I tilted my head and turned to look at one wall. Voices murmured on the other side. I leaned back in my chair and regarded what looked like a blank wall curiously.

"Jean, I'm done." I called to her. The voices stopped for a moment. "So, how'd I do?" I asked.

Jean came in the door a few moments later, followed by Henry and Emma. Jean handed the paper to Emma, who began to read it over. "You did very well." Jean said with a smile. "You'll ace the exams."

"I knew you worked ahead of your classmates, but I didn't think you worked that far ahead." Henry said. He patted me on the back. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a genius." I gave them both curious looks. Emma handed Jean my paper a few moments later.

"You'd probably have gotten a scholarship for that paper." Emma stated. "A big one, because it's a Harvard exam." I blinked with confusion.

"You did the other two perfectly, so I decided to give you a harder exam." Jean said as an explanation.

"Ah." I made as a reply before shrugging. "I told you, I wouldn't have a problem."

"When did you learn about the geography? You haven't taken it." Emma asked. I felt her eyes on me and I met her gaze.

"I know." I yawned. "Time passes differently in dreams." I said, returning my gaze to Jean. My stomach growled. "I'm going to grab something to eat." I said, yawning as I passed them. I pushed open the door, looking over my shoulder at Emma. "I'll bring you something later 'kay?" She didn't get a chance to answer before I was down the hall, heading for the kitchen.

Henry shook his head. "I didn't think that would happen. Any amount of time can pass in our dreams. Though our dreams usually last maybe twenty minutes, sometimes it feels like days have past. I thought since it was her powers that she would remain in sync with this reality."

"It would have taken years to gain that much though." Jean said. Her eyes widened at her own words.

"So she mentally matches her body." Emma commented. She didn't know what to say to that.

"Or she surpasses it." Henry said softly. His eyes focussed on Jean. "I think we should leave it alone unless she wants to talk about it." Jean simply nodded.

I danced to a song on the radio, mouthing to the words. I felt lighter than normal and my steps weren't nearly as bad as normal. It took far longer than normal to make a sandwich and clean up after myself, but I was in such a good mood, I didn't really care.

"Hi…" A timid voice said behind me. I turned a young teenager standing in the doorway, looking both shy and unsure. "Are…" the girl glanced around. "Are you a teacher here?" I smiled.

"Nah, don't worry I don't bite." I picked up one half of the sandwich and took a bite. "I haven't seen you around. You new?"

She hesitantly stepped into the room, taking a seat on the stool across from me. "I've been here a few weeks." She tilted her head to the side. "I don't remember seeing you around campus."

"I got stuck in one of my powers a while back. I didn't remember anything about this place." I took a swig of my water.

"What's your powers?"

"One of them is a telepathic ability to manipulate dreams. I got stuck in my dreams. The other one is a bit weird and caused a bunch of minor mutations." I rested my forearms on the island countertop. "What about you?"

"I… I… my power is horrible." The girl mumbled. I just smiled and tried to get her to continue. "I don't need to breathe." She eventually mumbled. I could hear the pain in her voice and reached to rest a hand on hers, squeezing it sympathetically. She squeezed it back before she withdrew her hand into a sleeve.

"It can do a lot of good. You'd be able to save people from fires or from drowning." Her eyes rested on the countertop and she paled. "How'd you find out?" I asked her softly, pushing what remained of my sandwich to the side.

"You won't tell?" I held up my hands.

"Not a soul." I replied.

"My brother… he got really mad and tried to drown me. He must've held me under for a long time. Except for the bruises where he held on, I wasn't hurt." She whispered. Her eyes finally rose and there was pleading in them. "Please, I love my brother, he didn't mean to. His temper gets the better of him. Don't hurt him."

"I won't. I promise I won't." I noticed everything was tinted red and I realised the mist had flooded the area. It was habit after so long. "Sorry." I mumbled. "It's been a while since I've had to restrain it and I'm out of practice."

"It's warm." The girl said when her hand reached out to touch it. "It's nice."

"I'm Alex." I held out a hand and she shook it.

"Laura." A tiny smile slipped onto the girl's lips. "What do you do here?"

"I'm actually a student here. I'm a lot younger than I look." I grinned, my canines pressing into my skin.

"Really?"

"Yup. Officially, I'm almost eighteen." That seemed to shock the girl.

"But you look old!" She blushed at the almost insult.

"A side effect of my combination of powers. I telepathically bonded with someone older than me and I aged. I'm graduating this year." A bell rang and she got up.

"I have class with Mrs. Summers. Will I see you around?" She asked. I nodded.

"Probably. If not, just come and find me. All the teachers know who I am." She smiled at me again and slipped out of the room.

"She seems to like you." I turned to see the weather witch, her white hair falling to her shoulders. I shrugged.

"She just needed someone to talk to." I replied.

"All of the teachers have offered and she wouldn't talk to anyone. She chose to talk to you." She sat down in front of me and I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable.

"There are just some things you can't tell a talk to a teacher about." I said, biting the remains of my sandwich in half. "It's about comfort, not trust. I'm an obvious mutant and although Henry is too, he's a guy." She was quiet for a long while and I finished my sandwich and put the plate into the dishwasher. I was leaving the room when she spoke again.

"You don't like me do you?" She asked.

"No, I don't. Considering the first thing you said to me was calling me a demon, forgive me if I seem unduly harsh." I took a bottle of water and shoved it into my pocket as I walked out of the room.

"Emma." Emma smiled and turned to face the mischievous face of the dreamwalker. "Look what I have for you." She pulled a bunch of flowers from behind her. She obviously picked them herself, if the string holding them together was any indication.

Emma accepted them and placed them carefully in a nearby vase. Looking at Alex, it was easy to spot that she was still hiding something behind her.

"And just cause I know you're curious," Alex gave her a smile, indicating she was actually just guessing, "I wasn't sure what you like so I took a guess and got you some Japanese sushi." Emma couldn't help but allow her amusement to show.

"I could have dined with the rest of the staff." She murmured.

"Would the excuse that I don't work?" Alex replied. It was mostly just an offhand, witty remark, but it held just a touch of seriousness.

"Who are you avoiding?"

"The weather witch." Alex sighed.

"Ororo?" Emma tilted her head and placed a hand on her hip.

"I don't know her name. I don't like her and I expect she knows it." Alex muttered. "How's marking go?" It was a graceless topic change and would've been obvious to anyone, but Emma just gestured to the finished pile.

"Done."

"Any fails?" Alex replied, sitting down in one of the chairs of the room. Emma quirked an eyebrow. "Just curious."

"Only one." She was amused if the tone of her voice had any indication. Alex stretched, her arms high above her head. She let out a breath, almost a tired sigh. "Alex?" A questioning hum was her only response. "You should get some sleep. You're tired."

"I won't lie and say I'm not tired." Alex replied. She finished stretching and rose moving towards Emma. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure." She murmured. Emma, who'd been standing in front of the door, moved slightly, allowing Alex room to pass her.

"Go on, get to bed." Emma said. Moments later, she was wrapped in a tight embrace. "Alex?"

"You may be a telepath, Em, but you forgot our bond." Alex murmured, her head resting Emma's shoulder. "I have no plans on going anywhere." Ever. the telepathic voice forced Emma to look at the other mutant.

How can you still love me? Emma's telepathic voice lost all its normal distance and the naked self doubt was there. Alex's hand rose to caress one cheek before wrapping around the other woman's shoulder.

Because I always will. Emma felt Alex's telepathic presence enter her own and she looked inward. I love you. Her body began to shake. "I love you, Emma Grace Frost." A tear slipped from Emma's eye. It was kissed away. Don't cry.

I love you Alex. Her telepathic voice reflected her emotions and Alex simply hugged her closer. "I'm sorry." Her voice was soft.

Don't be. Alex's only other response was to pull the white queen towards the other woman's bed. She pulled the older woman to her. "Sleep, dawn will bring another day." Emma leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on Alex's lips.

"I'm not the one who's tired." Her voice was back to normal, even as her eyes softened when Alex yawned. "I'll make sure you're still here in the morning." She whispered. Alex smiled and closed her eyes. Her last thoughts before succumbing to sleep made Emma smile.

So beautiful.

I leaned back in the chair, idly twirling my pencil between my fingertips. The paper in front of me was covered in untidy doodles, some vague attempt at notes, and a few scribbles. For the most part, I stared into space, not really paying attention.

"Alex, the difference between mitosis and meiosis is what?" I stopped twirling the pencil and was quiet for a moment. "I ask you to pay more attention next-"

"Mitosis is the single cell reproduction used for smaller organisms. It is a natural form of cloning and involves only one cell. Meiosis is the sexual reproduction of larger species, and it uses two smaller cells, usually a sperm and an egg. It also has several more steps before the initial division." I began to twirl my pencil again, this time weaving it between my fingers in a more elaborate dance.

That caused the teacher to pause for a moment. "Thank you Alex." And the lesson went on once more, and there was the usual scratching of pencils. When the bell rang, I remained seated and let everyone rush around me in a scramble to get to class. Finally I stood up and left, other students filtering past me to take my place.

The halls emptied around me as I moved through it, still not entirely paying attention. I passed the golem standing in the hall with an absent greeting. "Hey Torrent."

"Mistress." The deep rumbling boom of the golem's voice reverberated through the air. His footsteps though, went unfelt as I headed for my telepathy class. I stopped outside the door when a familiar presence asked me to.

You're late Alex. Emma's mental voice was slightly reproaching, but my lips lifted anyway. Open the door quietly and sit on the right. And stop thinking about that paper you're writing, it's distracting. I obeyed the commands and turned the knob, pushing the door open quietly as I moved into the room. I took the empty seat on the right.

"Open your books to page two hundred and eighteen." Emma's voice was a sharp command, which all the class obeyed. "We'll continue our lesson's in projecting images." Her eyes roamed the class and softened when she met my gaze. "Reread the first page then pair up. One will receive the image while the other projects it without broadcasting it to anyone else." People immediately paired up, almost out of habit and I wasn't surprised to see Emma approaching me. She leaned on the desk next to me.

I'm waiting. My smirk was a bit broad, but none the less, I took an image of the demoness and shoved it at Emma. Done this before? She asked.

She loved playing telepathic games. The shrug I gave her was careless. I played along. I sent the image of the demoness smiling at me. It was odd to think of her as a different entity when she looked identical to me. Not anymore, thankfully, but it was still a bit eerie.

Emma lifted a hand to her lips and covered the small smile I knew was there. She sent me an image of what she thought occurred and I couldn't help but laugh as two images of me with thought bubbles above our heads.

See you later? Emma's inquiry puzzled me, until an image of the time appeared in my mind.

Of course love. I murmured. I'm heading for my room. Want to work on that distracting paper. I smirked as she dismissed the class and I wondered where the time had gone.

"Human?" Emma frowned at the questioning tone in that familiar voice and turned around, only to find Alex barely clad in anything and her face visibly relieved.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Emma said, pulling the woman into her office. She'd been leaving for dinner, one she intended on sharing with her lover.

"Something's wrong human." That word grated on Emma's patience.

"Of course something is wrong! You're not one to prance around in nothing but a thong and bra." Most of the school would think that was Emma's job.

"Listen to me human. Her powers are not the same anymore. They intermingle." Alex opened the door and poked her head out, before looking back at Emma. "Reality is merging. Soon the nightmares will come." The look that Alex sent her was pleading. "To separate abilities, the demon must be brought forth, to the fullest." Alex slipped back into the hall. "Seal her into the demon. Forever." The last word was whispered and even though Emma moved out into the hall, there was no sign of Alex. She stared for a moment, her blue eyes flicking around the corridor to double check for Alex. But she was gone.

The scratch of my pencil had been steady for over an hour. The essay I was writing for Jean was coming along nicely. If I tried, I could probably use it for both an English and biology essay. Setting the pencil down, I flexed my wrist, which was slowly growing cramped from holding it so tense and pressing so hard.

Music reached my ears, faintly at first, but more noticeably as time wore on. I turned, realising that the music was far too vivid to come from anywhere but here.

"Who could love you?" That voice. "Who could love a mutie freak like you? Barely even human." It was his voice. I hadn't heard it in months, not since Emma had regained contact with me in the dream realm. "Murderer." The last time, it came from in the closet. The spike on my left arm unsheathed as I moved forward to open the closet door. Opening it slowly, the door was drawn forward. There was no one inside. Just to make sure, I stepped into the closet doorway to look above at the upper shelving.

The mirror on the back of the door caught my eye, causing my head to turn. For a moment, I stared at his sneering face, almost in shock, but before it had fully settled in, my fist drove straight through the glass of the mirror and into the wood of the door.

I didn't realise that I was letting out a telepathic and vocal scream. It didn't take long for someone to begin pounding at my door, their fists hitting the wood hard enough to resemble the banging of a gavel. I tried to free my hand to face the Judgement.

"Alex? Come on Kid, open the damn door!" Logan's voice rang through the fog of the familiar Judgement voice.

"You asked for mercy, once." The voice was cold, glacial. "Mercy is denied, Killer. You killed her." I struggled to free my hand from the wooden trap, my struggles driving bits of wood into flesh and the area slowly staining red.

"Open the door." The command was given in a familiar voice, but for some reason, I couldn't place it. Open the door. the voice was gentle soothing my panic as I finally wrenched my arm free from the wood of the closet door. I moved to obey the love filled voice in my head, my hand twisting the lock I didn't remember using. The knob felt slippery under my grip as I turned it. Finally, it opened, though I'm not sure because Logan had pushed it or I'd pulled it. He immediately moved into the room, his claws extended as he sniffed around.

I ignored him as Emma came into my sight. The sight of him still had me rattled and I reached for her, and tucked my head into her shoulder before the shaking of my shoulders gave way to tears and hiccupy sobs.

"Alex?" Her voice was a soft command.

"I saw him. He was me." I said, my voice cracking. The memory of his eyes staring at me caused more tears to come. "He was here. I didn't mean to." I hadn't meant to, but even now, I was guilty of my crime. Even now, when the dead was comforting me quietly.

Part of me wondered at that particular contradiction, but most of me didn't care. The memory still haunted me, frightened me.

"We are the same, you and I." His voice was amused somehow. His laughter rang out, causing me to shrink into Emma "I just don't look like a monster." Emma's arms tightened protectively and I tried my best to hide in them.

"Find something Logan?" Emma doubted it. She hadn't found anyone to match that voice telepathically. It surprised her to hear that disembodied voice and know it actually was disembodied.

"Nothing. Just the smell of brimstone." Logan's voice was low and comparable to a growl. The air was filled with his cigar smoke. "Not a trace of anything else." The trace of anger Emma could easily relate to. It took her hard that when Alex needed her, she could only hold Alex in the aftermath as she cried.

The damage to the room wasn't bad. The closet door had been replaced and the mangled knob had been as well. Both were the products of Alex's fear. Alex's forearm was lacerated to the elbow and it had taken Henry hours to remove all the wooden shards from the arm. Even Alex's ivory had been scraped by the wood.

Emma automatically reached to feel the warm ivory on her chest, hanging from a delicate chain. It's twin remained in her room, but this one never left her. Her fingertips felt the familiar circle as she thought. Logan didn't comment on the new habit.

"Keep a look out." Logan accepted the command gracefully with a nod. Emma's gaze went to her own bed, where Alex was sleeping. Every once in a while, grey eyes would open to gaze blankly at the ceiling before closing. A shiver would trace down Alex's spine and a small growl would escape. Whatever Alex was fighting, Emma could only hold her.

"What's happening to you?" Emma murmured as she sat at the edge of the bed, tucking a golden lock of hair behind one horn.

"Emma!" I bolted upright, still embedded into the dreamscape. Echoes of laughter rang in the room as I let tears dribble down my cheeks. "I'm so sorry." I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand touched my shoulder. Two arms wrapped around me, pulling me to a warm body.

I'm here Alex, I'm here. Fingertips brushed my temples. "It was just a dream." Emma repeated to me.

"Just a dream." I said with her. It took me a long time to stop shaking. I couldn't help but remember what he had called me. "Murderer."

"Mr Summers?" He turned as the young boy tugged at his sleeve. Fairy wings fluttered nervously. The boy, seeing that he had Scott's attention, pointed to the back storage room. "Something is in there." There was a pause. "Eating the wood." That drew a frown and Scott headed in that direction.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with it…" He entered storage and stopped in his tracks, his jaw going slack. There were six of the creatures, all no bigger that two feet tall, ranging from a bright red to a vivid orange. They all over the wood, their gnaw marks leaving trails of soot on the wood. Two of them turned to look at him, before returning to their squabble over a chunk of pine.

"What are they?" the boy had crept up behind Scott.

"I have no idea." Scott said honestly. All six heads of the creatures rose, their eyes focused on something past the doorway. Letting out a primal shriek, they ran, all of them vanishing as soon as they hit the wall. They left mists the colour of their skin, but even that soon disappeared.

"That… was weird."

"Mr Summers? I have the bucket of water for the demonstration." The older student put down the water. "What happened to the wood?" Scott shook his head once, trying to believe what his eyes said.

"Alex." I turned with a smile to meet her gaze. It faltered at the look of hostility. "You left me alone for almost eight years. How could I love you?" I blinked a few times, not sure I was hearing properly. "You disgust me. You're a murderer. You killed your peers. You killed your mother."

"No! I didn't! I didn't mean to!" I retorted, trying my hardest to keep the anguish from my voice. "I didn't!"

"You did." Her smile was mocking. "Killer." She slapped me and my head flung to the side. I felt a trickle of blood from the corner of my lip. I turned confused eyes back to her. "Why would someone like me want to be with a freak like you?" I turned around and flung myself down the corridor, the warmth of red mist comforting me. I charged into the wall before I managed to grab the handle to the door, barrelling outside into the sunshine. Part of me was denying it, hearing the delusion of her voice calling to me, but I agreed with her words. Who could love a freak?

"Lass? What's wrong? Lass!" His voice used to be comforting, but today, it was an unwelcome intrusion. "Lass!" I shoved him out of my way. The snarl was out of my mouth before I'd even a thought why.