August 18, 1992

"Where's everyone?" Luna asked.

Angel stroked the young girl's hair and swallowed. She glanced around the woods at the other students who had made it out of the Institute. Many of them were wearing their pajamas. Others were singed and looked around in fear. They huddled in small groups, all of them looking more than just a little scared of what was happening. A few were sleeping, but most of them were huddling together.

One student was standing commandingly around them. He had his arms folded across his chest and was staring in the direction that they had come.

"Aunt Angel?" Luna asked.

Angel looked down. She stroked Luna's hair. She thought of Luna's brother and hoped that he was safe. He was Alex and Lorna's child, so he was combat ready. Bad things could happen to anyone at any time though, whether or not they were combat ready. Azazel's death had taught her that.

She shook her head.

"I'm sure that they'll be here in a few minutes," Angel said.

Next to Angel Bobby shifted, his hands on his knees. He was looking back in the direction of the Institute. No doubt he was thinking about Rogue. Angel had made the decision to go after them, to forcibly drag Max out of the Institute if that was what it took. She'd been passing Luna, the young girl's eyes filling with tears, to Bobby.

Then a portion of the roof had collapsed, blocking off the way that Max and Rogue had gone. Angel had tried to redirect them, get downstairs to where they were. However, no alternative path had presented itself.

With the soldiers closing in Angel had made the decision to save Luna. She was sure that Max and Lorna were alright, although Lorna would no doubt be furious at her son for disobeying her. Max had far too much of Lorna in him than was good for him.

She kissed Luna's forehead. Luna reminded Angel of Lorna when she'd been younger. She didn't remind her of the young child that had been brought into the Brotherhood though, a child who would, three years later, hold a knife to Azazel's throat while training in combat.

Instead she thought of the little girl who had walked hand in hand with Susanna. That child had never really seen the horrors that life would bring. Not yet. Despite what Luna had seen tonight, she was still an innocent. Max was still an innocent too, although if he did join the X-men Angel knew that that would end.

"Try to get some sleep," Angel said, "I'll wake you as soon as they get here."

Luna yawned and laid down on the grass. Angel took off her bathrobe and tucked it around Luna. She waited for Luna to fall asleep. It didn't take too long. Angel got to her feet and made a gesture towards Bobby.

"Watch her," she said.

Bobby nodded, his expression numb. Angel walked up to the student with his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to be one of the only ones who wasn't panicking.

"Your name?" she asked.

His eyes registered mild surprise, but Angel wasn't going to bother with too many niceties. She had never been a heavy-hitter in the Brotherhood, but she knew enough to know when discipline and order were and weren't required.

"Your name," Angel repeated.

"Piotr," the student said, his voice deep and rumbling, "Piotr Rasputin."

"Angel Salvadore," Angel said.

She turned her head so she could see the direction that he was gazing.

"They're not coming back that way," Angel said, "That would be too obvious."

Piotr grunted.

"We need to get out of here," Angel said, "Move a little further into the woods, or find some defensible ground."

"X-men will be here soon," Piotr said.

Angel raised her eyebrows. She had no idea that so many students had known about the X-men. Still, it was of little consequence. She shook her head at Piotr's assertion, crossing her own arms.

"Maybe, maybe not," she said, "But we have a lot of children here, a lot of young children, and there were a lot of soldiers. Now, I'm a mutant, but I didn't go to this school when I was younger-"

"Then why are you here now? Piotr asked.

Angel bit her lip. There was so much she could say to that question. She could say it was because she had made a mistake as a teenager, one that had sucked her into a world of violence and hatred. She could say it was because she had found that she cared more about Lorna than she did about her cause. She could say it was because Lorna had made her Luna and Max's aunt, had invested her in their lives.

He hadn't asked that though. Angel wondered why her mind was drifting. She supposed it was smoke inhalation.

"Lorna Summers came down to visit her son," Angel said, "I'm his aunt, and I was minding his sister when all of this went down."

Piotr nodded vaguely.

"The reason I'm telling you all of this," Angel said, "Is because I was wondering if there was another building on the property."

"And I would know why?" Piotr asked.

"Please, you know about the X-men," Angel said, "I'm guessing that's because you're some sort of student body leader, that you've been here for a while. I haven't, and we need to move. I'm sure the X-men are coming, but they're far away now."

Piotr nodded again and uncrossed his arms. He pointed further into the woods.

"There is building used for camping trips," he said, "Bio...biology, da? Something like that."

"Does it have a phone?" Angel asked.

"Da," Piotr said.

"Good," Angel said.

She gestured to the students around them.

"Because I have a feeling that we're going to be making some phone calls soon," she said.


David waited patiently while Scott pulled him away from the rest of the group. He knew exactly what Scott was going to say, but there was no point in interrupting him. He'd had a feeling this was coming.

"David, I know that you haven't always grown up with the most...positive image of the Brotherhood," Scott said, "It's an understatement, but I understand how you feel. I grew up hating them as well."

He hadn't grown up hating Lorna though. David decided to hold his tongue, wait for Scott to continue his talk. It might make him feel better.

"However," Scott said, "right now we're working with them. Mystique is dangerous. They're all dangerous, and antagonizing them is not a good idea. We need to work with them on this to figure out what's happening."

David let Scott sigh deeply.

"Do you understand?" he asked.

"I understand perfectly," David said.

"Good," Scott said.

Scott let go of his shoulder. He began to move away, but David put a hand on Scott's shoulder to stop him.

"But I want you to listen to me," he said.

Scott grimaced and turned around.

"You weren't in the right," Scott said, "I can't babysit everyone and-"

"I don't need a babysitter," David said, "I just need you to listen to a potential problem before it comes to its natural conclusion."

Scott's brow furrowed and he waited. David breathed in.

"Scott, I want Mystique to stay the hell away from my brother," he said.

Even beneath the goggles David could tell that Scott's eyes were widening. David kept his gaze level with him, wanting him to know just how much he meant every single word that he said in the next few minutes.

"Why...?" Scott said.

"Uncle Scott, now's not the time to see me as little David, Charles's itty-bitty son anymore," David said, "Now is the time to see me as the man who, at one point, believed that he was going to become an X-man."

Scott slumped and David wanted to smack himself. He hadn't thought about how that sounded.

"Me not becoming an X-man is immaterial though," David said, "What is material is what I learned when I thought that I was going to be one. Namely, the names, ages, and certain details about every known member of the Brotherhood, both past and present."

He could almost hear the wheels clicking away in Scott's head.

"I saw Mystique's photo, read that she was once Raven Xavier," David said, "And I took a long look at Azazel Wagner. Do you understand what I'm trying to get at Uncle Scott?"

Scott's mouth moved silently for a moment. David prayed that he knew what he meant. He wasn't going to say it if he didn't have to. Even then he wouldn't say it, wouldn't call Mystique Kurt's mother and Azazel his father.

"I don't know what's going on in Mystique's head," David said, "All I know is that Kurt is sensitive, and certainly shouldn't have been in this fight. We also have a civilian who's been mixed up in all of this. I know you don't know about her, but Amanda is the woman Kurt loves."

Scott looked as though someone were piling bricks onto his back. David knew the feeling.

"He is going to be handling a lot for the next few hours, on top of whatever this is happening to the Institute," David said, "And don't think that I haven't thought of...that I haven't...that I'm not worried about my parents."

David was worried about his parents, more than words could express. He had never been too familiar with the Institute's security systems. The greatest defense of the school was its anonymity. Beyond that he knew there were technological saves, and mutants who were trained to fight and protect it.

Several of those mutants were in Boston though. David could only hope that his parents were safe, that whatever happened hadn't impacted the Institute too much, or for too long. He didn't know just how long the Institute could keep up its defenses.

"However," David said, "I can't help them right now. The only person that I can help is Kurt. Was talking that way to Mystique stupid? Yes. But I want to make damn sure that she knows to stay away from me and the rest of my family."

Scott looked over at Mystique.

"It's likely she won't say anything to him," Scott said, "Today is the first day that I can remember where Mystique's said more than five syllables."

"Exactly. She's unpredictable," David said, "I'm just trying to watch out for Kurt. That's all Uncle Scott. I'm not..."

He ran a hand through his hair.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't like Mystique on principle," he said, "But beyond that...she's not someone that I would trust with a dog, let alone my brother."

Scott nodded, understanding.

"Alright," he said, "Just don't overdo it. You were really pushing it back there."

"Right," David said.

"And if I tell you to stop it, you'll stop it," Scott said.

"Of course," David said.

"Good," Scott said.

He began to walk away from him.

"I know what it means to watch your brother's back," Scott said.

David smiled to himself. He followed Scott. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mystique tilt her head at him. David was glad that Scott had understood. Kurt already had a mother: her name was Moira Xavier. He already had a father: his name was Charles Xavier. He certainly didn't need Mystique and Azazel.