Sci-Fi-Reader: Well, they certainly aren't helping her condition are they! Lol. Observably Raven is not getting any healthier, but where will this lead to?

Galadeidre: It was short, but sometimes I liked to end a chapter somewhere specifically either to leave a cliff-hanger or to create suspense, or simply because I think the two events need splitting! The voices aren't necessarily her evil side, she's just not well and she can hear negative voices. Being locked in solitary confinement for four years isn't going to make her the sanest person!

Legolasfreak2: Thanks! I'm glad you see she's had problems – something had to make her into the sly and bitchy mutant she is now!

Happosai: Thank you! She is trying to turn against them, but as we can see, she's not being very successful.

Chapter 15

Raven lay staring up at the metallic ceiling, watching the way the distant lights outside her sleeping area were playing and reflecting. She could hear Storm moving quietly further down from her bed, cupboard doors opening and closing. As Raven continued to watch the ceiling, she thought over her current confusion. This mansion had some hidden extras so it seemed. For Storm had took her downstairs into a world much unlike the old fashioned mansion. Here, silver lined all four sides of the rooms; lights glowed from the floors and ceilings and spilt across the walls. There was a distant hum of machinery, from what could only be some hi-tech gadgetry. As Raven had been led into the infirmary, she had took note of all the numerous circular doors around her each bearing the letter 'X' which Raven instantly assumed was because of the Professor's surname.

She heard footsteps come closer as Storm offered her a glass of water and smiled gently, "There you are, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine.." murmured Raven softly. She wasn't going to say she heard voices, how much more different must she be?

"Tell me if you need anything, all right?" said Storm, watching Raven carefully, "You don't have to worry here."

Raven forced a small smile upon her blue lips, "Thanks.." she managed to murmur. Raven slowly let her eyes drift away from Storm and they travelled across the rows of unspoilt beds that lined the wall, then, she allowed her eyes trail back to Storm, "Why is this downstairs so different?" she asked quietly.

"We couldn't have this upstairs," answered Storm softly, "In the public eye we are a boarding school. But down here, we become something else. On this level is where mutants can be treated if hurt, or be studied in the computer lab. There is also another room that's not yet finished," her eyes sparkled gently, a smile appearing.

Raven tilted her head slowly, taking a sip of the water before she spoke, "I can see you're dying to tell me," she replied in a rather sarcastic tone.

Storm gave a soft chuckle, "Well, it will be a wonderful breakthrough for mutants. For you see, one day, Charles will be able to communicate worldwide with both mutants and humans and watch the world activities right from this very mansion."

"Can't the Professor communicate worldwide now?"

"No," replied Storm, sitting down on the chair beside Raven's bed, "There is a limit to how far his powers can spread. Telepaths usually have to be within close radius to communicate, but Charles is much more powerful than any other telepath I have heard of. He can certainly cover New York at the moment."

"So what's gonna help him communicate worldwide?"

"Well, it's not finished yet, far from it, but it will be a device that enables the Professor to send signals across long distances. It is very exciting," the young woman smiled broadly to Raven, obviously looking enthusiastic about whatever this new device was.

Raven raised a slow brow as she sat herself up some more in the bed, "And he's doing this by himself?"

"Oh, no, no," quickly said Storm, unnecessarily smoothening Raven's bed covers, "He's completing the task with a close friend of his, they are working together to make this. He'll be coming round sometime this week, I'll introduce you to him."

"Huh.." said Raven quietly, not even pretending to sound intrigued.

Storm cast the young woman a reproachful look before she continued, "Charles thinks very highly of this man, it'd do you well to show the same respect to him also."

"Hey, don't worry about me," muttered Raven, rolling her eyes, "I'm not going to do anything drastic."

Storm bowed her head gently, rising to her feet, "I'll let you sleep now, Raven. If you want anything, Charles will know before you've realised you thought about it," she gave a knowing chuckle as she stepped back from the bed, "Rest well, Raven. Charles will probably pay you a visit later." And with that, the weather mutant took her leave, turning gently from the bed and gracefully exiting the infirmary.

Raven rolled her eyes to the ceiling and murmured a quiet sigh in her throat, "Wonderful.."

The gleam of silver wheels shone across the floor as Professor Xavier rolled across the spotless floor of the mansion's infirmary. His entry was almost silent, only the faint roll of the wheels issued any form of noise. His gentle gaze rose to study the room, before he watched the young woman inside the bed at the opposite end of the room. Slowly, he pressed his chair closer to her, turning slowly to arrive by her side. He made a gentle smile as he watched the blue skinned mutant sleep; feeling satisfied that she was now safe in his mansion, away from the violence of her parents.

However, as she lay there, the peaceful serenity one would expect with sleep was not occurring. Her face held a grimace, hands clenched as she lay there whilst a constant flow of tears trickled out of her eyelids. Immediately, Charles's eyes hardened as he noticed her obviously distressed state. Slowly, he extended his palm, taking Raven's nearby hand that lay on the bed covers and squeezed it gently; "Raven," he said coaxingly.

She did not respond. Still her tears fell from closed eyes.

"Raven," he repeated, this time in a firmer tone, "Let it go, it is not real." He was talking about her dream, trying to help her mind untangle itself from images and return it to reality. He squeezed her hand again, watching her carefully, "It is not real," he repeated strongly, "Open your eyes, Raven."

Then, suddenly, Raven's eyes shot open and she sat up at such a fast speed, her neck made a faint crick. She was panting for breath, eyes wide and bewildered. Charles didn't look at her shocked or frightened, he just watched her carefully, remaining silent. Raven stared around her, hand finding her face and pushing away the tears she didn't know she was crying. She looked immensely confused and relieved all at once. Slowly, she turned her eyes to the Professor, but still said nothing.

"Are you alright, Raven?" asked the Professor kindly.

Raven made a half-hearted nod, "I think so.."

"It was only a dream, my dear. It was not real. However, the mind is a strange thing, would you care to tell me what it was you were dreaming about?"

Pushing away some more tears, Raven sniffed quietly, "It was my dad.." she murmured in a frightened hush, "He came to the mansion with loads of police.. and I tried to fight them, but no matter what I did, they wouldn't fall. And then.. and then.. my dad got me.. and he said he was going to kill me.. and then.."

"What happened next, Raven?" asked Charles gently, his hand still on hers.

"You came.." she whispered, "You and Storm, and when you arrived, they all disappeared."

"They ran away?" asked Charles, frowning a little.

However, Raven shook her head, "No.. no.. they just, disappeared into thin air, right on the spot, vanished." She shook her head quietly, "But you're right, it's only a dream, it's nothing."

"No matter how true to life it is?" asked Charles, "It reflected what has happened to you in the past few days, my dear. You feel that since you are here, the humans cannot hurt you?"

Raven looked across at him, slowly nodding, "Yes.."

Charles made a gentle smile, squeezing her hand tighter, "I'm glad you think that. For Raven, I will do anything in my power to keep you safe from those that wish to harm you."

For the first time in a long while, Raven made a small smile, "Thanks.."

Charles bowed his head gently with the remaining smile before he released her hand and leant back in his chair, watching her carefully, "Ororo told me you were unwell in the night," he said quietly. Raven now frowned a little. She didn't really want everyone to know.. but she should have expected Charles to find out.

"I just felt a little faint.. that's all," murmured Raven, "I'm fine now," she glanced sideways at him, wondering if the telepathic mutant really believed her. What if he knew otherwise?

Charles continued to study her with an expression of polite interest, "If you say so Raven," he said it in such a voice, it made Raven doubt whether he didn't know the truth.

"So.. what's this about building a machine?" asked Raven quickly, deciding to change the subject.

It worked, for Charles's face made a gentle smile at the topic, "The telepathic device?" At Raven's nod he continued, "Yes, it will be a wonderful machine once it is built. It will help me to locate the mutants who need our help, like you once did. And of course, see which humans are causing trouble."

"You're going to stop humans?" asked Raven, interest coming into her tone.

"No, not at all," said Charles with a shake of his head, "I am trying to make humans see that we are not as dangerous as they believe. But unfortunately, it seems to be that human's are becoming the dangerous ones.."

"There's not really a lot of us here to defend mutants," pointed out Raven as she sat up slowly in the bed.

Charles sighed quietly, putting the tips of his long fingers together and surveying Raven over the top of them, "We do not defend, we protect." A heavy sigh issued from Charles, a worrying one that Raven thought was most unsuited to the man. "Though times are changing," he informed quietly, "as the situation with yourself and your parents proved."

"What do you mean?" said Raven quietly, turning her head to stare down at Charles through lanky strands of dark scarlet hair.

Charles lowered his hands gently, proceeding to turn his chair away, "I mean, that great things are coming. Not necessarily good things; but they are of colossal importance." He glanced back at her, trying to form a reassuring smile, "Times are changing.." he repeated quietly, before turning his chair some more and gently wheeling himself out of the infirmary to leave Raven pondering over his cryptic words.

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