In my last chapter, Kim has finally come to grips with her amazing abilities and has been given the strength to overcome their dominating power. Professor Xavier is slowly beginning to teach her to coerce it to her will; not the other way around. Also! Tabitha and Amara were caught sneaking out of the mansion and are in over their heads. What will be their fate? And what about Kim? Where is her story going now?

Read to find out. ;)

Shout out to Obiwanlivesforever.

Thanks for being my beta reader. You have already scanned this, but I've fixed everything you helped me to spot! And I hope you, most of all, enjoy this. Thanks for having my back. I couldn't have done it without you. :) -hugs-

Disclaimer: I do not own Xmen Evolution. Heartily wished I did!

Chapter 8: Where My Alliance Lies...

XXXX

At first, Kim didn't realize that the two mutants she had caught last night were walking inside Xavier's office. The crippling helplessness that weighed heavily on her conscience was gone. She began to imagine a future without fear and loneliness. It served to catch her up and let her coast on a liberated ecstasy, one that banished all of her old, haggard feelings. She laid the back of her palm over her eyes and tried to refocus her scattered attention. The freedom was intense; it was like standing three feet in front of a roaring fire and still reeling from its heat. How could she ever have thought that she couldn't live a normal life?

"Tabitha, Amara, please take a seat. This will be longer than both of you will like and I hope that you are ready to listen," Xavier said. There was the sound of obediently shuffling feet and then everything stilled. That was when Kim felt a hot blush run up her cheeks.

Oh, yeah…

Kim?

The voice dropped into her thoughts like a smooth pebble into a rippling lake. His word echoed across every chamber of her brain. Kim breathed in deeply and pretended to rub her eyes. She couldn't look up just yet. She wondered worriedly if he would ask her to stay and to testify. That thought slid past her merriment and stabbed her hard in the chest.

Yes Professor? She thought back. She couldn't repel the fear she felt. When the Professor first spoke in her mind, it was an unearthly experience. It was like she could feel his own personality woven into everything he said. Because of this, she realized that her own emotions twirled around her thoughts like the double helix of a DNA strand. The words discolored beautifully on whatever sentiment she was experiencing and her reply was dipped in hasty purple. These helixes were thick; whereas Xavier's emotions, disregarding his general empathetic warmth, were close to nothing. He guarded them well.

Her anxiety pulsed and thickened around her thought, reflecting her exhausted trepidation as she became more aware of Tabitha and Amara's eyes on her. Kim tried to snatch it back and was humiliated when it disappeared. She would have to work on how free she was with herself. She realized how much of an open book she actually was. Xavier received that and more than she knew. He was very gentle in his answer.

Kim, let Logan lead you back to your quarters. I wouldn't ask you to stay. I know you need sleep and I happily give it to you. And don't worry about the wall we just erected. I'll keep an eye on it without disturbing you and your private inner-self, personally. Agreed?

Yeah. Thank you Professor. I am really tired.

I share in your fatigue. Rest easy Kim. Sleep well for me.

Kim stood up, feeling her humiliation deepen. She didn't stare at Xavier or Amara and Tabitha on her way out. On the outside of the room she made herself follow Logan quietly and didn't notice his thoughtful gaze as he studied her. In the main hall, where all the mutant traffic reigned, students her age and older rushed past her. All the different voices and hubbub collided into her like a brick and she barely kept her head up.

The faces all swirled into a blur before her eyes and she couldn't wait until they arrived at her door. Finally, Logan came to a stop. He reached down to push her door open without a request. Kim belatedly became aware of how sculpted and strong his hands were. He was big boned and sinewy, his muscle definition underneath his black leather jacket profound. His strength could be terrifying, yet he'd opened her door like a gentleman. Witnessing these tiny details almost after she had fallen asleep on her feet embarrassed her. Their kindness deepened it. Why hadn't she responded in kind? Could she not be more civil to their hospitality?

"I'll send someone to check up on ya when dinner's ready," said Logan. His voice pulled her up to his angular, intelligent gaze. His eyes were incredibly dark. "If you wake up hungry just take a left and head on down the stairs. The kitchen duty will fix you anything you want. Other than that, you're free to snooze the morning away."

Kim swallowed and decided to return Logan and Xavier's solicitude. She thanked him as meaningfully as she could.

"I'll probably just be in here for a while, all the same. Food won't sit in my stomach after last night. However, thank you so much for helping me find my room."

To her faint amusement, Logan's cheeks warmed and he seemed to give her a surprised look.

"Well, it wasn't anything I wouldn't perform for anyone new here. Xavier's going to fix you up, and I'll get you in shape. Enjoy this day off while it lasts and welcome to Mutant High."

Nodding in her direction, he turned and sauntered away.

Kim didn't watch him and quickly locked herself in her bedroom. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

XXXX

The door was shut with an unrestrained slam, making the walls around its frame shudder. The impact on the house, and the reaction from the other tenants, was close to nothing. In fact everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Except for Mystique. Slowly, she sauntered over to the window and shifted the thin material (of the makeshift curtain. They were in dire need of the actual thing. Torn up sheets really clashed with the original decor-) back with one slender finger. Eyes burning with asperity and triumph observed the lanky Saber Tooth stride away from the house. Magneto really did a number to him, displeased with his failure. Displeased was probably too soft an adjective.

"You may have lost terribly, but the game isn't over yet," she recited to herself, for her own personal pleasure. Suddenly, Avalanche let out a strangled shout and two bodies could be heard tackling and tumbling on each other, behind where she stood. Mystique turned around to catch the dramatic climax. Toad was pinned under the stronger individual, whining pathetically.

"Give it back, Toad," Avalanche growled. "Don't make me bury you alive."

"Okay, okay! Jeez! Happy?"

In her own unobtrusive corner, Mystique smiled.

XXXX

Sabertooth felt like a trapped animal. He clenched the branch beneath his claws with a little more force than necessary. His gaze was trained intensely on the beautiful mansion before him. What lay inside was once his prize. He didn't have a clue where she slept, but the thought of her face and his downfall burned a hole in him. It writhed and hissed in a malicious vengeance. If only he could wrap her honest face within his palms...

"You have two seconds to disappear before I slit through your gut right now."

Sabertooth only grunted and forced his muscles to relax. A thick, sharp metal claw lay dangerously close to his abs. It tightened an inch, forcing him to realize that one more would cut into his skin.

"I'm not here to fight, Wolverine. Even though it kills me to say that. You know how much I enjoy rubbing your ugly mug in the dirt."

"Then please," the other, wolf-like mutant purred, "enlighten me to the reason of your sorry existence within Xavier's residence. He doesn't take kindly to strangers and neither do I."

Sabertooth could feel a spark of irritation flaring up within him, but he firmly resisted it. His contempt and anger towards Magneto forced him to re-evaluate everything that had transfixed before. Was his alliance really with this psychotic, power lusting, mutant? What was behind his sudden, if not unexpected, aggression? Being treated like crap was not worth breaking his neck over. He was sick of it and it had manifested largely, these last couple of months. Whatever. Let Mystique deal with him. He was done with Magneto.

He bit back his flippant retort and kept his composure.

"Wolverine, I'm serious. I'm not going to fight you. Let. Me Go."

He could feel Wolverine's wary surprise and suspicion but the big lug paused, summarizing the situation. Inbred instincts bade him to remove the enemy from the premises as soon as possible. Yet, Sabertooth was acting very abnormally. Not only that, but something in his speech told Wolverine that he was speaking the truth. Without a sound to betray his enmity, Wolverine retracted his arm. As one mind both the mutants leapt off from the tree and landed squarely on the ground. Sabertooth habitually backed up to allow at least three feet of empty space to separate them. Wolverine remained where he was and watched him in silence. What Sabertooth was about to do was incredibly alien to him, something he never thought of doing before; he thrust his hands into his pockets where they would keep out of trouble and faced the other mutant. Dark, controlled vexation brewed in Wolverine's eyes. This almost convinced him that his attempt was foolish but Sabertooth cast away his cowardice.

"If you think I'm here to capture that girl, you're wrong. I want nothing to do with her. In fact, it might surprise you, but I want nothing to do with Magneto either. He wasn't just looking at that one girl Wolverine; he knows you've been receiving a lot of elemental mutants lately. He's devising something. Something that I wasn't even privileged to know. I won't relay anymore than that but... don't say I didn't give you fair warning. Underestimating Magneto's plan would be a bad idea."

Wolverine's expression didn't alter. Suddenly, he began to chuckle and shook his head as if Sabertooth was a nuisance.

"You expect me to believe that? Did you seriously think I would fall for that trick? I don't care if you spat in Magneto's face. As far as I'm concerned you will both forever be tied to one another. I want you out, now."

Sabertooth's irritation exploded. He yowled in fury, resembling an extremely violent cougar, and broke off a thick branch from the side of the tree with a enraged kick. The branch flew toward Wolverine and he instantly barreled rolled out of danger. Metal ringing against metal sang into the air as he unleashed his claws.

"Fine! Don't listen to me!" Sabertooth howled. "But you're going to regret that you didn't!

Did Wolverine think I'd give out something like that, on a whim? Screw Magneto and his power! Let's see him try to murder me because of my insolence. But this is too far! I shouldn't have expected him to believe me.

Sabertooth jumped high into the air and regained his roost in the same tree. Then he left faster than Wolverine could follow. The air calmed as the other mutant's presence faded, but there was an uneasy twinge dwindling in Wolverine's mind.

He needed to speak to Xavier.

So. Here we are.

-sighs-

I wouldn't blame anyone if they didn't even take their own, delicious, free time to read this new addition. It's long overdue for all of you patient or impatient readers out there. But life has this habit of pulling your body out of orbit. I seriously lacked a ton of confidence, inspiration, and motivation to continue this story. But continue it...

...I did.

3=]

So. If you have it within that awesome heart of your's to tell me what you think? I'd appreciate it A LOT. More than you know.

By the way. I know people have voted from the author's note I have up? And I think I will do a POV on Toad. That's something I wasn't even thinking of. ;) And it sounds like fun.

Thanks for reading everyone! Hope your Thanksgiving (for all of those in Canada) is scrumptious!

Ciao!

~Merlin's Ward Jack