"So? What's the world saying?" Ororo asked, coming over to the living room where everyone watched the news.
"You haven't missed much. They only showed the blown up bomb shelter so far," Pietro said, and moved a little to make room for her on the couch.
Callisto's face appeared on screen. "Look, that's Callisto!" Pietro said. Ororo tapped him on the arm lightly to keep him quiet.
"I wouldn't be talking to you if it wasn't for the five mutants that came to warn us. They saved our lives," Callisto said.
Ororo smiled. Millions of people would hear this. They would hear that they're not bloodthirsty individuals, and that they use their powers for good.
"That cute silver haired man got us out just in time..." Annalee said, really emphasizing the word "cute".
"Looks like you have a fan!" Kurt laughed, looking at Pietro.
"Ha-ha-ha..." Pietro said flatly.
"Oh, this will be good," Jean rubbed her hands together when the camera now turned to the runner.
"It was the head of The Commission on Superhuman Activities, Henry Gyrich. He...he forced me to help him. He threatened to kill me if I didn't..." the man nearly broke down in tears. "These mutants saved them, and spared my life. I'm so sorry..."
"This is your doing, huh?" Raven asked as she turned to Jean.
"Damn, Jeannie, ya sure can mess with a guy's head," Logan said, partially meaning himself.
"Brilliant, Jean!" Charles applauded.
They showed a picture of the man responsible for all this. "There he is! Pathetic scum!" Eric said disgusted.
The reporter talked about how he's being investigated, but so far hasn't been arrested for the lack of evidence. "Lack of evidence, the guy just told you!" Raven said frustrated.
"Lots of people are outraged by this appalling act, and ask for a punishment for Henry Gyrich, if he truly is guilty. But there's a significant fraction of people applauding the act," the reporter said.
"Sickening!" Jubilee said.
"They could have killed humans as well, not just us! Who can possibly applaud this?" Ororo asked shocked.
"Somebody who's messed up in the head..." Logan grumbled.
"She did say a lot of people are appalled," Jean said. "That's good! The momentum is shifting our way," she tried to make them see the positive side.
"But what about the "significant fraction"?" Scott asked.
"They're on the wrong side of history, and they know they're losing. They're just trying to go down swinging," Jean said.
"I could very well help with that..." Logan said, making Jean smile.
"Hi everyone!" Hank slowly walked into the living room.
"Hank!" Raven got up quickly. "You're not supposed to be here!" she said, taking his arm to support him.
"I'm glad to see you, too!" he laughed.
"I meant...you're supposed to be resting," she said calmly.
"I can rest right here," he said. She slowly helped him sit down.
"Hi Hank, how are you?" Eric asked.
"Good, thanks to you," he smiled.
Eric shook his head as if to say "no problem".
"Well, what are they saying about us?" Hank asked as he looked at the TV.
"Looks like most of the people are with us. Not all of them though," Jean summarized.
"Can't please them all," Hank shrugged.
They played a short video. It was Jean utilizing her powers. Someone filmed it from quite a distance, but it was clearly her.
"Wow, and I missed it!" Hank sighed.
"I wonder why the press didn't come talk to us when they were there," Ororo said.
"They wanted no part of this gorgeous badass here," Logan said, and kissed Jean's cheek. Jean smiled, and squeezed his hand.
"We should talk to them," Scott said. "If they're still scared of us, we need to call them up and tell them our side of the story."
"Surprisingly, not the stupidest idea I've ever heard..." Logan teased, but he actually was a little surprised. Cyke with a half decent idea? That sure didn't happen all that often.
"I'm glad you say that," Charles said.
The group was so into the discussion, they didn't notice the professor leave the room and come back.
"Why? What did you do, Charles?" Eric knew that look. Charles already already had a plan in motion.
"I requested a live television debate with Henry Gyrich," he said.
"You what?" Eric blurted out surprised.
All of them were stunned, they didn't move an inch for a few seconds.
"Ya really wanna talk to that asshole?" Logan asked.
"Not any more, than you, really," he said.
"What makes you think he'll even debate you?" Eric asked.
"It'll be all over the news that I asked to talk to him, one on one. He's a prime suspect of blowing up the shelter, and nearly destroying our school. If he doesn't accept, not only it'll make him look guilty, it'll make him look like a coward," Charles said.
"If he accepts, do you think he'll debate you reasonably?" Jean asked.
"No, not at all," Charles chuckled.
"And you want to show that to people," Jean smiled, seeing where he was going with this.
Charles looked at all of them. They were starting to like the idea.
"Scott is right, we need to tell them our story. We need them to connect with us," he paused as everybody nodded in agreement. "I'll make them realize there is no reason to fear us, while he..." Charles searched for the right words.
"Makes an ass out of himself," Logan said.
"Yes, thank you Logan," Charles said.
For that relatively short time Logan's been with them, Charles liked him just as mush as the rest of them. He was a valuable teammate, and even though he never said it, he knew that Logan would do anything for them. For Jean especially.
"Why is it always the telepaths with the best logic?" Pietro asked.
"He started it; we'll end it. Peacefully," Charles said determined.
The X-men sat in silence, looking at one another, smiles slowly forming on their faces. They didn't have to fight anymore. All that was left to do was Charles being the voice of reason, and he would be. For the first time ever, they all believed that peace was within their reach.