Natasha huffed a faint laugh against her shoulder. "That's the Sue I know."
Sue pulled back. "We'll handle SHIELD," she said. "We'll handle the science. And we'll make sure your baby is safe."
Natasha searched her face for a moment, then nodded. "Okay," she said and for the first time since she'd stepped out of the shadows, she smiled.
_____________________________________
Mark flew west through the cold air with jessica in his arms, one hand under her knees and the other behind her back, keeping his body angled slightly forward so the wind hit his shoulders instead of her face. The sky was clear and pale, the city shrinking behind them as buildings gave way to trees and long stretches of road. Jessica gripped the front of his suit with both hands and looked up at him with a hard stare that did not fade.
"I still can't believe you wouldn't let me drive myself here," she said, raising her voice over the wind. "I have a car. It has four wheels and everything. I even know how to use it weirdly enough."
Mark adjusted his grip slightly as they crossed over a highway lined with bare trees and houses. "You're the one who insisted on coming along," he replied. "I told you I could handle this solo."
"Yeah," Jessica shot back, narrowing her eyes, "and that's exactly why I came. To keep you out of trouble. Which you clearly need."
Mark let out a short laugh. "When have I ever gotten in trouble?"
Jessica didn't answer. She just stared at him without blinking.
Mark kept his eyes forward swallowing slightly as a bead of sweat formed on his forehead.
"I bet you wouldn't be carrying Luke like this if he was the one coming with you," she added.
Mark laughed louder this time. "Luke isn't as pretty as you are."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "I forgot you had a thing for maidens in distress."
"Let me know when the maiden shows up," Mark said, grinning down at her.
Jessica flexed her right hand and looked at his jaw, then glanced at the ground far below.
She chose not to swing, but it was a close thing.
Mark noticed the pout forming on her lips. "Jesssss," he said, dragging her name out.
"Shut up," she muttered, looking away toward the trees and rooftops below. "And never say my name like that again..."
Westchester County came into view ahead of them, and within seconds the grounds of the Xavier Institute appeared. The mansion stood large and white with tall windows across the front and wide stone steps leading up to double doors. The lawn stretched out in every direction, trimmed short, with smaller buildings set off to the sides. Groups of children moved across the courtyard. Some ran in circles. Some tossed a frisbee back and forth. Others sat on benches with books open on their laps. A cluster of teenagers stood near the steps talking and laughing.
Mark angled downward and descended in a circle before lowering himself to the center of the courtyard. His boots touched the grass and he released Jessica carefully onto her feet.
The closest kids froze for half a second.
Then the noise hit all at once.
"Invincible!"
"Oh my God, it's really him!"
"Invincible is here!"
Children ran toward him from every direction. Teenagers pulled out their phones and started recording. A boy no older than ten ran up and stopped two feet away, staring up with wide eyes.
Jessica stepped back and crossed her arms, watching the crowd build around him with a small grin.
Mark rubbed the back of his neck and gave an awkward smile. "Hey, everyone. Uh, I'm actually looking for Professor Xavier. Does anyone know where I can find him?"
No one answered.
A girl with braids pushed forward and held up her phone. "Can I get a picture? Please?"
Another boy jumped in place. "You saved my cousin in Queens last month! He won't stop talking about it!"
Jessica laughed and turned toward the mansion steps. "Have fun with your fan club, hero."
Mark reached toward her. "Jess, come on. A little help?"
She glanced back over her shoulder. "You never get yourself into trouble, right? Handle it."
Mark sighed and turned back to the kids. "Okay, okay. Pictures first. Then autographs. Try to line up if you can." The children shuffled around and formed a loose line. Mark knelt down so the smaller ones could reach him and lifted two kids at once, one on each arm. They laughed and grabbed onto his shoulders while phones clicked all around them. He smiled for every photo, even when his cheeks started to ache.
The front doors of the mansion opened and a dark skinned woman with white hair stepped out onto the top step. Her white hair fell past her shoulders and she wore a long blue coat over jeans and boots. She paused for a moment, looking over the courtyard and the crowd gathered around Mark.
One of the older students turned toward her. "Ms. Munroe! Invincible is here! The actual superhero!"
Ororo walked down the steps at a slow pace and stopped a few feet from Mark. The children shifted aside to make room.
Mark set the two kids down gently. "Sorry about the commotion," he said. "I didn't mean to cause a scene."
"It's no problem, it's clear to see the children are excited. I am Ororo Munroe," she said. "It is not every day that a hero lands in our courtyard. May I ask why you are here?"
Mark straightened up, clearly relieved to be speaking to an adult. "I need to talk to Professor Xavier. It's important."
Ororo looked at him for a moment, then paused as she seemed to look off into the distance, she nodded a few times to herself before she looked back up at Mark. "Charles will see you."
She turned to the children. "Everyone back to class. That is enough for now."
The kids groaned but started moving toward the doors. A few waved at Mark as they passed. He waved back.
Ororo gestured toward the entrance. "Follow me."
Mark fell into step beside her and walked up the wide stone steps and through the double doors. Inside, the foyer opened into a long hallway with high ceilings, wood-paneled walls, and framed portraits spaced evenly along both sides. Light from the windows fell across the polished floor and doors lined the hallway, some open, others closed.
"This place is bigger than I thought," Mark said, looking down one of the corridors. "I figured it would be smaller. Maybe a dozen students."
"We do not turn away those who need help," Ororo replied. "Students come here to learn how to control their abilities. Some stay for years. Some leave when they are ready."
"So everyone here is a mutant?" Mark asked.
"All of the students are," she said. "A few members of the staff are not. But yes, the majority are."
They reached a set of double doors at the end of the hall. Ororo pushed them open. The office inside was large, with bookshelves covering two walls from floor to ceiling. A desk stood in the center with stacks of papers arranged neatly across its surface. Behind the desk sat Charles Xavier in his wheelchair, dressed in a dark sweater.
Mark stepped into the room. Ororo closed the doors behind them.
Charles looked up and met Mark's eyes. "Invincible," he said. "Welcome to the Xavier Institute."
Mark shifted his weight slightly where he stood just inside the office door, then gave a small, respectful nod. "Professor Xavier," he replied. "Thanks for seeing me."
Charles' expression softened into an easy smile. "Please," he said, folding his hands loosely on the desk in front of him, "call me Charles."
Mark hesitated for a brief second, as if the name felt too informal in his mouth, then nodded again. "Right. Charles. Thank you... Charles."
From the side of the room, Ororo Munroe stood with her hands clasped behind her back, watching the exchange quietly. Charles turned his head slightly in her direction.
"I see you have already met Miss Munroe," he said. "She is one of our teachers, and one of our finest."
Mark glanced over at Ororo and offered her a quick smile. "Yeah, we met outside. She handled the crowd way better than I did."
Ororo returned the smile, small but genuine. "You managed admirably," she said. "They are not easily contained."
Charles gestured toward the chair positioned in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."
Mark stepped forward and lowered himself into the chair and rested his forearms on his knees for a moment before straightening slightly.
Charles regarded him calmly. "Now then," he said, "how may we help you today?"
Mark drew in a breath and let it out slowly. He glanced once at Ororo, then back at Charles. "I didn't come here for a social visit unfortunately," he began. "I need information, about some dangerous people, but let me start from the beginning. A few weeks ago there was an incident at the Marriott in Manhattan. It was destroyed. The explosion was caused by a mutant. His name was Samir."
Charles' expression did not change.
"He wasn't acting alone," Mark continued. "Through him I learned about a group calling themselves the Brotherhood of Mutants."
At the mention of the name, both Charles and Ororo reacted, though subtly. Ororo's shoulders stiffened, and Charles' hands tightened slightly atop his desk. The shift was small, but Mark caught it immediately.
"You know them," Mark said quietly.
Charles exchanged a brief look with Ororo. She gave him a slight nod.
"Please," Charles said gently. "Go on."
Mark nodded. "At the Marriott, I also ran into another mutant who called himself the Blob. I'm pretty sure that's not his real name, but that's what he used. He was part of the same group. Big guy. Extremely strong. Hard to move."
Charles inclined his head slightly. "Yes. That sounds like him."
Mark continued, leaning forward now. "Then in New Mexico I was attacked by another one. He called himself Juggernaut. He was... strong doesn't even cover it. He hit like a truck. There was also someone else there. I didn't get a clear look at them, but they were opening portals and managed to help Juggernaut escape before I could question him."
Ororo's gaze shifted to Charles again.
Charles remained silent for a moment with a thoughtful smile expression on his face. He sat there with his fingers lightly pressed together and his eyes lowered. After several seconds, he looked up at Ororo once more. She gave him another small nod.
"This is a troubling development," Charles said at last.
Mark nodded quickly. "That's why I came. I don't know much about mutants. I found one of your papers online about mutation and genetic divergence. It was... interesting," he admitted, "but it made sense. I figured if anyone would know more, it'd be you."
Charles' lips curved faintly. "You have come to the right place, Invincible. However," he added, his tone shifting slightly, "If you are looking for good news, I am afraid you will not find it here."
Mark frowned at that.
Charles reached to the side of his desk and activated a large wall-mounted screen. He inserted a small memory stick into the computer terminal beneath it. After a few seconds, a series of files opened across the display; photographs, dossiers, and scrolling text.
Mark leaned forward in his chair.
He immediately recognized two faces. "There," he said, pointing. "That's Blob. And that's Juggernaut." Though the other profiles were unfamiliar to him.
Charles maneuvered his chair slightly so he could face both the screen and Mark. "The Brotherhood of Mutants has existed in various forms for many years," he began. "They operate largely in secrecy, though occasionally they step into the light when it suits their purpose. Their membership shifts over time, but certain individuals have remained constant."
He gestured toward the first image.
"Fred Dukes," Charles said. "Also known as the Blob. Enhanced strength, near-impenetrable skin, and a mass that makes him exceptionally difficult to move once he plants himself."
The screen shifted.
"Cain Marko. The Juggernaut. Technically not a mutant himself, though he has aligned with them on several occasions. His power is mystical in origin. Once he builds momentum, very little can stop him."
The next profile appeared.
"Illyana Rasputina. Magik. She possesses the ability to generate portals through space and, in some instances, across dimensions."
Mark nodded slowly. "She must've been the one in New Mexico."
Another face appeared.
"Pyro," Charles continued. "He can manipulate existing flames, though he cannot create them himself."
"Toad," Ororo added quietly from the side. "Enhanced agility and a prehensile tongue."
The next image lingered longer.
A woman with red hair, a beautiful face and blue skin stared back from the screen.
"Mystique," Charles said.
Mark studied the photograph.
"Raven Darkhölme," Charles went on. "A shape-shifter capable of mimicking any human form down to the smallest detail. Voice, appearance, fingerprints. She has operated as a spy, an assassin, and an infiltrator for decades."
Ororo's voice grew firmer. "She is patient. Calculating. And deeply loyal to the Brotherhood's cause."
Mark shifted in his seat. "That's... not great."
The final profile appeared.
An older man with a helmet and a scowl filled the screen.
"Erik Lehnsherr," Charles said quietly. "Also known as Magneto."
Mark looked between the image and Charles. "He's the leader."
"Yes," Charles replied. "He commands control over magnetic fields. He can manipulate metal on a massive scale. His power is formidable to say the least."
Mark leaned back slightly. "What do they want?"
Charles' expression grew more severe. "The Brotherhood believes that mutants are the rightful inheritors of this world," he said. "They see humanity as a threat to mutant survival. This mostly stems from Erik, who has lived through unimaginable persecution. His early life was marked by suffering and violence at the hands of those who feared difference. That pain shaped his worldview. He does not believe coexistence is possible."
Charles paused briefly.
"I, however, believe the opposite. Mutants are the next step in human evolution, yes, but we are not separate from humanity. We are part of it. We must learn to live together, or we will destroy each other."
Mark nodded slowly. "I agree. I just... I don't understand why they're stepping into the open now. If they've been operating in the shadows this whole time, why start blowing up hotels and attacking people in broad daylight?"
Charles' brow furrowed slightly. "I do not know. And that uncertainty concerns me greatly."
Silence settled over the room for a moment.
Mark finally pushed himself up from the chair. "You've been really helpful," he said. "Would it be possible to get a copy of this information? Just the basics. Names, faces."
Charles nodded. "Of course." He removed the memory stick, inserted another, and transferred several files before handing it across the desk.
Mark accepted it carefully. "Thanks."
Charles looked up at him again. "Mark," he said, his tone shifting to something warmer, "I want you to know that your work has not gone unnoticed. You have done a great deal to build trust between mutants and humans, whether you realize it or not."
Mark hesitated. "Actually... I'm not a mutant."
Charles smiled faintly. "It does not matter. Many believe you are. And perception can be powerful. When young mutants see you standing beside ordinary citizens and protecting them, they see someone like themselves being accepted. That makes a large difference."
Charles moved his wheelchair around from behind the desk and stopped in front of Mark. "Many of the children who come here feel ashamed," he continued. "They believe they are freaks. Outcasts. They fear they will never be accepted. But since you first appeared, some of them have found hope. They see you out in the open, they see you help people, and they think perhaps they can do the same. They want to be like you."
Mark felt his throat tighten slightly. Of all the things people had said to him since he became a hero that was the one that hit the hardest, the one that made him feel like all the pain that came with being a hero was worth it.
He smiled. "Thank you, Charles," he said quietly.
Charles returned the smile. "You are most welcome." He gestured toward the door. "Would you care for a tour? I suspect many of our students would be delighted to meet you properly."
Mark glanced toward the shelves, the hallway beyond, and then back at Charles. He thought about the kids outside and considered whether he should. Then he nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I'd like that."
Mark followed Charles out of the office, and as soon as they stepped into the main hallway the sound of the school came back in. Ororo walked beside Charles with her hands behind her back, and Mark stayed on the other side, looking around while he tried not to stare too long at any one student, because every time he did someone noticed and then the whispering started again.
Students passed them in small groups, some with books held to their chests, others with backpacks hanging off one shoulder, and a few with their heads bent close as they talked in quiet voices, but even the ones trying to act normal still glanced at Mark, then looked away fast, then glanced again like they couldn't help it. A boy with dark hair and thick glasses whispered something to a girl walking next to him, and she turned, saw Mark, and froze for half a second before tugging her friend forward again.
Charles noticed the attention and didn't react to it, he just kept moving at a slow pace due to his wheel chair, and when they reached a large classroom on the right he lifted one hand and gestured toward it.
"This is one of our foundation rooms," Charles said. "We teach basic control here. Younger students learn how to use their abilities without hurting themselves or anyone else, once they do that they'll eventually learn how to apply the same skills with more finesse."
Mark leaned in toward the open door and looked inside. A teacher stood at the front near a whiteboard, showing different concentration techniques, and a dozen kids sat at desks with their eyes narrowed in concentration as they tried to copy it. Pencils floated above tabletops at different heights, some people burst flames or ice from their palms while others had strange effects that Mark couldn't see Collin
Mark nodded. "That's good. I wish I'd had someone helping me along when I first got my powers."
"That's what we try to do here, teach that there is no fear only ignorance, once you fully understand and can control your power, you'll realise that they are as central to you as your own beating heart." Charles continued down the hall, and Mark fell back into step, looking ahead now as the corridor widened.
"The school began small," Charles said. "At first it was a private residence, with only a handful of students, but we expanded over time, we added dormitories, training spaces, more classrooms, and more staff, as more and more mutants started to appear the need grew and we could not ignore it. The goal has always stayed the same, to give young mutants a safe place where they can learn who they are without worry of being persecuted."
Mark looked down the hall at another cluster of students moving between rooms, and he nodded again. "That makes sense. Back where I'm from a lot of people who get powers usually end up turning to villainy, though to be fair where I lived the social programs weren't exactly stellar."
Ororo spoke without turning her head. "We try to prevent that here. Education matters. Support matters. Having a place that feels like home matters."
They reached a turn and moved into a spacious common area that opened up from the hallway, the layout changed right away, couches were pushed against the walls, a pool table sat in the center, and a large television played a cartoon. Several teenagers were spread around the room, some sitting on the couch, some standing near the pool table with cues in their hands, and two were arguing near a snack machine. The moment they noticed Mark, the room shifted, backs straightened, eyes widened, and one girl dropped her phone on the floor with a clack that made everyone look.
"Hey guys..." Mark lifted his hand in a small wave, unsure what else to do, and a few of them waved back, half excited and half nervous, like they weren't sure if they were hallucinating or not.
Before Charles could say anything, a door at the far end of the common area opened, and two men stepped through with someone between them.
A shorter man came out first with a leather jacket and wild hair with sideburns, behind him was a taller man with more sensible hair and a strange visor. Between them was Jessica, and even from across the room Mark could tell she was furious, she was glaring at both of them like she was deciding which one to hit first. Wolverine had her left arm, Cyclops had her right.
Charles stopped in place. Ororo stopped beside him. Mark slowed too, hoping this wasnt going to be a problem.
"Logan," Charles said. "Scott. What is this?"
Wolverine jerked his head toward Jessica without letting go. "Found her sniffin' around the lower levels," he said. "Near the sub-basement access. She says she's with him." He nodded toward Mark.
Cyclops adjusted his stance as he looked towards rhem. "She refused to explain what she was doing down there," he said. "We thought it was better to bring her to you."
Mark crossed his arms and looked straight at Jessica. "Getting into trouble again, Jess?"
Jessica snapped her head toward him. "If I could reach you right now, I'd punch you in the throat."
Mark lifted both hands in surrender and then turned toward Charles. "Sorry. This is Jessica Jones. She came with me. She doesn't trust anyone on principle, so she probably decided the first thing to do was find the most restricted part of the building."
Jessica yanked her arms slightly, not enough to break free, but enough to make the point. "I was checking if this was a trap. Something that bozo over there is too brain dead to do."
Wolverine snorted. "Yeah, sure."
Charles raised one hand. "It is fine," he said with a smile. "Logan. Scott. Release her. She is a guest."
Wolverine let go first, but he was only doing it because Charles said so and not because he agreed, and Cyclops released her a second later. Jessica rubbed her wrists and stepped back.
Wolverine walked straight toward Mark and stopped inches away. Mark held his ground and raised an eyebrow to him. Wolverine leaned in and sniffed near Mark's shoulder.
"You smell weird, bub," Wolverine said.
Mark blinked, then lifted his own arm and sniffed his sleeve. "I showered this morning."
Wolverine grunted, turned, and walked off without explaining himself, pushing through the common area.
Cyclops exhaled through his nose and looked at Mark. "Don't take it personally," he said. "Logan doesn't like many people."
Mark extended his hand anyway. "No offense taken. I'm Invincible."
Cyclops shook his hand. "Scott Summers," he said. "Good to meet you."
Jessica cut in before the handshake even finished. "Do you have what you needed?" she asked Mark. "Or are we moving in?"
Mark sighed and glanced at Charles. "Sorry about her..."
Charles didn't look bothered, he just studied Jessica for a moment without her saying anything else, then he turned his attention back to Mark, but before he could say anything else a sudden shout broke out across the common area.
A teenage boy burst in from a side hallway, breathing hard with his hair messed up like he'd run the whole way. He stopped in front of Charles and spoke fast, words crashing into each other. "Professor! Anna's in trouble," he said. "She's out on the lake. Michael thought it'd be funny to sink her boat, he used his powers to throw a stone, it hit the bottom and it started taking on water, but she can't swim, she can't swim!"
Charles' face changed right away, his calm expression morphing into a frown, one that Ororo shared as she turned toward the nearest exit.
Mark stepped forward before anyone else could, his voice simple. "I'll handle it, if you don't mind."
Charles opened his mouth. "Invincible I do not think that's—"
Mark didn't wait, he already blurred away before Charles could even finish the sentence.
Jessica watched him go through the glass and shook her head. "What is it, is she a man hater or something?" she asked, looking back at Charles.
Charles didn't look away from the window for a second. "Anna Marie has a dangerous ability," he said to Jessica. "Skin contact drains life force from anyone she touches. Energy. Memories. Vitality. Prolonged contact can kill. She has lived in isolation because of it."
Jessica's mouth tightened. "So she's drowning and nobody can grab her."
Ororo's eyes were on the grounds beyond the building. "A few people can help, I'll go and find Jean now Professor," she said.
...
Outside, Mark flew over the lawn, passing over trees, the paths and a small dock. Until he reached the lake. Almost immediately he noticed it, near the center, a small rowboat listed to one side as water poured through a hole near the bottom. A girl clung to the side of it, her head barely above the surface, even from this distance Mark could see panic on her face.
Mark dropped fast and flew just above the surface of the water, reaching her in meee seconds. He then wrapped one arm around the girl's waist and lifted her up and then he rose out of the lake with her in his arms.
The girl coughed hard, sputtered, and then jerked as soon as she realized she was being held. Her eyes went even wider, and her whole body went rigid in panic. "No...no, don't!" she gasped. "Let me go! Please, you gotta let me go!"
Mark kept his grip on her as he kept them in the air above the lake. "Hey," he said, "you're okay. I've got you."
She started fighting him, twisting and shoving at his arms, trying to pull away even though it meant falling back into the water. "No!" she cried. "You don't understand! Ah'll kill you! Ah'll... please, just let go!"
Mark shifted his hold so her back was supported and her head stayed up, and then he brought one hand up and touched her cheek with it to try and calm her down. "Look at me," he said. "Breathe. You're safe. Nobody's hurt."
The girl froze at the touch, the moment skin met skin she expected the pull, the drain, the reaction she knew too well. Her breathing hitched, then slowed as she stared into his eyes. Her panic didn't vanish, but it stopped driving her body. "How..." she whispered,. "How're you still standin' there? Ah touched you. Ah touched you, and you ain't—" She swallowed hard. "You ain't droppin'."
Mark didn't move away. "You're Anna, right?"
Her eyes flicked. "Yeah," she said. "Anna Marie. But folks... folks call me Rogue."
"Okay," Mark said. "Rogue, look I'm fine, nothings happening."
Rogue stared at him like she was waiting for the moment he'd suddenly go limp, and when it didn't happen she shook her head fast. "That ain't possible," she said. "Ah drain people. Ah take it all. Every time. Ah don't mean to, but it happens, and they pass out, and sometimes they don't wake up, so...so you can't be standin' here talkin' to me like this."
Mark nodded, and for a moment he focused inwards feeling out his body or more specifically the parts of his body that were connected to her. She was right. He could feel her trying to drain energy from his body, but the moment she did his power activated and drained it right back, effectively cancelling it out. "I see," he said. It also seemed that because of the difference between Viltrumite and Human biology, she was effectively trying to drain a lake with a bucket. "You don't need to worry Rogue, I have a similar power to you and it seems that we sort of cancel each other out, it's why I'm not feeling any effect." He explained with a smile.
Rogue's eyes dropped to his hand still on her cheek, then to the way his fingers weren't shaking, then back to his face, and her throat worked as she tried to make sense of it.
Mark looked toward the shore. "We should get you out of the cold."
He flew them toward land, keeping her close so she didn't panic again, and within seconds the shoreline came up under them. He lowered them onto the grass near the path that led back to the mansion, and set her down on her feet.
Rogue stood there, dripping, boots sinking slightly into the wet ground. Then she looked back up at Mark, eyes still wide but now mixed with something else. "Can Ah..." she started, and her voice trembled as she forced the words out. "Can Ah hold your hand? Just... just for a minute?"
Mark raised an eyebrow, but he didn't hesitate long. He extended his hand. "Sure."
Rogue took it slowly, like she was handling something fragile, and her fingers wrapped around his, skin to skin.
She waited.
But nothing happened.
No pull, no rush, no pain, no collapse.
Her grip tightened, then loosened again, and her mouth opened in a small, shaky laugh that sounded like she didn't know how to make the sound anymore. "Oh my god," she whispered. "This is the first time in years Ah touched somebody and didn't hurt 'em."
Mark smiled though there was a little sadness mixed in with it.
Rogue kept holding on, blinking fast. "Ah been so scared of it," she said quietly. "Ah been so damn scared."
"We can talk about it later," Mark said. "Right now we get you back, I'm sure everybody's worried about you."
Rogue nodded, still holding his hand like she didn't want to let go, and they started walking back toward the mansion together. When they reached the front lawn, the group was already there. Charles was at the front, Ororo and Scott on either side of him, and Jessica paced a few steps away with her arms crossed.
Mark lifted his free hand as he approached. "She's okay," he called out. "She's fine."
Charles' shoulders eased slightly, and Ororo moved forward to Rogue at once, her face softening.
Rogue looked down, then back up. "He saved me," she said. Ororo put a hand on Rogue's shoulder, careful not to touch her skin directly, then paused when she noticed Rogue's bare hand still linked with Mark's.
Ororo's eyes widened a little, and Scott's head turned wuickly. Jessica stopped pacing and walked up fast. She grabbed Mark's arm and looked him over, eyes moving across his face, his neck, his hands. "You good?" she asked. "No weird energy drain thing? No passing out?"
Mark let her check him without pulling away. "I'm fine," he said. "Completely fine."
Rogue looked at Jessica, then at Mark, and then she finally released his hand like she was forcing herself to do it. She still flexed her fingers, staring at them.
Ororo kept her hand on Rogue's shoulder now. "Are you hurt?" she asked.
Rogue shook her head. "No, ma'am," she said. "Ah'm okay. Just cold."
Charles wheeled forward until he was directly in front of Mark. "Invincible," he said, "thank you."
Mark waved it off quickly. "It's nothing," he said. "I mean, it's not nothing, but you know what I mean."
Scott glanced toward the lake, then back to Rogue. "Where's Michael?" he asked in a displeased tone.
Rogue flinched at the name.
Ororo's eyes narrowed. "We will address that," she said.
Jessica leaned closer to Mark and spoke under her breath. "So what, she can't drain you?"
Mark glanced at Rogue before answering. "Seems like it," he said quietly. "She touched me and nothing happened."
He looked at the sky, then back at Charles. "I should probably go," he added. "I've already been here a lot longer than I planned."
Jessica didn't argue, she just nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Let's get out of here before something else happens."
Mark turned toward Charles. "Thanks again," he said. "For the info. For the time. For not throwing me out when Sherlock over here decided to break in."
Charles smiled. "The door is always open," he said. "you are welcome here as well Jessica."
Mark stepped closer to Jessica, then bent and scooped her into his arms before she could protest properly. She grumbled, but she wrapped her arms around his neck anyway. He lifted off from the lawn and rose into the air, the mansion dropped away beneath them as they moved up and out over the trees. The students on the lawn watched, and a few waved, Mark waved back with one hand while the other kept Jessica held close.
Rogue stood near Ororo and Scott, her wet hair stuck to her cheeks, her hands down at her sides, her eyes followed the blue-and-white figure until he was only a small shape against the sky and then gone. Her fingers curled once, remembering the feel of a hand she could hold without fear, for the first time in years she remembered what it felt like to feel the warmth of someone's hand.
(AN: Tbh I could've split this chapter up more but I honestly cba, enjoy the 6k chapter.)
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