Shame

"Just hold still Jean," Althea said. "It will all be over in a minute."

Jean sent out a telekinetic blast of such ferocity it shattered her water bonds and knocked Althea down. "YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME?" Jean shouted. "COME AND TRY IT!"

"Who said anything about fighting?" Althea grinned as she got up. "Take a good look at your arms. You're barely wet."

Jean looked down and blinked. "You're right…the water didn't even touch me, but how?"

"It's kind of like an illusion," Althea said. "Your body instinctively tensed so that you wouldn't touch the water around you. This made you feel that the water was restraining you. When in actuality you weren't even touched. Only when you broke loose did you get some water on you."

"Impressive but what was the point?" Jean snapped.

"The point was to see how much control you had over your temper," Althea said. "If you'd just stood still for a second you would have realized that. But you didn't."

"You could have warned me you know!" Jean snapped. "I could have…"

"Hurt me?" Althea raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you're not as in control of your emotions as you think you are, huh? That's what you're scared of isn't it Jean? You know deep down that you could end up a killer with your powers and it scares the hell out of you doesn't it?"

Jean didn't respond. "All it would take is one incident, one instance of losing control and you would end up like Lance," Althea's voice growled. "Well get over it!"

"What do you mean 'get over it'?" Jean asked.

"Just what I said. There are going to be situations where there are lives on the line," Althea told her. "And one day you and your X-Men are going to have to make a decision that's not so black and white! Which means that you might have to kill the bad guys before they kill you or someone else! Lift the blinders from your eyes Jean, you are a soldier in this just as much as we are."

"The X-Men are not soldiers! We're heroes!"

"Same thing, only soldiers usually aren't considered heroes unless they get lucky."

"The X-Men are trained to fight yes, but we will never kill!"

"Jean you and I both know that isn't true deep down. We're in a life or death struggle to exist whether you want to admit it or not. Sooner or later we're going to have to make a choice we aren't going to like."

"You work with humans," Jean asked. "How can you make a choice like that?"

"Two reasons," Althea said. "First the Joes are different. They won't let us die without a fight. Besides it's useful to keep humans as allies, and I mean the Jugglers and those others higher up. The Joes are my family, that's different. Ever hear the old saying, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'?"

"Well that's pretty cynical."

"I grew up with Shipwreck. Well technically I don't think he ever grew up," Althea said. "Look Jean, its one thing to mask our true natures to the world. Just don't confuse the mask with the real you. And from what I've seen you lost your mask there."

"So did you," Jean looked at her.

"You're right Jean," Althea turned from her. "Lance and I do have some things in common. More than you can imagine. Do you really want to help people? Do you really want to be as 'evolved' as you believe yourself to be? Then stop lying to yourself and face your fears. True evolution in humanity isn't in their genes. It's what's in their hearts. Remember that."

"You're right," Tears rolled down Jean's face as she was left alone.

************************************************************************

"Did you find him?" Rogue asked.

"Nothing," Kurt grumbled. "Maybe he used the teleportation watch?"

"No we checked his room and it was still on the nightstand," Todd told him. "You see him Elf?"

"No," Kurt shook his head. "Where could he be?"

"Who cares," Bobby snuffed as he walked up to them. "Good riddance if you ask me. Hey he admitted it; he's a killer. Why would any of us want him around?"

"It was self defense you jerk!" Rogue snapped.

"I think I'm starting to understand Avalanche a little better now," Kurt said. "Now I think I know why he is the way he is. I had no idea he was in such pain."

"Avalanche is a pain," Bobby grumbled.

"Why because he made you feel like the jerk you were?" Todd grabbed him and shoved him down. "Just because your folks dumped you that doesn't give you the right to make our lives as miserable as you made them!"

"I didn't do anything!" Bobby snapped.

"Uh let's do a reality check!" Rogue told him. "You put Jamie in the medical ward, got your friends in trouble, wrecked the mansion last night and now this! I'd say you done plenty!"

"It seems Avalanche isn't the only one in pain now is he?" Kurt said softly.

"And what would you know about it Fuzz Ball?" Bobby snapped. "What you think you can just lecture me?" This was responded by a sharp slap from Todd. "What was that for?"

"You god damned little brat!" Todd shouted. "You think you're the only person around here who's been dumped by their parents? Do you? Remember Pietro and Wanda? Huh? Rogue and Kurt here! Forget about them? Al's mom walked out on her and her sisters and brother! Berzerker's folks threw him out of the house and on the street! And let's not forget what a winner Tabby's old man was! And Freddy, he could tell you stories about his family that would make your hair curl!"

"But they were my parents!" Bobby shouted. "They were supposed to love me and take care of me! They're not supposed to abandon me!"

"Well at least your old man didn't try to carve you up like a Thanksgiving turkey when he got rid of you!" Todd shouted.

Todd glared at the shocked stares surrounding him. "That's right, my old man tried to kill me," Todd growled. "And he would have to if my momma…" He clenched his fists. "Listen if your idiot folks don't want you, you're better off with out 'em!"

"Who are you to decide that?" Bobby snapped as he stormed away.

"Here we go again!" Kurt sighed.

Scott and Kitty ran up, "Was that Bobby?"

"Yeah but he took off," Todd grumbled. "I'm going to go do the same. Maybe Lance is over there!"

"I'll go with him," Rogue sighed.

"I'll go after Bobby alone," Scott sighed. That left Kurt and Kitty.

"How are you holding up?" Kurt asked.

"How do you think? This is all so much you know?" Kitty said. "Too much reality! I mean I thought I knew Lance when I don't really know him at all! And what I'm seeing scares me!"

"How do you think Lance is feeling?" Kurt asked. "Or Peter? Kitty you've pulled those two's strings for too long now. Something has to give!"

"You don't think I know that!" Kitty snapped at him. "It's not easy you know!"

"This isn't just about what you want anymore," Kurt said. "It's what's best for everyone." Kurt teleported away. He swore under his breath in German. "Sometimes Kitty can be so clueless about people…" He looked around and saw he was at the beach in back of the mansion. "Well might as well check here."

Then he noticed a very small cave in the cliff wall. "I've never seen that before," He mused. Then it came to him. "Avalanche!"

Next the heart wrenching conclusion!