Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter Four – Family and Allegiances

April 1996

By the next morning, Amara still hadn't worked out what the catch was. All she knew was that she had a date with a great guy when she got back to Bayville.

Unfortunately, this all came crashing to the ground before she could even leave the mansion to catch her flight.

"Amara, I need a word with you!" Ororo called from the elevator down to the lower levels.

Amara paused, her hand on the front door. "Ms Munroe, I've got a flight to catch."

"This will only take a few minutes." Ororo assured her. "Follow me."

Dropping her bag with a sigh, Amara jogged over to her teacher, joining her in the elevator. The small room took them down into the depths of the Institute, the part that visitors knew nothing of, where the very heart of the X-Men beat silently, keeping them safe and protected.

Amara had only been down to this part of the Institute a handful of times, only to access the Danger Room or the hangar where the jets were kept.

But today Ororo led her down a different corridor, down past cases that held spare X-uniforms, a couple of which were identical to those which belonged to Cyclops, Jean, Spyke, Rogue, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat.

"Why are these down here?" She asked quietly, very aware of her voice echoing through the metal-lined tunnel. "I thought everyone kept their uniforms in their closets."

"They're here just in case something happens that would mean we were unable to access the main house." Ororo explained. "We also keep copies in both jets."

"Oh." Amara nodded in understanding. "I always wondered how they always seemed to have their uniforms on hand. What exactly are we doing down here, Ms Munroe?"

"Professor Xavier asked me to give you a warning." Ororo answered grimly, typing in the access code for the room that held the main-frame computer.

"A warning?" Amara repeated cautiously. "What kind of warning?"

"Magneto is back in the area with new acolytes." Ororo told her. "We want you to be ready in case of an attack."

"Okay." Amara frowned. "Why just me?"

"Because one of them has powers that would render you helpless against him." Ororo explained quietly. "He would be able to turn anything you throw at him against you and don't get me started on what would happen if you were to attempt a full transformation."

Amara shivered as Ororo searched the database. She found the move to Bayville more daunting than any of her team-mates; America was a good century ahead of Nova Roma when it came to technology, not to mention a lot bigger. Although she had already had a big wake-up call when it came to how vulnerable she was around humans, she had always taken for granted the fact that her powers would protect her from mutants. "How though? What's different about me?"

"He's pyrokinetic." Ororo replied. "Not to be confused with pyrotechnics, which are fireworks. This young man can control and manipulate fire, the very thing you create."

Now Amara felt another chill run through her, one of a completely different sort, as John's face appeared on the computer, a dangerous, slightly-crazed smirk on his face. Ah. There's the catch.

The drive from Bayville to Philadelphia was only about two hours and the two girls passed the time by telling stories and anecdotes and generally learning more about each other. Kitty had never really talked to Jean, but found now that the older girl reminded her very much of someone…she just couldn't put her finger on who that person was.

Jean's mother, as it turned out, lived just outside Philadelphia in a beautiful red-bricked country house, the sort of place Kitty had always imagined Jean growing up.

There was only one other car outside and Jean pulled in next to that, a wide smile on her face. "I hadn't realised how much I missed home."

Kitty looked around. There wasn't another house nearby that she could see, just rolling fields and patches of trees. "I bet this was a fantastic place to grow up."

"It really was." Jean agreed happily. "Mom used to rent out the field behind to this lady who owned horses and she taught us how to ride on them. And in the winter, Dad used to take us sledging down that hill over there."

Kitty couldn't help noticing the note of sadness that entered into Jean's voice when she talked about her father. "What happened to him?"

"He had a heart attack." Jean answered quietly. "In the supermarket."

Kitty nodded silently, not quite sure what to say, settling for squeezing her friend's arm sympathetically. Again, she had a distinct sense of déjà vu, even though she was sure that Jean had never told her this before.

"Oh," Jean added, scanning her key-ring for the right key, "Mom kept her maiden name when she married; I took it as well." She unlocked the door and let them both in. "Mom, I'm home!"

A woman appeared out of one of the doors, wiping her hands on a towel, and it was apparent immediately that Jean was the spitting image of her mother, except for her eyes. Whereas her daughter's eyes were a deep emerald-green, Ms. Grey's eyes were a warm chocolate brown that seemed to inspire confidence and that Kitty was sure she'd seen somewhere else.

"Jeannie, it's wonderful that you're home, dear." Ms. Grey hugged her only daughter tightly and turned to Kitty, clearly expecting an introduction.

"Mom, this is Kitty Pryde." Jean told her. "Her parents suddenly decided to go away for Spring Break, so I invited her to stay with us."

Ms. Grey shook Kitty's hand. "And I'm happy to have you here."

Kitty smiled shyly. "Thank you, Ms. Grey."

"Call me Sara, dear." She told her with a wide smile. "Jean, show her to a room, drop off your things and meet me in the kitchen. I've got some fantastic news."

Looking bewildered, Jean did as she was told, leading Kitty up two flights of stairs to the top floor of the house, where all the rooms were tucked under the eaves. "You can have the room that joins on to mine." She told Kitty, opening the door to a pleasant primrose-coloured room that overlooked the gardens. "Just chuck your stuff on the bed; I want to know what Mom's got up her sleeve."

"I love this house." Kitty commented. "It's like something out of a story-book."

"You see it too?" Jean asked knowingly. "When I was little I used to love playing make-believe, especially up here. The boys preferred being outside, but I wasn't very well as a child, so I stayed in. I swear my telepathy made everything more real back then."

"That, or it's just a child's imagination." Kitty commented, knowing what she meant.

The two girls headed back downstairs and met up with Sara in the kitchen, where she was kneading dough, her red hair tied back into a messy top-knot.

"What are you making?" Jean asked, stealing the near-empty bowl and two spoons, handing one to Kitty before digging her own into the leftover mixture.

"Cookies." Sara answered. "There's very little to do around here with all you kids gone. And speaking of kids, guess who's coming for Spring Break?"

"Not…" Jean trailed off. When her mother nodded, she squealed loudly. "Oh my God!"

"I take it," Kitty rubbed her ear, "that the prodigal son returns?"

Sara laughed. "Well, that's one way of putting it." She sighed. "There's just the matter of how we'll explain your mutation, dear."

"Oh, he'll be alright." Jean dismissed, levitating the baking trays to her mother. "I used to read his mind when we were kids."

"Yes, but there's a big difference between reading your twin's mind and being able to control people's thoughts." Sara reminded her.

"She's right, Jean." Kitty pointed out quietly. "Look at my parents."

Jean grimaced. "Yeah, I suppose you've got a point. He and Eric will have to park around the back though; I took the space in front. And there's nowhere else really to park out there unless you block people in." She glanced at Kitty. "Although there's not much of a problem with your power, is it?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, if you want to risk me losing my hold when we're half-way through another car and blow us both up."

"You phased the Blackbird." Jean reminded her.

"The Blackbird was going about a hundred miles an hour." Kitty wiped a bit of cookie dough from her hand. "Probably faster."

Sara sighed. "Do I want to know?"

"No." Both girls answered.

"Then I won't ask." Sara decided. "Jean, come with me a minute; I want to talk to you about this." She put the baking trays in the oven. "Do you mind staying to keep an eye on those cookies, Kitty?"

"Not at all." Kitty assured her, watching the two disappearing into the hall. Scooping the last of the cookie dough into her mouth, she dropped the bowl and spoon into the sink, then, thinking better of it, washed them off and put them on the side, just in time for voices to begin approaching the back door.

"So it's three a.m. and I'm up this tree, right…"

The door opened and a dark-haired young man a few years older than her entered, accompanied by a girl about his age with honey-coloured hair, who was giggling hysterically.

As both did a double-take at the sight of her, Kitty thought briefly about asking what he was doing up a tree at three a.m., but decided better of it and held her hand out. "I'm Kitty; Jean invited me."

"Oh." He shook her hand. "I'm Eric; Jeannie's older brother. And this is Chloe."

The girl shook her hand as well. "Hi."

"Do you know where Mom is?" Eric asked, taking Chloe's coat and hanging it on a peg next to the door.

"Talking to Jean." Kitty shrugged apologetically. "I don't know exactly where; sorry."

"Don't worry." Eric grinned at her and, again, there was something familiar. "We'll find her." He took Chloe's hand and pulled her out of the kitchen, causing her to break into giggles again.

Kitty grimaced. She never did get along too well with girls who giggled that much.

As her gaze wandered around the kitchen, it fell on a photograph that hung on the wall next to the fridge. Curious, she approached it and it became apparent that it was a professionally-taken portrait of a family group.

Sara Grey, notably younger, stood wrapped in the embrace of a man who must have been Jean's father; his eyes were the same shade of green. Both were smiling, happiness shining out of their eyes.

I don't think I've ever heard his last name. Kitty mused, as her gaze moved to the three children.

Standing in front of his parents, Eric stood with a cheeky grin, different to that which she'd just been given. Maybe the death of his father and collapse of his mother had forced him to grow up faster.

In front of him, seated, were Jean and her twin. Again, Kitty realised that she'd never heard his name, but their smiles were almost identical.

The twins were glancing at each other, as if they were sharing some private joke that was just for them to know.

Then Kitty focused on the brother as an individual and something struck her so hard that she forgot to breathe for a few seconds.

Her surroundings seemed to disappear; the sound was muffled, even as a car door slammed outside and voices began to approach the back door again.

I can't believe I didn't realise it before!

"I can't believe you stowed away."

Sara's eyes; Eric's smile.

"Oh, lighten up; you've been saying that for the last hour."

The story! That's where I've heard it before!

"You could have just asked."

It was all so obvious!

"I wasn't getting stuck with them for two weeks."

No wonder everything seemed so familiar!

"Whatever, just don't break anything."

The back door opened behind her, but she didn't bother turning. She knew who was there.

I didn't need to be told his name.

"Mom, I'm home!"

I already know.

"Kitten, what are you doing in my mom's kitchen?"

Now, Kitty turned.

Turned to see the same eyes she'd recognised in Sara.

Turned to see the same smile she'd seen on Eric's face.

All combined in Lance Alvers.

She smiled. "You'll never believe me."

AN: I'm British and I've never been to America, let alone Philadelphia, and I'm basing Jean's mum's house on a house near where I live, so I apologise if it's incorrect. So what do you think? Press the button and tell me please!