CHAPTER 18

Gideon's POV

Various emotions played out on my father's face. Shock, confusion, anger. I stepped towards him, intending to explain-but my father held up his hand. "Gideon-"

He began. The professor spoke up. "We'll give you two a minute." He murmured. Everyone filed out after the professor. Once everyone was out, the heavy door clanged shut. I gulped. My father began. "What, exactly, where you thinking?" He sounded calm, but I could hear the simmering rage beneath the words. One wrong word from me and the whole dam of emotions and anger my father was obviously trying to keep in check would come flooding out-at me. "It wasn't a conscious decision, father. It just…happened."

"How long?"

"A few months."

My father exhaled and turned away from me. "Women. Always more trouble than they're worth." He muttered. "I am just as culpable as Alex in this-"

"Alex?" My father whirled around, repeating Alex's name with sarcasm and an undercurrent of something else I couldn't quite place my finger on.

"Alexandria." I corrected, but I refused to use 'Miss Xavier' just to appease my father. It felt too heavy, too formal.

My father turned away and walked up to the platform where his desk sat. Taking a seat, he dragged his hand across his face. "Tell me. Did you have any ulterior motives toward Miss Xavier?"

"No. I did not." I knew he wanted me make it easy on him and tell him what he wanted to hear, but I was done lying.

"I see. And what is the extent of your involvement with her?"

I took a half second to steel myself for the reaction that my answer would undoubtly cause.

"I love her."

Chad's POV

I was pressed against the door, straining to hear. "Damn." I could hear voices, but not what was being said. Glancing over where the professor was sitting with his people, I briefly wondered if he was listening in on the conversation. His eyes met mine.

"The answer to your question is no."

I gave him a shrug and slid down to sit on the floor.

Gideon's POV

My father's outburst at my admission of love for Alex had sent any object with any metal toppling to the floor. He was standing now, having shot to his feet.

"Gideon-"

I interrupted him. "Don't, Father. Don't. I know you're about to say that you don't think I'm old enough, or that I don't know what love is, not really, or that what I feel is just a teenage infatuation-so just stop. I love Alex. I love her. And I'm pretty sure she feels the same way-"

My father gave a mirthless laugh. "Here you are professing your love for a woman who's feeling you yourself are not sure of!"

"I am sure!" I shouted. "I love her! She loves me! That's the reality you are now faced with. You can either get on board or you can be left to your narrow minded angers and prejudices."

We stood face to face now, both angry. "Gideon-"

This time I was the one to hold up my hand. "No. Don't say anything. You would just be speaking out of anger and rage. I'm going to go out for a while-let you stew over what I've said here. Let the others back in, deal with this diseases crisis. I'm going to clear my head and calm down. I suggest you do the same."

I strode past him-towards the back exit. As I reached the door, My father shouted at me. "Where do you think you're going?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I replied "Where do you think?"

With that, I closed the door behind me.

Professor Xavier's POV

Erik opened the double doors to his main room. "You all might as well come in now."

Glancing around as I re-entered the room, I noted that Gideon was no longer inside. Emma Frost spoke up. "Where did Gideon go?"

Erik sighed. "To clear his head, apparently. Let's just deal with the crisis right now."

There was a beat of silence before everyone resumed their tasks and discussions that had been occurring before Gideon's confession. Erik was sitting in his desk chair. I approached him as far as I could and waited for him to speak first.

Erik sighed. "I take it you knew?"

I nodded.

"How long?"

"Since Alexandria was hospitalized."

"You didn't consider telling me?"

"of course. However I ultimately decided it was Gideon's place to tell you, or to not tell you."

"Of course you did."

Alexandria's POV

I'd just slid a batch of potato skins into the oven and set the timer when my phone rang.

"Hey Dad." I answered.

"Hello Alex. It seems that today is quite the day for upheaval."

"What are you talking about?"

"Gideon told Erik about the two of you."

"Oh." I had a private moment of happiness. Earlier, I hadn't been sure that Gideon would tell his father-whose temper was practically legend.

"That added to the mutant crisis, it's been hectic."

"Wait, what mutant crisis?"

"Turn on the TV."

I walked over to the den and switched on the TV to ABC news. It took only minutes for the reality to sink in.

"Are you watching it?"

"Yeah. Holy…"

There was a knock on the door.

"Hey dad, can I call you back?"

"Of course."

I hit END CALL, and rushed to the door. Opening it to reveal Gideon standing there.

He spoke first. "I told-"

"I know." I threw my arms around him.

Once I released him, he stepped inside. "Alex-have you left this house?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Good. Don't."

Gideon took my hand as we walked towards the TV, which was still on the mutant story. "Why?"

Gideon gestured towards the TV. 'That's why. It's chaos everywhere. Mutants and humans alike are taking to the streets. Plus, the disease seems to be spreading. You can't be infected here. I nodded. As much as I hated to say it, Gideon's logic was sound.

We both sat down.

"Ok. So what now?"

Gideon looked over at me.

"I have no fucking clue."