I do not own X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Or the DVD. Yet. Boo.

The Story Left Untold

Chapter 6: Invasion of Privacy


When they arrived on the outskirts of D.C. two hours later, it was dark.

"We need to rest," Raven relayed to Hank.

He thought about it.

Well, we could drop in on Peter Maximoff. But I think his mom might freak out. We kind of . . . absconded with him last time we were in town.

Raven pulled into a seedy-looking motel parking lot.

Hank tried not to sound pretentious.

"Here?"

She looked at him.

"Yes. Low profile."

But what if the roaches turn us in to Trask?

He decided to keep his mouth shut.

And followed Raven into the clerk's office.

"Hello," Raven put on her best, sweetest smile.

The clerk looked up. She was an older lady with permed hair and overlarge glasses. She was reading a tawdry, bodice-ripping novel.

"Hello, dear," she replied, returning Raven's smile and discreetly slipping the book under the newspaper on the counter as they approached.

Oooh, look, she's hiding. Get her, Mystique!

Hank thought his sardonic side might be starting to overwhelm his good sense. Of course, it had been a long, eventful day.

"We'd like a room, please," requested the charming blonde Hank suddenly found himself in the presence of.

The matronly woman looked from one to the other.

"Just the one?"

Raven was quicker than Hank.

"Yes."

The grandmother seemed to weigh them carefully.

"What are you in town for?"

Raven snuggled up against Hank, who somehow managed to keep his jaw from dropping off his face.

"Honeymoon."


Raven opened the door to their honeymoon boudoir.

Hank looked around at the sparse room. It appeared very tidy and clean despite the threadbare and inexpensive furnishings. Much more habitable than he'd suspected from the outside of the building.

Still . . .

"One room?"

She glanced over at him.

"Yeah. You can sleep in the car if you prefer."

He wished desperately he had more cash than was in his wallet.

"Uh . . ."

She sighed.

"Look, I'm not rolling in the dough like your former mansion mate. Besides, it has two beds," she gestured.

Yeah, but . . .

What if I snore? What if I have flatulence? What if I sleepwalk into your bed? I don't think it's a good idea.

She was still eyeing him expectantly.

"Okay," he relented.

Then turned around and looked around at the surrounding establishments. He found one to suit his needs.

"Uh, I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she questioned suspiciously.

He pointed.

Her eyebrows raised in bafflement.

"You're going shopping?"

He shrugged, trying to maintain his dignity.

"I didn't bring anything but what was on me. I just sort of walked out."

The mischievous light he remembered was trying to glint in her eyes.

"So you need some Pond's face cream?"

He sighed, caught somewhere between amused and beginning to die of embarrassment.

"No, I need . . . sleeping clothes."

She stared at him.

"Really?"

He stared back.

"Yes. I can't sleep in these clothes and I'm not going to walk around naked. It wouldn't look as good on me as it does on you."

The last part slipped out before Hank even knew it was there and his shocked and horrified expression caused her to raise an eyebrow in stifled amusement.

"Uh . . . I mean . . ." he started stammer.

Raven rolled her sky blue eyes.

"Oh my god, Hank! Just go before you hurt yourself."

But she looked like she fighting not to smile or laugh.

And then she handed him the key, went into the motel room, and closed the door.


When Hank returned fifteen minutes later, Mystique was blue and scaly again. Sitting at the small table with a paper cup in her hand.

She seemed to be staring into its depths as if it held magical powers.

"Hey."

She didn't bother to answer.

Hank went into the small bathroom and shut the door.

He changed clothes, brushed his teeth, and washed his face.

Leaving the bathroom, he hung up his only set of clothes neatly on a hook.

And turned to her.

She looked forlorn.

"Mystique?"

She didn't look up.

Moody again? So no pillow fight I suppose. Oh well. Bet the pillows are like rocks anyway.

He left her alone and went out to the car. Retrieved the medical supplies he'd gathered for her at Xavier Manor.

And gazed up at the cloudy night sky.

I wish I could see stars. Stars would give me hope.

There were no stars. No moon. No heavenly lights of any kind.

Only man made. Man who destroyed the world and each other out of ignorance and stupidity and pride and hate.

Hank gripped the medical bag tightly and went inside.

She was exactly where he had left her. He approached slowly, as if approaching a wild animal.

"I need to check your bandage."

She didn't move.

"Mystique?"

She huffed at him.

"You just did five hours ago, Hank."

He knelt before her, well aware of his submissive position.

"Yeah, I need to see if the puffiness around the entry wound has gone down."

She sighed, shifted a little, and stuck out her leg for his inspection.

It was more difficult to concentrate this time without denim covering her form. He swallowed hard and set his jaw, keeping his eyes firmly on her calf, refusing to ask her to cover up.

The discoloration did seem a little better and definitely no worse so he reapplied some healing agent and affixed the bandage again.

Then he moved away from her and sat on the bed closest to the door. He'd instinctively chosen that one, thinking to give her extra seconds to defend herself in the event of a break in.

"So what are we going to do?"

She stood slowly, seeming lost in thought. He thought he saw something pass through her eyes, like a trick of the light.

"I . . . I don't know. I never meant to turn out this way. I just wanted to keep our mutant brothers and sisters safe. I never meant to hurt anybody."

She's . . . changing her mind? What was in that cup?

Hank wanted to feel hopeful that the current of the river was changing.

But he couldn't quite yet.

Mystique took a trembly step, then halted. Her face grimaced and then cleared.

As if she were struggling somehow.

With the weight of her decision? Or something else? Careful, McCoy, she may be trying to test you, trick you.

"I think maybe we should go back to the Manor," Mystique continued, as if the idea had just occurred to her. "Talk to Charles and Logan. Figure out a new plan to stop Trask. You could even fly us back out here tomorrow if we need to cut and run, yes?"

Hank nodded slowly and rose.

Raven stood still, her blue, scaly chest heaving.

Grr . . .

I know. Something's not right. But I can't tell . . .

Hank observed her carefully. Her movements, her voice, her words. It all seemed awkward and unnatural. A complete deviation from everything she'd portrayed thus far.

"Mystique, are you sure you want to go back now? It's late. We could sleep here and go back in the morning. We have time."

She didn't respond for a moment. Then her entire body twitched. And she spoke.

"Don't you want me to have peace, Hank? You don't want me to become a murderer, do you? Please, help me go home and start over."

Hank's heart tore a little at the pleading in her voice.

But his brain was working on an entirely different plane.

Grr . . .

Yeah, it's just not adding up . . .

'Cut and run, yes?'

Growl . . .

That's not the way Raven talks.

Growl . . .

That's how-

"Charles!" he swore, his usually affable voice intense and dangerous.

The figure of Charles Xavier, scraggly beard, unwashed hair, wrinkled hippie clothes and all, overtook the space where Mystique had been only a moment before.

"Hello, Hank."

Hank growled, feeling the Beast bristle up inside him.

"What do you think you are you doing, Charles?!"

Charles' bloodshot eyes attempted to appeal to Hank's sense of compassion.

"I'm trying to get you to come home. Both of you."

Hank was beyond fury.

"How can you do this to Raven?! Invading her like this?! You're raping her!"

The image of Charles flinched at Hank's purposefully harsh word.

"I'm not trying to hurt her, Hank."

"Then get out of her, Charles!"

Charles's face hardened as if he were trying to control his emotions.

"Hank, I'm trying to talk to you! Please, come home! We need you here! She needs to be here! We have that chance right now! Please, bring her back!"

Hank's fists clenched, his claws digging into his palms.

"Get out of her, Charles!"

Charles' calm expression broke.

"Fine!" he shouted.

And disappeared.

Raven wilted visibly.

Hank was about to rush her side whether she wanted him to or not, when he was struck with a blinding pain behind his eyes, radiating throughout his skull. Making his abruptly sharpening teeth grind in his mouth. He bit his tongue badly.

And crumpled to the thinly carpeted floor of the motel room, clenching his blue, furry head in his clawed hands.

Stop, Charles!

Bring her home, Hank!

No!

I could take it all away, Hank. Everything you are. Bring her home!

NO! You'll have to kill me, Charles!

Don't test my desperation, Hank!

The pain intensified until Hank let out a strangled scream.

He felt, rather than saw, the movement.

Attempted to glance up through his excruciating agony.

Her. Raven. Mystique. Standing over him. Face grim.

She knelt, gripped his chin roughly in one hand, jerking his head up. And spoke to him. Or more accurately, not to him, but to her former mutant brother residing within him.

"I will never forgive you for this, Charles!" she spat venomously.

Then she hit Hank hard in the side of the head.

Though he understood her intention, he still retaliated.

Roaring furiously at her, at Charles, at the whole world.

And lashed out, shoving her away as hard as he could.

She flew backward, hitting the wall, and collapsing in a pained explosion of breath.

Rising stubbornly to her feet, approaching him again.

He growled deep in his chest, orange eyes ablaze, but held himself steady.

Cognitive recalibration. This is going to hurt.

She roundhouse kicked him in the temple.

And his entire world went black.


Alrighty, what you do think of that?

Catch the Avengers Easter egg when Black Widow takes out Hawkeye to kick out the mind control? Well, I tried.

And remember when Raven/Mystique is yelling at Charles to get out of her head during the final fight? Well, now she's got more reason to be so angry.

Thanks to brigid1318 who beta-ed this chapter over and over and . . . love you, sweetie!

Anyway, thanks to brigid1318, MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul, and DaniNatureGirl313 for taking the time to read and review.

Thanks as well to the silent readers out there. I appreciate you guys as well. :)