Chapter 3: Rogue Recruit

Ethan enter the kitchen and made a cup of coffee as Ororo came in too. The others were still in school and Ethan had skip it as he still told his father he didn't really feel too go back after the collapse of Kitty's older school. She had join them at their mansion and was having her first day in school.

"Aren't the others home yet?" Ororo ask Ethan as he put the empty cup in the wash.

"No, there are going to be home soon I guess. Scott is driving Kurt and Kitty, how that now is working as they don't seem to get along."

"And jean?"

"I think Duncan is going to drive her." Ororo just nodded a show that she had heard him. Ethan lean against the table and look at the woman he had kind of grown up with. "How is your nephew?"

"Evan?" Ororo ask and Ethan nodded. "He seems okay, he still says he has control and I guess I can't make him come here against his will. He has a game soon, however, you should come with and watch, I know he like to play with you."

"So, he still play basket?"

"And with that board."

"It's kind of amazing how he handles it." Ethan said and laugh.

"It kind of is," Ororo agreed. "Do you know where Logan is?"

"I would guess in his bed room and sleeping. Why?"

"I need to tell him to get ready, we are testing the system tonight. You don't want to join him do you?" Ororo ask him and Ethan shook his head.

"I have had too much of this house security, I will be somewhere safe."

"Well, Charles want the whole team with to see, you know to connect. Kurt and Kitty still is new to this."

"I guess so." Ethan said and his phone went off. He picked it up and look apologetic at Ororo. "Sorry, it's Jean, best to pick up."

"Why don't you contact each other thought mind all the time, isn't it easier?"

"Well it is, but we don't only get the other's thought. We get feelings too and it can be sometimes annoying so when we can we like to have a normal phone call you know." she nodded.

"You two seem to become closer and closer every day."

"Well, what had people expected?" Ethan ask and smile as he left the kitchen to answer the phone.

"Hey, Ethan." Jean answer in the phone. "Would you be able to pick me up? Duncan got some stuff to do and Scott has already taken off."

"Yeah, sure. I will be there in five." Ethan told her and hung up.

"What was Duncan going to?" Ethan ask as he meet Jean by the school. She closed the car door and fixed seat belt.

"His mother call him home to help her with something." Jean answer and Ethan start driving.

"Nice, be happy I could pick you up."

"Well, in the worst case you would have to stop whatever you there doing and pick me up anyway." Jean joked and Ethan shook his head, he had however a smile on his lips as the car was filled with her laugh. It didn't take long before they were back at the mansion and enter the kitchen there everyone was going around and Ororo and Scott made dinner.

"Great you two came, Ethan can you help Scott with dinner? I have to go and help your father."

"Sure, Jean?" Ethan turn to Jean but found her gone from his side. He looked around and saw her in the living room, talking with Kitty.

"Come on Ethan." Scott call out for him. "We don't have all day."

"Shut up Summers." Ethan said and walk over to help him with the dinner.

"So, you and Jean?" he ask. Ethan roll his eyes, they had already talk about this a lot.

"Still just friends, and that's what we always will be."

"Yeah, of course but you can always be closer than friends." Ethan sigh.

"Last time I tell you Summers. I and Jean are just friends, if you have a like for her it's Duncan you should be worried about. We are just friends." Ethan said and they continue the cooking in silent.

Jean and Kitty however was talking a lot. They talk about the powers and abilities people could have and the mansion and the new school, Jean's normal school. They laugh a lot until Kitty stop and ask a question, all serious again.

"So, you and Ethan are a thing, or what?" Jean laugh and shook her head.

"No, we are just friends. I actually am going out with someone from the school."

"Really?" Kitty ask all chook by the news.

"Yeah, at least I think it's not that much. I mean we kiss but it's only because we have this bond."

"Wait, you said you two kiss and you have another boyfriend?"

"Don't sound good, does it?"

"Not at all, explain!" Kitty demanded.

"Well, I and Ethan has this connection making me the only one able to, like stop his powers from over taking him and all, but I can't come deep into his mind only with a touch. So, with a kiss I am able to connect and find into his deepest mind."

"Wow, sounds scary." Kitty comment. "Is he a good kisser?"

"Who is a good kisser?" Kurt appeared from nowhere and was now hanging down from the lamp with his tail and had popcorn in his hands.

"Kurt," the girls jumped again as Ethan and Scott enter the room. "don't eat popcorn before dinner." Ethan acted with his powers and Kurt look death scared before he fell to the ground and the popcorn was levitating in the air, burning. Jean had been ready for Ethan's move and made it levitate in case anything would happen.

"Dragon…" muttered Kurt.

"What happen?" Kitty ask as she look down on Kurt then on Jean and Ethan.

"One of Ethan's ability is to make people see what he wants and I guess Kurt took a travel to a land with dragons." Scott answer. "Was it really needed?"

"Yes." "No." Ethan and Jean said in the same time. Jean took the bowl with burn popcorn and fire and put it down on the table. "Could you make it stop burn?" the fire disappeared and Ethan took a seat beside Jean.

"Man, are you okay?" Scott ask and walk over to help Kurt up.

"Yeah, I'm fine mein friend." Kurt said. "Just getting to know Ethan a bit, you know." Scott laugh at his friend but was cut off as Charles enter the room.

"Cerebro has found a new Mutant, Scott prepare the Blackbird, and as it is a weekend the whole team will go." he ordered and it was all he had to say as everyone was on their feet and start go to change.

The flight was no fun for Ethan. He sat behind his father and beside Jean. Hearing her and Kitty talk as Scott was learning Kurt to start the Blackbird. Kitty had pointed out Scott was cute and Ethan smile as Jean had try to say he might be from a special ankle. Kurt had then teleported to stand outside and when he fell teleported in and land on Kitty, scaring her. Charles told him to stop and he said sorry and they sat down again.

"I feel sorry for him." Jean thought to Ethan as the others sat in silent. "He is only trying to impress her and make her like him."

"He doesn't do a good work then, does he?"

"Stop be so cold hearted and try to help him instead."

"Why? Scott can do it, Kitty said he was cut so why not make him help Kurt."

"Someone sounds jealous." Jean stated and gave him a smile.

"I'm not."

"Sorry but that are you two doing?" Kitty ask and look between them. They both look at her as did Charles and Logan. "They were giving each other gaze and smiles."

"Oh," Charles said. "You see, it's normal for them to talk thought minds. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, sorry Kitty." Jean said and smile to her new friend. "Old habit."

"Old?" Ethan ask.

"Badhabit." Jean corrected herself.

"You two, go back to talk though thoughts." Logan told them and muttered, "I don't want to hear them flirt."

"We are not flirting." Jean and Ethan said in unis.

"Yeah yeah, go back to be silent now will you." Ethan snorted and look back out through the window. Jean sigh and shook her head as she looked out though hers. Kurt and Kitty both was confused and Scott a bit jealous but he kept having his focus on the flaying. Ororo and Charles had just ignored it as they had got use to Jean and Ethan starting to mind speak out of nowhere.

"This is just a waste of time." Ethan complain as he was in his x-men suit with Jean, Storm and Cyclops. He walked behind them and felt the new Mutant be close. They had found out she could take memories and apparently powers as well and she was death scared of Wolverine. They didn't know why but it led to make Wolverine help Kitty with Kurt and the rest to find the girl.

"I don't understand you, Ethan." Cyclops said. "One minute you seem all nice the other you are so cold.

"What is there to understand, Cyke?" Ethan ask him. "I don't play nice to people I don't like."

"Geez, thanks."

"No problem."

"Boys." Jean cut them off and pointed forward to a girl who stood by the empty cemetery.

"Go and talk to her." Storm told her. "We will be waiting to see what happens." Jean nodded and walk beforehand. Ethan look around and felt the presence of another Mutant. "What's wrong, Ethan?" Storm ask as she notice his confuse look. He knew the present felt familiar but it could be the fact that the girl had Kurt's powers and might mess his mind up. But something wasn't right.

"Nothing, we should go and talk to the girl, looks like she is calm with Jean." Ethan said and lead Scott and Storm to the girl. The second the girl saw the group, or Storm more precisely she screamed and ran for it.

"Hey, wait!" Scott called and ran after, but tripped.

"I don't get it, we were connecting." Jean said as she helped Cyclops to his feet.

"Until she saw me, like she was all afraid of me."

"Like with Wolverine." Ethan said. "You have never seen her before, have you?" Storm shook her head.

"Ethan?" Jean ask, feeling he knew something he didn't tell her or the others.

"I think it's best if you try to find her, Jean. Take Cyclops with you."

"What about you?" Jean ask him.

"I will find my dad, need to ask him something. Storm, you can go with them. Just be careful, try to show her we are not her enemies." Ethan order them and left them to go after her and himself searching for his father. He found him with Wolverine, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler. Nightcrawler being knock out in Wolverine's arms.

"Ethan, what's wrong?"

"I think I know why the Rouge is afraid of us." Ethan told his father. "She is here, dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Who is here?" Kitty ask.

"A shifter, a Mutant who can disguise herself to look like anyone." Charles answer.

"Dad, I think-" Ethan was cut off as a storm start to appear and Jean contacted him thought mind.

"She has Storm's powers!" Ethan understood it was a call for help and repeated what she had told him out loud to the others.

"Ethan, run and help them. Kitty you stay with us, I don't want to risk you getting hurt. Storm's power is quite powerful if she doesn't have control. And Ethan, don't let her get yours." Ethan nodded to his father and start to lift from the mark and flew to Jean and the others, to the storm.

"Since when can he fly?" Kitty ask.

"His power to manipulate air is quite useful sometimes."

"You don't sound very happy, Chuck." Logan comment.

"I'm not, every time he uses his powers he risks opening the doors faster."

"So, he can be dangerous if he uses all his powers at one time?" Kitty ask, knowing what he meant with doors. She had got the explanation to know that if something happens and he use his powers she would always inform Logan, Ororo, the Professor or Jean.

"I am afraid that's the case."

As Ethan was close to the girl he felt the air change as she used Storm's power to make it rain and storm. Jean was in the air too, having Scott and Storm above the ground as well.

"Some idea?" she asked him and he shook his head and flew over to her.

"We need to keep Cyke and Storm in the air. I will take Storm so keep holding Cyclops in the air."

"Sure thing, but you will have to be careful, okay?"

"Am I not always careful?"Ethan ask and flew over to Scott and Storm. "Cyke, I take Storm, we will have to wait until the Rouge stop herself, we can't do anything without risking hurting her." Cyclops nodded and handed Storm over to Ethan.

"How long can this takes?" he asked.

"I don't know, it should not take long as her body can't hold the power forever." just as he finished the line the girl disappeared with Nightcrawler's power and the storm disappeared. Jean and Cyclops landed on the ground again and Ethan with Storm.

"Are you okay?" Charles asked as he and the others came to them.

"Yes, lucky Ethan came and help me, I don't know how long I would be able to hold them both up."

"That's good, you two just make sure the doors are not opening when we come home." they both nodded and the team members that was unconscious woke up.

"Are we not going to follow her?" Kitty ask.

"No, we will have to let her go and treat our own." Charles said and they headed back to the Blackbird.

Ethan wasn't happy. He walked to the office of the Principal the next day but she was of course not there. He however bumped into the Rouge girl.

"Leave me alone!"

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." Ethan said and keep his hand in the air as a shield in front of him. "I'm just here to talk to the principal, but I guess she is not here."

"She just left." Rouge told him.

"Okay, listen. I know you might not trust me and my… friends but we are not going to hurt you."

"Why did you hesitate?"

"Well, I'm not really that close to them, you could say." Ethan said honestly.

"Why would I trust you?"

"I don't know, but you don't need to fight me either do you?" the girl didn't say anything. "Let's be neutral, okay? You don't need to trust me or the others and I don't need to trust you but we don't fight if the other don't go to attack, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever, just stay away from me." the girl left and Ethan stood there for a moment before he walked to meet up Jean and her friend Taryn. The girls were standing by the lockers and not far away stood Scott and Kurt. Kitty was talking to some of her new classmates.

"Hey, you." Jean greeted him.

"Hey, Jean. Taryn."

"Ethan." the girl greeted him with a smile. Ethan look at Jean with a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

"The girl is here."

"Taryn, could you give us a second." Jean ask her friend who nodded and left them alone, not looking away from them before she walk around the corner. "What do you mean she is here?" she whispered to Ethan.

"I meet her by the principal's office, she is going to school here."

"You're kidding, we must tell your father, maybe we can talk to her or-"

"Jean," Ethan cut her off and stop her from leaving. "Let her be, she will come to us. Okay?"

"How can you be so sure?"

"How do you think it will look if we hunt her here as well?"

"We didn't hunt her back there. Mystique did."

"I know that, but do you think we will be able to convince her that?" Jean look around to see the girl walk in the hall to a locker and take a book before she left again, not seeing them or ignoring them.

"I hope you are right about this," Jean said as she turned back to Ethan. "She can be dangerous if she loses control again."

"I know, but we will have to show her we don't want her any harm. So, take you books," Ethan took Jean's books from her locker and gave her them, "and go to class, I will meet you by the car."

"Fine, don't make any trouble."

"Me trouble, you know me better than that Jean."

"Exactly." she said and turn to go to her next class. Ethan shook his head and turn to go to his own class.