[WARNING: Like the last chapter, this one will be talking about slightly more adult subjects. Of course nothing explicit, but if you'd prefer to avoid it, please skip this first scene.

I rate this stuff for young adults, so it's fair game if I want to write about it, but some people don't like it, so, you were warned.]

Morph was pretty upset after how that talk went, and when he went downstairs. He found Emma drinking tea and looking out the window at the snow.

"She went outside," she said.

Morph stopped. "What?"

"Mystique." Emma didn't look up. "Shine went after her. I'd leave it for now."

"Uh...wait, did you...?" Morph said.

"I'm a telepath, Morph--not that I need to be for that. It's obvious enough," Emma said.

"It's...not really any of your business." Morph was a little annoyed by that.

Emma turned finally. "No, but I don't know that it matters anymore. Nothing is going to be private if this merging keeps up."

"Well, still, would you not?" Morph said.

"Very well," Emma said. "Have it your way."

Morph left the room.

Shine was going to find out the whole thing, then... Well...better her than someone else, he supposed.

Still, he was miserable.

It felt like hours till Shine finally came in.

Mystique came with her, but went right upstairs to her room--honestly, more because she was freezing after being outside that long.

Shine went and sat in front of the fire right off, shivering.

"Tea?" Emma offered.

"I'd love some, thanks," Shine said.

Emma handed her a cup. "Not that it's any good. You can't get a decent brand here to save your life."

"Well, I'm American, so I'll take it," Shine said. "At least it's not tossed in the harbor."

"Ha ha." Emma walked away.

Morph glanced at Shine nervously.

"Yes, we talked." Shine looked up. "If you want to ask about it, there's not a whole lot I can say right now."

She smiled. "But I'm happy."

"Must have been one good talk, then," Morph said. "I'm not."

"If you want my advice," Shine said, "just ask."

"I have to ask now?" Morph said, with a glint of humor.

"On this matter, I think so." Shine sat back. "This fire feels so good. Ugh, I hate cold. Give me the beach in mid-August any day."

"I guess you really are a Californian," Morph said. "But, um...Shine, I think I messed this up. Big time."

"Nah." Shine shrugged. "Not big time. Little time, maybe. Give it a few days."

"You think so?" Morph said.

"I would, anyway," Shine said. "But, I do wonder...are you sure?"

"Sure?" Morph said.

"I think we both know Raven can be quite persistent about holding a grudge," Shine said. "You should probably work this out as soon as possible."

"Yeah, but, Shine, to be honest...maybe we just don't see eye to eye on enough," Morph said. "I tried to say that. She took it the wrong way."

"What did we talk about with that?" Shine said. "Or I think Wally did, but interpreting things through trauma, not through what you're hearing now."

"Sure, but I can't even talk at all, then," Morph said.

"Morph, are you so sure you aren't doing the same thing?" Shine said carefully. "This frustration sounds a bit familiar to me. You seem to have a hard time with communication about certain things. That's not all her fault, you know."

"I thought I was clear, but..." Morph sighed.

Shine crossed her legs. "Perhaps we should try something. Try explaining it to me the way you would to her. What you want to say. Maybe I can figure out what went wrong."

"That's totally awkward," Morph said.

"Because it's so much less awkward to just let it hang there over your head," Shine shot back. "This is therapy, okay? What, don't you trust me?"

"Well...yeah, but...about just like that?" Morph said.

"Oh, for the love of..." Shine said. "Sex is not a bad word, Morph."

"I cannot believe you just said that." Morph flinched. "What if the kids hear you?"

"Who cares?" Shine said. "Most of them are old enough to know about it anyway. It's not a bad word, as I said. Now, that's what this is really about, isn't it? I'm married, Morph. I can say it."

"I don't want to hear about it," Morph said. "Please stop."

"Well, if not that, then what?" Shine asked.

[The number of this chapter just got way more funny, I have to say.]

"I can't talk about that to you anyway," Morph said. "I mean, you're married. It's not decent."

"I suppose no pastor should ever preach on it, then, if they're married," Shine said. "And married people shouldn't write relationship books--and forget couples' counseling with married pairs.... Geez, Morph, I was less squeamish than you when I was a teenager, and I was home-schooled. Luckily my parents were rather open about answering my questions about that. I was lucky. I didn't have sex till I was married. I don't mind saying that to you. I'm proud of it." She grinned. "So if I can say that, you can tell me what's bothering you about this. I won't laugh. You think you have no clue? Imagine how I felt."

"I don't know," Morph said.

Wally came in. "Maybe we should all talk about this together, then."

"Oh, come on, guys, I'm not a kid," Morph said.

"Adults get relationship complications too, Morph." Shine rolled her eyes. "And this topic comes up a lot. It's what you fought over, isn't it?"

"Well, that and other stuff," Morph said. "I guess...well, you know, she wants one thing, and I want something else. That's.... But...ugh, I just don't know." He put his head in his hands. "It's a little awkward to talk about it."

"I remember when we talked about it," Wally said to Shine. "I remember being shocked that you just said it straight up, and I was the one who got embarrassed...ironically."

"Yeah." Shine laughed. "I think I had no shame because I had no experience, honestly... Memories, am I right? Well, knowing Raven as well as I do, I think I could have seen this coming. She has one idea of relationships and one only. It's really pretty sad."

"So did you talk to her?" Wally asked.

"Not about that," Shine said. "We had more important stuff to discuss, actually. I'll tell you later. But it must have been novel for her to get turned down for once."

"And it was more excruciatingly awkward," Morph said. "And weird... You guys are screwy."

"We are married," Wally reminded him yet again.

"Please stop saying that," Morph winced.

"This is starting to be funny," Shine said. "I'm sorry..."

"Why does everyone find this so funny?" Morph complained. "Oh, laugh it up. It's not my fault, okay? It's just...I mean, we just didn't talk about it when I was....you know, young, and now I'm way behind, and I don't know what people want or what they do. I've never dated... What was I supposed to say? And then you have her. She's like...all into that."

"A little too into it," Wally winced. "She freaks me out."

"Wally, for the last time, the movies are not accurate," Shine said.

"What were those movies rated?" Morph winced.

"It wasn't that bad," Shine said. "Wally just can't get over it, that's all."

"Sure, it's funny to you," Wally said.

[And to the writers of the film, apparently. Eye roll.]

"It's not just that," Morph said. "It's what we talked about before...about the kind of way you treat relationships... I'm the kind of person who wants stuff to be...you know, real, not short term flings."

"Same." Shine raised her hand.

"Yeah," Wally agreed.

"So...I guess this just isn't going to work," Morph said.

"Well, did you give her a chance?" Shine said immediately.

"Huh?" Morph said.

"I mean...did you ask?" Shine asked.

"I was trying to explain," Morph said.

"Well, if you just explained it without adding that you were open to a different option, that's going to sound like you just rejected her," Shine said.

"I didn't!" Morph said. "She took it that way, but I wasn't trying to. I just worry, you know--the friend thing is good, and she kind of..."

"Hits it and quits it," Wally said before anyone could stop him.

"Wally!" Morph protested.

Shine was laughing.

"Why do you think this is funny?" Morph said.

"It was just a funny way to say it." Shine sobered. "No, this isn't a light thing, Morph. I'm sorry, it's not easy to have this sort of problem. In a perfect world, we'd all agree about this...but things are not perfect. To be candid, we had some disagreement at first too."

"Don't remind me," Wally winced.

"Well, I think it would help him," Shine said.

"Fine." Wally shrugged.

"At first I wasn't sure about how far I wanted to go," Shine explained. "I knew, of course, no sex. I was a Christian, after all. And I believe the Bible when it says that's a bad idea outside of marriage. But there were other lines...and whether to kiss and stuff. It's really popular for Christians to not kiss before marriage in some circles. I don't really agree with it, but if people want to do that, whatever. It's not wrong, it's just not necessary in my mind. But if you struggle with self control, I guess that's fair. Wally, on the other hand, thought kissing was super mild. And...we had some interesting conversations about where we could...you know...touch and stuff."

"Which is embarrassing now," Wally said. "But I was new to having standards at all, beyond just the usual don't-push-it-on-someone-if-they-don't-want-it kind of thing. But you know how it is--everyone else doesn't wait, and I didn't know how different it was in Christian culture."

"And we tend to go really overboard on the no touching, nothing," Shine said. "A lot of us think it's wrong, period. Which is not true, but there has to be standards. Levels."

"I think I knew that," Morph said. "How does it help, though?"

"So we talked it out," Shine said. "Worked out what we were both comfortable with. We didn't kiss very often for the first few months, at least."

"It was a while..." Wally said. "Drove me crazy...but Shine wasn't ready, so..."

"And I liked that," Shine said. "When we did kiss, I felt much better about being respected. Look, I'm not saying everyone has to do it like that, I'm saying that we agreed on it. But we didn't start off agreeing, you see? We worked it out. I'm not so sure it's a deal breaker until you've at least attempted to have that conversation. So...is that the only thing?"

"This is...really blunt," Morph said.

"But it's helpful," Wally said. "It was helpful for us too."

"Sure, it's awkward." Shine leaned on him. "But it's always more awkward to find out three months in that you don't agree, isn't it? It pays off more to talk about it upfront. And, you'll respect the other person more for it."

"I don't think she's really open to talking about it," Morph said. "And I honestly don't know if I can. I can't imagine saying any of what you just said."

Wally and Shine looked at each other, then at him.

"But you did make out," Wally said.

"One time!" Morph said.

"Once is enough," Shine said. "Don't you put this on her, Morph. Did she make you do it?"

"No, but--"

"Well then, I say this in love, but man the frick up." Shine gestured at him flippantly. "Don't do something if you aren't going to take responsibility for it. If you don't like it, you should have said something. You gave her expectations, and that's not entirely her fault. A lot of people would think that, not just her. Sure...she's a little...excessive about it, but, I'm sorry, if you're going to the show, you have to buy a ticket. How is that different from using her if you don't?"

"Well, I--you don't think that's how it came off?" Morph said.

"Well, I don't know," Shine said. "If it were me, I'd at least feel insulted. I mean, women, we kind of get this thing where we're like 'so I'm good enough for the moment, but that's it?' It's deeply hurtful."

"But that's just what I was trying to avoid," Morph said.

"Then tell her that, bro," Wally said. "This isn't rocket science--or computer science, even. I mean, did you say any of that??"

"Well...no," Morph said.

"And you wonder why she got angry," Shine said killingly.

Morph frowned. "Well, she didn't really give me the chance."

"That's in character," Wally said.

"Yeah, she's not going to find that easy to hear," Shine said. "But the important thing is to be clear. It hurts her feelings, you know, but I think, honestly, she'd understand if she just knew why. Keep in mind, her expectations are not just because of her, but because everyone has only ever wanted one thing from her. She might have been stupid to give it to them, but it's how she survived. She doesn't really have a context for your idea of commitment. Believe me...as a woman, it's infuriating how many men only want that and are selfish pricks about it."

"As a guy, I feel like it sucks how many guys give girls that idea," Wally said. "And then they think we're all like that."

"Not you, Baby." Shine patted his arm. "But then, that can be a rare find, especially if you walk in certain circles. So..."

"But if you hate that so much, why ask for it?" Morph said. "I mean...unless I misunderstood."

"Because it's what's expected," Shine said. "A lot of women shrink to fit that. They feel like it's better to get some attention than none at all. It's sad...but men do it too. Just differently. Usually. I suppose some women like it too. Both sexes can be shallow. But if there's abusive cycles involved, it's rarely just that. Usually it's also that she just expects nothing better and won't ask anyway. For the hundredth time, a lot of this is not about you. I'm sorry it got awkward, but life is messy, Morph, and so are relationships. You have to be willing to confront that, with anyone--but especially with someone who has a past."

"And the fact is," Wally said, "you can't just back out of it now. You did do something. Don't you think giving her the friend-zone treatment was a little unfair there?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly that," Morph said. "But...if she doesn't want to actually...you know, commit, then...isn't it just better not to even start this?"

"Sure," Shine said. "If she's not willing to. But do we really know that? I don't think she's ever had that tested. Sure...she's been married, but under a lie... That's not going to work. There's no lie here. I haven't given up on her yet. But it doesn't matter what I think here, it matters what you think. "

"But again," Wally said, "if you weren't even willing to let her have a chance at that, you should have kept yourself in check there."

"Nothing's ever simple, is it?" Morph sighed.

"And why should it be?" Shine said, a little tersely. "It's trust and privacy and boundaries we're talking about. Should that have to be simple?"

Silence for a moment.

"I guess I see your point," Morph admitted. "Boy, this is weird to talk about."

"It would be weird not to," Wally said. "Normally, though, which is just sucky."

"But now that we have, it's up to you," Shine said. "One thing you can count on--she won't set the bar. And it's not fair to expect that. She's got no clue what she's doing here. But I do encourage you to at least try to explain more. I can talk to her, maybe, but she may not let me. And I can't do your work for you. I can only try to soften it a little."

"Yeah, this is weird," Morph said. "And it's not just about..the physical, you know.... There's other stuff too."

"Sure, but it's kind of a big roadblock, isn't it?" Wally said. "So..."

"One more thing," Shine said. "Whatever you decide, you have to stick to it, Morph. If you don't, it's over...not right off, maybe, but...trust is fragile in this area especially, and once someone feels you took advantage of them, you'd better clear that up real fast, and if you feel you're not getting fair treatment either, you better say it right off. Nip this stuff in the bud. And then don't change your mind later.  But...considering the crisis we're in right now, sooner rather than later might be wise. I wouldn't do anything drastic just yet but don't let it simmer either. Still, a day or so to think about it might be wisest."

"I think I could use a week," Morph said.

"We may not have a week," Wally said, "which sucks...but I wouldn't just let this sit either; it's just gonna get uglier. But yeah...maybe let her cool off."

"Besides we have other things to talk about," Shine said. "I think I'll go make sure Emma wasn't listening to this whole thing."

She got up and went into the next room.

A minute later they heard a yelp and a door slamming.

"I think she was," Wally said. "That's kind of messed up...though this is juicy stuff, so...I can see the temptation."

"Did Shine just slam a door in her face?" Morph said.

"I think Shine might be doing worse than that," Wally said.

* * *

"Don't you dare!" Emma cried.

But Shine dropped her into the pool anyway.

"Why, you--" Emma sputtered.

"Some things should not be eavesdropped on, Emma." Shine got out of range before she could get yanked into the pool. "And stop fussing--it's heated, for crying out loud. That'll teach you to intrude on people's privacy like that. Don't let me catch you next time if you're so upset about it."

"You are so juvenile!" Emma cried, angrily.

"I wasn't the one eavesdropping, sweetheart," Shine said. "So, who's really juvenile? Towel's in there."

She pointed to a cabinet. And then she walked back out of the room.

Rogue came in a minute later actually to use the pool.

"Land sakes, Emma! What are ya doin'?"

Emma shot her a death glare. "Don't ask."

"I don't think those clothes were meant to get chlorine on 'em," Rogue said. "Ya need a robe or somethin'. I think there's one in the closet."

"I can manage, thank you!" Emma said angrily.

"Shine pushed ya in, didn't she?" Rogue suddenly started laughing. "Oh, that girl is a real live pistol. What did ya do?"

"None of your business," Emma said.

* * *

"Pool?" Wally asked Shine when she walked back in. 

"Pool." She went upstairs.

Wally laughed.

"Oooh," Morph winced. "I don't think I want to be here when Emma gets back up here. I'm gone."

He ran away.

"Good call." Wally ran for it also.

* * *

Despite how awkward that conversation was, it did help Morph a little. At least, it gave him somewhere to start. He had to think hard about it.

Admittedly, at first he didn't think it would matter.

Mystique avoided him for the rest of that day--and the day after. It was more noticeable, but for now, nothing else was really going on.

Hank finally got some results out of the samples they'd snitched from Genosha.

"They seem to be regular DNA samples," he said. "But I did discover something odd. Some of them are almost identical to each other. But with some slight difference, perhaps explained by the health of the subject or the age, but...like twins, almost."

"Or," Xavier said, "people who are alternate versions of each other. Genetically they must be similar in some cases, I would think."

"At least close enough to fool most people," Hank said. "I suppose that has to do with the idea of them merging. One other thing...I found one that matched Miss Frost. When I did some tests on her before, I did take a DNA sample to make sure she wasn't suffering any more deep problems.... She seems perfectly fit.... But one of the containers had her DNA in it."

"However did it come to be on Genosha?" Xavier asked. "She was across the world from it."

"I'm not sure, but I don't like it," Hank said. "Someone is keeping tabs on her, it seems. And, if they have Scott, or know of him, then surely they know she must be here, with the X-men. Why have they not come for her yet?"

"Perhaps the DJs' theory that they are preventing it is true," Xavier mused. "If so, we had all better stay close to them. Any one of us could be next. But especially me, it seems, and Miss Frost. They want telepaths. It reminds me of Apocalypse, but I can't imagine why they want teleports also. It must have something to do with the merging. But how do they intend to harness their powers?"

"No way I'd like to think about," Hank said. "And yet we must, if we're to counter it. But I have no way to harness teleportation, and I don't know how anyone would. Even to use telepaths, one has to access the Astral Plane, usually."

"Well...there is a thought," Xavier said. "We have not tried that yet. I would think if Jean was there, she'd have contacted us by now, but perhaps we need to try harder."

"Perhaps we ought to ask the DJs before we try something like that," Hank said.

The result?

"I don't know about that," Shine said. "Even if it worked, you could bring them right to us. Granted...we wanted that, but I'm not as sure anymore. Those tears are bad. If multiple ones attack at once, we couldn't fight them all off. And in the off chance you did contact Jean, I'm not sure she'd know what was going on. Emma doesn't."

"But it's worth a try," Xavier protested.

"I don't know," Wally said. "It doesn't feel right."

"We need more than a feeling to go off. It might work," Xavier said.

"Why do you ask for our input if you're not going to use it?" Shine asked crossly. "In our opinion, it's risky and maybe not worth even getting some information. At this point we know plenty about what's happened. We need to know who and where to find them. We can't enter the Astral plane, can we? I fail to see how they'd be able to help us, even if they were there. But I also think if they were, you'd have found them already. You take it or leave it, but that's what I think."

"I can enter the Astral Plane, however," Xavier said.

"Xavier, if one of the tears attacked while you did so, just from you stirring up that kind of thing," Shine said, "if you got taken, how would you get back? Is that really worth the risk?"

Somber silence.

"I still feel like I should do something. We are losing time," Xavier said.

"I suppose, but all things are revealed in time, Xavier," Shine said. "God has helped us thus far. If we don't know yet, I think it's because it's not the time to know."

"You can really be content to just sit on this?" Xavier said. "That is what I do not understand about religious people. They do not use their natural gifts to learn things, because they are afraid of knowledge."

"Afraid of the knowledge of evil," Shine said. "And it so often just makes us evil ourselves to learn of it. Knowledge is power, Xavier, but power to do what? Sometimes God hides something because it is better that way. And we search for it, but if we find nothing, then we wait. Maybe we're not ready to know yet. I strongly suspect all of us are not ready. People have things to settle here. I intend to focus on helping them, not on what I cannot help. And you should too."

She stormed out of the room.

"While I do get it," Wally said, "and I might agree...Shine's not usually wrong about this kind of thing. She's got this intuitive sense of what is and isn't smart with this stuff. If she says it's a bad idea, I think the Big Guy might be warning us it's a bad idea. I don't want to mess with it. These guys will have to make a mistake eventually, in the natural world, and I like to stick to where we're meant to be. Didn't have the best experience going outside of it in the past, so...sorry."

He left too.

"Perhaps they are right," Hank said.

"I just can't stand the thought of doing nothing," Xavier said.

* * *

Emma and Scott did not talk at all for the whole day and the day after that too.

Emma began to feel the whole thing was hopeless.

On top of which, she also had nightmares both nights about dying...and about the side effects and being shattered.

She woke up in a cold sweat both times. Breathing hard.

The others were cool to her for the most part. Storm tried to be nice.

Perhaps they all just felt awkward because they weren't talking about it.

Mystique at least acted the same.... If anything, she acted less terse with her.

Emma didn't even dare make snide remarks to her anymore--she could just say, "You're another."

But really she almost couldn't stand the lack of any of that. It was like being invisible.

"Everyone seems to have decided unanimously not to talk about it," she complained to Mystique without warning. "Like they think I don't know they're thinking it."

"And you're asking me for sympathy?" Mystique said.

"No, but of all people I'm shocked you still haven't said a word," Emma said.

"I think it's funny that you're complaining about that," Mystique said. "It's not like you've brought it up either. Believe me, it's better than the constant little digs about it."

Emma cast her a sideways glance. "I suppose that was directed at me."

"Now you're catching on," Mystique said. "But in general, really. They hated me." She stared at the table.

"Not all of them," Emma said pointedly. "How long are you going to ignore Morph?"

"How long are you going to avoid Scott?" Mystique shot back.

"Believe me, it's better if I do." Emma sat down and sighed. "I can't even imagine.... No, I can...I just don't like it."

"How long can he really be mad?" Mystique said. "Doesn't the dying thing give you some kind of pass? I should have thought of that.... Oh wait, I wouldn't have survived it."

"Now, you see, if I hadn't survived it, then I might get a pass." Emma almost made a joke.

Mystique finally smiled. "Figures.... What's that old saying? Either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain? I guess surviving dying puts that in a weird place."

"Well," Emma said, lacing her fingers together, "if Scott was as willing to overlook as Morph, I would have talked to him by now. It's just no use... I only make it worse."

"Preaching to the choir," Mystique muttered.

"What's your problem?" Emma asked. "People showing an ounce of restraint throws you too much?"

"Do you mind?" Mystique said. "Did I ask you?"

"Fine." Emma shrugged.

Pause.

"Did you ever tell Scott the full truth?" Mystique asked. "Whatever it is...I have a feeling they left some stuff out."

"The full truth is I did what I did, and I realized later it was a mistake," Emma said. "I tried to make it right. It's not good enough, that's all. Shine told me not to keep trying to atone for it, whatever that meant."

"That's probably good advice," Mystique said. "At this point, it's just pathetic to keep asking people to overlook. What else is there to do about it?"

"Now you sound like her," Emma said. "If that's true, why is everyone mad? People are so unfair."

"Long shot, but could it be you haven't exactly acted like you're sorry?" Mystique said dryly. "Not that I should talk, I suppose. But if you think it's over...why not just say so? Maybe they'd believe you... You did die, or almost."

"It'd be lovely if people were that simple, Dear, but they aren't," Emma said. "When they suffer loss, they have a hard time forgetting.... I can't say I blame them that much." She frowned at the table again. "I could really overlook the rest, but putting Xavier in that coma and splitting the team up...well...in hindsight...who wouldn't blame me?"

"A least you had a reason," Mystique said moodily. "Not being coerced by someone."

"Well, I can't say the Inner Circle is especially forgiving if you don't do your job..." Emma said.

They looked at each other for a second.

"Oh..." Emma said. "Well...that didn't sound the way I thought out loud.... We really are alike."

"Yes," Mystique said.

Her tone said, "And the irony is not lost on me."

"I cannot believe I'm saying this," Emma said, "and let me repeat, I really can not believe it, but...I don't suppose you have any clue how to fix this? I have run out of ideas."

"I don't really fix things," Mystique said. "But one thing is for sure--if I ever had the guts to actually put my own safety on the line to save someone I don't even like, I wouldn't take crap from the X-men about it."

"I'm sorry, didn't you do that?" Emma said. "With Kurt? Do you really think that makes up for it?"

"Kurt is my son," Mystique said. "I can't make up for abandoning him with one act. But what do you owe the X-men? Nothing. It was a job. They act like you had some kind of great loyalty to them--why? Did they ever treat you like they thought you could be trusted?"

"Not particularly," Emma said, "except Scott.... The irony is cruel."

"Well, you had something he needed," Mystique said. "Men are like that--most of them." She frowned. "Anyway...so what are you taking their crap for? These aren't even the same X-men. I have had my problems with them, but I wouldn't go to your dimension and take this from those X-men. I don't know them. And it was none of their business about your life, if you ask me. That's just being objective. I think the less we know about that other dimension, the better. The more we know, the worse it gets. They're idiots for thinking it would really help that much. As for Scott...well, I don't know. If he thinks that Wolverine's past and some of the others is really measurably better than what you did, then I think that settles that. He's just offended that it was him and he didn't see through it. Most people would say that means you're good at it. Is that your fault?"

"Interesting advice," Emma said.

"I may not like you," Mystique said, "but they piss me off when they get all uppity about this kind of crap. I just wouldn't take it, not if I had a way to avoid it." She shrugged. "Anyway, Shine's probably right. It's useless. People either want to let it go, or they don't--I learned that, being here. The ones who do won't hold a grudge if you paid them, and the ones who don't won't ever forgive you if it doesn't suit them."

"That's actually almost good advice, I think," Emma said. "So...the key is just to not care.... Somehow that doesn't comfort a whole lot but, I suppose in one way it's really none of their business.... I could try to explain...or I could apologize...but for what? Why should I have to explain it to them?"

"They think they have to know everything." Mystique rolled her eyes. "Heroes, all the same."

"Seems like you like that," Emma said.

"And you wish," Mystique said. "You want people to ask about you, don't you? But you'd not tell them anyway."

"All right, enough," Emma said. "I can only take so much of this from you. We're not that friendly. But I guess it's worth thinking about it." She was quiet for a while after that.