You are not wrong

for wanting better

for yourself, but

you are wrong

if that means

destroying

someone else.

-Faraway

Author's Note: This part has some slight Lorna bashing. You've been warned.

She'd stayed with him the rest of the day, thankful when Marcos took care of any issues that came up as not to bother them. They talked about everything: her stint in the foster system, his life before his abilities manifested, her life with Mama D, and his family. Nothing was off limits…except that day.

Clarice hadn't been able to gather whatever information the Frosts had been digging around in his head for and she understood why he didn't tell her. She had no experience with telepaths, so she was sure her thoughts would be a lot easier to get. Clarice didn't want to risk whoever it was John was protecting any more than he did.

She'd fallen asleep with her back pressed against his chest, his arm draped over her waist and his warmth wrapped around her like a cocoon and it was that closeness that woke her when John sat up abruptly with a curse that wasn't in English.

He ran a hand through his hair, "You've got to be kidding me."

Clarice sat up with a yawn, looking over at the clock. 2:36 am. "What John? What is it?"

He sighed, "We have a visitor."

That snapped her awake, "Who?"

His expression grew tortured…pained, "It's Lorna."

Anger fills her chest, but she wasn't sure it was entirely at the other woman. The Frost triplets? The Hellfire Club? No…it was more of a protective anger than anything else. No matter her own feelings on Lorna leaving, the impact she'd had on the ones she'd left behind was too big not to feel… "No entourage?"

His frown deepens, "No, just her."

"Should I go get Marcos?"

He shook his head, "She just wants to talk to me."

Clarice huffed out a breath, "Well, I'm coming with you."

A twitch of his lips, "I don't think I could stop you."

She leaves to change into dark jeans and holey gray, long-sleeved shirt and boots before meeting him by the front door. She squeezed his hand in silent support, letting go as he stepped out first. Clarice followed him to the edge of the dark forest that surrounded the way station, catching the glint of moonlight off bright green hair and metal before Lorna stepped out into the clearing.

His voice was weary when he finally spoke, "Why are you here Lorna?"

Dark eyes flitted between him and Clarice, "I wanted to apologize."

Clarice didn't miss the shadows passing over his face, too much like the ones she'd seen that night in the bar for her liking, nor the trembling right hand, her neck throbbed dully at the feeling of said hand cutting off her air. That protective anger hovering underneath the surface exploded in full force and she snapped, "What are you apologizing for exactly? Leaving Marcos? Taking Andy and Sage? Or is it for the psycho triplets having John nearly kill me?"

John's hand tugged on her wrist, "Clarice…"

"I didn't have anything to do with their methods-"

"Methods? That's rich coming from the woman who ripped apart a plane-"

"Clarice."

Her mouth snapped shut at his stern tone, immediately feeling guilty when she saw the tense set of his shoulders and the hand Lorna held protectively over her swollen stomach. Drudging up those events wasn't going to help anyone right now, so she let John pull her back, her jaw clenched as she stood still.

"Why did you come back here Lorna? And don't tell me it's just to apologize."

Clarice watched the silent stare down, an unspoken conversation that reminded her that the two of them had worked together for years side-by-side, building up the Mutant Underground from nothing. How could partners like that split so violently?

She remembered the words she'd spoken to Lorna, about how a tiny speck of DNA didn't change who you were and she could've sworn the words had had an impact…maybe just not as significant as she'd hoped…

"You know I didn't want to hurt you John…not like that."

He ran a hand through his hair, voice as hard and impenetrable as his skin, "Then how else would they have known I was the only one with the information they needed. I've only ever told one other person about my knowledge and that's you."

Lorna's expression went steely, but she said nothing in defense.

Clarice was torn between going to John and lunging at Lorna, but she somehow managed to stay still as he stepped closer. Watching the two of them confront each other was a little nerve-wracking, the moon casting her in a silvery glow while the shadows seem to cling to John…

"Having them use Clarice to force my hand…" he tightened his jaw, "I don't care if you told them what to do or not. They have a habit of leaving bodies behind after their commands have been followed. They manipulate others to suit their own needs and telling them what I knew, knowing that…" he sighs, resigned as he stepped back with that same wounded expression, "You're just as bad as them, shilah."

The last word seemed to strike home and Lorna flinched. "John…"

He turned and started walking back in the direction they'd come.

Clarice faced Lorna, the anger dimming at how lost she looked, like she'd thought that John would eventually forgive her for everything she'd done. And if the whole thing with the Triplets hadn't happened…maybe he might've, "Remember what I said Lorna, our DNA doesn't define who we'll be or the choices we make."

She looked at the ground, eyes conflicted, "I'm sorry, Clarice."

Clarice nodded, the anger in her disappearing with a weary sigh, "I know."

She left Lorna in the clearing, finding John hunched over on the edge of his bed, his body as taut as a bowstring. Clarice was only somewhat surprised that he hadn't snapped yet, but the night at the bar reminded her of just how much he could hold back. She sat next to him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Should we say anything to Marcos?"

"I'll talk to him about it in the morning."

She nodded, "That word you called Lorna…what does it mean?"

His fond smile was heavy with sadness, "Sister."

Guilt squeezed her chest, "I'm sorry, John."

"You have nothing to apologize for Clarice." His arm snaked around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her temple, the position eerily similar to the night before. "I understand her frustrations and I know all she wants to do to is protect her people, her family, her child…" his gaze went distant, "I think the Frosts forgot that when they targeted me and the Mutant Underground. She will always be a part of our family and when she is truly ready to make a decision to leave or stay, I know she will make the right choice for her."

She remembered the anger she'd felt watching the Purifier torch her car while everyone watched or the grief as she stood in the wreckage of her foster home or the helplessness at seeing Sonya's lifeless body fall to the ground. Clarice herself remembered the moment when she was with the Brotherhood when she realized what they were doing wasn't right and she left and Lorna would have that moment of clarity. Clarice was sure of that. "I have another question for you…if that's alright."

"You want to know what the Frosts were looking for."

"It's okay if you don't. I know you wouldn't guard it so fiercely if it wasn't important…"

He played with the beaded bracelet on his wrist, "My brother, James, just graduated high school this year. He's going to take a more prominent role of a large group of mutants in and around Phoenix. They have a couple of powerful players, James being one of them, and even a telepath rumored to be near X-Men level."

"The Hellfire Club wants them."

"The base's location is only known to a select few, most off which aren't in the country, but I've kept contact with him for the last year." His voice gained that hard edge, but his eyes were somber when he turned to look at her, "I promised my mother I would protect him at any costs and I'm sorry you almost paid it at my hand."

"You don't have to say anything more, alright?" The triplets' taunting words echoed in her head, mocking his pain and insecurities in hopes to gain more pawns for their twisted mind games. "You are an amazing leader, the best big brother anyone could have, and you have the biggest heart I know. I love you for all of these things and more John Proudstar. You aren't a failure." She leaned back, reaching up with one hand to run it lightly through his dark hair, "They're wrong."

The feeling of his lips of hers was absolutely breathtaking, his warmth encompassing her like nothing else would as she slid onto his lap and pressed herself closer, finger tangling in his dark hair. Maybe they would be alright after all…

The next update will definitely be something a little lighter!