Kathy woke early the next morning and went downstairs silently to find that no one else was awake. She had a lot to reflect on, a lot she wasn't sure how to say to her dad but at the same time she knew Eli was right, it had to be said. She turned the corner to see Eli trying to sneak out of his room.

"What 'cha doin?" she asked in a singsong tone.

Eli jumped and turned to look at her.

"Shh… I'm trying to get out of here before Zoe wakes up or otherwise she'll have me stay for breakfast."

"So you weren't even going to say good-bye?" Kathy inferred.

"It's not like I'm going to be gone for long… I'm coming back in a few days to get you."

Kathy's smirk turned down-right evil before she said loudly "Zoe… Eli's leaving."

Zoe walked out of her room as Eli muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "traitor".

"You're not leaving without eating breakfast are you." Zoe asked

"Not anymore." Eli replied.

He glared at Kathy who just gave it her best innocent smile that seem to say "who, me?" to his earlier statement of "traitor" as her dad came from the elevator.

"Yeah there is definitely no doubt that you're my niece." Eli muttered.

They all went to the kitchen and had breakfast before they all parted for the day's activities.

"Dad, I… I need to talk to you." Kathy said hesitantly.

"What about my dear?" he asked.

"About my school, but not in here." She replied and they went outside to a small deck facing the lake. Kathy began to pace, and Charles settled in for the conversation Logan warned him would happen.

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to go back to that school?" he asked.

She whirled on him eyes filled with unexpressed pain.

"I did tell you dad, before the start of this semester, you just weren't listening! I told you I have been bullied since your institute was exposed as a school for mutants, but you never seemed to hear me. The institute, your students, that was all that seemed to matter to you. Dad it was like everything was crashing around me and I had nobody. The students had you, but I was alone!" Kathy's eyes welled with tears and Charles was taken aback by the depth of her apparent suffering.

"Why would they go after you Kathy? Until now we had no idea what if any powers you had." Charles asked in shocked confusion.

"No, but my last name is Xavier, and they seem to think I look like you, that was all it took. Even the kids I thought were my friends abandoned me." Kathy paused briefly while she turned her back to him "Since then it feels like I talk to you less and less and I have needed you so much since mutant kind and your school were exposed. I feel like I am never heard, and the students are more important than me and I get the feeling Jawn would say the same." She paused "What I said last night wasn't the only reason I skipped that class... I wanted you to pay attention and I knew... I knew if I got in trouble you'd take notice."

Charles's heart shattered in his chest as he listened to her choke on her own sobs to attempt to continue to speak. He'd been unaware of how bad it had been for her.

"Do you realize how hard it's been for me to watch my teammates get congratulated by their parents when they medal and… and you're never there for me but you were there for Jean!" she sobbed "When is it going to be my turn?"

"Kathy… I…" Charles watched as Kathy sunk to her knees on the wooden deck sobbing uncontrollably. He had no defense; she was absolutely right to be upset with him and to hear her sob was nothing short of gut wrenching.

He rolled forward and coaxed her into a position where he could hold her absorbing her pain and letting it fuel his guilt. He should have been there for her, but he failed her spectacularly and now it was time for him to make it right.

"Kathy, what I have done to you is inexcusable." He said softly "I should have been there, should have listened to you but I promise, from this day on, things will be different. You are my daughter first and foremost and I will do my best to give you what you need." Charles vowed as he held her tightly.

Kathy nodded silently into his chest praying he meant what he said, praying that this would continue on after they left the cabin.

Charles's mind was reeling as he tried to figure out all that he just heard, and he kept coming back to Jawn who had been at the institute his entire life. He had been isolated and not allowed to join in the X-Men activities even down to training sessions in the Danger room. He realized that both of them had, to an extent, been neglected, and he needed to find a better way to handle the balance between the needs of his students and those of what family he had left. He then made a vow to himself to set aside time to discuss this with Jawn as soon as he was mentally and physically able to.

Back at the institute Jean had stepped in to check on Jawn when she noticed he was in a very restless state.

"Jawn what is going on?" she wondered aloud knowing fully well that in the state he was in he couldn't answer her

POV: Jawn

I woke up in the clearing and looked around in confusion as I realized that my cousin and the X-Men were gone. The only one there was Lucas leaning casually against a tree. I stood up and felt pain shoot through me. What had happened? Where did everyone go? I glare at Lucas but before I can begin to ask questions he notices that I am in pain and flashes a wicked smile.

"I see ye noticed what I did." Lucas said smugly.

"Where is Kathy?" I demanded switching my attention to my family hoping to divert attention from the fact that Lucas, one of the most powerful telepaths alive, used a gun on me.

Lucas shrugged casually as he stepped away from the tree.

"Oh ye need not worry too much about the wee one it's too late fer her"

"What did you do to her?" I demand through my pain.

"Nothin compared to what I'm about t' do to you." Lucas attacks me and I attempt to use my powers to throw him at the closest tree, but nothing happened.

"What did you do to me?" I demand.

Lucas said nothing and I turned to run. Within moments I am suddenly running at the open gates of the mansion. I don't stop to question my good fortune I just run inside slamming the doors behind me and locking them.

"Hello…"I yell into the empty entryway, but no one responds. I hide behind the couch hoping Lucas can't get in, but that hope is dashed when he burst through the doors.

"Come out come out wherever ya are… ya know yer only delayin the inevitable… I am better I will win!"

"By shooting me?" I whispered through gritted teeth, the pain too intense to ignore. Then I realize Lucas must have heard me in the silence of the entryway because next thing I know he is standing over me.

"Boo…" he smirked then my world went dark as he brain-blasted me.

3rd Person

Meanwhile, Eli was flying the jet back to the Xavier Institute his thoughts going over the events of the past day and how he could potentially help deal with Barrett. He had almost completely zoned out when an alarm drew him back to reality. He looked to see the radar indicated that something was following him. He started implementing evasive maneuvers in hopes to lose his tail but to no avail.

"Persistent little thing aren't you?" he wondered aloud as he put more effort into losing the new arrival. That's when something caused the plane to jolt.

"Oh so we're playing that game are we?" he mused aloud as he continued to try to lose his pursuer.

After a couple more jolts one of the engines went out.

"Come on you piece of junk, work!" Eli said in anger.

Then, as if on cue, the other engine went out.

"I take that back; you aren't a piece of junk… just please work!" he pleaded as he realized he was going down.

To Be Continued…