For musicismyhero, snowspell, Starleatta, addy, red red red ribbon, and TessJess.

Chapter Four

Jeff had come to my house, the night after I told him the truth about me being a mutant. I had just fixed dinner for the twins, and we had sat down at the table when the door rang.

"Can I get it?" Johnny asked, already getting up from his seat.

"No, Johnny," I told the boy, standing up and walking to the door and opening it. "Jeff," I said in surprise. "What brings you here?"

"I have to talk to you," he said, avoiding my eyes. "How long have you… have you been…. You know?"

"How long have I been a mutant?" I asked quietly. "Always, Jeff. I never thought it would change our friendship, but obviously, you can't handle it, can you?"

"You never got it," he told me. He turned and walked out, leaving me staring after him, confused.

I felt Charles's mind in mine. Keep him distracted, he said. I'll call in help.

"Jeff, what are you doing?" I said. "Put that down and let's talk, shall we?"

"I'm doing what I have to," he said, stepping forward. He pointed the gun at me. "I'm going to rid the world of a couple of monsters. You first, then him."

"Think of Hanna and Johnny," I whispered. "Would you want them to grow up without a mother or a father?"

He hesitated, lowering the gun slightly, before raising it again. "Better they be raised as orphans than by a mutant." I dropped to the ground just as the gun went off, the bullet imbedding itself into the bed right behind where I had been standing.

"Jeffery, stop!" I whispered, slowly getting up. "You loved me once, didn't you? Please, just leave. I won't mention this to anybody, I promise, just as long as you leave now."

"And leave you here with him?" he motioned towards Charles. "Do you know what he can do? He can control people!" Silence filled the room. "He's controlling you!"

"No, he isn't," I said. "No one is controlling me. I'm my own person, Jeff. Why don't you just put the gun down? You don't really want to kill me, do you?"

"You don't get it," he told me. "I have to. I can't allow you to live. Darien told me what you can do. You know my secrets."

"I don't," I assured him. "And what I do know, that you told me yourself, I won't tell anybody else. You can trust me."

He looked like he was about to speak, as the door opened and Hank entered. "What's going on?" the demanded, taking in the scene. I glanced over at Charles, who gave me a slight nod. My brother's childhood friend gave me a last glance, shoved the gun into a pocket, and walked out.

I sank into a chair, shaking. One of my best friends had just tried to kill me, because he couldn't handle the fact that I wasn't the same person he thought he knew.

"Are you two alright?" Hank asked us.

I nodded. "We're fine," I assured him. "He missed us."

"Do you want me to call in security?"

"No," Charles said. "He won't be back. And I'm leaving today." He looked at me. "I wanted to ask you if you want to stay at the mansion. You can be taught to control your mutation, just like everyone else."

I smiled at him. "I would like to stay at the mansion, thank you." I glanced around the room, at the hole in the bedpost. "How do we explain that, exactly?"

"Er… maybe they won't notice it?" Hank asked. "It doesn't matter, we're leaving now."

Charles closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them and looked at me. "Alex will meet us by the car with Hanna and Johnny," he said. "And…" A strange look crossed his face.

"Charles?" A voice said, at the door. A blue woman came in, another mutant. "It's me. Mystique."

Hank glanced at me. "Katie, let's give them a minute," he said. I nodded, and we left the room.

From what Charles had told me, Mystique, who had once been known as Raven, was someone he referred to as his sister. She had appeared at his house one day as a child, and they had become friends and grown up together.

But during the time they spent training, she had fallen in love with Erik, or Magneto, as he was going by now. And on that day, when Charles had gotten shot, she had left with him, with one thing to say to Hank: Mutant and proud. It had hurt Charles, as he had told me, even more than the bullet had, even though he had told her to go with him, had known she would.

Now she was back. I remembered the day that Magneto had come to see Charles, he had mentioned it was Mystique's idea. This time, as far as I knew, she had come alone. But why?

We waited outside for an hour, until she came out. She glanced at me. "Don't hurt him," she told me, then stalked away. Hank and I went back in.

Charles was sitting in the middle of the room, staring at the wall. "Charles?" I asked quietly. "Are you ready to go?"

He nodded slowly, as a tear made its way town his cheek. "Yes. Let's go."

Alex was still waiting by the car. When we got there, he gave us a curious look. "What took so long?" he asked. Charles just looked at him, while Hank lifted him into the car. "What?" he asked, glancing over at me.

"Raven came," I whispered, before kneeling down in front of my children. "Hanna, Johnny, we're going with Charles, Sean, Hank, and Alex, okay?"

Johnny's eyes lit up. "Really? I like Mr. Alex!" "Mr. Alex" laughed.

I had a hard time finishing this chapter. I really don't know if I like it or not, but... Anyway... Please leave me a review.