Notes: This is very OLD. I wil be updating sooner or later, but this is all posted in it's original form, completely unedited any farther than it had been. I apologize if it seems a bit rough!

They're all Marvel's. No money, don't sue.

Chapter 3

Paige was typeing out yet another letter to her brother when she heard the scream. Looking up from the computer screen and takeing off her glasses, she wondered what any of them could really do to help

their teacher. Takeing a moment to hit save on her laptop, and then clicking it shut, she set it aside and grabbed a bottle of asprin and went to check on the White Queen.

'Deep breaths Emma. Get ahold of yourself.' She shivered slightly, despite the thick white comforter draped over her. A few deep breaths later, she slipped out of the sweat soaked bed and into her washroom. She reached a shakeing hand to turn on the cold water in the sink as she looked herself over in the mirror. Dark bags were visible beneather her bloodshot eyes, her skin was flushed and her hair was completely unruly.

With a soft sigh she splashed some of the cold water in her face, holding her hands over her eyes a few moments.

"Miss Frost?" She started, dropping her hands and turning sharply. Paige took a step back before saying anything more. "I'm sorry Miss Frost, I didn't mean to startle you. I knocked, but you didn't answer."

"What can I do for you Paige?" Her throat was sore, and her voice reflected it.

"I heard you scream, I came to see if you needed anything. Like an asprin maybe." she said holding the little bottle out to her.

Emma smiled slightly as she took the bottle. "Thank you Paige. Actualy, I think I'm going to make myself a bit more presentable Then i'm going to take a walk in the BioShpere and get some fresh air."

"Oh. Alright. Can I come with you?"

"No.. I appreciate you following Sean's orders to keep an eye on me, but I'll be fine on my own."

Paige frowned one of those 'I don't remember telling you that' frowns. "I-"

"No, you didn't tell me that. I guessed and you just confirmed it. Now if you'll excuse me.." Emma promptly pushed Paige out into the main room and closed the door. Paige could hear the soft click of the lock. Sighing to herself, she made her way towards the door to go let Mr. Cassidy know Emma was awake.

Sean stood on the steps, watching the blue minivan pull up the drive. It pulled to a stop beneath his gaze, as if shere force of will had stopped it's momentum. Sean knew that wasn't the case. Yes, he

wanted this to be over and done with as soon as possible, as the situation pushed Emma into a testy mood, and there was nothing worse then trying to work with a testy White Queen. Yet, for all he wished it was already over, he knew it wasn't going to be that easy. Nothing ever was with these lives they lived.

He couldn't see through the windows of the minivan, tinted as dark as was allowed by law for insidious purposes, but he already knew who it was. As the passenger side door opened and a strikeing redhead

steeped out, his knowledge was confirmed for the nagging little demon called doubt. No matter how much he knew something, that little demon lurked in the back of his mind where it had taken up residance. Mere

precaution long since turned habit; his life called for precaution. From his earliest days as a cop, he had learned to let the demon live with him, but he also learned to never let it out of it's cage. While still in the cage, it was a commodity that would help keep him alive. Outside the cage it was one of those things that could tear a man to shreds before he could blink.

He wouldn't look Beast and Phoenix in the eye, afraid they would see in his own betraying eyes how far that demon had come to almost being free. Perhaps he just didn't wish to admit how much he had come to care for Emma during their time together. No.. he couldn't admit it, not to himself, let alone anyone else.

Jean glanced from Sean to Hank, and back to Sean just as his eyes opened once more. The silent communication within a glance was deafening at times, especially to an empath. She could feel his ache,

even as he tried to deny it was even there. Hank seemed to have missed it, but Jean knew better. He was just hiding it so as he didn't make Sean even more on edge then he already was. With a slight frown at the thought of how the next few days were going to go, she pulled her carry bag out of the van and strode towards Sean, being careful not to meet his eyes just yet.