I am super sorry about this really late update! 3 months you've all had to wait and I am incredibly sorry! I've just had a lot of stuff going on. Hopefully, I'll update again within the next month! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favs and please enjoy this next chapter!

Here in the shadows
I'm safe, I'm free
I've nowhere else to go
But i cannot stay where I don't belong

- Exodus, Evanescence, EP

Chapter 8

Lyndsey woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly calm, for the first time in a while. Feeling well rested, she shrugged the sheets off of her body and headed for the joining bathroom. Letting the warm water wash over her, she scrubbed her hair until it felt clean. Every so often, she would turn the temperature, the warm water helping to wake her up.

Quickly drying herself off, Lyndsey walked back into the bedroom and over to the wardrobe. After looking over her small array of clothing, she picked out a patterned black shirt, dark jeans and an over-sized cream cardigan. She quickly brushed her hair, letting it fall down her back in soft waves, before pulling on her worn sneakers and leaving the room.

When Lyndsey entered the kitchen, she saw Hank, Raven, Alex and Sean sitting down at the table, eating breakfast. Hank was flicking through a book, while Sean was looking down into his bowl of cereal. Raven, however, when she saw Lyndsey, smiled brightly and beckoned her over.

"Morning," She cried cheerily. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Um, toast?" Lyndsey said, eyebrow slightly raised in question. Raven didn't pick up on this and instead motioned to a rack of toast in the middle of the table and beckoned for Lyndsey to sit next to her. Lyndsey sat in the empty seat next to Raven, across from Sean.

"So, Charles says that we get the morning off before we start training," Raven quickly began, catching the attention of all present. Lyndsey, listening to Raven, helped herself to toast and poured herself a glass of juice.

"Who's going to go first?" Sean asked.

"Alex, I think," Raven said, causing Alex to groan and Sean to laugh.

"Unlucky," He commented with a wide grin set on his face. Alex glared over at the red head, who simply went back to eating his cereal, seemly unbothered by the death glare off the blonde.

"So, what do the rest of us do while Charles is teaching the others?" Lyndsey asked, before taking a bite of her toast.

"Well, he says he'll have individual lessons with all of us, to 'help harness our abilities'" Raven air-quoted and mimicked Charles voice. She grinned as the others laughed at the impression.

"I think either Hank or Sean is after Alex, then you," She said to Lyndsey, who choked slightly on her toast.

"Me?" She asked. "I don't mean to sound big-headed or anything, but it's not like I can do much that will help. Let's face it, I'm pretty useless."

"That's not true!" Raven said. "You're part of this team!"

"Yeah," Sean agreed. "You have an awesome ability. I wish I had your power!"

That caused Lyndsey to snap.

"No, you don't!" She exclaimed. "I hate my power! I see when people die! How is that awesome?"

The others looked at Lyndsey, eyes wide as the girl continued with her rant. Sean sat with his mouth slightly ajar in shock.

"Do you know what it's like? To have the knowledge of what happens? How you die, how your friends die, how your own family dies? And then, at one point, someone changes their mind, altering the whole fabric of time? Everything you've already seen is altered and you're forced to watch it again.

Sometimes you can't see what happens. You know something is coming, but you simply can't see what. Like wandering blind through thick fog. And then it happens. And you're stuck, knowing that if you had foreseen it, you could have stopped it, like I could have stopped-"

A strangled cry escaped Lyndsey's mouth, stopping her rant. She looked like she was on the brink of tears. The other teenagers sat staring at her, unsure of what to do. Lyndsey quickly brushed her eyes, wiping away a stray tear that had fell.

"You don't know. You just don't understand," Lyndsey said, this time more quietly. She quickly looked at the other mutants and the clock on the wall.

"Forget it. I'm going," She muttered, stalking out of the room.

The four remaining mutants stared at the door for at least a minute before anyone spoke. They were scared to speak.

"What happened to her?" Raven asked quietly. "Something had to have happened for her to be like that."

"I don't know what happened," Alex spoke in a low tone, slowly and unsure. "But, last night I found her in the kitchen. She was scared, terrified even, about some dream that she had. I think she thought I didn't notice, but I did."

He paused for a minute, trying to find the right words.

"The…The sleeve of her shirt slipped up slightly. Her arms…they were covered in bruises and scars."

Raven gasped while Hank and Sean's eyes widened in shock.

"W-What do you think happened?" Raven asked, stuttering on the words. Alex shook his head.

"Honestly? I don't know. She said something about her nightmare but…"

"What did she say?" Hank asked.

"She said it was sinister," Alex shuddered on the word, remembering Lyndsey's cold words.

"What does that mean?" Sean asked. "I mean, what do we even know about her? Or her brother for that matter?"

They all turned to look at Hank, who fidgeted slightly under their questioning looks.

"Psychologically speaking, I think Lyndsey may have went through some major life trauma in the past couple of years," He said. He was received by vacant looks so went onto explain.

"Do you guys remember back at the Facility, Lyndsey running back to get that bag?"

They all nodded.

"Well, I think Lyndsey may have an emotional attachment to whatever's in that bag. The same with her dog tags. I think she may have some form of dependence on them, possibly due to a family connection?"

"The only family she's ever spoken about is Aiden," Raven stated as the others nodded.

"Yeah, she's never mentioned any parents or other siblings," Sean added.

"But what about the people Aiden was staying with?" Alex asked. "I don't think Lyndsey would leave him with just anyone."

"I'm sure she mention a cousin?" Raven said, thinking about it briefly. "Aiden was talking to Lyndsey about someone called Peter."

Hank nodded.

"Okay, so a cousin. But, other than that, nothing. Now, did you guys notice, the night Shaw attacked-" Everyone shuddered and Alex glared at the table, avoiding eye contact. "-The way Lyndsey acted?" Hank continued.

The teenagers were silent for a minute.

"Now you mention it," Alex said slowly. "She did act strangely."

"Yeah," Raven agreed. "Like how she didn't seem afraid of the bodies?"

"I'm still confused by the fact that she knew Shaw," Sean said. "I mean, that dude was scary and she didn't even bat an eyelid!"

"Okay then," Hank said. "The only family we're aware of is her brother and a possible cousin. We don't know anything about her background, only that she somehow knows Shaw and that she comes from Salem."

"That's another thing that bugs me. If she's from Salem, then did why did Charles and Erik find her in Michigan?" Sean asked. "It's that, like, five hundred miles away?"

"Eight hundred and ninety-fine," Hank corrected.

"It's still weird though," Sean said.

"So what are we going to do?" Raven asked nervously. "I mean, you saw what she was like when she talked about her power, what's she going to be like if we ask her about her past?"

"I think we'd be best just to leave it," Hank said. The others turned to look at him and he raised his hands defensively. "Look, I'm not saying we shouldn't try to help, but if she is hiding something, she'll only tell us when she's ready. We all have secrets."

The mutants looked down, thinking about their own secrets that they hadn't shared. They knew what Hank was saying was true.

"Fine, then," Alex said stiffly. "I guess we'll just drop the whole matter, hey?"

Lyndsey tore down the corridors of the mansion, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. But she wouldn't let them. She was strong.

Images of her family rushed through her mind. Her mother, her father, John, Robbie, Jem, even Tora, helpless little Tora who couldn't hurt a fly and ended up with a bullet through her head. She could still feel the stickiness of her father's blood on her hands, and the putrid, metallic smell of blood that hit her like a tonne of bricks when she walked to the kitchen and saw Robbie's lifeless body.

Aiden didn't understand.

While he had lost most of his of his family too, she didn't carry the guilt Lyndsey did. She could have stopped it. If she had just focused more, her family would still be here! It wouldn't be her and Aiden against the world. They wouldn't have had to run and lie, steal thread-bare clothes from thrift stores, dine and dash at cheap diners because they couldn't even afford to pay for simple meals.

She always made sure Aiden had something to eat. Even if that meant swiping a few chocolate bars from a drugstore or pick-pocketing a rich man in a suit. She always made sure. That was her job. She couldn't protect Jem or Tora anymore, but she could still protect her baby brother.

It had been hard though. A year of living on the run had meant that they were both malnourished and scruffy but that didn't matter. As long as they were safe.

Having the vision of Charles and Erik was like an oasis in a desert. A spark of hope that called to them, saying that they could be safe. That they didn't have to run or hide no more. They could stay somewhere permanently. Somewhere with three square meals a day and a warm, comfy bed. How Lyndsey had missed the comfort of a bed! Years curled up on a lumpy cot, Aiden close to her, had meant that she could sleep anywhere. But a real bed! It was paradise.

Then Shaw came.

Lyndsey didn't realise that 'Sebastian Shaw' was Klaus Schmidt. Or whatever the hell he was called.

If she had known, she would never have went with Charles. Seeing Shaw had brought back all the memories she had spent the last five years trying to bury. It put them in danger.

How could she have been so stupid?

Of course they would never be safe! Everywhere she turned, Lyndsey faced danger. She went to Virginia, they were attacked. She surrendered to the man who slaughtered her family, she was persecuted. She was in her own home when they destroyed her life!

Of course the others didn't understand. How could they? The only one who could relate in the slightest of ways was Erik, and even then, it was slim.

They had no idea.

In her haste, Lyndsey must have taken one too many turns as she found herself in a corridor she had not been down before. Dust lay heavy upon the sideboards and photo frames, and the floorboards creaked under her feet. She neared a door and, casting a quick look over her shoulder, hesitantly opened the door.

Though curtains covered the bay windows, light still filtered in to the room, causing the dark room to light up slightly. Armchairs and sofas were covered in white sheets and dust coated everything. Cobwebs hung on the chandelier, and furniture was pushed up against the walls.

Curious glimmer in her eye, Lyndsey walked over to where most of the furniture was, maneuvering her way through it until she found a spot in the corner where she could sit comfortably, without being spotted by anyone.

Yes, Lyndsey thought. I think this is a good place to think without being disturbed.

Aiden walked into the kitchen, only to be greeted by hushed tones and sheepish faces that looked in his direction. The other mutants quickly stopped talking when they saw him, leading him to believe that they were talking about him.

"Morning," He said unsurely, sitting in the empty seat next to Alex. He was greeted by scattered mumbles, with none of the other mutants meeting his eye. Aiden raised an eyebrow and reached for a slice of toast.

"Where's Lyndsey?" He asked curiously, noting her absence. He knew Lyndsey was an early bird, so it would make sense for her to be in the kitchen before him.

"I think she went back to her room," Raven said quickly. Aiden turned to look at her, but the blonde would not meet his eye. He frowned as he buttered his toast, noting on the wary glances he was receiving.

"Where are you and your sister from, Aiden?" Sean asked, out of the blue. Aiden turned to look at the red head in question, as did the others, but they were all sending him glares.

"Salem, Massachusetts," Aiden replied slowly, looking from Alex's glare directed at Sean, to Hank's slightly timid expression. Even Raven looked nervous, but there was still a curious glimmer in her eye.

"But why did Charles find Lyndsey in Michigan?" Sean pushed, determined for answers. "And you in Washington?"

Aiden didn't reply, instead looking at each mutant in question. None could meet his eye, instead choosing to look away. After a minute of silence which felt like years, Aiden spoke up.

"You asked Lyndsey about this, didn't you?" He said. Most people would have said this accusingly, but Aiden's voice had no tone to it. Again, no one would meet his eye.

Just as Aiden was about to say something else, Charles and Erik walked in, both fully dressed. Charles smiled at the younger mutants, while Erik's face was set in his permanent monotone expression. Charles' smiled flickered when he saw Lyndsey was not at the table and he took a seat next to Aiden. Erik went over to the counter and poured himself a large mug of coffee.

"Where's Lyndsey?" He asked as he helped himself to tea. The mutants, with the exception of Aiden, shared a look of alarm at the older man's question.

"That's exactly what I asked, Charles," Aiden said. "But no one seems to be able to tell me just where my sister is."

"What?" Charles asked, eyebrows raising. "What is going on?"

He turned to look at the four mutants, each of which, were wearing very different expressions. Alex stayed stony faced, his expression not faltering for a second. Sean, his eyes wide, suddenly took great interest in the pattern of his plate. Hank refused to look at Charles. Raven, however, looked Charles straight in the eye, unafraid of her older brother.

"We started to talk about our powers, and Lyndsey got angry when Sean said he wished he had her power," She said, which made Aiden groan.

"And then what happen?" Charles asked, his eyes flickering over to Aiden, who now had his head in his hands.

"She got angry. Really angry. She said that we didn't understand," Raven replied, looking down at her hands. "And then she stormed out."

"You idiots," Aiden muttered, before standing up. "I'm going to go find her."

The mutants watched as the young boy rushed out of the room, in a similar fashion to his sister. Charles then turned back to face the other mutants.

"Then what happened?" He asked. The younger mutants looked at one another until Raven spoke up.

"We're worried about her," She explained. "Her story's sketchy and…Well, Alex said that that last night when he saw her…There were bruises and scars on her arms…"

Charles and Erik looked at each other, their expressions opposite to one another's. While Charles' was filled with concern and unease, Erik's expression was borderline anger.

"You idiots," He snapped, catching the attention of everyone. "Even if something has happened to her, you do not push to find out more. You've probably pushed her further away, and broken what little trust she had built up for you."

"Erik…" Charles said, sensing the anger radiating from the other mutant.

"No Charles. They've made things worse."

"Well, what do you expect us to do now?" Alex questioned skeptically. Erik scoffed.

"You've all got a lot of time to work on your apologies," He said. "Because I'll be surprised if anyone finds her before nightfall."

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