Hey gang. Here's the second chapter in the same night. Go team me!

Sorry if it's a bit short

I don't own the X-Men. Just Mattie

Inner Demons

The Professor nodded. "I will be with you."

Mattie nodded, not really listening to him.

"I'll be by your side, walking through this with you."

Again Mattie nodded. "Let's do it."

It was now or never. If she waited much longer then she would loose her nerve. She had to do this now.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to relieve the moment she had woken in Magneto's strong hold.

Good, Mattie. Xavier's thoughts floated through hers, reminding her that this wasn't real. She could feel the cold metal on her wrists. But it couldn't be real because the Professor was talking to her.

Magneto flickered in and out of her mind as she fast forwarded her memories. He'd scared her. But once she had known that her dad was her dad, he'd faded. His power, the threat he represented, was gone.

She started to skip past the memory of the cell.

We have to go in there, Mattie

Mattie shook her head, and then shuddered. I don't want to. She told him.

I know. Xavier consoled her. But we have to.

Her memory shimmered into focus and Xavier could see the cell. Everything about it. Clear in total detail. This was a memory that Mattie hadn't smudged yet. It stood out crystal clear.

"Hello Pretty Face." The words were sharp, like razors. Mattie's mind gave sight and texture to worlds.

She backed away from him. Rex. He was grinning, a homicidal smile, eyeing her like a new toy.

Mattie. The Professor cautioned her. You are doing this. You have the control here.

Rex kept coming. And Xavier found himself in an ally wall with Mattie as she struggled to fight off footballers. Boys who she had considered, if not friends then certainly not anyone to be frightened of. It was a repeating pattern. He watched as Mattie came back to her fear of Rex. He heard her berating herself for being here again.

All that Danger room practice. All that time, effort, and still you are trapped. Mattie was raging at herself.

She considered this her fault? Xavier wondered. Suddenly it started to make more sense. She wasn't better prepared. She hadn't stopped them. A child's view of the world. That something she had or hadn't done, could so affect the world.

This is not your fault. Xavier told her.

Mattie ignored him, too deep in her memory now. Xavier watched as she plunged into despair. Then rose like a phoenix out of the ashes as she heard her friends were attacking Magneto's forces.

He couldn't stop a smile tweaking at his lips as she bit down on Rex's tongue. How could she believe that she wasn't in control? Her fear stemmed from being forced. Rex had forced his kisses on her. Could she not see that she had controlled the situation? It took a lot of guts to react like that.

Mattie, you did it. You switched the power. He told her.

No. I don't. She suddenly looked straight at him. He froze. She shouldn't be doing that. He was riding with her. Not an active participant. This was wrong.

The cell wavered and vanished. Now Mattie was chained in the ally way. A combination of the two terrors.

This is your nightmare. The Professor studied where they were. Mattie. This isn't real.

She looked at him, terror wide in her eyes. Tell that to them.

Rex stepped forward towards Mattie. Beside him stood the footballer, Carl, with a knife. Both grinned.

Rex grabbed hold of her hair, yanking her head forward.

Mattie you have to stop this!

I can't! She wailed in reply.

"No! No, no, no! NO!"

Mattie's screaming forced Xavier's mind back into his body. He could see Mattie thrashing in her chair.

The door flew open and rebounded off the wall. Bobby came through the door looking for a target. He spotted Mattie and was at her side in an instant.

"Mattie!" He took hold of her and shook her.

"NO!" Mattie's blow threw him backwards away from her. She fell back into the chair still writhing.

"What's wrong with her? What did you do?" Bobby turned his anger on the Professor. "What did you do!"

Logan and Hank ran into the room, clearly drawn by Mattie's screaming.

Bobby ignored them and grabbed a handful of the Professor's shirt. "Tell me what you did to her!"

"Easy snowball." Logan clamped a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Hank was busy trying to calm Mattie's convulsions.

"She's made her fear too powerful." Xavier panted. "She has to stop them."

"Stop who? What? How?" Bobby tore his gaze away from Mattie to glare at the Professor. "Make it stop!"

"I can't. Only she can. She's trapped in her nightmare. And she can't get out."

"Then let me in."

Bobby's response was so quick the Professor almost didn't hear it the first time.

"Let me in." Bobby repeated. "Let me help her."

Xavier paused and Bobby grabbed hold of his hand. "Please."

Bobby blinked. He couldn't see the Professor's study anymore. It had gone. In its place was a dimly lit ally way.

Mattie!

She was chained to the wall. He started towards her, and saw two figures already there. One of them he recognised as Rex, the other was his own age, brandishing a knife.

Rex was kissing Mattie, clearly taking delight in the fact that she couldn't escape him.

Get off her you bastard! Bobby's fist went straight though him.

You're not here, Bobby. Xavier's voice told him. Neither am I. Neither is Mattie. But she won't realise that.

Why did you do this to her? Bobby demanded. Why make her come here?

I didn't. She brought herself here. This is what she has been fighting.

But it's a dream. Bobby protested.

Here? Bobby could hear Xavier give a wan smile. Here it is whatever she makes it.

"No, no, no!" Faintly, as though in the distance, Bobby could hear Mattie's calls.

Mat's, you have to stop this.

I can't. Mattie shrieked at him, watching Rex approach her. They won't let me.

You let you. Bobby told her. You do it.

Mattie turned to stare at him. Her gaze flickered. What are you doing here? She asked him. You're not here. You're never here. You're out there.

Rex grabbed hold of her again. Mattie's gaze flew from Bobby to Rex, her eyes widen in fear.

Mattie! Bobby cried out desperately. Mattie, I'm here. Somehow her seeing him here had upset the nightmare, made it less in control. He had to give her that strength back.

Mattie's eyes darted to his face, Rex's lips pressed hard against hers. Bobby fought against his need to grab him and pull him off her. He couldn't. Only Mattie could. And only if she realised that she could.

Again he saw her gaze flicker. Concentration furrowed her brow, she blinked and Rex staggered back a step. He grinned and reached out for her again. He grabbed hold of her neck. Mattie winced.

Bobby shook his head. It's not real, Mattie. He's not real.

Again there was that flicker. Rex flew backwards. He got up and moved towards Mattie again.

Stop. Mattie's command shimmered through her nightmare.

Rex halted as though he had been frozen to the spot. He looked down at his feet, then back up at Mattie. He grinned and stepped forward again.

I said. Stop.

Mattie glared at him. Rex stopped and didn't move again. Carl ran forward striking at her with his knife. Mattie dodged the first swipe; the casually plucked the knife out of his hand.

I don't think you should be playing with that. She told him.

She glared at both of them.

Bobby watched her. She glowed with light. Somehow Mattie seemed larger, while Rex and Carl were shrinking.

I have had enough of both of you. Mattie was telling them. And I am not going to take it any more. She looked long and hard at Rex. I've kicked your arse. She turned her attention on Carl. And I could take you any day. You are both just annoying me. She turned to give Bobby a brilliant smile. And that is going to stop. Right now.

Bobby was back in the Professor's study, still clutching his hand. Mattie gave a small moan as she pulled herself up off the floor.

"Mattie!" He had her in his arms before he remembered that he couldn't do that anymore. Too late now, he hugged her to him and felt her tightening her hold on him.

"Oh, Bobby. I was so scared." She told him.

"I've got you." He told her

"Mattie?" The Professor asked.

Bobby turned to glare at him. "Leave her alone. You've done enough!"

"Hey. Watch your step." Logan growled at him.

"Bobby. Professor Xavier was attempting to help Mattie." Mr McCoy added.

"I don't care what he was trying to do." Bobby told them, still glaring at Xavier. "What you put her through? That was…"

"Necessary." Xavier said quietly.

"No." Bobby snapped. "No, it wasn't."

Mattie tightened her grip on Bobby, and then twisted to regard the Professor. "I think it worked."

"That? That 'worked'!" Bobby was incredulous. "Mattie. How can you say that? You were screaming."

"And you came to me." Mattie looked up at him. "I needed you, and you found me."

Bobby felt his anger dissipating as she gave him a small smile. "Well you know I how I love to play the hero." He teased.

Mattie's smile made his heart flutter. Unable to stop himself he planted a kiss on her lips. His reward was that she didn't flinch. Or try to throw him through a wall.

Mattie grinned at him, her relief clear on her face. Bobby had kissed her. And she hadn't tried to run. "I did it. I faced them down."

"Facing your fear is over two thirds of the battle." Xavier said.

"And the other third?" Bobby asked angrily, holding Mattie protectively in his arms as though worried the Professor might try something.

"We're not finished yet." The Professor said, smiling weakly at Mattie.

She nodded. "But, there is an end."

X

The others were waiting outside the door when Mattie and Bobby left the Professor's study.

"Are you alright?" Rouge asked. "We heard screaming."

"What happened?" Kurt asked.

"What's going on?" Scott asked

Rhane looked on worriedly.

"Is this to do with you punching Mr Logan?" Jamie asked.

"What!" The others chorused.

Mattie gave Bobby a squeeze before letting the others drag her into their questions. She answered them as honestly as she could. Explaining her fear made her feel better; it got it out in the open. Out in the light where it shrived.