Chapter Eleven: Over and Over, I Fall For You

A/N: Well, close enough to ten! So here's the next chapter. This one hasn't been edited too much but the next one will be ;)

Alex bit at the pen, feeling like a tool for writing everything down but unable to express his feelings in words. If he had to write Tobi a letter to explain, then that was what he had to. He felt like a coward, but sometimes speaking failed him.

Tobi;

Okay, I know I've been a total dick to you lately. I don't really have an excuse for my behaviour. I feel like I'm hiding because I'm writing this down, but here goes.

You're always on my mind. Whether it's good or bad, it's like you're stuck inside my head. I can't get rid of you. Don't know whether I want to. The truth is you're the only person who really understands what I've been through.

I've just come to a conclusion that will probably shock you just as much as it shocked me. Or maybe not, because you can read my emotions, after all. Dammit, alright. I can't even write it down. But I think I'm in love with you. I know I haven't exactly known you all that long, but still. Every time I try and convince myself I don't, I keep falling for you.

Alex frowned down at the note, knowing that all he needed now was the courage to give it to Tobi. He had to do this himself, because he knew that even Hank would be tempted to read the letter. There was a sharp knock on the door and Alex tensed.

"Who is it?"

"It's Tobi." Her voice was muffled behind the thick wood. "Umm, Alex, I wanted to talk to you. About last night."

Hiding the letter underneath a stack of books, Alex walked across to the door and opened it. Tobi was still in her pajamas and she tucked a strand of bronze hair self-consciously behind her ear as she crossed the room and Alex closed the door behind her.

"I need to know the truth. Are you ashamed of me because of what you found out?"

Alex shook his head vehemently. "No way."

Tobi stared hard across at him, her green eyes shining like emeralds. "You know Sean's got a massive bruise from where you punched him."

Alex chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "So just like you after the club that time."

Tobi glowered. "It's not funny. Why do you think it's okay to treat people like shit? I know you were in prison and all solitary…but that's not alright. You can't just keep up treading everyone down underneath you, Alex. It isn't right."

Alex sighed in irritation. It was always like this between him and Tobi. They fought about the stupidest, most insignificant things.

"Wow. First you stick up for the bozo, now Banshee. Why is it that you're never on my side, Tobi?"

She flinched. "That's not fair, Alex."

Before he could reply, Tobi stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Alex yanked the letter out from underneath the books, laughing mirthlessly at his own childishness. Writing Tobi a letter confessing his feelings? Yeah, right. With sudden savagery, he ripped the paper into thousands of tiny pieces and then threw into the air like confetti.

Tobi didn't think she could sleep. Tomorrow, everything changed. Tomorrow, they were going to take part in stopping World War III from breaking out. But that wasn't the only reason she tossed and turned restlessly. She and Alex were still fighting – they were always fighting. As she sighed deeply, there was a knock on her door.

Tobi bolt upright, thinking she knew exactly who was there. "Who is it?"

"It's Raven." Alright, so Tobi had been wrong. But her best friend's voice sounded close to tears. "Can…can I please talk to you?"

Tobi glanced across at the clock. It was nearly midnight…yet she could never deny a friend, especially Raven. Not when Tobi could sense the tangled emotions radiating off the blonde girl. She knew she needed to help, so she padded across the room and opened the door.

Raven was sniffing and looked like she was trying to keep back tears. Tobi put an arm around her friend, shutting the door behind her. She didn't think she'd ever seen Raven so upset and it alarmed her.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything," Raven replied miserably, pressing her face into her hands, "Oh, Tobi. I've been such an idiot."

Tobi didn't know what Raven was talking about, so she waited patiently with her arm around Raven's shoulders, soothing her through the influence of her emotions. The blonde girl sighed heavily.

"Hank offered me the cure…but I turned it down. I'm sick of hiding, Tobi. I'm tired of trying to pretend I'm something I'm not. Then I went to Erik and I realized the truth. I have to accept myself. I'm not this, I'm…" Raven morphed into her real self, the girl with sapphire-blue skin adorned with scales, bright yellow eyes and blood-red hair. "…this."

"You're always beautiful, Raven," Tobi assured her, rubbing her back in slow circles, "To me, it doesn't matter whether you're this Raven or blonde Raven. You're still the same person, in here."

Tobi pressed her hand to her chest. Raven smiled slowly and then averted her eyes once more. Tobi noticed she hadn't changed back into her blonde self and thought perhaps Raven was starting to come to terms with herself.

"He kissed me," Raven murmured, "Erik did. While I was in this form."

Erik? Tobi stifled her surprise. She had always thought it would have been Hank and Raven, but now it seemed that Raven had found solace in an older man. Tobi felt a little bad for Hank, wondering if he already knew what had happened. Probably not.

"That's because he sees," Tobi convinced her, "He sees who you are, like I do."

Morning found Hank's makeshift lab in ruins and Hank himself missing. There was only a written note on the door, telling them to bring the crate marked X and that he would meet them at the airbase. Tobi, concerned, attempted to meet Raven's eyes. Was this because Hank had found out about Raven and Erik?

Erik's words must have worked some pretty powerful magic over Raven, because now she was adamant about staying in her natural blue form. Tobi thought this was wonderful, but Charles didn't seem to be able to understand why Raven had made this decision.

"Hank has been busy," Erik conceded, glancing down at the suits inside the large silver crate that had been marked with an X.

"Do we really have to wear these?" Alex sounded reluctant.

"There's none of us mutated to endure extreme G-force or being riddled by bullets. I suggest we suit up."

By the time Tobi had slipped into her yellow and blue suit, she wondered whether it was supposed to be so tight. The zip didn't come up far enough and she fumed at the thought of Sean make suggestive comments when he saw her cleavage. It looked like Raven was having a similar issue.

"Do you reckon Sean altered these a little before we got to them?" Raven vented as they walked back into the study where the others were waiting.

Tobi chuckled. "Oh, he wishes."

Sure enough, as soon as they opened the door and came inside, Sean was inspecting them with a smug little smile on his face. Tobi felt her cheeks heating up as she shoved past him.

"You say anything, Cassidy, and you'll never talk again."

"Whoa."

Tobi couldn't help but marvel at the large silver jet they were confronted with upon entering the airbase. In fact, all of the others were looking up at it with amazement as well.

"Where's Hank?" Raven asked suddenly, drawing them all out of their silence and letting Tobi know for sure that she really did care more than she let on. Perhaps she was worried he'd run off because of her and Erik. Were they even a thing? Tobi examined them rather suspiciously. They weren't holding hands or anything cutesy now.

"I'm here."

They listened as heavy footsteps padded across the ground towards them and when Tobi could see clearly, she saw a furry blue leonine mutant with glasses on his face. She couldn't help but stare. Was that really Hank?

"It didn't attack the cells," Hank admitted, avoiding eye contact with any of them. Tobi knew he was talking about the supposed cure, which he himself must have taken. "It enhanced them. It didn't work."

"Yes, it did, Hank."

Hank looked up at Raven, noticing that she had taken on her natural blue form and showed no embarrassment about it. He moved closer, as if unsure that she was being serious.

"Don't you see? This is who you were meant to be." Raven continued in a gentle tone, before she reached out with her gloved hand and touched Hank's face. "This is you. No more hiding."

Erik slapped Hank supportively on the arm. "Never looked better, man."

Before Tobi could even blink, Hank had gripped Erik by the throat, his now tawny eyes filling with rage as he roared like an animal. Erik was grimacing, struggling to breathe with Hank's hand tight around his neck.

"Don't mock me," Hank snarled.

"Hank, put him down immediately, please," Charles said authoritatively, looking across at Erik with concern, "Hank!"

Hank released Erik, who crumpled to his knees and immediately attempted to get his breath back. He glowered up at Hank.

"I wasn't," he retorted hoarsely.

"Even I gotta admit you look pretty badass," Alex folded his arms across his chest and examined his old rival approvingly, "I think I got a new name for you. Beast."

Hank growled threateningly and Tobi took the golden opportunity to lean across and smack Alex around the back of the head. He winced and rubbed ruefully where she'd hit him.

Sean was busy inspecting the jet. "You sure you can fly this thing?"

"Of course I can," Hank replied confidently, "I designed it."

Raven didn't look too keen on flying. In fact, she looked downright uncomfortable as the ramp lowered and they all headed onto the jet. Tobi offered Alex a wry smile as she buckled in beside him.

"Ready, hotshot?" she asked of him, raising her eyebrows.

Alex didn't smile. In fact, he looked rather nervous. "Ready as I'll ever be. By the way – what's with 'hotshot'?"