Two days later:

The water looked so regal from where she stood, so everlasting. As if it stretched beyond the horizon and never ended or stopped. It was hard to believe in any sort of civilization out here. Heck, it was hard to believe that any life existed where she stood. It was peaceful, but also very lonely. As if Raven were the only one in the entire world, in a place where all there seemed to be was wetness, waves and the reflection of the moon on the water, still and mysterious.

Mysterious. Like her.

The darkness wrapped the ship like a blanket, throwing shadows into alignment with light and hiding the nips of water that sprinkled her skin from the waves. Raven leaned against the railing on the deck of the ship, alone, aware that there were soldiers in the bay above who were watching her.

She pretended not to care, but really it made her furious. Those men would probably have put a bullet into her had they the chance. Heck, one of them had tried to put a knife in Sean's chest two days before. And he was just sitting in the brig unpunished and perfectly alright. I bet he won't even get a slap on a hand for attempted murder, she thought bitterly.

Then, she sighed. She was tired of pretending no to care. She had turned away all who had come seeking her the past two days. From Hank to Alex to Moira, she had avoided them with everything she had. Charles had not pushed his way into her mind but she could still feel him there, a presence at the edge of her psyche she had possessed her entire life. A presence which once seemed a comfort but now had turned into a leash.

Raven hated leashes.

Her face must have shown it for Erik's voice was dry as chalk. "Am I interrupting some vengeful plot against one of the boys or something?" He asked. Raven turned partially. She did not smile at the meager joke. Granted, Erik was not smiling either but she had learned that his sarcasm was often not expressed in his handsome face. He was standing near the door to the deck, hands stuck into his pockets in a way that reminded her of Charles. She cringed. Erik's eyes swept her face briefly before he nodded and came to stand at her side.

For a moment neither of them said anything. They just watched the waves push and pull. Raven glanced at Erik from the corner of her eye. What did he want? Was he there to stalk her or something? He had already turned down her affections at the Mansion and Raven w snot in a mood to offer seconds. "I don't want to talk right now," all of that came out in the mild words she threw at him.

Erik did not look at her though hummed in his throat. "It seems you haven't wanted to talk to anyone. You've been evading us," he pointed out as he turned and leaned his elbows on the railing. His deep eyes stared at her, his frown thoughtful and still so full of anger.

"You don't say," she growled.
Erik did not rise to the bait. She wish he had. "Charles is worried," Raven rolled her eyes, momentarily letting her anger get the best of her.

"He's always worried," she snapped. "What? He can't spy on me himself anymore so he sent you to do it?" Erik's eyebrows shot up, surprised, but he did not rebuke her statement. Instead, he merely said:

"So this is about Charles." There was enough of her ashamed that she tried to deny it.

"Of course not…"

"About how he erased your memory, and never told you about his father," okay, so Erik was apparently telekinetic too. Raven looked up, surprised. No one else that had come to her the past two days had addressed it. Eventually Raven had begun to think that maybe she imagined the entire thing. That Charles had not showed her that but her own resentment at him had, and she had been carrying around shame for a better part of two days because of it. Now, however, that shame turned to anger and confusion. Erik shrugged at her befuddled look.

"I figured you might be upset about that," he told her briefly. Raven's hand clenched into a tight fist.

"Upset?" She growled. "Upset?! He lied to me! He… he… Manipulated my mind! After he promised not too!" She yelled, feeling heat build beneath her skin.

"He was protecting you," Erik pointed out calmly. "And he technically did not lie to you…"

"He just withheld the truth," Raven spat. Erik did not blink at her sour voice. He only stood there and waited for the rest. Raven was more than happy to oblige him. "I understand why," she continued hotly. "He wanted me to be happy. He's always been over-protective and now, now I see why…." Like a flame, her anger was blown in another direction with the wind. Her hands clenched so hard around the railings that her blue fingers began to tint white.

"Ugh, it's so disgusting Erik! A devil? Really? Charles Xavier, a devil?" she let out a shrieking laugh of contempt. "It's so perverse. Want to know what's even more perverse? The fact that he was a prisoner in his own house and I never knew. I saw the bruises and the dark circles under his eyes, but he never let me remember. He never let me. What am I, a dog to be trained to sit and heel when he wants?" Erik opened his mouth to answer but Raven ploughed on, all of the thoughts and feelings she had bottled inside the past two days bubbling over.

"Do you know what? The day Moira took you two to Russia to find Shaw was the first time since we've met that he let me be anywhere without him. The first time since I was twelve years old when I wasn't at his side. I'm nineteen. Father is dead so what's Charles afraid of? He's so controlling! I've always known but now I discover that he's dictated what I know about my father," she ticked off the things on her fingers.

"My life, my friends, my own body… What else Erik? I trusted him," the last words came out as a shuddering breath as Raven stared out at the endless sea and thought about how dearly she had always trusted Charles. She loved him, and he had betrayed her.

"I trusted him," and he had kept secrets from her and taken her mind from her into his own hands. Raven leaned forward, suddenly feeling as if she needed to puke. Erik was still staring at her, obviously absorbing everything she had said.

After a moment, he spoke. "Charles loves you," it was stated. Raven felt tears sting her eyes.

"Does he?" She whispered. "Or does he love how I trust him and adore him? Does he love what I am, his sister, or who I am, Raven?" Mystique whispered a tiny part of her mind. Erik shrugged.

"I can't answer that, I'm afraid," he replied. "But I can tell you this, whatever piece of you that he loves; he loves it with all his heart and soul. Enough to give up everything for your sake," she blinked away tears ineffectually. She settled for wiping them away with the back of her hands.

"I know," she agreed. "I know, and I… He's my brother," Erik nodded, as if nothing else need be said. "After seeing what he's been through, I'm… Dammit Erik, I can't help but be so proud of the man he's become. So happy he didn't turn out to be cruel and uncompromising like that monster," she sneered.

"But you are still angry," Erik surmised.

"Because he still became just as controlling," Raven finished. "If not more so. I'm tired of being controlled Erik. By what the humans say I should look like, by my own insecurities, by Charles. I want to live my own life and be my own person and not have anyone stop me. I used to think Charles wanted that for me too," her voice dropped. The waves hit the side o the ship especially hard, rocking them on their heels. The jolt went to her heart. "Now I'm not so sure," she admitted.

"Raven…"

She interrupted, already knowing what he was going to say because of his world weary tone. "No, Erik, stop trying to defend him," she ordered sternly. "I know why you are. You're grateful to him for all he's done and… And so am I. But our gratitude to Charles can't outweigh our own happiness or ideals," she was surprised by her own words, the weight they held, the meaning to them. She felt then as if she weren't just talking about Chares anymore, or even her, but something and someone much greater.

Their species.

Erik could sense it too. He perked up, staring at her with an intensity that mirrored the strength of the waves. "What do you mean?" He demanded.

Raven inhaled a deep breath and slowly let her anger at Charles turn into anger at the situation. Really, it had not been his fault. It had been no one's fault but the inferior cowards who had forced them into hiding and feared innocent, good people with all of their pathetic hearts. Now it was time to lay the blame where it belonged.

And do something about it.

"You know as well as I do that the humans will hate us the second they lay eyes on us," she said, looking Erik in the eyes. "They will fear us and try to destroy us. We've already seen it. Charles may refuse to believe it, but eventually they will target him whether he wants to fight or not," she felt a surge of determination. "No one will ever call my brother a devil again," she growled.

Erik's eyes lit up. "So what do you propose we do?" He asked softly.

"Take our rightful place," Raven replied without hesitation or uncertainty. "As the dominant species. Shaw was a maniac, but he wasn't wrong. We need our own weapon of change," too bad they had destroyed the radiation machine. They might have merely created another missile with it. Erik crossed his arms.

"That can be arranged easily enough," he said with a tone of voice that said he knew perfectly well what he was talking about. "We'll also need backing. From other mutants," she nodded, excitement growing.

"Mutant and proud," how ironic that the words of an ignorant college girl could have such a large impact on Rave's life. A small smile picked at the corners of his mouth. Then it faded as something occurred to him. Raven could already guess what it was.

"Raven," he spoke slowly, hesitantly.

"Mystique," she interrupted curtly, quite tired of that name. Erik did not ask after the sudden change of heart. He cocked an eyebrow and went on.

"Mystique," he corrected himself. "You know that Charles does not share our views. He won't agree," Erik stopped as if that fact pained him. "And he won't come with us," Mystique had to close her eyes against the sadness that blossomed in her chest. "All I've ever wanted is your happiness, Raven. It's you and me against the world, remember? I won't go if you aren't coming," After a long second she opened them and faced him with no less determination.

"Then we'll go without him," his eyes widened partially. "I've made my choice. It's his decision what he does and believes in, Erik. I won't try to change him, and he can't be allowed to change me," her eyes flashed. "Not anymore," never again would she hide from the world. Never again would she be lied too and manipulated. She was free.

She was Mystique.

"Are you sure?" She nodded. Erik sighed.

Mystique felt her heart skip a beat as a sudden doubt occurred to her. "Am I going alone?" She asked. Erik gave her an odd look.

"Are you joking?" he demanded. "A war is coming and I'm never going to be taken prisoner again," he told her. Mystique felt breath whoosh out of her in relief. In truth, she should have seen that coming, but as much as had changed these past few days she was not sure what to believe anymore. Nevertheless, she did not know what she would have done had Erik said yes.

"So we're leaving?" she asked.

"We should go as soon as possible," Erik agreed. "Before we reach D.C. We'll take a submarine or something," he paused, then ploughed on. "You're telling Charles about your decision," Mystique nodded even as her heart skipped a beat. She recognized the command as it partially was- a way to offer he responsibility for the life she had chosen. And a way to give responsibility away himself. She imagined Charles would not be happy.

But it's not about him anymore. She thought. It's about me, and that is nothing to be ashamed of.