Lila sat up abruptly from the nap she was taking. Alex and her's sleep schedules were matched now after falling asleep talking. to one another and waking up to continue the conversation.

She felt something coming, felt vibrations that were foreign to her. Someone that hasn't stepped foot in this prison before.

They were coming to her. A guard was leading them.

Crawling over to the wall she patted it urgently, "Alex wake up." She hissed.

He groaned lowly and if she wasn't so distracted she'd have melted a little.

"Alex someone's coming," she whispered. Banging her fist against the wall she used her power to shift his bed- throwing him onto the ground.

"What the hell?!" he grunted tiredly.

Don't be alarmed, miss Lila.

Lila screamed as a voice spoke in her mind. Alex jolted up, scrambling to the wall and pounding his fist onto it.

"Lila!" he yelled. "Lila what's wrong?!"

She curled into herself as she darted her eyes around the surroundings. "I don't know yet," her voice trembled.

"Guards are coming... act-act normal," she whispered urgently and scrambled on top of her bed.

Alex did the same and clasped his hands together, resting his arms on his knees as he worried about the girl in the room besides him.

Suddenly the opening of each of their cells sounded.

Both looked up simultaneously.

"Alex..." she muttered.

"Yeah."

"Such promising young adults," a british man smiled widely as he clasped his hands together. There were two white men in front of them, the british one with slightly longer hair.

The taller man next to him hair was cropped and he had a straight face while observing the two young adults.

"You've been pardoned! We'll be taking you into our care now. No more of this... solitary madness."

Both of their brows furrowed, Alex stood to his fill height with his shoulders squared.

That voice, it was the one in her head just a minute ago. Abruptly, Lila stood as well. She was in her normal prison jumper as she took a small step forward.

The guard that led the two men here had left as instructed by Charles's mind control.

"I know this won't make much sense at first, but take it as an olive branch. My name is Charles and this is my friend Erik. Now, I can see you two have been dying to properly meet. Why not step out and we can get on?"

Charles and Erik stood back and Lila didn't hesitant in approaching. She pushed herself forward quickly and at the same moment Alex exited his cell.

Their eyes met and they both lost their breath.

He was like out of a magazine, she had been right, he could be a model. He had shorter blonde hair and fair skin, light eyes that she'd imagined. Somehow he felt bigger as he stood in front of her smaller frame.

For a moment it was like seeing a stranger.

"Lila," he breathed. And as she matched the voice to his face all of their conversation and moments together came back.

She smiled widely up at him.

Alex could hardly breathe. He knew he'd find her pretty, he just knew it. But for her to be absolutely stunning. She had light brown skin that was blemish free, beauty marks scattered over it with soft features and dark, enchanting eyes that gazed up at him.

Just as he opened his arms she threw herself into his chest.

They both collided so Alex stumbled back a little. She was smaller than he'd thought, coming to his shoulders.

He held her close and breathed in her earthy, natural scent.

She burrowed into his shoulder and held him close.

Slowly the two pulled away as they remembered their audience.

"Hi," she whispered hoarsely.

"Hi," his lips quirked up as his fingers lingered at her waist.

A clearing throat distracted them, they saw Erik grinning at them.

"That was touching, but we've got business to attend-" Lila detected some kind of accent but couldn't place it.

She glanced up at Alex as nerves ate away at her, she hasn't spoke to this many people in over a year.

"Can I- uh-" she muttered low enough so that only he could hear. Her dark eyes darted down to his hand that was besides her.

His breath hitched and he grabbed her hand on his own.

Slowly she nodded in thanks while wrapping other her arm around one of Alex's. He was her only lifeline in this overwhelming turn of events.

"We've got quite the news to show you both." Charles pressed his fingers to his temples slowly.

~

Lila still clung to Alex's arm as they sat in the back of a car. Charles and Erik were speaking outside before their departure. Their clothing from before imprisonment was in the trunk to be taken with them.

Lila was able to change, luckily in her things that were confiscated she had a pleated skirt and sweater to throw on before leaving.

"Are we making the right decision?" Lila whispered against her friends shoulder. His forearm rested over her lap, his heart was going a mile a minute at her presence.

"I don't know what's more convincing then a guy talking in my head."

Lila hummed quietly in agreement.

"Besides," Alex turned his head to look down at her. "You don't belong behind bars."

Lila smiled a little at the words. She trailed her eyes over his form before the smile fell a little.

"Neither do you Alex," she mumbled.

"I-I could hurt people if I'm out, dollface. If this Charles guy is full of shit and can't help me control my mutation- or whatever it is- I could do real damage." I could hurt her, he fretted to himself.

"Pot," she pointed to his chest. "Meet kettle," she pointed to her own chest.

He scoffed before the two older men sat haphazardly in the car, starting the engine. Charles shot them an eager grin.

"You're world just got a whole lot bigger, my friends."

The pair stared back at him skeptically. Lila worried her lip as she watched the tree line pass while they drove.

"What can you do?" Alex leaned forward to look at Erik. Lila side eyed him in curiosity.

Erik turned back to them with a smirk, slowly their eyes drifted besides him to the head rest of the seat slowly rising out of place. Both young adults eyes widened a little as it flipped upside down mid air- the metal pegs previously keeping it in place began to slide out of the cushion altogether.

"The metal," Erik nodded his head towards it.

They both nodded slowly in understanding.

"Erik this is a rental," Charles nagged. Erik rolled his eyes at the new recruits and put it back together quickly.

"It's kind of like mine," Lila admitted with curious eyes.

"It is indeed," Erik grinned back at her. "I think we'll be able to help each other train quite nicely."

Lila sent him a polite smile as Alex eyed the two of them before turning his attention back to the scenery.

But he kept his arm firmly planted across her lap. They had both been neglected of physically contact and he'd be lying to say he wasn't basking in it.

Something Alex would quickly have to readjust to was not getting Lila's full attention all of the time. It was selfish, he knows. But even watching her speak to Erik made him tick in annoyance. To be fair, he's gotten it centered on him for the past month or so.

"Where are we going?" Lila sunk further into her seat, fanning her golden brown skin as the cars air had yet to kick in.

"A facility in Richmond Virginia for now. You'll be meeting the others we told you about there. As we explained, you all will be able to work and grow as a team to strengthen your control over both your mutations."

Charles went on to more detail while occasionally looking at the girl through the review mirror to spare her a distracted smile. Lila appreciated that he spoke passionately about what they were about to dive head first into.

"And- And you think we'll both be useful to this team?" Lila's tone was nervous as she ran her index finger over Alex's thumb. It was a habit she'd picked up when the only thing they could do for contact in the cells was hold hands.

She was pressed tightly to the muscular boys side, his leather jacket sliding against the soft cashmere sweater.

"Oh Lila, you're one of the more powerful mutants I've crossed. You've got such potential, Alex as well. You both have very powerful abilities. Lila I think if you wanted, we could have you multifaceted. Mobility, offensive, defensive, you could do it all."

"You say that like you're sending her out to a war," Alex grunted with narrowed eyes.

"We may very well be. That's what training is for," Erik shot back. "You agreed to these terms, we explained what you were getting into."

Charles shot his companion a look, "We want to give you an opportunity to save the world."

"And if we don't live up to expectation? Would you send us back?" Alex was tense, holding Lila's hand tight as anger flooded him.

"No. Let us do our part, you do yours so the best of your ability. We'll take care of our own," Charles reassured.

Alex glanced down to see Lila looking severely uncomfortable with the high tension conversation. Probably because they very well could send them back.

He relented and leaned back besides her, allowing Lila to handle the rest of the small talk for the ride.

She would giggle at the small jokes Charles would make and nod eagerly as Erik told her things to do to practice control. Each time glancing at Alex to see if he was listening as well and to gage his reaction. She hasn't been able to see his face this entire time, as creepy as it felt she wanted to see it as much as possible.

When they reached a compound, Charles lead them into the large building.

Lila looked around with wide eyes, spinning in a circle to take it in.

Alex pressed a hand to her lower back to keep her on track. Eric trailed behind them.

"You're rooms are only temporary here but we can put your bags in there. The others are gathered in a lounge around here somewhere. It'll be good for you all to get to know one another. Erik and I have a meeting to attend with another associate you both will be meeting later."

It was a lot to take in, Lila stumbling closer to Alex when men with guns strolled around.

Once their things were set in makeshift rooms, that mirrored dorm rooms Charles was once again leading them away.

Lila was frowning because apparently the boys rooms were in a different hall than the girls.

that was ridiculous.

"Charles were running late to meet Mactaggert," Erik crossed his arms.

"Ah, yes. This is the lounge I mentioned. I trust you to be on your best behavior and get to know the others," Charles parted with a smile. Lila weakly waved as she frowned at the retreating two.

"Alex what if they don't like us," she nibbled on her lip while gripping his forearms. "They'll send us right back."

She released her hold only to start pacing right in front of the door.

Alex rubbed his hand over his face in thought, "Screw them if they don't like you. There's nothin' not to like, yeah?" His tone was soft as he stopped her pacing. His hand rested on her hip as he looked down at her. Their bodies mere inches apart.

"They can go to hell if they have a problem with you." His tone was stern as his own anxiousness creeped up on him.

Lila nodded reluctantly, "They'll like you too." Her wide eyes blinked up at him reassuringly.

Alex smirked a little, "I'm not as pleasant as you doll."

"Well- I think you're just fine the way you are," she straightened his jacket distractedly.

"Yeah I know," he grinned cockily.

Just as their eyes met once again, the door opened abruptly.

~

unedited!!