Pete looked around the silent room, all eyes were on him. He felt like his skin were see-through and everyone could see his insides. Rogue had led him into a room with about fifteen people around his age and younger. He wished he could melt into the floor and disappear. Rogue introduced him and a couple of the people gave nods of recognition but no one moved.

Pete scanned the room and saw the girl whom he had seen come through the wall. When his eyes met hers she took a small step back and behind a large boy. The boy stood protectively in the same movement as hers, Pete got the sense that they were together.

Another boy that had been sitting on the couch stood and moved across the room. "My names Bobby," he said as he put a friendly hand out in front of him. Pete smiled and shook it, glad someone took the initiative to speak. "I see you've met my girl Rogue." He said smiling as he slipped his hand into hers. "Well this is Tracy," he said as he led Pete across the room to a girl with red hair and light freckles.

She gave a frightened look and glared at Bobby. The tension of fear in the air was so thick, Pete felt it was hard to breath. Everyone seemed to be afraid of him as if he were a bomb about ready to explode. Bobby introduced him to a few more people all of them seemed equally scared. Then they made it to the large boy and the girl who came through his wall. "This is Kitty and Peter."

"We've met, I saw you downstairs." She gave a surprised squeak, then he felt curious and asked the question before he could stop himself. "How do you do it?" She looked at him, her eyes wide with what Pete could only describe as a mix of fear and surprise. "I'm sorry. . . I - I . . ." Why do I always have to loose my ability to speak when I'm nervous? he asked himself. "Never mind." He wondered if everyone in this room knew of her amazing ability. Ever since he learned of Clark the world seemed to get stranger and stranger. Clark! What is going on with him? Will I be able to get my best friend back?

*****

Lex looked out at the ocean. It was the only scenery he had seen for about two days now. He sat on a beach that looked as if a hurricane had recently hit. The sand was covered with palm tree leaves and seaweed. He listened to the ocean crash upon the rocks. He gave a slight laugh, all this water and his throat was dry. He had felt so desperate for water this morning that he tried to drink some of the ocean. Bad idea, after that he had lost the last precious nutrients from his body, heaving it into the sea.

His stomach churned in pain, demanding food. Lex looked down at the handful of seaweed in his hand. As uninviting as it looked Lex slowly brought it to his mouth and took a bite. He spit it back out as his stomach gave a dry heave anticipating bad seawater. Angrily he threw the weed back at the sea.

Unwillingly Lex stood and started to walk the beach again. He had been searching for something to eat, when he had decided to try the seaweed. He looked up at the palm trees hopefully. He watch the wind move the leaves hoping he would catch site of a coconut. So far all the trees had been barren. The leaves moved this way and that and Lex felt himself getting hypnotized by the motion. He wanted to close his eyes and just go to sleep, but he shook his head trying to wake himself.

"Lex." A young female voice said. Lex turned his head quickly wanting to find her. "Lex."

"Helen? Helen where are you?" Lex said as he looked desperately to find the body of the voice. "What happened on the jet?"

"Lex."

Lex looked around then he saw her on the beach, he ran in her direction. "Helen!" He yelled as he propelled himself faster, thankful to see her. "Helen." He said as he finally came to her. He put his hand out reaching for her cheek. He wanted to feel her soft skin under his touch again. His hand went through her and she disappeared into the wind. "No!" he yelled. He fell to his knees and curled in the sand. "Helen." He said quietly to himself.

He wanted to wake up from this bad nightmare.

*****

Scott drove his car down a back road. He loved the purr of the engine as he revved it needlessly. He loved the feeling of the high speed with control in his hands. He had been driving for about twenty minutes when the phone rang and he talked to the Professor. Scott was alone on this mission as he and Xavier agreed that Clark would automatically flee if he saw two people approach him.

Xavier had told him where Clark was at, only about fifteen minutes away. The plan was to get the kryptonite close enough to Clark, and he would be weak enough for him to pull the ring off his finger. The thought also crossed his mind to just blast the thing off. He decided if the opportunity presented itself, that is just what he would do.

He pulled to a stop and pulled the keys out of the ignition. His hand brushed against the slash mark that Logan had made when he had driven the car last month. He had been so angry when he finally got the car back. He had to go pick it up at a car impound as it had been left at Bobby's parent's house. It took a lot of convincing for the police to believe that he had nothing to do with the incident at Bobby's house. He finally had told them that it had been stolen and he hadn't had enough time to report it before he had learned it was at the impound.

He stepped out with the kryptonite in a jacket pocket. He was wearing his uniform under his street clothes for added protection. He closed his eyes and removed his glasses, then replaced them with his visor. He wanted to be ready for Clark.

*****

Clark had suffered through the loud sounds for hours before he could bring some control to it. Now he was walking to nowhere in particular because he had no idea where he was. He didn't feel like moving fast at this time so he stayed at a walking speed. He wasn't finished with the school yet, he wanted a rematch. He was going to handle it differently this time. This time he was going to take a hostage and use them to take control. He looked at the trees and into the woods around him, everything seemed to be at the right sound level.

Then he heard an engine as it got closer. The car stopped and Clark turned towards the direction. He ran to the area and saw Scott step out of a small, blue sports car. He watched patiently as he pulled off his glasses and replaced them with a visor. Then he stepped out of the trees and spoke, "Nice day for a hike, is it?"

Scott whipped his head around to face him, a look of surprise on his face. Clark smiled inwardly, he liked getting a reaction out of people. He stopped about twenty feet away from Scott as he assumed he might have some kryptonite with him. "Come closer so we can talk." Scott said.

That confirmed it now, Clark knew that Scott had some kryptonite with him. "I'm fine at this distance, thank you." He saw the disappointment on Scott's face.

"Clark you need to stop this. We know your not like this."

"Why should I stop? I like this feeling."

"What feeling is that?"

"That I don't have to care anymore what people will think of me. I can do whatever I want without fear of exposure or if they will accept me. I just no longer care."

"I know how you feel. I wish I could get rid of that fear also."

"You?" Clark said with venom in his mouth.

"Yes, me, if you hadn't noticed I am different too. I would give anything to be normal. To be able to look at the world through normal eyes. To not have to worry about killing someone if I looked at them. To not have to worry about acceptance."

"Then join me."

Clark would never forget the look he witnessed on Scott's face. The look that truly told Clark that he must have gone too far. For Scott looked at him like he was the worst enemy a man could ever have. "I could never join you."

"Then this conversation is over. I will see you back at the mansion." He sped off as a tree slowly exploded next to him. Clark smiled, he had to give it to Scott. He didn't give up so easily.

In minutes he was back at the mansion. This time he was going to make a quiet entrance. All he needed was one hostage then there was no playing around. Clark came up to the side fence and climbed over it in seconds. He walked through the trees and heard some kids playing basketball. He stopped before anyone could see him. He watched as some boys were playing.

Clark looked around to see three girls sitting on a bench. One of them was the girl that had screamed earlier. First thing he would do is take her out before she could scream again. He looked at the other two girls, one had dark hair and looked Asian. He looked at the last girl, she sat a little apart from the other girls. The sign of a true outcast, who never felt quite comfortable around others. Clark didn't want two hostages though and was prepared to take two of them out, but then the Asian girl stood and walked away. Perfect he said to himself as he took a step out of the trees.

"Hey unfair." Clark stopped and stepped back. He looked for the body of the familiar voice. Pete was talking to a young boy who was holding the basketball. He was smiling and enjoying himself. Clark felt a pang of jealousy. Pete had only been here about one day and he looked like he had already accepted this group of freaks. When it had taken him a few days to accept him . . . Clark . . . his best friend since kindergarten.

This angered Clark and he moved on the girls in one motion, he knocked out the red head girl and grabbed the other girl around her waist pinning her arms to her sides. She let out a small cry and the boys stopped the game looking in their direction.

"Clark!" Pete said surprised.

*****

Logan didn't care what the Professor, or Ororo said, if he saw the boy again he wasn't going to hesitate to take him down. There was only one way to deal with someone like that. That boy had threatened everything and everyone that he had come to care for.

He looked out his window and saw some of the students playing basketball. The human boy, Pete, was playing with them. It had been a rocky first few hours but they all seemed to be fine now. They were all laughing and joking with each other.

Logan saw Kurt sitting off to the side watching the game. His tail twitching with excitement, somehow this boy and Kurt seemed to have formed a bond. Logan snorted with the thought. Kurt was one of the most annoying people he had ever met.

He turned from the window when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned back quickly and looked into the trees. There he was, the boy who had just threatened his family. Logan gave a low growl and ran down the stairs.

No one threatened his family. No one.

Sorry it is taking so long with chapter 10, but I promise you that this story will be finished.