© Autumn Raine

A/N: ALRIGHT! Geez, I slack so badly. I'm horrible. Beat me with fish! ! Ok, I'll try to put out a chapter once a week ( so every sunday. :D. ). I mean, it's almost done anyway.. I'm thinking. It could drag on forever, but I'm not going to do much of a resolution. But the actions still going. And.. yeah. Oh with it. :]!

edit: Last chapter, I said Alana was in the Farm for ten years. It's really seven. I'm just retarded. ^^;;

I don't own X-Men. Marvel. Or Anything that has some rich dude behind it. I'm just ...a girl. With a brain. And a story. =D. Yeah.



Waves of Confusion





"Alright, change of plans - we're going back to the Farm. Magneto's orders." He slipped the phone into his tight pant's pocket.

"Why?" Lance slipped the keys into the ignition as Alana climbed into the backseat of the Jeep.

"Seems as if Baldy and the X-Geeks are up to the same things we are. And Mystique's been around there too. I heard she got three in a car. No powerful mutants, but at least they're out. Come to think of it, how many more are at the Farm, Alana?" Blue eyes shifted to the girl in the back, who was struggling with her seatbelt and her rising shorts on those slender legs. Elbow leaned on the back of his seat as he turned to face her.

"How shoud Ah'know? Ah don't sit there 'nd count 'em.." Rolling her eyes, she slouched in her seat; seat slightly creaking as Lance turned out of the Parking Lot and back onto the road - destination back to the Farm. Violet eyes drifted to the road and then back to the white haired Pietro who was now preoccupying himself ( due to his short attention span ) with a girlie mag he seemed to have swiped from the 7-11. "Why do we all gotta git' 'em? Can't Ah jus'.. go somewhere else. An' ya'll do the rescuin'?"

"Because we're a team now, Alana. Jus' because you're not super powerful doesn't mean we don't want you. Don't you realize that we're never gonna get along wit' humans, especially when some of us look different or can't control ourselves?" Lance butted in, hands gripped on the wheel as he quickly glanced back and forth to the rear-view mirror and the road.

"Yes, we're a team - and part of that is to help other people like us. My dad's right, humans need to learn a lesson from some of us - and I think we should start with the ones at the Farm." Nodding, he flipped a page in his magazine. Assuming role as the 'leader' in this, he began explaining his quick plan for attack. "So, I was thinking, we should just raid the place - let everyone free. And if the X-Geeks get in the way, we'll beat the crap out of them. We'll do this at nighttime so Alana could sneak around and help even more. We'll get there by tomorrow night.. Hopefully. If Lance doesn't drive so slow!"

"Ah neva' said that ah was gonna help ya'll do this!" Alana snapped, hands gripping onto the back of the seat as she leaned forward. That loose belt about her waist became tighter as she moved closer. "Ah said that ah ain't gettin' involved in no faightin'. Team 'r no team, ya'll got me outta there, an' that's real nice of ya'll; but ah can't an' don't wanna go back there! All ah said was ah was gonna help mah friends!"

"Calm down, Alana. They ain't going to hurt you - All you hafta to is do that thing you do when you go into the shadows, appear a few feet over, and then kick the crap out of them. Can't you manipulate shadows or somethin'?" Lance said again, apparently becoming the voice of reason.. Pft, what a reasonable voice. "If you can do that, that'd be awesome."

"Ah don't unda'stand this.. Ya'll said you were gonna take me t' be safe, n' now yer bringin' me back...?" She blinked, glance shifting back and forth at the two. "Ya'll don't know what yer up a'gainst.. "

"A bunch of humans." Pietro snapped back at her as he tossed the magazine to the floor of the jeep and folded his arms over his chest. He seemed to be loosing his patience with her, and almost every other thing that was merely breathing around him. "We're up against a bunch of humans, and a bald guy. Seriously, Alana - who do you think's going to win? No one can lay a finger on the Quicksilver without getting knocked on their back. I'm way too fast for some southern bozos. No offence."

Alana sunk back into the cushions of her seat, arms folding over her chest as she leaned on the side of the jeep; eyes looking to the street's yellow dashed lines become a blur as they merged into one from Lance's speed.

Part of her wanted to believe the two, that going back would be something, in a way, that she wouldn't regret. She'd get her vengence. She'd get her victory. But what if it didn't work? What if she wasn't powerful enough? Gosh, these two seemed to have pretty much a real good control of all their powers - but she hardly knew what hers even were! She knew about her shadow travel, sensitivity to light, and slight levitation abilities.. But what if her shawdow abilities were more?

But all of this seemed so tainted, as if other motives were behind everything. She didn't understand, she barely even knew the two. Her once Miracle Mutant had now seemed a bit powerful and controlling - that of which she didn't find too attractive. Maybe he was just being protective? Her own jumbled thoughts weren't even making sense in her mind as she thought of all the pros and cons of returning - sure, she was willing to in the beginning, but she's seen this.. world. Other things that go on outside of the Farm. No one knew about her at any of the pit stops.. But still, fear etched at her mind as she struggled to convince herself that, in some way, going back there will be a positive thing.

"I don't get it, Pietro - she was all excited to go back when we first got her about goin' back to get her friends, now she doesn't even want to go back. What's with that?" Lance glanced to Pietro, his voice a bit soft over the hum of the engine. He didn't particulary care if Alana had heard him or not, but he tried to make sure she couldn't tell that they were talking about her.

Pietro sighed, slender hand shifting through white hair as he refolded his arms over his chest a few times. Visibily uncomfortable, he gave a quick, sharp glance at Lance. "People change, Lancey - I mean really, if you had a chance to leave a Hell Hole, you wouldn't want to go back to it without knowing exactly what was planned." Pressing a quick sigh, icy eyes darted to the road infront of them as they passed a small sign that said YOU'RE NOW LEAVING NORTH CAROLINA! WELCOME TO THE SOUTH!, and then he glanced back to Lance. "It was mean to tell her we were even going to New York, too. Part of me wishes my father didn't even want to get involved with her, and that we would just help all of 'em at once." His sentences came quicker and muffled as he sunk into his seat, back slouching and shoulders slightly scrunched.

"So what was really Magneto's plan anyway? We aren't goin' to the Farm just for the rest of them, are we?" Lance blinked.

"No, seems as if he has a bigger plan for all this. We're going to make the news.. again. I didn't mind planning to get all of them out of there, but my father seems to have this obsession with Baldy and his little geeks." Pietro spoke rather quickly again, eyes drifting about the car. "We still lied that she'd be safe from everything."

"We can still try, Pietro - we can't give up. Magneto - "

"Who cares about Magneto anyway!?" He snapped.

"What's with the mood swing!" Lance snapped back, thick brows furred on his brow behind choppy brown bangs. Dark eyes stared at his passenger before looking back at the road.

"BECAUSE! This whole thing is too big for us, Lance; even a challenge I can't do myself.. We should just leave it to the X-Geeks; take a few and then just go. But, knowing my father, he's going to want to start some sort of Mutant Revolution... I never thought of it till now that our lives are on the line. Every mutant. Even her.. " He jutted a thumb to Alana, whom seemed to have drifted off to sleep on the back seat of the Jeep, as he glanced over the seat as well. Her thin arms dangled over the edge of the seat from where she'd lay on the cushion, hair also strung out in directions as a cloth wrapped about her legs. Her cheeks were wet, as if she had been crying - or even still crying.

Startled, Pietro sat back in his seat; hand reaching into his pocket to swiftly withdraw the ringing phone from his pocket in less than a second. With a flip, he had it by his ear; eyes blinking as he shifted his glance unsteadily about the inside of the jeep.

".. What do you mean? Father, I am taking your orders seriously! ... I know, but it's like we're lying-- Yeah, I know how cruel humans have been to us-- But that doesn't mean she has-- ... Alright, Father! God, you know she's petrified of going back there now! ... What, tell her about all the bad things they've done to her? Is that supposed to make her change her mind?-- It will? ... They did what?" Facial expressions had seemed to wipe off his pale face as he turned to look at Alana in the back seat, slender hand grasping her arm and turning it slightly as he searched upon her bare upper arm. Eyes widened at the set of numbers and small lines etched on her skin in black ink, fingers loosening their grip about her wrist until it dangled on his soft fingertips and then dropped from his hand.

"I'll tell her just that.. " Awe-stuck, as well as slightly ticked off, Pietro flipped his phone closed and slipped it into his pocket. Hand slapped at Lance's shoulder as icy blue eyes narrowed at him. "Did you know about the numbers on her arm?"

"Ack!-- Yeah, didn't you?" Glancing to him, he'd raise a brow.

"NO! Why didn't you say anything?! That changes all of this now, Lance. All of it." Pietro pointed to the side of the road. "Pull over. We're gonna wake up Alana and tell her we're going back with no way of her getting out of this. I wish you would've said something earlier about this, especially that you knew."

"I didn't know the whole time!" Lance snapped, jerking the car over to the side of the road with a slam of his booted foot on the brakes. Partically gloved fingers pulled the car into park as he shifted his body to face Pietro. "I found out at the last stop - she seemed really confused about why she had one and we didn't. She thinks we all got one, and I told her that we don't live like that. There'd be no way in hell that I'd ever let some weirdo tattoo numbers on me!"

Pietro stood once the car stopped and climbed into the back of the jeep, arms craddling Alana as he picked her up and then settled her down upright on the car seat. "Alana.. Alana, wake up.." He hushed softly, despite how anger was pumping through his blood. How could a bunch of dumb humans treat people like this? People, mutants are people. Not some animals they've made them seem to be, ones that have been there so long that they know almost nothing of their other kind out in the world. Soft hands cradled her little face between them, continuing to say her name until her lashes fluttered at her awakening.

They're going to pay. Pietro looked at her, brows narrowed in his internal frustration ( not only from the news but from the change of plans, his consistant change of moods, and as well as the news from his father. ); but his eyes still remained soft to her as she opened her eyes.

"P-Pietro?" She blinked, noting that now she was sitting up, the car wasn't moving, and Lance was staring at the two of them from outside the jeep. What was going on? How long had she been sleeping?

"Alana, tell me about the numbers on your arm. Who did this to you? Why? When? How?" One of his hands left her cheek to quickly, as well as a bit roughly, grasp at her thin upper arm and slightly manuver it so that she could see.

"Pietro.. - Ow! Yer hurtin' me!" Batting sleep away from her eyes, as well as the remainder of her previous tears, she squeaked as he tugged at her arm; moving her to see those awful numbers again. Pulling her arm back away from him, she pushed his other hand away from her cheek as well. "Why? Ya'll neva' wanted t' know in tha first place, now ya'll 'are so curious?" It hurt her a bit to be shifting from adoring her dear, white haired angel - to now hating him for asking about those disgusting numbers. Her identity. Her former life. "If ya wanna know, it was mah name back at tha Farm; Ah wasn't called "Alana" by 'em there. Ah was numbas."

"My father just told me of what went on when you were numbered. Alana, tell me - honestly - that you want to hurt them for treating you like this. I know I would if I was ever slapped with a bunch of numbers-"

"Ya'll know ah want somethang from this, but ah can't git me back there - they're gonna know meh if ah walk on in there. Ah'm not scared for me.. Mostly.. " Dark eyes glanced at the two of them. "But ya'll don't know what it's like in there, 'n if ya'll get stuck.. I - I dunno what Ah'd do.." She bit at her lower lip a bit, looking up to Pietro as she held onto her long white hair that drapped about her neck. Twirling it about her hands, she looked down to the floor of the Jeep - she was so confused. And they must have been as confused as she was. Perhaps she'd have to pay for her absolute freedom. "... Sure, Ah wanna beat tha livin' shit outta them, but Ah guess doin' that's a'price ta pay, raight?"

Smiling, Pietro looked to Lance then to Alana. "You paid enough to them, now it's time for you to show them what you can do. Look, I even debated going back or not, but the X-Men would have done a better job with this.. I hate to admit it though." He pressed a sigh.

"X-Men? But, don't you hate 'em?" She raised a brow.

"Yeah, well.. We just don't get along." Lance stated, his own thoughts traveling at the sound of "X-Men" to a particular young recuit on that team...

"Baldy and his geeks think we can all live together and hold hands.. Be happy and crap." Pietro rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "Pft, there'd be no way."

"Oh, Ah guess he doesn't known what's really goin' on at tha'Farm, huh?" Again, she glanced back and forth to them; Lance had hopped out of the driver's seat and was pacing about the Jeep's length, and Pietro stood infront of her, arms crossed and back straight.

"Pietro.. I don't think we're alone." Half gloved fingers pointed to the clear sky's streaks of lightening appearing from quickly building grey clouds that began to hide the moon's light. A steady wind began to pick up speed as Lance nudged Alana's shoulder. "Baldy knows a lot about this stuff; he's a weirdo. A mutant, but a weirdo. Believe me.. " Glancing to Pietro then back to Alana, he tapped her again on the shoulder. "I have a feelin' there gonna make a bit of a stop here because they know we're here.. And they're gonna try and distract us."

"Not if we distract them first." Pietro snapped, looking to Alana and picking her up to her feet. "Look, once they land, sneak up on their Jet and get inside. Mess around with some of the circuits and see if any of your friends are on it." Glancing to Lance, who was now standing in the middle of the small road with his hands at fists at his sides and head back as he waited for the Jet to arrive, he called out to him quickly. "Lancey, I doubt the Cat's on board."

"Shut up, Pietro!" He grummbled and watched as the belly of the Jet had landed off to the side of the road, a bit of a gust blowing any debri away from the craft as the engine cut and the small shaft opened from the belly.

"Alana, go!" The white haired beauty hushed to her, swiping her up into his arms as he carried her in a blur towards the craft; setting her down in the soft grass near by. Slightly confused, Alana looked at Pietro - So that's his power', huh? - Looking over to the Jet, she felt herself begin to fade into the lack of light about the underside of the Jet; a faint, sheer outline of her form still seen since it wasn't completely pitch black under a late summer's night sky.

"How'd ya know Ah could do that? W-What if they see meh?" Her voice was faint as she trailed towards a small, dark crack near the door, where the hatch to the wheels must be; eyes peering up at the large craftmanship of the plane.

"Just don't think!" Pietro hushed, and in another blur, he was gone; to where, she had no clue, but she hoped not far.

Jus' don't think; how dumb of' an idea is that!

Hands slowly lifted to the crack, and in a split second, she felt nothing as she passed between the small open space into a small openning; lurking about until the depths of the small, lightless space was quickly illuminating from strung lights along the lower level of this aircraft. Stepping forth from the soft shadows, she appeared as she was - pale skin, white hair the works; hands slightly grazing the wall as she continued down a short length until she met with another door, which must have led above to the cockpit.

Not thinking is actually a bright idea while on this ship - especially if it's thinking from an intruder.

Eyes widened as she heard a voice flood over her own thoughts; an older man's voice. Aw, Gawd.. She looked to one of the lights and raised on her tip toes, hand shortly merging with the shadow behind the fixture then jerk up through the fixture; causing it to short and slowly fizzle out. She knew she was able to do something with electronics; ever since a few days ago with the Pit, she was able to some how confuse one of the machines.

"W-Who's out' there?" She called out, pupils slightly dilating as the bulb slowly died above her. Her body seemed to be bathing in the darkness that consumed the small compartment below.

She glanced around, confusion keeping her alert and her eyes wide - Why ain't they respondin'?

I was waiting for you to respond, dear.

Again, that voice washed over her own thoughts - dispursing her thinking so that it was focused just on this one voice. She bit at her lip, trying her hardest not to think, not to talk to herself - Gosh, this sure is hard!

Eyes looked upward as she heard heavy footsteps above, then a pause - then a few more of sets of the foosteps. Fearful, her slender body clung against the wall, her image quickly fading as she immediately moved herself several feet away from the pounding feet - but still, whomever or whatever it was still lurked above.

Steel claws swiped at the metal of the ceiling, cutting out a small, jagged hole - and then, with a clank from a harsh punch, the small circle fell to the floor, white light from above shining down like rays from the sun. Soon, a large man came down from the hole and he crouched down on his knees when he landed. Large hands went to his sides and the metal claws soon dissapeared back into his flesh.

Alana clasped her hands over her mouth, eyes staring at the man who'd just entered; as well as slightly squinting as the light seeped into the small compartment. Ah'm still safe - can't see meh in tha dark; least ah hope so. Aw, shit - Ah've gotta stop thinkin'!

Once more, that voice rang in her head - He can't see you, but he can smell you; he also has my help to lead him to you. - Instantly, she moved again; cornering herself by floating close to the ceiling near the place where she had entered into this small place.

With a loud grunt, the large man paced down the small hall; hand pressing at a light switch which illuminated several small, yet strong, lights that ran beneath the ceiling. Eyes glanced back to the end of the hall as he saw the petite girl appear floating above the ground, eyes squinting as the lights had flickered on and she slowly went to her feet.

"Please, don't hurt meh!" Arms crossed infront of her face as she lowered her head, preparing herself for any of this guy's tricks.

The man replied with a snarl, feet moving closer towards her, "I'd only hurt ya if -- What the?"

Why'd he stop? W'as he lookin' -- Plum eyes blinked as she lowered her arms, and a hand clasped over her right upper arm; hiding the numbers on her arm. "What?"

"What are you, some kind of runaway or stowaway or somethin', 'eh kid?"

He saw them numbas... She blinked again, turning her body a bit so that that arm was out of view; head tilted a bit to see him again. "Uh, Ah guess."

"Logan, is everything alright? Seems as if Pietro and Rockhead seem to be heading in the same direction as --" A brown haired boy jumped down below as well, hand running through his hair as he turned to face the other two. "So, that's the girl the Professor was talking to, huh?"

"There ain't be no body talkin' to me down 'ere!" She snapped, feet slightly hovering off the ground as her hands were put in fits.

"Whoa, calm down there, 'kid. No body's gonna be hurtin' you." Logan, who was the larger man, lifted up fists of his own; except his bared a three-clawed set on each.

"How'd you get on here? And why? Are you with the Brotherhood?" Gosh, this other kid seemed to be oozing with questions.

"Ah got mah ways, n' ya'll should really fix up them wheels - neva' know what ya can let get in, now do'ya? An' what if Ah'm part of 'em?" Ah, there - she answered them all. Attitude was added to that southern twang; the kid with the shades was too nosey for his own good.

"If you're a part of 'em, then who are you? I've never seen you before.. " Logan's eyes narrowed, brows pushing on his brow as he studied the girl. He also went to visually glance at the small hole below her from which she hovered - the openning to the outside. The small openning for the wheels that were currently in use from when the Jet had landed.

"So you are with those knuckleheads.." The nosey kid with the visors crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ah'm Alana, and ya'll better not be doin' anythang to hurt 'em." Gaze glanced back and forth between the two, hovered feet carrying her over a few inches back so that she was aligned over the openning as she hovered. "An' ah'm gonna go n' check on 'em now.. If ya'll could 'scuse me, now.. " Her slender body lowered down into the small, dark squarein the ground; and she felt a soft relief as her body welcomed the darkness and the darkness, in turn, welcomed her. Until she was nothing but a sheer outline, she seeped out of the plane like water between hands and she was out. Crouching on the floor, she felt her body reacustom itself to the outside's light; her pale skin soon appearant, as well as the rest of her little form. Head ducked as she heard the clank of those metal claws abover her and body dropped to the floor, and she began to crawl upon the floor towards the small ramp that had opened up below the belly of the Jet. Glancing back with every opposite drag, she noted the sounds of metal scraping metal and, what it seemed, small flashes of red. Perhaps a laser?

"What are you guys up to?" A red haired girl stood near the end of the ramp as Alana had now crawled beneath the ramp; her small head peering over the side at Lance and Pietro who stood with fists and stern faces.

"Nothin', we're just goin' somewhere; what's it to you and the X-Geeks?" Lance grit his teeth, one fist hand slamming into an open palm as the knuckles of his fist cracked in a single blow to his palm. "Why, gotta problem with that, Red?"

"Jean!" Feet pounded down the ramp, causing Alana to duck back behind and hug her knees to her chest. "Some girl-- She was just on the Jet. I have no idea how-"

"She got on by the wheel shafts, Cyke. Somehow, she can just.. go through things or somethin'."

"Alana?" A small blue trailed behind Pietro as he stepped up the ramp, his slender form held back by large, burly hands of Logan. "What'd you do to her!?"

"We didn't do a thing, Quick - She got off the same way she got on." Upper lip went up slightly as he grabbed Pietro by the neck and lifted him closely to his face. "You know 'er, right, Quick?"

"Put him down, Wolverine!" Lance snapped.

"Oh, shut up, Lance!" Scott hissed, fingers going to press at his visor covered temple.

"Scott, no!" Jean held onto Scott's opposite arm, tugging him back slightly. "Logan, put Pietro down; we shouldn't be doing this. We're needed back at the Farm."

Gasping, Pietro was let go and he stummbled back to his feet - regaining balance as he rubbed quickly at his neck and glanced up at the three X-Men. "T-The Farm?"

"It has nothing to do with you guys, just stay out of it." Scott hissed again, dispite the tug on his arm and the practically huge mental slap Jean had given him.

"Hey! We were there, Cyclops - and we already got one of 'em. Magneto--"

"Lance, stop!" Pietro glared at his older teammate, then looked back to the X-Men. "So, how many have you heros 'saved'? Five? Ten? How many do you guys have packed on that little plane of yours?"

"It's none of your business, kid." Logan interjected, feet trailing down the ramp as he looked to Pietro and Lance. "I know she's still 'round here; and very close." Nostrils flared as he glanced from side to side, and then behind him.

Blinking, Alana closed her eyes and faded once more into the Jet's underside shadows; using all her might to conceal herself as she felt her body merge into one with the darkness. Shadows crept about around the Jet, moving as fast as she pushed them to go; causing no breeze, or trace, or sound. Her few moments of bliss was ended when she had arrived behind Lance's Jeep; hands holding onto the side of the Jeep as she peered over the top. Oh, gosh - please don't hurt meh! She fell to the ground on her knees, arms crossing her chest as she passed a bit of a shivered sigh. Why was she so scared of these people? They were mutants, but.. if they were 'good', they weren't doing much of a job presenting themselves that way. One hand had moved to cover her upper arm; sheilding those numbers from anyone's view. Even her own.

"We're not going to hurt you.. " The girl, Jean, called out - obviously picking up Alana's thoughts. She took a few steps down the ramp as well, passing Logan and Pietro as she slightly floated in the air; hovering about two feet so that she could see over a few close obstacles. "It's alright, come out.. I know where you're hiding, Alana."

"Yer not gonna put meh back in there!" Alana cried, crawling on her hands and knees away from the jeep and into the soft, dewy grass.

Slender hand extended from her as she pulled Alana up off her feet and into the air towards her; setting her down infront of her as she lowered herself down to the ground. "See.. I didn't-"

"What do ya'll want from meh?!" She snapped, hands forming fists as she looked up to the tall red haired girl. Tears began to swell in her eyes, but she swallowed them hard; her mind becoming a jumbled mess. Who were the good ones? Who were the bad? Why was she involved? Why me?!

"Calm down, Alana. We understand-"

"No - ya don't undastand. Ya'll seem to have yer own stuff 'gainst one anotha n' somehow ah'm gonna git involved? Well, Ah ain't!"

Jean extended an opened hand at Alana, her telekenisis holding her still as she once more lifted Alana off her feet and into the air. "I can see your set numbers inked on your skin, and I know where you're from. I know what you've seen, and I know what you're thinking. You're like a painting, Alana - your mind shows me everything no matter what you do to try and dim any memories." Other hand also helped as she continued to restrain her. "Calm down - Like I've been saying for you do to. I know you're confused, but we may have some answers for you."

"Red - put her down! She's not gonna go with you!" Pietro hissed, but was grabbed once more by Logan.

"I'm gonna tell you once and only once, Quick - You get in the Jet and stick with us for now, or I'm going to make you a pin cushion in five seconds." Lip curled as opposite fist pressed against Pietro's chest from where he held him in the air. Pietro replied with a gasp, eyes wide and then a gulp.

"No! Pietro told meh 'bout ya'll!" Alana cried out again, gritting her teeth as she struggled in the invisible force that had held her delicate body in place in the air.

".. 460309-26." Jean set one hand down, loosening her intense hold on Alana as she took slow steps towards her. She felt Alana's feelings of confusion, guilt, anger, and sadness begin to wash into her; and she tried to understand those lost and jumbled thoughts that were spilling through Alana's mind. "... It's on your right arm, right? Those numbers? Along with small barcoding.."

"H-How do ya know?" She went to turn her head away from Jean, and to her surprise, she was allowed; and she kept her check turned. Embarassed. Confused. Agered. Why was she making her feel all these things? Why was she remembering so much? What was she thinking so much?

"Alana, you know so much about the Farm that we need you to help us both. Don't you want to free your friends? Let them live? Ignore what Pietro and Lance told you about us, we're much different from what they say we are. If you give us a chance, you could help us when we help all your friends - we're already helped one of your friends." Jean kept Alana suspended as she glanced over to Scott who was beginning to start with Lance. Looking back at Alana, she extended one of her hands out in a friendly gesture. "Look, I won't make you choose sides - but we're all going for the same reason, right?"

"Yea', but.. ah don't know who ah'm supposed ta'be believin'.. " Her voice was small and timid as she lowered her head, noting the hand but ignoring it as she kept her face turned. "Ah'm so confused.. "

"Then we will do our best to clear up that confusion, Alana." A set of mechanical wheels was heard softly as it came down the ramp and onto the ground, heading over infront of the suspending Alana. Hands were on the arm rests as dark eyes looked to her. "Look at me, Alana.. I promise, no one will hurt you anymore than what you have already suffered."

Cautiously turning her head towards the voice, that voice that was in her mind while she was in the plane!, she blinked - Baldy? That's 'im? She felt a bit of relief as her feet were now on the ground and full control of her limbs and body was granted back to her.

"If that nickname suits me, it's just fine." A bit of a smile tugged at his lips. "Alana, please.. Take us seriously. We're not here to cause any harm. Look at whom we've helped... " Closing his eyes for a brief second, he'd swivel his chair around to face towards the others that had been sparcely around.

But they all stopped as the small flash, and greyish dust appeared with a set of bodies; a girl and a boy. Each, with obvious physical mutants, bore a bright white smile; perhaps with fangs, as well. Tails wipped around as the white one darted off towards Alana.

"Oh, Gawd! Alana! Ya really are alive!" The girl leaped at Alana, pouncing her to the ground as she pinned her with her hands at her shoulders to the ground. "Wow! Jesus, Mary n' Joseph! Ya really ARE alive!" She repeated as she then wrapped her arms about the small Alana in a white furred hug.

Although she was shocked at first, Alana smiled, arms wrapping about her dear friend. "Ha, ah guess ah'm alive!" Patting her back, she'd try to lift them both to their feet. "Gabby! Yer wit' tha X-Men?" Dark eyes would glance back to the Professor and the few X-Men that had been around, the uniformed ones. Her two scruffy guys were released and drawing back towards the Jeep. They ain' leavin', are they?

* * *

A/N: Oo.. Cliffhanger.

Sorry if this chapter was confusing. I didn't know exactly how I should have them meet, but this seemed like the best way after a few trials. Plus, I wanted to show how easy it was by most of them to be persuaded by others - like Pietro with his Dad, Alana with her internal struggle, as well as the over all confusion and drama going on with exactly how the mutants at the Farm are going to be released. Will it be pandemonium? Or will it be a top secret?