Chapter 9: Fire and Wind

Emma walk back and forth in the living room as Ethan had told her he met his mother in the town. She didn't like it; having someone Ethan knew so close.

"You sure she didn't follow you?" she asked him for like the ten time. Ethan roll his eyes and walk to the kitchen.

"I'm sure, plus you should be able to feel if she is here, shouldn't you?" Ethan ask her and start making food. Emma nodded but start to walk back and forth again. She had change to a pair normal blue jeans and a white top. Ethan like the look, her hair in a ponytail was also fitting, but he didn't like it. It was nicer released over her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" She suddenly asked and walk over to see him making dinner.

"Well," he said and treated for some ingredients, "you look busy with walking back and forth and I want food tonight." Emma just shook her head and sigh. She let Ethan keep do food and walk to one of the other rooms, her office. "What are you actually doing? For work?"

"I'm helping a friend."

"With?" Ethan ask and put the food at the table.

"None of your concern." she answer. "I just took Summer holiday earlier and decided to keep helping this friend."

"Summer holiday?" Ethan ask. "You mean like school holiday? You work at a school?"

"I might be having a small school for some persons."

"You must be kidding with me." she look up at him.

"Sorry?"

"Don't tell me you are having a school for humans. How can you stand that?" he aske her.

"I don't!" she answered. "If you now so interested to know, it's a school for mutant girls." she told him and shut the computer down. She sat down at the table and start to eat, not waiting for him to join her.

"You mean to tell me you have a school for mutant and girls only, plus my father doesn't know about it?"

"Charles Xavier isn't the smartest person on earth. I have my own way to do things and the school isn't that big. Just a class with five girls from this town." she said. Ethan raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Emma Frost has a school for girl Mutants!" Ethan yell. "Soon everyone will grow a tail."

"You don't believe me?" she asked.

"Just hard to believe, Emma Frost being a teacher."

"You don't know me." she stated. Ethan struggle his shoulders.

"Just a feeling." he answer her and she look at him a bit weird. "What?" it was his time to ask.

"Nothing, just… nice to have someone here."

"Yeah, it seems to become easy lonely here." Ethan stated and sat down to start eating.

"Remember, we only have four doors left." Emma told him as they saw a small Ethan come running with Jean after him. They were in the danger room, but Scott wasn't with them and it wasn't against the danger room, they was training against each other. Ethan all using his fire powers and Jean her telekinesis and let things they had put in the room flew against him. There were small boxes, lamps and all small things they had found to make it more interesting.

"Come on Jean!" Ethan call and burn down one of the pillows she had thrown at him. "A pillow won't help you!" he called and keep running while shooting fireballs at her. She blocked them with her powers and flew up in the air. She smiled.

"Running won't help you either." she told him and he start to come above the ground so he couldn't run. Ethan smirk at her.

"You want to play in the air?" he asked and start to use his air powers to manipulate it and fly against her. Jean wasn't ready so he knocked them both down to the ground again. "Give up?" Ethan ask as he start to tickle her. She screamed for help but no one came to her rescue. "Just say the world!" Ethan told her.

"Never!" she got out thought the laugh. She than push him with her powers so he flew back and hit the wall. "Oh my, Ethan?" she yelled and run over to him. He didn't move and she was on her way to get help when he scared her.

"BOO!"

"Idiot!" she yelled. "Don't do that!" Ethan laughs and the scene disappear to change.

"You two seem close."

"We are friends." Ethan said, knowing she would point the fact out that they look like a couple. "The only reason we actually kiss is because of you opening the doors. I see her more as a sister." Ethan told her, he was however not sure what they were.

"Does she see you like that as well?" Emma ask him.

"She kind of has someone, and Scott also has an interest in her." Ethan told her."I have promise to keep her safe, but we are friends, nothing more nothing less." Emma seem satisfied with that answer as she didn't ask more or comment. Or it was the fact with the next memory getting clear that made her silent.

"Hey, back off!" a fourteen-year-old Ethan yelled on a group of boys and girls. They stood surround around Jean and Ethan fight to get thought. He made it and then stood protecting between the gang and Jean. "I said back off or I might set you on fire!"

"Ethan…" Jean whisper and the gang laugh. Ethan however didn't like their laugh and in the next second he had allowed his hands bee set on fire and the kids scream and backed in fear. The leader, Luke, backed and try to talk nice to him.

"Man, we were only talking to her." he try.

"Yeah, sure and I'm only going to show you what burn skin feels like." Ethan said and was ready to hit him, but he was stop as the weather change and the boy run. Storm and his father came up to him and Jean but he didn't see them and yelled after the boy. "Be happy I'm not killing you, today!"

"Ethan?" Charles said and he turn around.

"Oh, hi dad, Ororo." he greeted them.

"What do you think you were doing?" Ororo ask and the weather made a thunder.

"I was playing?" the boy answer and the memory faded. Emma and Ethan was in the white endless room again.

"Wow, you were a good kid in school." Emma comment."You know which door?" He nodded.

"I do." he said and look up at her.

"Can I ask what happened after this?"

"Not much. My father gave me outdoor prohibition for a week and he change the kids memory. The leader, Luke, went to France a year after this." Emma nodded and waited for him to tell her which door, but he didn't. He just stood there and look at her.

"What?"

"If I tell you which door and you close it, will I still be able to manipulate fire or the other elements?" Emma look at him a bit sad, but she had a kind smile on her face.

"Ethan, all this elements powers, especially fire is only your illumination power that makes it look so real, with other words, your illusion becomes the truth in everyone's eyes."

"What do you mean with that?"

"It's a yes, you will be able to do this and much more when the doors are closed. It's only your fantasy that's put the lines. However, it will take training." Ethan nodded in understanding.

"Fire. I have always had Jean as a reason to fight. I guess she is the fire in me." he told her and he felt the door close as it jumped in his heart, more painful this time.

"We are getting closer, three more doors. Do you want to rest or shall we try take one more?"

"We take one more and when skip it tomorrow?" Emma nodded and the white room disappeared.

It was dark. Nothing was to be seen and Ethan was unsure about what happened. He was on his way to call for Emma when he started to hear voices. It was first whisper, then it became louder and louder.

"HE is not yours to take."

"He needs a real home, not this school of yours!"

"And that willhe do with our son? It's him you are taking him to, isn't it?"

"He will understand this power the boy holds. It's not only illusion, it's like he make it come real. What if he illusion someone die, will that happen?" Ethan could take out the voice to be a dialog between a male and woman. His dad and mom.

"He cannot come in the hands of Erik!" the voices slowly died down until they were gone. It was still dark and Ethan look around.

"Emma?" he called.

"I'm here." she said and took his hand, making him spin around to find her there. They were in the endless room again.

"Did you hear that?" he asked and she nodded. The scene change again before he got the chance to talk. It was still black dark, but he could somehow see Emma by his side and two other persons. His father and mother. His father on his left and his mother on his right. He took a step forward but Emma stop him.

"Ethan, we will find the perfect home, my friend Erik will help us. It's the best for you." his mother suddenly spoke. Ethan could feel his heart beat faster and harder.

"Ethan, the X-Men needs you. A model to what we are offering. Peace between humans and mutants. This will be best for you." his father said.

"Humans can't be trusted, they will never accept us, see what they did to Wolverine."

"Those was just a small among of everyone on earth. They are those that will accept us."

"Humans are to kill."

"Stop talking!" Ethan yelled.

"Humans are to believe in."

"Humans will never learn."

"Mutants will never be able to live with humans."

"Stop!"

"We are the humanities hope, the X-Men are to help humans and mutants."

"You are not an X-Man, you are my son."

"Stop talking!" Ethan fell to his knees and scream. It felt like someone had shot him. Like he didn't want to be there and he wanted to kill himself to get the pain away. Emma run to sit down in front of him.

"Ethan, it's just memories your mind is trying to mix up. You know which door it is, tell me!" she said but Ethan just shook his head and keep scream for them to shot up."Ethan, you must." Emma try and took his hands to get them away from his head."Ethan, you can make us stay here forever, we need to get out, focus. Ethan!" when he didn't respond Emma did the only thing coming to her mind. She kissed him. He went silent as their lips crossed and the place change back to the white endless room as the place that had felt like an earthquake now was peaceful. Emma broke the kiss and Ethan was speechless. He had kissed people before. One or two girlfriends that didn't last longer than a day, and the ones Jean had given him. But it was nothing like this. If it was because they were in his mind or it just was good, he didn't know.

"I was air, I had nothing to say and just flew with the wind."

Ethan opened his eyes and look up at Emma. He had not notice the small jump in his chest, but knew he had come as it felt like something had come away, like it was lightening. He was sweating, he was warm, but he didn't think about it as his thoughts and eyes had lock with Emma's eyes. It was like time had stopped. They were like that for a minute. No one said anything, no one moved until they both moved to cross their lips together. Emma crawl around, not letting their lips separated, to sit on his stomach and get a better angle to for the kiss. It wasn't soft and easy as it had been before, it was rough and hungry. Ethan pull her back a bit so he could sit up and kiss her neck. It felt so right, he thought. Like this was right.

"Ethan… bed?" Emma whisper in his ear and he didn't respond but answer with lifting her up and stand to walk to her bedroom.