Thanks to ellie, kristelalugo, Melissa hearts fiction, and guest for reviewing! I do try to keep chapters at least a thousand words... with an evil cliffhanger. Sounds like that was successful!


Three of them returned home: Hank, looking distracted, lost in a million thoughts every second; Ruth, solemn and quiet; and Alex, stained with the blood of his best friend.

No one slept well, but they made a pretense of it.

Alex didn't want to speak to anyone and it was difficult to fault him. He went to wash off the blood and try to sleep.

Hank took one look at his bed and went to the lab instead.

Scott and Ororo stayed together. Neither tried to talk about Sean, who had been barely older than any of them, barely more than a student, and like a brother to both of them. They exchanged a few bitter words about Raven, though. Only a few. That, too, was a painful subject.

Ruth just shook her head at Charles.

Nobody slept much and nobody looked rested that afternoon when what remained of their already tiny school gathered in the sitting room. Scott tried going to Alex, but he still wasn't looking for any kindness. He wasn't ready to try not being miserable. Everyone was alone, except Scott and Ororo, who didn't see the point.

"I suppose we all have something to discuss," Charles began. Normal he would try to leave the children out of X-Men business. That night, they had been X-Men. They hadn't had a choice.

The adults began. They told of breaking into the compound and destroying the computer, something visibly difficult for Hank to discuss. The files, too. Ruth and Hank summarized their takedown of the smaller attacking robots, then finding Alex and the fire breaking out behind him. They had not been able to find Raven's and Sean's bodies though Alex, speaking up for the first time, murmured, "We just couldn't save them."

"I'd like to know if anyone's certain that Raven was behind the attack on the school," Scott said.

Charles glanced at him, surprised. "Thank you, Scott."

Scott shook his head. "No, Professor. I'm not defending her. I want you to see the truth." He didn't say it angrily. This was far more painful: pity.

"Nothing we saw was proof either way," Ruth replied, "but I would not be surprised. Raven was more difficult than usual, she considered the mission unnecessary. Surprising for one who insisted upon it."

Hesitantly, Hank admitted, "It was strange that she left when she did."

"She had to pee," Alex pointed out. "That wasn't her fault. None of this was."

"Unless she lured you out so we would be undefended," Scott observed, still gently, pityingly. "Alex, I know you told me to trust her, but it's too big a coincidence."

"That's right. I did tell you to trust her. You didn't listen, did you?"

Ororo started to say something, but Scott shook his head.

"Jerk," he said, looking at Alex.

Alex raised his eyebrows. "Why are you calling me a jerk?"

"Whatever the truth proves," Hank offered, "I would like to know what happened last night. It sounds like the mansion could benefit from improved security."

As the adults began to discuss what might be beneficial, including suggestions from Laurie—she had a point that calling 911 from the shelter itself would have been safer—Scott nudged Ororo and moved his elbow just slightly.

Ruth suggested they needed an alarm system, perhaps something triggered by the doors, although this was only hopeful with a teleporter and a house full of kids.

Ororo shook her head at Scott.

"Everything is 'only hopeful' with a teleporter," Laurie said. "How about you don't all go out at once and leave us here?"

Scott gave Ororo a nod.

"Laurie, we didn't mean—" Hank began, but Ruth interrupted him.

"No. She is right. Someone should have stayed. We feel too safe here, it makes us foolish."

With this discussion underway, no one noticed Ororo ripping two butterfly closures off the cut on Scott's elbow, nor the shift in his jaw to indicate that it hurt.

They noticed, however, when Scott 'discovered' that he was bleeding. Mostly because he announced it and wondered, "Hank, d'you think you could fix it with more butterfly things? Or do I need stitches?"

"The other butterfly closures seem to be holding," Hank observed.

"Great, I'll go grab the first aid kit."

"I can—" Laurie volunteered.

Scott interrupted, "No, that's okay, Laurie. I'll go."

Hank may have missed Ororo opening up Scott's wound again, but he was not stupid. He also didn't think his phlebotomy training justified his position as team medic. He considered looking into what the community college offered—he did not want to leave the mansion and return to college for another degree, just a little training—but he was still blue. Still not ready.

Nonetheless, he took the first aid kit and disinfected Scott's cut. Scott was no stranger to scrapes and bruises, but this one was bad. Hank was more concerned with the knife sticking out of Scott's pocket. It was subtle, easy to miss if you weren't up close.

And it was clearly a secret.

The others had continued their conversation, a mixed discussion of security and the previous evening's events, but Hank did not want to mention the knife aloud. It was clearly a secret. So he gave Scott a meaningful look—what are you planning?

Scott shook his head in response.

"Hey Alex," he said, "you remember that song Mom used to sing us?"

It wasn't a terrible interruption, but enough that everyone gave him strange looks.

"You know—the Judy Garland one, right? Or maybe it was something else," Scott continued, "you'd remember better than I do."

"No," Alex said. "It was 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'."

Scott nodded. "Thought as much."

It was because of Scott that Charles wrapped up their discussion early—or because of the glances he saw Hank and Ororo giving Scott. Something was certainly going on.

Yet as the other X-Men made their way out of the room, Scott lingered. This was probably because Alex did the same.

"Charles."

Ruth had waited for him in the hallway. There was a lot to be made up for, as Charles saw it. He had distrusted his friends, his family. He hadn't forgotten that he accused Ruth of jealousy and could not fault her for what she said in response, no matter how it stung.

He shook his head. "I don't know where to begin. I..."

Ruth crouched and wrapped her arms around him.

It had been so long since someone hugged Charles, at first he did not understand. When he did, he felt his muscles give up, go weak against her.

She didn't say anything—not about the fight, not about Raven. She just held him until they heard a crash and a yelp from the next room.