A car came to a screeching halt in the distance. Lila was half asleep against Alex who had shut his eyes as well.

A door slamming made her jolt up and she immediately looked up to Alex who groaned lowly.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes as Charles ran to Raven, hugging her tightly.

With a grin face he turned to the others, "We've made arrangements for all of you to be taken home."

Lila's eyes widened as her face fell, her worst fears coming true. Trying to hold it together she pressed her hand to her mouth and shut her eyes tightly.

Alex felt her trembling against his side and brought her closer.

"Lila," he whispered so the others couldn't here. "Take a breath, Lila girl. Show me those pretty eyes."

"We're not going home," Sean sneered determinedly.

Lila peaked up at Alex who brushed her hair out of her face, before they both glanced to Sean in surprise.

"What?" Charles raised his chin in confusion.

"They're not going back to prison," Sean announced.

"He killed Darwin," Alex spat as Lila sat up a little.

"All the more reason for you to leave," Charles's voice was stern. "This is over."

"Darwin's dead Charles. And we can't even burry him," Raven emphasized quietly. Lila took a shaky breath as everyone went silent, before Erik spoke up.

"We can avenge him."

Charles sighed and pulled Erik aside. Lila turned to Sean who spared her a grin.

"Thank you," she whispered to him.

He nodded, "You don't need to thank me." Sean lifted his circular sunglasses. "Here, borrow these for now."

Lila grinned gratefully, knowing her eyes were puffy from tears. Lila was sandwiched between the boys as she looked back at Alex.

She lifted the sunglasses only to plop them back on her nose, repeating the action.

She giggled tiredly, "Do they look nice?"

Alex smiled a little and ran his thumb over her cheeks, her skin was still flushed and stained from tears.

"You look pretty," he mumbled.

Lila's breath hitched at his low tone. Their faces were barely inches apart.

Alex's blue eyes flickered down to her plump lips, before Lila could combust Charles strode towards them.

She turned quickly to face him, "We'll have to train. All of us, yes?"

Alex's response was immediate- as if it was obvious, "Yeah."

Hank brought up the fact that they definitely couldn't stay at the government facility. As it was completely destroyed. He pointed out that it wasn't safe to stay anymore.

"We've got nowhere to go," Hank leaned forward.

Charles face alit with an idea, "Yes we do."

~

By the end of the day, the group was staring at a humongous property. It looked like a castle.

"This is yours?" Sean squinted up at it.

"It's ours," Charles hummed.

Lila rolled her eyes, when her name was on the deed it would be theirs.

"Do you have a pool?" Lila spoke up quietly. A hopeful twinge to her words.

"We do actually, Raven would be delighted to show it you." The blonde girl grinned at her.

"Honestly Charles, I don't know how you survived... living in such hardship," Erik drawled.

Lila laughed under her breath but Raven wrapped her arms around Charles. "Well it was a hardship softened by me," she grinned cheekily.

Charles kissed his sisters cheek before she announced that she would be giving everyone a tour.

Raven snagged Lila's hand, tugging her through the expansive halls as everyone followed the two girls.

Alex grinned at Lila who looked back at him with an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Young love, isn't it wonderful Erik." Charles spoke to his friend, except all of the other boys could hear him as well.

Alex's face went stark red, glaring at the telepath. "Stay outta my head."

"My friend, I did not need to read your mind to know that."

"It is glaringly obvious with the hearts in your eyes when you look in her direction," Erik continued after Charles while walking with his hands in his pockets.

"We haven't known each other for that long," Alex shrugged as he crossed his arms.

Charles pat the blondes back, "I have been in your mind before Alexander and when your thoughts revolve around a single person all day everyday- I'd consider it something akin to love."

Sean made kissing noises while tossing an arm over Alex's shoulder. Alex grunted and hit him away.

"Don't be a wimp, man. We could die... like literally tomorrow! What's there to lose?"

Erik and Charles had walked ahead, Erik furrowing a brow. "They're not an item yet?" He whispered to Charles.

"No it seems they're afraid to admit they're very obvious feelings," both men made eye contact as they paused. Erik cleared his throat as they followed after Raven.

Raven and Lila were whispering amongst themselves as they went along the property.

"These are the bedrooms for the boys I suppose," Raven waved to the corridor.

Lila frowned, "Where would I go?"

"You could stay closer to me if you want?" Raven smiled at her. Lila gave her a weary one back but nibbled her lip.

"I-Is it alright if I stay in there boys hall? I'm the only girl other than you and I'm sure you're closer to Charles. I just- I haven't..." her eyes darted to Alex who spoke to Sean.

Raven hummed as she understood, "You guys were right next to each other for months right?"

Lila nodded quickly, "I know we were in different rooms but I haven't slept without him nearby in a while. To be honest, I wasn't really able to sleep at all before."

The blonde grinned cheekily, "Anything for you." Raven pinched the shorter girls cheeks, Lila winced but still smiled.

"Cut it out Raven," Alex placed a hand on Lila's shoulder.

The shapeshifter held her hands up with a smirk.

Turning to the rest of the group, "We can all settle in and then tonight during dinner we'll listen to Charles's game plan for everyone."

Lila nodded as she felt Alex standing directly behind her, she peaked up at him and nodded her head towards the rooms they'd be staying at.

He nodded once and followed her towards the two farthest down the hall, "Do you like that one?" She pointed to the second to last room.

She peaked inside the room closest to the wall and was satisfied with it for herself.

"I'm good with this one if you're good with that one?" he asked in his baritone voice.

Quickly, she nodded with a small smile.

He quirked his lips at her in return and watched her push into the room to unpack. He followed suit.

Lila was in her own head as she unpacked some of her clothes for the next half hour. As she turned towards her bed she shrieked, everything in her hands falling to the ground.

Alex was in her bed, flipping through one of the books she'd described to him in their cells.

"How did you-?" she glanced to her door she did not hear open.

Alex nodded to a door by the bed, "Connected bathrooms."

Lila laughed quietly in surprise, forgetting what she was doing at the moment to sit besides him.

"You can have that one if you want," she rest her head on his shoulder.

He ran his hand over the cover, "No, I only like books when you read them to me."

She shook her head playfully. "I've never had a room this big," they both looked around the new room she was staying in.

"Yeah, this entire place is insane. Can you believe how much has changed."

She brought her knees to her chest and rest her cheek on them, openly staring at him.

He talked about how confusing the layout of the mansion was, she smiled at how dramatic he was being.

"What're you lookin' at?" he smirked as he leant against her headboard. His bent leg pressed against her shins.

"I'm lookin' at you," she nudged him.

He ran a hand through his hair as his eyes danced with mild amusement.

"You ready to talk to me through the walls tonight so I can sleep?" she asked sarcastically.

"No."

She rose a single brow as she held her breath.

"Tonight I can walk right over and sit next to you until you sleep," he reached to toy with one of her loose curls.

"You will?" Her eyes lit up with hope. He nodded dutifully, shifting closer so they were in their own personal bubble.

"You know I would."

She fixed some of the hairs out of his eyes, trailing her fingers down to brush his cheek bone. "Until you get tired of me," she half joked.

Alex scowled in disagreement, trailing his own digits down her forearm and over the back of her palm that was holding his face.

"I doubt it," he scoffed.

She shook her head with a smile, "Yeah okay. I have to finish packing and so do you!" Lila chirped before standing abruptly, he made no moves to leave and kept her company as she cleaned.