Chapter 6: Deathly Realization

By: Galadeidre

A/N: To those who have reviewed my story...thanks so much! I really really appreaciate it!

Maid of the Mer - Thanks for the chocolate muffin! I absolutely love chocolate!

Horsecrazy - I'm glad you're 'impatiently waiting and horsecrazy'!

My PenName is ... - I told you that they weren't gonna accept just the three dots...thanks for reviewing!

mm4ever2gether - sorry I didn't update sooner...been too busy, but here's the next chapter!

Hope you guys (and the rest of you readers) enjoy this chapter!

Galadeidre

Lenette shifted as she slowly began to wake up. She felt the bed around her: light, silky covers, soft pillows, candles lit all around her…

She jerked up out of bed with a start, panicking as she realized that this was definitely not her bedroom. It took her a few moments before she remembered where she was.

But why was she there in the first place?

Low voices drifted from the other side of the curtains. Len tried to listen as she realized that there was a lot more people than there had been before. How long had she slept?

"Should we keep her hidden here?"

"We can't. You know that. I mean, look what she did to Z!"

"That was an accident, for sure. She didn't seem to realize what she was doing."

"She needs professional help. We don't have that here."

"How 'bout you, Marron? Can't you help her? She's got the same thing you have."

"I'm not so sure that it's the same thing. I mean, I couldn't do that to Z."

"Whatever the reason, she's got to go. For now. Maybe after she's learned how to control her powers, she can come stay here."

"So you mean we kick her out of the Shelter?"

"We've never done that before, and we're not gonna start now."

"We're not gonna kick her out. But she needs help from somebody that can help her. This is a 'shelter'. A home for those that need to have a home for a while. How can that be if there's a potential threat within the Shelter? It wouldn't be a home."

"Each of us is a potential threat if we put our mind to it."

"That's if we do put our minds to it. We have control. She doesn't."

"She's new at this. We all were at one point."

"Yeah, but none of us could actually kill somebody when our powers kicked in."

"Z's not dead."

"Yeah, but close to it."

"We should treat her well. I mean, she is, after all Conner's girl."

"Yeah, and her folks would skin us alive if they knew what she was."

"Are you just protecting her because she's Conner's girl?"

"That's not the only reason. She's one of us."

"She's a threat! A deadly mutant! We need to find someone that can help her control her powers. Then she can stay."

This was all that Len had to hear. She walked out through the curtains, anger rising, as she screamed at them all. "That's not true! I'm not a mutant!"

Many pairs of eyes stared at her. Compared to the scarce few that she had seen when she had first come into the Shelter, the whole living room and beyond was filled. Several mutants were standing and leaning on walls, and the tables for the officers were filled. It seemed all of the mutants from the high school were here, including janitors and teachers. Len recognized several of them, including Jeff and the wind mutant that she had passed that she could've sworn had said 'human scum'. Z was nowhere to be seen.

"Len…" Marron stood up from where she had been sitting at the long table.

Len didn't wait for her to continue. "I'm no mutie. I'm a human! And always will be!" Several of the mutants nearest to Len inched away just ever so slightly as she walked forward, glaring at Marron.

"It's not the end of the world if you're a mutie, Len." This was a deep, calm voice that came from a handsome, young man in his early twenties that was seated beside Marron. He had short light brown hair and a small goatee. All the mutants turned to look towards him, as if wondering what he would do next. He remained seated in his chair, relaxed and calm, as he calmly stared in Len's direction. His eyes were a deep brown that didn't give anything away, but did not stare at Len in an accusing manner. "You being a mutant is the same as all of us being mutants. We've all had our share of problems. Believe me, we've all had to go through what you're going through."

Len shook her head as she continued to stare at this mutant, slowly realizing that this was Von. It seemed that her mind was slow to react on many things. "You've got no proof. I haven't done anything to show that I'm a mutant. I don't believe you."

Someone grabbed her arm and dragged her into the center of the room. Marron and several other mutants yelled for Len's captor to release her. He did – after he had dragged her towards the black rug on the lowest level so she could see what was on the rug.

Z was laying on the rug, stiff as a board, her white eyes wide open and staring straight at the ceiling. Her mouth was slightly open, an outline of where blood had trickled down on the corner of her chin. Her chest seemed to ever so slightly rise up and down.

Len backed away, her eyes glued at the still figure in the center of the living room. "No…I…I didn't…she was…she was fine when I last saw her…she…I…"

"This isn't Len's fault," Bolt muttered from across the room. His eyes looked at Len with pity. "We all know that. Mutant abilities come as they do, weak, powerful, in between. We saw what happened. She was sleep-walking."

"Yeah, and attacking Z as she did so," another mutant, a young female, remarked accusingly.

"Len." Hawk had walked over to where Len was kneeling and placed a hand on her shoulder. He continued to speak gently. "No one's blaming you for what happened." Several mutants made small snorts.

Len looked up and shook her head. "I didn't do this. I…I couldn't have."

"Have Reminisce show her what she did!" Another mutant yelled out. "She wants proof that she's a mutant! Reminisce! Go and show her the proof!"

Von sighed heavily and nodded. "It's only fair. Reminisce." He looked to the person seated at the long table to his right. The man beside Von had pale, ghostly skin with sunken cheeks. His hair had been black, but was starting to turn white. There were deep lines on his face and he was frail-looking. His eyes, though, were as black as could be and very sharp. Len slowly realized that this was her science teacher.

Reminisce gave a small nod and stood up. Like a shadow, he glided towards where Len was kneeling and knelt down beside her. He looked into her eyes with a look of sadness.

Len, on instinct, backed away. "Mr. Ferinall…"

"I'm sorry, Len, to have to do this." He placed his hands on the sides of her face. Len gave a fearful gasp.

"Don't worry, Len," Marron replied, still standing. "He won't hurt you. He's just going to show you what happened while you were asleep." The telepath's reassuring words did not help Len, but she obeyed and didn't back away any further from the old mutant.

Visions started filling Len's mind as she stared blank-eyed at the ceiling…

Z walked out of the kitchen with a wet washcloth in her hand. The Shelter was filled with several more occupants than before.

Bolt looked up. "What are you doing?"

"Tending to my patient."

"How's Len?"

"Sleeping well…for the most part."

Bolt narrowed his eyes as Hawk looked up to listen to the conversation.

"What do you mean 'for the most part'?" Bolt asked.

Z sighed and turned to Bolt. "I have taken care of many mutants in my time. I have seen them change from humans to mutants. I have done this for over seventy-five years, Alexander. I thought I would know how to handle any possible situation. But Len…she is not a mutant."

"And?"

Z sighed again. "I don't think she's merely a human, either."

"Maybe," Hawk started. "It's just the change from human to mutant, except the process is taking longer."

"I'm not sure. She's been having nightmares. She just keeps tossing and turning. I don't know what she's dreaming."

"Well, you can find out, can't you?"

Z nodded. "But for some reason, I seem to be…hesitant."

"Hesitant?" Bolt asked.

"Yes, hesitant. Or…afraid."

"Afraid? You, Z?" Bolt asked incredulous.

"I don't know why. There's something within Len that makes me wary of trying to see what is in her mind." Z sighed again. "But I think it would be best if I tried to find that dream of hers. Maybe I can help her in some way."

"Like how Conner heals people?" Hawk asked.

"He'd probably know how to handle this situation better than any one of us," Bolt put in. He gave a frown. "Do you think he feels the same thing your feeling, Z? The wariness part of it?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly, the patient within the candlelit room started to moan and whimper. Z turned and swiftly entered into the room, watching Len as she tossed and turned on the bed sheet, her forehead beaded with sweat.

Bolt entered into the room, followed by Hawk. "She looks sick."

"Does she have a fever or something?"

Z shook her head. "No. It is her nightmares." She stepped forward, her hand outstretched towards Len's forehead.

"Careful, Z," Bolt whispered.

Slowly, Z placed her hand on Len's forehead and knelt down beside the bed. She closed her eyes. For a moment nothing happened.

"Do you see something?" Hawk asked.

Z answered, her eyes still closed. She had a confused look on her face. "It is difficult to comprehend this. There are visions, but they're…scattered. Various. My mind cannot comprehend these visions. My powers can't seem to decipher anything that she is dreaming."

"Well, maybe it's just gonna take time…Z? Z!" Hawk knelt down as he noticed Z start to shake uncontrollably. He took her hand off of Len and gripped her shoulders. Z was starting to make gurgling sounds within her mouth as Hawk shook her. She wouldn't stop shaking.

"What the heck's wrong with her?" Bolt asked, looking back and forth from Len to Z. "Hawk? What's the matter?"

"She doesn't seem to be responding," Hawk muttered. He stopped shaking Z and she fell to the floor, convulsing. Hawk rolled her to her side and looked up, noticing several other mutants peering in through the curtains, curious as to what was happening. "Quick! Call for help! Get one of the medics here! And someone contact Von or Marron! Tell them something's wrong with Z!" Immediately, the mutants at the curtains dispersed and started searching for help.

"Alex! Help me here!"

But Bolt was looking at Len, who was breathing heavily and moaning. Her whole body was perspiring, and her face was twisted into an expression of pure terror.

That's when she started screaming and flailing her arms in every direction.

"What happened!" Hawk asked, as he struggled to hold Z.

Bolt, now, was trying to keep Len down onto the bed. "I don't know! What about Z? Try to get her to snap out of it!"

Hawk turned Z onto her back. "Z! Z! Can you hear us! Z!"

Z made a few gurgling noises and opened her eyes.

"My God…" Hawk muttered. Bolt looked to the side of the bed, and his eyes went wide. "What is that?"

Z's eyes weren't the gray-white that they had been before. There were visions, pictures, that were dancing through her eyes. They continued to change, but they couldn't seem to figure out what the pictures were.

"What's going on here?" a female voice demanded. Marron stepped into the bedroom. "Bolt? Hawk? You're not allowed in this room. What's the matter? Von's on his way, and this better be urgent."

Hawk and Bolt were still staring at Z and didn't answer. Marron sighed and walked over to see what they were staring at. Her eyes widened as well. "What the heck is that?" She knelt down beside Z and began to slap her face, gently. "Z? Z! Wake up! What's happening to you!"

Len screamed again, which drove the three other mutants' eyes towards her.

"You guys! I can't hold on to her! Something's…something's pushing me away!" And, indeed, there was. Bolt suddenly was afloat and thrown into the wall. Marron and Hawk were also flung to the other side.

Marron groaned and looked up. Len was sitting up and screaming as she held her head.

Z was starting to float upwards. She coughed, and a trickle of blood flowed down the side of her mouth.

"Good God…" Marron muttered in horror. "Len's killing her from the inside…"

"What!" Both Bolt and Hawk exclaimed.

"That can't be!" Bolt continued. "Z said Len wasn't a mutant!"

"And not a human either, Bolt!" Hawk replied.

"Something's wrong…" Marron muttered. She closed her eyes, trying to use her powers to reach Z. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. "Z can hear us! She's alive! Z! Tell Len to stop!"

Z made another gurgling sound, and Len screamed. Len suddenly lifted her arms up and Z gave a cough. Len flung her arms in front of her and Z, still floating, was thrown through the curtains and out into the living room.

"No…Z!" Marron ran out of the room and to where Z had been thrown, the other two mutants following her. Several other mutants crowded around, confused as to what was going on.

A scream came from the curtains and Marron looked up to see Len standing in front of the curtains. Len was holding her head and shaking it from side to side as if it was in pain.

"Len!" Marron screamed, running to her and grabbing her arms. "Len! You've got to stop this! Stop it! LEN!"

Len screamed and pushed Marron away. She walked towards Z and lifted up her arms. Z started to float once again and the other mutants backed away in fear. Her eyes were still open, and the visions that were in her eyes had not ceased.

Marron immediately realized what was going to happen. "NO! LEN! DON'T!"

But it was too late.

Z was flung to the other side of the room, where she collapsed onto the ground, her eyes back to their normal white color. She didn't move nor make a sound.

Len had stopped screaming and had also fallen to the ground, fast asleep and breathing evenly.

The rest of the mutants just stood silently where they were.

Marron was close to tears. She ran a hand through her hair and took her cell phone out, punching a few numbers. After the first ring, a voice answered on the other end. "Von? Yeah…we need to have a meeting tonight. Yeah. Z's knocked out. Len did it. No, not intentionally, at least I don't think…uh huh. I know, Von. I know that can't be possible, but it's true. Z's out. Yes. Thank you. Later." She sighed as she closed her phone and looked at everyone else. They were all staring at her. Marron took a deep breath and recollected herself. "Let's clean up this mess now. Bolt, bring Len back into Z's room. Hawk, put Z on the rug. We're gonna have a meeting tonight."

The mutants began to clean the area. Bolt picked up Len and began to carry her back to Z's room. As he passed Marron, he glanced at her. "No one's ever been able to hurt Z like that. No one. So why now? And why Len?"

"Believe me, Bolt, I wish I had that answer," Marron muttered…

Len blinked several times as she breathed heavily on the floor where she was sitting. Reminisce slowly placed his hands on his lap and sighed, his eyes closed. There seemed to be a few more wrinkles on his brow as if this was a difficult task for him, which may have been the case.

Len glanced at Z, her eyes filling with tears as she shook her head in disbelief. "I…I couldn't have…I didn't mean to…I…I didn't…" That was all that she could say. The tears soon started to flow down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Marron walked over to where Len was sitting and knelt down beside her, as Hawk gave Len's shoulders a squeeze.

"We know you didn't mean it, Len. The mutants that witnessed that know that you were still asleep. It's all right, Len. Z will be fine. Don't worry. She's a strong mutant, in fact, stronger than most of us." She gave a sigh. "But I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you, Len, but you must realize by now." She dropped her head down for a moment before bringing it back up to face Len. Len looked back at her through red eyes and noticed that there was a look of pity within Marron's features.

"You're a mutant, Len. You're a mutant."