Chapter 4

"Marko"

"Marko"

"Markooo"

"Oh come on! We've been at this for fifteen minutes, you're not playing fair" Alex moaned.

"Never said I did" Bella chuckled.

While Charles and Erik were off doing more mutant hunting the group decided to play a few games and were currently in the middle of Marko Polo with Bella using her invisibility to hide.

"Just play the damn game Alex" she told him.

"Fine" Alex sighed looking round the room again. "Marko. Marko. Mark..."

"POLO!"

Yelled Bella as she manifested in front of Alex causing him to yelp and fall back on his ass as the others burst out laughing.

"Now that is what I call a true game of hide and seek" said Bella staring down at the man in smugness.

"T-that was just classic" laughed Angel.

"You cheated" said Alex pointing accusingly at Bella.

"Did not" argued Bella.

"Did too"

"Did not"

"Did too"

"Did not"

"Shut up! You're making my head hurt!" shouted Cassidy over them.

"He started it" said Bella pointing at Alex.

"No you started it"

"Please god kill me now" groaned Cassidy rubbing his temples.

"No you"

"No you"

"No you"

"No you"

"You"

"You"

"You"

"You"

"Oh my god shut uuuuup! You're both acting like a pair of kids!" snapped Angel.

"Which kids? Tough kids? Sissy kids? Kids who climb on rocks?" Bella teased.

"Is there an off switch to her? If so someone please find it and shut this insane woman down" said Cassidy.

"Hey hey I'm not insane, just overcome with the high spirits of life" Bella said sounding at peace with herself.

"Yep definitely unstable, we should notify Mr. Xavier" said Alex who'd gotten off the floor and was sat on one of the chairs.

"I have a feeling that Charles won't mind a bit" said Raven.

"What makes you say that?" asked Darwin.

"Trust me, you'll see what I'm talking about" she said producing a cheeky grin.

The others now curious to know what she meant were practically on the edge of their seats. Bella tried reading Raven's mind to see if she could find the answer, but surprisingly found herself blocked by the girl's mental image of a brick wall.

'Veeeery clever Raven' Bella thought.

As if on queue Charles and Erik came wandering in empty handed this time.

"Hey how'd it go?" asked Raven.

"Not so good, our last few weren't really a keen bunch" said Charles sighing in disappointment.

"That's putting it lightly" Erik muttered.

"Well at least you got us. Eight mutants is better than no mutants right?" said Bella trying to keep their spirits raised.

"She's got a point" Raven shrugged.

"So what do we do now?" asked Hank.

"Now, we train. Shaw's building an army and we need to be ready for anything" said Charles.

'Oh I'll be ready for the bastard, anytime anywhere' Bella thought.

"Why don't we just attack now while we can?" Cassidy suggested.

"Because they'll be expecting us. And besides with Shaw having a telepath of his own we wouldn't be able to get close without detection" said Charles.

"We could" piped Bella as all eyes were suddenly on her. "I mean I could use my shield to hide your minds so at least then we'd have the advantage."

"How far are you capable of stretching it?" Erik asked her.

"Well at the moment I can cover anyone within a few feet of me but no further otherwise it snaps back" Bella informed.

"Physically or mentally?"

"Both"

"So if you could expand that then we could actually imprison Shaw long enough to destroy both him and his lackeys" suggested Erik looking as though he was mentally concocting a plan.

"I suppose so yeah but like I said I have a limit, it takes time and energy to do something like that" said Bella.

"And that's why we're going to practice. To perfect our abilities and discover what true strength lays within each one us" said Charles glancing at each face in the room.

'I think you already had a demonstration of that before Charles and it ended with you nearly being thrown over a balcony'

Charles hearing this knew how guilty Bella felt for her actions but didn't blame her one little bit, because after all she had been put through he could understand why she'd snapped under pressure.

"Well how are we gonna go about it? Training I mean?" asked Alex feeling weary about this.

"The CIA have provided us with a reasonable space to use for the occasion. We'll work together to start out but then I'll have one to one with each of you" Charles informed them.

"Well what are we waiting for? Lets get to it" said Bella clapping her hands together.

Charles then led the group to a large room where they saw test dummies already set up along with a few weapons laid out on the metal tables.

'This looks promising' thought Bella.

"So, who's gonna be first?" Charles asked the group.

Unknown to Bella the others had purposely taken a step back leaving her to stick out like a sore thumb.

Charles smirked. "It appears you're up Miss Swan" he said.

"What?" questioned Bella narrowing her head round to the others seeing he was right, "oh you guys are just the worst" she groaned.

Hearing them chuckle at her misery Bella sighed and walked over to Charles.

"So what do you want me to do?" she asked him.

"Well first I'd like you to try and place a shield around Erik, mentally to start off with so I can't hear his thoughts" Charles instructed.

Bella shrugged. "No problem" she said.

Erik who was standing between them and the others watched Bella concentrate on him before suddenly feeling as though a warm blanket had been wrapped around his head.

"Hear anything?" Bella asked Charles who had raised two fingers to his temple.

"No. Its completely silent" he said.

"Well at least we know that works" said Bella dropping the shield. "What's next?" she asked.

"Now I want you to try again, only this time on me" said Charles.

Bella grinned, "you're making this too easy for me" she said.

"Oh not necessarily" spoke Charles in a smug manner.

Bella shrugged, "your the boss" she said before then repeating her technique.

Charles closing his eyes smiled as he felt the embracing safety of her shield caress his mind.

"Splendid" he commented reopening his eyes.

"I do try" Bella said.

Right then however Charles had begun to slowly back off putting a good distance between himself and the brunette beauty.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Bella asked him.

"l want you to try and keep the shield on me the further I move away " said Charles.

Bella shook her head, "I told you I can't stretch it that far" she said.

"You can do it Bella, I know you can" Charles assured her.

He continued to move further and further back with Bella trying her hardest to keep hold of his mind, but as soon as Charles hit twenty feet.

SNAP!

"Gah!" Bella cried stumbling backwards slightly holding the side of her head.

"You know the way I see it our true strengths lie between the point of both rage and serenity" Charles told her. "Would you mind if I...?" he trailed off gesturing to his head.

Bella nodding as she watched Charles close his eyes and place a hand to his cranium felt him wander through her mind and before she knew what was happening time had miraculously begun to slow down as something came forward.

Flashback

A four year old Bella was laid out in the back garden along with her mother as both stared up at the night sky.

"Mommy, why are there so many stars?" asked little Bella.

"Its the angels honey, their all looking down on us from heaven" said Renee.

"Really? Do they only look down on us at night?" asked Bella in astonishment.

"Not just at night sweetheart, they're constantly watching over us even though we can't see them."

"What do angels do?"

"Well they protect us from trouble, comfort us if we're sad, sing us to sleep and more over are our truest friends in life" Renee told her.

"Are you going to die Mommy?" Bella asked facing her mother with sorrow behind her eyes.

Renee was completely taken back by her daughter's sudden question. "Of course not honey. Why would you ask that?" she asked her.

"Mrs. Brandon at Sunday school told us that all Mommy's and Daddy's die someday and that their souls go to heaven" Bella explained.

"That is true honey" said Renee.

"So you're going to die?" asked Bella feeling her bottom lip tremble.

"Not for a long long time baby, but when that day does come Bella I want you to know that everything will be okay. Your gonna grow up to be a beautiful strong independent young woman who'll go on to make her family proud, and no matter what Mommy will be with you and Chris always" spoke Renee with love.

"Promise?" Bella asked holding up her pinky.

Renee smiled, "I promise" she said hooking her own round her daughter's.

End of flashback

As the scene faded Bella felt herself come undone and shed tears at the wonderful memory.

"W-what just happened?" she asked Charles.

"I accessed a door in your mind and released a treasured moment. Something that was truly beautiful if I may be so bold to say" Charles commented.

Bella sniffled, "I'd forgotten all about it" she said.

"Revenge has its talents Bella. It blinds us with such rage that we end up forgetting what matters most" Charles said.

Bella swallowed back a lump. Such a wonderful memory and she'd placed it at the back of her mind along with many others that she could never quite recall, and for that Bella felt truly ashamed for not only letting the darkness cloud her mind all these years but more importantly for letting her parents down and allowing their sacrifice to be in vain. She found herself trembling with such fury that her clenched fists threatened to bleed.

"Don't conceal it Bella. Let your emotions flow free" spoke Charles.

Bella closing her eyes imaged her mother and father stood at her side in that moment in time, supporting her. She pictured them smiling and telling her how much they loved her and that everything was gonna be okay.

Feeling her entire body relax she held on to that mental image for dear life and upon opening her eyes took in a deep breathe, then for the first time in a long time Bella let it all go feeling the non visible shield flow from her mind like a gentle river on a bright summer's day that spread throughout the entire room.

"Whoa. Did anyone else feel that?" Raven asked.

"Like a wall was suddenly built round your mind?" Hank clarified.

"Yeah"

"Its weird, but at the same time comforting. Like nothing can touch you" said Angel as the others nodded in agreement.

It was then that Raven noticed the sorrow filled expression on her brother's face and wondered what was wrong.

"Charles? Are you okay?" she asked, however didn't receive an answer as his vision was still fixed on Bella. "Charles?"

"You poor poor girl" Charles muttered feeling a tear run down his cheek.

Nobody else knew it but the second Bella had dropped her guard she'd granted Charles access to her head holding nothing back this time. He witnessed every bad memory she ever had and felt every ounce of pain, loneliness and strife she'd had to endure over the years until he fully understood why she had little confidence in herself and her abilities.

"I don't need you to feel sorry for me, because honestly what good would it do? Pity only furthers a person to feel weak and insecure inside, and that's exactly what I refuse to be. I'm done playing the part of the victim. If you want to help me then help me, but please don't start treating me like a minority" Bella told him.

Charles respecting her authority nodded. "You have my word" he said.

"Good" Bella nodded as she then commanded her shield to retreat back into her mind. "So, what now?" she asked.

Erik deciding to take the wheel at this point used his power to make a stainless steel table float in mid air.

"I say its time we test the physical side of your shield" he suggested.

"Erik? What are you doing?" Bella asked becoming nervous as she glanced between him and the floating table.

"Try to stop this from hitting you"

"Are you insane?" Bella snapped looking at him as if he actually was. "I can't. I'm not strong enough for that yet."

"Perhaps, oh perhaps you just need the motivation" spoke Erik with a cunning expression.

"What do you mean?"

Instead of giving her an answer Erik just smirked and without warning flung the table directly toward Charles.

"NO!" screamed Raven in terror.

"SHIT!" Bella shouted raising her hands in time to form a force field around Charles just seconds before the table could make impact as she watched it bounce off the shield and clatter to the floor.

"See, I told you" said Erik in self satisfaction.

By this time Bella had dropped her shield and rushed toward him throwing a punch across Erik's face.

"What the hell were you thinking? You could have killed him! Had I not have reacted anything could have happened!" Bella shouted.

"But nothing did, proving my point. You needed motivating and the only way to do that was to place someone you know in danger" Erik told her holding his jaw in fury.

"Motivation or not do not ever pull that shit again or so help me god next time you'll be the one in danger, I guarantee it" Bella threatened shooting daggers at the man.

'Bella its fine honestly, there's no harm done'

She heard Charles say to her through their psychic link. 'No its not fine Charles, it is far from fine. That was a risky move and he knew it. You could easily have gotten hurt and I'm not having that' Bella told her friend.

'If it makes you feel any better I knew what Erik was going to do and could easily have stopped him at any time'

'So then why didn't you?'

'Because I looked into your mind and saw how clear it was, unlike before when it was clouded and you were juggling everything at once. I knew you were ready for anything'

'Only because I pictured it was my dad in your place. Had I not been so quick you could have died'

Charles smiled to himself at the fact that Bella was beginning to get the hang of things. Using her family as a key element to counter act her powers was a strength like no other that not even Bella herself realized its true potential. If she could learn to perfect it she'd go far with her abilities, and that was no lie.

'Like I said, all is well. But thank you for your concern'

"Hey! You two!"

Both Charles and Bella heard Raven shout snapping them back to reality.

"Knock off the staring match or whatever you guys are doing, its creeping the rest of us out" Raven commented.

"Here here" agreed Cassidy.

"Sorry" Bella apologized facing them, "we were just talking through our psychic link."

"Well then it must have been one hell of a conversation because it looked pretty intense" spoke a smug Raven.

Bella blushed seeing where her friend was going with this and swiftly intervened.

"How about we go again? I think I'm feeling better prepared this time" she said clearing her throat.

"If you're sure?" Charles asked.

"Yep, let's go" Bella nodded. "Erik if you will?" she said gesturing to the discarded table.

"What? But didn't you just say..."

"Just do it" Bella interrupted him gritting her teeth.

"Fine, but just remember that this was your idea not mine" Erik sighed in annoyance as he held out his hand to lift up the table.

"Hover it 60 feet above me and on my word let it fall"

"Urm Bella, do you really think that's a good idea?" Hank asked seeming both nervous and worried at the same time.

"Nope, not really. But don't worry I've got this" Bella assured him.

"I can't watch" Cassidy said hiding his face in his jacket.

"Okay Erik on 3. 1, 2, 3, go!"

Every in the room watched on in fear as Erik released the table allowing it to fall straight toward Bella who to their amazement didn't seem at all phased by the fact she could most likely be crushed to death. However they were proved very wrong indeed upon witnessing a blue bubble form around the table, stopping it at least 15 feet in mid air.

"Whoooa!" Raven whooped.

Bella grinned at this as she used her power to carefully lower the table back down to ground level in time to hear a round of applause from her audience, well everyone besides Erik that is.

"Alright Bella!"

"That was awesome!"

'Well done, I knew you had it in you'

Bella smiled at Charles's comment and mouthed a 'thank you' to him before turning her attention to her friends.

"Thanks guys" she smiled.

"Do the siren song next" Alex grinned in pleading.

"Errrrrrr…nope" Bella said popping the 'p'.

"Oh come on, please"

"What? And have you guys try feeling me up? No. Thank. You"

"Hey you wouldn't find me complaining babe" Alex said throwing a wink her way.

'Nor I' Charles thought to himself getting lost in the audacious thought of caressing Bella's beautiful curves whilst gently stroking her soft silk like ski…

OH FUCK! Did she just…?

Snapping his gaze to Bella he could see her blushing with a taken back expression. God damn it! She'd seen his thoughts. How the hell could he have been so stupid? The poor girl was probably mortified by his perverted fantasy, and he honestly wouldn't blame her if she wanted to slap him one.

'Well well well Mr. Xavier, aren't we a naughty boy'

He heard her chuckle in his mind as Charles himself did his best to suppress a blush, feeling like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

'Though I can't say that I haven't been thinking the exact same about you'

Charles stared on wide eyed at Bella feeling his heart beat overtime at her completely unexpected confession.

'Easy there tiger, remember to breathe'

Bella smugly told him whilst teasingly avoiding any eye contact with the man as she continued talking with her friends. She could see how much he wanted her and by god the feeling was mutual, yes indeed. She'd never really flirted with anyone before, but something about Charles just sparked certain feelings within and Bella couldn't help but want to explore it.

'Would it be inappropriate of me to tell you that I want so badly to kiss you right now?'

Hearing this Bella swallowed back a lump and tried to calm her heart as she answered his question.

'It depends on your definition of inappropriate. I mean we hardly know each other, and yet…'

'The sensuality is vigorous'

Bella mentally raised an eyebrow, feeling like her legs were about to give way.

'Yep, that'

'Well then, I think we may have ourselves a problem Miss Swan'

'How's so?'

'Because I find myself rapidly losing the will to resist you'

Bella smiled at this and turned her head to glance over her shoulder at the handsome man with one thought in mind.

'Ditto'

Author's Note: Annnnd its on, let the romance begin. What did we think of this chapter?

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