Lorna leaned against the wall in front of Alex's room for a second. Everything was too much for her. First Sonya's funeral, now a ghost back from the dead. When she had first saw him, Lorna had been wondering if she had been imagining Alex in front of her. She had wondered if she had just snapped completly. Alex was real thought. He was right here, alive and well and Lorna couldn't be more happier and at the same time angrier. That asshole left her thinking her was dead for years. How was he even alive? She saw the building explode. It should have crushed him. Right now Lorna knew one thing. She had to find Marcos, Johnny and Clarice and explain what had happened. She practically ran out of the room with Alex. They were probably more confused than she was herself.

Lorna got back downstairs and looked around. They were still here, doing the usual. Like there was no stranger here a minute ago that Lorna had just hugged in front of them. She reached Marcos and tapped his shoulder. He turned to face her. Lorna saw no trace of anger, maybe just a little surprise, but nothing else.

"Hey," Lorna said I wanted to explain what happened. I know you are probably confused."

"I little, yeah," Marcos said frankly.

Lorna took a deep breath preparing herself, it won't be hard. She cleared her throat to get Clarice and Johnny's attention.

"Come on," She said and walked into one of the side rooms. Lorna waited for the other to get in and closed it, "It isn't that important. I figured you just need to know"

"It was a little weird. I agree with that," Clarice shrugged and John nodded.

"You don't need to tell us, if you don't want to, babe," Marcos said and Lorna smiled.

"It's okay," She said. "Alex and I, knew each other since we were kids. More or less we grew up together. He was adopted by some people from another state and he had to move, so we were separated. He would send me a letter every two weeks, but it wasn't the same. He had started sending letters more and more rarely and eventually stopped doing so. I thought he forgot about me and I had moved on. A few years later we met again and...well our friendship continued. One day he got some emergency signal and told me that he will explain everything when he gets back. I followed him, because I believed I could help. When I arrived there, Alex was helping get out people from a burning building, alound with others in uniforms with Xs on their belts. When he saw me, he told me he would explain everything. Then Alex went in to search for the last kid in the apartment...I saw the other X-men going tp the back of the building and then... it exploded. The police didn't let me go any further. I have believed he was dead ever since," Lorna finished her story fighting back angry tears.

Alex really made her believe he was dead. What if he did it on purpose? No, he wouldn't do that, would he? She was going to ask him every damn question. Lorna deserved to know the truth.

"I am sure everything will clear up when you talk to him," Marcos said

"I hope so," Lorna said and she really hoped Alex had an explanation. She didn't want to be angry at him, but she was.

"Don't worry. I am sure we has a good explanation. If he doesn't... beat him up," Clarice smirked and Lorna chuckled, feeling relief inside her.

"Good luck with the upcoming conversation, Lorna," Johnny said and looked at some mutants that were having a fight, "I am going to have to see what's going on" He said and exited the room.

"Everyone is still fighting over the accident with the Frosts," Clarice said her eyes dark.

"The situation is intense," Marcos agreed and looked at Clarice.

"Lauren was looking for you earlier," He said.

"I am going," Blink said and walked away

"Marcos, I have to tell you that... " Lorna began.

"You and Alex weren't just friends," He said looking at her green eyes, "I figured"

"Of course you did," Lorna murmured. Marcos didn't look angry, but why would he. That was a long time ago and Lorna was now with Marcos, expecting a baby.

Her boyfriend wasn't unreasonable.

"Thank you for being so understanding Marcos," Lorna said kissing him softly.

"For you, always, "Marcos said "Why were you going to tell me about you and Alex."

"Why wouldn't I? "Lorna answered with a question of her own.

"I don't know. That is dead and buried after all," He shrugged. "I thought that you won't mention it"

"The truth is that I don't know what Alex feels and I believe it's better if I have told you for us, instead of finding out another way," Lorna explained, not sure if her words made any sense. Of course she should now tell alex that she has a brother and was pregnant, but that definitely faded in the background of what Alex had to explain.

"I understand," Marcos smiled and Lorna couldn't help but kiss him again.

"I am going to talk to Alex now," Lorna said.

In reality she didn't want to. Yes, she wanted to know how was he alive, but Lorna was afraid she wouldn't like the answer. She didn't want to be told how her best friend didn't die and left her. Lorna didn't want to hear that she had lost Alex, but she had to do it.

"Good luck," Marcos said smiling and Lorna went out of the room.

Her hands clenched into fists. She remembered how angry she was, when she first saw him, but the anger quickly melted away. Now she wouldn't let it go away that easily.

Lorna walked up the stairs and went into Alex's room not bothering to knock. When she saw him he was standing and looking straight into her. Maybe the sudden slam of the door, surprised him.

"Look Alex. I don't want excuses, I want an explanation. Where the hell where you? How did you end up being alive? I saw that damn building explode. Why didn't you try to reach me somehow, at least to tell me that you are okay? I was ruined when you died...ruined, do you get that. I was left to pick up the pieces after that and move on with my life. After all these years, you come tell me that you love me, then go to chase some emergency signal out of nowhere and then die."

Lorna was almost out of breath after she said everything, still angry because of what had happened, angry at the man in front of her. The man she had known once as an hotheaded boy she had made friends with, a friendship that blossomed into so much more. He looked so different now: older, with scars and burns all over his face, the living spark almost gone and the fire in his eyes barely burning.

Alex was looking straight into her eyes like he was trying to read them. He didn't tense when she had started to speak, he looked like he was expecting everything she had said.

"Before I hurried back in the building I told you I will explain everything. Now it Is later than I wanted to do it, but I guess it's time. I am alive because the other X-men got me out of the ruins in time. I couldn't talk to you or reach you, because after the building exploded I was left in a coma for two years," Alex explained , clearly with a calm, regretful tone.

His voice was raspier than Lorna remembered it.

The words echoed in Lorna's ears and went down her spine like a shiver. How could she believe that Alex will just ditch her without a reason, "I am so sorry" She said covering her mouth with her hand.

"Don't be, you didn't do it," Alex said giving her a small smile, "The recovery took a long time too and I also thought it was too late."

"Too late for what!?" Lorna snapped. She would have killed to hear that Alex was alive and well, even after two years. How could it have been late?

"Too late to try and reach you again. I thought that after so much time, you had come in terms with my "death" and moved on.. I couldn't just come back and destroy everything," Alex looked away just for a second, but Lorna could see the pain in there, but anger still clogged her mind.

"IT WAS ALREADY DESTROYED! EVEN AFTER TWO YEARS YOU STILL HAD A CHANCE TO FIX IT AND YOU DIDN'T!" She shouted again and something dark passed through Alex's face.

"AND WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I CAME BACK LORNA! I COULD HAVE DIED AGAIN AFTER A MONTH, OR A WEEK! I DIDN'T WANT TO CAUSE YOU THAT PAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN," Alex snapped for the first time since the beginning of the conversation.

Lorna sighed and ran a hand trought her hair. "I...I am sorry for snapping. I can't blame you for being in a coma. It just hurts to know that you had a chance to tell me that you were okay. I just missed you a lot."

"I missed you too. Sorry for the pain I caused you," Alex said rubbing his back, "You have every right to be angry at me."

"I don't want to be angry with you anymore," She said softly

Lorna looked at his face examining it. "The burn... Is it from then?" She asked touching it with the tip of her fingers. When did she got so close to him? Lorna was so wrapped up in the conversation that she didn't realise she took a step closer and then another one. Subconsciously Lorna wanted to be close.

Alex could feel Lorna's gentle fingers on his face. She was so close now, he could feel her warm breath on his face. Alex put his hand over hers, leaning against her palm. He remembered when Hank had told him that they couldn't do anything to heal his face, that the scars will stay there forever.

"Yes," He answered, hating how uncertain he sounded. "Han..the doctor said that due to my mutation he couldn't perform plastic surgery," Alex wasn't sure why he was saying that, it wasn't necessary, but he had always told Lorna everything sooner or later. It was just something about her that made you want to share.

Then Lorna just hugged him. It was surprising at first, but he hugged her back, "I am so glad you are back," She said and Alex could feel a warm feeling inside him.

"Me too," He said genuinely.

A minute of silence passed before Lorna pulled back from the hug.

"Since when are you with the X-men?" She asked and Alex knew she would want to hear the whole story. He had told her a little bit of what had happened after they were separated when they met again, but never everything.

"I had told you how angry I was at my adopted family, when they took me. You know the stuff I had done to make them regret adopting me. I also had an adopted sister named Hayley. At first... I hated her, because she reminded me of Scott so much. In time she started to grow on me for the same reason and I felt responsible for her. Hayley seemed to like me and look up to me for dome reason. Even after my foster parents were sick of me and my attitude, they kept me, because Hayley wanted to. One day the guy, who had killed my foster family's son, Todd, came back to finish the job. He kidnapped me and Hayley and threatened to kill us. He went after Hayley and I felt so angry, that I was going to lose another person I cared about again. Another sibling that I was responsible for. That little girl felt like my second chance after I had failed Scott. I killed him...I couldn't even stop the light from burning him alive," He could see Lorna's eyes widened slightly, but he needed to finish. She deserved to know.

"They arrested me and tried me as an adult for murder. My foster parents disowned me for obvious reasons. I confessed of killing the guy. I requested to be put in solitary and they were happy to obligate. One day some CIA agents came, said that they could help me, that I would be with people like me and my record would be wiped clean. It was an offer I couldn't say no to. They were putting together a mutant team called Division X that later turned into the X-men. That's how it happened," Alex finished, taking a breath.

He didn't want to look at Lorna, to see the disappointment in her eyes.

"That man... it was an accident," She said with an assuring voice, "He attacked you first. It was self-defense.

"I came in terms with what I did, Lorna, " Alex said looking back up at her, "I just didn't know how you will react.

"That guy attacked you and your sister. It was self-defense and he was asking for it," Lorna said and the tone in her voice caught Alex off guard. It was venomous and hateful. Lorna had always been a girl with an attitude, she wasn't taking shit from anyone, but Alex had never seen her speak the way she spoke now with such hate. For a moment he didn't know how to reply, but she was so close that he just hugged her again.

"God, I missed you," Alex said and Lorna hugged him back

"I missed you too," She replied the hate gone from her voice. It was better that way. They parted and Lorna but her lip.

"I have to tell you something," She said with uncertainty.

"Which is?" Alex pushed on.

"I am pregnant," She announced and Alex thought he had heard wrong. She couldn't be saying that could she?

"You are... pregnant?" He asked and Lorna nodded surely, waiting for his reaction.

He had lost her. Alex ordered himself to get a grip. No, he hadn't. He had just lost his chance to be with her, a chance to be more to her. Lorna was still his best friend though or at least he felt that way. Of course she had a boyfriend or a husband, she was incredible and he was the one that left, even if it was against his will. Alex felt one more peace from the rest of his heart crush. For a long time he had wanted to be the person next to Lorna, to raise their children together, be happy, but after all of the shit that had happened Alex couldn't ask for that. He would be happy for her of course he will. She was his closest person now after all and hehad owned her a lot more that he could repay.

"Congratulations Lorna," He smiled genuinely, swallowed the jealousy he felt for her partner. Alex knew it wasn't right to feel that way, but he couldn't help it. Lorna smiled back at him.

"Thanks," Her face lightened, but in her eyes Alex could read that she understood what he felt underneath the smile. She always did.

"You deserve to be happy," Alex said smiling, "And you can name the kid Alexander or if it's a girl Alexandra" He said laughing and Lorna laughed too, the sweet sound filling Alex's ears. God he had missed that laugh.

"I already have a name in mind if it's a girl thought," Lorna said and looked at her hands.

"Aurora," She whispered remembering how hers and Marcos's powers combined created the most beautiful thing on Earth.

"It's a beautiful name," Alex said, "And It starts with "A". That's a win win," Here they were discussing the name of Lorna's baby. A kid that was someone else's. In the following two years after the X-men disbanded and Alex had spent with Lorna, he had thought a lot about the next step in their relationship. He hadn't want to rush anything though and maybe it had been better that way, taking into account that hat he died shortly after that decision.

"As you said it, yeah. It sounds perfect now, but if it is a boy I would need other options," She said smilling

"Pfff that's simple... Auror," Alex suggested and Lorna bursted into laugher

"You are such a dork," She said jokingly pushing him back.

"Usually people prefer the term asshole or dick to describe me, but I will take dork too, if you insist," Alex smirked at her and Lorna rolled her eyes.

"For a moment I thought that you have changed too much. It is nice to know that there is something from your past self in you. He looked more alive, you know?"

"Trust me, I would kill millions of times to get him back, even for a day," Alex sighed running a hand through his hair, "I liked him better too"

Before Lorna could say anything else someone bursted trought the door. The words 'Have you heard of knocking' were at the tip of his tongue, but Alex stopped himself before they could get out and win an annoyed look from Lorna.

John looked like he was in a hurry, his eyes on Lorna, anxiously standing at the door. Obviously whatever it happened was important.

"Lorna, we have a problem. We need you."