Author's note: Thank you to Rasha007, NotMarge, kmj1989, and SA Jedi DC of Marvel for the reviews! Sorry it took so long to come back to this, I've been busy writing/ editing Take A Chance. This was fun to write, though. Raven's in denial about some things, folks. You'll see what I mean ;-)

Thanks again for the support, guys! One more chapter after this one, I think. Enjoy!

Part Two

Charles let us know we'd arrived at that moment, cutting off our conversation. Hank looked relieved, which was actually quite pleasing to me. I was getting under his skin already.

The Friends of Humanity hicks were holding the pipsqueak hostage in a little podunk town's abandoned slaughterhouse. Hank navigated the jet over to a clearing and landed easily.

It was game time.

"So what's the plan?" Sean asked. "How many FOH guys are in there?"

Charles searched the building with his powers and told us the FOH was debating on keeping Beast's wife alive because she kept setting things on fire.

I wanted to scoff at that news. Too little, too late, pipsqueak. Tactically speaking, it was foolish to try to escape alone when surrounded by forty gun-toting assholes. What an idiot.

When my brother informed us that Little Miss Helpless was stuck in a freezer, Hank looked like he was about to go berserk. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from telling him to stop being so over-dramatic.

"How many are guarding her?" he snarled.

"Ten," Charles replied.

Erik suggested we split up.

I could already guess who I was going to be paired with, and I was both looking forward to it and dreading it. Anticipating it, because it would give me more time to work on getting Beast to change sides. Dreading it, because he was going to bore me if he kept up the histrionics.

Sean and Alex looked murderous when Charles suggested they work with Erik. I rolled my eyes at their stubborn stupidity.

Why were they complaining about the help? Erik was going to cream those rednecks without breaking a sweat. Did the X-Men want the girl back or not?

Oh, wait. They actually cared whether or not the FOH pricks lived or died, thanks to their stupid, misguided principles. Somehow I had the feeling Erik and I were fighting a losing battle with these idiots.

But still. It was worth a shot.

"Alright. Beast, I'll walk you through it once you're inside," Charles concluded. "Good luck, all of you."

We left him in the jet and slipped through the trees to the edge of the woods, where the warehouse stood.

After Erik dispatched the three guards out front, he and the other two headed for the front door. Erik, as always, looked completely, admirably in control of the situation. Within minutes I could hear shots firing and Banshee's screams.

So now I was alone with Mr. Dramatic. It was time to get back to work, needling him about his wife, keeping him on edge just in case.

Hank let out a restless sigh and started to fidget.

"You nervous?" I guessed hopefully.

He looked at me, obviously confused.

"No," Hank replied. "Just impatient to get my wife back."

Huh. This was just too easy- he didn't even need my help. He was panicking already.

He was so boring. Attractive or not, his obsession with the stupid redhead was getting on my nerves. I mean, yeah, she could die, but freaking out about it wasn't going to change anything, was it? How counter-productive.

What exactly was so special about this girl anyway?

"What's she like?"

Hank hesitated suspiciously.

"Well?" I demanded.

"Zoey's smarter than I am, and stronger," he said finally. "She's the kindest, most compassionate person I've ever met. I feel like I'm a better person around her. She's my best friend. I can tell her anything."

He could talk to her the way he could never talk to me.

Hank didn't say it, but I heard it loud and clear anyway. The way he spoke about her, with this stupid love struck look on his face, irritated me. He acted like this girl was so perfect, like she made him happier than he could've ever dreamed.

It made me angry- so angry I almost wanted to turn around and leave. Let Little Miss Perfect die, see if I cared.

Hank didn't deserve to be that happy. Not after the things he said to me that night before Cuba, and not after he spent so much time denying his gifts and hating himself. No one should be that happy when they couldn't even accept themselves. It wasn't fair. Not when I-

"Sounds like a real winner," I noted acidly. "How'd she end up with a guy like you?"

"Sometimes I ask myself that same question," Hank murmured quietly.

He sounded sincere. So he knew how much he didn't deserve happiness, the bastard.

"I want you to know that I'm sorry about the things I said that night before Cuba," he said suddenly. "I've always wondered how much my words affected your choice to leave with Erik."

I snorted. "Don't flatter yourself," I snapped. "I had to get away from my brother or I would've never been my own person. You had nothing to do with it."

Like I cared what he thought.

I was Mystique- strong, wild and free. His insults back then had no effect on me, just proved how blind and narrow-minded he was. The tears in my eyes that night were because I pitied his limited view of beauty, his hatred for himself...

I shook my head disparagingly.

Damn right he apologized to me. I deserved an apology... Even if I didn't care what he said...

Now, Charles' voice said suddenly, cutting into my musings.

Hank took off like a bullet from a gun, leaving me in the dust. He'd already taken out two guys by the time I caught up to him.

"Hurry up," he snarled. "This way."

I wanted to punch him for being so snippy. I didn't have to be here to help, but he was treating me like some kind of third wheel.

He ran off again, knocking rednecks out along the way as we got further into the building until we reached a left hand junction.

Stop, Charles' voice cautioned. Around the corner is the freezer and all of the guards. Raven should go in first.

I slipped on a disguise easily and smugly walked by Hank.

See? You needed me for something, Beast. Now it wouldn't hurt to show some gratitude.

There were eight FOH morons in the hallway, standing guard in front of a freezer door. All of them were carrying semi-automatic weapons, and between the eight of them they probably had less IQ points than my little finger.

"Hey, Jonesy," one of the hicks said. "What's going on? We keep hearing-"

And then I worked my magic, taking all of them out with ease. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, handling these idiots.

They really didn't deserve to live. And they certainly didn't deserve to rule society and lord over what was obviously a superior race.

"There's a padlock on the door," I noticed when they were all knocked out. "Should we-?"

Hank reached out and ripped the door's steel handle off. Then he dug his claws into the jamb and wrenched the door open.

Why did he have to be so sexy and so stupid and annoying at the same time?

Cold, misty air immediately rushed out of the freezer. Inside I could see a glowing light.

"Zoey?" Hank asked hopefully.

"Hank," a female voice cooed.

Ugh. She made me want to barf.

The half-frozen redhead practically fell out of the freezer into her husband's arms. Hank lifted her up and started mumbling a bunch of nonsensical, cheesy bull crap that made my urge to retch stronger.

It got even worse when they started to kiss and the pipsqueak started to assure him she was ok. She was being all comforting and reassuring to him. It was disgusting, how weak they both were about each other.

"Th-the baby?" Hank asked hopefully, putting her down. He reached out and put a hand on her stomach.

The baby?

"Fine, I think," she replied with a simpering smile. Her hand covered his.

Pregnant. She was pregnant with Hank's child.

They were going to go home together and live in a house with a white picket fence and have a baby and live happily ever after.

And me?

I thought of my Liebling, my little Nightcrawler with a pang. I would probably never see my child again, never see him grow. I gave Kurt up to keep him safe, so I could continue on with my mission. I couldn't be a mother to him when I was too busy fighting for him and all our kind.

But would these two ever appreciate my sacrifices for mutant kind? Would they ever understand?

No, of course not. The fools.

I cleared my throat pointedly, making them both jump. They'd been so busy whispering vapid sweet nothings to each other that they'd forgotten my presence.

"Hello, Mystique," the little weakling said uncertainly.

I ignored her. "Can you have this little reunion on the jet? We're still in enemy territory, here," I snapped.

Sentimental idiots.

"Let's get you out of here," Hank said, taking her hand. "Do you need me to carry you or do you want to walk?"

I don't think I can walk very far," his wife replied.

Such a weakling. What a tragedy that she seemed to have strong powers, but was too pathetic to use them.

"It's ok, my love," Hank said soothingly.

Ugh. Seriously, if I spent any more time around them I was going to lose my lunch for sure.

He scooped her up and started heading out. I lead the way, since his hands were full of his whiny little wife.

We were almost out, home free. One more hallway and we'd be at the front door and the freedom beyond.

And then two FOH assholes stumbled into our path, with submachine guns at the ready. They both looked like Christmas had come early.

Really?

I couldn't believe that I might be about to die for that stupid little redhead. The plan was for her to hopefully kick the bucket, not take me along with her!

This was definitely not how I expected to spend my Friday night.