Chapter 26

The next morning most of the faculty of the Xavier Institute were gathered this chilly Saturday morning awaiting the arrival of the new students. Alex had already gotten his cab and was away. Scott was feeling quite down about that.

Marie had gotten back 1st thing this morning and right now...well she wasn't here. She and Claire were...ahem, catching up. There was kissing and making-out involved. Clark didn't want to know.

As for Claire's first night of heroics...well her quippage needs work and she needs to up her tolerance of Spider-Man's endless babble...and she got her first experience of Parker luck.

Ok long story short they ran across the Fantastic Four where the famous 4 heroes in blue were battling a new villain for them called the Mole Man. No really. That was his name.

Anyway the Mole Man had control over some sort of gigantic creature...hence called Giganto(Peter's oh so imaginative name for it). Well Superman, Spider-Man and Volcana arrived on the scene and that is when the problems really began.

Flashback...

Giganto had the Thing trapped under one of it's enormous feet. Superman raced in to assist him while Spider-Man and Volcana tried to help the other members of the Fantastic Four fight off Mole Man's other creatures called the Moloids. Creatures composed of what is almost a form of living mud. There was this almost seemingly unending army of them.

Superman gets his hands under Giganto's foot and with a monumental effort lifts it off of the Thing.

"Thanks, kid," Ben gives his gratitude as he gets himself up.

"How about you get the other foot and we give our friend here the old alley oops?" Superman suggests.

Ben nods and runs over to the other leg and grabs a hold. "On 3. 1...2...

"3!" they both say together and toss with all their strength the two legs trying to propel the giant creature upward. It lands on its back and Clark spots something. "You see that?" he asks the Thing.

"If ya mean the giant 10 storey creature, kid, he's hard to miss."

"No. That!" Superman repeats more forcefully, pointing at some sort of device at the base of the creature's neck.

Ben scratches his orange head. "That's odd. I'll give ya that."

"I wonder..." Superman starts. "I'll be back," he says, vanishes in a blur and returns with Mr Fantastic. "Sorry about the abrupt journey," he apologises.

Reed takes a minute to regain his senses. "Not at all...Superman?" he queries, recognising the kid from the stories in the Bugle.

"That's what they call me. Personally I was going for 'Slightly-Above-Average-Man' but somehow it never caught on."

Ben laughs.

"That," Superman points at the device. "Some sort of control device?"

Reed postulates that. He was wondering how this Mole Man was controlling the creature. "Could be. I would need to examine it to figure out how to disable how it without harming the creature. Can you and Ben hold it still for me?"

"Sure, Stretch. Ya want me to order dinner while I'm at it because I'm sure holding tiny here will be no issue whatsoever," Ben rolls off sarcastically. For someone so smart Reed could be so utterly dumb sometimes.

"Still easier than dealing with my ex," Superman grimly quips.

"Kid, don't even go there," Ben says, warning off any discussion in the area of former girlfriends, as he and Superman try to hold Giganto down while Reed stretches his body up to the device to try and figure it out.

Meanwhile with the others...

"Seriously I knew you were jealous of me but to go out and get yourself an inferior version is just totally pathetic," the Human Torch says to Spider-Man as he flies over the massed ranks of Moloids, laying down fire, trying to drive them back.

"And is it any wonder I don't write," Spider-Man retorts as he webs up some of the Moloids. He and the Human Torch don't get on...at all.

"Did he just call me inferior?" Volcana asks the Invisible Woman as she lays down a trail of fire, baking the creatures and forcing them back.

Susan is using her forcefields to scoop up the Moloids and throw them. She rolls her eyes at Johnny's remarks. "I apologise for him."

The Mole Man stands atop a wrecked car with an elaborate cane in one hand. He is a short, dumpy man in reality. "It matters not how many of you heroes come. The surface world will pay for its insults upon me!" he proclaims.

"Oh geez. The revenge gig, really?" Spider-Man asks. "You know its not like I don't hear that one every other day."

The Mole Man aims his cane at Spider-Man and an electrical discharges fires from the end of it.

Spider-Man flips backwards avoiding the blasts elegantly. He takes a bow. "I thank you. I'll be here all week!"

"Insolent bug."

"Arachnid. I'm an arachnid. One of these days I swear someone will get that right but hey lets not talk about me. Lets talk about you. Now I know many people may not think you're much to look at but I'm betting you're one of those 'sings like an angel' people, am I right?"

Mole Man seems genuinely caught off-guard by that comment. "Most people don't see through my appearance."

"And I can't say I blame them," Johnny not so helpfully says at this point.

"Oh ignore the flying fire hazard that all parents warn their kids about," Spider-Man says. "I mean I totally get it. I wear this mask and I get labelled a criminal. I mean really what is up with that? It's not like I don't save the world every other week or anything."

Jonny snorts. "Pft. The FF save it every other day. We saved the country from invasion from this Namor guy. What a tool!"

Susan's cheeks involuntary blush as the mention of Namor. He made no secret of the fact he desired her to be his queen(he's King of Atlantis you know) and despite her love for Reed she can't deny Namor stirred feelings within her.

Peter pinches the bridge of his nose. He is trying to talk the Mole Man into lowering his guard and the walking bonfire is not helping...at all!

Peter has a sudden inspiration. He needs to catch everyone off guard. As quick as flash he fires off his weblines...and wraps them around the flying Human Torch. He yanks the arrogant teen to the ground as his webbing starves Johnny's flames of oxygen putting him out.

"What the...hmmpf!" Johnny never finishes as Spider-Man webs his mouth closed.

"Finally! I can hear myself think again!" Spider-Man proclaims. "Ooh I forget to set Tivo. Damn!" he curses what he can remember now he can think again.

Everyone stops at what Spider-Man just did. Stops and stares so no-one is watching what Mr Fantastic, Superman and the Thing are up to.

"I...you...helped me?" Mole Man queries from Spider-Man.

"Nope. I'm just distracting you while the guy with superspeed snatches your cute little cane there."

"What?" Mole Man asks as a gust of wind and red/blue blur blows by him and he finds his cane gone.

Superman hands it to Mr Fantastic who deciphers it and deactivates the signal that control the Moloids who literally turn into a flow of mud that starts to pour down the sewers.

"No! No!" Mole Man cries in denial. "You'll pay for this. You'll all pay for this..."

Mole Man is stopped by the roar of Giganto.

"Oh yes. I also deactivated the control device you implanted," Reed informs him. "Now any reasonably aware lifeform tends to react negatively to being coerced into actions against its will."

"In other words are ya going to get it," Ben summarises it as Giganto advances on the Mole Man.

"Help me! Help me!" he begs as he backs up desperately.

"I suppose we have to," Superman says, sounding a tad reluctant.

"They would revoke our superhero licence if we didn't," Spider-Man points out.

"Susan, if you could," Reed requests.

Susan nods and wraps one of her invisible forcefields around Mole Man making him vanish from sight. With him out of sight Giganto turns and heads for the great big hole in the street he rose from in the first place.

"We just let it go?" Volcana asks as she comes into land beside her brother.

"It's a subterranean creature. It has no desire to be here," Reed states scientifically. "It was only Mole Man's device that enduced it to come up here. Now free it will simply return to its home."

"It's an innocent," Superman summarises it succinctly.

"Well put," Reed praises Superman's choice of wording.

With Giganto and the Moloids gone Spider-Man webs up the Mole Man for the police to deal with. "Another day, the city saved once again...and JJ will probably still blame it on me," Spider-Man laments the inevitable.

Susan, Reed and Ben come to stand around the webbed up Johnny.

"You know I shouldn't laugh," Susan says...says through barely repressed guffaws.

"Oh go ahead and laugh, Suzie. I know I will be," Ben declares with a loud, brash chortle.

Johnny's eyes narrow and he says something but it comes out as incomprehensible muffles.

"You better free him, Ben," Reed decides.

"Are ya sure, Stretch?" Ben asks, really asks. "I think it's an improvement on the team dynamic. After all who needs him. We could be the Fantastic Three!"

"Ooh Fantastic Three!" Spider-Man says, his voice sounding ecstatic. He snaps his fingers and points at his teammates. "What..."

"NO!" Superman and Volcana cut him off before he can even suggest it as another team name for them.

Reed shakes his head. "Ben, please."

Ben sighs. "Alright," he says a little reluctantly. He reaches down and with a little effort rips the webbing away.

"Finally!" Johnny complains. "And Fantastic Three! If we ever become that I think the 1st person we'll drop is the lump of orange play-doh!"

"You want to say that to my face, Matchstick?" Ben challenges him.

Johnny walks right up to Ben. "Any time twinkle-toes! I think if we need to drop dead-weight there's no-one heavier than you!"

"One of these days, your big mouth is going to get ya into a whole heap of Clobberin!" Ben swears.

"And here we go," Reed mutters in complaint to Susan.

Susan laughs and brings her head to rest on his shoulder. Johnny and Ben arguing is like the sun rising. It's just something that happens every day.

Reed looks at their 3 helpers having their own debate over a team name apparently. "He's very smart."

"Hmm?" Susan queries.

"Superman. When I was working on the device he suggested about just short-circuited the receiver, since it must have been radio controlled. That was much quicker than trying to remove the device and saved us a lot of time."

Susan look over at tall, well-built...well boy if she was to judge. She thinks he looks like someone in their late teens. Susan walks over to them. "I wish to say thank you for your assistance."

"That's no problem," Superman assures her. "Except for Spidey. On behalf of Volcana and myself I apologise for him," he quips with a smirk.

"Hey!" Spider-Man protests.

"Oh you know it's true...and I've only just met you and I agree on the apology," Volcana says.

Susan giggles.

"And these people are my friends," Spider-Man theatrically laments with a hand to his head.

"Well we should go," Superman decides. "It was very nice to meet you Ms Storm."

At the smile he flashes Susan can only smile back.

Johnny breaks away from his argument with Ben. "Well, so long," he says, not even sounding remotely like he means it. "Next time you need help just ask me. Don't bring the wannabe along. I mean she is only a girl!"

Superman winces. "He didn't just say that."

"He did," Spider-Man has to confirm.

Both boys look at Volcana, who like her name, is about to explode. She turns, marches up to Johnny and drives her knee where no knee should ever be driven on a man. Johnny falls to the ground clutching his two best friends as Volcana flicks her hair back and walks away, her head held high.

"Ok even I felt that one," Ben remarks, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Guess that means ya won't be meeting that date tonight," he says to Johnny who can only look up, tears in his eyes, unable to say anything as the unimaginable pain racks him.

The Present...

Clark shudders. Even he felt that blow of Claire's. Guess that means another team-up with the FF in the near future is unlikely.

"So, son," Clark's father addresses him. "Not going to the Fortress, today?" he asks about Clark's training.

"Later. I'm not missing this for the world," Clark replies, really looking forward to this. His head rises slightly as he hears a few cabs approach. "Here they come," he announces. That was good timing to have them all arrive together

"An hour," Ray says.

"Pft. 45 minutes," Tabby says to that.

"Nein. No more zhan 30 minutes," Kurt proposes.

"Nah," Kitty says. She was just staying long enough to meet the newcomers and then she was off to spend her day with Peter. "Since he's dating Storm's he's been going soft. I would, like, say 1 and a quarter."

"What is everyone on about?" Martha asks, for once having missed out on this topic.

Her son comes to the rescue. "They're betting how long before Logan throws the new arrivals into a Danger Room session," Clark explains.

"I see," Martha says dryly. Her gaze turns to who she knows is behind any sort of betting ring. "Robert?"

Bobby tries not to look her in the eye. "Yes, Mrs K?"

"Put me down for 90 minutes."

Bobby bursts into a wide grin. "Sure. No problem," he says as he notes it down in his little black betting book.

"Martha?" Jonathan queries at his wife.

Martha shrugs. "It's a little harmless fun." And she knows Logan is working on his bike this morning which is why she went for as long as 90 minutes.

The two cabs pulls up to the steps. First out of the front cab is Sean Cassidy.

"Sean, welcome back," Charles greets his old friend warmly.

"Aye. Nice t' see ye Charlie-boy. Happy New Year," Sean says.

"And to you too."

Sean is followed by his daughter Theresa. Terry had been really very excited about this. She had enjoyed it so much during her last short stay. The Professor welcomes her back.

"Rahne!" Jamie's very excited voice cries out as the red-haired girl steps out. He runs forward and hugs her.

Rahne smiles warmly. "Hi Jamie," she greets her best friend as she returns the hug. Maybe it's just the wolf in her needing the companionship of a pack but it feels nice to have Jamie's arms around her.

At this sight Paige folds her arms across her chest and looks huffy. It bothers her...though she can't quite figure out why it does.

The next person out of the 2nd cab shocks Scott. "Alex?"

"Surprise, bro!" Alex cheers with a smile.

"But you just left?"

"Just to down the road when I got him to come back when these guys passed by," Alex explains. Yeah, it was a big fake out to surprise his brother.

"You're staying?" Scott asks, hopeful that that is true.

Alex grows a bit more serious. "Yeah. I kinda need to. Remember what happened when Lockheed surprised me?"

Scott nods, remembering Alex's misfire.

"Well I've been misfiring a lot lately. Caused all sort of havoc."

"Havok, huh?" Domino repeats that, eyeing the blond boy. It may just be her but that sounds like a codename to her.

Alex looks guilty about it. His folks have had to patch up a lot of holes these last few months.

"I must take my share in this," the Professor speaks up. "I went along with Alex's wish to keep it a surprise."

"Well you certainly managed that," Scott can confirm but he can't be upset. "This is great, Alex," he expresses his true feelings at being permanently reunited with his little brother.

The next person out of the last cab makes everyone gasp. It's a pretty seventeen year old girl with purple hair and she had a kind of a punk look. Baggy black pants but with an orange top that showed off her stomach and had on jewellery like a few bracelets, rings, ear rings but nothing overly much.

Rogue is the one with the strongest reaction. Her face has gone deathly pale. "R-Risty?"

The girl looks at Rogue with a puzzled expression. She can sense a lot of emotions but they are strongest from this girl "Who?" she asks with a strong British accent. "I think you have me confused with someone else, luv."

Charles reaches out with his senses. "Elizabeth?" he queries. He hadn't seen her in years so he didn't know what she looked like. He could sense the young girl's mind so it definitely wasn't who it looked like.

The girl smiles broadly at seeing him. "Uncle Charley!" she greets him, happily. When she was younger she use to always call him that.

"Uncle Charley?!" the group on mass exclaim at hearing that.

Elizabeth bounds over to the Professor and gives him a hug. Then she picks up on all the emotions still swirling around. "Ok, what is going on?" she asks. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

Clark blinks. It wasn't Mystique. He could tell that instantly. Wrong heartbeat, wrong scent but apart from that she was a dead ringer.

Rogue snaps out of her shock. "What in tha hell is going on here?!" she demands to know, all her hurt and anger at Mystique's countless betrayals being opened up again.

Charles tries to calm her down. "Rogue, I can't explain this yet but it is not who you think it is. This is Elizabeth Braddock."

"He's right, Rogue," Jean backs him up being able to sense the girl's mind. "I can sense her mind. With Mystique I can't do that."

"Can someone clue me in?" the purple haired teen girl asks, utterly, utterly lost. "Who is this Mystique and Risty people you are all bloody on about?"

"They're the same person," Amara answers.

"Yeah," Ray says in agreement. "You."

"Me?" Elizabeth was completely lost now. Suddenly several people at once try to explain it and she picks up bits and pieces about someone who can change shape and looked like her.

"Alright! Enough!" Rogue snaps. She looks at the Professor. "Tell meh she's leavin now."

The Professor can feel Rogue's hurt and anger pour off of her. "No, Rogue. She is not," he calmly states.

"But...but..."

"She's not Mystique, Rogue," Clark tells her. "Don't judge her as such."

Rogue's head snaps round to glare at him. "How can ya say that? Ya know how ah feel about this?"

"Yes. I do. I've also known shapeshifters before I came here. Heck she almost killed me by pretending to be someone else but I never blamed the person she was impersonating. I know it's difficult but misplacing your anger on Elizabeth here won't make it any less so."

"Ah don't have ta put up with this!" Rogue snaps and storms off.

"And she doesn't listen to me. Wow, I can't imagine why we broke up," Clark drawls sarcastically. When they were dating he would have gone after her and tried to make her see it. Now he just doesn't have the traction with her to get her to hear him out.

"I think Elizabeth should accompany me to my office while I fill her in. Martha and Jonathan, can you show our guests their rooms...and a few volunteers to help with the bags as well," Charles requests of everyone.

Elizabeth rubs her temples. So many minds and so many strong emotions...she couldn't block them out entirely. This is why she's here in the 1st place.

While Charles deals with Elizabeth and everyone else is shown to their rooms, the last new student had snuck off out the other side of the cab. She was on the hunt for someone very special.

Logan was at the garage working on his bike so didn't know of everything that had just transpired with his daughter. He could have been there to meet and greet but frankly he would rather work on his bike. He'll meet them soon enough when he works them through a Danger Room session.

Working on his bike is one way for him to unwind. Suddenly he stiffens as a scent hits his nostrils. He knows that scent but it can't possibly be her!

Suddenly a petite figure jumps on his back. "Hi Wolvie! I'm baaaccckkk!" she yells right in his ear.

"I've died and gone to hell," he comments.

The teenage girl with long black hair and mixed American/Chinese features pouts. She hugs him tightly and brings her cheek against his "Aw, you know you missed me. Admit it," she dares him.

"Not likely. Now get off, Jubilee," he tells her.

Jubilee drops to the ground. Logan turns round and looks her over, still wearing that yellow coat of hers. He hadn't seen her in 6 months and it had made a difference. Her hair was a little longer, she was a little taller, a little...he hated to say this, fuller in figure. He guesses she was on the path to becoming a young woman. Well she was 16 by now. She is grinning that full mischievous one at him...while still managing to chew on her bubblegum.

"Still haven't given up that disgusting habit, I see," he remarks, pointing at her chewing mouth.

"Says the man who smokes cigars the thickness of my arms," Jubilee returns fire.

"Chuck never said you were coming back."

"I asked him to keep it a surprise," she explains. Jubilee hasn't been happier since the day the Professor managed to talk her parents into letting her come back. She never wanted to leave in the first place and home had not been happy. Since she was revealed as a mutant like virtually every one of her old friends wanted nothing more to do with her. She had been lonely and miserable back home in California if she was being honest. "So," she says.

"So?"

"Dating Storm, huh?" she queries with a grin, her blue eyes alive with that innate curiosity of hers.

Logan groans. "No." He ain't talking about it...and certainly not with her.

"Yes."

"No," Logan repeats.

"Yes...not today or tomorrow, perhaps but now I'm back I have all the time in the world to wear you down," Jubilee threatens him and Logan just knows she completely means that. "Well I have to go reclaim my room but we'll hang out soon. See ya, Wolvie!" she waves at him as she skips away.

Logan just knows he'll regret having her back...yet he can't help a little smile. He'll never admit this but secretly he has always had a soft spot for Jubilee.

In the Professor's office Charles is explaining the whole Mystique/Risty story to Elizabeth.

The young purple haired telepath listened carefully, picking up why everyone had looked at her like they did. "So let me get this straight," she wishes to just say it out and make sure she has it. "There's a shape-shifter named Mystique, who used my image to get close to this Rogue girl and the blue boy, Kurt, both of whom are her children...and she is also your enemy."

"Essentially, yes," Charles agrees she understands the basics of what is a complex story.

Elizabeth slumps into her chair unsure what to make of this. She feels violated in a way.

"Elizabeth, do you know how she got your image?"

"First off call me Betsy," she requests. "Elizabeth makes me sound old...dull...proper," she complains with a small face of dislike at being called 'Elizabeth'.

Charles smiles lightly. Ah to be young again. She must be going through that rebellious phase that most young people go through. Her parents never mentioned that to him. Probably thought he wouldn't accept her if he knew.

"Second off, I have no bloody idea how the ruddy witch got my image. I don't recall meeting anyone blue."

"Anyone whose mind you couldn't read?" Charles asks her.

Betsy thinks hard. She is so inundated with minds she might not have noticed under all the constant distracting chatter. "No-one I can remember, sorry Uncle Charley."

"That's ok...and can I request you don't call me that in front of the other students," he says. He needs to maintain his authority.

"But I like calling you Uncle Charley," Betsy teases with a pout.

Charles gives her a stern look. "Elizabeth," he says warningly.

"Ok, just don't call me that," she asks.

"Very well, Betsy. We have a deal."

Betsy smiles and then her smile falters. "This is going to cause a problem with the others isn't it?" she has pretty much figured.

"It will take a little adjusting...especially for Kurt and Rogue but in time they will realise who you are and accept you for who you are...and that is when the pranks will begin," he warns her.

Betsy grins manically. "Pranks huh? They don't stand a chance. You should have seen all the ones I have pulled on Brian," she says in relation to her twin brother and how there isn't a prank invented she can't see coming.

"I can imagine. How is Brian?"

"Oh as dull and uninteresting as you'll remember him," she jokily puts her twin down. "So he's our parents' Golden Child. I'm the black sheep. Why do you think I'm here?"

"So I can help you with your powers," Charles explains why she is here.

Betsy rubs her head again. "Yeah. That I need help with," she agrees, making a slightly pained expression at the throbbing in her temples.

Charles looks at her with mild concern. He can see right away it is as bad as her parents told him it was in relation to her powers. He will have to get to work with her soon.

"Can I go to my room, now?" she asks. "My body's all messed up with the time-zones. I need a rest." And a rest from all the strong emotions she felt...especially from the Goth girl who ran off. There was a lot of hostility there. Betsy fears it may mean them not ever being close.

The Professor can see she does need rest and escorts her to her room himself.

The Sanctum Sanctorum...

Someone who missed all the drama of the new arrivals was Wanda who had to return to the Sanctum. She was in her room...and it was really her room. She has started to fill it with her personal effects. Still takes her 3 wrong turns to find it though thanks to the ever shifting corridors and rooms of this place.

Now she has more personal effects for it, evidenced by the box on her bed. The one she took from the asylum, She opens it and lifts out her blond-haired doll. It was a gift from her mother. She can remember that. The day her mother gave it to her. Wanda was so excited she ran about all day showing off her doll with pride like it was the most important thing in the world.

She misses those days before her father crushed all the innocence out of her.

Wanda brushes the doll's hair down with her hand before she places the doll down, resting up against her pillow.

"I wouldn't let Satana see that," a chirpy voice jokes.

Wanda sighs. "Hello Jen."

The blonde haired Jennifer Kale skips into Wanda's room. "So have a nice Christmas with your pals?"

"Yes."

"Really? And the best present they could come up with was a doll?"

"It's not a present. It's a...symbol."

Jen looks at Wanda curiously. "Of what?"

"Of lost lives. Of lost innocence. Of something I can never get back but also of a new life I can make for myself."

"Whoa. That's...deep," Jen remarks. "You get all that from a doll?"

"Yes...and more."

"So what did you get for a present?" Jen asks, her curiosity peaked.

Wanda sighs again and fetches her present. "Something you'll be pleased about."

Jen's eyes light up at seeing the Wicca stuff. "Yes!" she proclaims happily even doing a little happy dance. "Welcome to the sisterhood!" she calls Wanda's conversion to the Wiccan faith.

Wanda rolls her eyes.

"And you'll probably need every inch of faith you have," Jen adds, suddenly sounding more serious.

"What do you mean?"

"Dr S got a lead on Johnny," Jen says in relation to her cousin, Johnny Blaze. It's why she is here. To find him.

"This would be the same Johnny who did a deal with the Hell-Lord Mephisto."

"Yep," Jen confirms. "Ready to go a few rounds with the Devil?"

"You've never met my father, have you?" Wanda quips dryly.

Jen bursts into a fit of laughter. Oh that was good. She should probably laugh while she can because to save her cousin's soul is probably going to be a horrifying experience but she'll do it. She promised herself she would save Johnny and she will no matter where she has to go or what spawn of hell she has to go through. She will save him.

At the Institute...

Domino walks into the gym. She was looking for Rogue and liked she guessed her sister was down here punching the bag. They had had to reinforce it after Rogue broke the last one...and at this rate she'll be breaking this one soon as well considering the punishment she is giving it.

Again. It was a word echoing through Rogue's brain. The world was kicking her down again. For one brief shiny moment her life had started to look up. Ok she was single and that hurt but she had control over her powers, she had all this strength and speed now. She was free to build the life she wanted.

Now that reminder walked in the door. Reminder of the fact Rogue had let her defences down. Let Risty get close. Rogue liked it. Liked having a normal friend...only she wasn't her friend. She was her mother. A mother who still could screw her over. Even when Mystique wasn't around she could screw Rogue over. And now that reminder of all her pain and hurt walks in the door.

It's a pattern in her life. First she gets her powers just when she and Cody are about to get together and she kisses him. Well that was the end of that. Rogue hasn't seen him since. Why would she? She put him into a coma that lasted a fortnight. He probably hates her for what she did to him.

Then...god there was her crush on Scott. Stupid. She was. It was plain as the nose on her face he loved Jean. That was a waste of her time.

And Clark...oh god Clark. No-one has gotten further into her heart than Clark did...but it wasn't enough for either of them. The one guy...at the time the only guy she could touch and fate decided that for whatever reason it just wasn't meant to be. Neither of them was willing to allow themselves to cross that final little bit and be completely open and honest with each.

Rogue hasn't even realised she has started crying.

Clark, Scott...at least neither of them meant to hurt her. Risty...Mystique it had all been planned. Get close to her, use her. "Arrgghhh!" she screams and delivers once huge punch to the bag. The reinforced chain breaks, the bag flies across the room, hitting the wall and putting a dent in it.

"I really hope it wasn't my face you were imaging there," Domino jokes dryly.

Rogue manages a small chuckle despite herself. She finally feels her tears and turns away not to show her weakness to Dom.

Domino walks over and gently places a hand on Rogue's shoulder. "Hey," she says softly. "You don't need to hide from me," she tells her sister.

Rogue wipes the tears away.

"It's not her."

"I know that!" Rogue snaps when she doesn't mean to.

"Do you? Really?" Domino wants to be sure.

"She used meh, Dom. She claims ta beh mah mothah but all she does is lie and use meh and hurt meh."

"Yeah. Life is crap sometimes," Dom sums it up. "And I'm not trivialising your pain here. Definitely not," she wants Rogue to understand. "I can imagine it is not easy for you but don't displace your anger. Braddock is here because she has problems with her powers."

"What am ah suppose ta do?"

"Oh I'm not telling you that one. You're my sister. I'll support you but I am also an instructor at this Institute and that girl is my student. I have an obligation to her too," Domino says, showing her rarely seen serious side.

Rogue understood that last part...she supposed. "Ya can't tell meh?" she asks because she could do with being told right now.

"No. I can't tell you to be her friend. There is nothing I can say that will make your pain go away. You will just have to find your own way to cope with her being here because she is going to stay here. Don't blame her for your mother's misdeeds. That is all I will say."

Rogue takes a few deep breaths. "Ah'll try," is all she can say although don't expect her to put too much effort into it at the moment. She doesn't think she can cope with any prolonged period in that girl's company.

"That's all I ask...and oh you're fixing that bag," Dom instructs her.

Rogue just shoots Dom a withering glare in return for that.

As it turns out no-one won the bet about when Logan would throw the newbies into the Danger Room. That was because there was one more recruit who didn't show up until the afternoon. Upon arrival the young native American man was escorted to the Professor's office.

"You're certain this is what you want, Forge?" the Professor asks. Forge was often around using the labs and creating machine but now he was asking to stay here permanently. That could be...interesting. A few of the things Forge had built previously had had...unpredictable side-effects...and don't get the Professor started on what happened when Forge fixed the toaster that one time. It's a miracle no-one was hurt.

"Yes," Forge confirms. He had thought about this hard for awhile and knew this is what he wanted. "It was great of my parents to take me back after I vanished for almost 40 years but they're in their 70s now. They should be enjoying their retirement, not looking after me," he explains the basis behind his decision.

Charles could sense Forge felt like he was a burden on his now elderly parents. "You are most welcome here, Forge. You always have been," he gives the genuinely heartfelt assurance.

That makes Forge feel better. It's been a massive adjustment trying to catch up with the years he lost. That's why he stayed with his parents. It was a safe place to catch up but now he feels he has...mostly a grip on this modern world so it was time he tried to make a life for himself here. The Institute is the only place he knows where to begin doing that. So here he is.

Charles has to say he gets a nice buzz, a sense of refreshment when new students come. Even if some are former students returning it still manages to add a new energy to the place. He knows that Forge, Jubilee, Rahne, Betsy, Alex, Terry and yes, even Sean, will make a great contribution in the days ahead.

Author's Note: Uh, yeah, I don't think Claire will be being invited to any FF parties any time soon...and hey I even threw in a Namor mention. Risty, a girl with purple hair who was British. Makes sense to me that it was Mystique ripping Betsy off...and Rogue gets put through the emotional ringer again. And Wolverine and Jubilee reunited; let the good times roll! Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; the new arrivals settle in...and get to experience the joy of a Danger Room session.