Chapter 7

"Non, non, non," Gambit is refusing while shaking his head quite vigorously. Once the X-Men had departed Magneto had cornered the Cajun thief about returning to the Acolytes. As one might tell Gambit was having none of it. "Gambit's debt is paid in full," he states to the Master of Magnetism. That was why he worked for Magneto before. He had been in debt to the man but in his head that is no longer the case.

"I alone decide when it's paid," Magneto responds in that cold voice of his.

"D'at'll be never if Gambit allow you to decide," Gambit retorts without fear of provoking Magneto's wrath.

Quicksilver lets out a snort of amusement which gets a glare from his father in return.

"Father," Polaris speaks up. "If he really doesn't want to come back I'm not sure he's worth that much effort to force him," she thinks. She was never fond of the idea of forcing anyone back but she loves her father. She believes in him so she did as he asked but she thinks she's reaching the limit of how far she go along with her father's wishes. As for what he did to Illyana...well they had already had that argument and she had let him know how much she disapproved. There was no point in going over all that again. It wouldn't achieve anything.

"That's the truth," Sabretooth says. "We're better off without him," he gives his opinion. Gambit was always more trouble than he was worth in Sabretooth's mind. Yeah, beating up the Cajun until he agreed to return would be fun but is the headache after worth it? Sabretooth is conflicted.

Magneto looks at his daughter and then back at Gambit as he ponders whether what they say is true. Perhaps the mutant thief isn't worth it. He can always find someone else just as good. He makes a decision. "I have an offer Gambit. I won't force you back on condition that I can...hire you from time to time for certain jobs. Jobs suited to your skill set."

What Gambit figures out that means is when Magneto wants something stolen. He's smart enough to figure out that this is the best offer he is going to get. "Gambit accept," he agrees.

"Very well. We're done here," Magneto decides. "Acolytes come," he commands and the group depart.

"What about Mystique?" Sabretooth wonders once they're outside the warehouse. Mystique who managed to escape in the aftermath.

"Her day of reckoning will come. She can't hide from me forever," Magneto declares.

"So what now?" Polaris asks.

"Now there is only one Acolyte left to find," Magneto answers. "Mastermind."

"Do we have to?!" Regan and Martinique whine in unison at the prospect of having to find their father.

"Leaving him free inside the Hellfire Club, establishing his own power base, will only lead to much bigger problems later on," Magneto argues.

Mastermind's daughters couldn't argue that. Doesn't mean they have to be happy about it.


Back in the warehouse Gambit blows out a breath. That went, demon invasion aside, better than he expected with Magneto.

"So," a voice from the shadows speaks as the Black Cat slinks into view, as breath stealing alluring as always. "You want to explain exactly what happened with that Russian girl?" Felicia wants to know. Having seen the images of the kidnapping...well lets just say even Felicia has a line she doesn't cross and that act is way past her line so she damn well wants to know the truth or Gambit can consider this partnership dissolved.

Gambit silently groans. Ok scratch that about this going better. This...this is much, much worse.


At the Institute...

The calm after a battle can be a strange contrast. Especially since now is really the first time they've all had time to stop and process what occurred with Selene and then Illyana following on right behind it.

It means people having to process what they now know about who and what Illyana is. And other way round Illyana has to process the fact that basically everyone knows just how tainted she really is.

Another person trying to process things is Lana. When she was 1st possessed the reveal of mutants had just occurred and now she was here amongst them. Especially one whom she couldn't stop staring at.

And that one has had enough. "Will you please stop staring," Chloe has to say. She knows her appearance can be a shock and that Lana is her friend but enough is enough.

Lana blinks, her cheeks flush with embarrassment at being caught. "S-sorry," she stutters out.

Chloe sighs. She knew this would happen. She just knew it but she just had to be the good friend and hang out didn't she. She knows Lana is finding all this very difficult. The missing 18months, being in a mansion full of mutants but she has a limit at how long she'll tolerate being stared at like she's an attraction in a freak show. She had tried to keep Lana distracted...by plying her with food. They were in the kitchen after all.

"How.." Lana starts and then stops.

"How what? Did this happen?" Chloe guesses.

Lana nods.

"Genetics," Chloe answers. "I'm a mutant. I have the mutant gene."

"Is...Clark? Is this his big secret?"

Oh dear Lord. Is Lana still obsessing over that? Chloe's almost tempted to sing a few bars of 'Let it Go'. Almost. "No, Lana," she replies. "Clark is not a mutant. He's just...Clark," she phrases it. "And you know I'm pretty certain there really isn't some big secret. Clark's just a very private person. He buries the real him deep down," she gives an explanation of half-truths.

Lana frowns and Chloe does her best not to roll her eyes.

"I can't believe how much I missed," Lana whispers, her mind just unable to comprehend everything.

"Yeah. It's been a pretty crazy year and a half," Chloe tries to joke...badly.

Just then Bobby walks in. "Hey babe," he says, leaning down to give Chloe a kiss on the cheek only to find his face meeting her palm.

"Babe?" Chloe questions. "Bobby how many times have I said not to call me that?" she asks her boyfriend rhetorically. "You're not cute enough to get away with call me that."

Bobby pushes her hand aside. "But I am cute right?"

"I never said that."

"That wasn't a denial," he says, making his cutest face.

"No...but if you want to push it I could discuss in front of Lana here your clearly repressed homosexual tendencies."

"My what?!" Bobby splutters.

Chloe's lips curve up in a slightly evil grin. "Well, it's the way you act around girls. Like you're trying too hard. Trying to cover up your clearly repressed homosexual tendencies."

"Are...you having me on?"

"Of course I am," Chloe says in a matter of fact manner.

Bobby's jaw moves up and down a few times, before spotting the glint of amusement in his girlfriend's eyes. He points at her. "That...you..."

"As you can see," Chloe says to Lana, "I'm hardly dating him for his vocabulary skills."

Lana nods along.

"What was that for?" Bobby asks grumpily.

"Replay the conversation and tell me," Chloe tells him. She folds her arms across her chest and waits.

"This is because I called you 'babe' isn't it."

"Oh look. He's got it," Chloe says with an annoying smile.

"Ok. Sorry. It's just...you know you are one. A really hot one."

"I'm flattered but not enough to accept being called that."

"How about I just call you beautiful then?"

"Acceptable."

"Can I get a kiss?"

Chloe sighs dramatically. "You've hardly earned one but I guess you can get one on credit."

Bobby leans down and the two share a kiss.

Bobby's not really bad, Chloe will tell you. Yeah the babe thing annoys her slightly but he's not meaning to be offensive. She is right about one thing. He does try too hard at being this joker he likes to portray when there is a sweet, sensitive guy under it all. Besides he has been there for her during her transformation. That alone will endear him to her for life.

When they split apart Chloe gets around to asking him the question. "So what brings you here?"

"I can't just come see my beautiful and scary girlfriend?"

"You can but that's not why you're here," Chloe can determine.

Bobby grins. "Ok, ok. Lana's aunt is here," he gives the reason he is here.

Lana brightens up at that news. She had been dying to see her aunt since she was told she was on her way but it's a long trip. Kansas is not exactly around the corner.

"Ok, Bobby. We're coming," Chloe says.

"We?" Bobby inquiries with an arched eyebrow at the plural.

"We," Chloe confirms. "I can't keep hiding forever," she half-mutters to herself.

Bobby grins and offers his hand to her, offering his support.

Chloe takes the hand and the 3 head towards the lobby in search of Nell.

They find the elder Potter woman in Martha's company.

"Lana!" Nell calls out in utter relief at seeing her long missing relative.

"Aunt Nell!" Lana calls back as she rushes into her relative's arms.

"It's so good to see you again," she murmurs lovingly. After all Nell had raised Lana after her sister and brother-in-law were killed in the meteor shower. She pulls back and looks Lana up and down. "How are you? Are you ok?" she asks.

"I'm fine," Lana says.

"She's fine," Martha adds. "Dr McCoy says she just needs a few healthy square meals."

"Well I can certainly see to that," Nell says, eyeing Lana sternly.

Lana rolls her eyes. What is it with parental figures and plying you with food.

"Thank you for returning her to me," Nell says gratefully. "As much as I would like to stay and catch up we really should...Chloe?" she queries when her mind clicks the golden-skinned girl as having the same features as Chloe Sullivan.

"Hi Nell," Chloe says shyly.

Nell is astonished and unsure what to say so she goes for the quick exit. "Hmm, the taxi is waiting outside. We need to get going if we're going to get the flight back."

"You're welcome to stay," Martha offers.

"Thank you but no," Nell refuses, trying and not quite succeeding in hiding her discomfort and haste to leave. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why she is uncomfortable. "Say your farewells Lana," she tells her niece.

"Goodbye," Lana says, then looks around a bit. "Is Clark not back?" she wonders, her disappointment clear he's not here to see her off.

"Clark's had a hard few days," Martha explains.

"Nothing serious I hope," Nell remarks.

"His..."

"...girlfriend went missing," Chloe fills in. "But they found her. It was all quite emotionally draining as I'm sure you can understand. I'm certain he would send his best if he was here."

Martha nods along. That's a good an explanation as any to give. Though emotionally draining conversations with Clark have barely begun yet. She and Jonathan have a lot of processing to do to come close to understanding what it is Clark must have gone through in Limbo.

"I see," Nell says without really. "Well, farewell Martha," she bids her goodbyes.

"Goodbye Nell. I hope we can see each other again soon," Martha gives her wish.

"Time will tell on that," is Nell's rather non-committal response.

And with that Martha, Chloe and Bobby escort the Aunt and niece out the door, waving them off as the taxi departs.

"Yeah...we won't see them again anytime soon I think," Chloe drawls.

"Such cynicism from one so young," Martha lightly chastises.

"Uh huh. I just hope Lana doesn't try and start up things with Lex again. He's not the person he use to be," Chloe expresses a wish.

"Maybe she finds bald sexy," Bobby jokes.

"Don't go there," Chloe says, trying not imagine any of it.

"As you wish," Bobby concedes. "By the way where is Clark? I mean wasn't Lana his ex?" he asks, thinking even if it was awkward Clark would say goodbye.

"He's still down in the infirmary," Martha replies. "Wounds inflicted by magic always heal slower on him," she points out...and yes he does have wounds on him thanks to fighting Illyana. It's also the real reason he is not here. Beast won't let him out the infirmary yet.

"Ah," Bobby says.

"But I'm sure he's fine. Bart said he would drop by and visit," Martha adds.


"Sooooo...a demon-sorceress, huh?"

Clark rolls his eyes from his position lying in an infirmary bed. How did he know Bart would jump right to that.

His speedster room-mate sits next to the bed, impish grin on his face. "Big blue, you never cease to surprise me."

"Well my life is now complete knowing that," Clark drawls sarcastically.

Bart chuckles but as you can imagine his imagination has been running pretty wild. "Seriously though you doing alright?"

"Physically I'll be fine. Emotionally is a whole different story. The last couple of weeks have been...trying."

Bart nods. Being serious he knows that's true. Illyana vanishing for basically 2 weeks without explanation did hurt Clark. Even Bart could see that. "So where is she?" he wonders.

"With her brother I think. She promised not to vanish off back to Limbo. A question is how are you doing after learning about all this?" Clark wants to know. Bart is his friend and he wants to know what his friend thinks.

Bart shrugs. "Since I came here I've had to learn to cope with a lot of things. Like my room-mate being an alien...and I still can't believe how long it took me to figure that out," he laments.

Clark grins. It was funny the day they cleared that up...and so funny how long it took the 'Fastest Man Alive' to cotton on.

"In the end, though, I trust your judgement. If you believe in hot, blond and Russian that's good enough for me."

"Thank you, Bart," Clark says, genuinely touched by that.

Bart nods. After all Clark believed in him when few others would. Bart will always remember that. "Want a manly hug?" he quips.

Clark laughs. "I think I'll skip it, thanks all the same."

Bart joins in the laughter before calming down. "So what's going to happened between you and her?" he asks.

"I don't know. We have a lot to talk about as pertains to our feelings for each other."

Yeah. Bart knows how that song goes. What? He does. Just because he's 16(he thinks because you know, amnesia, can't remember much from before he was struck by that lightning) doesn't mean he's that oblivious. He does have a girlfriend of his own after all. "So there's that saying involving demons and sacks," he just has to mention.

His response is his friend's blue eyes turning a literally fiery red.


Claire should still be pissed as hell at the stunt her father pulled...but it's kinda hard to stay angry when you are lying face down on your bed, getting a heavenly massage from your girlfriend.

"Feeling better now?" Marie asks, the brown-haired French girl letting her natural accent flow through at its strongest, knowing how much her girlfriend loves her accent.

"Hmm, hmm," Claire sighs pleasurably.

"Bon," Marie says happily.

"Très Bon," Claire murmurs.

Marie smiles widely. "I'm glad. I want to make you forget all about what happened," she says, hiding her own terror at the fact she almost lost Claire to the Hellfire Club. She always hated that place and thinks the day she chose to leave was one of her smartest days ever.

"Thanks...but sadly the dick will still be my father," Claire has to lament.

"I still don't know what he was planning."

"Neither do I...and frankly I don't want to know."

Marie leans down and kisses her girlfriend between her shoulder blades.

Claire squirms a little

"Are you ticklish there?" Marie asks, delight on her face at what is actually a new discovery.

"I refuse to answer that and give you a new way to torture me."

Marie giggles. Oh she is going to have so much fun with this.

"Before you go ahead and do it anyway can I ask a question."

"Of course my love."

"A few months back, just after Apocalypse you read the future. Has all of that come true or can it be changed?"

"The future is always shifting, Claire and as I recall some of what I said was pretty vague as a reflection of that."

"But you saw Illyana didn't you. The snowflake."

"I didn't see Illyana the person. I saw a snowflake blackened on one side and knew it represented far more than what it appeared. Most of my visions are metaphorical representations. I don't see precise events...or at least not very often. My powers just don't work that way."

"A man who is a machine," Claire recalls what Marie said. "That's Brainiac right?"

"I would assume so."

"A sister who is a traitor?"

"Possibly Ms Frost's sister; Adrienne."

"A grandfather who is a spy is obviously my grandfather. Wonder where he is now? Probably chumming it up with Shaw or something," Claire mutters distastefully.

"I can't say."

"Something about a teacher with a black heart?" Claire queries her memory.

"Selene, pretending to teach Wanda, perhaps?"

"The Princess with a broken heart is Amara," Claire can work out Marie's vision. Amara was clearly nursing one.

"And I would assume the liar who was the Queen's pawn relates to what happened to Angelica."

"Always knew Frost was scum," Claire mutters angrily.

"Easy sweetie. I'm not fireproof," Marie points out as the room heats up.

"Sorry," Claire apologises as she forces herself to calm down. "The scheming daughter?"

"Not sure that's happened yet...unless we mean Isobel scheming and betraying Selene? In fact I'm pretty certain the rest of what I said hasn't happened yet. Just a feeling I have."

"So the Goblin Man and Goblin Queen stuff and so on?"

"That's still to come."

"I don't know how you cope seeing all that."

"It's not easy...but I have you."

Claire rolls on her back, warm smile on her face. "Yeah. You do," she confirms as she pulls Marie down into a long and loving kiss.


In the Professor's office sits one Scott Summers. He feels like when he was younger and sitting here about to be punished for breaking a rule.

Yes, even straight-laced him broke an occasional rule now and again.

"This is about Emma isn't it," Scott assumes. He knew it was coming.

"Emma has been involved in some...murky actions that have hurt many people Scott and there is no way to avoid the fact you're involved with her in a personal way."

"Professor, I didn't know," Scott says right off the bat. "I would never have allowed her to do this if I knew."

"I know that Scott. Please do not make the mistake that I am questioning your morals or ethics but you are involved nonetheless."

"I...I know she cuts corners ethically," Scott says. "I was not deluding myself but she's hardly pure evil or anything."

"I am aware of Emma's shortcomings. Did you think you could help her?"

"I thought that the person I remember from when she attended the Institute was still there and at the core there was a good person. It just needed..."

"Someone to believe in her?" Charles proposes an end to Scott's thinking.

Was that what Scott was doing? Probably.

"Scott I admire your thinking but I'm not sure Emma wants to be helped."

"What she wants and what she needs are two different things. Considering what happened she surely needs our help against the Hellfire Club."

"Emma is a prideful woman. Stubborn. She may decide she can deal with it herself rather than show weakness and ask for help."

Scott fears that may be true. He also fears that will mean Emma digging herself into a deeper hole but he's not sure what he can do for her now.

"I have no doubt she'll return soon for her remaining students. Have you decided what you'll say to her?" Charles wonders.

"Not really but rest assured Professor I'm not going to sweep what she has done under the carpet. I want answers too," Scott assures his mentor.

"You are an adult and this is a private matter for you to solve up to the point it affects the rest of us. If you need help I am here for you."

"Thank you Professor."


"Amara...babe, you're starting to scare me."

Amara gives Tabby a strange look. They were just hanging out in the game room. "How am I starting to scare you exactly?"

"You're looking at me like you're imagining that douche Empath."

"Don't say his name!" Amara growls, a heat haze rising up from her.

"Look, Mara, I get why you're angry and believe me if I ever see that piece of crap again I'll shove a time bomb so far up his ass it'll explode his head off."

Amara manages a tiny smile at that image.

"I get it but I don't like to see you so worked up with rage. It's not you and it's not healthy."

"When did you become a therapist exactly?"

"I watch a lot of television."

"Because sure, that's how you learn all of life's lessons; from television," Amara drawls sarcastically. "And you don't get it Tabby. Not exactly."

"Well there's just us girls here why don't you tell me."

"He made me feel things for him Tabby...and I can't just shut my feelings off suddenly. Even if he induced them they're real now...and I know they shouldn't be. I just...hate him so much right now because I cared. He made me care for him...and in return it was nothing for him. It meant nothing. It was a game to him. To use me to get secrets about you guys...Clark," she rants, her hands waving wildly all over the place. "As if I would betray Clark. I could never do that. Never," she says emphatically.

Tabby's brow furrows a tad at the emotion is her friend's voice. "Do you...love Clark?"

"Of course I do," Amara says like it's the most obvious thing to say in he world.

Tabby's eyebrows rise.

Amara catches it. "Not like that," she protests.

"Like what?"

"You're thinking romantic love. To me Clark is a God. I love him like you would love your God."

"I ain't particularly religious."

"You know what I mean though."

Tabby is more wondering if Amara really means it like that...or is confused about what it is she feels.

Amara sighs. "You know one of the worst parts of it though is I lost touch with you. I stopped even phoning. I'm sorry about that."

"So you should be. I expect recompense...and grovelling. Yeah, grovelling would be good."

Amara smiles at Tabby not actually being serious...but she is being a good friend. Amara's best friend. "I'll see what I can do," she says.

Tabby grins. "And we're not going to let that shithead get you down any longer, right?"

"Allow who to get me down?"

Tabby throws an arm across Amara's shoulders and gives a squeeze. "That's my girl!" she cheers.

"I missed ya Tabs," Amara says truthfully.

"Well, duh. Who wouldn't miss me? I'm amazing!"

"I wouldn't go that far," Amara teases lightly making Tabby pout. Yep the friends were back together again. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


Ororo is singing to herself and to her plants as she works in her greenhouse. As is often the case she is being aided by Martha. Love of gardening was one of the things they shared as good friends.

It was also a good stress relief. Being surrounded by the beauty of Mother Nature always seemed to melt the troubles away.

Though Ororo thinks Martha is needing this more than her considering the last several days. What with Claire almost being kidnapped by her father and the revelations of just where Clark ended up when he was abducted.

"How is Clark doing?" Ororo asks.

"Hank says he's fine. Just wants to observe him for awhile considering his aversion to magic," Martha replies.

Ororo nods along. "And yourself?" she wonders.

"I'm fine."

"Are you?" Ororo pushes, hoping Martha is not trying to put on a front.

Martha gives her friend a look. "Yes. I am. Clark may have not been entirely honest...and believe you me we're going to have a long, long talk about that but the important bit is that he's here and he's fine. Claire is here and fine. Jonathan is here and fine. All my friends, all the people I care about are here and fine. That is what is important. Everything else is just detail."

Ororo takes a moment before she decides Martha is correct. The really important part is that they are all here and for the most part well and fine.

There is then a quiet knock on the greenhouse door.

"Enter," Ororo bids them, without really taking a look to see who it is.

The door opens and in walks Firestar.

"Is this a bad time?" the red-haired girl questions.

"Of course not child," Ororo assures her.

Angelica brushes a lock of her hair back behind her ear. "I, uh, spoke to my father and told him everything," she relays.

"I'm sure he was happy to hear from you," Ororo comments.

Angelica smiles. The first real smile anyone has seen on her face since that fight with Selene and all the revelations that came out in regards to Emma's actions. "He was. I was," she says. "Anyway we talked and he agreed that perhaps I should stay here...if...you know, you'll have me."

Ororo and Martha share a smile.

"Of course we'll have you," Martha assures her.

"All are welcome here," Ororo adds.

"Thank you," Angelica says, her voice choking up.

Ororo and Martha move over and each put an arm around Angelica as they guide her to the small table at the far end of the greenhouse.

"We'll get you a brochure. It has all the rules," Ororo starts to tell Angelica. "But apart from becoming familiar with those there is no pressure on you to do anything else," she assures the flame haired girl. After all with her being in so much grief her mind is not in a place where she could focus on anything to do with the teams and their missions. Help her get through that first and then see where they are. "How about some tea?" Ororo asks as Angelica sits down.

"I'm not much of a tea drinker," the mutant girl demurs.

"It's calming," Martha adds and clearly the grief ridden girl needs to be calm.

"Ahhh, ok sure. I'll try it," Angelica agrees.

Martha puts the kettle on while Ororo sits down with the girl. The healing process takes time but at least they've made a start.


Author's Note: Quite a few things in this chapter are finishing off what are the threads I put in at the start with Firestar and so on. It's been awhile now but what Claire and Marie were talking about were her list of visions from the start of Hellfire Burns Eternal. We'll be getting onto the others soon. And, yes Bobby's repressed homosexual tendencies...can't imagine where I got that from. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark and Illyana have their long overdue talk and tying up a few more loose ends.