I come home and find even more notifications about this story? Oh my god guys! I'm feeling so much love~! Anyway, here's the second chapter I promised for today. Until tomorrow, friends!


The travel back to Westchester was filled with a heavy and tense silence. Alex held the shame of Darwin's death. He hadn't directly killed Darwin. After all, it was Shaw who infused the man with an intense amount of energy. But it was Alex's energy. It was from his attack, and he couldn't help but feel the guilt. Sean couldn't even lighten up the mood. He didn't have it in him to try and crack a joke or two, nor was it the time. Hank wanted to say something, but what could be said? The base was totaled. Almost all of the agents were dead. Angel was taken. Darwin killed. It wasn't something anyone wanted to bring back up. Raven couldn't get those deaths out of her head at all. Despite the excitement of returning home, she wasn't jumping for joy. Amaya remained how she was before. She never let go of Charles' hand, but it wasn't like he was going to let her release his hand in the first place. He was her anchor and kept her grounded. She didn't feel like she was slipping as much.

She wanted to go home as much as Raven, but the closer they got to the mansion, the more anxious she was. Shaw's words echoed through her head repeatedly. If they found out, what would they say? They'd definitely see her in a different light. How would they react? She let out a sigh and glanced over to Erik. His face remained completely passive, but every once and a while she'd feel him glance at her with recognition. She remembered the man from what seemed like a life time ago. She'd remembered ever since she saw his abilities. They knew what he'd done in the past. They knew that had killed, that he'd be willing to kill. That was how they met him. But if they found out about what she did, would they still welcome her? Would they still be this kind and would they still have the same relationship?

Charles glanced down at the girl and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She was never this quiet. He could feel the turmoil inside of her, the indecisiveness, fear… He felt her relax against him once again as she often did in the car and on the plane. But when she saw the mansion, she tensed again. As much as he wanted to reach into her mind and figure out what it was that was making her react so differently from usual, he knew his boundaries and he knew he couldn't. Not if he wanted to keep her trust.

Finally they arrived at the mansion. They got out of the convoy they had to use to carry everyone at once and gathered around the front. Charles felt the surprise and excitement spark in the new team at the sight of the mansion. He smiled, looking up at the building. Home sweet home.

"Wow, Charles, I couldn't imagine how you've survived with all this hardship," Erik spoke, dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, it was a hardship softened by me," Raven said, stepping between the two men. Charles chuckled and wrapped his spare arm around her, giving her a peck on the cheek. "Alright," she said. "Time for the tour."

The group followed her in and marveled at the interior almost as much as they marveled at the exterior. Sean let out a low whistle and attempted to touch everything he could. Amaya released Charles' hand and made a move to head up the stairs without anyone noticing, wanting to go to her room. The man only tightened his grip on her, turning to meet her eyes.

Where are you going?

I need to be alone…

I'm sorry, love, I don't think that's best-

I need to be alone, Charles.

He reluctantly let her out of his hold and nodded. I'm here if you need me.

I know. She turned and ran up the stairs quietly, disappearing to the second floor.

Erik glanced between the two and followed him with her eyes, debating whether to follow or not. He wanted to know what Shaw she knew about Shaw and most likely vice versa. He had made a note to talk with her at some point in his stay. Now would be a good time whilst everyone else was touring the house and she was alone. Besides, she needed to let it out. He knew that better than anyone. All of that pent up anger, that frustration. He saw the fire in her eyes the first time they met and now he's only seen it blaze brighter and more dangerously. Erik looked to the group who had already made it several feet down the hall. Quietly, he slipped up the stairs and followed the direction he saw the girl take. He paused at the top of the stairs and looked down both sides of the hall, trying to figure out which way she went. It was a fifty-fifty chance. He might as well try both. He knocked on each door lightly before peeking in to see if she was inside, but nothing. Several other doors and the same thing, she wasn't there. He tried the other side of the hallway and still nothing. Had she gone to the third floor? Erik paused and glanced down the stairs to make sure that no one was coming up before climbing to the third floor. He repeated his actions, knocking on each door and checking in each room. Unless she had gone out the window or there was some sort of secret passage in the house, he should have found her by now. There was also the option of her shadow traveling to where she needed to go. In that case, he'd never find her.

Erik raised his hand to knock on the last door, but before he could even hit the wood, a voice jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Why are you looking for me?"

He turned around and saw Amaya standing before him with her arms crossed, slightly annoyed. "I wasn't," he lied. "I was giving myself a personal tour."

"No you weren't. I saw your look of confusion when you checked each room on the second floor and saw that I wasn't there. I saw you glancing around as if you were searching for something."

"Someone," he corrected. "I only want to talk."

"I only want to be alone," she countered, turning around and walking away.

"I remember you. You were that girl in Shaw's facility. I stayed in the cell next to yours-"

"I know. I never forgot anything that happened there, no matter how hard I wanted to or tried. What is it?"

"As much as Charles wants to offer you comfort, you can't actually be comforted unless you talk about it."

"Oh yeah, let's just talk about that, because that's not going to give me pitying looks or sympathy, both of which I want neither of."

"You need someone who can understand, someone who can empathize."

"Last time I checked, you weren't the type to talk too much about your feelings. Or what happened with Shaw."

"Because do you honestly think that anyone else would understand? Everything Shaw did to me, to us. The aftermath and the trauma... That's something they'll never understand."

"So you're saying to confide in each other."

"Yes, because I'm sure you're the only one here who would agree with my suggestion to kill him."

"I want his head on a mantle."

Erik smirked. "With that way of thinking and those dark eyes, you might be able to change your name to Demon rather than Shadow."

She scoffed. "Demon... Shadow... Whichever, I honestly don't care. Either way, I'll take you up on your offer. Go. Charles is probably looking for you. We'll talk after dinner."

"I'm holding you to that."

"I know, I know." She rolled her eyes. "Just go."

Erik nodded and started towards the stairs. He glanced back once, but she was already gone. After dinner, right. Because that would definitely come off as not suspicious. He shuffled back down to the first floor and walked into the room where everyone was gathered. "I was trying to find the bathroom," he said, dismissing everyone's questionable stares.

.:-:-:.

It seemed that the tension had been relieved by the time dinner came around. It was such a different change of pace. It used to be just Charles, Raven, and Amaya, but now, the whole table was filled and it was rather lively. They had prepared the food earlier, all together to ensure there was enough for everyone. Amaya's tension had decreased, relieved to find someone to confide in who wouldn't look at her as if she were a lost puppy or something. She started acting more how Charles and Raven knew her to be. Charles was glad for that, but he couldn't help but wonder what made her ease up.

Amaya finished up her food quickly and put it in the sink.

You're not staying for desert? Moira made a delightful cake for afterward.

She glanced back, shaking her head as she began to wash her dishes. She'd already told Erik to meet her in the game room in the second floor, and it would be better if one of them left early and the other left when the others did. What's with you communicating telepathically so often now?

Your mind is more open now than it was before. It's easier this way.

She never realized how closed she'd kept her mind prior to. Huh...

So no desert?

I don't plan on eating any, no. Maybe tomorrow. I want to take a long bath before bed.

Whatever you're actually going to do, don't cause too much trouble.

That takes all the fun out of it.

He let out a small chuckle, sipping on his drink. Raven glanced between Charles and looked back at Amaya, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing," Charles answered.

"Charles is just enjoying the fact that he can apparently talk to me telepathically. We're talking about his kinks, actually." She turned around and smirked at him.

Moira choked on her water. "What?"

"Oh yeah, Charlie has an extensive list of kinks," she hummed, drying off her hands.

"We are not having this conversation again," he said, shaking his head amusedly.

"Actually, we never had the conversation. You know my kinks, you never said any of yours."

"What kinks do you even have?" Alex asked, laughing.

"Obliques, and a hair fetish. I'm a sucker for hot obliques and amazing hair. You know, now that I think of it, Charles, you have a back kink, don't you?"

"No, I don't. Go take your 'bath', Amaya," he chuckled.

She smiled and kissed his cheek before heading out of the room. Charles smiled at the gesture and resumed finishing his meal, ignoring the sly look Raven was giving him. Moira cleared her throat, diverting the conversation from the awkward topic to another one for the duration of the meal.

After everyone had eaten and the dishes were cleared, they all dispersed. Raven, Sean, and Alex went to the living room to hang out and just relax for the night. Moira and Charles remained behind to clean up the rest of the kitchen, which was a perfect time for Erik to slip out. He walked up to the second floor and headed down to the game room he found earlier. Amaya had been waiting for a while, but it was a game room. She'd obviously found ways to entertain herself with darts, billiards, and a few other games in the area.

When Erik entered, she offered him one of the pool sticks, holding another in her hand. He took it and helped set up another game, walking to the other side to break. "You were in Shaw's at a younger age," he began, sinking in one of the solid colored balls. "You were there far before I was."

"He took me when I was five." She cued up and sunk one of the stripes. "I remember when you arrived, I was almost eleven and he'd found his new favorite play toy."

Erik frowned at the memory, the constant experiments and tests. Nevertheless, he continued the game. At least they weren't just sitting around talking about horrible memories. This made it much easier. "What did he do to you to get you to control your powers? Or at least try to?"

"Nothing. He didn't want me to control my powers. When I'm in control, I'm me. He wanted the me that came out when I lose total control. She's the one he wanted on his team, not the one who stifles her down." When Erik cast her a questioning glance, she continued. "When I lose control, I lose my reasoning. All I want to do is harm those who harmed me, tenfold. She's the cold, cruel, calculative side of me that's been emphasized because of my powers, but I know she's still me...? It's hard to explain."

"You're still you, but just colder. You still have the same thoughts, the same feelings, but your priorities have changed."

She nodded. "Exactly. He brought my family into it. He brought my friends. Other mutants I ended up getting to know. My past. Anything to make me snap just so he could talk to that side of me and somehow get me on his side. Either way, I was still me, and so it was a definite no, but the longer I stayed, the more I waned to that side of me. Anyone who worked for him and helped him hurt everyone in the facility? I'd make sure I got payback."

"You walked around with your eyes red and purple surrounded by black, why are they purple and normal now? I've always wondered if it was how you were born."

"That's... Kind of confusing too, I guess. I was born with red and purple eyes, but normal whites. I'm able to change them at will, to hide the red and seem remotely normal. The black only appears when I use my powers more extensively or when I want them to, but I can't keep them from appearing."

"Red being like your other side," he gathered.

"Mhm."

Erik got another ball pocketed and chalked up the end of his stick. "I remember you used to always scare the ones who worked for him. Your eyes creeped them out and because you were only a child it made it even scarier."

Amaya smirked. "Yeah, I remember. Some of them saw me when I lost control, so they were wary of that too. You can't keep from forming a shadow. No matter how much light you have, there'll always be something to cast it."

"You even looked like a demon too. Forget Shadow. Demon. That's what your name should be."

"Magneto fits you pretty well," she said, hitting the cue ball.

"I suppose it does." Erik's chuckles slowly faded away, returning to business. "What was it that Shaw said that made you almost lose control?"

"He brought up the past... He brought up my brother... He brought up what would happen if Charles and Raven found out what I've done..."

"You should have taken his head then and there. It would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"I already have too much blood on my hands, Erik. You and I both know that it's not going to be me who kills Shaw."

"Ah yes, because what would Charles think?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why would I care what Charles thinks?"

Erik merely shook his head, obviously amused. "You may as well admit it now. Amaya. Or should I call you Fiammaya?"

"Amaya would do just fine." She frowned. "Admit what?"

"You like Charles. Or at least you're on your way to liking him."

"You're absurd, Erik." She rolled her eyes, stepping up to the cue and lining up the last ball.

"So you say. Raven sees it. Alex sees it. He's the one who calmed you down on the way here. Neither of you would let go of each other's hands, and he was pretty worried about what you said on the way to the Soviet and back. If you kill Shaw, you're afraid he'll see you in a different light."

She narrowed her eyes and slammed the ball into the pocket. Why did she feel like he was suddenly mocking her? So what they were close? He and Raven were close. That didn't mean anything... But she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the recent attention he'd been giving her. She liked the feeling of holding his hand, and teasing him had always been fun, but that wasn't the only reason why she couldn't kill Shaw.

"Wrong. I can't kill Shaw because he's not the one who tore apart everything I ever loved. He's the reason, but not the killer." She dropped her stick onto the table and headed towards the door. "Do me a favor. When you kill the son of a bitch, make sure you do it in the most painful way possible."


So... We end up finding out Amaya's relation to Shaw. And some bonding with Erik too, because the dude's awesome but I have no idea how to write the guy, and more kink talk just because. w Don't worry, Charles will find out eventually. Maybe. I don't know yet. I'm literally winging this as I go. Anywho! Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review! Hey, that kinda rhymed. Anywho and review? No? Okay...