"I hear you've been giving all the students homework."

Hank glanced up at Iris' smirk. He frowned, "What's wrong with homework? Have they been complaining about me?"

He cursed inwardly. He really thought that he'd got the teaching thing down.

Iris laughed, "I hardly ever gave them homework because I was the nice, cool teacher. I go away for a few months and I come back to find that you've been giving the students homework after every lesson. They're exhausted."

"Well, it benefits their education. I bet they've learnt more in the last few months than they ever knew before."

"I've started giving them homework to prove a point, now." Iris narrowed her eyes at him as she took the last bite of the sandwich in her hands, "I don't want them all thinking I'm a bad teacher."

Hank rolled his eyes, "Whatever, Iris. You know you're their favourite teacher. Even more than Charles."

At the mention of Charles, Iris' smile fell slightly. Hank cursed inwardly again – he was so careless with his words sometimes.

Seeing Charles and Iris reunite two days before had been upsetting to watch. Both of them had looked so broken without the other one, he hadn't been able to watch. He hated this. Charles had been his best friend for twenty years, and Iris for ten. He'd watched them fall in love the first time, and then again the second time, and everything about their relationship made sense. They completed each other in a way he'd never seen between two other people. He didn't believe in soulmates or anything like that, but if he had, he would have bet on them being soulmates. He hated seeing how they were now – like two halves of a whole, broken in two.

He cleared his throat, trying to distract her from her thoughts about Charles, "Shall we go back in? I've got a couple of things I need to get done this afternoon."

Iris nodded with a smile, collecting up their lunch things and standing up. As she brushed the grass off of her trousers, she murmured, "It's nice being back here."

Hank grinned, "Yeah, well it's nice having you back. Even if it's just for a little while."

They approached the front set of doors and Hank pushed them open. They paused to let some students run out past them before making their way back inside.

In front of him, Iris stopped abruptly. Hank almost walked into her, and when he looked up at what had made Iris stop, the breath rushed out of him.

"Raven?"

She was standing in the middle of the corridor, looking just as radiant as when he had last seen her. He was surprised by her appearance- her choice of not wearing her natural blue form.

"I... You're-" He tried to speak, but he was stammering.

"Not blue?" She smirked, "Looks like you and I have that in common now."

"No, I meant..." Hank shook his head. He couldn't get the words out. Raven had always left him slightly dumbstruck, and even now he felt like a tongue-tied teenager. "You're back. I never thought I'd see you here again."

"Yeah, me neither," She muttered, glancing around slowly.

"Has something happened?" Iris asked with a frown, "It's great to see you, Raven, but there must be a reason that you're here."

Suddenly, a figure darted in between the three of them- a young teenage boy with blue skin and a tail waving around behind him.

"I'm blue. I'm Kurt." He grinned, and Raven glanced at him as if she had completely forgotten that she'd brought him with her.

"Right," Iris stepped forwards, plastering a smile on her face, "Hank, I'll deal with Kurt. I'll catch up with you guys later."

Hank watched as Iris led an energetic Kurt down the corridor away from them.

"Here," He turned to Raven and gestured for her to follow him, "I'll show you around."

He had no idea what she was doing there – Iris was right. She wouldn't be there unless she had a reason. His thoughts flickered to what he'd said to Iris on the phone a few days before.

I have a feeling something's coming.

Raven being here only solidified his worry.

After he showed her around the school, he took her down the lift into the lab. When she caught sight of the warplane, her eyebrows shot up.

"Hypersonic, blast resistance, stealth technology," He told her with a smile.

"That's impressive," She murmured, "How are you ever going to get it out of here?"

Hank felt the need to show off slightly, "Well, that's okay. I built a retractable roof into the basketball court."

When he caught Raven's gaze, his smile fell.

"Hank, you're building a warplane down here."

"After what happened in Washington, I thought we would come back to start the X-Men. Like we always talked about, but... Charles wants students, not soldiers. He thinks the best of people. He has hope."

Raven sighed, "Is that what Iris thinks too?"

"I don't know. She's against powers being weaponised, like she was. She sees both sides, but she thinks there's better ways that the students can use their abilities. Better than fighting." He ran his hand across his face, "She took off a few months ago, though. Her powers are getting stronger. She can create anything from her mind. It terrified her, so she left. I don't know what she thinks anymore. She's only back at the moment as a favour."

"What did Charles think? When she left?"

"You know what he's like. He was devastated. But he wants what's best for her. She's been out writing pro-mutant articles, and I think she's actually making a difference. He doesn't want to stop her from doing something she loves. I think she'll take off, after Charles comes back."

Raven's eyes met his, and she sighed, "Or maybe she won't. Hank, I'm here about Erik."

Hank felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Right. Erik. Yeah, of course. Of course."

Raven narrowed her eyes at him, making him feel guilty for being so jealous, even after all these years.

"I think he might be in some kind of trouble. Real trouble." Her voice expressed how worried she really was.

"Isn't he always?"

*

Iris had to admit that it was strange seeing Raven, after all this time. She had been the last person Iris had expected to see when she walked through the doors to the mansion.

After delivering Kurt to Jubilee, she'd gone to find Raven and Hank. She didn't miss the way Hank looked at Raven, his eyes filled with hope, while she didn't even notice. She wondered what Raven had been doing all this time, since the incident in Washington.

"What's brought you here, Raven?" She asked gently.

Raven gulped, her voice low, "Something's happened to Erik. He was living in Europe, with a family of his own. A wife and a daughter." She paused, "They've both been murdered. And I think Erik's out for revenge."

Iris' hand flew up to her mouth in shock, "That's awful. Poor Erik. Shouldn't we go and find him? We should help him, and stop him from whatever he's about to do, surely."

"That's what I was hoping Charles would be able to do."

Iris nodded, "I'm sure he'd be willing to help, Raven."

Raven paused, "I've seen your articles, Iris. You're really onto something, you know that? I hope you don't stop writing. I think your work is really important."

Iris felt herself flush, and she smiled, "Thank you. I just think it's important that we try to change people's perspectives on mutants. Just because things are positive here, at the school, doesn't mean that they are in the rest of the world. I think that's important."

Raven nodded, and a newfound respect seemed to flicker in her eyes, "It is important. Don't let anything stop you from what you're doing."

In that moment, Iris heard voices and glanced up. Her mouth fell open in shock. Charles was coming towards them down the corridor, with Alex Summers on one side and Moira on the other. Moira was looking around at herself in mild confusion. Iris knew the feeling. She was struggling to place the memories that Charles had erased from her mind.

Alex looked well – just like she remembered him. When he caught her eye, he called out.

"Well, I'll be damned! Iris Miracle!" He threw his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

She laughed, "It's good to see you too, Alex."

Over Alex's shoulder, her gaze fell on Charles. His eyes were already on her. She gave him a tight smile, and his lips twitched up in response, but she didn't miss the sadness in his eyes. She looked away.

She cleared her throat and held out her hand for Moira, "Hello, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Iris Miracle."

Moira's gaze on her was slightly confused as she shook her hand, "Hello. I'm Moira MacTaggert."

While she'd spoken to Moira, Charles had spotted Raven. Iris wondered how it felt for him to see her – the woman he'd considered family for so long – after so many years.

"Would you give us a moment, please?" Charles asked the others, and they made their way into the study. As the door closed behind Charles, he glanced up at Iris again. She felt her heart contract.

She tried to make small talk with Moira while they waited for Charles and Raven to come out of the study. She suddenly had a real understanding of how it had felt for Hank and Charles ten years before to pretend they didn't know her. She desperately wanted to ask Moira how she'd been all these years and what she'd been up to, but she knew it would sound strange.

She had to admit as she stood there, that she felt uneasy as she stood there. Moira, Alex, Hank, Iris, Charles, and Raven were all together again. Surely it wasn't a coincidence. Hank had to be right.

Something was coming.

The door to the study opened, and Iris caught Charles' face as he emerged. He looked devastated. Raven must have told him about Erik. He sought Iris out, and when his gaze met her own she gave him a comforting smile. He raised his finger to his temple.

We need to find Erik, his voice spoke into her mind, Will you stay? You've always had just as much of a way with him as me. He'll listen to us both.

Iris nodded quickly, and he smiled kindly at her, his blue eyes twinkling.

Thank you, Iris.

Out loud, he spoke up to the others, "We need to go downstairs. Now. We need to use Cerebro."

"You need to use what?" Moira frowned in confusion as they hurried her along the corridor and towards the lab down below. Iris was dimly aware as they walked down the brightly lit corridor towards Cerebro that she'd found herself right next to Charles. Her hand was hanging down by her side, next to where Charles' was resting on the arm of his wheelchair. As they approached the doors of Cerebro, and the face-scanner searched for Charles' face, he raised his little finger and looped it around Iris' carefully. Her skin buzzed with electricity from the touch, and then it was gone as the doors slid open and Charles moved into the room down the thin platform.

Behind her, Moira made a noise of complete awe.

"Moira, I'm going to have to ask you to keep this a secret." Charles murmured quietly. Moira nodded as she stared around the room in a mingle of amazement and confusion.

Charles reached for the helmet and carefully placed it on his head. Without thinking, Iris reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. He reached up and squeezed her hand tightly.

The white and red lights lit up all around them, and Moira swore, "What are those?"

"These are all the humans of the world," Charles informed her, "And these are all the mutants. I'm connected to all of their minds."

"The CIA would kill for this," She muttered, crossing her arms, and Charles sighed.

"I know they would." He paused, "Where are you, Erik?"

After a moment, he leant forwards. Iris sensed that he had a hold on Erik's mind.

"Hello, old friend," He murmured, "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I feel your pain, and your loss."

The others could not hear Erik's response - only Charles. They waited patiently.

"What happened to them, it was terribly wrong. But come back to us. I can help you." He hesitated, "Think of your wife, think of your daughter. What would they have wanted?"

There was a pause, and Iris felt Charles stiffen beneath her hand.

"He's not alone."

From behind Iris, Hank rushed forwards, his eyes wide. They glanced at each other, and Iris knew they were thinking the same thing.

Something was coming.

"Oh my god," Charles muttered suddenly, and he seemed to freeze as he stared into the distance.

"Charles," Iris muttered, leaning over his shoulder, "What's going on?"

"Charles, get out!" Hank shouted.

"I've never felt power like this before," Charles whispered. Iris turned to look at his face, and her mouth fell open. His eyes hard darkened, turning entirely black.

"Oh my god, Charles, get out!" Iris shouted, just as Moira rushed forwards.

"What's going on? What's happening?"

The blood had rushed out of Hank's face, "I think... Someone's taken over Cerebro. They've taken control of it."

"To do what?"

"To connect." Hank muttered. After a few seconds of hesitation, he reached out to try and pull the helmet off of Charles' head, but an electrical surge seemed to pass through it, and Charles screamed in agony.

The room around them had slowly begun to turn purple, and there seemed to be an odd-looking mist around them. Dread had seeped into Iris' heart as she looked around frantically. She had no idea what to do.

"Hank, do something!" Raven shouted, and Hank shook his head frantically.

"It won't shut down!"

Iris swore, ducking down in front of Charles and trying to wake him up from his daze. Suddenly, his eyes seemed to focus on Iris' face, and he murmured under his breath, "Alex..."

"What?" Alex leapt forwards.

"Destroy it! Destroy everything! Destroy Cerebro!" Charles paused, trying to catch his breath, "Wreak havoc!"

Alex turned to the front of the room, taking a deep breath before he began to shoot lasers out of his chest. Iris watched as the holograms around them slowly began to disappear, leaving behind only smoking tiles and walls. The controls of Cerebro itself were sending sparks flying until, at last, all of the lights flicked off. Iris pulled the helmet off of Charles' head carefully, and pushed his wheelchair as everyone began to race towards the doors of the room.

"Charles," Iris crouched down and studied his face, brushing his hair away gently, "Can you hear me?"

"Iris," Hank muttered quietly, pulling her up quickly. She glanced up and saw an odd purple-edged ring at the end of the corridor, where five figures were standing. She studied their faces with a frown, not recognising any of them until she saw... Erik.

His eyes met hers for a brief second, but he didn't flinch as he raised his hand lifted Charles' wheelchair up. Charles hovered through the air towards Erik, and as everyone around Iris began to scream, she leapt forwards.

Without a second thought, she produced a set of flames within both of her hands - they came to her easily. She flung the flames at the five figures, and some of them cowered back.

The figure standing in the centre, with blue skin, raised his hand to stop Erik.

"I want her as well."

Iris suddenly felt her silver necklace tighten around her neck, causing her breathing to become restricted. She tried to shout something, but all that came out was a splutter.

"Iris!" Hank shouted as he sprinted forwards, but it was already too late. Both Charles and Iris were floating towards the mysterious figures, and all that Iris heard before she passed through the shimmering ring was Hank yelling after them.

The ring disappeared, and Iris was dropped to the floor. She tried to sit up, but instead fell away into darkness.