Hey guys! This is Iggypop back with another chapter. I don't own any of the characters except for a few. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I would really appreciate it if I got reviews. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with this chapter and I think I've got it right. I hope you guys think so too! Thanks a lot and happy reading!

~ Iggypop

It was torture. For the past two weeks Logan had worked his children out to the point of exhaustion. Their yard was starting to look better each day but there was a lot of work still left to be done. Layla in particular became more tired day by day. With working on the yard, doing Connor's chores and her school work there was never anytime for sleep. When her mother had suggested to their father to give them a day off she took it. Still grounded she had no other choice but to go with her mother into the city if she wanted to get away from the institute and her house which had become her prison for the past two weeks. Ororo had taken Layla and Kaylin for a day of shopping. Kaylin was growing and needed a completely new wardrobe and Layla was just along for the ride. She wasn't a fan of shopping. What did it matter? Sweats and a t-shirt was enough for her. Kaylin however was excited to be in the city at all. She loved seeing the tall buildings, the different kinds of people that walked the streets, the posters and advertisements and the street sellers. Kaylin had decided she wanted to hold Layla's hand that day and when she saw a vendor selling balloons on the street she smiled up at her. Layla looked down to her younger sibling and smiled.

"Please Layla?" She asked with those puppy eyes that could tame any wild beast.

"If you don't be careful your face will stay like that" she warned. Kaylin's eye's widened and quickly went back to her normal face.

"Which one?" Layla sighed giving into the face she had taught her sister only a few months ago.

"The red one." Paying the vendor Layla took the balloon and tried to catch up with her mother. When they reached Ororo, Layla handed the balloon to a smiling Kaylin. Ororo looked around confused and looked back at the map she had in her hands.

"Mom, where are we going?" asked Layla.

"I think we went down the wrong street." Ororo said as she looked up at the street sign. Layla sighed and leaned against the building they stood next to. That's when she had noticed a group of girls about her age staring at them. Kaylin looked up to Layla and followed her eye line. Kaylin looked to the group of five girls, smiled and waved to them. All five girls blushed and walked away. Layla smirked to her little sister and squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I think I'm just going to call Katherine." Ororo said giving up on the map. As she dialled Kaylin had spotted a large group gathering a block away.

"Mommy, can Layla and I go see what's going on over there?" asked a curious Kaylin.

"I don't know…"

"Don't worry mom. We'll just take a quick look at what's going on." Layla reassured her. Ororo nodded and proceeded to talk on the phone with Kitty. Layla led Kaylin to the group and pushed to the front of the gathering. In the middle of this large group was tall pale man; next to him stood several people with flyers in their hands. He had looked like he had come off the streets but he presented a fear in Layla. There was something about him that didn't sit right with her. She was about to turn them around when he started to speak.

"My brothers and sisters welcome!" he shouted.

"We have an infestation living in our city, our state, our country, our world!" Layla could hear a small amount of cheers in the background. She was starting to get nervous.

"For decades we have been living under the fear of mutants. I say no more! No more fearing for our children's lives! No more of mutants living in our neighbourhoods! No more of one mutant taking the jobs of five men because he has powers! No more of our security being threatened! No more of our privacy being threatened! No more mutants!" The cheers were getting louder.

"How many of you realize that there are mutants who can control your very actions?! They could know you're thoughts and your deepest secrets. They could make you do whatever they want without your consent! I say stop the threat now before it escalates into a disaster!" Now there was clapping.

"Mr. Yale! Do you think this could start a civil war?" A reporter no doubt thought Layla.

"A civil war? No. This can't be a civil war. A civil war means a war between two parties of the same country. I do not see these things as people. I see them as a disease. A cure had been found years ago to no avail. I suggest we eliminate this disease and the people who carry it." Layla could feel her stomach turning. Kaylin looked up at Layla with confusion in her eyes.

"What about Elton Williams? He suggests that humans should welcome the mutants with open arms." Another reporter asked.

"Elton Williams has his head in the clouds. I suggest we deal with the mutant population head on. When a twelve year old boy decides to set Mr. Williams' house on fire with his eyes for fun I wonder if he'll still be spilling out that mutant acceptance crap. I ask you my brothers and sisters to join us in the fight against mutants! Against this disease that contaminates these streets!" Most of them were cheering now. Kaylin grabbed onto Layla's leg and buried her face in her shirt. One of Yale's followers handed her a flyer and she started to feel sick. Layla grabbed Kaylin's hand and pushed past the crowed to her mother. One sentence remained in her head. 'No more mutants.' When they had reached Ororo tears had began forming in Kaylin's eyes. Already clouds were beginning to form. Kaylin ran into her mother's arms. Ororo picked her up and patted her head trying to soothe her.

"Kaylin what's wrong?" she asked as the little girl began to sob. There was a drizzle now.

"We need to leave." Layla said handing the flyer to her mother. Ororo took the flyer and gave Layla a confused expression. After looking over the flyer Ororo gave her an expression Layla hadn't seen since she was four years old, fear.

********

"A faculty meeting?" asked Bobby Drake.

"I know it seems suspicious…" Ororo responded.

"Yeah, especially at two in the morning."

"I didn't want a meeting until I've done research on the matter."

"What's going on Storm?" asked Jubilee. Ororo smiled at her old code name. It had been a while since she had been on the field and truth be told she had missed hearing it. She along with the rest of the faculty had gathered in her office. After returning from the city she had done numerous researches on Maxwell Yale and his group. What she found unsettled her and she needed to have a meeting right then and there. She brought two pictures up on the computer screens behind her.

"I can guess we all know who this is?" she asked and pointed to right screen. Everyone nodded affirming her assumption.

"Yeah, that's congressman Elton Matthews. Isn't he the one that's all pro mutant?" asked Kitty.

"Yes Katherine, indeed he is pro mutant. Last month Congressman Matthews had proposed the mutant civil rights act. He's touring the country and encouraging everyone to embrace this law. What about him?" Ororo asked now pointing to her left. The room remained silent. Evidently no one knew of this man or what he was doing.

"This is Maxwell Yale. He came from a wealthy family, graduated from an ivy league school, had a high paying job and had a wife and two kids." She continued.

"So what's his problem now?" Logan asked as he crossed his arms and leaned against his desk.

"Well after working for the company for a few years his boss who happened to let him go was a mutant. Months after his release his wife left him for that same boss. Yale has directed his anger to the mutant population ever since. He's been trying to get the city to agree with him and slowly he's beginning to from a group of his own." Ororo handed the flyer to Logan. He looked at it shrugged and past it around.

"It's always been like this. Why is it a problem now?" Bobby asked and handed the flyer back to Ororo.

"The group is becoming larger. They call themselves the Anti-Mutant Coalition or the AMC. I'm starting to worry about the children. I think we better keep them inside the grounds at all times. At least until the mutant civil rights act bill is passed." She said now shutting off the screens.

"I wouldn't worry about it Storm. Elton Matthews is getting positive reviews from the population. A lot of people agree with his views. This Anti-Mutant Coalition, AMC or whatever they are shouldn't last long." Jubilee said as she got up and stretched her arms. Ororo nodded.

"Still…I don't want anyone leaving the premises, just to be safe." When everyone left the room Logan walked up to Ororo and placed his forehead onto hers.

"Layla told me what happened today." Logan said as he interlaced his fingers with hers.

"Goddess Logan you don't know how much that killed me." Ororo said as tears began to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Darlin'" he said as he wiped away the tears that were already starting to fall.

"Kaylin has always known that world as a safe, happy, loving place because of where she grew up" she said as she threw her hands up indicating the mansion.

"We go to the city and she sees that life isn't always perfect, that there is hate. And you know what she asked me Logan? She asked me why those people hated us. And I couldn't give her a reason." She could feel the lump in her throat beginning to form now.

"She had to find out some time. But I didn't want for it to be like this." Logan said now holding a sobbing Ororo. It took some time before she had stopped crying. Finally when her weeping had ceased she looked up to her husband.

"Do you think Jubilation is right? Do you think this will die down?" she asked hoping he would ease her worry. Logan held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. What should have made her feel more at ease only increased her concern.

"I hope so darlin', I hope so."

*********

She was sitting in Uncle Henry's doctor's office in the basement of the mansion. She sat on the examination table and toyed with a strand of her hair and sighed. Dye had never stayed in her hair for too long. She thought it was due to the white hair she was cursed with at birth or it could be the texture she thought. Two days prior to this visit she had attempted to dye her hair pink just to see how it would play out. Already the dye was fading to a light pink that was barely noticeable. The office she sat in reminded her of a mental institution. The walls were covered in white. All that remained in the office was the examination table she was sitting on, a desk with a computer a table with different kinds of medical equipment and two chairs that were placed in the corner of the office. If only these walls were soft and squishy she thought. Then I wouldn't be SO bored. She was about to play with the medical equipment when she heard her mother scream just outside the office. Layla raced to the door and peaked out. There she found her mother sobbing in her father's arms. Uncle Henry had his head down as if he was ashamed of something he had said.

"Are you sure?" Logan asked holding his wife as she cried into his shirt.

"Yes Logan. It's very unlikely that it will happen." Henry McCoy had heard of cases like these but he never thought that it had actually been true.

"How unlikely?" Ororo had managed to say as she tried to hold her tears at bay.

"Less than two percent." Ororo gasped and clutched to Logan even tighter.

"How could this have happened? Connor has had his for two years now. Even Kaylin is showing signs." Exclaimed Ororo unable to comprehend what was going on.

"I have heard of cases where this has happened. It could be due to that fact that she's Connor's twin and he attained the mutant gene more so than her, her body could have denied it during your pregnancy, maybe it skipped her because she is the middle child. There are so many possibilities Ororo it's impossible to actually know why. I've done numerous tests on her and still she shows no signs of getting her powers." Henry said his face was forlorn.

"What does that mean?" asked Logan looking back at Henry with pleading eyes now.

"It means that she is now fourteen going on fifteen, if she hasn't shown signs of getting her powers now. Chances are she will never get them. She's human."

Layla woke up screaming from her nightmare. She had had that dream ever since that day and she had had the same reaction. She remembered everything about that day. What she had worn, what her parents had said to try and comfort her, what her brother tried to do to make her feel better. Even though no one said anything to her face she could tell that the teachers and her classmates felt sorry for her. She hated that feeling. They pitied her. Layla looked at the clock. It was four thirty in the morning. She sighed and wished the day would begin already. Knowing that it would be impossible for her to fall back asleep she went to go get a fresh breath of air and walked out onto the new balcony. She sat there for a few minutes until she heard the door close behind her.

"Why are you up so early darlin'?" asked her father as he stood next to her and looked up at the stars.

"Nightmare." She said and looked away ashamed that her father the mighty wolverine see her at her most vulnerable state.

"Same one?" he asked.

"Same one." She confirmed.

"You know we've never talked about it after that day…" he said.

"I'd like to keep it like that." She said as she continued to look away she could feel her chest tightening.

"I think it would help."

"Dad please…" she said now looking up at him. Logan's heart broke when he saw her. Her eyes were turning red and tears were starting to streak her face.

"Darlin'…" he said but as he approached to hug her she backed away.

"You want to know how I feel? I feel cheated. It's not fair that everyone else in this god forsaken place has one thing in common that I don't have. I feel as if whatever created this world forgot about me, forgot who my parents were, forgot what I was supposed to be. I'm the daughter of the great Wolverine and the Goddess Storm! I feel like…like I'm not fit to be your daughter. You know I've never been jealous of Connor or Kaylin. I've always known it wasn't their fault that I was cursed with this stupid body. I guess I should be grateful that I'm normal right?" She asked her father. Logan remained silent he knew she wasn't finished.

"Dad, I hate this! I hate that I look the part of being a mutant but not actually having the quirks. I know about the AMC dad." Logan didn't say anything he figured his daughter would do some research of her own when they got home from their trip.

"You want to know what the crazy thing is? Even now when I should be happy that I'm human I still want to be a mutant. I've anticipated mutation since I was small. When it never showed up I hated myself. Sometimes I still do." She said. When Logan advanced to hug her she didn't protest and let his arms envelop around her body.

"It was never your fault. Your mother and I have always loved you. You know that. But darlin' you need to accept that this is what you are. Like every mutant in this place has accepted what they are. We are all so much more than mutants just like you're so much more than a human." He said as he held her head next to his chest. The two of them stood like this for a while until Layla broke the embrace and smiled up at him.

"Thanks dad…but it still doesn't change how I feel."

"I know but it helps right?" He asked with an encouraging smile. She nodded.

"It helps." Logan slung one arm over her shoulder and continued to look up at the stars with her. He was quiet for a moment then asked her a question he had been wondering for a while.

"Layla what happened between you and that Heather girl?" Layla sighed and gave the puppy dog look Kaylin had given her only hours ago.

"I bumped into her by accident and Jell-O landed on her new shoes. She said I was freak in a school of freaks because I was average. So I punched her in the eye." She said as she smiled up at him. Logan studied her face and smiled back.

"That's my girl."

********

"You wanna do what?" Layla asked astonished at her brother's request.

"Hang out. You know try to do the twin bonding thing." Layla thought for a while as she, Connor and Kaylin walked from the school to their house.

"What about me!" asked an upset Kaylin as she was being carried on Connor's back in not being included.

"Sure. We'll make it a sisters and dangerously gorgeous brother day" he replied.

"Where are we going to go? We're still grounded plus mom's got the whole place on lock down."

"We'll sneak out." Connor said as he shrugged.

"Like we're spies?" asked an excited Kaylin. Connor smiled back at her.

"Like we're spies!" he said as he ran around in a circle humming the James Bond theme song as Kaylin laughed in his ear. Layla however didn't look as excited.

"I don't know…"

"Aww come on Layla! Don't be a party pooper!" Connor replied as he put Kaylin down on the floor.

"Yeah pooper!" she echoed. Layla glared down at her sister.

"It's party pooper Kaylin."

"No. I mean what I said. You're a pooper!" Layla smiled and started to tickle her.

"Am I still a pooper?" she asked as Kaylin laughed uncontrollably.

"NO! NO!" she laughed. Layla smiled and stopped. Connor waited impatiently for an answer.

"So?" he asked. Kaylin gave Layla those same puppy eyes she had used in the city. Layla sighed and looked to her brother who attempted to give those same eyes.

"Fine. Let's sneak out; only if Kaylin promises not to tell mom and dad even after we've come back."

"I promise" she said as she held out her pinky finger. Layla smiled and hooked her pinky with her sister.

********

To Layla's amazement they had managed to leave the house without any problems. Ororo had gone to bed early and Logan had gone into overtime with training his class. Connor had settled to take their father's old pick up instead of the vintage Chevrolet Camero. Connor had complained the whole way to the city that the best choice would have been to take the camero rather than the pick up claiming the three could have looked like the were rich. Connor had adored that car ever since his father had bought it. He knew he would never have it though. It wasn't like his father would leave it in his will. He wasn't going to die anytime soon. The three had gone to see Bambi at the dollar theatre. It had been playing that month and Kaylin had bugged them into watching it. It wasn't as bad as Layla had thought it would be. It was when they were walking back to the car that she noticed the time.

"Connor it's almost eleven. We should head back." She said worrying that their father would be at their house waiting to murder each of them. Connor nodded as he held his sleeping sister and walked to pick up. As they drove home Layla noticed the speed of the pick up started increase.

"You might want to slow down." She said as she pointed to the speedometer.

"You want to get home before dad does, don't you?" he asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Yeah, but not if it means-"

"What? What's the worst that can happen?" he asked. Not a moment too soon did the two hear a siren and view flashing lights in the rear-view mirror.

"That" she said as he pulled over to the side of the road.

"What's going on?" asked Kaylin as she sat up in the back seat.

"Connor was speeding. Now a police man is just going to give him a ticket and dad's gonna kill him and us because he's going to find out we snuck out. Good job!" She said and gave me a smile and a thumbs up.

"Yeah, good job Connor!" Kaylin said as she slumped back into her seat.

"I thought you were on my side!" he said as he turned around to look at her in shock. He turned back around in his seat as he heard the sound of a car door being closed and the sounds of footsteps walking to the car. His breathing began to quicken.

"Nervous much?" asked Layla. Connor turned to her and glared. He heard a tapping against his window and he turned his head to the police officer. The man made the signal for him to lower his windshield.

"Turn off your vehicle please. Can I see your license and registration?"

"Is there a problem officer?" Connor asked as he handed licence and the registration to the police man. Layla rolled her eyes at his remark. Typical of him to say the most common thing as soon as you get pulled over she thought.

"You realize you were going 80 miles an hour when the speed limit was 50?" he asked.

"I was just trying to get my sisters home. I'm sorry officer."

"I'll be back. I just want to verify these." He said as he went over to his police cruiser. Connor sighed and leaned back against his seat.

"How dead do you think I am when we get home?" he asked as he turned his head towards his sister.

"Let's just say it's too bad you didn't get dad's healing factor" she said then turned to check up on a tired Kaylin.

"Are you going to jail Connor?" Kaylin asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"I wish." He said under his breath. Anything to not have to go home he thought. He turned around when he noticed the officer coming back in his side mirror.

"You're free to go but I have to give you a warning. Be careful out there. You wouldn't want your sisters to get hurt would you Mr. Howlette?" he asked. Connor shook his head and took the piece of paper from the officer.

"Thanks officer. I'll drive slower." Connor started the car and drove off as fast as he was allowed to go without breaking the law. The police man smiled and took out his phone. He dialled a number he knew all to well and waited. When he heard the phone pick up his anticipation grew.

"Dallas? Yeah this is Todd." He waited as he heard yelling on the other end of the line.

"Yeah I know we're not supposed to call this number directly but…" he waited again for the man to stop.

"Would you just shut up? Look I have something important to tell him." He waited a while until he heard the voice of the man he was anticipating.

"Hello sir? Yes this Todd. I think you'll be really interested in what I've found".