings just... shut down. You can't feel them anymore, and her face turns to stone. "I'm afraid it's too late for answers." Her voice softens to a whisper. "Far too late.."

Mystique suddenly bolts toward you, pushing you swiftly away as she runs past. She hits your hurt arm, making you wince and falter. "Not so fast!" Rogue yells, and her eyes roll back as she summons Lance's power. You hold onto the wall as the ground shakes, and Mystique stumbles. Before either of you can catch up, though, her body shrinks and disappears beneath her cloak. A raven slips out and takes off, going where neither of you can follow.

"Damn it." Rogue curses, watching Mystique fly away as anger morphs into sadness. You regain your balance, but you're at a loss for words.

Mystique is Kurt's birth mom..

---

After the trip he had, Logan expects there to be less excitement back in Bayville. Yet, on the news the next morning is a story about how the construction of the mall has been set back due to some equipment collapsing. The kids are all worked up about a fight that went down last night, and particularly about the well-being of a certain blue furball.

Everyone's frustrated with themselves. Not noticing Kurt was gone sooner, not doing more to make him feel better. Ororo and Logan are no exceptions. The storm goddess admits to him her regret that she was in the skies checking for weather irregularities when it all happened. "I should have known it was Pietro. Then maybe I could have spared us all this."

"Coulda, shoulda." Logan replies, "Doesn't matter now."

That's what he tells himself when he wishes he'd been quicker, to get to the castle, to get back. It's all over now, and there's no use dwelling on the past.

But as Logan, Ororo, Scott and Jean listen to the Professor in the privacy of the library, he recalls just how much pain the past can cause.

"Mystique... is Kurt's mother?" Jean exclaims in disbelief. Scott's hand is on her shoulder, and he looks equally at a loss.

"And the dreams Rogue was having," Ororo says, brow knit tightly, "Those were memories she absorbed from Mystique?"

Charles answers gravely. "I'm afraid so. Rogue must have picked them up when she touched her on the mountain. They likely only resurfaced so strongly in her mind because of the occasion."

The anniversary of losing her son.

Frankly, Logan doesn't care to sympathize. Maybe this explains why that woman is so twisted up inside, but it doesn't change what she's done. He doesn't have half the heart to forgive as the Professor does.

"There was nothing left of the lab?" Charles asks, and Logan shakes his head. "Nuthin'. Whoever was runnin' it didn't want us finding anything." And he has a pretty good idea who was running it. A faint smell lingered in that castle, metallic and human. "But before it went kablooey, it looked like the kind of place Dr. Frankenstein might've been comfortable in."

Charles folds his hands, a deeply pained look on his face. "Genetic experimentation on mutants... I hadn't realized that he was willing to go that far."

"He?" Scott asks, and all the adults turn to him. Logan eyes Ororo and Charles, silently asking. 'Are you ready to tell them?'

It falls on the Professor, who looks conflicted.

"The man who ran the lab." The Professor states and doesn't expound further. Scott looks like he wants to say more, but Jean sadly whispers, "Poor Kurt..." The redhead pulls her knees up to her chest, and Scott leans in to hug her.

Ororo sighs tiredly. "When do we tell Kurt about all this?"

Logan frowns. "Honestly? I think the elf already knows. Kids notice things, even when you hide them. Especially, then. He's gonna need some time to come to grips with it."

Everyone glances up in the direction of Kurt's room. A depressing silence overcomes the library with the knowledge that, right now, there's nothing much that any of them can do.

---

You stare at Kurt's door, debating on whether to go in. Evan said he asked for some time alone this morning. Kitty was turned away too when she came to check on him. Those two don't know yet about Mystique. You felt like it wasn't your place to tell them, even if they'll probably find out soon anyways. They understand that Kurt's hurting, though.

There's a greasy paper bag clutched in your hand, Kurt's favorite food. He needs to eat something, even fast food. You keep hesitating, though, when it comes to knocking.

'What if I get overwhelmed? What if I can't help him?'

You hear steps approaching and turn to see Rogue coming down the hall. You shoot her a tense smile and she returns it, glancing at the door. "You wanna go in together?" She asks, and you nod. Even though you feel her nervousness, you're somehow more at ease with her here. Taking a breath, you gently rap on the door. "Kurt?"

No answer. Rogue knocks next. "Y/N brought a burger." She calls. After a moment, you hear a soft answer.

"Come in."

Relieved, you open the door and step inside. The outside doors are open, and you see Kurt perched on the balcony railing, staring out at the horizon. You and Rogue look at each other before approaching him slowly.

"One Gutbuster Supreme with fries, hand delivered." You say, waving the bag enticingly. Kurt takes it with his tail, offering a tiny smile. "Zhank you."

His emotions aren't the slap in the face you were expecting. The sorrow creeps up slow, wrapping around you tightly. It's so heavy, it makes you tired.

"Hey, Kurt.." Rogue goes to stand on one side of him, "I owe you an apology. What I said yesterday.."

"It's okay." Kurt replies with a shrug, "You vere right. She did abandon me."

Your chest pangs as you take his hand. "We don't know the whole story.."

Rogue nods, "Yeah, I was mad about.. someone else. I was projecting. The truth is, I only saw bits and pieces in the dream. Maybe she..." Rogue trails off, and you wonder what she was going to say.

'Maybe she didn't want to leave him? Maybe she loved him? Maybe she still does?'

Kurt's tail flips back and forth, and his conflicted feelings do the same. "I... I still can't believe it. Mystique is my mother? I guess zhere is a certain resemblance.."

You suppose so, his deep blue fur not too far off from Mystique's own complexion. But Mystique isn't a thing like Kurt! She's scary and mean, and he's the sweetest person alive! It's just not fair. He deserves so much better.

Squeezing his hand, you look with determination into his eyes. "You've still got your adoptive parents. They love you so much." You can tell by the stack of letters in his drawer, the way he brightens up when he receives a new one every week. "And you've got the X-men too! You've got us!"

Kurt's eyes light up a little, a slow smile coming to his face. On his other side, Rogue joins in. "You're not alone. There's.. a lot of things I'm scared to know about my past. But, maybe.. we can search for those answers together."

The pain's still there, but it's not as heavy anymore, you think, with all of you sharing the weight. Kurt smiles, really smiles this time, looking at Rogue. "Okay." He says. "I'd like zhat."

You wipe at your eyes, which are getting a bit misty. "Do you want to play something? Mario Kart?"

"I zhink I vant to stay up here a little longer." He replies, "But please, go have fun. I'll be fine."

"Okay." You say reluctantly, you and Rogue leaving the room.

"Zhanks, Y/N. Zhanks, Rogue."

---

Kurt's face falls as soon as you and Rogue are out of sight, and he turns back to look out over the balcony. If he squints, he can see the smallest glimpse of Bayville High.

'Vhat are you doing now, mother?'

---

Raven stares out the window, watching the summer school students leave campus happily, carefree. A car pulls up and a woman waves her child over. The girl gets in with a smile on her face, and Raven faintly hears her through the glass. "Hi, Mom!"

The principal closes her fist, releasing a breath. She sits down at her desk and shifts back to normal. Then the air changes, and she knows he's entered the room before he even speaks.

"So, the boy is alive."

Mystique clenches her teeth. "Yes."

"How long have you known?"

"Long enough."

Magneto's eyes narrow, "Were you planning to tell me?"

Was she? Maybe not. After all this time, she'd thought the two of them were even. Each of them has no one left to lose. Was that why she tried so long to ignore reality, that her son was so close and yet knew nothing of her? Why she tried to keep her distance until it became too painful?

And too late.

"Why did you send those children to interfere?!" She demands angrily, even though she knows it wouldn't have made a difference. She saw Kurt's face. He thinks she's a monster.

The metal in the room hums a warning. "I instructed them to stop you from revealing our plans." He replies darkly.

"You think I would betray our cause?!"

"Perhaps not purposefully. But in an emotional state, you may let something slip. Like the coordinates Xavier harvested from your mind."

She reels back in surprise, cursing. "Of course, that's why he came.."

Magneto continues, "I had the evidence taken care of before his dog came sniffing around. The lab is gone."

The lab. She hasn't been able to go back there since..

Back then, even her son's loss wasn't enough to shake her faith in this man. She dealt with the grief by devoting more of herself to him. She let relationships fizzle and die for him. All because he promised that one day, they would achieve their dream. And yet now, when they're so close, she still feels so empty.

"Raven." He says, "I know it's difficult, but sacrifices must be made. These connections are weakness. One day, the boy will be able to appreciate the new world we ushered in. But for now, you're better off without him."

"..then your son is better off without you."

Rage flashes through Mystique's eyes, and before she can think better of it, she hurls the most painful words she can think of. "If family is such a burden, it's a good thing the humans destroyed yours."

The room shakes as she hears the sound of scraping, screeching metal. Pipes rip themselves from her walls and fly past her at deadly speed, crashing through the window. Her heart raises as she lifts her hands to protect from the broken glass. She hears a cape flap past her, and when her eyes open, he's gone.

Shakily, she sinks down into her chair and puts her head in her hands.

---

You sigh tiredly as you leave Kurt's room. "You alright?" Rogue asks, walking with you down the hall.

"Yeah, it's just a lot."

"Mhm." She hums in reply, and you feel her curiosity poking at you.

"What is it?" You ask. She seems nervous to say.

"Well.." Rogue finally says, "I've been meaning to ask.. about your powers."

Maybe it's her nerves, but there's a pit in your stomach. 'Am I nervous? Why?' You think, 'She's just curious!'

"..What about them?" You reply, trying to sound casual as you pick at the bandages on your arm.

Rogue answers, "Just, what it's like? To feel everything?"

"Overwhelming." You say automatically, then anxiously backtrack, "I mean, sometimes! Uh, I can handle it a lot better now, thanks to the Professor. I feel the emotions, but they don't overtake me anym-" You cut yourself off, eyes darting to Rogue. She looks lost in thought. What is she thinking about??

"I remember at survival camp, er, when everyone got into that argument." Rogue says, and your chest gets tighter. "I got angry, like, out of nowhere. Everyone was shouting, but.. you seemed different."

You don't want to remember that! Your heart is pounding, and you try to slow your breathing like the Professor taught you. Rogue continues, not noticing.

"It's not just that, either. On the mountain, with Mystique, you got really angry. And, I get that, but it, like, shook me. And.. I think it shook her, too."

It's getting harder to breathe. 'She noticed, oh god, she knows-'

"So I wanted to know if you don't just feel emotions,"

'Please, don't-'

"Or if maybe you can take over other people's?"

You freeze in place, your mind spiraling back against your will.

'Freak!'

'Get in there, spaz!'

Walls constricting, lights out, you're trapped again.

"No! No, please, I can't breathe!"

Laughter drowns out everything, the devilish glee overtaking you as your body convulses in sobs and giggles.

"Stop.."

"Y/N-"

"Stop!"

"Y/N!"

"STOP!"

"Y/N!!!"

Someone's shaking you, and you gasp. It's not dark, you're.. you're not at school. No one's laughing, no... She's crying.

Rogue is holding your shoulders, gasping and crying. Her eyes shine with fear as she takes a step back.

"No, no, no, no.." You mutter. You're out of control again. Look at her, she's terrified!

Of you.

"I'm s-so s-s-sorry-y.." You sob and do the only thing you can think of.

You run.

"Y/N, wait!"

There's no stopping, you can't. You need to get away from her, from everyone. Shutting yourself in your room, you collapse on the bed in tears.

'I'm so stupid.. I thought I'd changed.. But I'm still just.. just a..'

'You're a monster.'

Chapter Text

Question 1: Are y/n going to meet her parents? If so are they someone we already know?

A/N: Not wanting to spoil too much, I will confirm that Y/N's parents are an idea I've had since the beginning. Will be dropping more hints to her past in future chapters, but here's something for you: Y/N came to the orphanage when she was around seven years old, with no recollection of her prior life.

---

Question 2: Does Prof Xavier know y/n biological family?

A/N: Would he tell you if he did? ;)

---

Question 3: Is y/n going to get more abilities?

A/N: I definitely intend to expand Y/N's powers as she continues to learn and train, much like the other X-men. I'm sure there's things her powers are capable of that she doesn't even know yet!

---

Question 4: To all (The heroes, not Mystique and gang): If you all swapped powers, who would end up with what?

Kitty: I wouldn't mind to read minds sometime like Jean.

Jean: I don't know, it can be.. a bit of a headache. Moving through walls, though!

Evan: Dibs on Scott's laser eyes. POW!

Scott: I'll trade you for spikes!

Kurt: I'll have Rogue's power, and zhen I'll get all of yours, lol

Kitty: Hey, that's cheating!

Rogue: And not how that works. Besides, it's not like we can actually get rid of our powers.

Evan: But if you had to pick, whose powers would you have?

Rogue: *Sighs* I guess... Y/N's.

Y/N: Me?!

Kurt: Hey, zhat leaves you vith teleportation! Good for you!

Y/N: I think all your powers are amazing, I'd be lucky to have any of them.

Kitty: Awww, Y/N!

*Group hug*

Note: The adults decided to stay out of this debate but found it very amusing.

---

Question 5: To the Brotherhood: Which member of the X-Men do you hate the most? 

Toad: Which one? Probably-

Pietro: Ugh, Evan Daniels, hands down!

Toad: Hey, I'm-

Pietro: He's so "Oh, I'm so cool" and he's not! He's such a loser!

Lance: Obsessive, much?

Pietro: What?! I am NOT-

Blob: Shut it, it's my turn! Uh... Hold on, I need to think.

Lance: *rolls eyes* Well, I think Summers is the most annoying.

Toad: Really? I thought you'd pick Kitty! You know, cuz she dumped you- Wah!

*Lance avalanches Toad onto the floor*

Lance: This is stupid, I'm leaving.

Blob: Oh! I know! Jean and her stupid sunglasses boyfriend! They're the worst!

Toad: That's a good one, but we all know the real worst X-man. My nemesis.

Pietro: ...

Blob: ...

Toad: What?

Blob: Who's your nemesis?

Toad: Wha- Nightcrawler! Duh! Did he- Did he say I wasn't his nemesis?!

*meanwhile, on the other side of town*

Kurt: Vhy is my ear itching?

---

Question 6: What's something you're afraid of?

Scott: I used to be afraid of planes, but the Professor helped with that? Maybe, uh, skydiving? Or going to the doctor, I don't love medical exams.

Ororo: Small spaces, since I was young.

Kurt: Quicksand! Ze idea of getting stuck in it alvays freaked me out.

Rogue: Um... I don't know. Big crowds? And, uh, getting lost. I got lost once when I was little, but I got back to Irene okay.

Jean: Spiders. I know they're mostly harmless, but they give me the creeps! Driving makes me nervous too.

Evan: My mom when she's angry... Vivian Daniels is scarier than Auntie O, and she has superpowers.

Kitty: Getting a bad grade! And ghosts. I hate haunted houses!

Y/N: What am I afraid of? Um, probably small spaces, and the dark.

Charles: There's a lot of things I'm afraid of. Anything hurting my students is my greatest fear.

*Logan refused to answer the question. He gave you a look and walked away.*

---

A/N: I'm desensitized to most horror, lol, but body horror still gets under my skin. (pun intended)

---

Prompt: What if Y/N liked Evan back? 

Presenting: An alternative response to Evan's confession

You sit on the couch, stunned by Evan's video. You can feel his heart beating loudly in his chest, full of fear, and excitement and... affection. True affection. Your blush deepens.

All those wonderful things he said about you... no one in your life has ever made you feel like this.

Evan speaks up, his voice nervous and shaky. "I, uh, I just wanted to tell you, so you know. How I feel. And... And maybe know... if you feel the same?"

Do you feel the same?

You listen to your heart.

Turning to Evan, a smile slowly dawns on your face. "I... I think I do." Because the love, the love you feel right now, it's coming from both of you. You may never have been able to tell if you'd never come to the Institute. But then, would you ever feel this way if you'd never met Evan? He's grinning now too, his eyes shining so beautifully. "For real? You do?"

"Yeah." You breathe, sharing the giddiness of the moment. You don't how you could possibly feel better... until he leans forward and kisses you. It's a quick kiss, a question. And when he begins to draw back, you give your answer by leaning in and kissing him back. An explosion of strange and wonderful emotions wrapped in each other's arms.

Chapter Text

Sickly green light filters in and out through his eyelids. He can't feel his feet touching the ground. Is he floating? As consciousness ebbs in, the pain grows. His bones are on fire. Where is he?

'Danger!' His instincts scream. Claws emerge from his knuckles, and he slashes through the glass holding him inside. Liquid pours out with him. Freedom.

Without hesitation he rips free of the tubes leeching off his body. But there's a sound, a piercing alarm and lights. He needs to run. He needs to escape.

They try to stop him but he keeps going, through them if he has to. Eventually he's not running across metal floors, but snowy ground. A forest. A mountain.

'Danger, danger, danger..' There's something behind him.

An animal in a corner, he growls and tears his claws into them.

---

"Gah!" Logan gasps as he hits the floor, his head pounding. There's a ringing in his ears that takes a moment to subside. His vision clears and he realizes he just fell out of bed.

That's right.. He's at the Institute. He's not... wherever he thought he was.

He reaches for his forehead as he sits up, an ache still persisting. 'Just a stupid nightmare. Get yourself under control.' Logan's never been very good at relaxing. In his experience, there's always something around the corner. And though the nightmare is over, his instincts are still on high alert.

'Danger, danger, danger..' They hum quietly in the background.

Logan looks at the clock. 4:27 am. He grumbles and gets up.

'Might as well start the day.'

And if the dull headache is anything to go by, it's going to be a bad one.

---

Kitty yawns, wincing as her alarm goes off. She sleepily reaches to switch her phone off, but accidentally phases through it. "No!" She gasps, sitting up and grabbing it, "C'mon, please.." The screen glitches and goes black. Kitty throws her head back on her pillow and groans. Unfortunately, phasing through electronics or computers usually messes them up, as she's found out the hard way multiple times.

Unrelated note: Never phase through a toaster.

And so begins Kitty's no good, horrible, very bad day here at the Institute. Still hazy from sleep, she grabs a towel and heads for the bathroom hoping a nice shower can wake her up. However, she neglects to read the sign hanging on the doorknob and walks right through, meeting a half-dressed, angry Rogue on the other side.

"Hey!"

"Ah!"

Kitty quickly backs out of there, embarrassed. After a moment, Rogue opens the door and glares at her. "Do you mind? The sign says 'occupied'! The door was locked!"

"Who can read at this hour?" Kitty shrugs sheepishly. Rogue scoffs and slams the door in her face. "..Sorry."

Without a shower, Kitty's left feeling a little gross even after getting changed. She's just got an ick that she can't shake. Maybe it has something to do with the drama going on over the past few days. She really needs a break.

Pulling out her laptop, Kitty types a message to her parents since texting is currently out of the question.

'Hey! My phone's acting up so message me here until I get it fixed. I can probably fix it myself later when I have time.'

Kitty sits back on her bed, biting her lip.

'Might as well update you on how things are. The Institute's been a little crazy lately. I'm starting to feel, like, a little crowded?'

A door slamming open startles her, and Kitty narrows her eyes as Rogue comes in. She doesn't even apologize, just scowls and starts blow-drying her hair. The noise grates on Kitty as she types a bit more aggressively.

'Especially with a roommate like Rogue. She's been sooo grumpy these past few days. And I get that it's probably because of some issues with her former mentor,' Kitty decides maybe her parents don't need to get worried over the whole Mystique thing, so she leaves the details out. 'But, like, that's not my fault! So stop taking it out on me, you know?'

Truthfully, Kitty isn't even sure if facing Mystique again is what set her off. Rogue seemed.. well, not fine, but not this angry after the mission to save Kurt. Did something else happen? She's definitely not going to ask until she takes a chill pill, though. As if Rogue knows what she's thinking, she cranks the hair dryer up even louder. Kitty huffs in annoyance and grabs her towel, heading for the bathroom again.

Just as she steps in the hall, two boys go barreling past her.

"I'm going first!" Evan yells.

"Nein!"

"You always clog the drain!"

"I'm covered in fur, vhat do you expect?!"

"Watch it!" Kitty snaps, and Kurt turns to smirk at her. "Sorry! Grumpy today, huh?"

"Yeah, well, Evan just beat us both to the shower."

"Vhat?!" Kurt turns and Evan salutes him as he shuts the bathroom door. "Suckahh!"

"Agh!" Kurt pouts, "Zhanks a lot, Kitty!"

"Me? What did- Hey!" Rogue shoves past her out the door. "What is her deal?!"

"I don't know.." Kurt replies, looking after Rogue with an arched brow. "Did somezhing happen?"

"More than everything with Mystique?" Kitty asks, then regrets it, "Sorry."

She catches a glimpse of sadness on Kurt's face before he puts on a smile. "Don't vorry about it. I'm feeling a little better after writing to my folks."

"Ah, that's good. Oh hey, do you know if Y/N-?"

"Y/N?!" Kurt's eyes widen and he looks around, "Is she here?"

"Uhhhh, no." Kitty raises an eyebrow, "What, hasn't she been hanging out with you?"

"Oh! No, not really. I just needed some alone time for a bit."

"She's probably still asleep." Kitty says and Kurt looks relieved. Kitty tucks that away to ask about later. "I'm gonna give up on the shower and go down to breakfast before everyone else invades the kitchen. I seriously need to destress."

"Okay! I'm going to be busy today looking for- I mean, nothing! Maybe ve'll hang out later!"

"Okay?" Kitty heads downstairs, way too tired to analyze that sus behavior. If she can get out of this slump, it might be nice to hang out with Kurt and you today. 

"Just what has Y/N been up to anyway?"

---

You keep your head down, focusing as hard as you can on the math worksheet in front of you. All the voices of your schoolmates swirl around you as you try to control the erratic movements of your heart.

'Just be normal.' You think to yourself, hands tightening on the hem of a raggedy shirt, a hand-me-down from the older kids at the Home. 'Just be normal, just be normal, just be..'

A swell of laughter from the group beside you. You can't help it, the loud giggle that erupts from your mouth before you can cover it.

They turn to you. "Ugh, she's doing it again."

"What a freak."

"What are you laughing at, spaz?"

"I'm sorry." You reply, but you can't stop smiling. Please stop smiling.

Their faces sour and you can finally frown, but it's too late. "You having fun, Y/N?"