"We've trained hard enough for today, everybody. Moira suggested that we go out into the forest and have a picnic there," Charles walked into the training room where several of the young adults were sprawled across the floor with exhausted expressions.

Alex sat up, "A picnic? What are we, six?"

Charles simply smiled, "You're actually quite looking forward to it."

Raven burst out laughing, picking up her jumper as she walked towards her brother, "Well, seeing as Alex is so keen, shall we meet by the doors in fifteen minutes?"

Iris, who was laying on the floor by the punch-bag, groaned, "We've been here for three days and I think I have attacked this punch-bag far too many times."

Alex glanced over at her, "Have you been training your power as well?"

Iris closed her eyes for a moment, feeling embarrassed with what she was about to say, "I don't... I don't know what my power is yet. Charles and I have tried to unlock it- but it's quite a strenuous exercise and well... it's taking its time to reveal itself."

To her surprise, Alex held his hand out to help her up, "It'll show itself eventually, and when it does- I bet it will be awesome."

Hank, who had just walked in to speak to Charles, spoke up, "I can take a blood sample if you like Iris, and attempt to identify your power."

She shook her head with a smile, "Thank you, Hank- but I have a feeling that it's only going to come through with Charles' help."

Charles looked up at her and smiled, opening his mouth to say something before Erik walked in.

"What's this about a picnic?"

After everyone had changed into clean sets of clothes and picked up some food and picnic blankets from the kitchen, they all began to make their way towards the woods, with Charles leading the way.

Iris walked at the back, feeling slightly out of place from the rest of them. As kind as they all were, she knew that they were all wondering what she was doing there, and she felt like the odd one out.

"Any sign of your power?" Erik slowed down to walk beside Iris, who shook her head slowly.

"Charles and I have been trying to look into my past to find something that will help us. So far, we only know one thing."

She hesitated, wondering if she wanted to tell anyone what she knew so far about her past. Then again, she could trust Erik. He had been the person with Charles to recruit her in the first place.

"Shaw was somehow involved with my past... he instructed a telepath- Emma- to block my power so that I can't use it."

Erik's face darkened, and he shook his head in frustration, "Shaw uses people for their powers. And when he no longer needs them, he discards them. You say you barely know what we're fighting for, Iris, but don't you see? We are fighting against Shaw- this man who has had such a negative impact on our lives. We need to stop him before he effects anyone else in the same way."

Iris could feel the bitterness of Erik's words- the pure hatred of Shaw. She had never felt hatred towards a person in her life before. And she wasn't sure that she could, not like Erik.

"What did he do to you?" She blurted out, instantly regretting it when she saw Erik's hardened face, "I'm sorry, Erik- it's personal, I-"

"He killed my mother."

Iris' breath caught in her throat, and she gulped, "I'm sorry, Erik. I shouldn't have asked." She paused, "I understand why you hate him so much."

"This is it!" Charles called out, stopping in a patch of the forest where there were no trees and the leaves above them only let in thin rays of sunlight.

Sean and Alex began to lay out a picnic blanket while Moira and Charles unpacked the picnic basket.

Iris sat beside Hank and Raven, reaching for a plate of sandwiches to pass to them. Moira drank from a glass of lemonade, "I thought that we all deserved a break from training. You've all been at it solidly for the past three days, and we needed to relax."

Hank turned to Iris, "You've spent pretty much the whole time in the training room- you must be exhausted."

She laughed, "I ache all over, but seeing as I have nothing else to practise just yet, I figured that I may as well train my fighting skills."

Charles smirked, "She's got a mean punch."

She felt her cheeks flush red and she hit his arm, "Why are you telling everyone?"

"Trust me, Iris," Raven winked, "Charles only does it because he's so awful at fighting himself."

At this, Erik leant forwards, "Come to think of it, Charles, I don't think I have seen you throw a punch."

"The day I do, I'll come and let you know," Charles muttered.

Sean spoke up, "Hey, Iris- maybe you could teach me how to punch? According to Alex I'm kind of crap at fighting, and although screaming in their faces would do the trick, I need to learn some other ways of fighting off the enemy."

Iris laughed lightly, "I think Charles is exaggerating, but I suppose I can show you a couple of tricks if I have the time."

"How about now?" Alex asked, and Iris rolled her eyes, "This is supposed to be a relaxing break, Alex! I'm not just going to start training Sean up in the forest!"

"Just a thought," Alex grinned.

Iris finished off her sandwich and flopped backwards onto the rug to watch the rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves and branches. It reminded her of the memory that Charles had flicked through the day before with Simon in the park. Whenever she hadn't been studying at home, she had been studying in the park with him. He had always preferred to sit in the shade to stay cool, but every so often she had managed to pull him out into the sunshine.

For a brief moment, the forest around the group flickered into another image of a sunny field and a clear blue sky above them.

It was gone as quickly as it had come, but all of them noticed it.

"What was that?" Raven asked, blinking as if she had imagined it. Hank frowned, "You saw that too?"

Silently, both Charles and Erik turned to look at each other before glancing at Iris. When she saw them looking at her, she suddenly realised what she had done.

But how had she done it?

*

Lying on the mat on the floor and lifting weights was more difficult than Iris had initially expected. But she felt more comfortable training with the others in the room now, so had decided to give it a go.

As Alex and Sean left together to have a break, Raven walked towards Iris slowly, inspecting her as if she were a strange creature that she didn't understand.

Iris put the weights down, looking expectantly at the girl standing above her and waiting for whatever it was that she was about to say.

"Why do you want to unlock your power?" She asked suddenly, "Why- when you are free from being an outcast, when you can simply settle back into the life you had before?"

Iris sat up, pushing the weights onto the floor beside her, "I have a reason to find out what it is- my life was a lie. I had this power the whole time and I didn't even know it. And I want to know what it is and why the hell it was blocked from my mind."

Raven shrugged, glancing away, "It's just- you have the freedom to leave all of this behind now and to still fit in with everyone else."

"Hey," Iris frowned, "Raven- your power is amazing. You have no reason to be ashamed of it. I'm not just going to walk away now- from all of these amazing people that I've met- when I can help to fight for your cause."

Raven's expression seemed to soften, and she nodded, "Sorry- I'm not trying to get rid of you, trust me. You seem like a good addition to our team. You're more motivated than some of the others."

"I must have a reason for it, I suppose," Iris murmured, "Shaw's name makes me shudder. I have a feeling that his involvement in my life goes much deeper than it appears."

"I hope you find out why, then," Raven smiled, "Charles seems to really want to help you, you know."

Iris pushed herself up from the floor, reaching for a bottle of water, "He wants to help everyone."

"No," Raven shook her head, "There's something determined about the way he looks at you. Trust me, I've known him for years. Something about you clearly intrigues him."

With that, she turned around and left the room, the door swinging shut behind her. Iris stared after her in confusion, wondering just what she had meant.