Note: I haven't seen episode… what is it, 16? Not yet. I'll probably do that today, and I highly doubt this will be sticking to canon. Basically, it's set sometime after the previous episode.

"Walking Mirror"

Skye was meditating on her bed when she felt a tremble through the ground. Now that she concentrated on it, she could feel the vibrations in everything. She went to her door, opening it just as Gordon appeared in front of her. She'd never get used to that, and jumped back with a yelp.

"There's a raid," he said. "I'm moving everyone out."

"Where to?" Skye asked, grabbing her jacket.

"Various places. I'll be back for you in a minute. Get your things packed."

Then he disappeared again. Skye raced to shove everything she'd accumulated into a carry bag, and was ready by the time Gordon returned. He slid an arm around her waist, and teleported her to the middle of a forest. She looked around, surprised by the amount of light bathing the area. She could barely see the moon and stars through the trees.

"Erik?" Gordon called, looking around. Skye looked as well.

"Where are we?" she said.

"I'm leaving you with friends of mine. Have you heard of mutants?"

"I think Jemma told me about them. They have the x-gene?"

"That's right. Erik Lehnsherr is here. He is the leader of the Brotherhood. He goes by the name Magneto."

"Speak of the devil," a deep voice said. Skye whirled around; Gordon turned more slowly.

"Erik," he said. Skye stared at the man with the cape and the helmet and the penetrating gaze. He looked her over.

"Is she an X, Gordon?" he asked.

"No, but that's no reason to turn her away," Gordon said. "She has powers."

"From one of your Diviners?"

"Yes."

He held out his hand to Skye. "Magneto. What is your name?"

"Skye," she said, and she shrugged. "Just Skye."

"What is your… ability?"

Skye concentrated, and the ground began to shake. Magneto's eyes widened, and there were shouts from nearby. Skye halted it, and smiled. He smiled in return.

"Welcome to the Brotherhood," he said. "You may not be a mutant, but you are welcome here."

"Thanks," she said, letting go of his hand.

"I will inform you when it is safe to return," Gordon said, touching her shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Skye."

"Thanks, Gordon."

He nodded, and then left. Magneto led Skye to the rest of the camp. People had emerged from various fancy huts in their pyjamas.

"We have a guest," he announced. Skye nodded at the others, and gave a little wave. "Her name is Skye."

"Is she the chick who made the ground move?" a blond guy asked.

"Yes, Pyro."

"Pyro?" Skye said. "Lemme guess. Fire power?" Magneto smiled. "What about you?"

"I can move metal."

"Huh. I guess that'd be pretty useful, since there's metal in so many things these days."

"You may be the youngest here," Magneto said, leading her further into the campsite.

"Hey, I'm older than I look!"

"So are we all, my dear. Do you have another name?"

"A couple of `em, but not ones I use. And I know what you mean." She shrugged. "No cool superhero codename or whatever for me."

"We shall have to think of something appropriate," he said.

Skye nearly screamed when an exact copy of her, right down to her clothes, walked up to them.

"This is Mystique," Magneto said. Skye could hear the humour in his voice, and raised her eyebrows.

"So are you a walking mirror or something?" she asked Mystique. The woman – was it a woman? – tensed, and then her Skye form melted away to reveal blue skin, red hair, and yellow eyes. Skye gaped. She'd never seen anything like her before.

"At least I'm not cradle-robbing, thank God," Mystique replied. Skye dropped her bag in shock.

"Holy shit!" she said. "I… seriously had given up on finding my soulmate. But… hey, you're here! And I don't have to hide who I am!" She grinned. "Wow, that's a relief."

"I don't have to hide who I am here," Mystique said, linking her hands together in front of her. "Unless you want me to?"

"What?" Skye said, surprised. "Why would I want you to do that?"

Mystique almost looked lost as she glanced at Magneto, her eyebrows drawing together. He chuckled.

"I told you that your soulmate would accept you for who you are, Raven," he said. "You mustn't fret so."

"You thought… I'd reject you?" Skye said. Mystique lowered her gaze. "Oh, no. No, I wouldn't do that. I'm just… you're naked. You walk around naked? Aren't you cold?"

"If I want clothes, I look like someone else," Mystique – Raven? – said. "I can't put anything on this form."

"Huh." Skye looked her over again. "I guess that's more convenient." Then she realised what she said, and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Shit. I'm sorry. That sounded… I didn't mean to…"

Mystique laughed softly. "This isn't a conversation to have in front of the others."

Skye looked around, her cheeks aflame, and shook her head. "No, it really isn't. I'm so sorry."

"Grab your bag and come with me, honey." She held out a hand. "You must be tired."

"Bed-time was supposed to be in half an hour, so yeah, I am pretty whacked."

"Would you like to stay with me?"

Skye nodded shyly, and looked at Magneto. "Thanks for having me here. Can I meet everyone else tomorrow?"

"Of course. Sweet dreams, Skye."

"I'll try," she muttered, picking up her bag. She took Mystique's hand and allowed herself to be led away and into one of the hut-cabin-things. It reminded Skye of where she was staying before Gordon had to rescue her.

"The bed is large enough," Mystique said. "Or I could sleep elsewhere?"

"No, don't," Skye said, putting her bag down and then grabbing her soulmate's hands.

"I don't mind—"

"What do you want me to call you?"

She looked startled. "Um… you can call me whatever you like."

"Raven? Is that your name?"

"Yes."

"Can I…?"

"Please do. Not many people use it, so… I'd like you to."

Skye smiled, and leaned forward to nuzzle Mystique's nose. It was smoother and warmer than she'd expected.

"Where's your mark?" she asked. Mystique turned in place and showed her the words on her lower back, in Skye's messy handwriting. (Years of mostly typing had caused that.)

"What about yours?" she said.

Skye pulled off her jacket and shirt, and pressed up against Mystique's back. There was a slight jolt where their marks brushed against each other, and as neither of them were ready to bond yet nothing else happened. But Mystique dragged Skye's arms around her front and held them there, tangling their fingers together.

"I'm older than I look," she admitted.

"So Magneto said. That doesn't matter to me, Raven, you have to know that."

"For years…" Mystique's voice sounded thick. "I thought my soulmate wouldn't want me in my natural form."

"Does the soulmark transfer when you wear other people's… skin?"

She shook her head. "The only thing that seemed possible was a platonic…"

"It doesn't have to be that," Skye said. "I'm good for anything. Guys have let me down in the past. I'm through with them. I just want my soulmate." She kissed Mystique's shoulder. "I have the most screwed up history, and now I can shatter glass and cause earthquakes if I lose control of my emotions. Gordon's been trying to help me, but I'm still terrified of hurting anyone, and I thought my soulmate would prefer to keep things platonic, too."

"I can't bond with you," Mystique said, and Skye's heart fell. "Not yet. I don't want you to think you've made a mistake if we move too quickly."

"Fate wouldn't let that happen," Skye said. "But I'm honestly too tired to think about that kind of thing anyway. Except my horrible Freudian slips. Ugh." Mystique laughed again as Skye buried her face in a blue neck. "I'm nearly as bad as Fitz." She sighed. "Is there any way I can contact my team? I need to let them know I'm okay."

"Yes, but you're tired." Mystique turned around again, and Skye had to move her hands quickly so she didn't accidentally brush any inappropriate places. Mystique's look of amusement showed that she knew exactly what Skye was avoiding. "Get into bed."

"I have pyjamas…"

"I'll wait."

"…Okay."

Five days later

Skye stuck a finger in her right ear, phone pressed to her left.

"Reception isn't the greatest out here!" she said loudly. "Can you repeat that, Fitz?"

"…find you… Hunter's back… the Avengers… where that is?"

She decided not to beat her head against the wall; it probably wasn't responsible for the bad reception. Stupid campsite being in the middle of the woods. She heard Mystique snickering behind her, and poked her tongue out at her soulmate.

"Look, tell Coulson I've—"

"…guy named Gordon… with Raina… your dad…"

"W-what about him?" Skye said, her heart beginning to race. "You've seen him? Did you say you've seen my dad?"

"…lab… school for mutants… know who… with?"

"Fitz, damnit, I'm only hearing every other word!"

"Magneto usually improves the reception, but he's gone for supplies," Mystique said.

"Can you call back?" Skye asked, almost shouting by now. The Scottish brogue didn't really help.

"HYDRA… trace on… hurry… coming for—"

Then the line was cut. Skye growled in frustration, set the phone back down, and crossed her arms as worry began to take over again. This was the first time she'd been able to get in contact with her team. A warm blue hand landed on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about them."

"I can't help it, Raven. They're my family, the only family I've ever had. Bad things keep happening, and I'm not there to help them. Don't…" She turned to meet her soulmate's sunflower gaze. "Don't get me wrong. I'm so grateful to be here with you."

"But that doesn't stop you from worrying."

"No, it doesn't."

"Do you know where they are?"

"May told me to run because SHIELD was after me. We're SHIELD! So who else is using that name? Is there another one? Has the Playground been compromised? Gordon couldn't tell me. Another person in our team betrayed us, and I'm so sick of that!"

"Hey." Mystique pulled Skye into her arms. "You're safe here."

"Is there even a SHIELD anymore? Has it fallen again? Or is there more than one, or two? How many are out there? I just…" She sighed, trying not to cry. "I just wanna know what's happening."

"We'll find out. Magneto won't be long."

"But what if I can't get in touch with them again? The call was cut off. What if—"

Mystique kissed her. Skye relaxed, or tried to. She was still getting used to being kissed by a woman. Curves were so different. Not in a bad way, just… different. And it was nice to be kissing someone on her side. Her soulmate.

"Now enough worrying," Mystique murmured against her lips. "Come have lunch with us. The phone will still be here. When Magneto gets back, he can help you."

"My father's still out there. If my team's seen him… he's after Coulson, obsessed with killing him."

"You're one of us now," Pyro said as Mystique pushed Skye down onto one of the benches in the middle of the campsite. "No one gets to you except through us."

That made Skye want to cry. She knew that this group of mutants hated humans; and while Skye wasn't strictly human, she wasn't a mutant, either. But they'd accepted her into their fold easily. Mystique handed her a bowl of minestrone.

"Eat up," she said. "It'll give you something to do."

Skye nodded, and tucked in.

When Magneto arrived, it was just in time for the last bowl of soup. Skye was trying to be patient, but worry made her fidget in place.

"I can control the wires while I eat, you know," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Call your team."

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, and she ran into the base hut. She dialled the last number, and was almost sick with nerves by the time Fitz finally answered.

"I don't know what happened there," he said.

"How is everyone?" Skye said. "Where are you? Did you say you'd seen Cal? What about Gordon? Is there another SHIELD? Why couldn't I get hold of you for nearly a week?"

"Calm down, Skye!"

"And you said something about mutants and a school," she said. "HYDRA as well? A trace? Did you say they were coming for me? Because I'm not alone, and I'm not putting these people in danger, especially not with my soulmate among them!"

"Your soul…? Listen, Skye. Give us your location so we can find you."

"I don't know our location, Fitz. Gordon zapped us straight here."

"He told us you were safe, but… well… didn't know whether to trust him…"

"I am," she said. "I'm with my soulmate. She's gorgeous, wait `til you see her."

"A lot's happened since we last saw you," he said.

"Sounds like."

"Your dad found a bunch of people on the asset register, and he traced them to a school. HYDRA put a tracker on him, somehow, and there was this huge fight. Only a few casualties on HYDRA's side, and none on the other's."

"Oh my God…"

"The man in charge is named Charles Xavier."

Skye frowned. "I recognise that name."

"It's a school for mutants. Your dad didn't get in, but he did take a shot at Coulson."

"Is he okay?"

"Fine, only a graze, an' Simmons was there. But if you can get here, it'd be great. Especially if you can avoid running into any other mutants. There are others out there, including a group led by a man named Magneto." Skye froze. "One of the HYDRA agents who got away said they'd try to recruit him next. If that happens, we'll be in big trouble." She was silent. "Skye?"

"Sorry, bad reception again," she said, and she hung up. Pulling herself together, she stepped back outside, and walked over to her new friends.

"Did you get through to them?" Mystique asked, holding out her hand. Skye took it, lacing their fingers together, and nodded.

"There was a HYDRA attack," she said. "Against a school run by Charles Xavier. Why do I know that name?"

They all looked at each other. Magneto cleared his throat.

"Acquaintances of ours," he said. "Was anyone hurt in this attack?"

"Only people working for HYDRA. Fitz said they'll approach you next."

"Let them," Magneto said, steel entering his voice. "I will relish turning them inside out."

"Nazis killed his family," Mystique whispered.

"Oh," Skye said. There wasn't really anything she could say to that. "Um, my team wants to know where I am, but…"

"Will you tell them?"

"I can't. Not… not yet. They're my team, I'll have to sometime, but not until it's safe. For all of us."

"You have us in the meantime," she said, squeezing Skye's hand. She squeezed back.

"I'll always have you, I hope," she said. Mystique smiled.

"I hope so, too."

I honestly have no idea where to go from there. I was going to have Skye agreeing with Magneto's ideals, and SHIELD on the X-Men's side, leading to smeg tons of angst, and then decided that I couldn't put myself through the emotional ringer like that. Not at the moment. So… you got a weird ending. Again. Hmm.

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