Content warning: This content may be upsetting to some readers.

I was running through the woods trying to get away from him as he kept chasing me through the forest with his shotgun. I was breathless but didn't dare to stop as I heard his voice calling out to me.

"Come back Kathyn!" He kept yelling making me go even faster but I knew I couldn't keep this up forever. I climbed up a tree as quickly as I could. I got from tree branch to tree branch as his voice ringed in my ears.

"You know you can't run forever!" He yelled and I could feel him approaching.

My breathing became rapid and my anxiety rose. I felt my chest go up and down as I desperately climbed higher.

I reached for another branch moving my weight from my one leg to the other. Then I heard a crack and my feet were suddenly hanging in the air. I gasped in fear and clenched a tree branch with my two hands.

I winced in pain as my nails broke from the way I had grabbed into the wood. I took one last breath trying to save myself for my tragic fate. I pulled myself up on the tree branch and curled against the tree, hiding behind the green leaves. I watched with terror as he stood just below the spot I was hiding into.

I just wished he wouldn't look up. I was too high up, maybe he wouldn't notice.

I prayed inside for a miracle.

To somehow get out of this unharmed.

"Little Kathryn, when are you gonna learn that you can't escape me?" he said with a smirk on his face, so sure, of himself.

I felt sweat running down my forehead and tears blurring my vision.

"Come on Kathryn, if you come out, I promise I won't tell your mom about your little outburst we will just solve this together," he said but I had made my decision.

I am not bowing down to him anymore.

I decided to fight back and I will, no matter the cost.

I wiped my tears before they could reach my eyes and held my breath trying not to make a sound.

"Okay Kathryn, you want it to be like this? Fine. It's time to teach you a real lesson." He said and I shivered in horror.

Everything was quiet and that scared me more.

Suddenly a gunshot was heard and all I felt was sharp burning pain on my side sending waves of pain all over my body. My eyes moved to the wound for a split second and all I saw was blood covering my black shirt. I screamed as I lost balance and fell down the tree. I groaned in pain as I landed on the ground hitting my head hard.

"You really thought you could beat me, huh? Now, now about that lesson," he said with a cocky voice and pressed his hand into my wound pinching it.

I wailed in pain and he laughed enjoying my desperate attempts to push his hand away.

"You think you are old enough to fight me, then I guess you are old enough to take this too," he said as I felt myself losing consciousness.

He laughed darkly as I felt him hovering on top of me, placing his hand on both my legs forcing them apart.

I gasped in fear and shot up from my bed, closing my legs tightly on an instinct.

I quickly relaxed when I realized where I was.

In my room, sleeping in Rogue's arms.

She had her hands wrapped around me loosely as she slept, I couldn't help but curl up to her. Trying to shove those bad memories away. I didn't know that you could actually relive memories in your sleep.

I took slow deep breaths as quietly as possible not to wake up Rogue.

I was safe. I repeated in my head. And only then did I realize how bad my head hurt.

It was a throbbing kind of pain that spread all over my head and it hurt the most at the middle of my temple.

I so need a painkiller right now.

I phased through Rogue's arms not to wake her up. I rubbed my head trying to relieve the pain as I stood up, but it didn't work and to be honest I felt fatigued. Like I had been fighting in the danger room for 6 hours straight.

I glanced at the clock 4:37 and I usually wake up at 5:30, no use to get back to bed.

I phased out the door and walked down the hallway heading towards the elevator. I really tried not to make a sound so I wouldn't wake anyone up especially Logan. With his super hearing it's so easy to wake him up, even the smallest sound can ruin his sleep.

It has become a habit of ours over the summer, whenever I had a bad dream and couldn't sleep again or was afraid to be alone, we would have a midnight talk making me relax so I could go back to bed.

I walked down the hallway and was surprised to be met with a very shaken up Jean.

Once we met the headache just disappeared which was pretty strange.

"Jean? Are you okay?" I whispered to her and she turned to me startled.

"Kathryn," she gasped and fell into my arms hugging me tightly.

"What?" I whispered more to myself taken aback by her reaction.

I was really confused.

But then she cried into my shoulder and I panicked.

"Jean, are you hurt?!" I whisper yelled alarmed as I pulled away holding both her arms into mine.

She shook her head as she took deep breaths.

"No, I just had a bad dream, a bad dream about you," she explained and I got her into another hug comforting her.

"It's alright, everything is okay, you are okay" I said and she nodded into my hair since she was taller than me.

"Thank you," she whispered and pulled away wiping tears away.

"Do you want to come to the kitchen with me?" I asked not knowing how else to comfort her and she smiled a little.

"That would be nice," she said and we both walked down to the kitchen.

We got into the small kitchen and she sat at the table while I got a bowl of chocolate ice cream and two spoons. I sat next to her and we began eating.

"Kathryn?" She asked with a low voice.

"Yes?" I asked after shallowing my bite.

"I might have accidentally got into your head while I was sleeping," she confessed and I almost choked.

"The nightmare I had, I think it was yours," she admitted and I stayd frozen analyzing her words in my head.

That explains why I saw a memory and not a dream.

"I am so sorry," Jean said clenching my hand in hers comfortingly and I sighed.

It was an accident and I know Jean had no intention to get into my head.

"It's okay, you didn't mean it, we are okay," I said softly smiling reassuringly at Jean and she breathed in relief.

We ate the ice cream and none of us spoke.

"How do you deal with it?" She asked suddenly breaking the silence.

How do I deal with it?

Do I even know? It's just something that always happened.

"It's like an everyday thing, you know? It doesn't affect me that much because it always happens." I said and Jean listened with interest.

"I can't even remember what peaceful sleep feels like so what you never had you can't miss," I admitted and Jean's expression was sympathetic.

"How long?" She asked in a whisper and I began calculating.

"Well, it began when I was 9 years old so it has been going on for 7 years," I explained and she gasped in shock.

She leaned her head into her hand in frustration.

"I wish I could help you somehow, take it away from you. Kathryn I am really sorry this is happening to you," she said and I placed my hand quickly around her shoulder.

"Hey I am okay!" I said with a wide smile trying to cheer her up.

She didn't seem very convinced though. She shouldn't get stressed about my problems, those are mine to deal with.

"You shouldn't worry about me, but you should totally worry about the track tryouts today!" I said and her expression finally light up.

"Are you taking part too?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yes, just you and me from the institute," I said and she seemed confused.

"Wait, didn't Scott tell you?" She asked and now I was the one who was confused.

"Tell me what?" I asked waiting for her response.

"Scott said he is coming too," she said and my eyes widen.

Damnit Scott.

"Oh, shit no" I said a bit louder and she was surprised by my genuinely terrified reaction.

"He decided it last minute when I told him me and Duncan were going," she explained further and I slammed my hand on to my cheek.

It's like whenever something happens that jerk Duncan is behind it.

"Seriously? Duncan? Couldn't you just tell him you are going with Taryn?" I mumble to myself but I knew she heard me.

"Why are you so shaken up about Scott? Is there a reason you don't want him there?" She asked and I sunk into chair hiding with embarrassment.

"Yes" I whispered and she kept staring at me waiting for me to interpret.

"I ... Well, I might have invited someone to accompany me," I spoke and she seemed pretty mixed up again.

"Okay, and why would Scott be a problem?" She asked and I sigh.

"Because I invited someone Scott doesn't like," I said and she lightened up immediately.

"It is Lance, isn't it?" She asked excitedly and I laughed slightly.

"Yep. He doesn't want to take part but he decided to come so we could spend some time together," I said with a dreamy smile excited myself.

"Things are going very good between you two, since the accident a few days ago you guys have come close," she said and i remembered our last interaction in chemistry class.

I felt heat cover my cheeks and I instantly knew I was blushing.

Jean noticed even if the only lighting in the room was from the moonlight entering from the kitchen window.

"You are falling for him, aren't you?" She teased with a grin that spread from ear to ear.

But the thing is, I couldn't deny it because I didn't know.

I knew that I felt something but is that something love?

One thing is for sure Lance Alvers had got to me and now there is no going back.

Jeans eyes widened as I didn't respond to her joke and only looked down at the legs of her chair.

"You are falling for him," she said more seriously and really loudly.

"Keep it down! I am not sure yet and there is no need for Scott to hear you screaming in the middle night that I am in love with Lance! He is gonna freak!" I Rambled panicked and she laughed with playfulness in her eyes.

"Don't worry your secret is safe with me, I promise and don't worry about Scott, I will keep him as busy as possible so he won't notice you two" she reassuringly and my expression softened as I gave her a grateful smile.

She smiled back and got another bite from the chocolate ice cream. She tried to get a spoonful but the ice cream was still too cold and her spoon went flying to the kitchen floor.

I stared at the spoon putting all my effort not to laugh at the silly accident.

"Oops," Jean said with a sigh before bursting out laughing making me release the laughter I held inside.

-Time Skip-

Me, Jean and Scott got into the tryouts and we have been here at the field for a while and for the first minutes I regretted ever agreeing to this.

Scott and Duncan are fighting over Jean discreetly by competing at sports.

Poor Jean is so oblivious of the situation she thinks that they just don't like each other. Only if she knew what is going on behind her back.

I tried to interfere and stop the boys but they just won't listen to me.

So, I just gave up and focused on myself and Lance instead.

Scott was so distracted by Jean and Duncan that he didn't even notice Lance arriving.

Most of the time we sat at the bleachers and just hang out but Mr. McCoy, who was substituting our school's coach, approached and said that I was obliged to take part in at least one sport.

I decided to take part in a race with 5 other girls, while Lance sat back and watched us.

We got into position ready to start the run but suddenly I felt the familiar vibration of an earthquake throwing me off my feet.

I slammed into the ground with a gasp and I realized that the girls next me had too. Before I could rise my head up, I saw with the side of my eye a javelin passing just inches above my head and it got stuck at the wall at my side.

Holy shit, I thought, that thing could have just pierced me and I would have been a goner.

The girls screamed and ran looking for a way out or the couch. I on the other hand stood up and turned to Lance only to find him running towards me.

"Are you okay?" He asked grabbing me by my shoulders shaking me harshly.

"Yeah and thank you, but what the hell was that?" I asked still in shock as I looked between the javelin and him.

His grip on me relaxed and he sighed in relief.

"I have no idea but it came from there," he explained and removed his hands from my shoulders and pointed at the direction.

I looked closely at the direction only to see Jean falling to her knees clenching her head and my eyes widened.

She lost control again.

She moved some shot-ups with her telekinesis and sent them flying in multiple directions. One ready to hit Duncan's head but Scott got into action and shoved Duncan to the floor, literally saving his life.

Another one was aiming for Mr. McCoy he ducked down and avoided the object.

The last one was heading towards me and Lance.

"Duck!" I yelled and shoved him down by the back of his neck.

We avoided the object successfully as it crushed at the wall behind us.

"What the fuck is Red doing?" Lance asked his voice full of anger and confusion as I helped him up.

"Nothing that you should worry about, me and Scott will handle it. Go home and I will explain later!" I yelled as I ran to Jean without letting him respond.

Scott reached her first as she wailed in pain on her knees.

"Jean! Jean! What's wrong?!" He asked quickly falling into his knees next to her holding her into him.

"Scott! I... I can't stop it!! I can't!!" She screamed with wide eyes, full of tears as she collapsed into Scott's arms.

"What do we do?!" I asked feeling anxiety get a grip on me and I couldn't control myself.

He placed his hand around Jean's back and below her knees holding her as he stood up.

"We are getting her back to the institute," he said and I nodded as we run to the car ignoring the looks people gave us.

I sat at the back holding Jean as Scott drove us back home.

-Time Skip-

We finally reached the institute.

Scott had been driving like a maniac the whole way to here but who could blame him.

I got off the back and Scott got Jean back into his arms as he carried her to the entrance of the house. I phased inside first and opened the door for him to pass since his hands were full.

"Professor!!! Professor!!" I shouted as he finally wheeled into the loddy with Logan by his side.

"Half-pint what's going on?!" Logan yelled.

They both seemed alarmed by my screams but their eyes widened when they saw Jean.

"Logan! Follow me quickly!" Professor yelled and we followed closely after him.

We reached the first sub-basement and got into the surgery room. Scott laid Jean at the operation table. Scott watched Jean with worry as the professor wheeled closer to her.

Suddenly I see the glass bottles on the counter move towards Scott and before I could warn him Logan had already taken action as he pushed Scott out of the way causing the glass bottles to hit the wall and break.

I turned back to Jean only to see a tray of surgery tools coming my way. I ducked and covered my head as more furniture began to float around as we all tried to avoid them.

"This isn't normal, not even for mutants!" I yelled as the whole counter came our way.

I grabbed both Scott and Logan and phased us through it.

"Scott, Kathryn, Logan please exit the room I will inform you once I know something!" Professor yelled over the noise.

"Are you sure professor?" I yelled still avoiding objects.

"I am sure Kathryn there is nothing you three can do to help. I just need to concentrate and clean up Jean's thoughts" Professor Xavier reassured and I nodded.

"But professor, I should stay!" Scott said but Logan forced him out.

I walked outside after them.

"You heard the man!" Logan said as he closed the door and we sat just outside the room.

We waited at the hallway as minutes passed.

I don't know why but I felt so uneasy living professor with Jean alone and I don't even know why.

I just have a bad feeling about what he might do to her brain and just most likely won't even know it.

It makes wanna puke only at the though of a telepath messing with my head without even knowing about it.

"Do you think they are okay in there?" I asked mostly Logan because Scott wasn't in any state to answer.

Before he could respond a blinding light blocked my view and an invisible force threw me to the ground, leaving burning sensation all over my skin.

I hit the floor next to Scott and Logan and I opened my eyes only to see that the room had exploded. There was no hallway anymore the whole sub-basement had become one trashed room with only Jean and the operation table untouched in the middle.

"Jean!!" Scott shouted as Jean began to float and furniture, rocks any kind of object in the room began to fly and circle around her as if they were protecting her.

I saw a small light coming from Jean eyes which were now orange with hints of red as if they were on fire. They sparkled and blazed and I was afraid that another explosion was coming.

"Scott!" I yelled as he approached Jean.

"Wait!!" Logan yelled as he saw the same thing.

Jean left an ear-piercing scream and that merciless force hit us again, throwing us to the floor. I felt myself losing consciousness for a minute or so but was quick to recover. I saw Logan help Scott out and I ran to the professor phasing him and his wheelchair up the other floor.

We met with Scott and Logan and got upstairs only to find Rogue, Evan and Kurt waiting for us.

"What is going on down there?" Kurt asked worriedly and another explosion erupted causing the whole building to shake.

"Yeah, is Jean, okay?" Evan asked and the professor was quick to shook his head.

"No, she is not in the best state right now. Her powers are evolving too rapidly for her to be able to control them," He explained and another explosion hit and Kurt grabbed onto me in fear as the building shook once more.

"I got to get down there!" Scott said stubbornly and I stepped in front of him.

"Are you crazy?!" I asked blocking his way.

"She is right you can't even get close to her. We need a plan," Logan said standing next to me and I nodded in approval of his idea.

"Like what!?" Scott yelled, obviously not thinking straight and getting frustrated by the second.

Scott always loses his mind when it comes to Jean but he needs to calm down if he wants to lead this team.

Rogue surprisingly stepped up and placed her gloved covered hand on Scott's shoulder comfortingly.

"I have an idea, you say there is a lot going on in Jean's head then let me drain some off," she suggested and I was pleasantly surprised.

"No, Rogue, it might be too much for you!" Professor protested but Rogue was determined.

"I can handle it!! Just let me try!" She insisted.

"There is too much chaos in her head she just needs something to concentrate on," Professor Xavier explained and Scott placed his hand around Rogue's shoulders.

"If Rogue can clear her thoughts maybe I could make her focus on me," Scott offered and I found myself nodding in agreement.

"We don't have too many options Charles," Logan said supporting the idea.

"Very well then," Professor Xavier finally agreed.

We grabbed our equipment and rushed downstairs. The place was even worse than before, if that was even possible. She had broken the whole ceiling of the room and the upper basement was now without a floor. More objects had surrounded her, circling around her.

"I fear we don't have much time," the Professor announced and we got into action.

We ran further inside the room. Scott blasted objects that came our way, Logan sliced them in half, preventing them from hitting us and Evan got them stuck to the wall with his spikes.

I just phased through them and protected the others' backs by shouting them with my arrows.

Suddenly, I gasped as my bow begun to fly and pulled me up with it.

I felt my feet lift from the ground and I panicked as I tried to bring the bow back down but there was no use.

Evan saw my struggle and grabbed me by my ankles before I could go higher.

"Let go!!" Even shouted and I did just that before I could get into the circle. Once I let go the force made me fall on him.

"Thank you," I said and he gave me a smile in return.

We shot up and I watched my bow circle around Jean along with the other objects.

A disc was heading my way so I phased through it only to hear a gasp from behind me.

"Thanks a lot!" Kurt exclaimed as he covered his face in pain.

"I am sorry" I said not knowing he had been behind me and that the disc would have hit him.

We can't just keep fighting with the objects we need to get into the real fight.

"Kurt, you have to go get Rogue," I said placing a hand his shoulder and he nodded in agreement.

He teleported next to Rogue and hugged her from behind.

"We are going in," Kurt warned Rogue as they ported right into the circle.

They screamed as the force was too much.

Rogue grabbed into the wires hanging from the destroyed ceiling and Kurt was spit out the circle.

He screamed as he was about to crush to the floor but I caught him before he could, easing up his fall.

"Thanks, Katzchen," he thanked me with a hug and i hugged him back.

"You're welcome," I said but our attention was back on Rogue.

"Now Rogue!! You must do it now!!" Professor yelled and Rogue seemed to struggle to hold on to the wire which was about to break off.

She extended her arm trying desperately to reach Jean as she kept hold of the wire with her other hand.

She groaned in frustration as her efforts were failing one after the other.

Me and Kurt stood next to Scott ready to catch Rogue since the wire was barely holding her.

When we all believed that Rogue would fall without touching Jean, she found the right ankle and collided her hand with Jean's temple absorbing her powers and thoughts.

The wire broke off living Rogue screaming as she was thrown out of the circle.

Scott caught her and kneel next to her hugging her comfortingly. Scott handed Rogue to me and I took her in my arms.

She seemed so out of it, maybe the professor was right and this was too much for her.

Please be okay Rogue. I thought as Scott walked closer to Jean.

"Jean! It's Scott, please listen to my voice!" He yelled at Jean but got no response.

"Scott! Where are you!?" Rogue suddenly yelled in Jean's voice.

We all shared a confused look.

"Help me, Scott!!" Jean yelled through Rogue crying out for help.

"I will Jean just focus on me!" He said softly holding Rogue by her shoulders.

"I can't! I... I am losing you!" She said and tears drunk down Rogue's eyes.

Scott panicked and shook Rogue's shoulders.

Scott panicked and shook Rogue's shoulders.

"No! No! Do not tell me what you can't do. I know you better than anyone ever has or ever will. Come on, you can do this," he said using my words from earlier and I smiled a little he finally understood his worth.

"Scott," We heard Jean whisper from her actual body.

She screamed and once more a bright yellow light hit us but this time it wasn't followed by an explosion. The opposite actually.

Everything stopped. The objects dropped to the floor. Jean floated for one last minute before dropping to the floor unconscious. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around in confusion and panic. She turned her head to us with all the energy she had left.

"I ...I" she tried to form words but failed from the exhaustion.

"Jean!" Scott exclaimed in relief and run to Jean leaving me holding Rogue.

Rogue looked over at Scott hugging Jean and sighed.

She took one last sad look and turned to me with a painful expression.

She hid her face into the back of my neck as she hugged me back.

She was still in love with him and it hurt her so bad seeing them together. I wish I could make this better for her but I don't think I can.

-Time Skip-

I walked inside my room to find Rogue at the balcony. One day has passed since Jean lost control and everyone is really trying to get some time to relax. I walked next to her and followed her eyes to see Jean sitting at a bench enjoying the view.

"She got it under control, the professor said that he would be working with her every day to keep it that way," I informed Rogue and she kept looking over at Jean.

"Great," she said in a whisper.

"Okay I have a question," I announced and had her attention now.

"Two days ago, you said that Jean was a horrible person but you still risked so much to save her. Why? Something changed your mind?" I said really confused about her change of attitude towards Jean.

"Me and Miss Popularity over there, we are worlds apart, galaxies but I realized something," she said and grew my curiosity.

"What?" I asked softly and she smiled down at Jean.

"That she would have done the same thing for me," she said and her smile widen.

I smiled back and placed my hand around Rogue's shoulders before saying

"Believe it Rogue, We all would,"

My words got into her and I saw my friend's whole expression soften as she pulled me closer for a hug.

We all would, that's the truth.

That's what family is for, having each other's backs no matter what.