In the two months that had past since Blake and friends were on their brief getaway, many things had happened around the institute. The Greenhouse had been finished and the garden club kids had been happy to report that their plants were thriving and their group was growing.
Nicky Crestler had kept good on his word and was giving his brother weekly updates on Max and Troy. Shylow was shocked to hear that Nicky hadn't told Max what was going on despite how concerned he had seemed when they recruited his help.
Bryce had told River of all the Max and Troy drama, which didn't surprise the other teen.
"I told you that he's a real piece of shit Bryce…" River stated not looking at the Magnetic Mutant when he sighed loudly.
"I know you did!" He responded calmly but with underline irritation, "After what happened to Jamie I just- I just can't deal with people hurting like that…" Bryce spouted in frustration. River came over and laid a gloved hand on the youngers shoulder.
"Can I ask you a question?" Bryce suddenly inquired making the other's brow raise.
"Um… yeah I guess…" River replied hesitantly.
"What is your Mutation?" He asked not seeing the other suddenly look away, "I've never seen you use it… Is it dangerous or something?" He added carefully.
"Sort of…" River stated without much explanation.
"That's why you always wear gloves right, Kurt's sister Marie is like that… Do you take things from people?" He wondered aloud before catching onto his friends nervous behavior, "I'm sorry I know it isn't my business Riv… I was just curious!" He stated quickly trying to ease the others mind.
"No It's alright… but it's worse than that… if you could believe it…" River responded quietly. The two teens sat in uncomfortable silence for several moments before Bryce brought up the subject of Dante and Judah's wedding which seemed to relax the other as they went on to talk about the elders involvement in the upcoming ceremony.
}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{
While Jamie was preparing for a Skype therapy session with Doctors' McTaggart and Sairs, Trinity was entering the room silently and sitting down on the edge of his bed.
"Are you sure you want me to join in on your appointment?" She asked him hesitantly. He looked over at her and nodded before seeing the look on her face.
"If you don't want to you don't have to Trin… I just thought it might be nice!" He told her quietly as he sat down on the bed and opened his computer, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable…" She looked over at him and just took in the look on his face. It was amazing to see how much he had changed in only a matter of years.
Jamie was not the same kid that she had met when she was twelve, at least not on the outside. Since he had begun his therapy with the doctors at Muir Island it seemed like his face had subtly changed. He always looked more serious, and the hesitance that used to be evident in his eyes had been replace with a more cautious but prepared glow. His therapy sessions were clearly doing him good and she was glad to see that he wanted her to be involved.
"No Jamie… thank you for inviting me to join you…" She finally responded with a small smile. After a moment, the call came in and Jamie greeted the two doctors who appeared on the screen.
"Trin these are Doctors' McTaggart and Sairs… Doctor Sairs, Doctor McTaggart this is Trinity!" He Introduced them receiving a subtle smile and nod of approval.
"It's great to meet you Trinity, Jamie has told us a lot about you!" Moira spoke receiving a chuckle from Doctor Sairs.
"Don't worry though" He began see Jamie stifle a chortle, "Only good things from him!" He added before they went on to discuss the recent happenings around campus.
}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{
Bryce, Markus, Raina and River were headed back to the mansion from the greenhouse. While passing the rose garden Raina stopped the others wanting to look at a bush that had begun to wilt. Before anyone could comment on the state of the flora the group of teens noticed the sound of shouting ahead of them on the path.
"I can't believe you would act that way in front of my friends… What the fuck is wrong with you today!" A voice shouted, accompanied by the sound of a loud thud. Bryce looked up to see Max lying on the ground with Troy kneeling over him with wide flaring eyes.
"I said I was sorry-" Max began before earning a sharp smack to the face.
"Yeah you think you were sorry then!" Troy told him with a look of pure evil. Before anyone could blink Troy had his hands around Max's throat. Bryce jumped up when he heard his friend gasping for air.
"Let go of him!" Bryce jumped up running fast toward the teen who attempting to kill his significant other. Bryce used his mutation to turn the bracelet on his arm into a crescent shaped disk and shooting it toward Troy's neck.
Looking up just in time Troy reached up with one hand and caught the thing with almost no effort. After a second he charged the disked with a bolt of electricity and flung it back at Bryce hitting him hard in the just. Bryce began to spasm as he tried to send the thing off him.
River, Raina and Markus had just arrived beside their friend when he dropped to the ground with a few small twitches.
"He- Oh god he isn't breathing!" Raina gasped before she dropped down and felt the place on Bryce's neck that would tell them that he was ok, "I can't find a pulse… oh god go get help!" She shouted up at Markus who began to dart toward the school. Troy looked down at an unconscious Max then over to Bryce's lifeless body before he sprung up and took off toward the woods that surrounded the school grounds.
"Somebody help!" Raina screamed again as River came running back over after checking on Max. Dante and Wolverine arrived quickly along with several of the two unconscious teenager's friends.
"He isn't breathing- he doesn't- I can't find his pulse" Raina told the two teachers frantically. No one had noticed until then that River had begun to remove their gloves slowly and reach out to tough Bryce's face.
"River stop it!" Dante spoke firmly but not making a move toward his younger sibling.
"Dante… I have to help him…" River responded softly feeling the energy slowly draining from their body. Raina moved to pull River away.
"Don't touch me… please…" River responded calmly as they all could see Bryce's chest begin to rise and fall in extremely harsh movements. With a small smile River collapsed on the ground in a state just as bad off as Bryce.
}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{}|{