Hank escorted Shine to her room and let her grab her bag before she left.

Wally took his, but, he said "This is so not right."

Kurt appeared before them. "I'm going vith you," he said.

"What?" Wally said.

"I must, we are all in this together, I can't let you go out alone," Kurt said.

"No, Kurt," Shine said. "Listen, I actually want you to stay."

"What?" Kurt said.

"Think about it," Shine said. "If we're going to prove our innocence, we need someone here who believes us."

Kurt paused. "You think so?"

"Yeah, you gotta stay," Wally caught on. "We'll get in touch later. You know." He winked. "This is just a... setback."

"I admire your confidence," Hank said. "And if you do succeed, I'm sure I will give you a sincere apology...but if you are guilty, it would be unwise to come back here."

"Maybe you should dust for fingerprints," Shine said sarcastically.

"A worthy idea," Hank said.

They walked outside dejectedly, and to the gate.

Jubilee had come out. "Hey...are you guys...really going?"

"Don't worry," Shine called. "I think I have an idea."

"How do you have an idea already?" Wally said. "I'm still reeling!"

"Because I thought this might happen," Shine said. "We'll be fine, Jubilee."

"But..." Jubilee said. "The Morlocks...I mean, what can we tell them?"

"We'll tell them ourselves if necessary," Shine said.

They went to the gate.

"Kurt still believes us," Shine said to Wally. "We don't have to go home. Thank goodness, I thought I would faint for a moment there."

"Do you want a ride to the city?" Hank asked a bit apologetically.

"No," Wally said. "I think I need some distance from all of you right now, thanks." He angrily walked away.

Shine glanced back. "Yeah, well maybe some distance will bring clarity," she walked off.

Storm had followed also.

She shook her head. "Ever the self possessed figure isn't she? Nothing would shake that woman."

"She's kind of like you," Jubilee said. "Really confident."

Storm didn't see herself that way at all, she had such obvious weaknesses like her claustrophobia.

"I fear we have just made a terrible mistake," she said. "Even if they were at fault, I'm sure there was a better explanation."

"Scott and the Professor had the final call," Hank said. "Until they feel reassured, there is unfortunately nothing we can do. I will try to get to the bottom of what happened."

He went back inside.

"But what if someone hurts them?" Jubilee worried. "Like the FOH, they were in news...why is Scott doing this?"

"Scott is very protective of the team," Storm said.

[He's also a prick]

"But I confess, I was more puzzled by the Professor and Logan's part in it," Storm said "They're usually right, but it was such a hasty decision."

"It vas vrong!" Kurt said. "I am surprised...but...there is something I must make sure of."

Gambit came out then. "Dey gone?"

"Yes," Storm said. 

Somehow they were already out of sight, too.

Gambit tossed a card, and then he shook his head. "It wasn't dem."

They turned to gape at him.

"What?" Jubilee said.

"This is not what I thought you'd say," Storm said.

Gambit flicked another card. "I don't like dem, but I know guilty...Dey ain't guilty..."

"Then what? Someone has framed them," Storm said. "But how?"

"Dat the question, Chere," Gambit said. "Wolverine can't sniff it out. Or, is he da fake?"

"We have no way to ascertain this," Storm said "But the Professor could tell."

"He didn't offer," Gambit said.

They went back inside.

"You must understand," Professor X said. "I assumed you all already knew I'd have made sure. It is indeed our friend. All of you were yourselves."

"Well that's a bust" Jubilee said. "But where did he go anyway? I can't believe he was that quick to side with Scott of all people."

"He's not the most trusting person," Xavier said.

Kurt frowned. "Ja." He poofed away.

***

"So why are we taking this so quietly?" Wally asked Shine, as they reached New York. "Give me one good reason that we didn't just bust out our powers, and stab one of those fakes with some truth, and prove ourselves."

"That would have been easy," Shine rubbed her face, it was still stinging. "But I didn't think using power to prove our point was in line with what we decided. We are going to earn their trust by our character, not our powers."

"But now of all times, it would be justified to break that rule," Wally said.

"If we break a rule just to serve ourselves, what is the point of having it?" Shine said. "When the right time comes, we can show our powers to them. Powers shouldn't have to be what you use to find out the truth anyway. But I believe we can employ them in order to find Logan."

"And you're sure that wasn't him," Wally said. "He had the claws."

"It wasn't him, something was off," Shine said. "Wolverine has a temper, and he's mistrusting, but he'd been warming up to us, and he has defended friends before...granted, not Gambit, but he had more reason to think we were there for him. I can't see him tossing us aside that fast. Can you?"

"He never seemed to like me much," Wally said.

"He liked you fine," Shine said. "And, if that's not him, then who is it? Morph couldn't have been two people, so either we have someone with a power like Twice's, to clone themselves, and then take different shapes. Or, we had two shapeshifters, or we had robots. I did think it was odd Jean couldn't sense it, but she's never been as adept at that. Professor X might be a fake too, they came back together, and left together, didn't they?"

"I see your logic," Wally allowed. "But, Shine, even if you're right, Scott and the others still kicked us out. And they didn't give us a chance...finding Logan won't change that."

"I know, but that is depressing to focus on," Shine said. "And right now, I don't want to try to unpack it. I'd rather focus on what I can do, which is help Logan if he has been captured, and Xavier also. I worry about Kurt...we couldn't bring him, but if there's enemies around, they'll go for the person who didn't turn on us."

"I bet Gumbo was real happy we finally left," Wally grumbled, he'd picked up Logan's nickname for Gambit.

"Maybe," Shine said. "Maybe not. I think he's less callous than you think."

"I'd like to see proof," Wally said. "But whatever...yeah, we can find Logan first, then we'll figure out how to deal with them..."

"I think we should go to our Spider friend," Shine said. "It could only help us to have back up. Who knows who has him...also it's either that or spending the night in the sewers with the Morlocks."

"Spiderman it is," Wally said.

***

Kurt gave the matter some prayer, and then he made up his mind.

He popped around till he finally found Wolverine, and he confronted him.

"Brother, how could you do this to our friends?" He demanded. "Could you not sense in your heart that they were innocent?"

Wolverine leaned away from him. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I don't care!" Kurt said. "I thought you vere better than this! I pray for your eyes to be opened, but you have never been so quick to turn on people before."

Wolverine put his hands over his face...in a very un-Wolverine-like gesture.

Kurt narrowed his eyes.

"You're not him, are you," he said, suddenly quite calm. "I know Logan, he doesn't act like you. Is that you, Morph?"

Logan turned into Morph.

"Surprised?" He said.

"Gone fishing, indeed!" Kurt said a bit angry. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Well, it's a long story," Morph said.

Kurt's tail flicked. "I'm vaiting."

He was so angry, that Morph began to look uneasy.

Then suddenly he started to cry...only it didn't really seem like Morph's way of emoting.

Kurt was puzzled for a moment, then suddenly he said "Mother?"

Morph turned into Mystique. Who backed up.

"I didn't have a choice, Kurt!" She said. "He made me!"

"Who?" Kurt grabbed he arm.

"Your brother!" Mystique said, still clearly upset. "Don't hurt me! I was forced, and I wasn't going to hurt anyone else, just lie for a little time, we were going to come clean tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Kurt said. "Why vould he do this? To them? They helped him!"

"Your brother does not take kindly to people who try to help him," Mystique said bitterly. "I suppose, he got that from me." She looked down. "I can't escape him, everywhere I go he finds me. What was I supposed to do?"

"Tell us!" Kurt said. "How could you do this thing to my other friends? We would have helped you."

"Me? Ask you for help," Mystique laughed very bitterly. "I would never!"

"Well I'm afraid you vill have to, because I doubt anyone else is going to vant to spare you once I tell them the truth," Kurt said.

"I'm not staying around for that!" Mystique tried to go for the window, but Kurt grabbed her and pulled her back. 

"I'm afraid they won't believe me without proof."

"I'll lie!" Mystique kicked at him. "I'l turn back into Wolverine! I'll deny it."

"Jean may be recovered by now, she can test it," Kurt said.

Mystique realized she was beaten and slumped.

Kurt poofed back down the stair.

"Everyone," he called loudly. "I have your culprit right here!"

They came running in.

"Momma!" Rogue gasped.

"Of course!" Storm said.

"You!" Jubilee cried.

"What...where did she...?" Scott said.

"She has been here whole time," Kurt said. "As Logan. The real Logan--vait, vhere is the real Logan?"

"Creed has him," Mystique said in a dead voice. "If he's still alive at all by now. With his mouth, I wouldn't be surprised if Creed has run out of patience."

"What? Why you--" Scott began.

Jean grabbed him before he could do something. "Scott,I  think the bigger problem here is finding Logan...I can use--" she stopped.

Mystique smiled not very nicely. "Your toy?" she said. "I heard it was broken."

"You...you did it!" Scott said. "Didn't you"

"Sorry, but no," Mystique said. "And if I tell you any more, it's my head later."

"Maybe you'd better start talkin'," Rogue was mad. "If anythin' happens to Logan because of you, Momma, I swear--"

"Rogue, you wouldn't hurt me would you?" Mystique said.

"You just bet I would!" Rogue said.

"Where's Gambit?" Storm said suddenly. "I'd have thought he'd come immediately."

They all looked around.

"Where's the Professor?" Jubilee asked. 

Xavier came in right then. "What's the disturbance--oh..." he looked at Mystique.

She shrugged.

"Professor, get her memories, figure out where Logan is!" Rogue said.

"I can't," the Professor said. 

"What d'you mean you can't?" Rogue said.

The Professor turned into Morph.

There was almost a sensation like of breaking glass as everyone realized how they'd been duped.

"Oh...no..." Storm said.

"You two....workin' together?" Rogue said.

"I had no choice," Morph said. "He has Xavier and Logan, and he said he'd kill them...he's had me wired this whole time to be sure I did as he said...I had no choice...but we were going to tell you."

"Yes, Mother said the same thing," Kurt said. "Why?"

Mystique smiled, again not very nicely.

"That was the part that almost impressed me," she said. "It was so diabolical, I didn't give my human son that much credit...You see, he wanted to have you realize your human friends were innocent, only after you'd made sure they would never come back here. He's waiting to find them now. I put a tracking device in their bags."

"You did what?!" Rogue cried.

"But...he...what if he harms them?" Kurt said.

"He said he wasn't going to," Morph said. "He said he only wanted to see them proven wrong about mutants."

"He has lied before," Kurt said. "He said before he would not harm my mother or Rogue if I came, but he only intended to kill us all, he is deeply troubled."

"He's crazy," Mystique said. "And dangerous."

"And didn't you think he'd only betray you later?" Rogue said.

"I thought I'd be able to slip away before then," Mystique said. "Once all of you found out, you'd have found him, takes care of my problem...now I've told you the truth, so let me go."

"We can't trust you," Scott said. "Hank has just about got the power back on though, and I think we have a room we can lock you in until we sort this out."

Mystique's eyes got huge.

"And Morph," Scott said. "While I understand, you could have warned us some other way. Pen, paper, and I'm disappointed that you didn't try."

Morph looked crushed.

"You will have to stay here, I don't want to risk Creed blackmailing you into doing more," Scott said.

"How many hours have they been gone?" Storm asked.

"Ir's been about 3," Hank said.

"Why did I vait so long!" Kurt said. "Perhaps there is a time to cut prayer a little short!"

"It ain't your fault, Kurt," Rogue rubbed her head. "It's all of us! I can't believe we fell for this! How bone headed could we be?"

"Seriously, where is Gambit?" Jubilee said.

"Wait..." Jean frowned. "He's not here at all...he's left the mansion."

"What?" Rogue said.

"Earlier, he said something odd," Storm put a finger to her chin. "He said that they weren't guilty...do you think he went after them."

"Then he's walkin' right toward Creed too!" Rogue said. "And none of them even know it."

"To give them due credit," Morph said. "As they did figure out we weren't real, maybe they suspected that."

"That does not mean they are ready," Storm said. "We must find them at once."

"Maybe I can help," Jean said. "My mind is not as good at memory probing as Xavier's...and it's still a little difficult after earlier, but I should..."

"I can do it," Rogue said, she touched Mystique, who cried out sharply.

Rogue's skin turned blue for a moment, then she said. "I know a place..."

"Creed may have moved on," Mystique said, sounding faint. "He will expect you to look for him. He may be long gone..."

"Then we'll find them instead," Scott said.

"And I hope you're working on you apology," Rogue said.

"For what? Under the circumstances I had every right to think they were guilty," Scott said.

They all stared at him.

"Let's discuss that later," Jean said.

They all raced for the Blackbird.

***

"I can't believe they just kicked you out," Spiderman, a.k.a., Peter Parker said, when they showed up at his apartment.

"Yeah, me neither." Wally was still angry.

Shine had been straightening up.

"We won't ask you to put us up," she said to Spiderman. "But I'll need some time to call our friends at the church and figure this out--and warn them, too. Whoever did this to us may have it in for them too. So if I could use your phone..."

"Oh, sure," Spiderman said. "But, hey, if you need help tracking this person down, it sounds pretty dangerous. You want me to tag along?"

"Well, I guess we could use a guy who swings," Wally said. "I run, she slashes, so we need a capture person... Ah, I'm still thinking like a ninja or hero student."

"They did have a point about that," Shine said. "Though I always thought teamwork skills were the most valuable thing. But I don't think Spiderman is tired of us yet, are you?"

"Well, with you two I know I can expect a lot of hijinks," Spiderman said. "But, hey, it's been a slow day. Just caught some pick pockets and minor robbers, so, you know, I'm good for a challenge... Have to tell MJ, though. Oh, shoot, I forgot she was coming over."

"Why don't you go meet her and explain before she finds total strangers in your apartment," Shine said. "Especially if she finds me first. I have to make those calls. There's no reason for you to have to sit around staring at us till we're ready."

"You're more direct than I remember," Spiderman said. "But, you are right. I should probably sort that out. Might be awkward later if I don't," with a nervous laugh. "I'll just be back in a bit."

He left.

"You know, I like him," Wally said. "But I have to say, he's a little more cheerful than I feel like being around right now."

"He copes with humor." Shine pulled out her church directory copy. Thank goodness she'd thought to get one. "We of all people ought to understand."

"I think I see why my friends find that annoying sometimes." Wally was sitting backwards in a chair and sighing. "We're lucky he was cool with this. Just showing up on one of the member's steps with this story would have been kind of crazy."

"I admit it's better to have a superhero if you have problems with other superheroes," Shine said. "So much less needs explaining."

"Yeah...so, are we gonna acknowledge what happened?" Wally asked.

Shine had already cried once while they were telling Spiderman the story, but she'd stopped so quickly, she'd barely started.

"Acknowledge it?" she said, a little tense. "What is there to acknowledge?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe that our new 'friends' turned on us and shoved us out the door at the drop of a hat." Wally's anger came to the surface. "I can't believe this! Batman would have been more patient."

"GL would have been more trusting." Shine couldn't resist at least one bitter comment, even if she thought it was unwise to give into it.

"Yeah! Exactly!" Wally said. "I mean, it's been almost a month, and we never touched their stuff except to help them, and they know, like, 2 shapeshifters, and that's it. No chance, just the boot!"

Shine turned a page, but she wasn't really looking at it.

"They turned on Gambit just as quickly once," she said, "when Bishop came from the future."

"Oh...that's what you meant," Wally said. "I couldn't figure out why you said he'd know what it felt like... Wow, what a scumbag. He didn't even say anything. He was taunting us!"

"He must have thought we were lying too." Shine felt a little like she might cry again, even trying to be rational.

"Well, he's a hypocrite, then!" Wally said. "Seriously...I mean...I'm almost just...done with them, you know? How much can we take?"

"We took worse from the UA heroes," Shine said, "and worse than that from the ninja. I'm not even sure it wasn't worse even before, in Remnant."

She turned to face him. "I thought the X-men had been quite kind to us compared to them, just a few liked to pick on us, but most were being friendly. I have never seen you so discouraged, but I don't know why. I wish you'd tell me what's really gotten to you."

"I don't know--you're the mind reader," Wally said, more angrily than he should have to her. "Just tell me what my problem is, like with everyone else."

Shine recoiled. "You know I don't do that with you. We're partners. I expect you to tell me yourself."

Silence.

"Right," Wally said. "Well, maybe I don't know."

"I think you do," Shine said.

"If you already know, then just say it!" Wally said.

Shine wanted to, but she held herself back. She closed a hand. "I can't do that. I can't do the work for you. We both know that. You don't rescue me, I don't read your mind. Because we're partners, we're equals. If we start trying to handle each other the way we handle other people, one of us will feel belittled or both."

"I know." Wally was impatient.

"Then act like it!" Shine said warmly. "Please remember I am on your side here."

"But you defended them," Wally said.

"I am more on your side for that," Shine said. "I know you well enough to know you'd never want to hurt people on purpose, and if you got too carried away with them, you'd feel horrible later. I am helping you do what you'd want to do yourself, if you were less upset. And you'd thank me for it."

She bit her lip. "Just as I'd thank you to rein me in when I start to say too much. Things look reasonable to you when you're angry that don't when you're not, and we both know that. I'm mad at them too, but I know I'm not as mad as you are. So I have to stick up for them while I can."

She shivered.

Wally began to feel bad.

"Okay...I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to get angry at you."

"I know," she said in a small voice.

"Oh, don't be like that," Wally said, "all nice. Yell at me."

"I don't really feel like yelling at anyone," Shine said. "If I do, I think I'll just cry afterwards."

Then she eyed the window. "And if we yelled at each other, the neighborhood might think Peter and MJ are having a problem."

"This is New York. Who'd care?" Wally said.

Shine managed a slight laugh.

"You know what it is," Wally finally said, more seriously. "All the others, they were different enough to feel like our disagreements kind of made sense. I mean, we're from another world, another planet, even. They lived in a different timeline--it's not gonna made total sense to them. But the X-men, I mean, it's like the Marvel Justice League."

"The Avengers are more like that--uh, sorry," Shine said.

"So they're two sides of the same coin," Wally said. "But, you know, I always thought it was cool...before I knew they were real people. I thought, hey, someone thought of our idea, and they're like us. A little less cool maybe, but y'know, you can't help being awesome." With a Flash-like grin. "But meeting them, it's like, they're just human, like anybody else. And I was okay with that, you know. But then they do things I can't imagine my League doing and being unfair, and I just wonder, how did we superheroes get to be so different?"

Shine nodded.

"And I'm the one they think is the villain. That's just a tough pill to swallow," Wally said. "And then, we're hiding our powers, which also doesn't sit well with me. But I thought, you know, we're doing the church thing and helping out the Morlocks, and that's still important, and I'm willing to be okay with that. But now the church is gone, and I can't imagine breaking that news to those people... And now we're kicked out on the curb, and whoever did it is laughing about it...and they didn't even care."

"If I may, they did," Shine said. "Some of them."

"Well, good old Scottie didn't," Wally said. "He was so happy to finally get us out. I could tell... Problem is over, he's thinking. And maybe I don't like being someone's problem!"

Shine nodded.

"So?.... What about you?" Wally said.

Shine was sad. "I'm well used to being someone's problem."

"Ah...I didn't mean to..." Wally said.

"You know what I learned from being my dad's problem and then so many other people's, over the years?" Shine went on instead. "I learned that when people are insecure, anything is a problem. Good things, bad things--the thing that would save you is the thing that you fight the most. I had a narrow escape from doing as my father did and making everyone else my problem, even God. God kept me from doing that. He never let Himself become my problem. Even when I tried to make it that way. And I came to my senses and saw that the only way to go through this life not being bitter is to never treat anyone else like they are your problem. They are someone who has a problem, and either you can solve it, or you can't, and you figure that out, and if not, you move on. If you can solve it, you don't give up until you do. If they make you their problem, then there's a good chance they don't want that help. But one person does not speak for a whole group. They may be afraid to cross that person, but we can't be afraid to do that. I tried and tried, until I got free."

She leaned on her hand. "You have never been treated that way so personally."

"I don't know, I kind of felt like the League sometimes saw me as a problem, too goofy," Wally said.

"But they'd only see it that way at odd moments," Shine said. "They knew they could count on you. I have been mistreated and hated so often for what I couldn't help, that it's old to me. It's expected, even...and I've always seen that as a bad thing, but talking to you now, I'm starting to realize even that can be a gift. It doesn't shock me, so it doesn't faze me...and I guess Jesus said, 'The world will hate you, for it hated Me.' I know that to be true...so I get a little taste of what it was like for Jesus. That is why I understand Kurt so well. And...Sweetie, that is why I understand the X-men. You know what they want to do as heroes, but I know what it is to be the outcast, the disliked person. I was just talking about this to Jubilee, actually... But, Wally, you know, hatred comes to all of us at some point for what we are."

She looked up. "Perhaps, if this is your time, it means you are ready, that you must learn to see things a bit from their side. I'm just speculating...but if you didn't feel this way, then you'd never know what it feels like to be an X-man. I didn't need to learn that, granted, but I was willing to undergo it again for the benefit I see for them. The UA heroes hated the disorder we brought, but they were more afraid of us than hostile most of the time. The ninja thought we were powerful, so they acted out of fear. But the X-men? They think we're human. We're the 'other' to them. And they take our efforts as presumption and our disagreements as prejudice, something no one else ever did. This is what it is to be hated."

She smiled wryly. "I congratulate you, honey. It's a high honor to suffer the same as Christ for the same reason."

Shine's words began to make Wally feel ashamed without feeling like she was criticizing him on purpose. She simply had said what was in her heart, and he knew it...but he still felt ashamed.

"You know what?" he said slowly. "You are so much stronger than I am."

He came over to put a hand on her shoulder.

Shine sat up. "Just in this way, maybe."

"Ouch, you didn't even argue."

"Should I have? That seemed a bit too much of a cliché."

"No...I should have seen that one coming." Wally hugged her. "But you're basically saying I'm being a baby about this."

"Not at all, I was saying that there was another way to look at it," Shine said. "But, if it will help, I really want to punch Scott before this is over--and if you do it, I'm not gonna say a word, just saying... But, uh, I would wait till we've sorted out who's behind this."

"I promise--" Wally held up his hand. "--I will not punch Scott until we have proven our innocence."

Shine laughed dryly.

"You know, though," Wally said, "you shouldn't have to be used to this... I wish I could stop it."

"Kurt said that you've been trying to keep it together for my sake," Shine said, on a different note. "And I know--I'd just forgotten about it for a bit. I know, you aren't going to not want to defend me. I feel the same... I think I really got on Scott's bad side the other day when I told him he could piss off--in so many words--but also, if you keep trying to protect me, you're going to end up snapping. You know, when I need your help, I will ask for it. I always do."

"Shine, I've known you long enough to know you don't always know when you need help," Wally said.

"I...guess that is true," Shine said meekly. "But...uh...can you trust me a little more to know my limits, at least when it comes to blowing up at our mission subjects? All I ask is that. You want to punch the bad guys, you can."

"You're telling me to let you be independent."

"God-dependent, let's put it that way," Shine said. "I'm trying to not go too far defending you either. I do get so mad sometimes... I gave Gambit the most lovely talking to before they blew up. I think he'll be smarting from it for weeks. But the point was I knew if I kept going, I'd go too far... I only hope I didn't."

"I wish I'd been there to hear that," Wally said.

"I wish you had too. It was weird doing it alone," Shine said. "But turns out, he's a total marshmallow, all talk. Très, très français."

"I'm just going to assume that means French..." Wally said blankly.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Did Peter lock himself out?" Shine asked.

Wally rushed to it and peered out the peephole.

"Uh...well, it's hard to be sure with this distorted glass," he said, "but...Shine, I'm pretty sure that's Messieur Frenchman outside now."

"What?"