As promised, I am trying to get these chapters posted faster than usual.

Retrokill - thanks for the follow and the review. It's going to be sticking with a Greer/Apex POV for at least a little while longer. I still struggle describing Apex's POV on certain but I'm working on it (I know, its my own OC and I'm saying that...the world is a weird place).

Thanks again to Cheshire and Canucklecowgirl. You 2 are awesome (and everyone better be checking out their work).

Oh...and reviews make me type faster...pretty sure that's science...

Greer stepped out of her room with what she felt was her first smile in a looooong time. She was finally back. The nightmare was over. And she was relieved to once again have use of her image inducer.

But almost as quickly as that feeling of relief was there it was gone. Greer had lived in the Mansion for a long time and she knew when something was going on.

It was barely 7 am and the entire Mansion was buzzing.

Usually the Mansion was a mess of students getting dressed and scrambling to finish assignments before classes started and a rush on breakfast. But instead, Greer saw that every student that was in the halls were in small groups speaking in hushed tones. She gave the groups odd looks as she made her way downstairs to grab some breakfast. She had wanted to get an early start and check on Colton. She knew that the first day in the Mansion was always the hardest and wanted to help him make a good impression.

'Greer? You might want to get downstairs to the kitchen...' Jean's voice rang in Greer's head. Greer had a bad feeling she knew what might be going on and quickened her pace. As she made her way through the halls she noticed that most of the groups would stop talking as she walked past and give her expectant looks.

Greer was not a fan. It made her want to clench at her image inducer and quicken her pace.

What Greer could not have known was that after news that she and Professor Logan had finally returned, it hadn't taken the students long to pick up on the rumor that they had not returned to the Mansion alone.

Every student began to wonder who else had returned with them. So far no one was sure, just that the teachers and senior team members were taking turns down in the sub-levels of the Mansion, which could only mean one of two things: either someone was being treated in the infirmary...or being held in the containment cells. Jean had finally relented to some students that Greer and Logan were recovering in the infirmary, but she would say nothing about anyone else.

This of course just fueled the rumors that the Mansion had a new, secret, and dangerous guest.

The most popular theory was that Sabertooth had once again taken up residence downstairs. But other students claimed they had seen Spider-Man walking around on their way to practice in the Danger Room. Some students thought it might be a mutant with a power too dangerous to live with everyone else and had been quarantined. When the Mansion had gone into lockdown in the middle of the day, only to have S.H.I.E.L.D show up at the front door, the rumors went into overdrive.

It seemed that whomever the new housemate was, S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted a piece of him (or her some students yelled). There was nothing else the students talked about the rest of the day and well past lights out.

What the students had not expected was to come face to face with that rumor at breakfast the next morning.

"What's going on? What are you all doing standing out here?" Greer was stuck behind a fairly large group of students that were blocking one of the hallways into the kitchen. They turned at her voice but didn't say much besides point towards the kitchen and go back to looking through the doorway.

"Oh for the love of -. Will you all get out of the way? Some of us are hungry." Greer maneuvered her way into the kitchen and came upon a scene that was far too surreal for her to not think she might have still been dreaming.

Jean stood next to Scott on one side of the large island that dominated most of the kitchen. Jean was trying her best to act normal and drink her coffee as Scott just stood with his arms crossed staring at Apex, who was dressed in the school sweatpants and a white tank, who stood against the counter top in the furthest corner of the kitchen giving him a view of the two entrances and closest access to the sliding doors that led outside. He was meeting Scott's stare and eating breakfast.

"Guys...what's going on?" Jean turned at Greer's voice but Scott and Apex continued their silent staredown.

'Greer, thank god you showed up.' Jean's face remained calm but her "voice" was obviously straining from the tension.

'What's going on? Did something happen? Did Apex do something?' Greer asked anxiously scanning the kitchen for evidence of a fight.

'No...it's just - he was in here when all the students came down and he's just...I dunno, waiting.' Greer looked back over her shoulder at the sight of a number of heads poking around the corner checking out the scene. It seemed that Apex's last visit to the Mansion had made quite the impact. But that was no excuse for everyone to be terrified to even be in the same room as him.

'I'll take care of this. But can you get everyone to stop staring at him and get in here or at least have Scott stop eying him like target practice? He's not going to bite their heads off.' Greer said testily.

Jean slid her eyes over to Scott and gave him a nudge. Scott turned to Jean and then seemed to notice all of the students for the first time before taking a deep breath and talking loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear, "Everyone, meet Apex. The newest resident at the Mansion. He'll be staying with us for a while."

Apex turned his stare from Scott to the gazes coming from the two entrances to the kitchen and noted how most pulled out of sight. Jean nudged Scott again who now just looked annoyed at having to play icebreaker for someone he would have preferred to just leave.

"You all better get some breakfast and be at class on time. Detention in the labs with Doctor McCoy for anyone late to first period." That got at least some students moving cautiously into the kitchen, while others seemed to decide that breakfast just wasn't worth the risk this morning. Greer mentally called them all babies and walked over to Apex.

"Good morning Colton." Greer tried to ignore the whispers that had now followed her into the kitchen but noticed a brief look of confusion on Apex's face before he was able to resume his usually stoic mask.

"Morning." Greer thought that Apex sounded oddly distant and stood very tense (well...more tense) as Greer got closer. One word responses were never a good sign with him.

"Colton I didn't know you'd be up so early to eat breakf- wait. What are you eating?" Now it was Greer's turn to look confused.

"Breakfast."

"I can see that but are you - are you eating bacon?"

"Yes."

"But I thought...didn't we - you eat bacon?"

"Yes...Is that a problem?" Apex gave Greer a look of slight concern at her rather obvious questions.

"You - you made me hunt for food." Greer tried to speak quietly so no one else would hear. She didn't want anyone else to know what had gone on at Weapon X. She had heard her name a number of times as she had come down the stairs and didn't need to add fuel to the rumors of what had happened to her.

"It was good training."

"You made me hunt a bear!" The few heads in the kitchen turned at Greer's outburst as students attempted to break the record for grabbing breakfast and getting out of the kitchen. Greer lowered her voice back to a whisper as she spoke again, "You made me hunt a fucking bear. And we could have just eaten like normal people?"

"It wasn't my decision to make. Besides, like I said, it was valuable training." Greer fumed silently for a moment longer before deciding now wasn't the time to start blaming Colton for what had gone on. It was over. She was going to forget that entire hell starting today.

"It's fine. If you wait a minute I'll grab something and I can show you around."

"I already know my way around. I won't burden you." With that Apex made a quick move and was out the sliding door before Greer could even process what he had said. She watched him make his way to the woods before losing sight of him.

'Burden me?'

"I said...how is everything going?" Ororo asked as she gently touched Greer's arm as she sat looking out the window. Ororo had moved from her original spot to sit down next to Greer at dinner in the hopes of speaking with her. She hadn't really had the chance since her return.

"Oh...fine. Everything is fine." Greer turned back to Ororo obviously coming back from wherever her mind had wandered to.

"C'mon Greer. Obviously something has been troubling you..." Ororo spoke softly as Greer looked down and fidgeted with her hands.

"Nothing's troubling me. It - it's stupid...It's just - I haven't seen Colton. It's been two days already since that morning and...I don't know. I think he's avoiding me." Greer looked up briefly as Ororo before turning her gaze back towards the window...and the forest. Ororo took a moment to consider how best to reach the obviously concerned girl.

"Does any of this have to do with...when you were gone? Xavier mentioned you have turned down his offers to talk. You know he can help with -" Greer turned back to Ororo with a haunted look in her eyes.

"No. I don't - I don't need to talk about that. I just want to forget it." Greer sounded tired as she said it. A strange sort of haggardness etched on her face that Ororo had never seen before.

"Alright. How about we just enjoy some tea instead?" Greer smiled in agreement and appreciation for Ororo dropping the subject. Some company would be nice. She'd been feeling oddly isolated since her return to the Mansion. How could she be surrounded by so many people and still feel so alone? Greer's mind turned back towards Colton as Ororo was slowly getting out of her chair.

Ororo was marginally aware of two students bumping into each other and the sound of crashing plates...and was stunned as she suddenly found herself on the floor. Not entirely sure what had happened as Greer stood protectively over her, breathing heavily and her teeth bared. Ororo was stunned not just from the fall to the floor...but from the look on Greer's face. She had never seen Greer look like that before...

At the sound of crashing plates, Greer had grabbed Ororo and threw her to the ground, keeping one hand on her shoulder and the other raised in protection. It had happened so quickly...like...instinct. The kitchen became silent as everyone stared at Greer, not sure what to do, the two students that had bent over to pick up their mess frozen in place as Greer's eyes were locked onto them. Even with her inducer, Greer could be menacing...along with the low growl she was emitting.

It took Ororo almost a minute to calm Greer down enough for her to let Ororo up who did the best she could to get everyone back to eating. Albeit very uncomfortably and cautiously.

As Ororo turned back she noticed Greer return a steak knife to the table from where she had grabbed it.

"Greer...what happened? Are you alr -" But Greer had already taken a step from the table as if it had struck her and quickly gathered up her things.

"I'm - I'm so sorry Ororo...I need to go." Ororo looked concerned as Greer quickly fled from the kitchen, pointedly ignoring the whispers that followed her.

...

"Did you hear what I said?"

Apex kept hitting the heavy bag.

"Colton will you please stop that and speak with me?"

Apex kicked the heavy bag this time causing it to swing dangerously on its hinges.

"Apex." Ororo's voice had a certain authority to it that came with being arguably one of the most powerful mutants on the planet and she wasn't one that took well to being ignored.

That and the lights had flickered dangerously with the charged electricity in the air.

"Yes, I heard you. What difference does it make?" Apex kept his focus on the heavy bag as Ororo stood to his right with her arms crossed. He could tell she had been hoping for a different response. Apex had been hoping for a night alone, so I guess they both didn't get what they wanted.

"The difference is that you were and still are a mutant. Hank was able to confirm his original findings. The Professor had wanted to be the one to tell you but since you've been ignoring his requests all day, I decided for a more direct approach."

What Xavier had really wanted was to see how Apex would respond to this information. Of course, he wasn't a usual case of breaking the news to a new student confronted with their powers. This was more about Xavier attempting to get Apex to view himself as part of a group. That he belonged here. He knew that Greer had always struggled with her belief that she was a 'mutate' as opposed to a 'true' mutant. Not that Xavier ever viewed it as having much of a difference. But there was no telling how Apex would respond to the news and he had warned Ororo to be careful. One might not take hunting mutants to finding out he was one very well.

Apex however was more focused on where this conversation was leading. He eyed the file Storm was holding. Storm had told him that it held everything Shadowcat, the Mansion's resident hacker, and Beast had been able to discover concerning his background in the last three days since he had decided to remain at the Mansion.

The file was very thin.

"What are trying to get at?" Apex had simply wanted to spend the night training. Why did everyone seem to feel the need to come talk with him. Why couldn't they just leave him in peace...

"Colton -" Apex diverted his glance and let out a growl at the name and Ororo let out a small sigh, "Fine...Apex. It means that you were targeted for being a mutant. It means that Weapon X is still out there hunting our kind. If you would allow the Professor to just see what he can of your past we might be able to prevent -"

"No."

"But think of all of the other -"

"I said no." The rumble in Apex's voice and the clenched fists were clear enough for Ororo to throw up her hands in frustration at Apex's response to Xavier's request. Ororo had hoped that learning of his connection to the rest of the Mansion would help break down some walls...not strengthen them.

"You still don't trust us do you?" Apex just kept his gaze away from the Ororo's. He didn't like all of this questioning. "Apex, how am I supposed to earn your trust if you don't let me? And that goes for the rest of the Mansion and Professor Xavier as well. It's been three days and I don't think I have seen you anywhere around the Mansion."

"That's not true. I -"

"Outside of here and the Danger Room. And even then you have been scheduling your time around the rest of us. Don't you want to become part of this place? Isn't that why you decided to stay here?"

Ororo had found Apex in the Mansion's well equipped gym at close to 1am. Apex failed to see what the problem was. He wasn't bothering anyone. He wasn't breaking any rules. He simply preferred not having to deal with complications. And that meant he preferred to spend his time alone.

As for scheduling his own training, that had not been an issue. It had been simple to observe Cyclops putting in his codes and gain access to the Mansion's server. Making use of the Danger Room and gym while the Mansion was otherwise silent saved him the trouble of having to engage with anyone else. He assumed that the rest of the residents appreciated that.

"Not to mention Greer..." Ororo broke Apex's silent train of thought.

"What about her?" Apex rumbled.

"She's worried about you." Ororo said it like it should somehow be obvious.

"I doubt that." Apex focused back on hitting the heavy bag and ignoring an obviously shocked Ororo.

He had been keeping a careful watch on Greer...but at a distance. He hadn't known she was looking for him however. Ororo meanwhile silently wondered if something had happened between the two. She had been hoping this tactic would work much like last time. Greer seemed to be the only way Colton would ever engage.

"Well you shouldn't. You didn't see her at dinner the other night. All she could talk about was you keeping your distance, and..." Apex noted Storm's pause and slowed his striking enough to glance at her. Obviously she was remembering something about Tigra that troubled her.

"And what..." Ororo faced Apex with a grim look on her face.

"Something happened with Greer. You would know if you weren't so busy keeping your distance. It's selfish for you to do that. Especially now."

Apex stopped striking and rested his arms on the heavy bag. He hadn't thought his absence would have caused Tigra concern...or trouble. After all, from what he had observed, he assumed she would have appreciated his distance.

"Don't you care about her?" Apex gave Ororo a brief, unreadable look before returning to stare broodingly at the heavy bag.

'Men...' Ororo silently lamented before attempting another tack. "Apex...Gr - We want you to start settling in. To get to know what it's really like here. Not this isolation you've imposed on yourself."

Apex ignored Storm's ranting. He was still stuck on her previous question. 'Don't you care about her?' Apex had never considered...with a shake of his head Apex returned his attention back to Storm and her most recent in a seemingly never ending stream of questions.

"I don't see why that's necessary."

"Well I do." Ororo retorted.

"There is nothing -"

"Apex listen to me. I cannot make you trust me or anyone else. But if you refuse to engage with those around you, you will never learn what it is to belong. To be part of a team. A family." Apex stared off as he considered what Ororo was requesting.

During his years at the Facility he had learned to avoid spending too much time in the barracks or within the main structure. His life had centered around training, reporting to the Admiral, executing his missions, and returning to his enclosure until called on again. Anything outside of that just resulted in...complications. Being alone was not something he detested, a point Storm obviously did not understand. It kept him in control. He knew what to expect if it was just him. He preferred it that way.

"Unless of course you're scared?" Apex crossed his arms and gave Ororo a hard look but she was ready for it.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"You sure? Cause it sounds like you're scared..." Storm said tauntingly. Apex just snorted in response.

"If anything it's everyone else that's scared." Apex recalled the scene at breakfast from a few days ago...

"Then you won't mind eating lunch with me tomorrow?"

"That's not happening."

"So you are scared?"

"Stop saying that." Apex let out a growl of frustration. What would it take to get her to just leave.

"Then prove it."

"Fine."

"Excellent. Meet me after your see Professor Xavier at 11. He'll be expecting you." With that Ororo immediately turned and sauntered out. Apex let his arms fall to his sides as he quickly replayed what had just happened.

He couldn't help but feel that Ororo had gotten what she had wanted out of this night after all.

'Don't you care about her?'

Apex went back to assaulting the heavy bag with a new vengeance.