Aliana watched from her window as students filed back in through the gates, the holidays over. It had been 2 weeks since she'd arrived back at the mansion. Christmas had been and gone and Magneto had visited the mansion nearly every other day to try and rekindle some kind of bond with her.
"Hey kiddo," Logan said, standing in the doorway of her room.
"Decided to talk to me again?" She asked, not looking away from the window as students hugged each other and exchanged presents and gifts after the Christmas break.
"I guess so," He replied, shrugging and leaning against the doorframe.
"You ignore me and avoid me for two weeks and all you can say is 'I guess so'? I had to talk to my father for an hour to convince him not to pull me out of the school because he could tell something was up. Do you still think I shouldn't let him try and be a father because at least he's trying and not just running away from the problem," Aliana shouted at him, standing up and facing Logan, her fist clenched as she glared at Logan.
"So I've run away from some problems, it doesn't make me a bad person," Logan replied, not realising that he was just making her angrier.
"Oh it doesn't? It just makes you a coward," She replied, before walking out the room, grabbing her jacket and leaving Logan to his thoughts.
Pulling her jacket on she headed straight out the front steps of the mansion and through the crowds of students arriving. Kitty spotted her go before going after her, phasing through the wall in front of her.
"What's wrong?" She asked making Aliana stop suddenly in her path.
"What do you think is wrong? No change that, who do you think is wrong?" Aliana asked, walking around Kitty and heading away on a much needed walk.
Kitty watched Aliana for a moment before heading back through the wall to warn Jean and Logan.
Aliana soon found a spot to sit on a fallen tree in a clearing. Reaching in to her pocket she pulled out 3 silver balls and begun to make them chase each other around her hand, watching them twist back and forth in between her fingers. Once they'd chased each other for a while Aliana flung them with all her power at a tree in front of her, fast enough for them to rip straight through the tree trunk and out the other side before returning to her hand.
"You've grown stronger, maybe I should have gotten you angry at me to begin with," A voice came from behind her making her stand up slowly and turn.
On the other side of the clearing stood Stryker with Dixon close behind him.
"Yeah I have. I also know exactly what you did to me," She replied, sending the 3 balls straight at Stryker before Dixon stepped in front of him, the balls hitting him instead of Stryker and bouncing straight off him.
"You really think I would keep a mutant like you around without another to protect me? How foolish you can be sometimes," Stryker said as Dixon moved towards Aliana.
The three balls returned to her hand and extended out to become a full length metallic bow which she spun with a simple elegance before engaging Dixon in full on battle. He was much stronger than anyone she'd fought against before.
She was soon backed up against a tree pinned in place with the metal bow.
"You never were a match for me. I don't know what Stryker kept you alive in the first place," He said pushing the bow a little closer to her.
"I more than a match for you," She replied, smiling as the bow suddenly shortened. The next thing anyone saw was Dixon moving away from Aliana, a short silver knife sticking out from between his ribs.
Just as he fell Logan flew in to the clearing, moving straight in front of Aliana.
"Oh look, the protector arrives. Miss me Logan?" Stryker asked as another person glided in to the clearing.
"You stay away from her," He said, the distinctive metal helmet giving him away instantly.
"And who might you be?" Stryker asked, an eyebrow raised at the newcomer.
"Her father," He replied simply.
"Oh really? I'll enjoy this then," Stryker said, raising a gun and shooting at Magneto.
"No!" Aliana shouted, shoving Logan out the way, and running in front of her father, only just in time to receive a bullet in the side, falling instantly and being caught by Logan who had rushed after her.
"Aliana! Aliana answer me!" He shouted, pressing a hand to her side.
"Shame, what a waste," Stryker said simply, glancing at Aliana before turning around and walking out of the clearing.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have questioned you, I shouldn't have," Logan said, as he held her up.
"It's not your fault," she said simply as she lay there.
"We have to get her back, hand her to me, I'll get her there faster," Magneto said, holding out his arms.
Logan looked at Magneto for a moment, before handing Aliana to him, watching as she winced from the change of hold.
"I'll get you back, just hang on baby girl," He said, stepping on to a metal disk and literally flying to the mansion. Logan raced after them, determined to not leave her side.