Legend: Thoughts = <>

Stray thoughts = ()

Flashback **

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Ok, guys, all the disclaimers apply, that means all thanks goes to Marvel

For the X-Men, I'm just making the story. And I do read all the other

Stories and they're great, keep up the good work. They inspire me!

-

I sat in the middle of my huge office. Apparently, now I had an office. It was huge. I was fidgeting with the chair. It was very squeaky and pushing my last nerve. I pushed down on the lever, causing the chair to release and I fell backwards as the chair slid down. From the floor looking up, I could just imagine that this was hugely karma.

"Boss." My assistant, Barton, asked.

I rose from the floor and stood, looking at him.

"Your first appointment is here." Barton smirked.

I nodded, dusting myself off, "Right. Ummm, send him in." I smiled.

I stood there like a dork while Barton showed Logan in. I smiled. I hadn't seen him in quite some time. I was told someone from the X-Men would be coming. I hoped it wasn't Scott. I kind of knew it would be Logan. Scott held firm to his word. He hadn't tried to communicate with me. I equated that with him having so much X-Men business to deal with. I was happy. I had other things on my mind. Logan smiled as he walked in. He was smoking a cigar and walked over, shaking my hand.

"What, no hug?" I smirked.

"Nice place. Better than what the X-Men did." Logan said.

"We never asked for anything before." I chuckled, "How are you?"

"You cuttin right to the chase?" Logan asked.

I nodded, "You're here for a reason." I said.

Logan chuckled and walked over to the window, "I heard you were on some mystical mind-walk." He said.

"And who told you that?" I asked.

"Talk of the Avengers...and the X-Men." Logan said, "Can't get `em to shut up."

"I would think that Hope would be the talk."

"Oh she's talk too." Logan said, "But when a team gets promoted, hired really bub, and the leader immediately takes a break..."

"...You don't think I needed one?" I asked.

"...Didn't say that, bub. If anyone needs downtime, it's you." Logan said, "It just caused some waves."

I nodded.

"Me and Slim are having a disagreement." Logan frowned.

"Scott's not my deal anymore." I said.

"I'm just giving you a head's up." Logan said.

"This the part where you tell me the world's changing?" I asked.

Logan chuckled, "Do I really need to? Look around, you know things change." He said, walking to the door, "And what's with the prick?"

"My assistant?" I asked.

"Never needed an assistant before." He said, leaving.

"Never needed a lot of things before." I said to myself. I turned and walked to the window.

"Boss, someone's here to see you." Barton said.

I nodded from the window.

"Is it everything you expected?" Nick Fury asked, walking in, "Thank you, Barton."

Barton nodded and left.

"It's a lot more than I expected." I said, "Thank you." I added.

"I take it you like the apartment?"

"The view is...anything I say would be an understatement." I chuckled, "Not worrying about the bills is refreshing."

"Your work with Sinister was nothing less than impressive." Nick said.

"Sir, you can't..." Barton's voice came from the other room.

"He's my boyfriend." Jace said, bursting in. He stopped at the sight of Fury, "Oh, Colonel Fury." He said, saluting.

"At ease." Fury smirked, turning to me, "Keep up the good work." He said, leaving.

"So, our review?" Jace asked.

"What review?" I asked.

"Nevermind. I came to see if you wanted to go to lunch." Jace smiled.

I bit my lip, "Can't. There's a lot of work to be done. I mean, Sinister's plans and all." I lied. Well, it wasn't a lie. It was the truth, but I was avoiding him.

"Oh. Right. Well, I'll take Mel and Declan." He smiled.

"Mel and Declan..." I smiled.

"Nothing to worry about, I'm just his mentor. Actually, we're all taking bets on if he's gay or not." Jace chuckled.

I smiled, "What do you think?" I asked, "You are the telepath."

"I don't...remember the Institute." Jace said.

"I was joking." I smiled, "Maybe another time."

"Dinner?" he asked.

I was about to decline again.

"I can do romantic. I mean, we didn't really get a chance to do romantic before you left." Jace smiled, "I actually have money."

I thought about it. He'd seen me at my worst and he stayed. The least I could do was dinner.

"But, it's okay..."

"No. I want to." I smiled.

"Okay. Operation Romance is on." Jace smiled. He walked over and pecked me on the lips, "You're gonna love it."

I watched him leave. I couldn't feel anything but guilt. It was karma. Again.

-           

Connor sat in his office, reading through copies of Sinister's works. He had been holed up in the office all day, while the rest of the gang had gone to lunch. He was particularly unsure of how to help Pane. What Pane did was really bad, but he remembered a time when he had done the same. He felt for Pane and his situation but keeping it from Raiden was a whole nother thing. He hadn't lied to her while they'd been married, especially about something so serious. Duplicity wasn't his thing. It always ended horribly. Connor looked up at a knock on his door.

"Hey." I smiled.

"Come in and shut the door." He said quickly.

I shut the door and walked over to him, "Why did I just do that?" I asked.

"Because I need to talk about you and I don't want anyone hearing it." Connor said, "Especially not our assistant."

"Can we not talk about it?" I asked.

"Look, I'm as freaked as you are." Connor said, "But if you don't talk about it, it's going to be brutal. I'm your friend. Your best friend."

"Who would have thought you and me would be close?" I chuckled, "I know what I did was wrong."

"It was."

"But I told you because I knew you'd understand." I explained.

"And I do." Connor said, "But me understanding doesn't make what you did any less wrong."

I nodded.

"He's a good guy and if this gets back to him, it's going to devastate him." Connor said.

"So, he's not having a torrid affair with Declan?" I asked hopefully.

"Would that make you feel better?" Connor asked.

"Not particularly." I frowned, "It would make what I did less...slutty."

"He's been talking about you since you left. He's enamored with you." Connor said, "The guy's got it bad for you."

"I am a horrible person." I frowned.

"No, you're not. You just made a mistake." Connor said, "Well two. I can't believe you trust Max again."

"I didn't say I trust him, I said I forgive him."

"You don't trust him but you had sex with him?" Connor asked.

I sighed, "When you put it like that..."

"If this gets out and that I know...my marriage is based on neither of us not lying again." Connor said, "And besides that, Raiden views you as her best friend too."

"I know. How do you tell someone who's been cheated on that you've cheated on your boyfriend?" I asked.

"Luckily, I've never had that problem." Connor chuckled.

I chuckled too, "Apparently not." I smiled.

"I hate to tell you this, bro, but the guilt's the worst part."

"I can't believe it."

"Believe it. It sucks." Connor nodded.

"No, I can't believe you called me bro." I said with mock disgust.

-           

I sat at Melissa's club, Tolerance. It was pretty hip. I looked around at the dark setting. I stared up at the second story balcony and thought back to my conversation with Connor. I picked up my drink and took a swig. The memories of this place, even though we'd just made them...I couldn't put this off on the club. It was my stupid mistake that caused the bad memories. The dance floor was packed and the bar was poppin. There were chairs all around the side of the club, booths, and they were filled. The club was doing well for itself.

"I don't think you're having a good time." Jace said.

I smiled to my Ryan Gosling-esque boyfriend. He'd been watching me, studying me probably. I had shielded my thoughts pretty well though. So many thoughts, too many to discern one.

"I am." I smiled.

He chuckled nervously, "I don't think you are." He said, still staring at me.

I smiled and looked to the dance floor.

"You want to dance?" Jace asked.

I chuckled.

"So, I've been thinking that maybe we should...take our relationship to the next level." Jace said, "Tonight's not really going the way I planned, so I better just say it."

I was nervous, "Say what?" I asked.

"I think, since we've been dating for a few months...we should move in." Jace said.

My eyes had to bulge, "Move-in?" I asked.

"I know we haven't discussed anything like this, but...I love you." Jace smiled.

I had never been more terrified, for more reasons than one. This couldn't end well. I wanted to move on with him, I did, but after what I did...and if he found out after I moved in...I don't think I could take it. But I was ruining it. I was ruining our relationship by not being totally committed to him. I want to be. He can never know.

"It was a bad idea." Jace said sadly.

"No, it wasn't." I smiled, "It was a good idea. Just promise me that marriage isn't...we have to have a long talk about that first."

"No argument here." Jace smiled, "So, that's a yes?"

"It's a hell yes." I smiled.

Just then, both of us got a text. We both looked at our phones and agreed that we had to go right away. It was work.

-           

When Jace and I arrived, the gang was in the briefing room. David Algers sat next to Connor, no doubt reminiscing over past missions. I hadn't seen him since the whole team quit. I was in a dark place, not being in my body and all. He looked good, obviously still working out. He turned to Jace and I as we walked in and smiled.

"Well, Mr. Algers..." I smirked.

"Pane, it's so good to...well, hear you again." He smiled, hugging me.

"I'd like to introduce you to Jace." I said.

"Just Jace?" Jace asked.

I chuckled nervously, "My boyfriend." I smiled.

"I never get tired of hearing you say that." Raiden smirked.

"Me either." Jace chuckled.

"So, why are you here?" I asked, "Not that's it's not good to see you."

"Somebody is targeting our old team." David frowned, "They got Bianca and Tobias."

"When you say got..." Connor started.

"I think he means ganked." Melissa said quickly.

"Mel." I frowned.

"She's right." David said sadly, "We formed a team in South America, doing missionary work. Fighting off the bad men, ya know."

"Noble." Declan said, "Dude, that's righteous."

"Not all of us could return to the Avengers." David smiled.

We all exchanged nervous glances.

David smirked, "Kidding. We found our niche out there." He said, "The kids needed us and we were happy to help."

"That's awesome." Raiden said, "But how'd..."

"It started a few weeks ago." David said, "Members of our group started disappearing. First it was Tobias, then it was the twins. Now Bianca."

"How are we supposed to help the dude when we don't know what he's facing?" Declan asked.

"We wait." I frowned.

"Really? They said you were smart." He smirked.

"Whatever's after them will come for him and if it's more than that, they'll come for all of us." I frowned, "Cute but no brain."

Declan stared angrily at me.

"Any idea what we're up against?" Raiden asked.

"To take out my entire team? I don't know." David frowned, "And I obviously can't see it."

"Magneto?" Melissa asked.

"He's in Utopia. He doesn't kill mutants." Connor replied.

"What about somebody who hates the Avengers?" Declan asked.

"That wouldn't make any sense." I frowned, "Besides, they're more global."

"Who says it isn't some Skrull conspiracy, wouldn't be the first time." Declan said quickly.

"I do." I said, "This isn't the Skrull or we wouldn't know they'd be missing."

"Then what do you think it is?" He snapped.

"A very annoying problem." I frowned, "We're going to have to wait. Until this is over, Melissa is going to be your shadow."

Declan sighed.

I chuckled, "Melissa, stay with him. Raiden and Connor, see what you can find on the rest of David's team's disappearance and I don't want any sex until you're off duty. Jace, I need you to talk to Scott Summers and Nick Fury, tell them about this." I frowned, "Declan you stick around."

Everyone cleared the room but Declan who sighed and looked at me.

"I'm very aware that you dislike me..."

"You caught that?" Declan asked.

"And I don't really care. I don't even know you. You're a cute kid..."

Declan began speaking but I walked over and sat on the desk in front of him.

"I wasn't finished." I frowned, "I'm the leader of this team. I make the tough calls and what I say goes. You're either going to get on the bandwagon or get crushed by the wheels."

"I just have a hard time respecting someone that could abandon his team for six months." Declan said.

"I needed a vacation."

"Yeah, I know your story." Declan frowned.

"But you didn't live it." I said quickly. I stood and walked over to the door, "You should thank God for that. Listen, you're the rookie. You want to make a name for yourself. It's okay...but I'm really not the guy to screw with." I said, leaving.

-           

David walked into his hotel room with Melissa. He searched for the light switch, but couldn't find it. Melissa flipped it on and walked around the hotel room. It was pretty nice. Not nicer than the new offices and apartments the team got, but it was pretty nice. David offered her a drink and walked to the kitchen. She couldn't help wonder how he knew where to go. She also couldn't help noticing that he was really cute. He was tall, dark and sexy. He was also blind, but that didn't matter. He returned with two sodas and smiled.

Melissa hopped up and grabbed one, "Thanks." She said.

"Drink up, the mini fridge is expensive." David said, taking a swig.

Melissa smiled to herself.

"I can't believe how everybody changed." David said, "Not physically..."

Melissa chuckled.

"Sometimes, I forget I can't see." David smiled.

"How can you do that?" Melissa asked.

"I create these pictures in my mind. By touch or just by imagination." David said, "I can see Connor and Raiden together. Didn't know Pane would be the leader."

"He's a real hard-ass." Melissa chuckled, "As you saw."

"Yeah. He seemed wound up." David said, "That's why I never would have guessed he'd be the leader, as important as he may be."

"Important?" Melissa asked, "You mean him being the next step in evolution."

David laughed.

"It's really hard helping him realize that...he's not that bright." Melissa chuckled.

"Yeah...I didn't want to say it." David smiled, "You're really funny."

"I guess living on the streets'll do that." Melissa shrugged.

"You lived on the streets?" David asked.

Melissa nodded before realizing, "Yeah. I was. My parents were not happy with me being a mutant. Same story as every other mutant, I guess. I lived on the streets for some time before getting a job and an apartment and then I met the gang." She explained.

"My mom died when I was born and my dad died when I was sixteen, leaving me in the care of Nick Fury's new group." David said, "I ran away and lived on the streets a time or two, but it was just too much. I liked training with the Avengers and knowing I could help people one day."

"Noble."

"Why do you do it?" David asked.

"The pay." Melissa smirked.

David chuckled.

"So, what kind of entertainment you got around this place?" Melissa said, looking around.

"We could wat...ch tv." David said, blushing, "I could teach you Braille."

"That would be a nifty new skill." Melissa smiled.

There was a knock at the door. Both mutants looked to the door.

-           

I was in my office with my chair turned to the window. I had a slight headache. The headaches were coming back. The voices were getting more and more intense. I rubbed my head, trying to silence some of the voices.

Hands slid in front of my eyes, "You weren't too hard on my student, were you?" Jace asked.

I chuckled, "He's an alpha male." I smiled.

"He's a little rough around the edges." Jace nodded, "But he's a good kid."

I nodded.

"You don't...think about him, do you?" Jace asked.

"Sexually?" I asked, "I can honestly say I don't. Do you?"

"He's like a little brother." Jace smiled, "You're the only guy."

"So...When do we start the move-in process?" I asked.

"ASAP. But I think we need to help your friend first." Jace said quickly, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I said, "Why wouldn't I?"

"You look a little pale." Jace frowned.

I chuckled.

He chuckled too, "As pale as an African American can be." He smiled.

"We have to figure out who's after David." I said, "Bianca and Tobias are missing. I remember meeting them."

"This what you do all day while we're out there?" Jace asked, "Reflection?"

I chuckled, "Reflection? If you call it that. Did you talk to Nick and Scott?" I asked.

"Yes. And after he inquired about you, he said that it was good that we were figuring this out. He offered help." Jace said.

"And you said?"

"No. We've got it." Jace said, "Fury thinks we should be working on cases that matter."

"He used to hate me." I smirked.

"How'd he get over that?" Jace asked.

"I went evil. Showed him that I was a threat." I explained, "Better to have the weapon on your team opposed to against you."

"You're not a weapon." Jace said, "You know, when you left I thought about you until you got back."

I swallowed a lump. The guilt, not the voices. The voices were gone and new voices were there.

"I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my life with." Jace said, hugging me.

I smiled until my head was behind his and I frowned. Things just got a lot heavier. This couldn't be right. I felt right, but there was something, a big something, that felt extremely wrong. I beyond care about Jace. Lying to him...

-           

I walked into the Research Room. The Research Room was a huge room with books and computers. It was where the files and dossiers were kept. Probably anything you need to know was in this room and it went up three stories. I found Connor sitting at the computer, no doubt going over files and Raiden sitting at a table, reading a book. I smiled. They were happy, this I could see. For half a second, I wondered if Jace and I would get married. It won't happen if he ever finds out. And Connor and Raiden's relationship might suffer also, if she figures out he knows. I walked over to the computer and Connor and Raiden looked over at me.

"You're reading a book?" I asked.

"Mystics." Raiden joked, "Where's Jace?"

"Jace is calling Melissa." I explained, "And after that, he's taking Declan to the training room and teaching him the finer points of karate."

"He's actually a good student." Connor said, "Better than you were."

I flipped him off.

"Charming." Connor smiled.

"What do we know?" I asked.

"Well, Connor has found out absolutely nothing." Raiden smiled.

"Thanks honey." Connor smiled, "I have come to the realization that this is an entirely new foe."

"Foe, honey?" Raiden asked.

"Are you sure? I mean, I've been really jonesing for the Hellfire Club or the Purifiers. Something we know." I sighed, "Anything on our rogues gallery? Or maybe the Avengers."

"I do know that our foe could be magical...perhaps Morgan Le Fay or Loki." Connor shrugged.

"Whatever happened to old school villains like Red Skull?" Raiden asked.

"I think they died out when all the super-villains came around." I smirked.

"He is, in fact, a super-villain." Connor said, "No super-villain should be taken lightly."

Raiden and I exchanged amused looks.

"I think we've been taking our duties way too lightly." Connor said, folding his arms.

"So, basically, we're no closer to finding anything out." Raiden said.

"Yes." Connor said quickly.

"I have news..." I said.

Connor and Raiden looked to me.

"Jace and I are moving in together." I said slowly.

Raiden jumped up and hugged me, "That's awesome!" she squealed.

"Yes...awesome." Connor said, stunned.

"He never said whether you accepted or not." Raiden smiled.

"You knew?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Connor asked.

Raiden looked at him, "Of course he's sure." She said, looking to me, "It's a good thing."

I nodded, "Yeah, it is." I smiled.

Connor <You know this is wrong.>

Pane <I have to let the relationship be what it is.>

"Then don't lie." Connor said angrily.

Raiden looked at him oddly.

"Guys, something's wrong." Jace said, walking in.

We all looked over to him.

"I called Melissa and there was no answer." Jace said.

Barton walked in and directly to me, "Excuse me, Mr. Rawling, this note came for you." He said, handing me a note.

I unfolded it and read the very unbelievable note. It was written in a very weird way. There was a certain crazy rhythm with it.

"What's it say?" Raiden asked.

"Come alone. It's written...there's a lot of words and only some of them make sense. The one thing I can read right away," I said, handing her the note, "Come alone."

"Who writes this?" She said, handing it to Connor.

"One guess." Connor said.

"So, she really is back?" I asked.

"Olivia?" Raiden asked.

"You're definitely not going alone." Jace frowned.

"I'm pretty sure I have to. There's a location." I frowned.

"I could go invisible." Raiden suggested.

"She's a shapeshifter and in her animal form, she'll be able to see through it." Connor said, "Perhaps you go alone at first."

"We'll send a team out for you. I'll inform Fury." Jace said, leaving.

I grabbed my coat off the chair, "I guess no matter how surrounded I am, some things I can only do alone." I said, heading to the door.

"You're not going to be there alone." Connor said.

"Take a communicator." Raiden said, "And keep it on. Worse comes to worse, I can pop in."

I nodded, leaving.

"Something feels wrong." Raiden said, "I think that kid brings bad mojo."

"Years with him and you're just figuring this out?" Connor smiled.

-           

The location was a trailer park. A forest of metal. The day was very nice, despite why I was there. I wondered who Olivia had aligned herself with. Olivia was never good news. Especially since she aligned herself with Sinister. She wasn't too based in reality and throw Sinister in...not good news. I walked carefully past trailer after trailer, getting closer to mutant signatures. Four of them. Two were about four rows in front of me and the others were at the two ends of the trailer park. One was behind me and the other was somewhere ahead of me. The trailers themselves were burned and falling in. Someone had set ablaze to the entire trailer park. It had obviously been raining because, the genius that I was, I had stepped right into mud...or what I hoped to be mud.

"Awww, great! It just had to rain before I was sent here." I frowned.

"You have the worst luck."

I looked ahead to see Ken, "I should have known." I smirked.

"Yeah, you really should have." Ken said, walking closer.

"Are we going to fight again? I kicked your ass last time." I sighed.

"I've grown since then." Ken smiled, "And no, I'll be leaving that to my new friends."

The mutant signatures had been getting closer and closer. Ken looked smug and I wanted to knock the look right off his face. I turned to see a very cute Asian woman with short, spiked hair. She was definitely punk-rock and mini. I turned back to Ken to see a rather tall black man. He looked around twenty six and was very handsome. I remembered that there were two other mutant signatures a few rows from here.

"So, now you've got a group? I don't think you're quite going to reach to level of stardom the Beatles did." I joked, "Seriously, where is your better half? And where in the Hell do you keep finding these mutants?"

"He talks a lot." The mini Asian said.

"I'd ask you your names, but in about a few seconds, it really won't matter." I said with a very bored expression, "I'd assume my friends are in the only trailer that isn't burned."

"Give it time." Ken said.

"What's so special about him?" The black man asked.

"I feel bad. Most mutants are all buff and stuff and I'm not. I'm so behind the curve." I frowned.

"How was your mystical walk-about?" Ken asked.

"Mystical. Can we please fight?" I said angrily.

"As you wish." Ken said, disappearing in a poof and appearing on top of the trailer Melissa and David were in.

"Coward."

"I just don't want to get this snazzy outfit dirty." Ken yelled.

I turned so that my back was to neither of the mutants, "What can you do? Lemme guess, annoy me at the speed of light?" I asked.

The little girl multiplied into three of herself.

"Cute. I've seen it though." I said.

I then felt something scratching at my mind! Three somethings.

I held my head, "Telepath too? How...annoying." I said, walking towards her.

The black man threw his hands forward, causing me to disappear and reappear through the side of a trailer! Everything inside was burnt and decaying.

"He teleported me...That son of a b..." I disappeared again and smashed through the top of another burnt, decayed trailer, "Okay, now I'm pissed."

I stood and kicked the door down and walked out to find them standing together. Well, all four of them.

"Okay, so you got a little power. I wasn't prepared for that." I nodded, "One thing you should know about me...I'm kinda indestructible."

Two trailers levitated in the distance, "I've grown." Ken said, telekinetically tossing the trailers at me.

I ducked out of the way, falling in the mud. I frowned and stood. I immediately noticed that the three duplicates had surrounded me and had their hands on their temples. I felt extremely unnerved and felt like three small mice were nibbling at my consciousness. It was annoying. I threw my hand up at one of the duplicates and nothing happened. I swung at another and my hand went right through. Astral duplicates?! Really. I released a very powerful telepathic attack that took all three off their feet! Unfortunately, it took me off my feet too.

I stood and smiled, "Bitch had to go." I said, walking over her.

As I was walking, something grabbed me and suddenly I was falling through tree limbs and right before I hit the ground, I was falling again! This time, falling from about 1,000 feet! I stretched my brain, trying to fly again, but nothing was happening! As I got closer to the ground, I disappeared again and fell through the ceiling of the trailer and crashing to the ground beside Melissa and David. I laid there, shaken and hurting. I coughed and noticed that Melissa and David were tied up next to me. I pulled my arm up and snatched the communicator. I activated it and swallowed. In seconds, Raiden appeared at my side.

"Oh God, are you okay?" Raiden asked.

"U...ntie them." I coughed.

Raiden nodded and untied them. I told her to take them and after much protesting, she left with them. I groaned as I got to my feet and pushed the door open, walking out. I walked out and looked around. Ken was hovering above the trailer.

"Did you like the show?" I asked.

"It was lovely." Ken smirked.

I waved my hand at the trailer, causing it to blow up and send Ken flying back to the ground! I whipped around and waved my hand at the black guy, who was about to send me flying again!

"There'll be no more of that." I frowned, "You've been murdering."

"Who said they were murdered?" The black guy asked.

I stared at him for a second.

"This is all for you, sweetie." Ken said, standing behind me.

I whipped around, "You've been recruiting? But how could you...Bianca and Tobias would never kill." I said.

"That's why they invented torture." Ken smirked.

"Oh, when I kill you..." I said.

"It'll be sudden death." Ken said, "Marcus."

Marcus waved his hand and he, the girl, and Ken disappeared. I sighed and fell to the ground. Suddenly, I was surrounded again, this time by friends.

-           

I sat in the middle of my huge office. Apparently, now I had an office. It was huge. I was fidgeting with papers on my desk. I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to be doing. I remembered high school. In high school, I was always never conflicted about being gay or being black. I was always conflicted with being a good person. After all these years, I still wondered about my own morality. I had done things that were more than questionable and I needed to know that I wasn't this horrible person. People always tell me I'm a good person and what I do is good...but what does it really mean?

"The burden of a good leader." David said, standing at the door.

I looked up to him.

"Don't worry, I haven't regained my sight." David said, "More like outlines. I can see motion and such."

I just smiled.

"I just came to thank you."

"For what?" I asked.

"Your help." David said, walking to the desk, "When we were training together...they told us you were a weapon."

I chuckled.

"You're more than that." David said, "You may have this big office in this huge building but...I think I'll stick around, if that's okay. I don't really have a team to go back to."

"That's cool." I nodded, "You sure there isn't another reason you're staying?"

David looked at me, trying to figure out what to say.

"I'm not reading your mind...I'm just reading your face." I smiled.

"Do I look good? I mean, would you..."

"You look great." I smiled.

He nodded, "Good." He said, leaving.

I smiled to myself.

"You know it's a bad idea." Connor said, walking into my office.

"Come in." I smiled.

"You're pushing your luck." Connor frowned, "Until he knows the truth..."

"You think I don't know that?!" I said nervously, "I understand. I lied to him and cheated on him and when he finds out...when he finds out, I'm going to be alone again. And the worst part is that this time it's my fault."

"I didn't mean..."

"I know."

"I don't want you to be hurt." Connor said.

"He's gonna find out. They always find out." I said, "I just want to enjoy his love before I feel his wrath."

"You have to tell him."

"Do you think I'm a good person?" I asked.

Connor sighed, "This again?! You are the best person I know!" he said, "Don't ever ask that again."

"One more question." I said.

Connor nodded.

"Do you think love conquers all?" I asked.

Connor didn't say anything, he just stared at me. I leaned back in my chair, watching him, trying to figure out what his answer should be.