Hey guys! So this chapter is gearing up for the battle! A little short, but I promise the next few chapters will more than make up for it! Thanks to silly60, Shinigamidemidragonslayer99, EmmaAWatson98, and LittleAngelBlue for following and favoriting! It makes me so incredibly happy! :D

Disclaimer: Umm.. Let me see.. *checks records* Nope! Still don't own.

Reader-Insert Key: Y/N= Your name.

After the President's address, and our subsequent assignment, we headed to our rooms.

"You nervous about tomorrow?" Alex asks me, as we stand right outside our rooms.

I considered lying, but not seeing a point in it, I nod. "After seeing what Sebastian and the other mutants can do? Yeah.. Are you?"

He nods. "We'll be fine, though." He tries to say, confidently.

"Will we really?" I ask softly.

Alex doesn't reply.

"You know.. This life or death thing really does make you think about what's important. And that you should always say what's in your heart. Cause you may not get the chance to say what you really mean." I glance up to see him looking at me with an intense expression.

How could it be so easy to get lost in someone's eyes?

Alex starts to speak. "Y/N... I.."

"Goodnight, guys!" Hank calls from down the hallway.

Alex's mouth immediately snaps closed, his eyes closing in frustration. I bit back a groan. Is there no privacy here?!

"Goodnight, Hank." I say, tersely.

The moment was obviously dead.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight." Alex says.

Why can't you just say what you really want to say, Alex?

"Goodnight, Alex." I whisper. And, knowing we could very well die tomorrow, I rise on the tips of my toes and kiss his cheek gently. I quickly dash into my room and close the door, not bothering to see his reaction.

As tears form in my eyes, I think, 'At least I said what I really meant.'

Despite Eric's advice earlier, I didn't get a good night's sleep. Nightmares plagued my dreams

The next morning, Professor Xavier calls us to the lab. Alex seemed really distant towards me. Well, that answers my question on what his feelings are. It hit me last night. Or, more like I finally admitted it to myself. I had strong feelings for Alex. I just wasn't sure how deep those feeling went. But since he wouldn't hardly look at me since I kissed him (well, his cheek), I assumed he didn't reciprocate them. When we reached the lab door, we saw a note taped to the front:

'Gone to the airbase, bring the crate marked X.

Hank.'

The Professor took the note down, opening the door. Inside was utter destruction. It looked like a bomb went off. Large equipment pieces were destroyed, work tables were overthrown, beakers and vials smashed, and papers were scattered on the floor.

"What happened in here?" Eric asks.

The Professor doesn't answer. I doubt he knew.

At the back of the room was a metal box marked, "X." Professor Xavier opens it.

"Hank has been busy." Eric observes.

Inside were some very.. Interesting suits.

"Do we really have to wear these?" Alex asks, with dread.

"There's none of us mutated to endure extreme GeForce or riddled by bullets. I suggest we suit up." The Professor replies, slamming the lid shut.

Splendid.

We arrive at the airbase, decked out in our new, very yellow, suits. Each suit was slightly different, tailoring to our needs. At first we were a little confused on whose was whose. But then the Professor found names engraved on the inside of the collars.

"Ocea!" Alex calls. I look up and he tosses me a suit. I was surprised he addressed me in general, much less by the code name he gave me. "I didn't need to read the name to figure out that was yours." He said.

I looked down at the suit and saw that he was right. When the suit caught the light, tiny silver wave patterns appeared. I smiled. Hank definitely got it right. I nodded my thanks to Alex. Maybe we're okay after all.. Not great, but okay.

I looked at the others' suits. I noticed Alex's had a much sleeker version of the metal plate, this time silver, made into his.

"Where's Hank?" Raven asks. We all turn our heads to look at her, no doubt wondering the same thing.

"I'm here." Hank's voice echoes throughout the hangar. We see him approaching from a ways off. But as he draws closer, we notice his outline is different.

"Hank?" The Professor asks, worriedly.

As we get a good look at him, I gasp softly. He's blue.. And furry. Not to mention twice his normal size.

"It didn't attack the cells.. It enhanced them." He looks down. "It didn't work."

"Yes. It did, Hank." Raven says. "Don't you see? This is who you're meant to be." She places a hand on his cheek. "This is you. No more hiding."

"Never looked better, man." Eric says, lightly slapping Hank on the arm.

Fast as lightening, Hank's hand wraps around Eric's throat, choking him. I jumped in fright.

"Hank." Professor Xavier cautions.

Hank lets out an animalistic snarl. "Don't mock me."

"Hank, put him down immediately." The Professor orders. "Hank. Hank!"

Finally, Hank lets go of Eric, who falls on one knee.

"I wasn't." Eric gasps out, trying to assure Hank.

"Even I gotta admit you look pretty epic." Alex joins in. "I think I got a new name for you.. Beast."

Hank/Beast grunts, seemingly pleased with the name.

And just like that, we're back to using our code names.

"You sure you can fly this thing?" Banshee asks.

"Course I can." Beast replies. "I designed it."

"Let's get this show on the road, then." I say. "Nothing I love more than heights." I shoot a glare at Eric, before boarding the jet.

"Feisty." I hear Banshee mumble.

As always, REVIEW! :D

~Kate