Shields

Belle's POV

Jean and Scott are back, so the real lessons continue. All the kids are inside learning about the boring aspects of mutations and genetics, basically trying to figure out why they are the way that they are. I'm sitting under my tree, tracing over the tattoo on my wrist with my fingers. Dan calls this tree mine because I tend to fall out of it a lot, which isn't exactly fun. He's off downtown somewhere, I don't what he could possibly be doing besides getting another tattoo.

Jade and Aaron are sitting on the front steps of the mansion with a book between them. I think he's trying to teach her how to read, and it's not going well. Aaron starts to laugh but holds it in and shakes his head, pointing to a place in the book. Jade stands up and throws her hands up like she's giving up. She catches me laughing at her and sticks out her tongue, but then she freezes. Her ears perk up, a sign that she hears something no one else can. I stand up with a start, listening carefully. The sound of clanging metal comes from the front gate and I slowly walk out from behind my tree to see what's going on. A guy in a dirty army jacket climbs down the gate and turns around, walking straight up the driveway. His dirty blond hair is pulled back into a short pony tail and he looks like he hasn't shaved in a few weeks. Aaron's eyes widen and he falters back, bumping into Jade, who eyes the man as well. The man walks uneasily all the way up to the steps and stops, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "A-Aaron?" Jade looks over to me and slowly tilts her head towards the man, gesturing for me to come over. Aaron takes a step forward, unsure of what is going on.

"Jason?" His lips form into a smile, but just as he's about to say something else, the man pulls out a gun from his pocket and fires it. Instinctively, Aaron pulls Jade behind him and holds out his hand, forming a protective shield around the both of them. As soon as it's down, Jade rushes the man, pinning him to the ground and holding a knife to his throat.

"One reason... One reason why I shouldn't-"

"Jade!" Aaron runs down the steps and lifts her off of the man. Her face drops and she rolls her eyes, her arms falling limply as Aaron carries her back to the steps. Once he puts her down, he points at her and mockingly tells her to stay. He runs back over and she takes a seat on the steps, resting her chin on her hand, drawing pictures in the dirt. I walk around Aaron and the other dude slowly, making my way to the steps. Jade stands up and glares at me.

"Belle! I told you to sneek up on him and grab him and-"

"Your neck spazzed out! That's what happened." I stand behind Aaron as he helps the guy to his feet. "Besides, I didn't know he had a gun!" Aaron takes a step back from the guy.

"Why the hell did you shoot me!" He sounds hurt. The guy shrugs.

"I just wanted to see if you were... ya know..." Jade takes two steps forward so that she is in his face.

"A what? Huh?" She pushes him backwards, and even though he is at least a six inches taller and more built, he flinches. "A freak?"

"Jade-" Aaron tries to get her attention but she ignores him.

"Sorry if I think it's wrong for some stranger to just walk up and shoot you!"

"Jade-"

"I mean, no manners, nothing!" She grabs him by the collar of his jacket.

"This one is fiesty." The guy smirks and stares at Jade.

"Can I kill him." She asks completely serious. I snicker and cover my mouth. Aaron looks at me with a 'you're not helping' look.

"No Jade. You can't." He says sternly. She turns her head quickly, surprised. Her hands are still on his coat collar, almost reaching at his neck.

"At least let me give him a black eye." She starts listing things she could do to him, each time making the act worse. "Or take away his eyesight."

"Jade-"

"Or his ability to have children-"

"For crying out loud Jade!" He shouts. Her eyes get real wide and I step backwards. Aaron's eyes flash a dark color before returning to their normal bright blue. He takes a deep breath. "He's my brother."

Aaron's POV

Jason smiles broadly at me and Jade widens her eyes, looking from him to me repeatedly. Belle raises an eyebrow and lets out an awkward whistle. "Well this is awkward... Bye!" She scurries inside and Jade releases her grip on Jason, pushing him back onto the ground. She turns and looks at me, her eyes telling me something, but I have no idea what.

"Your brother's a dick." She says loudly as she walks past me, hopping up the steps to the mansion and disappearing behind the door. Jason laughs and strokes his unshaven chin.

"Well ain't she something." His voice is the same, so is his choice of vocabulary. Mom used to get so mad at him for using words like 'ain't' and 'coulda'. The thought of this makes me laugh a little, but almost instantly the memories of my mom upset me.

"Hey Jace." I speak his old nickname softly as I give him my hand, pulling him up. He stands at 6"3, towering over me.

"Hey Ronny." His blue eyes glisten as he looks me up and down. "Good to see you little brother." He pulls me into a hug and we pat eachother on the back multiple times, neither of us wanting to pull away. It's been around nine years since I've seen my brother. Nine years. That's a long time. I hear him sniffle and grin. He never showed a lot of emotion, unlike me, but he always felt it. I pull away and awkwardly push my hands into my pockets. I honestly don't know what to say to him. Hi, good to see you? Thanks for stopping by?

"Um, Jace?" I ask suddenly. "What are you doing here?" He smiles and runs his fingers through his greasy hair.

"Well..."

"I mean, you were MIA! So was dad-" I stop myself. "Dad..." Jason shakes his head sadly.

"He didn't make it back Aaron." I falter in my stance and Jason's hand shoots out, grabbing me by the arm and holding me steady. I'm not sure why I'm surprised by this. After all, mom and I learned that he went missing in action ten years ago. Not knowing was nice, I guess. Finding out that he was actually dead hits me hard. "You okay?" Jason's eyes aren't full of concern, he knows I have emotional moments. He just wants to make sure I knew.

"Yeah..." I clear my throat and flick my hair out of my eyes. "Yeah, you were saying?"

"I was being held in Afganistan and was brought home, oh, three months ago? Yeah." He motions for me to walk with him and I do. We start walking around the house and Shade starts barking at Jason.

"Excuse me one sec." I tell him before turning my head and yelling towards the windows. "Jade! Get your dog!" I look back at Jason and smile shyly.

"It's a wolf." He sputters out shockingly.

"Yep..." We keep walking, rounding into the woods. Jason is quiet for a little bit. I want to fill the silence but I don't know what to say. I'm normally such a people person, but when it comes to my family... not so much. After about five minutes of walking, Jason speaks up.

"I found mom Aaron." I stop in my tracks and stare in wonder at the ground. My eyes are wide as I look back up at Jason, who has a proud look on his face.

"Mom? How... how is she?" A million questions run through my mind at the mention of my mother. What does she look like? Is she better?

"If you mean, is she still drinking?" Jason smiles sadly. "She got clean a year after you were taken away."

"Then why didn't she try to get me back?" My voice cracks but I don't care.

"She tried kiddo, they wouldn't let her." There's something in his voice, something he isn't telling me. "But she misses you." I accidently let out a harsh laugh, immediately biting my tongue. "She wants to see you." The thought of seeing my mom scares me, I mean, I'm a lot different now... I'm a mutant.

"But Jason-" Barks come from behind me and I turn with a start. Shade is sitting by a tree, wagging his tail. A wisp of brown hair blows from behind a tree and I shake my head. "Come on out Jade." She turns out from behind the tree and crosses her arms, glaring at Jason.

"Belle is taking us all to the mall for lunch." She raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to answer. I mimick her and cross my arms as well, making her roll her eyes. "Would your... guest... care to join us?" Jason pats me on the back and gives me a reasurring smile, walking towards Jade. He winks at her as he walks past her and she fakes throwing up.

"I'm starving."

Jade's POV

I don't like Jason. I mean, who walks up to their brother and shoots them. Might just be me, but I think that's just a bit odd. Belle is driving us in the car, I'm sitting on the other side of Aaron because Dan called shotgun first. Aaron is sitting awkwardly between his brother and I, his back unusually straight. The boy needs to relax. Belle pulls up the the front and Dan jumps out, opening the door for me. I just sit there for a moment string at the unusual politeness that has taken place. "What is with you boys today..." I mumble under my breath as I get out. Aaron gets out after me, followed by his brother. He turns and looks at me standing by the curb.

"You can come in with us." His voice sounds genuine, but I still don't trust this guy.

"I'm gonna wait for a friend." I say rather harshly, not meaning for it to come out that way. Aaron's eyes give me a hurt look. He wants me to get along with his brother, but that's not easy for me to do.

"Just leave her Jace," He says as he starts walking towards the doors, "No point in trying to change her mind." Aaron's right, it isn't easy to do. Belle walks up to me and loops her arm through mine. It's hard to believe she hated me when we first met.

"He isn't that bad Jade." I glance at her and she's biting her lip, watching Jason as he walks through the doors.

"You are not attracted to him." I say sternly. Her hand reaches out and blocks the closing door, unhooking her arm from mine and pulling me through.

"I mean look at that-" She rolls her tongue and playfully snarls. "Unf." I try and see what she does, but to no avail. He has the same figure as Aaron almost, just a little more built from all the marine training.

"Don't see it. He looks like Aaron kinda." The words slip out and I bring my hand to my mouth, biting on my knuckles. Belle's blue eyes widen and her jaw drops with a smile.

"You called Aaron hot."

"N-no! You called Jason hot and I said he looks like Aaron and... I... called Aaron hot." I admit. Aaron is attractive, any girl can see that. He has messy blond hair that is always falling in his face, and blue eyes that could make anyone weak in the knees. Don't even get me started on his smile. It's brighter than both his hair and eyes, and never fails to make me happy. "Doesn't matter thought, hot is just a description. Just because Jason is hot doesn't mean he's a nice guy." Belle shrugs her shoulders, moving the black shirt strap back onto her shoulder.

"Whatever." Her eyes gaze around the food court. "Where is Dino?" I bite my tongue, knowing Dan hates that nickname. We don't even know why she calls him that. I spot his dark hair and gages over by the fountain.

"There." Belle nods and we walk over to Dan while Aaron sits at a table with Jason. I don't like leaving him there with that guy. I don't trust him.

Aaron's POV

We're sitting in the food court, just talking. Jason drinks from a Starbuck's coffee cup and I just stare at my Ice Mountain bottle. Everytime I look up at him, I can't bring myself to believe that he's actually here. I find that his dark blue eyes are glued to me as well. "So..." His raspy voice breaks the silence. "How've you been little brother?" I shruge my shoulders like I would in any normal conversation.

"Well... I'm a mutant."

"And that's all that has changed?" He raises one eyebrow, hoping to get more from me.

"I got taller too."

"Okay smartass." Jason grins and takes another sip of his coffee. "Tell me about the girl then."

"Girl?"

"Yeah, Miss guts and muscles over there." He nods towards Jade, who is keeping her eyes on me. "Jade, is it?" I nod. "Now, Aaron, are you going to sit here and tell me that there is nothing going on there? 'Cause that would be lying and that is a sin how dare you." I crack a smile and bite my lip. Jason leans foward, the intensity in his eyes growing. "Aaron. Growing up, you would never stand up for yourself. You would take any punch, any insult. Anything." He lifts a finger and points at Jade. "But when I shot at you, sorry about that by the way, the first thing you did was pull that girl behind you. Before you even tried to protect yourself, you thought of her. Why is that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I'm just saying, Ronny, that girl has changed something in you. It's a good change."

"Thanks." I sit there again, avoiding my brother's stare. If he could tell how I feel about Jade, what's to say she doesn't already know as well. "So... what about you? Anyone special in your life?" Jason starts to blush and tap his fingers on the table.

"Uhm... yeah... actually. That's why I'm here Aaron." I raise and eyebrow. "See... I'm getting married... In a week... In Connecticut.." I smile wide and slap him on the back.

"Alright! Who's the lucky girl?" Jason pauses and looks at me, his cheeks suddenly flushed.

"Shaya... His name's Shaya." His voice is strong and sure of what he says, and I'm proud of him for that. "And I know what you're thinking Aaron. And I'm not gay. I'm bisexual. But what can I say..." His eyes wander off to the side and he smiles to himself. "Something about Shay stuck to me." He pauses, tears brimming his eyes. Jason rolls up his sleeve to reveal a black bruise wrapping around his bicep. "People still have a hard time grasping the concept though..."

"Jace-"

"But I was thinking, you won't be the only freak in the family anymore Aaron! You could come home!" I gasp, tears collecting in my eyes as well. Without warning, I wrap my arms around my brother and hug him. I take short, shallow breaths in as I try to not bawl. Jason is surprised but hugs me back, crying into my shoulder. "Y-You're okay with this?" I pull away and smile at my big brother.

"I better as hell be your best man."

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HEY GUYS!

CHAPTER QUESTION: What do you think of Jason? How do you think he and Aaron are going to get along now after NINE years?