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xXx

The room, wasn't well, a room. It was like, some sort of forest. I know it had been awhile since I'd been in the woods, but I was still certain that they were supposed outside. Despite the odd location, it was certainly beautiful. But strange. It looked far too maintained and organised to be a forest. Like something out of a Disney movie. But the tall, beautiful trees silhouettes casted mystic shadows on the soft fresh grass and silvery moonlight peeked out from between their branches. From somewhere close by I could hear a creek.

"Mmhh, 'kay," I muttered to myself, as I looked towards the nights sky with its twinkling stars. "This makes the top ten in my weird list."

Despite its strangeness, I did feel a little better knowing that they hadn't just shoved my mom into another small room. This place would be good for her, seeing as I knew how much she loved forests. I knew this was supposed to be like the Danger Room, a room with very high tech holographics, but still I was just surprised at how real everything seemed.

"Leah? What on earth are you doing?" Mom's beautiful, feminine voice asked through the trees. I spun and saw her, standing by a wax willow and looking at me with surprise and worry. She looked a lot better from the last time I saw her, but she was still too thin to be healthy and there was something different about her eyes.

"Mom!" I ran to her and hugged her tight (ignoring my pain). I buried my face in her shoulder and took in her comforting scent. Sweet pea and lavender hand cream, freshly mown grass and something that reminded me of a rain storm.

Mom hugged me back but only for a moment. Then she stepped back and put her hands on my shoulders to look sternly at me.

"What are you doing out here? Leah, how many times have Daddy and I told you, don't go into the woods by yourself!" She told me sternly, as if I was a child. "It's too dangerous out her for a little girl. You could get lost or hurt."

I had this horrible feeling in my heart.

"M-mom?"

"Now we better get going home. We're supposed to go over to the Craig's house tonight for dinner and I still have to bake some rolls to bring over." She said absently, taking my hand and leading me through the trees.

"Mom, why are you acting like this?" I asked, worried.

She acted like she didn't hear me. "What do you want to wear tonight, Leah? You haven't worn that pretty yellow sun dress yet that I bought. But maybe you should wear something a little more durable, since I know how rough you are on your clothes when you're with Eric."

Eric…

I forced her to stop walking and look at me. "Mom do you know where you are, what's going on?"

She smiled absently at me and cupped my face. "You're my perfect little girl, Leah, I don't know what I'd do without you. I-"

She stopped talking and looked completely terrified. Her eyes widened right before she took off sprinting into the trees.

"Wait, come back!" I ran after her.

It took me awhile to find her. Once I did, I almost wished I hadn't. She was talking to people who weren't there, from the sounds of it the X-men, and fighting imaginary foes.

"Cyclops, Jean's in trouble! Hank's been hit and Angel's losing a lot of blood! You and Wolverine have got to get her now! AH!" She began screaming and clawing at something only she could see. Then she collapsed to the ground and wept. I hurried to her side.

"My, my powers aren't working. Everyone's dead." She cried softly. "I couldn't save them and the world's on fire."

I hugged her, feeling tears swell in my own eyes. "It's, it's okay Mom. Everyone's okay, it isn't real. You're safe and so is everyone else."

She stopped crying as suddenly as she had started. She looked at me with confusion and a little bit of hostility. "Who are you?"

My mouth dropped as she scurried back from me.

"I said, who are you!" She demanded, standing up gracefully. "What are you doing in here? You have no right to be here!"

"Mom, its me, Leah." I answered weakly. "Please, I know its hard right now but you've got to concentrate-"

"I'm giving you to the count of three to answer me! And then what happens next is your own doing." She said coldly, raising her hands into the air.

"Mom-"

"One."

"Mom, you can't-"

"Two!"

Oh my God, she wouldn't!

"Please!"

"Three!"

I crumpled into a ball, expecting lightning to shoot through my body and fry me. Though I was relieved when it didn't, I wasn't happy. Mom was so out of her head that she had tried to attack me. Lying on the ground, I began to cry.

I hate crying, but its all I seem to do now.

Soft hands wrapped around me and pulled me into a sitting position. Caring arms held me close to a warm body and gently rocked me.

"Oh, Leah, it's alright, you're okay." Mom soothed in her softest voice.

"No its not! Its not alright because those evil bastards fried your brain and you think I'm five again!" I cried.

"I know you're not five, and my brain isn't fried, sweetheart." Mom replied gently.

I whimpered like a child, lost and confused. She was back to normal, but I didn't know for how long before she started again.

"Its all my fault Mom, they did this to you because of me." I wept. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't you dare blame yourself for what those monsters did, ever. That's what they want you to do. Blame yourself for their wrongs." Mom told me in a firm voice. "You are a special girl who has many gifts that others will want to abuse. But as long as you stay strong and do what is right, you'll never have to feel guilty for their sins."

How could she say that when she was tortured to a point where her mind had to be continuously erased to keep from going mad and Eric was dead? Both would have been fine right now if not for me.

She forced my chin up so that our eyes met. Hers looked as they were supposed to once more. "I know its hard to see right now, but you've done nothing wrong."

I sighed and looked away, cuddling up to her once more.

"Are you okay Mom?"

"I'm getting better." She replied, stroking my hair. "Sometimes I'm as I used to be, but other times I get confused. I remember what they did to me and I start seeing and hearing things that are not real. But I'm getting stronger, with the help of Jean and the Professor. Your father's been a great help as well. He makes me feel safe."

"Is it okay if I come visit you again?" I asked. I saw that awful cloudy look creeping back into her eyes and I knew that her moments of consciousness were numbered.

"Yes, I'd love to see you. I've missed you so much." She squeezed me. "But only if you can handle it. I know this must be upsetting for you."

"Worry about yourself Mom, I'm okay." I said, giving her a smile I hoped she would believe to be genuine.

"I wish I could be there for you Leah, I-" Her eyes were strange once more. A small, strange smile grew on her face and she drifted back off into the forest without another word to me.

"I love you Mom." I whispered.

I found my way back to the door, not able to stand it any more. I would definitely visit her more, if it did her good, but tonight I was too sad and weak to stay any longer.

The door was unlocked from the inside and I went back to the apartment. It was late by now and I had expected Dad to have gone to bed. But he was still up. Sitting at the kitchen table with a beer in his hand and quite a few empties on the ground. Without a word, I went up to him and hugged him tight. I sensed his surprise at my reaction but he hugged me back.

"I'm sorry Dad," I whispered. "I'll try harder from now on."