Landon woke late in the night to the sound of voices coming from the hell and
went to see what was up. He was suprised to see Saber and Mystique standing not

far from his room talking in low voices that he could barely hear. "We've kept it from

him this long, we'll keep it from him forever...."Mystique says this with a look of defiance

in her eyes. "He deserves to know the truth,"Saber growls in response flexing his hand

into a fist on impulse. "How do you tell a child you set-up the night they lost their only

family?"Mystique demands crossing her arms. "Honestly!"Saber roars with something

close to murder in his eyes. What child are they talking about?he wonders carefully

pushing the door shut and pulling his shirt and jacket on before climbing out the

window, Tara?No....Maybe Toad......certainly not me....what happened to us was purely

Candra and me...... What's on your mind, Landon?Candra questions obviously confused

by the jumble of thoughts running through his confused mind. "Saber and Mystique are

hiding something from one of us,"he answers walking along and finally reaching a park.

Do you think it involves you?she questions entering his mind more fully as he lays down

on a bench closing his eyes. "Hell I don't know, Candra.....what if the fire and killing our

parents wasn't really us? What if it was set- up just so at least one of us would end

up with these...people?"his voice is bitter and he digs his nails into the palm of one of

his hands. You can't really believe that. You're smarter than that Landon,she quietly

whisphers showing him she's not entirely convinced. "Since when is Neo a part of your

life?"he demands suddenly remembering the house. He showed up one day claiming

he could protect me from the system as he called it. "The system? What the hell is

that?" He never told me, just said no matter he'd protect me as long as I served him...

Landon noted the sadness in his sister's words and wanted more than ever to see her

for real. "Why can't I see you?!?"he demands suddenly furious at himself, Neo, his

parents, the police, and God help him he hated hismelf. I told you it's not safe, she

replies her voice beginning to fade. "Why do you always get to chose when our

conversations end?"he demands standing even though her voice was completly gone.

"Well look at this, the freak show's in town and one of the freaks escaped,"a voice to

his left taunts catching his attention and making him turn as his blades exit. "Yeah,

another mutated freak,"a second voice says as he faces the guys who stand in front

of him now- obviously an anti-mutan gang. Landon says nothing only turns and starts to

walk off, only to be stopped by one of them grabbing his arm, "Hey we're not finished

with you yet." He felt the change before he officially began it....his eyes darkened to

their demonic red, his blades strengthened, and he lost all control of his emotions or

actions and the demon took over. "Now you shall go through the hell I've been in....."he

growls his voice now deeper with more anger as he turns ramming his blades into the

other guy's stomache then ripping them out along with half of his stomache. "You

bastard,"another member says moving forward with a knife in his hand. Landon says

nothing but dodges as the knife nearly hit him and slashed his claws across the guy's

face leaving deep blood red scar-like marks. The fight continues until finally all the

members of the gang lay dead in pools of blood. "Landon?"a voice behind him

questions sounding slightly confused and upset. He quickly shook his head returning

his eyes to their normal green then turned with a smile,"Hello, Tara." "What did you do

to them?"she asks staring at the bodies in something he guessed to be shock and

horror/confusion. He bites his lip then answers,"They tried to attack me and I

defended myself that's all." "Looks like you did alot more than defend yourself,"she

replies quietly looking at him with something he would only call fear. "I'm sorry when I

get to fighting I just can't control it....I'm sorry,"he says moving over and kissing her

quickly on the lips as he turns her away from the bodies. "Alright...meeting at head-

quarters,"Tara replies not pulling out of his arms. "What is it this time?" "Dunno....

Saber refuses to say until all members are present." "Then we should get back,

shouldn't we?"he smiles taking her hand and pulling her back toward headquarters.

Landon could feel slight resistance from her, but pushed it out of his mind

concentrating on what Saber could possibly have to tell them.



Tara waited until they'd reached headquarters then pulled away from Landon

and quickly sat off by herself in the meeting room. The side of him she'd just seen in

the park was one that she didn't fear, but she didn't like it either. She had to force

herself not to draw away when he sat on the arm of the chair beside her and played

with a strand of her hair. "I figured since you've all done such good jobs on your

missions there won't be any for tonight; you all have a free night,"Saber says leaning

over the table and studying them all. "Dude, seriously?"Toad grins looking up for the

first time. "Yeah, just get out of here for the night." Tara nodded and stood to go, but

stopped as Landon caught her arm. "Come out with me tonight, Tara,"he says

watching her carefully. "Um....to where?" "Bar." "Ask me later...."she mutters and pulls

away walking out.



Candra listened through Landon's mind to the conversation and smiled

knowing it would be only a matter of time. She waited until she was sure that Tara was

alone in the hangar working on the jet, then spoke. Where's my brother? "I dunno....

said he had work to do." Tell me, do you love him?Candra demands angrily hating Tara

for being able to get emotions out of her brother. "Don't you know the answer to that,

O voice of Candra?"Tara replies sarcastically. Don't make me have to cause you

enough pain to force you into telling me. "It certainly seems that way....." Well, he'll

never love you back, Tara,Candra replies angry at her brother for even thinking of caring

again. "That may be, then it would be an unreliquented love(a person loves someone

but the person who is loved doesn't love them back)." That was all she could take and

quickly faded her voice only to sit in anger.......


"Who were you talking to?"Landon questions jumping down from the top of

the hangar and landing not far from Tara. "Your sister." "What she want?" "To know

where you were." "And what did you say?" "That you were working." "Good.....come

here,"he says holding out a hand to her. "Why?"Tara asks walking over to him. "Turn

around and put your back to me." She stared at him a minute hesitating then did as he

told her to. Landon smiled and placed his arms around her waist and resting his chin

against her shoulder. He could feel her hesitation but she didn't try to move out of his

arms as he figured she would. "Will you come out with me tonight?"he asks again

making sure to brush his lips against the side of her face. "Where to?" "The bar I was

talkin' about before, will you?" "Sure...." "I'll be by your room about 7 then ok?"he asks

starting to release her. "Alright." Landon smiled and jumped down kissing her quickly

before walking out as if he owned the place. He'd just reached outside when Candra

decided to speak, Landon, I need you. "Candra, normally I'd be overjoyed but right now

go to hell,"he mutters walking off toward the institute. She's havin' an effect on you isn't

she?his sister demands with such force he fell to his knees. "Stop it, you're driving me

further away by doin' that......"he moans feeling the change already happen. He felt his

eyes darken, his blades strengthen, and the demon once more came out. See you
can't control it, Landon; and what if you hurt your precious Tara?Candra mocks even as
he continues trying to regain control of his emotions and actions. "Landon, are you ok?"

Tara questions coming up behind him and placing one hand to his shoulder as he finally

manages to stand. He didn't realize his actions as he turned ready to hit whoever had

interrupted him at this moment. The fear in her eyes stopped him moments from
hitting her and he returned to himself, rather then the demon. I almost hurt her....I can't

take that risk again!Landon thinks turning and running from the brotherhood, from the

home he'd known for the last while, and the one person who'd managed to break his

walls down.......



~+~+~Landon's finally hit rock bottom.......is his and Tara's relationship strong enough to survive through his decision?~+~+~