Chapter 5: Confrontation
As the sun was setting Jake came back to their dorm room to find it empty. She hadn't seen Ham since he ran out of Finn's class that morning. She was worried; some stupid bug couldn't have been the reason for him to run off like that. Something was bothering him and had ever since Xavier and his students showed up two days ago. Jake is worried by what it could be.
Suddenly she hears a loud "BANG!" She ran out of her room and down the hall. It sounds like it came from Ryder's room. Ahead of her is a figure; he turns his head toward Ryder's door.
"Finn?" Jake whispers.
Suddenly Finn's whole body becomes crystal-like. Jake watches as he shoots a beam of silvery light at someone. Then Jake hears Finn yell at the other man.
"Magneto?" Jake whispers, "what kind of name is that?"
"You let them escape!" The other man growled.
"And why isn't that a good thing?" Jake heard Finn ask as he shot another beam at the man.
Jake heard a sound like ice cracking and then it was quiet. She peered out from where she was hiding. Suddenly someone grabbed her and covered her mouth. Whoever grabbed her leaped into Ryder's room and the through the broken window. Jake turned away just as they flew through the window frame.
"Magneto, you have no business here!" Xavier said to the man.
"No business? Then why are you here?" Magneto glared at the group. "Maybe because there are new mutants that you don't want me to know about."
"No," Scott said. "Kurt wants to go here, so we came to try and enroll him."
Kurt smiled sheepishly.
"Somehow I don't believe that, so how about a little test?"
Toad leaped up with Jake in his arms. She bit his hand, so he dropped her.
"Eww!" She spat. "When was the last time you took a bath?" She took a step back, when she saw Magneto. "Finn? What's going on?"
Magneto tried to grab her. Before he could reach her, Jake found herself 10 feet in the air on a pillar of ice.
"Oh, my god, Finn!" Jake sat down.
"Wow, that was an easy test." Remy said. He pulled out a hand full of poker cards "How about another one." He threw one at Toad, when it exploded Toad went flying. From wherever Toad landed they heard him say, "I'm outta here."
Magneto growled.
Remy charged another card.
"Another time, Xavier." Magneto stormed after Toad.
Xavier waited until he was out of earshot. "Jean, get him down."
Jake found herself floating off the pillar to the ground.
"Whoa," Jake said, when her feet touched the ground. "Hey, was that rock was there?"
Suddenly the rock changed back into Ryder, and jumped out of the tree.
"Ham?" Jake ran over and hugged him.
"Are you okay?" Ham asked, as he pulled away to face her.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She turned around. "Finn?"
Finn changed back to his normal form.
"Are you okay? Jake, Hamilton, Ryder?"
"Yeah, we're good." Ham replied.
"As good as we can be." Ryder replied.
"Ham, why didn't you tell me?" Jake asked.
"I…I couldn't."
"Is this why you ran out of class?" Finn asked.
"Yeah, I started to changed during class."
"Is that why you're here, Xavier, for them?" Finn asked.
"Yes, I had no idea that you were here."
"Well, couldn't you have detected me with your machine anyway."
"Finn?" Jake asked. "What's going on?"
"Let's get inside first, I don't trust the outdoors after what just happened."
When they were in the TV room, Finn began explaining.
"I was one of Professor Xavier's first students. He showed me how to use my powers and helped me get through college." Finn paused for a few minutes. "After college he wanted me to stay at the school and other mutants. But I wanted to be among normal people. We fought about it until the day I left. I came back to New Rawley and have been teaching ever since."
"I'm sorry about driving you away. I only wanted you to use your explained to help others."
"It's okay I realized that now. But now that I'm here, I'm not leaving."
"I don't want to leave either." Ham added suddenly.
"You know we don't have to talk about that right now." Xavier said. "Why don't we all get some sleep and we can discuss this in the morning."
Ham, Ryder, and Jake stayed as Finn and the others left.
"So?" Jake asked once the others had left.
"I'm sorry, but I was afraid to tell you." Ham stayed seated.
"Why? I would have understood."
"Are you sure?" Ryder butt in.
Jake glared at him.
Ryder closed the doors and curtains, so no one would see them. "As freaked out as I was I don't think you will be able to understand. It's obvious you two are in a relationship any idiot can see it, but I doubt you won't freak out. We did."
Before Jake could object Ryder closed his eyes and concentrated. Jake watched him skeptically. Suddenly huge bat wings sprouted from his back. Jake's eyes widened and she took a step away from him.
"That's really going to ruin you're love life." She said smiling.
Ryder opened his eyes. "That doesn't freak you out?"
"No, but the fact that you think you think we're in a relationship does." She grinned.
"Why don't you look at Hamilton then?"
Jake turned around, but Hamilton wasn't there. "Ham?"
"Yeah?" His voice seemed to come from in front of her, but she couldn't see him. "Where are you?"
"In the chair in front of you."
She looked, but didn't see him. "Where?"
"Oh, crap." The chair rippled and Ham appeared.
Jake squeaked in reply. "Munchie?"
"Jake, it's okay, I'm still me."
Unfortunately Jake was seriously freaked out, she backed away until she bumped into Ryder. "I'm sorry, Ham, he's…I'm sorry."
"Jake?" He tried to touch her, but she ran to the door. "Jake?" Jake opened the door and ran down the hall. "Jake! Jacquelyn!" He called after her, but she didn't stop.
Ryder stepped up to him. "See?"
Ham slammed to door closed.
"Who's Jacquelyn?"
Ham glared at him
"You mean he is a she?"
"I'm not discussing this now." Ham sat down on a chair.
Ryder sat in the chair next to him. "Secret's safe with me." Ham refused to reply. "Well, it sure does explain a lot. Cause you don't act gay." Ryder looked at him. "So her name is Jacquelyn? Why go with Jake, why not Jack."
"Ryder, what the hell do you want?"
"Nothing." Ryder smiled.
"Then SHUT-UP!"
Ryder kept his mouth closed for about five minutes. "You're doing the fading thing again."
Ham groaned and popped out of his seat. He went and laid down on the couch.
