"Alex, you and Ivy take the west coast. Pack for at least a few weeks. We want to get as many children as possible, and I want you two to enjoy yourselves some. Don't fret about money either I've got it all taken care of."

As it turns out recruiting students for the school for the gifted wasn't that difficult, of course that wasn't to say it was very easy. Unlike herself, Alex or any of the others who Charles and Erik had recruited what seemed like forever ago the majority of the kids they were after were just that, kids, and these kids had parents, most of them were curious about the school, about who they and Xavier were but for the most part only wanted what was best for their kids.

The school wasn't set to open until the following semester so the parents they met would have a good long while to consider. But Ivy and Alex agreed that there probably wouldn't be more than 50 students at the most enrolled in the school, but doubted that Charles would much care about the number, so long as he was able to help those who needed it most.

After the last family they'd visited, Charles said they were free to come home as soon as they'd like, or continue their little road trip vacation on his dime, since there wasn't really any rush. They chose the latter option since they'd pretty much seen all the west coast had to offer and were ready to head back home, although Ivy had a different idea of where that was then Alex did, she was sure.

Currently they were stopped at a gas station so they coming could fill up on gas before making the long drive back north. Looking down at her map, Ivy silently pondered how far off course the excursion she wanted to go on would take them.

"This is more then a eight hour drive," Ivy said kneeling in her seat to lean over the side of the car, easy to do since the sunroof was down, and talk to Alex who was pumping the gas, "We're going to need some place to crash for the night." She finished explaining and Alex nodded as a V8 bus pulled into the spot in front of them.

"Alright, I think I remember seeing a motel a few miles back with some vacancies."

Ivy nodded but before she could respond there was the sound of a long drawn out whistle and they followed it to see a guy about their age leaning back against the bus and eyeing their direction appreciatively, "She's a looker." He drawled nodding his head.

"Excuse me?" Alex called loudly while squaring his shoulders.

The guy seemed to realize what he says and how it came out because he immediately straightened up, "I mean no disrespect. I meant the car, she's a beauty. What a Thunderbird?"

"Plymouth." Alex responded returning the gas nozzle.

"Very nice." He whistled again, "If you don't mind my asking, she must have cost you a pretty penny?"

"We're just borrowing from a friend."

"Nice friends." The guy said before noticing the license plates, "New York huh? What brings you over to the west coast?"

"Just a little road trip." Ivy explained and he nodded.

"How much longer you in town?"

"We actually have to leave in a few days."

"Tell me you've at least been to the beaches." At their silence the man looked aghast, "Well that's just not gonna fly, you two are officially my new friends, Nate Matthews." He introduced while approaching Alex with his hand out to shake, which he did while introducing himself in turn.

"Alex Summers. This is my girl Ivy."

"Hi."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said politely shaking Ivy's hand as well before taking a step back, "So how bout it? You two up for a bonfire on the beach with some of my friends, then we could show you some real west coast hospitality."

Alex hesitated, "We really should be heading back. Plus we've gotta find a place to crash for the night."

"There's a motel just along the beach." Nate pointed out.

"I don't know man." Alex told him, "We've got a long way back."

"Well if you change your mind, we're a couple miles west." Nate said making his way back to his vehicle, replacing the gas nozzle before hopping in and driving out of the station, honking his horn to them as he did. Alex similarly replaced the nozzle at their pump before closing the cap and rounding the car to climb back into the driver's seat.

"Alex?" Ivy sang fingers crawling up his shoulders, he stilled in starting the engine as he had come to recognize that particular tone of her voice.

"No," He said while meeting her eyes and seeing the pleading look she was giving him, "Doll, we gotta get back."

"Not right away," She told him, "Charles never gave us a specific date, he only said a few weeks. Besides you and I missed a lot of getting to hang out with normal kids our age."

Alex sighed weighing his options in his mind before deciding, what the hell, he grabbed Ivy's hand and kissed her palm before declaring, "Looks like we're making a detour."

Ivy grinned when he started the car and pulled onto the freeway, in the opposite direction of New York. Ivy turned the radio up and sang along loudly while Alex sped down the highway. Their entire time away from the mansion felt liberating in the best of ways, but now they were doing something for themselves, and as much as they loved Charles, it felt freeing.

Alex kept one hand on the wheel, the other wrapped almost all the way around Ivy's thigh, bare thanks to the short denim shorts she wore. To Ivy his touch felt electric as she leaned over briefly to nuzzle and kiss the she of his neck, before settling back into her seat so as not to distract him from driving.

Their relationship had grown exponentially during those few weeks as they had been spending more time together than ever before. Driving long hours, meeting new people, sharing rooms with only one bed. Ivy knew that the nuns at her orphanage would frown upon her thoughts and actions, but she found that she didn't really care, for her Alex was the one, even if they're nights together hadn't gone further than making out, and some heavy petting.

So far.

Alex pulled up alongside the V8 bus and Nate recognized the car, he shouted happily alerting the others in the van to their presence, and there was more cheering. Arms stretched out through windows Ivy smiled sitting up on her knees in her seat again to reach out a touch a few hands, the van sped up and Alex switched lanes so that they were following behind the van before Ivy sat back down and felt eyes on her. Alex looked her at for a moment before during back to the road, before looking back again like he couldn't help himself. In fact he told her as much before briefly leaning over and stealing a kiss then turning his full attention back onto the road. Ivy smiled and held onto his arm that was thrown all the way across her waist now pulling her to the very edge of her seat, if there wasn't a console between them there was no doubt she'd be in his seat by now.

They followed the van along the road and the coastline for about fifteen more minutes before they arrived at the promised beachside motel. The parking lot was empty save for two other convertibles parked side by side. Their friends in the van parked and Alex parked them in the next spot over, everyone hoped out of their respective vehicles and turned out the two other cars parked there were apart of the party as they hopped out too. Nate told Alex that he'd show him where they could get a room sorted out, and after a glance back at Ivy he went.

As it turns out, their new friends were 'real hippies' in the best of ways. The first thing they did after introducing themselves to the new additions of Ivy and Alex was pull out a bag of cannabis. After saying something about West Coast hospitality they offered a rolled jointed to the couple who declined, and they didn't press. Nate didn't smoke either with a few others so they had the alternative of beer handy. That the two mutants did accept.

Loud music placed from a speaker and people started to dance, if you could call the wavy movement of the arms of the bunch of them that partook in smoking, dancing. Ivy giggled at their movement's as she leaned back against Alex who was leaned against the car as they watched. She rocked against him to the beat of the music before he leaned down pressing a short kiss to the side of her neck, she sighed and leaned further into him.

"Dance with me?" he asked softly into her ear, his warm breath making her shiver.

"I don't know how." Ivy admitted looking over her shoulder at him in time to see his smirk.

"Neither do I." he said before kissing her cheek then nodding to their new friends and their exuberant dance moves, "Neither do they."

Ivy giggled and allowed him to unwrap himself for around her and pull her over to the makeshift dance floor that was the empty parking lot.

Things became a blur for a while from there, they danced with each other, uncoordinated rocking and spinning that no one could care less about because they were either too drunk or high to notice. Ivy and Alex were neither, but the euphoric freedom they felt in those moments could have rivaled any bliss their friends had.

They danced with each other, they danced with their new friends then back with each other again stealing hot little kisses as the night wore on. Slowly the party migrated down towards the beach, and then clothes started to come off.

Shoes lay forgotten in the parking lot as on the sand people stripped down to their under ware and dashed for the nearby ocean. Alex stared into Ivy's multicolored eyes as he reached back and in one motion pulled his shirt over his head. Ivy raised a brow at his challenge before crossing her arms in front of herself, gripping the bottom of her shirt and pulling it off.

Alex let his eyes drop and linger for a moment before work ducking down a d catching her lips, smoothing his hands over her back and down, then he broke the kiss and duck down dipping her over his shoulder before running for the water. Ivy giggled as she bounce along on his shoulder as they his the water and he swung her down and around in front of him.

The party continued in the water, people drunk off of drugs, alcohol and life danced and splashed even as the night wore on. It was the most fun either of them had in a long time.

"I'm so happy I met you." Ivy admitted to Alex amidst all the splashing in the after around them. Like they had been all evening the two of them remained wrapped up in each other despite the party raging on around them.

"I'm happy I met you too." Alex respond tightening his lingering grip on her hips, but before he could lean down and kiss her, one of their new friends stumbled into them, breaking their moment for the time being. But that was alright, they had all night.

A few hours later, either very early in the morning, or very late a night, who cares it was still dark. They had a left the water after it became a little too chilly for comfort. The some clothes were put back on, mostly jackets and shoes rather than full attire. Alex and Ivy weren't any different as she sat on the hood of the car wrapped up in his leather jacket while he leaned up against the car between her legs, leaning into her warmth. Their pothead friends had passed the intoxicated phase and were now munching down on the food they brought like to as going to run out. With how much they brought, highly doubtful.

"You know what would be really cool?" the girl with the Southern accent asked as she leaned half asleep out of the door to the van.

"What?" Nate asked politely breaking away from his conversation with Alex to answer the stoned girl.

"If we could freeze time." She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, the people in the group that were closest to her turned in amusement to hear what she had to say, "You know that of you could just 'click' it," she demonstrated by jabbing a finger in the air, "And then it'll stop, and you could say, 'this is how it's gonna be forever."

"Yeah Bonnie." Another girl said kindly from where she sat on the ground between the legs of who Ivy assumed was her boyfriend. "That'd be really cool."

Bonnie smiled sleepily, as she slunk down out if view and tried to hard to open the van door. All of a second has passed before little harmless snickers broke out amongst them at the girls drunken ramblings, "I'm not drunk enough for that." Nate joked fondly as Bonnie finally got the door open and slid out if the van crawling to her friend in the ground.

"Y'all makin' fun of me?" she asked as she lay on the ground placing her head in her friend's lap.

"No." Nate said with an exaggerated southern drawl playfully mocking Bonnie, "We just wanna click thangs. And freeze em'." Some the others joined in on the playful jibes.

"By houses together."

"Live here forever."

"Freeze time."

Bonnie smiled at the harmless jokes at her expense, "Y'all go on and laugh. But my dad thinks that there's people out there that can actually do that."

"Freeze time?" the other girl's boyfriend echoed.

"Mhm, that and a lot more." Alex and Ivy shared a look but weren't overly concerned about the intoxicated ramblings of their new friends, there wasn't any reason to suspect them as any more human than they were. "My dad told me about em', something about evolution. Made people different from humans, you know?"

"Tell you what," Nate said raising his bottle, "If I was one if them, I'd keep it to myself."

"Why?"

He scoffed taking a sip before answering, "The world don't know how to handle people with different skin color from them, different nationalities, how you think they'd react to something like that." He explained simply. And just like that the semi- deep conversations were over and mindless chitchat started up again.

"How long have you been together?"

"Officially?" Ivy answered pushing her arms under Alex's and hooking them over his shoulders, "Two months."

"That's it?" Nate asked in shock. "Jeez from the way you look at each other, I thought you'd been together for years."

"It's been quite a few months we've had together," Alex answered hooking a hand around the back of Ivy's knee, "But I knew from the second I saw her, she was special."

Nate smiled and looked at Ivy for her response, "Eh," she joked shrugging a shoulder, "It took me a few days." She said playfully.

Nate laughed as Alex tipped his head back to kiss under Ivy's chin. He snuck a hand up and tangled it in the back of her head pulling her down and leaning up further to connect their lips.

"You ready to go to bed?" He whispered against her lips pulling back.

Ivy took a deep breath before nodding, he smiled before standing up straight and then turning to help Ivy down, they bid Nate goodnight and he responded in kind before doing the same to their remaining friends.

Alex loosely entwined their fingers and grabbed their bag from the car before leading her towards their rental room.

He pushed the door open revealing their motel room, not the worst they'd ever stayed in, it looked pretty clean and the sheets looked fresh. What more could be expected of a cheap beach-side motel.

Alex dropped their bag on the small table before turning to her, "You wanna take a shower-"

She cut him off by leaning up on her toes and connecting their lips again, his arms slid around her beneath the jacket pulling her closer. She dropped her arms and slid the jacket from her arms before wrapping them around his neck. Alex broke the kiss pulling back to catch her eye.

"You sure?" he asked slowly.

Ivy nodded, "Yes." Before kissing him again then he began leading her backwards towards the bed breaking the kiss again when her knees hit and she fell backwards. Alex followed her down and crawled over her and she backed up the bed.

Once her head his the pillows he was back on top of her, slotting his body between her legs and pressing his lips to hers again, sliding his tongue along the seam of her lips before she parted for him and his body rocked against hers. He moved hot kisses down the side of her neck and onto her chest, painting the tops of her breasts with his mouth, she moaned as her back arched with his ministrations and she reached down to the top of his jeans toying with the button there before popping it open.

Alex let out a strained groan before lifting his head and catching her hands with his stopping both their movements, "Ivory, look at me." He demanded gruffly and she did, "Are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." She assumed him leaning up and catching his lips again.

"I just thought," He spoke between kisses, "You'd want something special." He admitted.

"This is special." She told him cupping his face between her hands as he lay above her propped up on his elbows caging her in, "You're special, and that's all I need." She pecked his lips again, "I love you Alex."

"I love you too." He told her before kissing her again, reaching around behind her back and pulling at the clasp of her bra until it came loose before pulling it off her body. He stared into her eyes with nothing but love and reverence, Ivy bit her lip at his gaze before she asked.

"Have you ever?" she let the question hang but he knew what she was asking, of course he did.

"No," he answered as he shook his head, "Have you?"

"No."

He took a deep breath reaching into his the back pocket of his jeans and pulling out his wallet setting it on the bed by her head, "If it starts to hurt, tell me, and I'll stop. I don't want to hurt you."

Ivy nodded, then sighed as he lowered his head to her breast and took a nipple into his mouth, while his hands pulled off her shorts. His jeans were the next to go before he pulled her into his chest and rolled them over so she was on top. Ivy sat up to where she was straddling his hips and took a few seconds to look him over.

Ivory knew that Alex was muscular, she'd seen and felt it more than enough times to know his body quite well. But now with the knowledge of what was coming next for them, she really took him in, he wasn't overly bulky, but he had muscles, she ran he hands over his biceps before leaning down and kissing the side of his neck giving him the same amount of attention he gave her. Her fingers slid along his arms, over across his chest and down until she reached the edge of his boxers. He peeked up at him to watch his reaction when she took his length into her hand over the cloth, his jaw dropped slightly with a gasp and his head fell back. Ivy smile taking the chance to dive for his neck and continue leaving open mouthed kisses while her hand worked him up.

Alex's moaned at the feeling of her hand on him, but quickly stopped her by sitting up and knocking her hand off him and capturing her lips in another hot kiss, rolling her back underneath him. Keeping his lips on hers he ran his hand down her stomach and easily slipped inside of her panties, she broke their kiss with a gasp dropping her head down onto the pillow when he found her slick bundle of nerves. Her fingers found his hair and buried in there when he began teasing the bundle. His lips moved back to her neck, just underneath her jawline, Ivy's back arched as he moved his fingers over her the dual sensations of his lips on her neck and his fingers at her most intimate area had heat curling in her lower belly. He dipped his head down to catch her nipple again his he slid a finger inside of her, her breathless gasps and moans rose as she tightened around his fingers before she came undone, her legs tensing as she came with the sweetest sound he' ever heard in his life.

While she recovered and attempted to catch her breath Alex rid them both of what little remained of their clothes before settling over her again, he pulled a condom free from the confines of his wallet and ripping it open before rolling the latex onto himself. He pulled her legs up around his waist, with one hand, the other reached down and cupped her cheek pulling her into another kiss before he broke it leaning his forehead against hers, "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She responded just as softly before he slowly slid into her warmth. Her lips parted at the unfamiliar stretch and burn, it was painful and pleasant at the same time and he slowly moved deeper. Alex lowered his head to where it rested against her collarbone, nearly trembling at how good she felt around him, fighting every single instinct that told him to just move.

"Are you okay?" he forced himself to ask once he'd filled her to the hilt.

She nodded, "I'm okay," she told him repeating it again for good measure before kissing him, "Move." He took her hand from his shoulder and laced their fingers together pressing her hand down onto the bed next to her head before taking her instructions and slowly starting to move inside her with short thrusts. His other hand pulled her legs up further on his hips and she tightened around him in response. Ivy had never seen Alex look so disheveled or heard his breathing so erratic, as he stared at her from under half-lidded eyes. Her own rolled into the back of her head when he shifted his hips slightly and hit a spot within her hand had her seeing stars.

Ivy wrapped both her arms around Alex's shoulders pulling him down on top of her, the tips of her nails sinking into his skin slightly when he wedged his hand between them and began rubbing her center again. The heat was back in her abdomen, and but the way his thrusts sped up slightly she could tell he wasn't far behind. Alex was all but drowning in Ivy, the real of her around him, the smell of her overwhelmed him as he grew sloppy as he neared his end. He nearly choked when he felt Ivy tense up beneath him and tighten around him, before she let out a low moan right by his ear, as her warmth coated him, that was it his hand tightened around her leg as he reached his own climax spilling himself into the condom his thrusts slowing down until he all but collapsed on top of her.

"Are you okay?" Alex managed to ask after a few long moments spent trying to catch their breath. She nodded as he slowly slid off of her and padded into the bathroom to disposed of the soiled latex, when he returned Ivy was nearly asleep only opening her eyes when he slid back into the bed beside her. She grinned tiredly moving closer to him and cuddling up to his side resting her head on his chest, Alex arm came up around her back and he pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head before they drifted off into sleep.

When Ivy woke the next morning it was to a beam of sunlight directly over her eyes. She stretched out in the bed registering the feeling of an unfamiliar ache between her thighs before remembering the reason for it. She reached her hand back to grab onto Alex only to be met with c and empty bed, glancing over her shoulder to see that the other side of the bed was indeed empty, Ivy sat up holding the sheets to her bare chest as she looked around the empty room and frowned. She didn't for one second believe that Alex had actually left her, but she was rather curious as to where he went.

Her questions were answered seconds later when the door clicked open and Alex walked in balancing a tray with drinks in one hand along with a bag, while the other closed the door behind him. He smiled seeing her awake and placed the food down on the table as she sat up holding the sheet to her chest. He rounded the side if the bed and sat on the edge next to her.

"Good morning." He said pressing a kiss to her head.

"Morning."

"How do you feel?"

"Amazing."

He smiled, "You ready to go home?"

"I am now."

Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi: All in good time my friend.

10868letsgo: Thank you.

Ivana Bocanegra: Thanks!

ZabuzasGirl: Thank you, thank you. Neither can I.

kira shadow wolf: Thank you, yes she is.

xenocanaan: Thank you.

Apologies for the Extrememly long wait on this chapter, but never fear, I am back.

As always let me know what you think and what you'd like to see in the future.

P.S. 10 points to whoever can figure out the 2 music videos that helped inspire this chapter