Sci-Fi-Reader: Ouch, reformatted seven times? Dear me. And don't forget Erik helped Scott with the 'pick up line' lol. Scott was making fun of her, but in a nice way. And don't worry about writing long reviews! I love them! Yes, it has become rather popular! It's great! Lol. And by the way.. SEVEN! D

Johnnys-my-hottie: But this change in Raven won't last for long, as we all know. She's going to flip, you can see it coming.

CalliopeMused: Aye, Scott is friendlier, but he's not leading a team against a magnetic madman at the moment is he? He's younger too, around Raven's age 17/18/19. Hehe. I'm not sure what you mean about her clothes, and that Scott wouldn't find scales. Do you mean he can't feel them if he catches her? If so, that is very true. Erm, what do you mean set off her crazy blueness. She already is blue, argh; you're worrying me now. Thank you for your compliments though, you need wait no longer – the update is here!

Maid of the Mer: Hm, I think you have an obsession with muffins, lol.

Racetrack's Goil: Oh! I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope she makes a full recovery. At least this story can cheer you up for the time being. Good to hear you like the friendship between Scott and Raven, plays a big part later on. Lol, thought Storm was gonna dump water over him. Yeah, that'd help. I'm cracking up here. Yup, yup. Jean will be along soon. I did the whole, Erik teaching Raven chess because it links them with a friendship and I feel the chessboard symbolises Erik and his rise to a powerful opposition.

By the way, all. You'd never guess I'm in the middle of AS level exams would you? I've been updating on loads of stories!

Chapter 19

Afternoon sunshine filtered in through the window of Scott's new bedroom and cast a peaceful golden glow over the room when Scott and Raven entered. The shimmer of dusty particles in the air glittered enchantedly and spilt around the objects of the room. Raven helped Scott move over to the double bed of the room and held his arm till he was safely sat down on the bed. Although Raven had to admit, he was becoming skilled at listening instead of looking. Scott idly felt the covers of the bed with a hand, an expression of sadness creeping onto his face. He had been like this on the way to the room, when they walked through the corridors. Raven could tell he yearned to look at his surroundings, he had probably never been inside a mansion before, and now couldn't even view the grandeur of the one he was in.

Raven gently lowered beside him on the bed and watched him carefully. His head turned, as though his covered eyes were looking around. But, he knew they couldn't, no matter how much he tried. When Raven sat on the bed with him, his hand moved to touch Raven by her upper arm, feeling for where she was. He bowed his head gently as he spoke, and it was a question that Raven had not been expecting, "What does the room look like?" he asked her quietly.

Raven blinked a little, "What do you mean?"

"What colour is the carpet? The walls? What's the bed like? Any furniture? I.. I want to know.."

Slowly, Raven cast her eyes around the room and explored the view, "Well, the carpet is red. Erm.. the curtains are a dark tan sort of colour, a goldish colour." She turned slowly, "There's a big wooden wardrobe – "

"Where?" said Scott softly, his voice causing Raven to turn her eyes back to him, before she took his hand off her arm and, held it, pointing over to where the wardrobe sat.

"There," came her soft reply. Scott turned his head to 'look' where his hand was pointing, nodding slowly. "And, then on the other side of the bed in a chest of drawers," she moved and gestured to Scott's left, the smooth skin of her palm on top of his hand as she pointed with their fingers together. She gestured and explained other items, all the while their hands pointing.

"What does the view look like?" asked Scott softly as he turned his head to where he felt a gentle breeze blowing in through the window in front of them.

Raven slowly turned her bright eyes upon the window, eyes scanning over the distant landscape, "Well, we're in Westchester, and where we are here, it's got quite a lot of countryside around it. We are quite far from the busy city centre, for our.. own safety I suppose.." she bowed her head slowly, eyes falling to watch her lap quietly as she made a faint sigh.

Scott appeared to have noticed, for he raised his hand from hers and placed it on her shoulder gently, "And.. what do you look like?" His head bowed sheepishly. If he had been able to use his eyes, he would have probably averted them shyly.

However, at his question, Raven looked a little taken aback. She stared at him, stunned for a moment at his question. How could she answer? 'Erm, I'm blue?' It would be ridiculous. Scott was starting to look puzzled by her lack of a response and squeezed her shoulder gently. Instead, Raven calmly described herself as normal as possible, describing brown eyes with dark red hair, her current height, little things like that. And Scott took it all in. She avoided her real skin colour and eye colour at all costs. She felt no remorse at describing herself falsely, not when she saw the smile creep onto his face. He would be happier this way, thought Raven resolutely.

Her eyes trailed over his smile again. It was one that sat idly on his lips. There was something distinctly charming about it.

What happened next, was something Raven had not at all planned. She was using his blindness to her advantage, and knew it. But there was a sudden selfish streak burning through her, something that was actually quite unlike her. She suddenly felt very reckless, whilst feeling a little light headed and fluttery in the stomach. She leant forwards towards him, moving to give him an unsuspecting kiss. But as her mind became weakened in the sudden euphoric anticipation a nasty laugh echoed through her mind, and before she had even managed to get her lips anywhere near his, she collapsed forward into his lap.

Scott jumped, his hands moving to hold her shoulders as he felt her form fall upon his lap, "Raven?" he said warily, "Raven? What are you doing?"

She didn't respond.

Scott wasn't stupid. He may have been blind, but he could sense something was wrong. He stood up, holding her gently as he walked carefully towards the door, only making it by Raven's description of the room. But as he made it into the corridor, he was lost in his world of darkness and froze.

"Hello?" he cried, still holding Raven to him, "Storm? Charles?" He could feel her slumped weight slipping, his arms tightened, "Will somebody help!" he shouted anxiously.

Footsteps sounded from the distance. A short while after, Storm arrived around the corner to see the blind Scott stood clasping Raven's limp body to his chest. "Scott?" Storm said slowly, speeding her walk as her eyes took in the situation. A small run broke out, "Scott, what's happened?" she said, sounding worried.

"I don't know," replied Scott breathlessly as Storm joined his side. There was panic in his voice, "She just collapsed."

Storm looked over Raven with a concerned expression, "Why does this happen to her?" she murmured.

"It's happened before?" Scott turned his head down to Raven.

"Yes, but the Professor doesn't understand why. It doesn't seem to give her any harm. I don't think this calls for the infirmary, I'll take her to her room and stay with her for a while." Storm glanced slowly over him, "You may come too if you wish."

Scott nodded silently, gently releasing his arms on Raven as Storm took her limp body. Scott assumed she had picked her up. She had. And Scott was initially taken aback that the she was lifting a woman of her age in her arms so easily. But he was on mutant ground now. Storm led the way, Scott following by her side, a hand on her shoulder as he walked quietly.

He remained blissfully unaware of what had happened in his room. And unaware of her real identity.

It was early evening when Raven's eyes parted to see her room around her. The curtains were partly drawn and only a weak wash of scarlet sunlight glowed from the sunset and into her room. Raven turned her eyes slowly to see Scott sat vigilantly beside her on a chair. Blind, but listening intently as he heard the bed covers rustle.

"Raven?" Scott leant forward to her, placing a hand on her arm, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," murmured Raven faintly, feeling a little weak from the hours of voices that tormented her till she awakened.

"Storm was here, but she has gone to sort out something in the corridor below. Apparently some students were sealing up the door to the Biology classroom with magma." He said this extremely calmly, now clearly used to the odd goings on here.

Raven too seemed to be, for she made a soft, "Oh," as if in complete understanding.

His hand tightened on her clothed arm, "I was worried about you," he murmured sincerely, head turned to her even with his eyes bandaged.

With a little jolt, Raven remembered the incident in Scott's bedroom very suddenly, and felt a frightened lurch in her stomach. Was he aware of what she had tried to do? Part of her wished he did know, and would be pleased about it, but part of her was guessed he was unaware. It seemed it was indeed the latter, for he watched with a grave face, not the face of someone who had just almost had a romantic interaction forced upon them. She smiled weakly at his words, "Thank you," she said softly, "Nice to know someone cares."

"I think everyone cares here," Scott murmured in response, "Storm is concerned about you, as is the Professor. They don't know what is wrong, do you?"

Raven did know what was wrong, but she wasn't going to say she heard voices in her head telling her what to do, giving her insight into things even the Professor didn't know about. That would be worse to take than the fact she was blue. "No," she lied softly, "I don't know. But don't worry.. I think it may be something to do with my mutation. It doesn't really hurt."

"It was still frightening when you collapsed like that, I had no clue what was wrong.."

"I'm sorry," Raven then gave a slight smirk, "I'll warn you in future when I am going to faint."

Scott grinned sheepishly, chuckling quietly at her, "You better."

Raven's more advanced mutations will be showing up soon!
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