Okay, I may have lied to you all. Just a teeny, itty bitty lie though. And technically, it wasn't a lie, I never said I knew, specifically . . . well, just read. I'll explain at the end.

The next thing I remember after the little Professor Xavier escapade was waking up with the sunrise. Light leaked through the curtains covering the window, and I stretched in the warmth.

Wait.

What?!

I shot up, but the sheets were wrapped around my legs, and I ended up ass-down on the wooden floor. Where was I? Had I seriously passed out? Am I narcoleptic or something? And where was Hannah? I mentally cringed.

Despite everything, I'd counted her as part of my pack. That means I'd trusted her completely, and had been honest in mostly everything I told her. She, on the other hand, had totally lied. That hurt. She'd said she was from a small town in Oregon, ran away when she was seventeen, and had been on the run ever since. Apparently, she has connections to this super-hero refuge.

Or whatever the hell this was.

Serves me right for trusting someone. What state am I even in? Was I drugged? Did they run tests on me?

I shuddered, and managed to get untangled from the blankets. I'd been comfortable for the first time in probably ten years, laying in that bed, even if it was only for a split second. I stretched, then took in my surroundings. There were three doors. One, presumably, led to a corridor. The only challenge is figuring out which one. I reached for the knob of the one nearest me.

After a moment of hesitation, I pulled the wooden door open. It led to a small bathroom. Nothing threatening in there, really, except maybe the smell of mold and dust. As a matter of fact, this whole room smelled like dust. The next door led me out into the hall. I peered in both directions. Down to the left, I saw a staircase going up, and the other was a staircase going down.

I retreated into the room and glanced out the window. I was probably three stories off the ground. I could, quite frankly, jump from the window, but it didn't look like it would open without a difficult (and noisy) fight. So I slipped out the door and to the right, towards the stairs going down. I glued myself to the wall and kept to a low crouch.

"-yeah, she's a bit rough around the edges, but-" I felt adrenaline kick in. Which meant slipping away from consciousness and letting my feral side take over wasn't far behind. I panicked, and took a deep (quiet) breath and crouched as low as I could into the shadow of the wall to my left. It was Hannah, I recognized her scent immediately, along with one other person. Rain, and an odd salty smell. It had to be that elemental- what was her name? Cloud, or- no, Storm.

I knew it was inevitable to avoid them, so I stood up and shook out my limbs just as they rounded the corner. Immediately I popped my claws. "Whoa there, Allie Cat. Calm down. We were just coming up to check on you."

I was doubtful of that. "Everything you ever told me was a lie, eh? Is your name even really Hannah?" I asked sarcastically. She looked sheepish. I think my chin touched the ground.

"Your name isn't- Oh my God. This is wonderful." I ran my fingers through my hair- which tore the hell out of my scalp- and regrouped. "Thanks for nothing." I brushed past her, and meant to head down the hall, but Storm blocked me.

"I wouldn't advise leaving, for your own safety. Stryker is searching every inch of the globe for you." I deadpanned her. She stared right back.

"I still don't understand. What is so damn important about me? I realize, last female feral, yadda yadda, but why does that matter?" I asked, breaking our staring contest to glance at Hannah- Or whatever the hell her name was.

The blonde looked surprised. "Alice, you haven't realized . . .?" My confusion was evident. "Whoever controls you, controls the future of feral mutants, and maybe even the X-gene. The gene that has to be present in all mutants."

I gaped.

"It's true. You're important, or some shit like that," called Logan, approaching from behind me. I jumped three feet into the air. He chuckled but otherwise ignored the skittish response. "See, Professor X has this theory that all mutants, somehow or another, descended from ferals. Us." My reaction was blinking. Repeatedly.

"We think Stryker is going to try to . . . ah, breed you."

"Breed me? What the actual fuck?" I smelled that they were all being truthful. "That's not going to fly. Hell no. I've been told many, many things that people want to do to me, but this is a new one," I huffed, glancing between the three of them. "This isn't some sick joke, right? Nothing's going to jump out and punch me in the face?"

Former-Ally-Hannah shook her head. I scowled. "Well, seeing as I don't plan on being breeded anytime soon . . . how do I know you all aren't going to do the same thing? This one has already betrayed my trust. Anything you say, Blondie, I'm going to doubt. You've lost your trust priveleges." She bowed her head, and muttered something.

"Hey." I looked over at Logan. His eyes flashed an odd gold color, which I recognized as that of a wolf. "I know you can tell when someone's lying so here it is. We swear not to harm you in any way. You just have to listen to Professor X."

I took a deep breath. Truth. My instincts were the only thing that hadn't failed me yet. "Okay, Dog Breath, I'll stick around and see Professor Xavier's sales pitch, but I'm not promising anything."

Okay, I don't know who I'm pairing with who. I thought I did, then I started having doubts during my hiatus, and now I just don't know. So I'll be honest with you. (I'm that nice. Feel special.) Originally, I was hoping to pair Alice with Victor and Hannah with Jimmy (Logan), and Alice have a brotherly connection with Logan.

But then I thought, wait a sec, Alice is so defensive and quick to anger, what if I put her with someone a bit calmer, like, say, Hank. But if I did that, I would have to go back and change my chapters around, which I really don't want to do. Then I thought, this could be in a different time. Right after DoFP, you know. But then the whole Stryker thing would be . . . eh. I don't know.

I need your help with this one teeny thing that's sort of the drive of, like, half the story. Go to my profile and vote on who I should pair with who? Pleasseeeee? I seriously need help.

Well, now that I'm done whining . . .

I'm working on chapter 5!

YAY!

Bad news: You might not get it for two weeks. I know, I know. I'm sorry.

Well, you are getting a chapter in the first place! Don't worry, be happy!

Peace out bitches.

~Kat