Awakening

Once again, Enjoy!

"Dad, I already told you, I'll be fine here! It's the Avengers that are needed to help with the cleanup and reconstruction, and thankfully, I'm not a part of the Avengers!" I protested trying to end the argument Dad and I have been having for the past ten minutes.

Dad was already late, the rest of the team down in the city, getting jobs and jumping into the mess. But Dad hadn't left yet! He wanted me to go with him, to at least be in the same area. I knew that he was just being paranoid and considering everything that had happened recently I really didn't blame him, but still!

I could take care of myself. Besides, Fati's true intentions had been revealed to the whole Family yesterday, I doubt she was going to be doing anything against me in the immediate future.

"But Pen, you've got a possibly insane Immortal out for your head; I'm not leaving you alone! Especially not after yesterday!" Dad exclaimed throwing his hands up into the air and giving me a heart breaking look. He really was just worried about me.

"Dad," I said slowly, deciding that I needed a different approach than yelling. "I'll be fine. If anything happens Jarvis'll let you know. Besides, Mortem would appear in a moment if Fati showed her head or anyone else. I know you're worried Dad, but trust me, I can take care of myself."

Dad looked pained before he said, "For some things, I do agree. But Pen you told me yourself your heads all messed up because you don't have all of your memories sorted…"

I cursed the fact that I had told my father that after he asked why I kept staring off into space and rubbing my temples even after my nap. While reliving memories during the explanation had helped and put the flash backs at bay for the most part, my screwed up mind was causing me to have slight mood swings.

Thankfully Dad hadn't noticed that yet, though Mortem had.

But he was in my head, so of course he did.

"Look, yeah I know I'm not at my best but Fati just got busted…to our whole Family. I really doubt any Immortal would be happy to see her right now, so she's probably laying low. Look, Dad, Fati's been pulling crap for years…I can't let that rule my life. Especially not now, this is the happiest I've been in a very long time…I'm not just going to hide from it."

I shrugged, trying to start crying at the depressing memories that flooded my mind at the admittance. Mortem's presence soothed my through the Bond, and that was the only thing that helped me keep my face straight.

Dad sighed and shook his head before pulling me into a hug. "Alright, you can stay here but I want you to keep the com on the whole time and you are not to disable Jarvis' tracking device."

My eyes widened and I smiled widely, "Does that mean I can leave the Tower!?"

I was practically bouncing, if Dad said I could leave then I could go explain a few things to Charles, drop by to see Nick and mess with his head a bit…

Dad's eyebrow twitched and I was pretty sure he noticed my mood change just then, but was too busy trying not to snap at me.

"And just where do you want to go so badly?" Dad asked slowly, and I knew that I was pushing him just a bit much today, and bit my lip. I really didn't want to make things worse for him, but I also owed Nick and Charles some explanations that I could actually give…

"Just to see Xavier and Fury, I knew them both a few lifetimes ago and Xavier actually knows about the whole reincarnation thing…and Fury sorta does. I owe them explanations to Dad, not about the Immortals or anything, but still. They were my friends once, and whether or not Fury's been an ass recently, which again might be because of Fati, I'd still like them to be."

Dad looked slightly surprised at that, but also relieved about something. Maybe he had been wondering how the X-men had known to show up yesterday? It was probably something like that.

"How did you know Fury? Xavier…I'm not too surprised, but Fury?" Tony's eyebrow was raised and I couldn't help but chuckle slightly, remembering what I had discovered sneaking around the Helicarrier two days ago.

"Remember that picture I send you, of a younger Fury and the previous director?" I asked and Dad nodded slowly, a look of suspicion in his eyes.

Good, he was already guessing.

"Well, that was me, well sorta. In that life I was known as Lynx Jackel, after I Awoke in her body when she died at nineteen…and yes, I did run SHIELD for quite some time." I really tried not to chuckle at the gobsmacked expression on my father's face; I really, really did, it just didn't work and a small giggle escaped.

Finally, Dad just shook his head slowly. "This is going to take some getting used to."

I patted Dad on the arm, "Yeah, it does. But it's alright, be glad it's not you who as millions of memories randomly floating around your mind right now."

Dad gave me another piercing look that caused me to look down guiltily. Probably shouldn't have said that.

"Not helping Pen," He told me as he stepped onto the platform, and Jarvis instantly started putting the Mark VII on. The Mark VI was still too trashed, and none of the other suits were compatible with the Starkanium Core (I was not calling it Penitonium), something that Dad and I were both upset that we had overlooked.

But oh well, neither of us were perfect.

"Sorry, Daddy." I gave him a small apologetic smile which he returned, and yet there was a shadow of emotion in his eyes that I couldn't quiet identify.

"Don't worry about it Pen, don't worry about it." He sighed shaking his head and I had to bite back a frown. Was something bothering Dad?

"Sir, Captain Rogers is asking when you will be arriving." Jarvis interrupted the conversation, his voice echoing through the room.

"Tell him I'm on my way." Dad replied instantly as his faceplate slid down and the mask lit up.

Almost running over, I threw my arms around the cold metal suit and gave Dad a hug; I had this strange feeling that he needed it.

"I'll keep the com in Dad, and trust me, nothing's going to happen." I told him soothingly as he nodded and I slid back down onto the ground.

"Just…be careful Pen, I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." The obvious again was left unsaid.

I gave Dad a smile, not showing that I heard the way his voice cracked, voice slightly disjointed from the suit or not.

"I know," I told him as he fired up his repulsors and flew out of the large window into the air beyond. "I know."

Sighing to myself I summoned my com. into my hand before slipping it into my ear.

"Ok Jar, let's take another gander at how those diagnostics are coming along before I head out for a bit." I stated as I clapped my hands and turned back towards the many holograms floating around our lab.

"Of course Miss Penny," Jarvis said, and I could just barely detect a slight bit of worry in the AI's voice.

"Don't worry Jar," I sighed as the data on the Arc and the rest of the Tower appeared in front of me, though it was only fifty percent done. "I've handled worse situations."

"That, I believe, is what worries me." Jarvis admitted before falling silent.

A frown flickered across my face, great, now I was worried about Jarvis and Dad. Lovely.

It only took me fifteen minutes to make sure the checks and everything was going alright. I even snuck down, invisible of course, to the basement to physically check up on the Arc Reactor. Everything seemed to be stable and alright so far, and no after effects from being connected to the Tesseract had surfaced.

After that, I threw a few shields up around the Tower, put the lab in lock down, patted the bots on the head, threw on my upgraded boots, and vanished in a swirl of power.

I reappeared just before the property boundaries, and in front of the mansion gates. I of course, knew this place originally as Charles home, though it had been mine as well for many years.

I sighed as I looked up at the large estate again, a place that I had honestly never expected to see again.

I gazed up at the large mansion atop the hill in awe. I had never seen such a large house in my six years of life. Raven shifted besides me, before waving me forward. She climbed nimbly over the fence as I scrambled up the wall.

My father had left me on the side of a road about six months ago, after my nanny freaked out when she saw me making thing float and change color as I played.

I had wondered around for three days, my strange abilities the only thing keeping me alive. That was, until I met Raven.

She was a nice girl, and always made sure I had food to eat. She was also really cool because her skin was dark blue and her eyes a bright yellow like the sun! She could look like anyone if she wanted to! Even a grown up! This really came in handy, 'specially when we didn't want people to think us odd.

"Come on Ben!" Raven whispered to me from the ground and I quickly jumped, landing on my feet.

"Good job," My friend told me before we both darted across the grassy lawn.

They must really like to play outside, the people who lived here; they had such a big yard!

Raven and I were super quiet, like spies, as we snuck inside of the house. Raven was really smart, being nine and all, and quickly found the kitchen.

We didn't like stealing, but we usually only stole food from really big houses like this one! So it wasn't like they were going to go hungry.

Raven saw a picture of a mother and son on the fridge and quickly changed so she looked like her. I kept close to the door, just in case anyone came down.

"Shhh!" I told my friend as she dug around in the fridge, "You're mak'in lots of noise!"

Raven didn't reply, but I could tell she made a face at me. She did that a lot.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps out in the hall and slid beneath one of the counters. "Someone's coming!" I whispered.

I closed my eyes, and prayed that no one would find us; if they did, we would have to run or fight and I didn't like fighting.

"Mother," A boy sighed in relief, but I didn't dare open my eyes. Raven could take care of it, she always told me to let her take care of it.

"What're you… I thought that you were a burglar." The boy said in a funny voice, Raven had told me about those! What where they called…assens…assects…accends…acc-ents that was it!

"Oh," Raven replied, and I thought that the mother's acc-ent sounded even weirder! "I didn't mean to scare you darling, I was just getting a snack. Go back to bed."

See, she was really good at this!

But the boy didn't reply, and I bit my lip in worry. Why wasn't the boy going to bed? Surely he wasn't going to question his mother?

"What's the matter?" Raven continued, obviously also sensing the boys hesitance. My stomach squirmed and I bit my lip harder. No, I couldn't do something strange now! It would give us away, and then we would never get something to eat.

"Go on, back to bed." Raven told the boy, but he didn't say anything. Why? Why couldn't he just go back to bed? Why wasn't he leaving.

Raven must've been getting as desperate as I was, because she said, "I'll make you some hot chocolate."

"Who are you?" The boy finally asked, and my eyes snapped open in shock. "And what have you and your friend done to my mother!"

Suddenly, his voice wasn't talking out loud, it was in my head! How did his voice get in my head!

"My mother has never set foot in this kitchen in her life, and she has certainly never made me hot chocolate, unless you count ordering the made to do it."

Peeking out from beneath my hiding place I saw Raven change back. This boy was special, like us! Maybe he was going to help!

I saw the boy smile, and Raven looked confused.

"You're not…scared of me?" She asked, as I had been the only other person who hadn't been scared of her before, she told me so.

But this boy…something was telling me he was special.

"I always believed I couldn't be the only one in the world; the only person who was…different." The boy said, and I smiled, he was like us!

I really wanted to meet the boy, but Raven hadn't told me to move yet, and I didn't want her mad at me.

"And here you are," The boy grinned again. "You and your friend, you can come out you know, I'm not going to hurt you."

I glanced over at Raven, who gave the tiniest of nods, and I quickly wiggled out from my hiding spot, and ran up to the boy.

"Hi," I told him with a grin and a wave, my curls falling into my eyes. "My name's Ben!"

"Charles Xavier." The boy said as he reached out and shook my hand, before offering it to Raven.

"Raven," She said softly, still barely believing that this was happening.

I knew, because she acted the same way when she met me!

Their hands dropped, and suddenly, Charles eyes widened. "You two are hungry," to which we both nodded, "and alone."

I nodded sadly, and Charles immediately waved around the kitchen. "Take whatever you want, we have lots of food, you don't have to steal."

"Oh thank you!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around the boy before darting off towards the fridge, I hadn't even since yesterday, though Raven hadn't eaten since the day before that.

"In fact," Charles said slowly as I grabbed a large thing of cheese, I loved cheese! "You never have to steal again."

"Does…does that mean we can stay here?" Raven asked timidly, as I closed the fridge and started bread hunting.

The boy smiled, "You may have to hide…but I don't see why not."

I froze, before glancing over at Raven, who was starting to grin. We shared a look before smiling.

We had a home.

I literally had to shake my head to clear it from the long lasting memory, and bit my lip as my temple throbbed. Closing my eyes I tried my hardest to block out the rest of the memories…I didn't need to be drifting off in front of anyone.

After a moment, I felt that my mind was steady enough for the visit with Charles, and phased through the gates.

I smiled to myself; it was no surprise that my memory of meeting Charles had flashed through my mind. He had once been like a brother to me.

And now, well, I had a bit of explaining to do.

Hi! Sorry it took so long, but hey two updates in one day! The scene with Charles, Raven (who is Mystique for those of you who don't know/remember) and Ben took a while to write because I had to track the scene down and rewatch it, since I don't own First Class.

And my internet was being stupid, but what's new?

Anyway, hope you liked it, Pen talks to Charles, Nick, and a few others next Chpt.

You all rock!
Cp