· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
▎ BEAUTIFUL CRIME ▎
»»-----　act two. another lifetime
CHAPTER FIFTEEN ━━ safe the future

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♯ ❝THE X-MEN HE FONDLY CALLED US! ❞ 
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IT WAS AKWARD, TRULY AND UTTERLY AWKWARD. THE SILENCE THAT HAD FALLEN INSIDE THE LONE STANDING HOUSE WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT IT WAS HOUSING SEVEN MUTANT KIDS INSIDE. Maggie sat, hands folded on her lap on the couch with Henry right next to her, their shoulders pressed together as they both observed their uninvited guests across of them.

Charles had always been posh and well put together, it was one of the biggest distinguishable features between him and Erik when she had met them, but now, in front of her was a man that had clearly lost his ways—hygienically and spiritual respectively.

Hank, while not blue and immensely tall anymore, had become the same dorky scientist he was when she first encountered him. He looked a bit prouder in his own skin, but it was clear that something heavy was weighing down on him by the tired look in his eyes. She figured remaining behind with Charles had done that to him.

Logan, while he had been a very brief encounter back in Dallas, where he dropped a random mutant kid in her waiting arms looked exactly the same. His mutant genes did keep him like that, but emotionally she had no clue. He masked it pretty well as he stared at her, eyes hard and glinting quite dangerously.

"Why are you here?" It was not her voice that gained the attention of everyone in the room, but Henry's. He straightened in his seat, trying to look stronger than he seemed. He was after all the only human without the x-gene in the room, not that anyone knew that of course—well beside Charles if he had dared to probe his thoughts. She couldn't quite tell if he had done so yet.

"We need you help." It was surprisingly Logan who answered her friend as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

"With—" She hesitated momentarily, thinking about all the kids she was taking care of. "—what?"

"Saving the future." The reply was blunt, no sugar coating involved whatsoever.

Maggie blinked, wide eyes jumping up to look at Charles who had looked away from her immediately. "What's exactly wrong with the future?"

"Everything." Logan states, "Mutants dead, and it all started with Raven."

That caught her attention quickly, as did it for Henry, who had heard many stories about the blonde mutant from Maggie and almost out of instinct, he latched an assuring hand on her arm. The gentle gesture of comfort relaxed her slightly but Maggie still felt nervous.

"What happened?" She finally inquired after a beat of silence.

"She killed Trask, and we need to stop her."

"The weapon designer? That Trask?" Henry spoke up, voice laced with confusion.

Logan hummed, "They took Raven's powers, weaponized it. In the beginning, the Sentinels—the weapons," He elaborated, "They were just targeting mutants, then they began to identify the genetics in non-mutants who would eventually have mutant children and grandchildren."

Maggie's indifferent façade slowly cracked at hearing those words, a soft ache in her heart that was all too familiar. The idea of fighting again, being hunted, targeted, killed and slaughtered. The memory of Cuba flashed briefly in her head, the nukes turning towards them, the way they littered the sky as the shot at them.

"Many of the humans tried to help us, but it was a slaughter." Logan sighed heavily, turning his head to look outside, "Leaving only the worst of humanity in charge.

"Okay." Maggie nodded, a small burst of buried courage finding its way to the surface again, "What do we need to do?" She asked already standing up.

"Mags—" Henry quickly grabbed her wrist, concern laced in his voice, "Let's think about this alright? I mean look at what you're leaving behind? The kids they need you more than ever now."

Maggie smiled sadly back at the blue eyed man, "you can look after them until I'm back." She stated surely.

"Maggie, I am no match for them, I can't teach them anything, I'm not like you all."

"You're human?" it was Charles who spoke up for the first time after their very brief interaction on the porch.

"I am." Henry responded firmly, "you got a problem with that?"

"No." Charles said softly and for a brief moment when she and Charles made eye-contact, there was that same glimmer of optimism he had always carried. His hope for humanity and mutant kind to life side by side. "It's just... surprising."

Maggie knew exactly what he meant by that, she had always been a firm believer humankind was far more often hateful than kind to her. "You didn't probe inside his head then professor?" she mocked him slightly, "You normally pull that shit when you meet new people."

"I don't have my powers."

"What?" Her eyes widened at the words, immediately her gaze flickers to Hank for some kind of explanation.

"The same serum that gives me control over my mutation, that suppresses my genes slightly, gave him back his legs."

"You gave up your powers to walk?" Maggie frowned, slightly baffled, "You? Charles Xavier, preacher of being proud of them? You truly changed." She scoffed. 

"I did it so I could sleep." He denied firmly, a slight crazed look in his eyes that made her falter in her anger. "I did it so I could sleep." He repeated, voice more tired now.

"Okay." She sighed before looking back at Logan, "What do we need to do?"

"Well, we need to get one more person first." He replied vaguely.

Maggie frowned, "Who?"

"Erik." Hank answered quickly, feeling quite suffocated in the tension filled room.

Her face contorted and she could once again feel Henry's comforting presence beside her to ground her. "You want to get Erik? The same Erik who murdered the president?"

"The very same." Logan confirmed as he stood up himself.

"What in heavens name do you think can make him do anything we ask of him? I have always vouched for him, trusted that after Shaw, Erik could finds peace, but we all know he only knows two things. Hate and revenge. You can't change him." Maggie ran a hand through her hair anxiously, mind flashing with memories of the newspaper spread with Erik's face on it, his stupid nickname Raven once had given him sprawled on it in big black letters.

"I know he can change." Logan pressed but Maggie just shook her head in denial.

"I wish he could, but it won't happen. What makes you think you can just waltz in their and change anything about him?"

"Because you, Charles and Erik sent me back here together."

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"DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO?" SWEET AND INNOCENT JUBILEE LEANED AGAINST THE DOORFRAME OF MAGGIE'S ROOM, HER ARMS WERE WRAPPED TIGHTLY AROUND HER OWN BODY, HER NORMAL JOYFUL DEMEANOR VANISHED, which was a clear sign the young girl was afraid. Maggie smiled reassuringly at the mutant girl as she beckoned her to come inside.

"I'm afraid so J." Maggie replied as she rummaged through her closet.

"Is something bad going to happen?" Jubilee asked nervously, wringing her hands together.

"I can't explain everything to you, but it is very important that I go with them. They need my help."

"Are you going to break out Magneto from prison?"

"Where did you hear that?" Maggie whirled around, hands resting on her hips and a scolding expression etched on her face that her own mother would be proud of.

"Me, Millie and Jason listened to the conversation from the stairs." Jubilee confessed, not able to lie to her mentor in any way.

"It is rude to eavesdrop J, you know that." Maggie sighed as she went to sit next to her on her bed.

"I know." Jubilee muttered softly, "We were just curious."

"It's okay sweetheart," Maggie nudged the girl gently, and Jubilee looked back up at her. "I know you wanted to know what's going on. I would have done the same."

"Are you really going to free him? I thought he was one of the bad guys?"

"There are no bad guys J, just people with choices to make." Maggie informed the girl, "But yes, we are freeing Erik. It appears our friend from the future came with clear instructions. Just a pity they chose a time we couldn't be further apart."

"Maybe he can make a better choice this time then?" Jubilee offered hopefully, her sweet smile slowly returning.

"Maybe he will." Maggie nodded as she stood back up.

"Do we all need to go home now?" The girl inquired, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Henry is staying with you kids, but you can always go home if you want sweetheart." Maggie replied kindly.

"I want to stay obviously." Jubilee grinned, "I like Henry, we can actually win board games against him."

Maggie chuckled, "That's because he's a big softie and let's you win."

"That's a lie."

"If you think so J." Maggie shook her head, her laughter ringing out throughout the house.

"What if someone comes to attack us though?" She whispered fearful, "most of us can't control our mutation."

"Henry can protect you, I know he can." The chestnut haired woman promised. "And if not, they always have you." She placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder, squeezing her shoulder.

"You think I can protect them?" Jubilee looked up at her, big bright eyes looking hopefully at her.

"I know you can." She assured the girl.

"We're you afraid when you left for Cuba?"

Cuba. Her origin story—at least to the mutant kids that had managed to wander inside her house. They always seemed to inquire about it, urging her to tell them about their mission to stop World War III. They always looked so awed by her tale. Her powers, her strength. They saw her as fearless—how ironic it was then that she used to be such a frightened and hateful woman.

"Terribly so." Maggie nodded.

"I would be too."

"Well without fear, there would be no opportunity to be brave." She responded, approaching her nightstand and opening up one of the drawers.

"Until I get back, I want you to keep this safe for me." She held out a small round metallic object, something Jubilee couldn't quite make out from where she was seated until Maggie dropped it in her hand.

"Is this...?"

"It was part of the uniform Hank made, terrible colour choices, but it kept us safe. This was attached to it." She gestured to the metallic X symbol. "The X-Men, he fondly called us."

"It will never leave my sight." Jubilee promised her firmly, clutching the cold metal tightly in her hand.

"I know you will take good care of it." Maggie grinned, "Now go get back to the other kids, make sure they're not burning the house down."

"I will." Jubilee nodded feverishly, a new found enthusiasm brightening her spirits as she rushed to the door, only to halt in the doorframe and turning around.

In one fluent movement, she crossed the room again and wrapped her arms tightly around Maggie's waist, burying her head against her chest. "Please be safe. I need you, we all need you."

"I'll come back home, I'll always come back home J."

"Okay." Jubilee replied tearfully, stepping away from her mentor, arms falling limply by her side.

"See you soon kid." Maggie brushed passed the girl and descended down the stairs where Charles, Hank, Logan and Henry were waiting—little Millie in Henry's arms as she wrapped her hands around his neck, quite oblivious to her little hands heating up again. But Henry did not flinch away from the girl.

She had met so many humans who would have hunted her down for such an innocent act, one she had no control over, but here he was, here was Henry taking it with a smile. It warmed her heart, giving hope to that little girl with big dreams she once was.

Maybe her dream had been lost on her, but it didn't mean it was lost for all the other children.

"You be careful alright." Henry stepped forward, wrapping one arm around her body to bring her closer to him, "You come back alive." He whispered in her ear. "No matter what."

"I'll try my best." She promised as he released her from his arm.

"Time to go." Logan declared urgently.

Maggie nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Where are we of to?"

"Getting the last piece of the puzzle to get Erik out."

"What did you have in mind then?"

"I know a speedster, grew up outside D.C."

Maggie blinks, a familiar feeling filling her as she shared a look with Henry. "He wouldn't be called Peter by any chance now?"

"How do you know him?" Charles frowned. 

"He was one of the first kids that came here."

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⊱ ────── {⋅. AUTHORS NOTE .⋅} ────── ⊰
ughh I am already soft for Maggie and Jubilee! 🥺 they are so cuteeee! And Henry is being protective af. One of the first humans to ever be kind to her! 🥰 tho Logan is obviously throwing in a wrench— like my man is just pinning after Mags and she can't see it, and now they are going seperate ways whoops! bye bye OG timeline Mason and Thomas 😭 I loved you while I had you! I also just love Maggie being like a mum/mentor to all the mutant kids! She has grown up a lot since first class! Yay!