Chapter 11

At the Institute...

The X-Men exit their vehicles at the front of the mansion and all of them looking decidedly glum. A few moments later a gust of wind indicates the arrival of the Bayville Blur as he comes to a stop next to 'Clark Kent'.

"Well at least one thing went right tonight," Domino remarks pointing at the two Clarks. "By the way where did you hide the holowatch?" she wonders.

'Clark' drops to one knee and rolls up the pant leg before pulling down his sock to reveal the real holowatch strapped around his ankle. The one Pietro pulled off his wrist was a fake. He unfastens it from around his ankle and the image flickers out to reveal Jonathan Kent. He stands up straight and unlatches the voice synthesiser from around his neck that allowed him to sound like his son. Jonathan coughs. "That's better," he says, speaking with his own voice again, as he rubs his throat.

"It was a good plan," Scott admits and compliments Clark who came up with it. Pietro was going to try and expose Clark so the idea was to let Pietro think he was doing that and then when nothing happened, even if Pietro probably knew he had been duped, no-one who saw Clark Kent and the Blur standing together would believe they were one and the same. Pietro looked like an idiot, which was a fringe benefit of the plan, and no-one would believe Pietro's accusations until he could come up with hard proof which the X-Men would do their best to ensure never happened. It made the most sense to have Mr Kent impersonate Clark as it was not widely public knowledge that Mr Kent had woken up from his coma.

"It was also a gamble. One which we lost," Rogue points out. Their plan was to delay Pietro and Matthews until after the vote and to keep it from escalating beyond control. They failed in that part.

"Yeah," Evan says glumly, agreeing with Rogue. "Why didn't you show up earlier Clark?" he asks.

"Because that would have escalated it," Clark argues. "The Brotherhood have at least some vague idea of how powerful I am and they would have pushed their powers to their maximum to fight me and caused even more destruction. When they thought they were only fighting you guys without your powers we all thought they would dial it down...but like Rogue said that was a gamble. I showed up when innocent people were put in danger...well I was always going to show up for the other part of the plan to hide my identity. That just forced my hand a little bit earlier than planned."

"So vhat now?" Kurt asks.

"What do you think Kurt?" Kitty asks him in a rhetorical fashion. "It's over. We gambled we could keep a lid on it. We lost. It like doesn't take a total genius to see they'll kick us out after this." Kitty raises her hand to her head and shakes it sadly. "It's all Lance's fault," she accuses, sounding a little venomous when she says her ex's name, because without him shaking the earth to pieces they probably could have kept a lid on it. "God what did I like ever see in him?" she asks someone, anyone, to give her an answer.

"We all think that about at least one of our exes Kitster," Domino says in an attempt to cheer the teen up. "It's a horrible cliché but there are plenty more fish in the sea."

Martha could say the same remark Kitty made about that man she almost married before Jonathan. Best not to dwell on that part of her life she decides. "I wouldn't give up hope yet," she says trying to give everyone belief. "Like Clark said you need to have a little faith that they will see the truth."

Everyone there wants to do but none of them quite see how...not after what happened. Clark steps next to Rogue, only not quite next to her. "That's your favourite top isn't it," he says pointing at the congealed mess Toad spar up on it.

Rogue looks down and makes a face of disgust and anger. "Yeah. Ah'm goin ta kill that wart infested...con!"

"What?" Bobby asks.

"Yeah. What's con?" Ray wants clarified due to the slightly accented way Rogue pronounced the word.

"It's French and it's best not translated," Clark answers for Rogue.

"Rude?" Tabby inquires with a growing grin.

"Extremely," Clark once more answers for Rogue.

"How many French swear words do you know Rogue and can you teach me them?" Tabby asks eagerly.

"That would be a no Tabitha," Jonathan warns her off sternly.

"Fine. Fine," Tabby relents. "I'll just stick to the English ones Ray mutters," she says with a smirk.

Ray glares at her. "If you want a whole list of them Tabby keep going," he warns her, his short-fuse close to blowing.

Rogue sighs and blows her white bangs off her face. She moves to wrap an arm around Clark only for him to take a step back away from her. "What's tha matter?" she asks him.

"Please don't take this the wrong way," he qualifies first off. "But you stink."

"Yeah I wasn't going to say it either," Kitty says but she will now Clark has. "But pew!" she moans as she pinches her nose closed. "Seriously that's revolting," she says, pointing at the stain on Rogue's shirt.

Rogue lowers her head and sniffs herself. Oh dear God they're right. It does stink. She really hopes she can get this out. Otherwise she will have to have Clark incinerate her favourite top.

Clark gives Rogue a quick peck on her cheek to let her know that he does love her but his sense of smell is just too sensitive to take that for long periods.

Scott has a reflective expression. "You know you guys are going to have to watch that," he says pointing his finger back and forth between Rogue and Clark.

"Watch what?" Rogue asks him to clarify.

"He's right," Clark says, figuring out what Scott means.

Rogue looks to her boyfriend. "Right about what?" she asks, a tad irritated that she is getting talked about without having a clue what is getting said.

"You're dating Clark Kent not the Bayville Blur. Out in public if I'm in costume we can only be friends," Clark clarifies what Scott was meaning.

"So no PDAs when Clark is not wearing the glasses or we'll need to have words young lady," Bobby jokily tells her off like a parent talking to a child.

"Bite me Drake!" Rogue snaps back.

"PDAs?" Jamie queries puzzled by that.

"Public Displays of Affection," Kitty clarifies for the youngest member of the Institute.

It never occurred before to Rogue but she can see the point if they are to keep Clark's two identities separate that when he is the Blur he is only her friend and ally and not her boyfriend. The alternative wouldn't make her look good as it would appear she was dating two different guys at the same time or it would risk blowing the one thing that went to plan tonight by giving people a clue to see through it and realise that Clark and the Blur are the same person.

The sound of a car approaching up to the mansion grabs everyone's attention. The Professor and Jean had stayed behind to find out what was going to happened with the vote. That is why the Professor's car is only coming up to the mansion now. They all wait nervously to learn their fate as he and Jean exit the vehicle.

"So what's the verdict Professor?" Scott asks.

"As if we didn't know," Evan mutters, assuming the worse.

"You don't know Evan," Charles says, "and neither do I. After tonight's events the vote has been postponed until first thing tomorrow morning so everyone can recover," he relays what the members of the school-board decided.

"Great," Rogue mutters at having their whole lives stuck on tenterhooks for several more hours.

"This whole thing could have been avoided if we had just been able to find Mystique," Wanda finally speaks up, adding her opinion. She had also been bitterly disappointed at the fact she never once got her hands on her no-good duplicitous twin tonight...although Rogue draining him dry was almost as good. Not that she'll ever admit that. Not until Rogue apologises to her. Until then her relationship with Rogue, which was never that good to start with, will remain as frozen over as the South Pole in the middle of winter.

"That was awfully convenient," Jean has to say about Mystique.

Charles agrees. He wonders where Mystique is and more importantly what she is up to.


Metropolis...

In the mansion that belongs to Virgil Swann, Bridgette Crosby enters his room and finds the great man lying in bed asleep, hooked up to his ventilator and all manner of drips to treat the infection he caught that has him so ill. She quietly walks by not wishing to disturb him until she reaches the far wall. Her hand reaches up to a painting and she gently pulls at it to reveal it is on a hinge. She swings the painting open to reveal the wall safe hidden behind.

"If he wanted my help he could have just asked."

Bridgette jumps as she is startled. She turns to find Virgil Swann awake and looking at her. "Y-you surprised me."

"Why?" Virgil asks.

"Why?" Bridgette asks back, confused by the question.

"Why do you feel the need for this charade...Raven? Or do you prefer Mystique?"

"Virgil?" Bridgette asks, sounding clearly lost.

"When I lost the power in my limbs I learned to see the world in whole new ways. Bridgette sprained her ankle 2 days ago. She has a limp. You walked in here perfectly even on both legs," he explains how he saw through the charade.

Bridgette's expression becomes stern and her appearance reverts to Mystique's natural blue one.

"Better," Virgil says. "Now you're here because Magneto wants to know how to translate the language of the Kawatche and he thinks I possess the key to do this correct?"

Mystique can't hide her surprise at how this man knew her mission. Virgil Swann was a genius at languages and had been, as far as she had been told, studying the language Magneto seeks to find a key to translate for years.

"I keep a close eye on both of the Luthors. I was aware Magneto stole Lionel's journal and I know what is in that journal," he explains how he deduced the reason Mystique is here.

"Then save us both the trouble and tell me where I find what I want," Mystique tells him with a subtle hint of menace not to refuse her request

"Do I look like a man threats work on Raven? I've accepted my mortality. Have you?"

Mystique dismisses his questioning of her. "Look you know why I am here so what is your answer?"

"As it happens the language still remains a mystery to me," Virgil tells the bald-face lie. "But even if it wasn't I would not help Magnus. What he seeks is not meant for him but for one other and for that one alone."

"You know him," Mystique assumes from the way Swann says Magneto's name.

"We've met," Virgil confirms Mystique's assumption. "It was a long time ago when he still had room for tolerance and forgiveness in his heart. Qualities I am sad to say he has lost," he says, sounding regretful if anything. "Now force open that safe of you wish," he says returning to the reason Mystique is here. "But you will not find what you seek," he promises her. "Besides I think you have more pressing concerns than this after tonight's events."

Mystique's eyes narrow at that last slightly cryptic remark. "What do you mean?"

Virgil speaks up. "Activate screen. Recorded news coverage; 'Mutant Incident at Bayville High'."

On the far wall a screen activates showing a male reporter standing in front of Bayville High Auditorium. "Breaking news tonight revolves round a mutant incident at Bayville High where the school-board members were voting on a mutant ban. If passed it would have set a precedent for the entire country. During the meeting the mutant group known as the X-Men was provoked into action by another mutant group, as of this time unnamed. The leader of this group has been identified though."

"Don't say it. Please don't say it," Mystique pleads in a pathetic mumble.

"The leader is one Pietro Maximoff."

He says it. Mystique closes her eyes briefly. She then watches the images of the fight between the Brotherhood and the X-Men, all the while her expression becoming filled with murderous rage. She is going to kill Pietro! To hell he is Magneto's son. There will be a price this time for his constant disobedience. There has to be after this.

"I would escort you out if I could," Virgil dead-pans.

Mystique throws him a murderous glare as well but she won't act on that even if she could so easily. Her form shifts back into Bridgette Crosby's and she stomps out, her every step burning anger.


Outside Bayville...

Mystique was not the only one interested in what the camera caught happening in Bayville. Colonel Fury was too when the very person he sought appeared. The Bayville Blur. In response he was now in a helijet, a cross between a helicopter and jet fighter, on his way back to that Institute.

"Sir!" the pilot calls out to him.

Fury steps into the cockpit. The pilot points outward. They were currently over the last piece of countryside on the edge of Bayville and below them was fire burning bright in the shape of the emblem of SHIELD and standing in its centre Fury could make out a figure dressed in black. "Set us down," Fury orders.

The pilot lands the helicopter and Fury hops out and walks up the figure whose long coat is blowing about in the breeze the rotor blades cause.

"Greetings Colonel Fury," the figure otherwise known as the Bayville Blur, as the press had dubbed him months ago, greets the man. "I heard you were looking for me."

"Well this is one way to get my attention," Fury says referring to the fire.

"I'm sorry. I've seem to have misplaced your number. Must be in my other coat," Clark jokes dryly. From the moment he intervened tonight Clark knew Fury would come and that he would have to meet him which brings him to this point. "I'll get straight to the point shall I?"

"By all means."

"I apologise for what happened in the desert. I was quite literally not myself. I had been, to use the wholly inaccurate term, brainwashed."

"And you expect me to believe that?" Fury asks, his expression as sceptical as his tone.

"What you do or do not believe Colonel is entirely up to you. I have told you the truth."

"Kid I never completely trust anyone," Fury tells the Blur, showing his cynical nature.

"That would explain why your aircraft's weapons are hot and ready to fire and the fact both Hawkeye and Black Widow are inside poised and waiting for orders I suppose," Clark says with a little wry tone about it all.

Fury is literally caught by surprise for once. "How did...?"

Clark cuts the question off. "Those are my secrets Colonel."

Fury regains his composure. "So what? You're better now?"

"I am myself again, yes," Clark confirms. "The question is is that good enough for you not to try and arrest me? Then again if you did and there was a trial you would have to explain releasing Lionel Luthor of all people from prison. Not to mention I highly doubt anyone gave permission for you to be in Libya considering its current political conflagration."

"You've been talking to Logan," Fury assumes from where the kid has gotten this idea from as to what to use as leverage against him.

"That last one was his idea I confess."

"My job is to protect this country and if that means I use Luthor because he has useful information then I do so," Fury states, making no apology for doing what he feels he must.

"Take my advice Colonel. Drop any idea of hunting for those stones. You have no idea what you are dealing with," Clark warns the older man with deadly seriousness.

"And you do?"

"Yes. It was why I was reconditioned. Now I don't agree with the reasons that was done but I do agree that the stones are too dangerous for anyone but me to handle for I am the only one who can handle them safely."

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for that."

"As I said Colonel believe what you wish but I speak the truth."

"I cannot walk away from this," Fury states clearly.

"I guess we have a problem then don't we," Clark says gravely.

"I guess we do," Fury confirms.

"I am going to find those stones Colonel before you and before Magneto. I promise you that. The only way you are going to stop me is if you drag me in and arrest me...and Logan mentioned something about paying good money to see you try that while he was laughing his head off. That was kind of disturbing actually to see Logan merry."

Fury almost smiles at that joke because yeah Logan happy is odd. "Kid what makes you think I can't drag you in?"

Clark sighs. "The fact that even you have no legal basis to do so as far as I can ascertain. No-one, at any level, has called for or sanctioned my arrest and you can't prove anything because your little trip to Libya was 'off the books'. That's why you didn't storm the mansion in the first place because legally your hands are tied."

"You're pretty well informed," Fury says suspiciously, wondering how the kid knows this.

"Logan has some well informed friends."

Logan. Of course. Fury should have figured Logan would still have a few contacts left over from his SHIELD days.

"Since you're not correcting me or trying to arrest me I'm going to assume I am correct in my assessment."

"This is not over kid. I want that stone," Fury tells him.

"In that case Professor Xavier said to tell you that the X-Men stand with me in this and that if you start a war with me you start one with them. Do you really want that Colonel? Please think carefully," Clark asks of the grizzled veteran.

Fury looks directly in to the steely gaze of the Blur's eyes and chooses his next action. "There are two other stones. When they have been found I will come looking for that one you took and then we will have words," Fury promises, the threatening intent all too clear.

"I see," Clark says grimly. "Very well," he reluctantly accepts the best he seems he is going to get at the moment and that is to buy some time before he butts heads with SHIELD. "Piece of advice in the meantime Colonel. The stone I have in my possession is not at the Institute nor is it anywhere where you would think of to look for it so I would not take kindly to find that you are spying on my friends."

"I make no promises."

"Well I do. I promise you Colonel the stones in my possession are no danger to anyone. Have some faith that all I want is to use their and my powers to help people."

"Sorry kid. Lost that kind of faith long time ago."

"I'm sorry you feel like that. So we postpone this for another day?"

"Another day," Fury confirms.

Clark turns to leave and then pauses. "Oh may I offer one more piece of advice Colonel. Trusting Lionel Luthor will end in disaster but I will be gracious enough not to say I told you so when that day comes," he says with a mischievous smile at pulling at the corner of his lips. He then vanishes in a blur and a gust of wind.

From the door of the helijet there is a snort of laughter. Fury turns to see Hawkeye with his head poking around the corner with an enormous grin on his face. "You have something to say Barton?" Fury asks, in a cold tone.

"I think I might like that kid," Hawkeye remarks, grinning a little at the joke. Although part of him is sorry they didn't have a showdown but from the sounds of it there will be another day and Clint looks forward to it.

Fury scowls at that. "For that Barton you are walking home," he avows. He then looks in the direction the Blur vanished off in. Unfortunately the kid's assessment was actually spot on. Fury has no legal basis currently to drag him in. However that can change and it will. Fury just needs time for the appropriate laws to be passed. For now he'll put off a showdown with the kid because honestly he doesn't want to pick a fight with the X-Men right now. At least he doesn't until he has no other options and the legal authority to cover his ass.

Then there is the fact Fury, from what he has seen so far, isn't sure what it would take to stop that kid and the worrying part is that he is just a kid. When he grows up there is no question in Fury's mind that that kid will be an Omega Level super-powered being. This is why he needs the Avengers set up and when it is ready and he has the legal right to do so he will give the Bayville Blur the choice. Join up or be dragged off to prison so in one sense Fury allowed this to be postponed until the day he has the stronger hand.


At the Institute...

Professor Xavier is in his office looking out of his window contemplating tonight's events and the consequences. He is still hopeful that the school-board members will see reason and allow mutants to return in spite of the Brotherhood's actions. Charles is convinced that is not a foregone conclusion yet that the school-board will vote in a ban.

At least they got a better sense of what the Neutron boy is capable of tonight. When the long delayed parts arrive and Cerebro is finally fully functional again Charles will have to do more thorough scans on the new Brotherhood members.

Charles then senses the presence of a unique mind at his door. "Come in Clark," he permits and the alien teen does so, still dressed in his black costume, a frown upon his brow. Charles smiles slightly at the frown. He gets that a lot because it 'creeps' people out he knows who is there before the door is opened. "Did the Colonel show up?"

"Yes. We talked," Clark confirms.

"How did it go?"

"Not as good as I hoped but not as bad as I feared," Clark replies before he relays the entire conversation to the Professor.

A deeply contemplative expression comes to the Professor's face. He had been reluctant about letting Clark go alone but Clark insisted feeling that a one-on-one talk with Fury was for the better. "We have delayed the inevitable confrontation. It will have to do. At least it buys us time to think of a more permanent solution," Charles tries to put a positive spin on the outcome.

"If it had just been a one-off I think Fury would have left it but because there are still 2 stones out there..."

"He can't or won't leave it alone," Charles finishes Clark's thought. "The stones must be found by us first," Charles expresses his view. If Magneto gains possession of their secrets there will be war. If Fury gains them first Magneto will never allow such power to stay in the hands of what he perceives to be the enemy and there will be war. Not to mention what Clark pointed out in relation to the reaction of other nation states. No. The only answer is the stones in the possession of who they are meant for and that is Clark.

Clark sighs. "I wish I didn't have to drag you into this Professor," he says feeling somewhat guilty and sorrowful about it.

"You never dragged us into anything Clark," Charles assures the young man. "This is a choice we made." Yes it could make their lives a little more difficult than they already are but it must be done which is why Charles has no issue with Clark telling Fury that they stand with him in this.

Still Clark doesn't want his friends put at risk because of him.

"So you promised Fury not say 'I told you so'?" Charles queries from Clark with a mildly amused expression.

One corner of Clark's lips curve up a little. "I was trying to be magnanimous."

"Most generous of you," Charles says with a barely repressed laugh.

Clark sniggers a little before he becomes serious again. "I hope Fury listens to me about Lionel. I can't explain it and usually I'm quite optimistic about things but I just have this felling of foreboding that Lionel's release will bring nothing but trouble."

Charles has to sadly agree with that assessment. He can only hope Fury is keeping Lionel under tight and close surveillance.


The SHIELD Hellicarrier...

In the infirmary Lionel Luthor lies in bed, sore and battered. Broken leg, cuts and bruises, a concussion but he's alive and that is all that matters. As long as he is alive he has a chance to get his life back. Rebuild what he has lost. Get revenge on his enemies. His injuries will heal and then the hunt for the stones will undoubtedly resume. If he could just get a hold of them and their power...

'Patience,' he tells himself. Take time. Wait for the correct moment.

"What time is it?"

Lionel looks to his left to see that the boy that was recovered from the desert is awake in the bed next to him. Lionel had overheard the conversations about him and with him as he was 'debriefed'. Not that the boy seemed to know much but from what Lionel could tell he wasn't lying. He was actually quite truthful and forthcoming, almost surprisingly so. Magneto really must get more loyal help if he ever wants to create his mutant-dominated world. "Late," Lionel says in reply to the boy's question.

Cypher lets out a breath. His head hurts. He has dozens of stitches in it. His whole body hurts and Magneto left him for dead. After everything he did he was left for dead which is why he felt no reason not to tell the SHIELD agents whatever he could in answer to their questions.

"How are you feeling Douglas?" Lionel asks.

"Lousy," Cypher complains.

Lionel smiles a tiny little bit at that reply. "I am not surprised. Having a temple fall on you can ruin anyone's day," he jokes dryly.

It is Cypher's turn to smile slightly. "May I ask a question of you?"

"Certainly."

"You're Lionel Luthor right?" Cypher asks the older man to confirm whom Douglas believes him to be.

"I am."

"What are you doing here of all places?"

"Serving my country," Lionel gives the vague reply.

"I was...I was just trying to help my kind you know. That's all. My parents..."

"Are members of the Friends of Humanity," Lionel finishes. "Yes. I overheard that. I don't blame you Douglas. I can understand your reaction. My father and I had our issues too."

"You did?"

"Of course. All children have issues with their parents. Yours is just a little more extreme than most and then you tried to use the gifts you were given in the way you thought best to serve your kind. I did the same in many ways. I created Luthorcorp to try and make the world a better place."

"And the stones?"

"I hunted for them for the same reason. If their power was real then they could transform the world."

"You used that phrase in your journal," Cypher recalls.

"I did."

"No offence but I hear that a lot from people I thought cared about me," Cypher says, sounding a little bitter and angry at being betrayed essentially and left to die.

"And this is the crux of your dilemma Douglas. You want to do good but the people you thought you could trust in the end betrayed you. Your father and then Magneto. I too was betrayed by people I thought I could trust."

"You were?"

"I know you have probably heard a lot of negative press about me and I admit I made mistakes. You see Douglas the truth is I was dying of an unknown disease and in my desperation I made some decisions I now regret but fate has intervened. My disease is in remission. I have been given a second chance and I intend to seize it which brings us back to why I am here. I am trying to do good for my country. Magneto would do harm to it. I think you understand his intentions but for you, like me, fate has intervened. Now you can have a second chance to do good and I will help you," Lionel promises him.

"I...uh...thank you," Cypher says unable to think of what else to say in reply.

"You are welcome. Now go back to sleep and rest," Lionel advises. "There is plenty of time for you to do the good you seek."

Cypher's eyes flutter back shut and he soon drifts back off to sleep.

Lionel watches the boy for several moments. If anyone saw that they would think he has changed his views on mutants. He hasn't. He dislikes and arguably hates mutants but he is a businessman and as such can see an opportunity when one is presented to him. He had overheard all about what Cypher had confessed to doing in the desert. The boy could hack SHIELD's own computer systems and in those computer systems is the information Lionel needs to regain what he has lost so he will pretend to befriend the boy and use the boy's power for his own ends.

All in all, in Lionel's opinion, a perfect deal.


At the Institute...

Clark had changed back into jeans and t-shirt. It was in fact quite late now and most of the others had gone to bed. He was still too wound up after his meeting with Colonel Fury to think about catching the little sleep he requires to keep his mind fresh. He thinks back on his conversation with Fury and really hopes that somehow he can find a peaceful solution because while Clark is close to invulnerable, as far as anyone can measure, he seriously doubts in actuality he could realistically stand-up to all SHIELD even with his friends standing with him. Eventually SHIELD, the army and whoever else they try to send after him would probably wear him down. He isn't that powerful to be able to defeat whole armies...well not yet anyway. Remembering back to what he felt like when he was Kal-El and Jor-El augmented his powers he thinks that maybe when he reaches that level he probably could defeat armies. The power he felt within himself during that time...it was amazing and in some ways scary because it wasn't a question of if he would reach that level. It was only a question of how long it would take him.

Clark will have to remember to thank Logan for calling in those favours that gave him the little leverage he had over Fury that at least bought him some time. He sighs a little at the thought of everything he has to deal with now. No wonder he doesn't feel like sleeping. Perhaps some warm milk or something will help calm him down. He strides into the kitchen to find Wanda making the very thing he was thinking about as she is heating some milk up on the stove.

Wanda is momentarily surprised to see Clark before she regains her composure. "You're back," she states the obvious.

"Yep."

"You met Fury?"

"Yep."

"That good huh?" she queries from his tone with a wry smile.

"It could have been better but then again it could have been worse. I bought myself some time. That's all." Clark sits himself down at the kitchen table. "How about you? How are you doing?"

"Feeling extremely disappointed I didn't get my hands on Pietro. I'm tempted to go around and skin him."

"You don't really mean that," Clark says.

"I most assuredly do," she insists. "By the way I could be mad at you for using me to get Bobby," she mentions, having been told what Clark did.

"Are you?"

A tiny grin comes to Wanda's face because it had been fun to make the annoying prankster pay. "Not really. Just don't do it again without talking to me first," she warns him.

Clark raises his right hand. "Scout's honour," he assures her he won't.

That is good enough for Wanda but she still feels she needs to add, "Don't break that or you'll get a taste of what I'll do to my brother."

"Wanda. Look. I know you're angry. You have every right to be but he is still your brother," Clark argues with her.

"Brothers don't do what he did to me," she argues back, her voice low and tight.

"No they don't but you still have a bond of blood that can never really be broken."

"I hate it when you're so logical. Can't you just let me hate him?"

"No...and not for his benefit but for yours. Hate is what drove Lionel Luthor to do what he did. Hate is what drives Magneto. It never leads to a good place and you're too good a person to end up where they are."

Wanda sighs and turns off the stove as her milk is done. Truly she is touched he thinks she is a good person but she can never see herself that way. There's too much emotion in the way. "You sound like the Professor," she confesses in a quiet voice. That is what he says to her, more or less, when they have their sessions. That she has to let go of her anger and hate.

"The truth is a truth that everyone can see."

Wanda pours her milk into a mug and sits herself down at the table. "You don't understand," she says.

"What you went through? No. Not completely. No-one can do that. Although after this summer I do have a deeper appreciation of what it feels like to be locked away in a small space against your will."

Wanda looks up at him. She hadn't really thought of what he went through. "But you seem the same," she comments.

"Because I won't let Jor-El change me into something I'm not...and well maybe it's a weird alien thing. Perhaps I just don't react to events like that as a human would. No-one can really tell me how my mind works expect Jor-El and this may sound a bit surprising," he says with a touch of sarcasm, "but I don't really feel like talking to him at the minute."

"You said you hated Jor-El," Wanda reminds Clark of something he said to her before the summer and therefore should he really be lecturing her?

"I did," Clark agrees but in the past tense. "I don't any more because I understand what drives him and once you have understanding hate becomes an irrelevance. Hate comes from lack of understanding. It's not hate that has me not wishing to talk to my father. I'm just tired of having the same debate with him over and over. He has his view, I have mine and we seem to be rather entrenched in both and can't agree."

"I can't understand my father or my brother. I just...can't," Wanda struggles to convey her feelings.

"Give it time Wanda. I'm not asking you to forgive them. I know that would be too much but they are and always will be your relations."

"I really wish they weren't."

"And I really wish the only connection to my dead race wasn't a seemingly slightly deranged computer simulation of a man who has been dead for the best part of 2 decades. Life doesn't always give us what we want. We just have to do our best with what it does give us."

Wanda looks at Clark oddly. "You know you spout a lot of wisdom for a 17 year old."

Clark shrugs. "Meh. Have to balance out the goofiness somehow," he jests.

Wanda giggles, actually giggles, at that because yeah Clark was goofy.

Clark smiles a bit at the fact he has seemed to cheer Wanda up. "Feeling better?"

"Still wish I had gotten my hands on Pietro but his humiliation was almost as good," Wanda relays her feelings on the matter.

"That was a good moment of schadenfreude I must admit."

"Schaden what?"

"Schadenfreude. It's German. It means deriving pleasure from the misfortune of others."

"The town's great hero deriving pleasure from someone else's misery? What would the papers say?" Wanda teases.

Clark shrugs. "What can I say? I'm only human," he says with no hint of irony at that statement.

Wanda shakes her head in bemusement. She sips on her milk. "You know this isn't the end of it," she says seriously in relation to Pietro because sooner rather than later she knows her brother will try to expose Clark again to try and mend the dent in his overinflated ego.

Clark nods. "I know. It only buys me some time," he accepts as he does the same with Fury. "On the plus side if you're wanting more Schadenfreude I doubt your father is happy with what Pietro did tonight."

As odd as it may seem that could just about cheer Wanda up. She knows what her father is like when he is disobeyed. Pietro is so going to get it.


A little later Rogue sighs as she stands under the shower, her second for the night, as she tries to get rid of the damn smell of Toad's slime-ball that had soaked right through her shirt onto her skin. Mrs Kent had been hopeful about saving Rogue's top but Rogue has a feeling she was being humoured. Damn Toad. Rogue is going to kill him. She swears it.

In reality all Rogue wishes right now is to go to bed and pretend this disaster of an evening never happened...at least until the morning where they will probably be banned from school. She closes her eyes as she is tired and just feels the hot water pour over her skin and sooth away some of the tension.

Suddenly she lets out a squeal as two hands come to rest on her hips. She is spun round and her lips are claimed by another set she is intimately familiar with. When the kiss ends she looks up through her dripping wet hair and glares. "Clark. What are ya doing here?"

"Well I was looking for you and followed the sound your heartbeat here and decided to help...scrub your back," he says, looking amazing boyish as he is saying this.

Rogue arches an eyebrow. "Toad hit meh on tha front."

"I can scrub that too," he says huskily making a pleasant quiver travel through Rogue.

Rogue bites her lower lip, as her eyes travel over Clark's naked form, with water streaming down over him. So, so tempting. "Clark as much as ah would love ta we'll get caught," she argues.

"Almost everyone is asleep and I have superhearing and superspeed. No-one is going to get the drop on us," he points out shooting her argument apart. His hands travel over her skin and Rogue moans, her resistance weakening. "God you're beautiful," he says, his breath almost taken away by what he sees in front of him. His lips once more claim hers before moving down onto her neck and lower and lower and...well lets just Rogue's resistance soon crumples completely and she ends up having a long shower as Clark makes she sure she is thoroughly scrubbed.

Afterwards the two lovers are cuddled up together in Clark's room on this occasion. Rogue lets out a contented sigh to match the contented smile on her face. She is very...contented...and satisfied and a lot of other words she could use to describe how wonderful Clark can make her feel.

"Way better than warm milk," Clark murmurs, sleepily.

Rogue raises her head to look at him. "What?"

Clark explains how before he decided to join her in the shower he was in the kitchen getting some warm milk to help him sleep.

"So ah rank above warm milk? That what ya saying?"

"Yes."

"Well ah'm so flattered ah beat cow produce," she says with her trademark total and utter sarcasm.

"You should be. I really like milk," he says with a completely straight face.

Rogue wants to be mad at him but she can't. She just ends up playfully slapping his broad chest. "Dork," she says affectionately.

"Broody Goth," Clark affectionately hits her back with.

"Boyscout."

"Uh...that's all I got because you're otherwise practically perfect in every way."

"Oh ya so did not just quote Mary Poppins at meh," she warns him.

"Well you can certainly hit the high notes as good as Julie Andrews," he jests suggestively, with a waggle of his eyebrows, at the way she calls out when in the throws of passion.

"Look who's talkin!" she snaps back sassily.

The two teens then burst into giggles before Clark pulls Rogue closer to him and holds her tightly. He gently runs his hands over her skin which he knows she loves because of how restricted she is in that sense due to her powers.

"Ah guess we'll have a lot more time together from now on," Rogue supposes.

"You mean with the vote?"

"Yeah."

"I wouldn't judge that too soon."

"Eternal optimist right?"

"I try although speaking of time I'm not going to have as much as I should for you with trying to find these stones and school and being the Blur."

"Ah understand," she says. She's a little sad at that but she can see how all that will eat into his free time. In fact it will eat into all their free-time since everyone agreed to help find these stones. Clark had already told her all about his meeting with Fury. There's another problem they could do without but as usual for them life seems to always give them the hard path to travel.

"I promise though Rogue I'll do my best to give you all the time I can," Clark swears and then lovingly tells her, "You deserve nothing less."

"Y'all are always so good ta meh."

"Boyfriend's prerogative." Clark then rolls Rogue over under him and kisses her deeply. Her left leg wraps around his waist as his right hand grips her thigh. "Feeling good?" he queries as he places biting kisses on her neck.

"Better than warm milk," she jokes.

Clark snorts out a laugh pausing his administrations. He brushes Rogue's hair back and looks her straight in the eye. "I love you," he says with all his deep emotions.

"Ah love ya too sugah."

Clark's lips claims Rogue's once again as he murmurs, "Much, much better than warm milk."


Very early the next morning at the Boarding House...

Pietro's sleep is interrupted when he finds himself rolling off his bed and hitting the floor hard. He looks up to find Mystique has tipped his mattress up and therefore him out of bed. "What was that for?" he complains.

Mystique glares at him so intensely Pietro is momentary afraid she might combust him. She stomps over, grabs his arm and yanks him to his feet before shoving him out his door.

"Hey...watch it...ow...that hurts," he complains as he is roughly pushed along the corridor.

"Good," Mystique says with zero sympathy.

"Come on. Rogue drained me last night you know. Give me a break," he begs because he still feels wiped.

"Good," Mystique repeats, again with zero sympathy for him, as she pushes him down the stairs where his co-conspirators from last night are already gathered and lined up.

Pietro finds himself shoved into the line with the guys as Mystique stands in front of them and standing next to her are Haze and Puzzler who are shooting Pietro hateful glares as a result of what happened to them when he got rid of them for the day.

"You are dead Maximoff," Haze's icy-cold voice avows.

"So, so dead," Puzzler pledges her support to Alicia in that act of murder.

Pietro barely finds the effort to roll his eyes. As if he cares what those two think.

Puzzler shivers. "God I can't believe where you sent us with that false message from Magneto," she says with horror as she remembers it. Pietro had claimed to be bringing a message from his father and this ended up with Alicia teleporting herself and Puzzler to the middle of the Amazon rainforest. "There were so many bugs! I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life!" she whines because she hates bugs!

Alicia places a supportive hand on the younger girl's shoulder. She kinda liked Valerie and so sympathises.

Mystique turns her attention to the redhead lounging over a chair in the lounge. "And what do you have to say for yourself?"

Plastique shrugs lazily. "I'm suppose to care? I don't."

"Do I have to remind you that your powers can be taken away?"

"Then take them," Plastique lays the challenge down. "I don't care about your cause. In fact Magneto knows this. I only care about avenging my father and he still gave me my powers so your threats on me are meaningless as I have never broken any agreement I made. I never used my powers in public," she points out with an arrogant air as if she can't be touched.

Mystique scowls at the girl thinking she is so clever. "That's for Magneto to decide."

And speaking of Magneto...

A rattling can start to be heard from all around. Under the floors. Behind the walls and then every metal object in the vicinity starts to rattle. Before anyone can react metal strips appear and wrap around Pietro wrists binding them together. The same with his ankles. He is then lifted into the air as the Master of Magnetism himself floats in through the door.

"Hello Pietro," Magneto greets his son in that cold, dark, menacing voice of his.

"F-Father. I can explain," Pietro begins to make his plea.

"By all means do so," Magneto permits. After all that is why he is here.

Pietro gulps. "I-It was all for you. I was just doing what you wanted."

Behind his helmet Magneto's eyes narrow in anger at his disobedient son. When he heard what Pietro had done he was furious beyond words. "How dare you think you can presume to know what I want!" he snaps at his son's arrogance.

"B-but...this is what you want. Mutants and humans apart. Them hating and fearing us," Pietro tries to make his case.

"I want them to respect and recognise their superiors Pietro. Hate and fear are their natural condition...and if I wanted you to act at the school I would have ordered it!" Magneto rages before he calms his temper and continues. "What I wanted was for you to remain hidden which is no longer possible as you have now been seen by millions. My plans now have to be completely rethought which wastes time and effort when my attention is required on other issues," he lambasts Pietro for the problems his son's thoughtless actions have now created.

"What other issues?" Pietro dares to ask.

"Pietro I have our entire race's future to consider. That means I have many people beyond you to think about," Magneto talks down to his son. "I see the big picture as the saying goes. Now you are my son. That will not change. What will need to change is your attitude. I had hoped you could be a future leader of mutantkind. I see that faith was badly misplaced."

"It wasn't!" Pietro insists. "I can be a leader!"

Magneto gestures and lifts his son into the air and floats him over so they are close together eye-to-eye. "Don't be foolish," he instantly dismisses Pietro's claim. "Your vision of the big picture is your own aggrandisement."

"B-but what I did last night will be a step forward," Pietro still insists, clinging onto that as his last lifeline.

"Will it?" Magneto asks the simple question. "We will see shortly won't we. Until then get out of my sight!" he commands in a iron tone. He releases Pietro from the metal bonds. "All of you!" he adds. "I wish to speak to Mystique alone."

The Brotherhood do as ordered and when Mystique is alone with Magneto she asks, "What do you want done?"

Magneto takes a moment to consider. "Whatever the result of the school vote the boys have been exposed."

"And on the slim chance mutants aren't banned they will probably be expelled," Mystique points out. "If I was still principal it is what I would have to do considering the damage they caused."

"Punish them as you see fit," Magneto permits her as he has no more time to waste on them. "For the moment they have become useless to me. They will remain here until I find a new purpose for them."

"And the girls?"

"Plastique was correct when she spoke earlier. She has not broken our agreement," he affirms having overheard that part. He then goes on to tell Mystique what he wants done now. "I wish you to declare her, Haze and Puzzler as human in the same manner Charles has declared the Kent boy. I want them at that school to keep an eye on him. Publicly condemn the boys' actions and promise, as their legal guardian, that they will cause no more trouble...which they won't. You will see that they don't," he commands her.

Mystique is curious about why and when Magneto shifted his attention back onto the Kent boy. She asks Magneto about it.

"Lets just say that he is in possession of something vital to the future," Magneto answers vaguely. "Have the girls watch him and report everything they see and hear no matter how innocuous or insignificant it may seem."

"He has managed to successfully reinforce this wish of his to remain two separate people."

"I saw the footage. It was extremely clever," Magneto has to complement and admire. "They must have overheard my son talking and set Pietro up. It had to have been planned in advance," he sees as the only explanation.

"And Pietro walked right into it," Mystique says with a shake of her head at Pietro's utter foolishness and folly.

"I am aware of my son's failings," Magneto says somewhat bitterly and extremely disappointed in his own flesh and blood.

"Do you want anything done about Kent?"

"Not for the moment, no. Let Clark Kent think he has succeeded. He is more likely to relax and let his guard down," he explains his reasoning. "That boy is still the key to our ultimate victory," he repeats a belief he told Mystique about before. "The goal remains to find the proper method of controlling him."

"Hence having the girls spying on him," Mystique begins to understand Magneto's reasonings. Spy on him in the hope they find out something that can be used to control the boy.

"That's part of it. It is one avenue I am exploring," Magneto is willing to reveal. The other part is those stones because, if they are, as Magneto believes they could be, related to where Clark Kent actually comes from then the stones themselves might be the means through which he can be controlled. Then if he has to there are the boy's human parents. They could be leverage. That also has the potential to backfire by enraging the boy. That's a tricky balancing act.

Magneto is in no rush though. He will plan and wait for his opportunity and he has no doubt it will come. He has much to do in the meantime. Finding the other 2 stones. Rethinking his plans thanks to his son's incompetence and hot-headed nature. Organising the underground mutant resistance and preparing for the day of the revolution when they rise up and claim what is rightfully theirs.


At the Institute...

Logan had gotten back really late last night thanks to the damage Colossus did to his bike. He essentially had to carry it all the way home. As much sorrow as he felt for the kid's predicament he was as angry because no-one messes with his bike and gets to live. Hell not even Domino had dared to mess with it...or at least not yet. Knowing her it was probably only a matter of time.

Logan is on his way to the kitchen when he comes across the kids heading the same way for breakfast, all of them looking completely downbeat, their shoulders hunched, an oppressive air of almost loss. "There a funeral I don't know about?" Logan asks Scott as he passes by.

Scott pauses. "You could say that," he says sadly. "We dug our own graves last night. We gambled and lost."

Scott then resumes his trip to the kitchen looking as downcast as Logan has ever seen him. Logan can tell that Shades there is obviously blaming himself for whatever transpired. He follows Scott into the kitchen.

In the kitchen the mood is very sombre. Even Rogue's mood, despite her wonderful, blissful night with Clark, had returned to depressed as soon as she woke up this morning and she remembered what they would find out about school.

Logan steps next to Clark. "Did Fury show up?" he asks.

"Yep," Clark confirms.

"How did it go?"

"About as well as we thought it would when we discussed it with the Professor. We've bought ourselves some time but he is not abandoning his search for the stones. Thanks by the way. What you found out helped."

Logan grunts as his way of acknowledgement of the gratitude. Honestly he didn't think for a moment Fury would give up that easily. That showdown is coming and it probably won't be a pleasant day when it does.

The Professor now rolls into the kitchen and notes that everyone is present. Good thing they expanded the kitchen when they were rebuilding the mansion or it would be a tight squeeze. "I just got off the phone with the school-board," he says. "Before I announce it I just want to say how proud I am of all of you," he tells them the heartfelt truth.

"How can you say that Professor?" Scott asks, unable to see how. "We let you down. We failed in what we were attempting to do."

Kitty, looking extremely depressed, her head down, resting on her hand, and herself drawing imaginary shapes on the table with her finger, has to agree. "Yeah. It doesn't take a genius to know how they voted."

"You saved their lives," the Professor counters that with. "You showed remarkable restraint despite the provocation. Jean inspired them with her sincerity. Clark touched their better halves with his faith in the innate goodness of people...and as a result they want to welcome you back," he announces with a slowly growing smile.

Evan, resting his head in his hands, says in surprise, "Huh. Go figure."

There is still not an overwhelming surge of happiness amongst anyone. Jean steps forward to explain. "Sorry Professor. It's sort of a good news, bad news thing. Yesterday...it was not easy for any of us or our friends." And, as optimistic as Jean is as a person, she doubts it is going to get massively better any time soon.

The Professor nods. "I realise this is not an easy time for you," he sympathises. "It is not an easy time for mutants anywhere or those humans who try to befriend and defend us but please realise something," he asks of them. "For whatever reason you have been chosen to take the first steps into this new world. To lead the way. To be a beacon of hope for the generations to come and show that humans and mutants can live together in harmony. This is a big responsibility," Charles concedes, knowing the burden he is asking of what are still only teenagers. "It is also an honour. I am always astonished at the wondrous things that can be built out of tragedy or perceived disaster. For even in the face of bigotry and racial discrimination I know one simple truth. The X-Men will endure."


Author's Note: Lionel making nice with Cypher is the start of something for later on. For now Clark is only succeeding in postponing his problems. Sooner or later it will all have to come to ahead. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. My poll for who gets possessed in Spell is still open. Next up; The Hellions come calling on a certain fiery redhead.