Well, back again…only like three months later than my last deadline. More up in a week, my foot. So I'm a horrible procrastinator, what do you want from me? I did write more like I promised…

Happy, happy disclaimer time!

If I owned X-Men Evolution: Rogue would be super-south rather than super-goth (complete with her amazing flying and invincibility power), Bobby would not be such a rotten person (I made him mean in my other story too…I'm seeing a trend…), Gambit would get the accent right (otherwise he's pretty good), Phoenix would drop dead and land on Kurt, thus knocking some sense back into his head and causing him to devote his life to a monastery rather than Santa, Mystique would be more Mystique-y (and by that I mean movie-y), and…Spike would impale himself accidentally on his own sharp edges cause he's just getting annoying now.

There, this chapter's disclaimer is complete.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Ants

The mutants were there. They circled him, bearing down on him; coming ever closer and closer. He wanted to burst out. Their silence was overpowering. Then one spoke. "Jamie," it said.

Jamie ran once the words left the man's mouth, ducking under an arm and fleeing through a gap in the circle. He had to get out! They would kill him! Look at what they did to the bus!

But the Mutants were everywhere and the room had no doors. In his dream-like state, Jamie sunk to the floor in defeat, seeing their shadows swarm over him.

"Jamie, why do you run?" the voice asked.

"Go away!" he responded weakly. "Please, go away."

In the light of a window, Jamie could see where the voice had come from. A man sat in a chair next to where Jamie had fallen, hand clasped together in his lap. There was an expression of complete calm on his face, as if Jamie was no cause for concern to him; as if Jamie was completely under control. Well he'd show them!

Jamie rose to his feet and faced the man. I'll show you, killers! With a swing of his fist, Jamie attempted to set the man off his guard.

His futile attempt at rebellion was stopped mid-air, as if some unseen hand held him back. His has was stuck inches from the man's head. No one touched him.

Killers, Jamie? Why do you say that?

A voice was there in his head, trying to force its way inside his mind. He clutched his skull, shaking it from side to side as if to rid himself of the intrusive presence. No! Stay out! Go away! And with all the strength Jamie had left, he pushed the voice out.

He woke up in the alleyway. Next to him were the two multiples. The rain had stopped completely, the stars shone brightly above, and faintly Jamie could hear the sounds of crickets playing their music. Everything was peaceful - deceptively peaceful.

Jamie knew that only a few blocks away he had seen the killers, those mutants. Perhaps it was their nearness that caused his dream, or the day's events. Both were likely.

Jamie rested his head against the brick wall of the alley. Maybe tomorrow would bring a better day and better luck. Tomorrow could also spell disaster, he thought pessimistically. Tomorrow the Mutants could find me. Then my nightmares would be real. He shivered, thinking about their voices in his head and their shadows circling him. It was terrifying to think about, especially in the dead of night not very far from their lodging. Jamie took a few calming breaths, trying to wipe all thoughts of mutants from his mind.

Jamie's attempt at calm apparently worked. His head dipped forward on his chest and before he could even say "multiples", he was asleep. He woke later that day not having had any other unsettling dreams, or even thinking a single thought about the mutants.

*~*~*~*~*

Along with the disturbing dreams, his multiples seemed to have disappeared with the morning light. Still unable to determine whether or not they even existed, Jamie wondered whether he should wait for them to appear. Deciding that they usually were gone when he awoke anyway, he left the safety of his alley and braved the light of day.

Where the town the night before had been abandoned, today it was a bustling center of life. Cars drove past on the road Jamie had strayed upon last night in his dazed state. People pushed past him on busy sidewalks as soon as he stepped out from the alley. Where did all these people come from? Jamie wondered.

While he was standing stricken with awe on the sidewalk, a flash of a brightly colored pattern caught his eye through the crowd. He snapped his head to inspect it but was too late to see the wearer. He faintly remembered seeing the blue flowers before somewhere. Somewhere important…Of course! Raven had been wearing a dress just like that!

Pushing his way through the mess of people, Jamie wound his way to where he had seen the figure in the dress. Maybe coming to this town wasn't a loss after all! He caught a glimpse of light brown hair and followed it, ducking under people's arms and skirting around their forms dangerously.

"Raven!" he called out. "Raven, wait up!" The figure stopped. Slowly it turned, perhaps expecting something more sinister than a simple eleven year old. But as soon as it caught sight of its hailer, its face relaxed into the epitome of relief.

"Jamie." Jamie ran up to Raven and grabbed her arm, as if to assure himself that she was real, even if his multiples were not. "I've been searching for you all over! I lost you after the mutants showed up."

"I know! I've been looking for you too! I even walked all the way here and almost got caught by the X-Men." Jamie wasn't sure if she knew who the X-Men were – he didn't really know either – but it implied he had shown bravery in the face of something, and hopefully that would impress Raven.

"Really? How did you escape?" Jamie was sure that was true interest in her eyes; a thing he had not seen in his home for a long while. It felt nice to be showered with attention, and Jamie reveled in the feeling.

So, taking his chances when he could, Jamie told in long (and partially fictional) detail the elements of his escape.

*~*~*~*~*

Raven had listened with rapt attention to Jamie's story. After he had finished, she invited him to return with her to her hotel room. Having no other place to go, Jamie accepted.

After all, he reasoned, She had helped me escape from the mutants and had been looking for me this whole time. I think I can trust her, and it beats waiting in the alleyways for the X-Men to find me. Jamie shuddered at this, remembering the shadows and voices from his dream, thinking sleep would be hard to find after that.

But that night, lying in his warm bed, Jamie found it hard to feel any apprehension about falling asleep. With barely a mumbled "G'night" to Raven, Jamie was out.

*~*~*~*~*

He opened his eyes to a room completely devoid of any defining characteristics, aside from its blazing white walls. No one must live in here, Jamie thought sardonically, These walls would be too hard to keep this blindingly clean if there were actually people in here on a regular basis. That though made Jamie wonder. Was there anyone else in here? And where was here?

Through his bleary dream-filled eyes, Jamie could not see much, but he was not sure there was much to see. He turned his head to the side to look around him and was greeted by the man from before.

"Awake now, are we? I must say, you choose odd hours."

Jamie's face contorted in a mask of fright and he pressed his back against the white wall. The supportive surface gave him little strength. What did the man want? Why was he keeping him in this room?

"Calm down, Jamie. There is no need for alarm." The man still sat in his chair, calm as ever and trying his best to force this tranquil lull over Jamie as well.

"No! What are you doing keeping me here like this?! I demand to be set free! Let me out of this room!"

The man hung his head, as if he was dealing with a simple problem that Jamie could not see the obvious answer to. "I am unable to let you go, Jamie; for your safety as well as the safety of those around us. I explained this when you first came and your constant fainting fits do not quicken your departure from this room."

"What do you mean? I don't understand." Jamie had a look of complete and utter confusion of his face. What is he talking about?

"As long as your mutant abilities are completely uncontrollable and you don't cooperate with us in our efforts to help you, you will remain here."

The words struck Jamie, taking his breath away. Mutant…powers? Jamie felt the sense of reality slipping away from him as he woke with a start in Raven's hotel room.

The dream stayed with him, as did the ominous sense that these dreams were more portentous than the subconscious ramblings of a worried mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

TAA-DAA!!!

Well now it's time to sleep, yawn…11:34 and a big Quintet to mess up in tomorrow! Skipperdee!

Hope you take the time to tell me if you thought it was worth continuing even after ya'll though I abandoned it…hehehe tricked ya…

Oh and if you have been influenced to read The Once and Future King because of my incessant whining or will read it at some point in the future let me know…I like to know if my plan for world domination is working…did I say that out loud?