Chocolate

They had to make a supermarket run.

Moira was going so Amelia, Hank, and Raven volunteered to go with her to get out of the house (Amelia's black eye having finally healed). Charles lent Moira his car with the expressed condition that under no circumstances was Raven allowed to drive (something about a squirrel…) –he added Amelia to that condition after some consideration.

It was good to get out of the mansion. The real world was something that seemed like a distant memory. All the mutant training gave the outside world a surrealistic quality that made Amelia question the normalcy that she was now accustomed to.

What sucked was how very little clothes she had. She hadn't packed much to begin with and after the attack at the CIA base her clothing options were even more limited. She wore a navy skirt and light yellow blouse Moira lent her. Raven was lucky that they were staying at her house –she had an extensive closet.

It was relatively busy and given that they were shopping for eight people, the market run was time consuming. They got the necessities (food, detergent, bathroom stuff, etc.) but they also added some stuff (twinkies for Hank and Raven, bars of chocolate for Amelia, and a bottle of champagne for a very red faced Moira who mumbled something about Charles when Raven and Hank left in search of toothpaste).

They left the store and college looking kids were handing out pamphlets and flyers. Amelia took one that was thrust under her nose. She gave it a look –something about a Civil Rights Act. That sounded interesting.

They managed to fit everything in the trunk –that was a miracle.

Raven dictated the radio station from the back seat with Hank. She told Amelia to stop when she heard The Crystals' "He's a Rebel." It was hilarious –as much as Raven liked the song, it was Hank that sang along.

They got back to the mansion and the four of them made fast work of putting the items away. It was good considering that Sean and Alex bolted when Moira seemed about to ask for help and Erik and Charles were no where to be found.

Amelia went to the library with Moira and Hank and Raven went to the lab. Moira started turning on the television and Amelia looked out the window.

Charles and Erik were directly outside. And Charles had a gun to Erik's head –his head.

She watched in horrified fascination as Erik seemed to encourage Charles to shoot him. Amelia was pretty sure Erik would be able to deflect the bullets but she knew Charles wouldn't do it. If Erik wanted someone to shoot him, he should have asked her.

Charles put the gun to his side and seemed to lecture Erik. She couldn't really tell what they were saying and they had turned around so she could only see their backs. Charles was doing the finger-temple routine and then Amelia noticed what Erik was trying to do. He was moving the freaking satellite.

"Amelia?"

"I'm not doing anything –wait… What?"

Moira gave her a questioning look and walked over. She looked out the window and turned back to Amelia. "Can you go get the others? The President's address is about to start. That should give us some clues about Shaw's plans. Everyone should be here." Moira looked out the window again and then looked back at Amelia.

"It's not what you think."

"I didn't say anything…"

"I'm gonna go get the others now…"

"Alright…"

Amelia got Sean and Alex out of the weight room with the assurance that they were finished putting away the stuff from the market. Then she got Raven and Hank out of the lab and they met up with the others in the library as Charles and Erik were going in. Erik had the gun in his hand.

Amelia raised her eyebrows. Erik gave a self-satisfied smirked. Amelia sneered. Erik smiled. A real smile.

Charles and Moira settled around the TV. Kennedy was on the screen.

"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile crossing the embargo line that surrounds Cuba as an attack by the Soviet Union on the Untied States requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union…"

Erik pointed at the screen with the gun. "That's where we're going to find Shaw."

Alex was doubtful –the idiot. "How do you know?"

Charles answered, "Two superpowers facing off and he wants to start World War III. He won't leave anything to chance."

Amelia held back the 'duh' she wanted to say.

Erik looked at the group. "So much for diplomacy. I suggest you all get a good night's sleep."

Amelia looked back at the screen. Kennedy seemed to echo what Charles and Erik felt. "...ultimately leads to war."

Amelia was in the kitchen trying to sneak one of her contraband chocolate bars someplace she could enjoy in private when Erik snuck up on her.

She gave a shudder/ jump/ shriek.

He smiled again, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing…" She sighed. She could share with him. It was Sean she didn't want to share with –he'd take them all. She held out the chocolate. "Want some?"

A faraway look came over Erik's face. "No." He looked her in the eyes and seemed to come back to reality. "Thank you."

She was uncomfortable now. "I'll save it for later."

He took a step forward. "You should have it now –you might not get the chance tomorrow."

Amelia gulped –and it wasn't from the mention of possible death. "I'll take my chances." She noticed he still had the gun. "I saw you and Charles outside earlier –you should have asked me to shoot you. I can't guarantee I would have aimed at your head though…"

His smile widened. "That's good to know." His smile dropped a bit and his eyes narrowed a fraction. "You're really willing to take your chances?"

"Of course –I don't think anyone in this house would be willing to let me die. You wouldn't let me die. Would you?"

His smile was gone and he looked her dead in the eye. "Never."

She felt like hyperventilating but she met his stare. "Unless it came down to saving me or killing Shaw." He looked away. "Don't worry –if comes down to it, I'd do the same thing."

He looked back at her. He whispered, "Exceptional."

He wanted her. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.

How did she not know this before? –Because she didn't want to.

She wasn't sure if he was going to kiss her or what. It didn't matter though –Sean came in.

She shuddered/ jumped/ shrieked. Sean laughed but then something caught his attention. "Is that chocolate?"

"Son of a –"

She managed to persuade Sean she only had one chocolate bar –they split it. Even if he did get the bigger piece –she had a secret stash.

Dinner was earlier than usual and nobody ate as much.

Everyone split up afterward. Charles went to his study with Erik (chess match). Moira went to make some phone calls to update the CIA (from the looks of it she was meeting up with Charles later –that champagne bottle was going to get some use). Hank went back to the lab (he seemed happy about the serum). And everyone else went to their rooms.

Amelia took a shower and tried to relax. It was pointless. She left her room to find someone to bug.

She was looking for Raven and she found her. Coming out of Erik's room. Naked and blue.

She managed to hide from Raven when she passed. But Erik saw her.

She looked at him. He looked back.

She turned around to look for someone else to bug.