When Iris awoke, Logan was no longer sitting opposite her, having been replaced by Charles, who was watching her with a soft expression. Noticing her eyes opening, he straightened up slightly and glanced out of the window.

"Did I wake you?" He asked shyly, and she shook her head.

"Not at all, Charles," His gentleness surprised her, and she smiled, "You know... you're different to what I expected when I first met you."

His eyes twinkled, "A good different?"

She nodded slowly, "You know, I... don't worry."

"No," Charles murmured, "What were you going to say?"

Iris hesitated, and Charles studied her face slowly. His heart ached for her, and he longed to reach out and tuck the loose strand of hair behind her ear as he had always done in the past.

"These past ten years of my life have felt... odd," Iris inhaled deeply, "Ever since my accident when I lost my memories, I've felt like there's a big hole in my life that I can't quite fill. Studying and writing and mutations was the closest I got to filling it, but it still was never enough. The people I met just didn't match up to some strange expectations that I seemed to have formed in my head. I don't understand why I'd become that way. But now... since I came to that mansion and Logan invited me on this odd little adventure... that feeling is gone. Completely. You'd think I would feel left out, being the only non-mutant on this plane... but somehow, I don't. You've all unlocked something in me and I finally feel like I belong somewhere. How can that be, Charles?"

Charles felt his eyes sting and he closed them for a brief moment, "Sometimes... meeting the right people is only a matter of time. Once you find them, you can barely remember what life felt like before you met them."

Her lips twitched into a smile, and her eyes met his, "You're very wise, Charles Xavier."

He longed for her eyes to linger on him a moment longer, but she turned away to look at the view outside the window. They had settled into a comfortable silence, but there was still something that Charles felt he needed to tell her.

"Iris, someone needs to tell you what's going on at the moment. You must be confused about why we just released a criminal from the Pentagon." Charles started, "I had a sister. Sorry- I have a sister. Called Raven. She's a mutant too, with the ability to transform into anyone. She is extremely powerful. Following an incident about ten years ago, she went rogue. Her mission is to kill Trask, who-"

"Trask," Iris said his name with a tone of hatred, "The man who is so against mutants? I can see why she wants to kill him."

Charles shook his head slowly, his blue eyes darkening, "That's the problem. She's going to kill Trask and she's going to get caught, and her DNA will be used to create a mutant-killing machine called sentinels."

Iris laughed in surprise, "That's a bit dark, don't you think, Charles?

"I'm not predicting. I know that this is the truth because Logan came here from the future. He comes from a future where almost every mutant has been wiped out. And he was sent back to stop Raven from killing Trask. If Raven is stopped, then the future could change. Everything could be different and mutants and human could live in harmony. We just need more people like you, Iris."

Iris' eyes widened as she took all of the information in. She didn't have trouble believing it, for some reason. Her mind appeared to just accept the information, despite its far-fetched story.

"So how can we stop Raven?"

Charles smiled, but there was a sadness in his eyes, "We're going to the Paris Peace Conference. Can you think of a way to get us in? Obviously Erik's preferred method would involve killing and knocking out any guards that got in our way, but you might have something more reasonable."

Iris sat up with a grin, "I can get you all in. I'm a reporter. I can claim that you're security, and I'll go into the meeting. You wait outside. I'll give you a signal to come in, or start talking to Trask. I can distract him. I can do something."

Charles' face lit up, and he leant forwards, "You're a miracle, Iris."

"It's in the name. Iris Miracle. I've got all sorts of hidden talents, Charles." Iris winked at him as she stood up, "I should probably go and clean myself up if I'm about to go in as a reporter. See you in a bit."

As she walked away towards the bathroom, she could feel Charles' gaze on her, and something about it felt oddly familiar. She shook the feeling away, casting one final glance at him before she closed the bathroom door behind her.

*

The atmosphere in Paris ought to have caused Iris to feel happy, but she was far too nervous to feel anything.

"You okay?" Logan asked her, and she nodded with a small smile. She'd revealed the plan to the others on the plane, and they had all seemed happy to go along with it.

Iris stood at the door of the building in which the meeting was being held, and cleared her throat to attract the attention of the bodyguard at the front.

"Excuse me," She began to say in French, "I am a reporter and I believe that Trask is making a speech in a few minutes. I would be extremely grateful if I was allowed to see this speech. These are my bodyguards and assistant."

The security guard cleared his throat, "I require some ID for you, Miss...?"

"Iris Miracle," She smiled, showing him her ID card, "I would rather not miss the speech, if that's alright."

The security guard nodded, opening the door and allowing the four people in. Iris waited until the door was shut behind her, and started to walk very quickly, following the signs towards the conference room.

"Iris, what are you-?" Hank started. Iris turned her head, "I know what I'm doing Hank, trust me."

They turned around the corner of the corridor, and walking towards Iris was a short man with dark hair and glasses. Trask.

Iris plastered a smile across her face, walking quickly, "Trask, I believe? I'm Iris Miracle. I heard that you were making a short speech today and was extremely interested in your research so far. Would I be allowed to listen in?"

Trask glanced up at her, "Iris Miracle. The reporter who won't stop talking about mutants."

Iris raised an eyebrow carefully, "The thing is, Mr. Trask, is that while mutants interest me an awful lot, I see them as a threat. A threat to our future, and a threat to humans. We share the same views and I would be interested to know how you plan to keep these mutants at bay."

It seemed to be enough. Trask's face seemed to soften slightly, and he nodded, "Will you require your bodyguards in the conference room, Miss. Miracle? I would rather this be kept confidential."

Iris shook her head, "They can wait outside."

"Iris-" Charles started to say quietly, but Iris smiled sweetly, "That will be all for now, Charles. Thank you. You'll hear me if I need you. I shouldn't be too long."

She stepped into the conference room, and the heavy oak doors shut behind her as she sat down beside Trask at the head of the table. It was full of Vietnamese soldiers, one of whom was staring at her with a rather shocked expression. She glanced away- reporters were not usually present at such events, but she had managed to twist Trask enough around her finger to allow her in.

Trask cleared her throat and began his speech.

"Good afternoon everyone. Hello, thank you for coming. Congratulations on winning this war. Now I know you all have hands to shake and photos to take downstairs so I will get right to the point. There is a new enemy out there, an enemy that will render your arsenals useless, your armies powerless and your nations defenceless. You'll need a new weapon for this war. I call them Sentinels, named after the ancient guardians that stood at the gates of the Citadel. They have the aeronautic capabilities of a Harrier jet, armed with guns that can fire off more than two thousand rounds per minute of thermo-ceramic ammunition. But size, power, speed, you could find that ar Lockheed or Boeing. No, what makes the Sentinels so special is the ability to target the mutant X gene."

Trask held a small white device up, "A genetic guidance system that can lock onto a mark half a mile away and won't trigger unless it's identified the target. With this weapon, there will be no human collateral damage. If I turn it on, the system couldn't even activate in here."

The machine made a beeping noise, and Trask seemed to freeze, "Unless there's a mutant."

Slowly, Trask moved the machine around the room, pointing it at each person and waiting for the beeping to intensify. Iris thought that the machine was rather fascinating, and leant forwards to inspect it more closely. It took her a moment to realise that the machine was pointed directly at her, and that the beeping had got louder. Her eyes widened and she leant back.

"What does that mean?" She could feel her heart beginning to race.

Trask smirked, "It means that you're a mutant, my dear. I should have guessed, seeing as you were so desperate to come into this meeting. What are you?"

Iris stood up, shaking her head slowly, "Dr. Trask, there has to be some kind of mistake. I am not a mutant."

The General beside Trask slowly raised his gun, pointing it at Iris. Trask shook his head, "Don't shoot it."

"I am not a mutant," Iris repeated, but the words sounded wrong in her mouth, and she felt as though the room were spinning.

Suddenly, one of the Vietnamese Generals- the one who had looked at her oddly when she had walked in- leapt onto the table and transformed into a young woman with bright blue skin and strikingly red hair. Iris gasped as the young woman pulled out a gun and pointed it at Trask.

This was Raven- the one that Charles had been talking about.

Everything seemed to happen at once as the doors were thrown open and Erik, Hank, Charles and Logan came running in. The General with the gun shot a taser at Raven and turned back to face Iris, preparing to do the same. She leapt out of the way with a scream and watched as Erik pulled the taser away from Raven and threw it at the General.

Charles ran over to Raven and began to talk to her soothingly, but Iris couldn't concentrate. In her mind, something was shifting, but she couldn't tell what. She felt as though she were walking through a dream. What was happening? Where was she?

For a split second, the room around them burst into a field of green and gold before fading away, and Iris gulped in a deep breath as she seemed to emerge from the dream. Hank and Charles both spun around to look at Iris in surprise as she staggered away from the wall, pointing behind them.

"Erik!" She shouted as he raised a gun and pointed it at Raven.

"What are you doing?" Charles shouted.

"Securing our future. Forgive me, Mystique. As long as you're out there we'll never be safe."

"Erik?" Hank leapt forwards as Raven shouted, "Use your powers, Charles, stop him."

"He can't," Erik muttered smugly, watching as Raven sprinted away and leapt through the window. He pulled the trigger, and the bullet followed her through.

Behind them all, Logan seemed to stagger and fall against the wall in confusion. Hank turned into his full beast form and leapt towards Erik.

"Where am I?" Logan whispered, looking around. His eyes fell on Charles and Iris in confusion. Charles shook his head, "Huh?"

"How the hell did I get here?" Logan demanded, and Charles turned to face Iris worriedly.

"What? You came to us."

Logan shook his head, "Who are you?"

"Charles. Charles Xavier."

"I don't know you," Logan shouted, turning to glance at Hank, "What the hell is that?"

Charles shook his head, "Hank! Just go! Stop Erik!"

"You're Logan, that's Hank McCoy and Iris Miracle. You spent the last couple of days with us." Charles continued, but when this didn't seem to be working, he sighed, "You're on acid. Somebody gave you really bad acid, yeah? Just hold on tight, we'll get through this together."

After a few moments, Logan's eyes seemed to focus, "Professor?"

Charles sighed with relief, "What happened to you?"

"I just saw someone who's going to bring me a lot of pain some day. Where's Raven?"

"Gone," Charles whispered, "We have to get out of here."

He turned to face Iris, who seemed to be having some trouble breathing. Without a second thought, Charles grabbed onto her hand and began to lead her through the building and out towards the car. At the presence of his touch, Iris began to breathe more easily. There was still something in her mind that seemed to be shifting, and she suddenly stopped.

"Trask's machine. It said I was a mutant." She shook her head, "Why would it say that?"

Charles shook his head sadly, "Raven was sitting right behind you- the machine may have been confused."

"But Trask said that the machine doesn't make mistakes-" Iris felt sick, as if the idea of being a mutant had raised some distant memory that she couldn't quite grasp.

"It lit up like a beacon," She whispered, staring at Charles, "You said that to me once-"

Her eyes fluttered shut as she fell backwards into Charles' arms and into oblivion.