AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Whew! It's been crazy-sorry I took so long to update you guys! I'm excited about this-This chapter and the next one, It's Alex's turn to play the white knight card-so I hope you enjoy it! As always, please rate/review-it's a big encouragement.

CHAPTER 19

Alexandria's POV

Gideon and I had sat on the couch, wordlessly watching the story run. There was nothing useful to say, no remarks that needed to be said aloud. I was scared. So was Gideon. As much as I hated being cooped up and forced to stay here-both Gideon and my father agreed that it was the best move. I wanted to be out and about like Gideon and our fathers, but there was very little I could do.

Professor Xavier's POV

The news of the Mutant Virus had been out for about a week now. Erik and I had both set up Quarantine shelters and issued an encouraging statement to bring any of the sick to one of them. We were working on a cure, but it was proving very difficult. The virus seemed to have the ability to appear normal-which was making it hard to find. Not to mention the speed at which it killed also hindered progress. We were having a hard time keeping someone alive long enough to perform tests. A lab had been created in the basement next to the infirmary, and Storm practically lived there. Cyclops and Gideon were working in the infirmary, while Logan and a few others kept a patrol. I must admit an admiration for Gideon. He had an ability to keep cool under extremely pressures, which helped calm others and the people who came in. I could not imagine he got that particular trait from his father, nor his compassion. I had seen it since he started working in the infirmary. He was dedicated, and never complained. The entire crew had been sleeping in two to three hour shifts, and it was hard on everyone-but no one complained. Hazmat suits had been ordered to keep the crew safe from infection while they studied the virus, or tended to the sick, due to the extremely contagious nature of the virus. It seemed that everyone who came into close contact with an infected person fell ill to it a few days later. All of those who had brought loved ones who were infected to the shelter had also fallen ill.

I felt a swinge of guilt over telling Alexandria to stay at the house. I knew it burned her to be kept on the sidelines, and that she could be helpful here. I knew Alexandria was a capable young woman but she was also my daughter and I wanted to know that she was somewhere safe. Gideon had made a few drives out to keep her in the loop.

Alexandria's POV

I heard a car swing into the driveway. Peeking through the curtains, I saw Gideon's car come to a stop. I hurried downstairs and opened the front door. Gideon got out of the car and started my way. I noticed his usual confident gait was wobbly-almost like he'd had too much to drink. "Are you alright?" He nodded. "Just exhausted-I only had a few hours of sleep all week."

"Come inside and take a nap. You look ragged."

"Thanks." I could tell he was trying to sound sarcastic, but in his sleep-deprived state he didn't quite pull it off.

I walked in behind him and pulled the door shut. "Get some sleep before you leave, and I'll make something for you to-Gideon!"

I rushed to his side as he collapsed, shaking. Putting a hand to his head I could feel that he was burning. Oh god. Gideon had been infected.

Gideon had collapsed a few hours ago, and I had gotten him upstairs and laid him in my bed. With that done, I called Alicia, fighting to remain calm.

"Hello?"

"Alicia! It's Alex."

"Alex? What's wrong?"

I couldn't keep my voice from shaking. "It's…Gideon-He's-He-" I couldn't make myself say it-it made it all too real. I wanted to pretend it wasn't happening.

"Alex? What happened? Where's Gideon?"

"He's sick." I said, voice still shaking.

"Oh my-ok Alex, listen to me. Don't go near him."

"What? Why?"

"It's really contagious-we don't need you getting sick too."

"Oh, ok." I hung up-I didn't tell her I'd already been close enough to him to drag him upstairs and get him situated in my bed. I didn't even consider the fact that he might be contagious.

Running a hand through my hair, I sat on the side of the bed.

Professor's POV

I was in the office, with Storm, Logan, and Cyclops. Erik was on the speakerphone as we shared information. Erik and Storm were talking about possibly attempting to dye cells with different solutions and see if any of the solutions stuck to the infected cells-in order to be able to see the virus while in an infected person.

Alicia came rushing in the room. "Professor-" She stopped when she noticed the others. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in a meeting."

"It's quite alright, Alicia. What is it?" I felt a moment of panic as Alicia was clearly trying to decide how to say her news.

"It's not Alexandria, isn't?" I asked, worry seeping into my voice.

She shook her head. "It's not Alex, It's Gideon. He collapsed at the house."

I heard an audible gasp from the speakerphone. Alicia looked at the phone. "Who-?

"Magneto." Storm answered. Alicia looked horrified. "I-"

"It's fine. Shh." Storm replied.

Magneto's POV

I made an involuntary noise when I heard Gideon was infected. My head swam. I ended the call and leaned back in the chair. I didn't know the address of the Xavier house, otherwise I would've driven over immediately.

Chad entered.

"Chad, do you know the address of the Xavier house?"

"Oh no, but I could find out."

"Do it. Then drive over and get Gideon."

Chad chuckled. "Why? Is Alexandria Xavier holding him hostage?"

"No. He's been infected. He collapsed earlier today at the house."

Chad's smile dropped off his face, and he rushed out without another word.

Alexandria's POV

I didn't know exactly what I should be doing to make Gideon feel better. From what I could gather, no one knew exactly what to do. I settled for a wet cloth. Gideon couldn't keep anything down, and it worried me. I dabbed at his brow, hating my helplessness.

He opened his eyes. "Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"You shouldn't be here-I'll infect you." His voice was weak, almost inaudible.

"Hey I'm not going to leave you here to fend for yourself."

"I can take care of myself." Gideon feebly tried to push me away.

"I don't think so."

I was distracted by a slamming door. What the hell?

I got up and rushed down the stairs. Gideon's friend Chad stood in my foyer.

"Chad?"

"Where is he Xavier?"

Well I see good news travels fast. "Upstairs." Chad made a move to get past me. I stepped sideways to block him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think? Taking him to his father."

"No!"

Chad gave an exasperated sigh. "He can't stay here, Xavier."

"Fine. Then I'll take him to the school."

Chad shook his head. "Absolutely not."

After a few minutes of arguing, he stormed out, my guess was to head back to the headquarters to get back-up.

After about 20 minutes of struggling, I got Gideon into the car, and was on the way to the school.

I dialed Alicia.

"Alex?"

"Hey. I'm bringing Gideon to the school."

Alicia groaned. "I told you not to go near him! He's contagious, Alex!"

"Yeah well, it's too late. So get a mask or a suit or something, and come help me get him out of the car. I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

"Fine."

In 15 minutes, I pulled up to the school to find Storm and Alicia waiting-wearing-hazmats. They got him out of the car and down to the infirmary. I was down as well, no hazmat, to be tested. I realized they didn't bother putting a hazmat suit on me because I was probably already infected.

Storm drew blood from my arm and slid it into a machine that had been calibrated to be able to detect traces of the virus.

"If this machine can detect the virus, why can't it help cure it?" I asked Storm.

"It can detect it in your bloodstream, but it can't tell us where it is in your cells-it just tells us if you're infected."

"You think I'm infected, don't you?"

Storm looked me in the eye. "Yes. I think if you're not infected, it'll be a miracle."

We sat in silence for about 5 minutes while the machine read my blood. Once the timer went off, Storm walked over to read the printout, and did a double take. "What? What is it?"

"I don't-You said you were with Gideon since he collapsed?"

I nodded.

Storm lowered the paper with an incredulous look on her face. "You're not infected. Everything is at normal levels."

"Are you sure? Maybe it just hasn't manifested itself yet-"

Storm shook her head. "Even if it had physically made itself known, it would have shown in the bloodwork."

"So what does that mean?"

"I really don't know."

I was a mix of emotions. Happy that I wasn't infected, confused as to why I wasn't infected, and most of all anxious about Gideon.

Storm was on the phone with my father. "She's clean. Yeah. I don't know what to tell you."