Stumbling Along the Path

"Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night?" Erik asked, "The feeling that one day, they'll come for you? And your children?"

Xavier wheeled around, "I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to my school looking for trouble."

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or universe. They belong to Marvel and FOX Studio.

A/N: I will be on vacation all next week so I won't have any updates but I plan to come back with lots of stories for the young mutants.

"This is the X-Jet or the Blackbird. Haven't settled on one name yet." Hank motioned to the large black jet.

"Who's gonna fly this thing? Pretty sure only one of us has a license and I don't think that license covers fighter jets." Scott sarcastically jested.

"Well, I plan on teaching all of you how to fly it, but yes, a license would be a good idea. Since this is technically military grade equipment, which schools aren't legally allowed to have, we will have to work with just a license. So Scott, over the next couple weeks you will need to come in every day so I can teach you how everything works. It will just make larger missions a bit easier in the future, such as traveling to Egypt. We won't always be able to steal planes from Stryker's facilities." Hank went on as he pulled out blue prints to the Blackbird and handed them to Scott.

"Should the rest of us get our license as well?" Jean asked, she had never really had any motivation to get her license since she rarely left the mansion but it couldn't hurt in case Scott wasn't available.

"Yes, yes, that would be advisable. Do any of you have even a permit?" Hank asked, realizing that Jean had never gotten a permit, Kurt and Ororo both haven't gotten their citizenship yet, and Peter was still missing.

There was a murmur among the group before Jean finally spoke up, "Um. No. They can't yet til they pass their citizenship tests."

"Alrighty. So I guess today's homework is: Scott, memorize that blueprint inside and out. You will need to know how everything works. Jean, go get your permit and I will have the professor take you driving if you pass. Kurt and Ororo, work on getting that stuff finished and then we can get you started on the next step to get you all formally acquainted to the Blackbird." Hank began handing more papers out to Scott with more detailed blueprints.

Everyone sort of dispersed. Kurt and Ororo with books to go study for their test. Scott and Jean headed to the garage.

"Think you could take me to the DMV?" Jean asked sheepishly to Scott.

"Sure lemme go put these in my room really quick. Hank might kill me if I lose them." He laughed and headed upstairs.

Peter and Wanda had left Magneto's place feeling a bit better about their father figure.

"Feel free to come by anytime, and should you need me, you know where I am." The words echoed in Peter's head.

Maybe they were all wrong about Magneto. He had suffered a rough life, and he didn't want mutants to face the persecution that he and his family had endured all those years. He was just trying to keep mutants safe, but so was the Professor. Magneto was just a little bit more… radical in his idea. But neither were really 100% right… or wrong. He felt confused about it all now.

On one side, his father was right, mutants were definitely the superior beings, evolution had ensured that, and they had not thrown the first stone, that was the humans doing. He stopped himself from his thinking when he realized it was very "us and them". The Professor has always said that everyone was in this together and there were no us and them, just all of humanity.

"What are you thinking, Pietro?" Wanda asked, her eyebrows drawn down in a sympathetic look.

"A lot. I mean, he's not the devil, but he's no saint, ya know?" Peter looked down at the ground and sighed, he remembered he was still missing classes at the Mansion.

"Nothing is ever black and white. Just various shades of grey. My mother taught me that early in life." Wanda said, putting her hand on Peter's shoulder to offer him some comfort.

"Yeah, you're right. I just don't know what to do now. Our mom is probably already back home with the family wondering where we are. And I should probably go see the Professor. I'm sure he's seen the news about Magneto being back. But I should get you back to the house." Peter said, putting down his goggles and preparing for take off.

"I do not want to go home. I will go with you to see this Professor." Wanda said, stepping away from Peter.

"Your family is going to worry and we will probably get in trouble." Peter insisted.

"My family only worries about their own wellbeing, they will not worry for me." She shrugged.

"Well… okay. But I'm not gonna get chewed out by my mom for your choices too." He said, stepping towards Wanda again.

"I will take my blame when the time comes." Wanda nodded, and with that Peter and Wanda were off headed towards the mansion.

They passed Jean and Scott pulling out of the mansion drive way. He stopped outside the door and motioned for Wanda to stay put for a moment while he walked inside. The faces were fairly familiar but there were some new faces. He navigated his way down the halls to the Professor's office, he was about to knock on the door when a voice sounded in his head, "Come in."

Peter opened the door and came in to see the Professor sitting at his desk and writing out papers. Peter looked around, and made his way to the chair in front the desk.

"Place looks like it's gotten a few new faces." Peter mentioned to break the ice.

"Yes, a few new recruits. Not many. Many are going into hiding after the mention of the MRD." The professor's eyes looked up to meet Peter's.

"Some are standing up against it." Peter mentioned.

"I saw Erik on the news. He will only cause more trouble for mutants by acting out like this… but I assume you already knew this. That's why you are here." Xavier put down his pen and rested his hands on the desk.

"I brought someone. Another one of Erik's children, my sister…" Peter murmured the last part as Xavier pushed back from his desk and began to wheel towards Peter.

"Wanda." Xavier read Peter's mind.

"She's something else." Peter jested.

Peter followed behind the Professor who was wheeling his way down the halls. Ororo looked away from her book long enough to smile and wave at Peter. He put his hand up to say hello back but kept behind the Professor.

Wanda was already standing in the doorway as they pulled up, her foot propped up at an angle and her arms crossed.

"You were taking too long, Pietro." She said, glaring at her brother.

"Sorry, this is Professor Xavier. And Professor, this is my long lost sister, Wanda." He made to sure to add sarcastic emphasis to 'long lost'.

"Pleasure to meet you, Wanda. Peter tells me you have an incredible gift." The Professor put out his hand to shake hers, but noticed her reluctance and put his hand back on the arm rests of his chair.

Wanda remained silent, she wasn't sure what to say or do.

"Why don't you show him that little door stunt you pulled on me." Peter's head nodded to the door.

Wanda nodded slowly in agreement, she stepped out of the door entrance. She raised a hand and it began to glow a dark red, the door knob glowed too as she slammed the door shut. She then closed her eyes, it was harder for her to show her ability under pressure. Once her eyes closed both hands glowed red and things began to warp, soon Peter, the Professor, and her all stood on the ceiling, the door on the wall, and the floor where the ceiling once was.

"That's good enough, Wanda." Peter said, feeling a little sick to his stomach.

"Reality warping… quite extraordinary." The Professor noted.

Wanda let her hands fall to her side as things glitched and went back to their proper place, she sighed a deep sigh.

"I can do more. The magic is not limited to things like that, I can make things happen, things that would not be likely." She struggled to find the right words.

"Probability manipulation?" The Professor questioned.

She just nodded, her hands still felt warm to the touch from the flow of energy. Peter rested his arm on the back of the Professor's chair, which earned him a quick glare from the Professor.

"Well Wanda, you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you want, we have classes daily, from biology to teaching young mutants like yourself how to control their abilities. You have a good bit of control as it is, but with what you are capable of, we can help you learn to control it on a wider span."

"Pietro, can we go home first? All of my stuff is there. I need to talk to my parents. And what about Magneto?" She added.

"What about him?" Peter and the Professor said in unison.

"He is our father. He wants to help us. He asked me after you left that we consider staying with him to further the mutant cause." She said looking at the ground shyly.

"Further the mutant cause?" Xavier asked, his eyebrows raised.

"He went on a good bit about how mutants are superior, how we need to protect one another from the humans, talked about some plan he had in the works, but that it started with us, mutants." Peter added, making a talking motion with his hand.

"I will have to find Erik and have a talk with him, friend to friend." Xavier turned his chair back towards his office.

"You two do what you need to for the time being. Peter, when you return we need to talk about the MRD and your role on the team in case someone was every detained." He added.

"Can do, Prof." He gave a little salute to the Professor before turning to Wanda.

"Guess we can head home now? Talk to your family and then we can figure out what we will do after that. I could use a nap anyway, and a bite to eat. Maybe not in that order." He pushed his goggles down and took off.