The first thing Mac Fury did when she got off the Blackbird was thank whatever forces may have been listening that she had survived the flight and had her feet back on the ground. It was an added bonus that that ground happened to be comprised of Texas soil.

The second thing she did was light up a cigarette in a desperate attempt to calm her now-shattered nerves. Although there was no doubting that Billy Starsmore had piloting skills, he also had many of the same personality traits of all other twenty-year-old boys. Which apparently led you to believe that the best way to fly was by trying to outdo the world's top stunt pilots.

"Don't much like flying?"

Mac turned around to see who had spoken. "Kris Rasputin, right?"

"Right," Kris replied.

"It's not flying I don't like," Mac said. "It being at the mercy of another pilot." Mac reached into her pocket and realized she'd forgotten her lighter again. "Dammit."

Kris pulled out his own and lit her cigarette. He gave her a smile that she found to be sickeningly charming. "Thanks," Mac said, then walking away before he could say anything else.

She went over to where Vicky was standing, leaning up against the Blackbird. "What's up with that guy?" she asked.

"Kris? Oh, he's a jerk. He's been putting the moves on Marie LeBeau since day one, but he's also trying to get into the pants of everything classified as female. He tried with me, but when he found my hand around his neck and his head against a tree, he changed his mind on that one. Didn't even have a chance to phase through my grip I scared him so much."

Mac laughed. Vicky was definitely her kind of person.

Rebecca approached Mac. "Now that we are here, what would you like us to do?" Rebecca asked. "You requested our help with a primarily S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. Leadership is in your hands from here on out since I do not know much more than the little bit you have told me."

Mac nodded. "I'd say the best thing for us to do right now is to send a small team into town and see what we can dig up, while the rest stay with the Blackbird, ready to serve as back up if need be. I've learned from prior experience that running into a situation head-first, guns blazing, is a good way to mess it all up."

"I agree," Rebecca said. "Who were you thinking of to accompany you? I assume you are going."

"Yeah," Mac said. "I'd like you, of course, seeing as you are the field leader and all. And Vicky, if she's willing. If her senses are anything like her father's, they'll be an asset."

"They're not quite as acute as his, but they're good," Vicky said. "And unlike some people on this team, I actually trust them."

"Do you have any other suggestions?" Mac asked Rebecca.

"Rachel. She is the highest-level psi we have on field duty. That would be an asset. And Warren as well. His abilities make him ideal for any sort of reconnaissance work."

Mac nodded. "Sounds like a good team. Round 'em up, and get 'em into civvies. Walking around small-town Texas in padded leather isn't exactly going to keep people from looking at us funny."

Twister walked up behind the three women and cleared his throat. They all turned to look at him. "What is it?" Rebecca asked.

"If y'all don't mind, I'd like to go, too," Twister said.

"Are you sure?" Rebecca asked. "After what we talked about back at the mansion…"

"I know this town," Twister said. "Until about a year ago, it was the only home I knew. They're might be some things there that are difficult for me to face, but I feel like I have to—for the X-Men."

"You're from Wills Point?" Mac asked.

"Yes."

Mac frowned. "It would be helpful having you on the scouting team, then. I spent a good chunk of my life around here, but not in Wills Point specifically. But if you think that you won't be able to handle coming back home, then don't risk it and put us all in jeopardy."

Twister glanced quickly at Rebecca and then turned his attention back to Mac. "I can handle it. And there's another thing. I think I might know who this group of mutants is."

Mac looked at him in surprise, wondering why he didn't speak up earlier, but decided that griping at him about it wouldn't be the best way to get his support. "Who?"

"There are these people—they live around here. They were all really poor, and we never saw much of them, except when they came into town to work sometimes. People used to tell stories about them all the time, about how they were all freaks, and deformed—things like that. The older kids used to tell the younger kids that they would come in and eat children."

Mac nodded, urging him with her eyes to go on. She'd heard stories about people like that before, when she was growing up. Stories like the ones about strange old women down the street rumored to be witches. Typical kid stuff. But apparently Twister thought there was more to what was said about these people than just rumors. "You think they might be mutants?" Mac asked.

"Yeah. Once, before my own powers manifested, some friends and I went out there late at night, on a dare," Twister said. "There were these people, completely unlike anything I'd ever seen. I remember one who was floating just about the ground and glowing in the dark. My friends and I…we thought it was a ghost. We ran outta there as quickly as possible, and I never went back. Now, having experience with mutants—being a mutant—I wonder if maybe those people were mutants in hiding, afraid of what would happen if they tried to go out and lead normal lives. A lot of the advancements in rights for mutantkind haven't exactly made it out here yet."

"Did they ever cause any trouble before?" Mac asked. "Ever attack anyone or anything like that? Do anything that would lead you to believe that they would ever band together under someone claiming to be Magneto returned?"

"No, not at the time," Twister replied. "But I can see where they would. Living in poverty because you're ostracized by humanity, having to spend your whole life considered a freak, it has to get to you after a while. I was lucky, finding the X-Men, finding a place where I could relax, where I could belong. These people never had that. It would make perfect sense for them to fall to the leadership of someone like Magneto if he was offering them something better—even if the ways to achieve it were violent."

"I agree," Mac said. "All right, we'll definitely have to check on that. Could you show us where these people are a little later, once we've scouted out the town and kind of gotten a feel for the situation?"

"Yeah, I can show you."

"You're with us then. Okay, go get ready, and tell Rachel and Warren they're coming too. We leave in twenty."

*** *** ***

"So this is Wills Point?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, this is it," Twister replied.

"Quaint. According to the sign it's the Bluebird Capital of Texas…"

"Don't sugar-coat it Ray," Twister told her with a grimace. "Although, actually my family lived outside of town. For us, this was a bustling metropolis."

The other X-Men surveyed what they could see of the town from where they stood. It was far from a rundown backwater, but it was nowhere near a large city either. "This is East Texas, folks," Mac said after a moment. "Small and proud of it. Come on, we have a job to do."

Rebecca, Twister, Warren, Rachel, and Vicky followed Mac further into town. Rebecca could see Twister growing more tense with each step they took. She reached out and wrapped her arm around his. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You said your family lived outside of town?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah," Twister replied.

"Then maybe they will not even be here now."

Twister frowned. "My luck doesn't work that way."

"Alex!"

Twister froze. "What is wrong?" Rebecca asked.

"Alex!" A blonde girl who appeared to be about twelve or thirteen ran up to them. "Alex, is that you?"

Rebecca couldn't tell if Twister was smiling or grimacing. "Hey, Kimmy."

"Why are you here?" Kimmy asked. "I thought Mama and Daddy threw you out. Are you coming back for good?"

"No," Twister said, his voice obviously pained. "They did throw me out. I'm here for…other reasons."

The girl's face fell. "Oh. I…I wish you were coming back. I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

Mac, Warren, Vicky, and Rachel stopped a few feet ahead of Twister and Rebecca and watched. "His name's Alex?" Vicky asked.

Warren shrugged. "I guess. Heck, he lived with my family for a while when he first came to Westchester, and I never knew his real name."

"Rebecca doesn't even know. Or at least she didn't," Rachel said. "He wouldn't tell her."

"Guess his secret's out now," Vicky said. "Although if you ask me, Alex is a much better name than Twister anyway."

Twister gently pulled on Rebecca's hand, signaling for her to stand beside him. "Kimmy, this is my girlfriend, Rebecca. Rebecca, this is my little sister, Kimberly."

"Hi!" Kimmy said cheerfully. "You're a lot prettier than the last girl my brother was with. She was crazy."

Rebecca laughed a little. "It's nice to meet you, Kimmy."

Kimberly turned back to her brother. "So why are you here?"

Twister looked around nervously. "Is there somewhere else we can talk? I don't want anyone seeing me here."

"You mean Dad, Buck, and Jeff, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"No one's gone to that shed out by the creek in a while. It should be empty," Kimmy said.

"The one we used to play in as kids?"

"Yeah."

"Meet us there in thirty minutes then, okay, Kim? Can you do that?"

"For you, big brother, I can do anything. I'll be there, I promise."

"And don't let anyone else know I'm here."

"I won't."

There was an awkward silence between the two of them for a moment. Suddenly, Kimmy all but threw herself on her brother, hugging him fiercely and crying against his chest. "I missed you so much, Alex. You were the only one—the only one who understood."

Twister let go of Rebecca's hand and hugged Kimberly back. "I know. I've missed you, too."

Kimmy pulled away after a minute and wiped her eyes. "I'll meet you at the shed." With that, she ran off.

"Alex?" Rebecca said softly.

Twister didn't look at her, staring at the place where his sister had last been instead. "Yeah. My name's Alexander Wood. Alex. Now you know."

Rebecca put her hand against his cheek, guiding his face so he'd have to look her in the eyes. "It is all right. I love you, Twister. I love you."

He sighed, sounding almost defeated. "Leaving Kimmy was the hardest part in all this. Both our parents are drunks. My father…he's done so many awful things to her, and I'm sure he still is. I always tried to protect her, keep her safe. But now that I'm gone, I can't. I let her down, Rebecca."

"No, you did not. You did not have a choice—you were cast out, and you had no way of knowing what would happen to you once you left. You did what you were forced to do. I am sure Kimberly understands that."

"I still feel guilty. I should've been able to protect her from Dad. I should've…"

Rebecca put her finger to his lips. "No. You could not. Do not tell yourself that. Now come on, we need to rejoin the others.

Twister nodded and followed her, but his guilt was still strong.

*** *** ***

Logan felt trapped waiting on the Blackbird. She wished she'd been able to go with the others—anything had to be better than being cooped up the way she was. She figured the only plus was that Vicky wasn't there to torment her.

She looked over and caught sight of Yana and Ric. The Russian girl was sitting in his lap, and they were talking quietly and laughing. Although they hadn't made anything official, it was obvious something was going on between them and it hurt Logan to no end. Even though she had moved on, it was too painful knowing that Ric had, too. Especially with Illyana. Something about the girl just rubbed Logan the wrong way.

"Beloved, is something wrong?"

Logan tore her eyes off Ric at the sound of Tristan's voice. "I'm fine," she lied. "I just don't like being stuck in here."

"It will only be for a short while," Tristan said. "The others will be back soon."

Logan saw Ric and Yana from the corner of her eye. She was still in his lap, and now he had one hand on the small of her back and the other brushing her hair from her eyes. "I need some fresh air."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No." Logan walked off the Blackbird, letting the door shut between the two of them.

"Hey."

Logan turned sharply. "Craig?"

"Yeah. Hi."

"What are you doing out here?" she asked him.

"It was too cramped in there," he said. "You?"

"Same."

Craig patted the grass beside where he was sitting. "Have a seat."

Addie sat without hesitation. She picked a blade of grass and started playing with it. "Sometimes it surprises me how alike we are," she said after a moment.

"I know. Me, too. It's the little things. The things you don't really notice until you see someone else has them, too," Craig replied. He frowned. "So what really drove you out here?"

"Huh? I told you—too cramped."

"Yeah, but it was too cramped because something's on your mind."

"You tell me what's on your mind first," Logan said.

"Briana sent me an invitation to her wedding," Craig said. "She's supposed to get married next week."

"Wow," Logan said. "I'm sorry…"

"It's all right," Craig said. "I let her go, after all. Just getting that in the mail, it stirred up a lot of emotions I thought I'd gotten rid off."

"I can't believe she actually sent you the invitation to her wedding. I mean, what did she think you were going to do, take a trip across the Atlantic Ocean just so you could see your ex marry someone else?"

"I think she just wanted to take the opportunity to rub my face in it. I get the feeling she's spiteful," Craig said.

"What a bitch. I'm sorry, Craig. I really am."

"It's all right. I'm…dealing with it. So what's your problem? And why aren't you pouring your heart out to your boyfriend—or is he what's causing it?" Craig frowned, suddenly getting an air of protectiveness.

"No, it's not Tristan. It's just not something I can talk to him about, either."

"Can you talk to your big brother about it then?"

Addie chuckled a little. "I guess. Might as well say something to someone. It's not really a big deal, it's just that Ric and Illyana were being all flirty and I was…"

"Jealous?"

Logan frowned. "I don't know if jealous is really the right word. It just hurts, seeing them, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Craig said. "I can't imagine what it would be like if I had to be around Briana and Howard." He said the other man's name with unconcealed disgust.

"I love Tristan," Addie said. "I'm happy with Tristan. I just don't understand why thinking about Ric still hurts so much."

"Because you loved him and he left you," Craig said. "Even if you've moved on now, you didn't get to call the shots when it came to ending it. You weren't ready to let go, and a part of you is still in love with him. Probably always will be in a way."

"Thanks. I feel better now," Logan said sarcastically.

Craig wrapped his arm around her shoulder, comforting her. "I didn't mean that you're always going to carry a desperate longing for Ric, Addie. I just mean that you're always going to have feelings for him on some level, and being around him and watching him with other women is going to be a painful thing."

"Sometimes I just wonder, what things could've been like, If we could've touched."

"You wouldn't be with me."

Logan felt her stomach drop. She slowly stood up and turned around. "Tristan? I didn't hear you come out here."

"Apparently."

"I'm going to go back in the Blackbird now," Craig said, quickly removing himself from the situation.

"You're still in love with Ric."

"No!" Logan exclaimed.

"I just heard you say you are."

"I didn't mean it like that, Tristan!" Addie said. "I'm happy with you."

"But you'd rather be with Ric." His expression was cold, emotionless.

"No! Look, I was just talking to Craig, okay, just saying things. I didn't mean for you to hear any of that."

"Because you don't want me to know the truth?"

"No, because it isn't important. I still have some feelings for Ric. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I don't. That wouldn't be fair to you. But I don't exactly yearn to be with him, either. We broke up. I'm with you now. That's the way things are, and I'm happy. Sure, I'm going to wonder what it would've been like if Ric and I had been able to work things out, but that doesn't mean I'd rather be with him than you."

"I don't see any other way I could interpret that, Logan."

"Does that mean you can look me in the eye and tell me you don't wonder the same thing about you and Maritheza?"

A flash of pain went across Tristan's face. "That's different."

"How?"

"Mari is dead."

"I didn't want to lose Ric anymore than you wanted to lose her," Addie said. "And it wasn't that long ago that we broke up, Tristan, and it still hurts. I feel a pang when I watch how casually he's flirting with Illyana. I'm sorry. I wish it wasn't that way, but it is."

Tristan moved closer, and Addie felt herself trembling. Something about his presence was overpowering. "I need you to be mine completely, Logan," he said, his voice deep, husky—commanding.

Addie nodded, not sure if she could even muster the power to speak. He leaned down,  kissing her hard, and Addie slumped against his chest, whimpering. He wrapped his arm around her waist, steadying her and pulling her closer to him. "I love you, Addie."

"I love you, too," Addie said softly. "I want to be with you, only you."

"Forget about him, Logan. You're mine now."

Addie just nodded, although something in her rebelled against the possessive nature of his words. "I've given up on Ric," she said softly.

Tristan held on to her tightly, kissing the top of her head, not saying anything.

*** *** ***

You knew it was coming…yet another plea for feedback. Please? Pretty please? *puppy dog eyes*