Ororo sat nervously in the coffee shop she'd asked James to meet her. She couldn't talk to him openly in the White house; there were too many listening walls and Steve's scrutiny and look of pain and betrayal were too much to bear. Here they could have privacy.

James arrived a few minutes later. He ordered a cup of coffee and sat across from her. Drumming his fingers on his leg, he gave her a small grimace.

"So."

"So." She repeated numbly. "I suppose I should ask...how you know." She ran her fingers over the edge of her coffee cup.

The corner of James' mouth tilted upwards. "Because...I've known Steve a long time. And he's never looked at anyone the way he looks at you..." Ororo felt a wave of relief...followed by a wrench of guilt and irritation. She wished Steve's feelings for her didn't affect her so much. "And let's face it." James continued. "It was pretty clear from just looking at her, that Sharon hates you more than she hates most people."

Ororo felt her mouth tugging into a small smile. "I'm sorry." She murmured.

"Why are you apologizing?" James asked.

"Because it's what's expected in these situations." She shook her head. "I'm the mistress...the whore."

James raised an eyebrow. "You don't believe that."

"Of course I don't." Ororo snapped. "I was in love. And even though it hurt more than...more than anything I've ever felt, I wouldn't go back and change a thing."

"Even him leaving you?" James asked softly. Her look of surprise made him give him a sad nod. "Steve's face, when he looked at you in the office the first day; it was full of regret."

Ororo was attempting to process this information when James asked the question she'd been dreading.

"Do you still love him?"

She bit her lip. She wasn't sure where she'd been worried because she didn't know...or because she was certain. She closed her eyes. James exhaled. "I guess there's my answer," he said softly.

"Would it make a difference if I said...that I'm trying to get over it?" Her voice was soft and she hesitated before reaching for his hand. James gave her a small smile.

"Well, I'd be lyin' if I said it was ideal." He sighed. "I don't know. I really like you, Ororo. But Steve's my best friend." He shook his head. "I know what to do."

"We could finish our coffee." Ororo suggested. "Then...maybe we could wait a few days to ...straighten things out before going out for dinner again."

James nodded; there was a slight look of relief on his face. "Slow...I think I can work with that."

Ororo exhaled. "James." She added. "I want you to know that I had no idea who you were when we first met."

He chuckled. "I figured."

Ororo relaxed. "It feels so good to have everything in the open."

James hesitated slightly before nodding, a shaky smile on his face. "I guess it does."


Everything out in the open? He thought to himself as he made his way back to his apartment. Hardly. James felt the guilt rising. This assignment was becoming too dangerous. He was attached. There was no denying it anymore. He'd suggested the break because it would be bad for his mission for him to appear too eager, but he'd resented every word as he said it. That moment when Ororo suggested they continue their relationship he'd been so...relieved. And not because it meant he could continue his mission, but because he wanted her...close. Because it meant that they had a chance to...create something.

Something based on what? He thought bitterly as he opened the door to his apartment. Bucky tried to remind himself that whatever Lennsherr had planned directly involved Ororo...and that he might be asked to hurt her...then he realized that by lying to her he was already hurting her. He turned the key in his lock, bolting the door. What could he do? He couldn't escape B613, but more and more it seemed that he couldn't handle her being harmed by whatever Command's plans were. He tossed his keys onto one of the kitchen counters and sat roughly down on the sofa. He didn't have many options; if Command sensed even less than 100 percent commitment to this assignment, he'd simply pull Bucky out and replace him with someone else...Odinsson probably. James tightened his fists; the idea of Odinsson near her made him sick. He had to protect her; he had to ensure that he shielded her from the worst of Lennsherr's plans.


"Congratulations, Charles."

The voice came from an armchair in the corner of the hotel room. Charles closed the door slowly. He didn't need to look; he know who was there.

"After all these years." He said. "I confess it is good to see you, old friend." He reached into his pocket for his phone.

"Don't bother." Erik said. "I've made sure you're incapable of receiving any reception until well after I'm gone."

Charles clicked on the light. Erik was sitting, his hands folded in front of his chin.

"What brings you by?" Charles smiled pleasantly, attempting not to show fear.

"You've been doing quite well for yourself." Erik said. "That's good; it means you have more to lose."

Charles glared. "Can you not forget the past?"

"While that might be easy for you," Erik said. "I do not have that luxury." He pulled a large, thick envelope from inside his suit pocket. He stood, dropping it in Charles' lap. Charles looked down, not opening it.

"What is this?" He asked, fearing he already knew.

"A gift." Erik said, "I'm not sure what the tradition is when someone's nominated for the Supreme Court." He motioned to the envelope. Charles hesitated before picking it up and opening it. One glance at its contents and his worst fears were confirmed. He slammed them down on his lap.

"Erik, please."

The other man just gave him an amused smile.

"They're all so beautiful." Erik said.

"They have nothing to do with this." Charles hissed. "You've gone too far."

"I haven't even begun." Erick replied. "And you'll never see me coming." He put his hand on the door nob. "You may think your money and position makes you safe, but you're nothing more than glorified puppet for the theater of the state."

"You come near my children and-" Charles began. Erik opened the door.

"Soon you'll see who pulls your strings." He walked out.

Charles looked back down at the pictures in his lap. Warren in a board meeting. Kitty getting coffee. Jean at dinner with Scott. Scott behind his desk in the Attorney General's office. Kitty and Jean coming out of Ororo Munroe & Associates. Amara sitting with her friends in class at Georgetown. Jubilee working at her desk in her Paris studio...and Ororo...Ororo tangled in the arms of President Steve Rogers in her apartment.

Taking a deep breath he came to a decision he pulled out his phone. There was only one person who could help him. Unfortunately it meant divulging secret of a past long buried.


Ororo stood at the end of the table in OMA's conference room waiting for the others to arrive. Sam and Bruce were already present. Sam was sleepy, Bruce was alert and confused.

"Do we get to know what's happening?" Sam asked. Ororo pursed her lips. "It's not that I'm complaining; it's just that when I'm dragged out of bed at 3 am by this guy," he thumbed over at Bruce, "I'd appreciate some sort of info on why." He winced as Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Eventually."

"I'll explain when our client gets here." Ororo said.

"Who's our client?" Kitty asked as she came in, yawning loudly. She frowned when she caught sight of Bruce. "How are you so awake?"

"Years of training." Bruce replied.

"You're weird." Kitty muttered, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle another yawn. "I'm making coffee."

"If you bring me some I'll love you forever." Sam called after her. She turned and stuck out her tongue, almost bumping into Jean and Amara.

"Ororo, what's the emergency and why did I have to bring Amara out of school?"

"Don't bother asking." Scott said, coming in behind them. Amara glared at him. "Well all know that Ro won't tell us anything until it benefits her."

"Scott, don't be an asshole." Jubilee came in a pair of silk pajamas, an eye mask still on her head. She dramatically dropped herself into one of the chairs. "Ororo's got a good reason." Warren came in and raised an eyebrow at Jubilee. "What?" She said. "Just because you sleep in a suit, doesn't mean the rest of us do." She paused. "Tell me that's not Dolce and Gabbana?"

Warren cleared his throat and tugged at his suit jacket. "Ororo, I'd appreciate an explanation.

"Warren!" Jubilee shouted. "I'm in a FEUD with them."

"Grow up." Scott said.

"Sure." Jubilee said, smiling sweetly and leaned her head on her hands. "After you get that stick removed from your ass."

"Lee." Jean warned.

Amara frowned. "You're always defending him, Jean. Even when he doesn't deserve it."

"Yeah." Jubilee agreed. "Where's your sister solidarity?"

Ororo looked upwards and tried to remain calm as her siblings began bickering.

"Everyone QUIET." She said. Her voice rang through the room like a thunderclap, silencing those assembled. "Now,you all know that I wouldn't call you all here if it wasn't urgent, but I've got a client and what they have includes all of us."

"Why?" Jean asked.

"Because the client is me." They all turned to see Charles rolling through the entrance to the conference room. He dropped an envelope on the table. "And I'm afraid you are all in danger."