Mystique sat in one of the rooms of the lower level of the mansion. They'd worked for hours to get the power back up and running. This man, whom Xavier called Wakimoto, had taken out their primary and two backup generators. It had been difficult at first, working with them. With the X-Men. She didn't bear them any ill will. Its just that they'd been on opposite sides for so long. She couldn't count the times she'd faced them in battle. Faced her children. She'd seen Rogue and gotten a look that said clearly to stay away. The one she was scared to see was her son. Nightcrawler. He'd tried to help her many times. Tried to tell her that the X-Men would take her in. But Eric, the man these people called Magneto had always had too strong a pull on her. She would never be able to pay the many debts she had to him. He'd saved her life. He'd taken her in when no one else would. She'd even thought at one point that he loved her.

She sat and wallowed in her own misery. No one understood. No normal person could. Even mutants. They were what they seemed to be. Mystique wasn't. Not even Eric had ever really trusted her. She pledged her life to him, and he still felt the need for other methods of control. But she understood. How could anyone trust a person who could become another person at will? Even around others, she was always alone. Always looked up to and envied, never letting anyone see her pain. She'd never let anyone see her weakness. Except Eric. He'd always been able to see through her. But as much as she had loved him, he hurt her constantly. They'd been together. For years they'd had a secret relationship, but whenever they made love… She'd always been someone else. He would ask her to be someone else while they had sex. He always asked if it bothered her. She said it didn't, but it cut her to the bone every time. Even he, the man she'd given her soul to was shallow when it came to that. He didn't know that all she wanted from him was for him to love her for who she was, not who she could impersonate.

She'd hoped that she would be able to find that some day. She'd seen Jubilee grow over the years, seen her kind nature, her gentle demeanor, and even her beauty. Mystique wasn't bothered by classifications. Gay or straight, none of them really applied to someone who could shift from male to female in moments. What Mystique liked was Jubilee's personality. But now there was no chance at anything there. She was alone again. She looked down at her hands. Blue-green shimmering hands. They were disgusting. They reminded her of who she was, of how to get anything good in life, she had to pretend to be someone else. Someone who looked and acted normally. Rage built up for a moment before she rose to her feet. Moving lightly into her own style of fighting, she glided with softly flowing forms, letting the tension drain from her. She cleared her mind, purged herself of her suffering. The door hissed open next to her. She froze and turned.

"I… I'm sorry… I must have hit the wrong button." The man known as Chimera said, holding up one of his hands. It was easy to see why he'd missed the button. He had short claws that had been filed down, but his hands were massive and paw-like.

"Why are you here?" She demanded. She realized suddenly that she was being outright hostile to someone she didn't even know. How would she ever meet anyone with that attitude? "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Please, come in."

"No problem…" Chimera said hesitantly. "I just wanted to see if you were alright. And to thank you…"

Mystique's eyes narrowed. She'd seen this before. Innocent outright friendliness. She'd seen it used as a way to gain leverage over her. Immediately her mind raced to figure out what this man could possibly want from her. There was no way he was simply here to start small talk or genuinely befriend her. It angered her that someone would think she was this naive.

"Thank me… For what?" She asked carefully holding her temper at bay. Chimera's brow furrowed.

"You saved us… If you hadn't jumped in, Jubilee might be dead…" He explained, bewilderment in his eyes that she hadn't known what he was talking about right off.

"Your professor saved you. I merely bought a few moments time." She said, more coldly than she'd intended. "Your… You and the man named Nightfire are… together?" She asked, nearly stunned at absolutely no sign of deception behind those blue eyes.

"Yes… We are. He goes by Raien mostly, though." Chimera said, his body language turning defensive. For someone who lived her life posing as others, Mystique took that to mean there was something real in their relationship. She'd gone over one point of the fight so many times in her head. The part where Raien's foot had been caught, and the infection started… If she had jumped in sooner, she could have stopped it. Raien would still have his left leg…

"I'm sorry… What happened to him… Its my fault…" She said in an uncommon moment of weakness. Chimera's body went from defensive to almost as though he wanted to hug her, then one of simmering anger.

"What happened to Raien wasn't your fault. I know that. No one could have stepped into the middle of that fight." He said softly. She saw for the first time since he'd come into the room how tired he looked. She realized it must have been several hours since the incident. She'd been in this room, this cold sterile room, for hours.

Raien woke again. The morphine haze still there. He felt familiar warmth though. It took him a moment to realize there were lips pressed gently to his. Chimera pulled back and nuzzled into his neck. Raien felt his lover's hand stroking his cheek. Something sad to the way he did it. The coolness in his left arm let him know he was still on an IV. That reminded him of what had happened.

Chimera just lay there, worrying mostly. Worrying about what Raien would say, what he would do when he realized they'd had to amputate his left leg. What would he tell him? Chimera knew Raien was awake several minutes before his eyes opened. They glowed softly, white barely edged with blue. He didn't want to say anything. He didn't want to be the one to deliver the crushing blow. Just as he started to work the courage up to tell him, he could tell that Raien knew. Those glowing eyes were normally so readable. Chimera could always tell with a glance Raien's mood. This time there was too much. He looked pained and sad and angry, but at the same time, something like gratitude and contentment.

"I'm sorry Raien. We had to do it…" Chimera said so softly it was barely more than a whisper. His voice was full of the worry he'd been feeling for the last few hours. Since Hank had stopped the sedatives and told him Raien would wake eventually. Raien kissed him, not even having to move more than an inch.

"I know. You did the only thing you could have done." Raien replied, somber and steady. Chimera lay in awe of the man he loved. He himself would have been livid. He would have wanted to go down to that cell and rip the lungs out of the one responsible. He would have thought that Raien would want the same thing. He just lay there, though, in Chimera's arms, looking at him like everything was going to be alright. Chimera looked at him and saw how strong a person Raien was. He hugged him tightly and cried. Raien held him, and Chimera felt ashamed. Here he was, the one crying, being comforted by a man who'd just lost a limb.

Jubilee was furious. She'd seen all the signs. The tea. The way he talked. When he didn't take the lead. She'd even started to like the new Colossus. Was everything in her life just some game, some deception? She didn't know what Mystique must have been thinking. She turned on the television. A picture perfect botox blonde was describing mutant terrorist groups in various places around the world. Jubilee nearly crushed the remote changing the channel. A movie was playing. Some shoot 'em up action movie. Great. She turned it off and laid down on her bed.

Staring at her ceiling, the whole fight replayed for her. Raien had been spinning so fast, his hands and fists were only circles of white light. She could hear hit boots hitting vinyl, the sounds of exertion from both sides. Then everything stopped and there was a horrible hissing sound. She remembered being overcome with anger when she saw Raien's head hit the ground. She felt the burning in her hands, then intoxicating release as she unleashed her power on him. She could see the suit burning away. She could see the silver shining beneath. The confusion as she fell to a knee. More as Colossus had flown past her and changed into a person she'd been taught to despise.

Strange though. When he'd turned his hand toward her, and she'd known she was about to die… She didn't know what to believe anymore. The Mystique she knew wouldn't have done that. The Mystique she'd known would have been long gone. She wouldn't have stuck her neck out for anyone. Jubilee stood up. She hated being confused. She thought she was finally past all of this. She thought people would finally stop being able to deceive her. Light exploded in her room, followed by a familiar scream of energy. She stood wide-eyed staring at a fresh smoking hole in the wall of her room. It wasn't the first time it had happened… but the walls in the lower part of the mansion were all made of solid steel… She'd just burned almost entirely through it.

Quickly before leaving, she shifted a nearby picture to cover the hole. She needed to get out. Maybe just being with the others would settle her nerves. She left her room, emerging into empty halls. She hoped no one had heard her lose control. Her stomach rumbled and she realized it had been several long hours since she'd eaten. It was off to the kitchen. She rounded the last corner and saw Raien and Chimera sitting at the table, along with Rogue and Gambit. There was an uncomfortable silence looming. Jubilee could see that Raien was still under the painkillers. Each had a plate in front of them. She could smell the Cajun spices from there. Gambit looked up.

"There more if you hungry, Petit." Gambit said obviously picking up on the look on her face. She nodded and found a plate, heaping the rice, beans and meat onto a plate. She sat down on one of the ends of the six person table. Jubilee noticed Raien was leaning into Chimera. He really didn't look alright. She knew better than to ask though. She took a bite of the steaming food before her. The spice warmed her down to her toes. It was exactly what she needed. Gambit looked toward her, a small triumphant smile on his face. He was a great cook. The worst part about it was that he knew how good he was.

That was when Mystique walked into the room. Jubilee averted her eyes. She wasn't ready to deal with the woman. She was just here to get some food, no reason for Jubilee to freak out or make a scene… She would be gone in a second. No conversation, no embarrassing silence, no chance she would just sit down and start-

"May I… Eat with you?" She asked in an uncharacteristic lukewarm tone. Jubilee groaned inwardly, hoping the others didn't notice. She looked around. None of them had. They were too fixated on her. Rogue got up and stalked out of the room, roughly colliding with Mystique's shoulder as she left. Mystique stood with her eyes fixed somewhere on the wall looking like she'd just been shot.

"More food on da stove." Gambit said carefully. Mystiques eye's returned to him. She nodded slightly and moved to the pot. Jubilee followed her with her eyes. Her near trademark white dress, cut on both sides up to her waist, waved gently as she walked. Jubilee forced herself to look back at her food. She looked back and saw everyone just now stop staring at the woman. If the silence when she'd walked into the room had been uncomfortable, it was unbearably so now. Mystique returned, sitting across the table from Jubilee.

"Good to see you're out of your room. I knew you'd have to talk to us eventually." Chimera said warmly as he held Raien. It was obvious that Raien was still heavily drugged up. He probably had no idea what was going on, or really where he was. Jubilee could tell, though, that he knew who he was with. She knew that Chimera had probably tried to insist on Raien staying in bed, but it was obvious who'd won that argument. More silence. She looked down at her food and slowly took a careful bite. Her eyebrows rose as she looked at Gambit.

"This is very good." She said to him. Jubilee thought it must be amazing for Mystique to have fought with the X-Men so many times, then end up sitting at a table with them and complimenting Gambit's cooking. He cracked the slightest of smiles, one not entirely genuine, and motioned as if he were tipping a hat to her.

…And more silence. Raien hadn't said a word. He just stared at his plate which was half eaten, his eyes not really focusing on anything. He looked depressed and contemplative as he stroked Chimera's arm. Jubilee noticed Mystique glance in their direction, and for a moment, she saw a flash of pain wash over her blue-green face before she looked away. What was that all about? Jubilee thought she must feel guilty about Raien's leg. Jubilee took another bite of her food, carefully studying Mystique, trying to look like she wasn't. The silence didn't help. She saw it again. Mystique wasn't looking at Raien alone. She was looking at both men. And it was suddenly obvious to Jubilee that the look wasn't pain. It was jealousy.

"-am NOT a plastic surgeon!" Jean heard Hank bellow from the infirmary. Her brow furrowed in curiosity. As the door opened, she saw Emma Frost standing by the bed pointing to her nose.

"This is twenty thousand dollars of cosmetic surgery! I look like a bloody heavyweight boxer!" Emma screamed, looking exactly the opposite of her normal frigid manner. Jean thought she could feel the heat of Emma's gaze even from the hallway.

"You're not going to die from a broken nose. Look. I can set it, but I can't promise-" Hank said before being interrupted.

"No, you stay away from me, you brute! I'll find someone who can properly-" said Emma before being interrupted by Hank.

"Fascinating. May I ask where you have your personal plastic surgeon hidden away?" He looked at Emma with a wicked smile. "Perhaps you've hidden him up your-" Beast said before Jean interdicted.

"Both of you! Quit arguing." She said. She was absolutely exhausted. She didn't know where Emma would have gotten her nose broken, but her being unconscious would have explained perfectly why she hadn't been with the rest of the team during the attack. Emma opened her mouth just as Jean started squinting, her red hair moving slightly as if by a breeze that didn't exist for anyone but her.

"Now just wait a bloody-" She got out before a loud cracking sound sent lines of crimson from both nostrils. Emma screamed and cast a look at Jean that would rival anything the Phoenix Force could produce. Hank just looked at her stunned. Gauze floated to Emma, who snatched it angrily out of the air.

"Don't touch it for a few days and it should set good as new." Jean said. "Your pretty nose is the least of our problems today."

"Oh I beg to differ. I was knocked unconscious in my room-" Emma began before Jean continued the streak of interruptions.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I had no idea. Here, let me get you some morphine." She said sarcastically. "Oh wait, Raien has it." She finished bitingly, the back of her crimson hair lifting and beginning to glow. The gall of this woman to assume she was so damned important…

Emma's face changed completely. Indignancy faded. "What… What happened to Raien?" she asked

"Raien saved our lives. He fought an intruder who had dropped Wolverine in a matter of seconds…" She began, absolutely livid. "If he hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened. Wolverine is fine. Raien on the other hand… Well lets just say that after watching a man have his leg amputated, your nose is… insulting." Jean turned not even waiting for the reaction and left the infirmary. She nearly knocked Bobby over, not knowing how long he'd been standing there. She heard Hank pad over to the doorway, and looked back to see Emma standing there looking at the floor, now all alone in the infirmary.

"Go get some sleep you two. Hank, I'll need your help in a few hours with the interrogation of this Wakimoto. He's confined in our holding cell. He can wait until tomorrow." She said with a yawn. She looked at Hank and saw immense guilt. "You had to do it, Hank. There wasn't another option. You saved his life." She said, trying to reassure him. The attempt failed miserably. She just nodded to him as Bobby took Hank's hand and led him away down the hallway.

Jubilee didn't know anything anymore. She wished she could have not suspected… Not found out Colossus was really Mystique. That she'd not only kissed a woman, but that she'd kissed one of the X-Men's most vile enemies. Did all that really matter now though? With FoH trying to turn the world into a Mutant-less modern day Nazi Germany? What bothered her most, though… She had really enjoyed the kiss. It had felt for the first time like her soul had touched another's. In that instant of the slightest human contact, there was no pain or loneliness in her life. Her heart had raced, her head had swam, she was sure there was something real there. But it was all a lie. It was, though, a lie she was on some level grateful for. It had given her hope again, that she was desirable after all, not just some used piece of trash carelessly tossed aside when…

She tried to think of better things. She sat in her room, not a single light on. She just stared into the blackness, and at the dim crack of light that she knew to be the door to her room. Footsteps outside. A knock on her door. No one ever knocked. They always used the bell or just called her name. She tried to pretend she wasn't there. Tried to make the woman she knew would be standing on the other side just go away. Three more knocks. Softer this time. A sigh. The sound of paper being slid under the door. Footsteps walking away. Jubilee exhaled feeling intense relief.

She walked to the door and turned the lights back on. There was a note. She picked it up and thought for a moment she could smell Mystique on it. It was written in careful and beautiful flowing handwriting. It read:

"Jubilee,

I'm sorry for deceiving you. It seems that is all one such as me is good for. I hope one day you can forgive me. I thought for a moment I could be that man for the rest of my life. The only lies I told were my name and my appearance. The rest was true. There are so many people here I will never be able to reconcile with. I deeply regret that I have likely made you one of them.

M."

Jubilee was really confused now. She didn't know what she wanted to do about this. She didn't want to ever talk to Mystique again… but if half of what she'd said earlier had been true… When Jubilee had thought she was Colossus, Mystique had told her about loneliness. There was something in her voice, even masked with Colossus's form and sound, that held such pure truth… The more Jubilee thought about it, the more she really pitied Mystique. Was there anyone on the planet who could trust her? Was there anyone who had ever talked to her that wasn't just trying to use her for their own ends? How lonely an existence that must have been. Giving up her own son… Losing her adopted daughter… Jubilee couldn't imagine the pain that Mystique must have inside her…

Wolverine had come to only moments after the fight was over. He cursed himself for his poor luck. He'd wanted nothing more than to rip into that man. He sat in the detention area of the Mansion, which he was glad to see was finally getting some use. Wakimoto looked at him, cold hatred and loathing in his eyes. They'd taken the remains of his sleek-looking suit, and now the only clothing he wore were a pair of plain gray shorts. With so much of his body revealed, Logan could see too much. The man was stitched up like something you'd only see in the movies. Wakimoto stood, staring Logan directly in the eyes.

"Just try it, bub. Kicking your ass would be the first fun I've had in weeks…" Wolverine said, plainly bored. While he didn't like the idea of just standing watch, what he waited for was for Wakimoto to attempt an escape. Wakimoto cocked his head to the side and his eyes narrowed, an expression that seemed to say 'Challenge accepted.'

Wolverine stood, his claws ripping through the skin on his hands, splattering a tiny amount of crimson on the book he'd been reading. Wakimoto reached to the force field. Wolverine smiled. Touching that thing was roughly equivalent to being hit by a high powered Tazer, or touching an electric fence. The whole area suddenly lit up with blue crackling energy, attacking Wakimoto's outstretched hands. Wolverine didn't know what he was seeing. The man should be unconscious just having touched that kind of power.

Wakimoto's whole body shook as the electricity assailed his body. Wolverine hit the intercom button on the desk. "Our guest is doin somethin' weird... Think ya'll better come down here... This ain't right..." He said watching the man writhing in agony in front of him. Only Wakimoto's fingertips touched the energy. Was he trying to commit suicide? Wolverine didn't even think to turn off the power, he was enjoying the pain on Wakimoto's face too much.

Wakimoto's lips curled backward revealing almost fanged teeth. What started as a grimace turned into the most disturbing grin Wolverine had ever seen. Wakimoto forced his hands forward, his palms slamming into the field. Wolverine could see black blisters forming on Wakimoto's hands, and veins all over the man's body popping out. A loud cracking sound overcame the roar of the force field. Sparks flew from the collar as it shorted out and snapped off.

"Oh shit..." Wolverine said and Wakimoto's hands passed through the force field.