Chapter 11

It had been roughly two weeks since the Azazel and Mystique watched the sunrise in the meadow. Mystique lay in bed looking up at the ceiling, listening to Erik's rhythmic breathing as he slumbered next to her. She absentmindedly twisted Margali's bracelet around her wrist as she sorted through her thoughts. The gypsy refused to take the bracelet back from Mystique. Instead, Margali tucked the silver charm into Mystique's hand and said, "keep this, and keep it safe. You can always find me if you need with this bracelet." Mystique later asked Azazel what Margali had meant by this, but he merely shook his head and told Mystique that she made quite an impression on the woman. The two mutants never talked about that night in the meadow, but Mystique was starting to realize that some things are better experienced than discussed.

The other Brotherhood members accepted Azazel's return almost without comment. It wasn't unusual for him to disappear for days at a time, and Erik maintained an unspoken rule that each mutant kept their own council when desired. Tensions dissipated, and even Emma stopped being so cold towards Mystique (although she didn't exactly become friendly either). Only Angel called obvious attention to Azazel's return. As she entered the kitchen the following evening, she squealed at sight of him and launched herself at Azazel, hugging him so aggressively that she almost knocked him out of his chair while she demanded, "do you realize how long of a walk it is to the grocery store? And in this heat? Never. Leave. Again." As he wiped the spilled coffee off his suit, he raised an eyebrow at Angel and responded, "Da, I missed you too."

Ever since spending time with Margali's people, Mystique could not stop thinking about her own life before the Brotherhood. When she wasn't occupied with training or chores, her thoughts drifted to Charles. Despite his blessing, Mystique always felt a hot burn of guilt when she thought about Charles lying on the sand, bleeding and watching his two best friends vanish, leaving him to an unknown fate. If I could just see him, just for a little while…Mystique frowned. She doubted that Erik would approve of a visit, even if he felt the same way.

She rolled onto her side and watched Erik sleep. She gently brushed his hair back and let her fingers softly trail down his face to rest on his chest. She wondered if Erik ever pondered his previous life. Before his chance encounter with Charles, the loner probably never thought he would be part of a mutant fighting team, let alone become the leader of one. Mystique took solace in the fact that she wasn't the only one who had to adjust to a radically different life.

"Something on your mind?" Mystique startled at Erik's voice.

"Christ Erik, don't do that!" Mystique playfully slapped him on the shoulder. Erik smiled and opened his eyes. He reached out and touched her face. She put her hand over his and breathed deeply.

"Erik, I've been thinking…" She paused, not entirely sure how to phrase her request.

"Yes?"

"…I've been thinking about Charles." The smile slowly faded from Erik's face. Mystique quickly continued.

"I was thinking that, since so much time has passed since we last saw him, maybe we could...?" Erik held up his free hand in a silencing gesture.

"I know where this is going and I do not think visiting him – or any of them – is a good idea."

"But Erik…don't you miss him?" Mystique was crestfallen. Erik frowned and pulled his hand away from her face. He put both his hands over his face and exhaled deeply as if exhausted. When he took them away, his expression was serious, but there was a melancholy light in his eyes.

"Of course I miss him; you know that." Mystique's hopes started to rise. "However," Erik gave her a sharp look, "we all made a choice. Charles chose humanity, and we chose our own kind. Until Charles sees the error of his decision, there can be no reuniting with him and his team."

"But he's my brother!" Mystique tried not to raise her voice, but she was beginning to feel desperate. It was one thing if Erik didn't want to see Charles, but how could he ban her from the only family she had?

"Maybe enough time has passed that he will consider working with us now and…"

"No, he absolutely will not." Erik paused, rallying his argument. "Do you really think Charles and his students – or whatever he calls them now - will want to infiltrate government offices? Or take down leaders in charge of programs to "control the mutant problem"? Charles's idea of fighting is with words and lectures, trying to make simpleton humans understand something that they could never possibly comprehend." Eric looked thoughtful for a moment then added, "if there is one thing I know about Charles, it's that he will always do what society considers the right thing, even if that means mutants continue to live as slaves and outcasts." Mystique scowled and started worrying her bracelet again. This conversation was not turning out how she wanted.

"When did you start wearing jewelry?" Erik's question caught her off-guard. His brow furrowed as he motioned to the bracelet. "Where did that come from?"

"This?" Mystique tried to brush his question off. "Oh…it's nothing. Just...a gift." Mystique didn't want to violate Azazel's privacy by telling anyone about Margali or the Roma.

"From?"

"Angel. Angel gave it too me." Mystique made a mental note to talk to Angel the next day to get the story straight. Erik frowned as he examined the bracelet, and looked at it suspiciously.

"Don't you find it rather interesting that Angel had a bracelet with Cyrillic writing on it?"

"Yeah, well, isn't that something?" Mystique's stomach did a flip-flop as another wave of guilt washed over her. Erik dropped her wrist and looked into her eyes for a moment longer.

"Is this discussion over?" Mystique bit her lip. When she left her brother on the beach, she never thought that it really mean forever. She'd always assumed that she would eventually be able to at least visit him. It's not right.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Goodnight then." Erik rolled over, turning his back to her. Mystique lay awake for a long time. She knew that Erik was right. They had all made a choice. Now Mystique was going to make a choice of her own.

Mystique spent her morning training with Nick, Angel, and Mort in the ballroom. Azazel and Janos sat on the sidelines acting as unofficial judges since the two had the most real-life combat experience. Erik was away on business and practice fighting was deemed beneath Emma. Mort and Nick's reaction to meeting Azazel two weeks prior had been fantastic. Both of the new members jumped out of their seats when Azazel appeared in the lobby for a Brotherhood meeting. Mystique secretly believed that Azazel liked causing scenes from his dramatic appearances. Janos and Azazel watched the mutants' sparing, yelling suggestions and offering critiques. Between the two mutants, they had nearly finished Janos's six-pack of beer. Several times after fights and first hits, they would react verbally, clap or cheer, and on more than a few occasions, Mystique saw the two covertly exchanging money.

"Fuckers, quit betting on us!" Angel fluttered over to the two men with her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. "Why aren't you guys practicing too?"

"Because it would not be fair to you." Azazel gave Angel a wicked smile and Janos laughed. She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, old man," Nick faced Azazel and flexed, "why don't you put your money where your mouth is and come fight me?" The silence in the room was deafening; for once, even Angel had nothing to say. A dark look flashed across Azazel's face for the briefest of seconds. He looked Nick over and then slowly smiled and nodded, handing his beer to Janos. While the red mutant seemed outwardly friendly, there was a cool, calculated look in his icy eyes that Mystique knew all too well. She was worried for Nick.

The other mutants lined up on either side of the ballroom to spectate. Nick took a spot in the center while Azazel stood at the front with his arms crossed. The only movement he made was the excited swishing of his tail. With a yell, Nick charged. Azazel did not move. When a collision seemed inevitable, Nick pulled his fist back and stuck…air. Smoke whirled around Nick and he came to a halt, looking confused. Azazel tapped his shoulder from behind.

Before he could react, Azazel grabbed Nick and teleported around the ballroom in rapid bursts. When they came to a stop, Nick started dry heaving. Most people cannot handle more than four rapid transports before getting sick, and many blackout after seven. Azazel used this advantage when the Brotherhood needed to interrogate humans. Azazel stood once again in the same spot he had started, his arms crossed, looking down on Nick. Azazel cocked his head and smiled broadly.

"Enough?"

Nick bared his teeth and jumped up. Azazel vanished and reappeared on Nick's left side. The young mutant quickly dropped to the floor, sending a shockwave towards Azazel. The red mutant was expecting Nick to throw a punch, and instead, Azazel was knocked backwards. He disappeared before hitting the ground. Nick smiled but then suddenly cried out as a thin red line appeared on his right cheek. Azazel stood next to Nick, his tail moving like a whip before he vanished again. Both Mort and Angel gasped at the sight of blood. Nick touched his superficial wound and swore.

When Azazel next appeared, Nick threw himself at the mutant and latched onto Azazel's jacket. After a brief struggle, both mutants disappeared in an angry cloud of smoke. The remaining mutants glanced worriedly at one another. Nick and Azazel were gone for more than two full minutes before the pair reappeared. Nick was holding his head and screaming. Azazel, clearly disgusted, deposited Nick roughly on the ballroom floor. Angel ran to Nick and knelt beside him, giving Azazel a look that shot daggers. Nick was shaking uncontrollably and looking at Azazel as if he truly was the devil. Janos looked upset and Mort had plastered his body against a wall to avoid being any closer to Azazel than necessary. Mystique frowned.

"What did you do to him?"

"I took him 305 meters in the air." Mystique's eyes widened with shock. While Mystique didn't exactly like Nick, she was frightened by the extremes of Azazel's methods.

"What?" Azazel looked irritated. "I caught him before he hit the ground." When Mystique shook her head, Azazel threw his hands in the air and muttering under his breath in Russian, he turned and walked out of the ballroom.

"Azazel, wait!" Before he could teleport, Mystique caught his arm in the lobby, out of earshot of the others.

"I have a favor to ask you."

It took Mystique two days to convince Azazel to take her to the Xavier mansion, and just as long to convince him to leave his sword at the headquarters. When she took his arm to teleport, her fingers brushed against the blade of a dagger tucked away in his sleeve. She cast her yellow eyes at him in surprise and he gave her a hard look, silently daring her to call him out, but Mystique kept her mouth shut. She had already asked so much of him.

"Are you sure this is…good idea?" Azazel seemed edgy. She had felt the tenseness in his arm when she took it.

"Yes, I've had a long time to think about it." Mystique tried to sound confident. Azazel looked at her skeptically.

"Just, uh…drop me off at the front gate. I just want to make sure everything is alright before they see you." Mystique swallowed. In truth, she had no idea if everything would be "alright" as she promised. All she knew was that she had to see Charles. Azazel had been against the entire idea from the start. He only eventually agreed to take her because she had effectively argued that she wanted to see her brother as much as he had wanted to see Margali two weeks prior. He had been very vocal about how he'd be killed if he managed to lose the leader's girlfriend.

In an instant, the headquarters faded away and the two were standing fairly close to the front gate. Mystique was impressed; Azazel had never visited the mansion, but he had a talent for estimating distances from technical maps. The mansion looked exactly as Mystique remembered it as it receded from view when she left that morning so long ago in the Blackbird. The familiarity of everything frozen in time suddenly made Mystique very nervous. She let go of Azazel and transformed into Raven. Azazel frowned but made no comment. Leaving him near the gate, Mystique approached the front door. As she waited for an answer, her stomach coiled in ropes. She raised her hand to knock a second time, but before she could, the door groaned open. A young girl she didn't recognize peered out of the massive doorway and looked at Mystique in astonishment. The girl was petite with large emerald eyes and long, wavy hair the color of fire. A dusting of freckles splashed across the her ivory face and if Mystique had to guess, the girl was young – perhaps thirteen years old. I didn't think Charles would take on students that young. Before Mystique could open her mouth, the girl spoke.

"Actually, I'm fifteen. I know I look young, but it's true. Professor X is considering taking in students younger than me in the future, especially if they have visible or hard to control mutations." Mystique's eyes widened as the girl continued.

"I know you; you're Raven, the Professor's sister. You are a mutant too."

"You're a telepath?"

The girl smiled coyly, "not just any telepath, I can also..."

"Jean, who is at the door?"

When Charles appeared next to Jean, Mystique began trembling. While she instantly recognized his voice, she didn't instantly recognize was the man confined to the wheelchair. She took a step back and her disguise failed from her shock of seeing Charles crippled. Jean gasped as the pretty blonde melted away and became the indigo woman. The color drained from Charles's face as if he had seen a ghost.

"R-Raven?" Charles whispered her name as if speaking louder would scare her away. Tears pooled in his periwinkle eyes. Without hesitating, he opened his arms to embrace her.

"Oh Charles…oh God…" Mystique broke into racking sobs and fell to her knees. As she pulled her brother tight, she drank in the smell of him: leather, fresh soap, and the woody aftershave. She was hit with a thousand memories at once. As the foreign chair touched her skin, Mystique thought to herself, we did this. After a long embrace, Charles rolled away and joyfully bade Mystique to come inside. She took a few steps before remembering Azazel.

"Charles, wait." Mystique looked over her shoulder, then back at Charles.

"I didn't come alone." At that statement, a ray of hope appeared on Charles's face. As he peered excitedly past her and out the door, Mystique realized her mistake and sadly shook her head. He thought I came with Erik.

"I'm sorry." His face fell. How often he wished that Erik would come back Mystique could not even begin to guess.

"The teleporter Azazel…he was kind enough to bring me here, knowing that I would be seeing you, and…well, I'd really appreciate if he could wait inside while we visited." Charles looked hesitant.

"He's a friend Charles. He won't hurt anyone, I promise."

"Well," Charles sounded unconvinced. He looked out the doorway again but this time his placed fingers to his temple. Mystique knew he'd be reading Azazel's mind to be safe. After a minute, Charles dropped his fingers and sighed.

"I guess he can wait in the parlor."

Mystique sat in Charles's study stirring her tea, occasionally peeking out into the parlor from the half opened door. Azazel was sitting just out of earshot and looked extremely uncomfortable. As a precaution, Charles asked Hank to sit in the parlor and keep Azazel "company." Hank sat across from the red mutant, his claws digging into the arms of his chair as the two stared at one another in heated silence. Alex decided on his own to join Hank. The blonde stood in the doorway, his arms crossed and his face set in a scowl. Mystique sipped her tea and worried. The intensity of the look between Azazel and Hank could have started a fire. As the two sat, Hanks claws bit into the chair leather and Azazel's deadly serious expression never once broke Hank's stare. A short while ago Jean had placed two cups of tea in front of the mutants. The drinks sat untouched, and Mystique was sure that by now, they were ice cold.

She and Charles discussed simple pleasantries, but they were both walking on eggshells. Charles was careful not to reveal too much information about his school and Mystique avoided speaking of the Brotherhood. Charles was aware that her team was active and that Emma Frost was free, but he graciously avoided asking direct questions. Instead, he talked about his vision for a future of mutant and human equality and the steps he was taking to ensure it. As they talked, Mystique kept sneaking glances into the parlor. Azazel was still in a stare-down with Hank. Both Hank and Alex had been standoffish to Mystique. Between the elephants in the room when she and Charles talked and the chilly reception of her former teammates, the awkwardness of this visit was grating her. Mystique knew she made the choice to leave, but she never expected to feel like a stranger when she returned to the very house in which she grew-up.

Suddenly, Sean came into the parlor at a rush. A goofy teenager, he had yet to grow into his features. He always seemed be falling into places instead of entering them. As he approached Azazel and Hank, he came to a skidding halt with his arms out as if their staring had created physical barrier between them. Sean's eyes went wide at sight of Azazel. The ginger-haired mutant looked Azazel, then at Hank, back at Azazel, then back at Hank again. When he looked at Alex, the blonde merely shrugged.

"Um…does anyone want to play Frisbee? I have a Frisbee." Sean held up the toy as if they would not believe him without proof. Slowly, Hank and Azazel broke their stare and turned to look at Sean. Now they stared at him silently with brooding expressions.

"Um…so? Frisbee?" Sean waited for a few seconds before realizing his invitation was not going to be accepted.

"Oh…Ok…I'll see if Jean wants to play." Sean hurried out of the room the same way he had entered. Azazel returned his cold stare to Hank, this time raising an eyebrow. Alex re-crossed his arms and Hank's claws popped the leather of the chair. Mystique sighed and excused herself from Charles to alleviate the tension before fireworks sparked in the parlor.

As she entered the room, Azazel quickly stood, acknowledging her presence. Mystique offered Hank a shy smile, and part of her swore she could hear the furry mutant's heart beat faster. It seemed this fact did not escape Azazel's attention either, because as Mystique leaned in to whisper to her teammate, Azazel gently placed his hand on the small of Mystique's back and looked directly at Hank as he did this. Hank dug his claws into the chair deeper, and Alex frowned. Mystique wanted to roll her eyes at all of them. If Angel were here, thought Mystique, she would dismiss the situation with "boys" for this competitive, idiot behavior.

"Are you sure?" Azazel looked wary when Mystique voiced her request.

"Yes, just for a few hours. It will mean the world to me. Charles offered to maintain a mental link with you, to tell you when I am ready to leave…if that's alright with you, of course. He promised not to read your thoughts." Azazel regarded Charles coolly but after a slight hesitation, he nodded approval. After he disappeared, Mystique waved away the smoke and openly smiled at Hank. Just as she was about to say hello, Hank got up and left the room. Alex gave her a hard look and followed Hank's example. As Mystique stood in the parlor with her mouth open, Charles wheeled himself beside her.

Raven, you must understand that you left them too. They feel like you abandoned them on the beach as well.

Charles's voice echoed in Mystique's mind. She frowned at his observation.

I don't see why it has to be like this Charles. I came back to make things better. I just wanted to see everyone, know that everyone is alright, and say that I am alright too.

I know Raven, Charles's thoughts were reassuring, but please understand that not everyone feels the same as you. Hank was heartbroken when you went with Erik, and the boys blame Erik for what happened to me. Charles closed his eyes and concentrated; in a series of rapid flashes, Mystique saw the hospital, the months of recovery, and the life confined to the wheelchair.

Do you blame Erik for what happened? Charles shook his head.

I blame the situation, not the man. It was an accident Raven, just an unfortunate accident. Charles paused. How is he Raven?

He…he's good, but he hasn't been the same since we lived here. Erik misses you Charles, like I've never known him to miss anyone before.

I miss him too. There were tears in Charles's eyes again.

Charles and Mystique sat in parlor for the next two hours. Not having any luck finding a Frisbee partner, Sean joined them for a time. The redhead didn't seem too angry with Mystique for leaving, and after he departed, Jean sat in the parlor for a while. Jean admitted that she was curious about the Professor's mysterious sister who seemed to have the household in a complete uproar. Mystique felt bad for Jean, being the only girl in a house full of boys.

"Have you found other mutants besides Jean?" Mystique felt this question was acceptable, as long as she didn't ask her brother to be too specific.

"Yes, well…it turns out that Alex has a younger brother who can create the same cosmic radiation, except it is controlled by eyes. I've also been in contact with a young man who has wings - actual wings, like an bird - and another boy who can freeze liquid just by touching it. All very interesting, unique talents."

"And all boys. Girl mutants must be really special, huh?" Mystique winked at Jean, who smiled in return.

"Actually, I would like to study the statistical disbursement of the X-gene in the mutant population. Once we get Cerebro running again…"

"Darling, I'm home!" The lilting voice of a woman rang out in the foyer. Mystique heard metal keys dropped into a bowl, followed by heeled shoes clicking on the wooden floor leading towards the parlor. Mystique gasped as Moria MacTaggert appeared in the doorway. The smile disappeared from Moria's face and she froze when she recognized Mystique. Mystique bolted up from her chair so forcefully that she knocked over both the chair and her teacup. Jean scrambled out of her seat too, wide-eyed and clearly startled by Mystique's reaction. Charles looked at Jean with a worried expression.

"What is she doing here?" Mystique eyed Moria fearfully. She never really liked the agent, and after Moria's bosses tried to kill the mutants on the beach...

"Raven, please calm yourself; fear is not necessary." Charles kept his eye firmly on Jean, who looked terrified. "Moria lives here now. She is…well, she is my wife Raven. We're married." Charles hesitated, then smiled reassuringly.

"She's your what?"

"My wife. Please, sit back down. I was going to tell you earlier but I wanted to find the right way to explain. I know that you would have your…concerns."

"Charles, you know better! I can't believe that after everything…you know we cannot trust the CIA!" Mystique pointed a finger at Moria, who cringed as if her finger was a blade.

"Her bosses tried to murder us – all of us – on the beach! You know this!" Mystique balled her hand into a fist.

"Raven, calm down." Jean started to tremble. Charles wheeled over to her and put his hand on the Jean's shoulder. Moria too was looking at Jean, and she spoke in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

"I'm no longer with the CIA, Raven. I left them after Cuba. I don't trust them either." Moria smiled weakly but Mystique felt like she was going to be sick. It was too much. The woman had almost gotten her brother and Erik killed on several occasions…Erik…

"She shot at Erik! She tried to kill your best friend! She's part of the reason why you're paralyzed!"

"Raven, please…"

"Professor…?" Jean started crying. Suddenly, the entire room started vibrating. Moria looked around fearfully. Charles was concentrating on Jean, talking to her telepathically. Mystique watched in wonderment as books slowly began to drift off shelves and float through the air. Suddenly, a large book came forcefully at Mystique. She dodged, only to be hit by another book and thrown backwards into the bookshelf.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I can't control it!" As Jean wailed in escalating fear and books began flying violently around the room, Mystique screamed.

It all happened so fast.

Red and black smoke swirled in front of Mystique. Azazel stood, tensed for a fight with two short swords drawn, using his body as a shield between Mystique and the others. Before Mystique could explain the situation to him, Alex burst into the room.

"Professor, what's going…?" Alex's eyes quickly landed on Azazel's swords. Alex let out a yell and a blast from his chest. Azazel pushed Mystique out of the way and teleported to the other side of the room to draw Alex's fire. Mystique dove behind a couch, her arm singed from Alex's blast, which set fire to the bookshelf behind her. Flaming books were now flying off the shelves at an alarming rate as Jean became hysterical.

"Professor, make it stop, make it stop!" The young girl howled.

Drawn by the commotion, Hank and Sean appeared in the doorway. Hank leapt at Azazel, who vanished an instant before the blue mutant touched him. He reappeared up towards the ceiling, scanning the room for Mystique. Alex had Mystique cornered against a wall. She pleaded with him that it was merely a misunderstanding, but he looked positively enraged. Sean screamed – more out of fear than fight – and all the mutants cringed except Azazel, who vanished again at the sight of Sean's open mouth. When Sean had lost his breath, Azazel reappeared behind Alex, his tail quickly wrapping around Alex's neck and his blade raised high as the boy charged up…

I believe that is quite enough, all of you.

Everyone in the parlor stood frozen. Books and debris now slowly floated around the mutants, and only Charles moved, wheeling into the center of the room. Jean was unconscious in Moria's arms; Mystique recognized that it was Charles's work and not an injury. Charles had a hard look on his face, and he brushed aside a burned book as he surveyed the damage to the room and the mutants in it. He did not open his mouth, but his voice echoed loudly inside each mutant's head.

You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

He looked at Mystique when he next spoke, this time with his voice.

"You gave me your word that he," Charles pointed to the frozen Azazel, "would not be a problem." Mystique swallowed. She felt her face and neck relax. Charles had released her so she could speak.

"Charles, it was an accident. He thought I was being hurt…" Mystique knew that Azazel would have been paying keen attention to Charles's mental link. Her scream must triggered his return.

"Accident or not, this is unacceptable. I need to protect my students." Charles sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"I think it's time you both left, Raven."

Tears formed in Mystique's eyes. I don't want to leave, not like this. Charles…she tried to speak to Charles in his mind, but he had severed the connection. One by one Charles released the mutants. As Alex regained movement, he tore Azazel's tail from around his neck. The blonde faced the red mutant and jabbed the tail's pointed end in Azazel's face. Alex glared at him.

"I should stab you with this, you son-of-a…"

"Alex, step away." When Charles was satisfied that Alex was far enough away from Azazel, he released the teleporter last. Azazel quickly seized Mystique's uninjured arm and roughly pulled her to his side.

"Please, Cha…"

In a flash of smoke, they were gone.