Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men

Episode 11: Trust

Ben was still huddled against the wall, trying his best to block out the minds all around him. How much do eggs cost today? Four cents. Who took in the horses? Jason. Where's the best place to get a beer around here? Try some other town.

He thought he heard himself cry out, but when he felt a hand on his shoulder he knew it had been someone else, calling his name. He glanced up and was face to face with Jonah, looking concerned and slightly out of breath.

"Ben," he said, putting a hand on his arm. "Yeh alright?"

He jumped up, suddenly oblivious to the telepathic barrage he was receiving, and swung his fist as hard as he could.

"What--" Jonah jumped back, rubbing his shoulder where Ben's fist had connected. "That hurt!"

"I hate you," Ben shouted at him. "You have everything in the world and you gotta screw up what I have!"

"What are you talkin' about, friend?" Jonah looked confused at Ben's sudden outburst of anger. Ben never displayed any of his emotions on such a large scale. "Ah don't understand."

"The future is all messed up," he said. "Xavier is dead, and that murderer is living in our house... Johnny and Eevee were dating..."

"What?" Jonah shook his head. "Hold on."

"That's right, Xavier's dead--"

"No, the part about Johnny and Eevee," Jonah said, squinting. "Are you serious? Go back a little."

"The important parts are flying right over your head, moron," Ben snapped angrily, shoving at Jonah's shoulder. "Xavier. Dead and buried. Magneto. In the house. You? For some reason I don't think having a team of mutants here is supposed to happen!"

"How do you know about the Vigilantes?"

"How do you think I know?"

The two of them stared at each other, Ben's eyes burning. Jonah had never seen him this infuriated, this passionate about anything.

"What is this about, Ben?" Jonah folded his arms. "What's the real problem?"

Ben looked away. "It doesn't matter."

"It does."

"Just..." Ben shook his head in determination. "Just take me to that dump you call headquarters, okay? It's noisy out here."

...

"Ben," Jasmine said as the two came back into the base through the hole in the wall. "I can't believe you got lost."

"Kind of easy to get lost out there," Jonah defended him. "Just try and be quiet, everybody... Ben needs to focus for a sec."

Ben sat in a chair and held his head, groaning. "It's quieting down," he murmured. "I think I can re-establish my blocks now."

"Feel better?" Jonah asked.

"I won't feel better until you're back in our time where you belong," Jasmine said loudly.

"Ah was talkin' to Ben," Jonah said.

"No, she's right," Ben said. "You have to come back with us now. If you don't, you'll mess up the time stream and this will all be pointless."

"But ah told Jasmine, ah can't go back. We have to save Forrest."

"Probably not the only reason," Jasmine growled, looking at Joan, the immensely pretty blond that was leaning against the back wall.

"Okay, we need a plan," Mary said. "If you two are going to help us, help us. If not, get out."

"We'll help," Ben said. "If Jonah comes back with us once this Forrest guy is safe. And the rest of you have to disband once we're gone. The world is not ready for crime-fighting mutants."

Peter moped. "But ah like fighting bad guys."

"We all do," Mary said.

"Ah can't really imagin' usin' mah powers for anythin' else," Mark said. "Like last week, we saved a girl from a runaway carriage. That was fun."

"Trust me, I know how fun and fulfilling helping people with your gifts can be," Ben said. "But it has to stop now. If not, the future is wrong. You have to wait."

Mary thought about it for a moment. "I suppose you're right," she finally said. "We would have never started if it weren't for Jonah. He's the one who told us we could be more."

"Nice going," Jasmine said.

"Hey, ah was tryin' to help," Jonah defended.

"Enough," Ben said. "Just listen. I understand what you were trying to do, Jonah. But you can't. If you want to fight crime so much, come back with us."

Jonah nodded. "Alright. After we find Forrest."

"Jonah," Joan cried. "Don't." She ran forward and threw her arms around him. "Please don't leave me."

"Hey, back off," Jasmine stood up.

"Joan," Jonah said, pushing her off gently. "It's okay. I can come back if I want."

Jasmine scowled. That's exactly what he said to me, she thought. Ben gave her a glance that told her he had heard that thought.

What are you doing digging around my head? She asked him.

I wasn't, He thought back. You practically screamed it at me.

What the Hell do you care, anyway?

Ben frowned. Jasmine... I...

"Alright, are we going or what?" Peter said.

"We're going," Ben sighed. "Let's go."

...

"This is where we saw him last," Mark said, as they reached a small stable a little way out of town. "He went in, and he never came out. It's like he just disappeared."

"Same thing happened to me," said Jonah. "Ah went in and ah wasn't home anymore all of a sudden. Ah wanted to see what it was and before ah could warn him, Forrest ran in."

"There was this flash and then I couldn't sense him anymore," Mary said quietly.

"It sounds like..." Ben looked at Jonah. "It looks like he was catapulted to a different time, like you."

Jonah nodded. "Then we gotta shut this thing down somehow, before anyone else gets ripped out of their lives."

Jasmine bit her lip.

"So we call Eury," Ben said. "He'll know how to close it."

"Eury," Jonah called. "Ah don't think he can hear--"

"You rang?"

The group turned, and Eury was standing there, arms folded, smirking at them. "Looks like you guys found a major rip in the fabric of time. I guess you want me to close it up?"

Jonah nodded. "It's in there."

"I see it." Eury pulled out a pair of sunglasses and stepped forward, putting them on. "It's bright. Sometimes I forget you humans can't see it."

"Can you find Forrest?" Mary asked.

He squinted and pulled the sunglasses down. "I'm afraid he was thrown far into the past. He didn't make it."

Jonah hung his head.

"But I can close this," Eury said. "It will never happen again."

"Please," Jonah said.

Eury closed his eyes and held out his hands, seemingly concentrating hard. None of the others could see what he was doing.

"Are we sure he's sane?" Jasmine muttered into Ben's ear. Ben shuddered inwardly.

"We don't have any choice but to trust him," he whispered back.

There was suddenly a loud crash, like a thunderclap from inside the stable. The building erupted in light, shrank, and was suddenly swallowed, gone, nothing left but a smoking hole.

Jasmine had jumped in surprise and had thrown herself at Ben, who had instinctively hugged her. She pulled away as the noise died down, shivering. Ben turned away from her so she wouldn't see the expression he was sure he had on his face.

"Alright, it's gone." Eury turned to them. "Are you three ready to go home?"

"Jonah," Joan said softly, touching his arm. "Is this really what you want?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Ahm sorry."

She sighed and hugged him. "Ah understand. Goodbye."

Jasmine scowled as Jonah let go of her and walked to Ben. Jasmine joined them.

"Bye guys," Jonah waved. "Ahll try and come back sometime."

"Promise?" Joan said. Jasmine scoffed.

"Ah promise."

"Alright," Eury said. "This might feel a little weird."

Jasmine felt something tug on her feet and she was suddenly floating. She screamed and grabbed for something, anything, and ended up holding on to Jonah's arm. The next thing she knew, the three of them dropped onto the front lawn of the Xavier's institute.

Ben stood up quickly, looking at the small cemetery. He sighed in relief when he saw Xavier's grave was not there.

Jasmine had landed on top of Jonah, and she rolled off angrily. "God."

"What?" Jonah sat up.

Ben looked at the two of them hopefully.

"You pig, you ass, you... you MAN."

Jonah looked shocked. "Jasmine, what are you talkin' about?"

"Don't try to deny it," she shouted. "You and Joan? I saw the way she looked at you! Don't think I didn't notice!"

Jonah stared at her, startled, then started laughing. Ben raised and eyebrow.

"What's so funny?" Jasmine shouted.

"Jazz," Jonah said, struggling to stop laughing. "You thought me an' Joan were...?"

"And why is that funny?"

"Joan," Jonah said, wiping his eyes. "Joan is my sister."

Jasmine was silent for a moment, then suddenly dropped to her knees. Jonah got up and went to her. "Jasmine?"

"Oh," she said softly.

"Ah love you," he said. "Trust me."

She hugged him tightly. "I trust you."

NEXT: Johnny's Mom!