AN: Okay, a short transition chapter before things really get underway.
Mystique lay in bed that night, smoking a cigarette. Lance had told her a thousand times that she shouldn't, before she'd vanished.
"Whatever," he'd grumble upon giving up. "Don't blame me when you burn to death while the rest of us asphyxiate from smoke inhalation."
"I won't," she replied one time. "I'll blame Todd."
Lance had looked at her for a moment before he burst out laughing, nearly doubling over. She'd smiled at him dryly as he wiped his eyes. When he finally composed himself, he stepped over to her and kissed her chastely on the cheek, catching her cigarette as it fell out of her mouth when she opened it in surprise, then stubbing it out in the ashtray.
"See?" Lance said. "Dangerous. Night, Mystique."
Mystique smirked around her cigarette as she fondly recalled that night. Sometimes the brats weren't so bad. She rode them too hard, she wasn't stupid, she knew that. But maybe, when everything was said and done- if everything was ever said and done- when they all got to relax, she'd tell them that. Maybe you brats weren't so bad after all. She put out her cigarette and turned off the light, closing her eyes.
The minute she fell asleep she wished she hadn't.
"Good evening, Mystique."
She sat bolt upright in her bed, or thought she did. Charles was sitting on the foot of it, and Charles out of his chair was a sure sign that he was visiting in a dream.
"You couldn't wait till Thursday?" she snapped.
"I accept your offer," Xavier said quickly. "I will give you Rogue and Kurt. You will in turn deliver Wanda Maximoff. No one is ever to know about this."
"Fair enough. What about Logan? You can't change his memory."
"I'll take care of Logan. I'm working on everyone's minds now. I've rendered Wanda completely unconscious. Bring her to the institute, and I'll hand over Kurt and Rogue."
"I'll be there in ten minutes," Mystique said, knowing Xavier would wake her. The telepath looked at her, his eyes flicking around the room in her mind, unusually on edge.
"I am deadly serious Mystique. If you breathe a word to anyone, I will bring your whole world down on you."
"Don't be melodramatic, Charles. I'm getting what I want more than anything else in this world. It is not in my best interests to double cross you. But if you try to go back on our deal, I will find a way to destroy you," Mystique replied, just before waking up.
Xavier stared out the window, feeling utterly sick. He'd managed to get the unconscious Rogue and Kurt downstairs with the aid of some of the med bots. The two young mutants now lay in an induced deep sleep. They looked very peaceful, and very innocent, and Xavier knew Mystique would be there any minute to take them away. Kurt's image inducer was off, Rogue's face was free of makeup, and Xavier was starting to have second thoughts, looking at the two children sleeping. Then he saw the headlights coming up the driveway, and the time for doubt was over.
Mystique had taken great care to make sure Wanda was warm enough. The girl, like Rogue and Kurt, was soundly asleep. She saw Xavier at the entrance as she pulled up in the Jeep, and her heartbeat accelerated as she caught sight of her son's tail, hanging off a wheeled gurney, and Rogue's gloved hand resting on her chest. She took a deep breath, parking the car and gathering Wanda in her arms.
"This is for the best, kid," she said quietly to the unconscious Scarlet Witch. "I may not think too highly of Charles, but he can do more for you now than I can." If Wanda heard, she gave no sign, and Mystique walked up the stairs to face Xavier in silence.
"Set her down," Xavier said. Mystique glared at him and walked past him into the mansion, laying Wanda down on a sofa in the foyer. She gave the girl a last look before returning to take back her children.
"There had better not be any tricks here, Mystique," Xavier growled.
"You're like a broken record," she sighed, sounding very tired. She reached into the pocket of her jacket and tossed a note card onto his lap. "I'll throw in that for free, Charles. Agatha's been training Wanda."
"I haven't changed her memories-" Xavier began, scowling.
"She won't care. Her only concern is helping Wanda learn to separate her powers and her anger," Mystique replied, scooping up Kurt and placing him in the back seat of the jeep, buckling him in. Xavier sat silently as Mystique returned for Rogue.
"This is really for the best," he said finally. Mystique placed Rogue in the front passenger seat, buckling in the sleeping girl and gently brushing a strand of white hair out of her face.
"I don't need any convincing, Charles. And if you're trying to convince yourself, do it on your own time," she replied, pulling out a duffel bag filled with Wanda's things. "I don't suppose you had the presence of mind to gather the children's' belongings," she said, more a statement than a question. Xavier looked at her blankly, and Mystique rolled her eyes.
"I'll do it myself," she snapped, "Lead the way, oh great one."
Just like the damned Brotherhood, Mystique thought as Xavier led her to Rogue and Kurt's rooms. If you want something done right, you'd best do it your damned self.
AN: Okay, seriously, there will be more on the way. If you're a fan of Rietro- and you know I am- there's a whooole bunch of 'em around now, but I'd like to point at one I'm really enjoying: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=646130, it's called "I turn on the light and there's…" and it's by Kelly. (I have no idea if this link will actually work. Cut and paste, you'll live.) So anyway, thanks to anyone who's reading and/or reviewing. For reference, the way this is gonna go is anti-Xavier, but I don't think I'm gonna have him be flat out evil. We'll see how it goes. Right. Off to write more.