HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Landon climbed back into the front seat where Rose and Cora Lee were waiting rather impatiently. Lily climbed into the back with Tommy and Billy right behind her to be greeted by the concerned faces of Ashley and Atif. “So? You guys all seem to be in one piece. How’d it go?”, Rose asked. “What you’re surprised it didn’t become a fight? I’m not sure what that says about your confidence in me…”, Landon teased with a smirk. Rose rolled her eyes. “I just didn’t trust that the Acolytes wouldn’t have turned it into a fight.”, Rose explained. “Tommy had someone on the inside, not sure who and probably better that I don’t. Whoever it was got just Kim to come out and talk to us. I told her the whole story and now it’s in her hands to decide what she does. For now we can just kind of wait and see. First thing though I’m dropping the twins off at the Haven and then the rest of us can go to the institute and get actual clothes. Which means I want all my borrowed clothes back.”, Landon explained. Rose hugged the band tee she’d managed to get that morning. “I’m keeping this shirt damn it. It’s my favorite band and I don’t have one of their shirts.”, Rose said with a mostly playful growl. Landon rolled his eyes. “Whatever, keep my shirt…”, Landon said in exasperation before driving off.
Inside the Academy Wanda was coming down the stairs and looked confused seeing her nephew and Merrick peeking out the front window. “And what is so entertaining boys?”, Wanda asked folding her arms. “Um. Well Aunt Wanda… Mrs. Bryant-Frost is outside she went to deal with Tommy, Billy, Lily and Landon who were standing on the sidewalk.”, Malcolm explained just as the door opened. Kim stepped inside still a little confused from her conversation. Kim raised an eyebrow looking at her son and Malcolm by the window and then looked to Wanda on the stairs. In that moment Kim decided she not only wanted an answer but she needed. “You need to explain to me what happened fifteen years ago Wanda. Because if even a part of what Landon just told me is true we are going to have some issues.”, Kim said folding her arms across her chest locking her blue-green eyes on Wanda. Merrick looked to Malcolm and they both stood up and just waited quietly because they both wanted to know what Landon had told Kim. “What are you talking about? You would honestly believe a child over me?”, Wanda questioned walking to stand in front of Kim. Malcolm and Merrick both stepped back a little to be against the window as they looked at the two women standing eye to eye.
“Then tell me what happened fifteen years ago.”, Kim said. “What did the child tell you happened? Because we all know that fifteen years ago the Friends of Humanity attacked the Xavier Institute burning the place to the ground resulting in the deaths of a number of their members and the capture of some others.”, Wanda said keeping a straight face. In the back of her mind she knew it was a lie. But she would try and deter anything Landon may have told Kim. She would not stand for mutiny. “You can stop talking down about Landon. I didn’t like when you talked like that about his father and I don’t like you doing that to him. Landon gives a very different and polarizing rendition of that night. Apparently based on a video surveillance from the old institute and the infallible mouth of John Howlett Jr it wasn’t the Friends of Humanity but US that attacked the institute. Landon has video of St John, your boyfriend, burning the institute, killing and taken hostages specifically the video shows him killing Tanner and taking the rather pregnant Sadria hostage. And from John Howlett’s account let’s see…oh right my husband was sent after Mikali and Annai taking them hostage, my bumbling buffoon brother-in-laws were sent after Kurt and Isis but failed, oh and I was sent after Logan. Guess that explains why the Howlett family has loathed me and mine. And then you had us torture the hostages to find out where the others went. Oh and let’s not forget the kicker you wanted my cousin and his Haven so damn bad that my moronic brother-in-laws KIDNAPPED Aislinn. Kidnapped her! And my cousin and all the x-men still remember what happened because your reality warp didn’t have the full effect you wanted. So I’ve been out casted by my own blood because apparently in that reality I was afraid of you and didn’t return Aislinn back to David or even tell him where he could find her. And I’ll chalk that up to having three young children to worry about. Now tell me if Landon lied to me.”, Kim said starting to poke at Wanda angrily as she talked.
Malcolm and Merrick both went wide eyed at Kim retold what Landon had said. They quickly moved again to get out of the way as Kim poked Wanda backing her to a wall. “What do you want to hear from me? Because I think you are forgetting who you are dealing with Kimberly.”, Wanda said clenching her fists. “You aren’t denying it, you are actually avoiding answering me. So that tells me my cousin wasn’t lying. I can’t believe you. I can’t believe the nerve you have. To manipulate our memories like that. To let us believe a lie for the last fifteen years! I lost my cousin because of you!”, Kim yelled. Of course now that she was raising her voice others starting coming down the stairs to see what the fuss was. Christian, Josalyn, Emma, and Sebastian the first ones down because it was Kim yelling. “You lost a cousin who cares. Because of me you aren’t dead right now. Because of me you got Lily from Calvin, because of me you were able to marry Christian and have two more children. You’ve had a rather peaceful life because of me. Now you better remember who you are talking to and who you’re poking.”, Wanda countered. Kim looked to her husband and her children then back at Wanda. She started to turn. “Glad you came to your senses.”, Wanda said. Kim glared and clenched up her right fists as it turned to steel before turning and punching Wanda in the face.”Go fuck yourself Wanda. I don’t owe you shit beyond the punch you just got. David has always been more than a cousin to me, he was like a brother and you took him away from me. I love my husband and I love my children, but I can’t do this. I cannot live a lie.”, Kim said starting to walk up the stairs.
Wanda was slumped unconscious on the ground. Malcolm wasn’t sure what he should do but to keep up his façade he rushed to his aunt trying to get her to wake up. Merrick stood in stunned silence with his siblings. Christian rushed up the stairs after Kim and into their bedroom. “What the fuck are you doing babe? You just knocked Wanda out. You know the person who could alter us out of reality. Want to tell me why?”, Christian asked closing their bedroom door. “Read my mind and you’ll understand, I’m not going to say it all again because it’ll just piss me off.”, Kim said going to the closet and grabbing a suitcase starting to pack her clothes. Christian scanned her mind and slumped down to their bed as he saw it all. “So..she not only lied to us all but she altered out memories. Wait what are you doing? Why are you packing?”, Christian asked. “Yeah why are you packing?”, their children echoed having followed after them and piled into their bedroom. Kim looked up at her family and sighed closing the lid to her suitcase. “I can’t stay here. One I refuse to live her lie. I did those things and I’ll face whatever comes with them. I’m going to see David and I’m going to BEG him to forgive me. And I just knocked Wanda out I cannot stay here. The Haven is the only place I could be safe if David will let me in.”, Kim explained.
“But mom what about the rest of us?”, Emma asked. “You can come with me. I’m not saying you kids need to go to the institute like your sister Lily. But she was the one that understood something wasn’t right here.”, Kim explained. Emma and Josalyn shook their heads. “No way mom. I don’t care what Miss Wanda did or didn’t do. This is our home, this is our school and these are our friends. We can’t go rouge, we can’t just go against Wanda like this.”, Josalyn said. “Speak for yourself sister. If mom is going I’m going. Wanda won’t let this just go and I’m not going to stay here when I could be with our mom and have her back.”, Merrick said shaking his head. Emma looked at her older brother and blinked. “Wait..what? You’d leave us too?”, Emma asked rather offended by this. “Someone needs to have mom’s back. And what happens if David won’t forgive her and let her stay at the Haven? Someone needs to make sure our mom is safe. I’m the oldest, excluding Lily. So it’s my responsibility to protect our mom.”, Merrick said moving to stand next to his mom. Emma grabbed his wrist trying to pull him back. “What about the rest of us. Don’t you have an obligation to protect your younger siblings?’, Emma questioned. Merrick pulled his arm away from Emma. “You guys can make your own choice. If it’s so darn import you can leave with us.”, Merrick countered.
“I…I can’t leave. I mean I graduate soon and then I’m going to Boston for college. I couldn’t be Haven and I sure the hell won’t be an X-Men like Lily. I’m staying right here.”, Josalyn stated. Emma just looked at Merrick in shock that he’d pick their mom over her and the others. “I’ve got friends here. I’m not moving to the godforsaken Haven that’s for damn sure.”, Emma declared. Christian sighed and looked at Kim and Merrick then looked to his other children. “I can’t just go with you Kim. I love you, more than life itself. But I have my connection to my brothers. And one of us should stay to protect the children who aren’t willing to leave.”, Christian said with a sigh. Kim nodded and looked to her youngest. “Well Bastian what’s your choice. I want you to understand that no matter what I love all of you, and if David lets me stay at the Haven you can still see me. And this also doesn’t mean your father and I are splitting we are just having a forced separation.”, Kim explained. “Just till you kids are out of school, then I’ll join your mother.”, Christian added reaching over holding Kim’s hand. Sebastian bit down on his bottom lip trying to decide if he should leave with his mom and brother or stay with his father and sisters. “Umm. I have friends here…but I’m sorry dad. I want to be with mom.”, Sebastian said quietly looking at his feet. Christian sighed and walked over to hug Sebastian. “Don’t tell me sorry. I can’t go with your mother yet. So I’m going to trust you boys to keep her safe and out of trouble, which trust me can be difficult.”, Christian assured his son. Sebastian nodded. “Then boys go pack. We get out of here before Wanda wakes up for her little nap.”, Kim instructed. Merrick nodded and grabbed Sebastian and they both headed to their bedrooms to start packing.
Downstairs Malcolm was sitting next to his aunt waiting for her to wake, though hoping that she didn’t till Kim was safely away from the Academy. He kept looking up to the stairs waiting for someone to come downstairs. And it didn’t take long before his ‘uncle’ walked down stairs holding his head. “I am never drinking that much again….”, John grumbled holding his head walking down the stairs. He stopped seeing Malcolm sitting on the floor next to an unconscious Wanda. “What the hell happened?”, John asked jumping over the railing skipping the last part of the stairs to land by Wanda kneeling down. He could see her jaw was broken just by the look of it. “Who the hell broke Wanda’s jaw?”, John asked before looking up to the stairs. “DAMON! GET YOUR GREEK ASS DOWN HERE NOW!”, Jhon shouted. “Um…Uncle John…it was..well it was Kim. Apparently fifteen years ago that thing between the X-Men and the Friends of Humanity was actually between the X-Men and you guys. And like Adien and Blake kidnapped Aislinn and it got the Haven involved and so David stopped talking to her because of that. Somehow Aunt Wanda changed reality enough that you guys and everyone but the X-Men and Haven didn’t remember it was the Acolytes and instead thought it was the Friends of Humanity. So um… when Aunt Wanda admitted to it and kind of talk down about Kim’s family bond with David…well Kim went steel arm and punched Aunt Wanda.”, Malcolm tried to explain giving a summary of what happened. He after all couldn’t just out himself as having any hand in anything that would say he went against Wanda. John went wide eyed looking from Wanda to Malcolm. “I knew she was hiding something from me..but wow. “, John said shaking his head.
Upstairs Damon grumbled awake hearing his name being yelled. He sat up rubbing his hands over his face and then through his white hair. Geri grumbled next to him reaching over with his right arm to hold his waist trying to keep him in bed. “Stay..”, she muttered. Damon sighed shaking his head. “You know I can’t. Someone’s probably hurt.”, Damon said prying her hand away and getting out of bed starting to put clothes on. Geri rolled to watching him. “Who cares what John wants. Stay in bed with your wife.”, Geri suggested reaching out and grabbing the band of his pants tugging him back as he was pulling a shirt over his head. “Tempting….but my job here is to heal and train people.”, Damon said pulling himself loose from her grip. Geri grumbled as he walked out of their bedroom. She didn’t like sharing Damon for any reason. Damon headed down the hall but paused looking seeing Sebastian walking out of his room with a large duffle bag. Damon tilted his head a little confused but chose to not think on it and head down the stairs to see what John wanted. “Jesus..”, Damon said seeing Wanda on the ground. John looked up. “Yeah thanks for taking your damn time. From what Malcolm said Kim clocked her with a steel fist breaking her jaw. Now fix.”, John answered. Damon nodded and moved over placing a hand on Wanda’s jaw closing his eyes as his white healing glow emitted from his hand and spread to her. As soon as she was healed Wanda’s eyes shot open. “Where’s KIM!”, Wanda shouted starting to get up. Damon placed a hand on her shoulder. “Stay still for a moment. Now who wants to tell me what happened?”, Damon asked. Malcolm looked up to the stairs hearing more people waking up. His mother and father came down next, Lorna rushing to her sister concerned. “What happened?”, Lorna asked. Wanda looked around annoyed. “Apparently your sister needs to explain some things to the rest of us, especially we original Acolytes.”, John said looking to Lorna. Vin raised an eyebrow and looked to his son. Malcolm nodded. “Yeah. There’s something that Aunt Wanda should explain before it’s heard from our enemies lips.”, Malcolm stated. Wanda sighed heavy. “Wake everyone and all the adults are to meet me downstairs in the meeting room. And that better include Christian and Kim.”, Wanda stated pulling herself to her feet.
During all this Kim, Merrick and Sebastian said their goodbyes to Christian, Josalyn and Emma before taking the back stairs to escape the Academy and made their way to the Haven. “You are sure about this mom? That David will let us stay?”, Merrick questioned as they got closer to the Haven. Kim shrugged. “I don’t know, I can only hope. Only hope that he can understand that I didn’t remember and that I feel beyond horrid knowing the truth of my actions and lack thereof.”, Kim explained as she took a breath before knocking at the Haven door. Merrick and Sebastian stood on the steps behind her shouldering their bags. Merrick had taken his mother’s bag from her and now carried his duffle bag over his left shoulder while holding her suitcase in his right hand. Inside the Haven David and Aislinn had settled down onto the couch neither really talking both just trying to process that the Maximoff twins were upstairs in Landon’s old bedroom unpacking and that their children had fought Wanda to get the truth out there. Both of their heads turned hearing a knock at the door. David could feel various amounts of metal outside and wondered who it was. “I’ll get it… you answered it last time and it was the Delaneys and Duncan.”, Aislinn said patting David on the knee as she got up from the sofa and headed for the door.
Morpheus followed and landed on Aislinn’s shoulder as she pulled the door open. Morepheus kawed flapping his wings at the sight of Kim and her two sons. Aislinn was equally shocked and blinked in confusion seeing Kim, Merrick and Sebastian at the door with bags. “Um. Can I help you?”, Aislinn questioned. “Who is it now? It’s new years for crying out loud. If it’s more people from the institute wanting to know what happened last night tell them to go talk to Landon back at their damn school.”, David yelled from the living room. Kim looked at Aislinn and looked down at her feet before taking a breath. “I need to talk to me cousin.”, Kim stated her voice low. David froze hearing Kim’s voice. He’d know her voice anywhere even after all these years of not hearing it. One just didn’t forget a voice they’d heard their whole lives. Aislinn looked to the living room seeing David shaking his head and then back to Kim and the boys. “I..I don’t know if he really wants to talk to you.”, Aislinn said starting to gently close the door. Kim put her hand up to stop her. “Look I get it. I really do. But I need to talk to him. I saw Landon this morning. He came to the Academy with my Lily. I know why you guys don’t like me and haven’t talked to me. And I get it. I wouldn’t talk to me either. But I don’t remember doing it. I didn’t have someone save my memories of what happened like you all. I had my mind tampered with by Wanda like the rest of the world. And maybe I didn’t try hard enough, didn’t fight hard enough for you then.”, Kim said tears forming in her eyes. “But.. did any of you think about the fact I didn’t remember what happened? Did you ever think that I had my babies to fear for? You all know what Wanda could do and did do. Imagine what she’d have done to my triplets if I’d took a stand back then.”, Kim explained. “Please I just…I need to talk to David. I need my cousin…”, Kim pleaded.
Aislinn took a deep breath and looked to David again her expression pleading that he come to the door. Aislinn may have been angry about Kim and Christian being party to what the Acolytes had done fifteen years ago, but Kim had a point they didn’t remember what they had done and Kim did have the triplets to worry about who were so young back when it happened. Aislinn hated to think what could have happened to Lily and even the other two, who she didn’t know as well as Lily, if Kim had betrayed Wanda back then. David sighed he could hear the pain in his cousin’s voice. He knew she was probably about to cry, which she rarely ever did. Last time he saw Kim cry was after the ordeal in the future when he’d rescued her from the future Calvin too late to stop the rape. So he got up from the sofa and walked over to stand behind Aislinn and now stood face to face with his cousin. And he was right she was about to cry he could see it in her blue-green eyes. “David..I.. I’m sorry. If I’d know what I’d done…I’d have apologized sooner. And maybe it’s better that it’s now…now that my children have their powers and are big enough they could, and in Lily’s case did, defend themselves against Wanda.”, Kim stammered an apology out. Merrick eyed David waiting to see how this played out. He didn’t think David would start a fight because this was Haven property, but that didn’t mean he had to let them in or accept his mom’s heartfelt apology. Sebastian peeked around his big brother nervously. David looked at his cousin thinking then his eyes looked to Merrick and Sebastian and he started to wonder what all was going on, given they had bags.
“I know Kim. And you’re right. I didn’t think about the triplets or what Wanda would have done to them if you’d sided against her. I just saw that you and Christian hurt my friends…hurt my family and that you both knowingly refused to tell me what happened to Mikali or Isis and worst didn’t tell me where to find Aislinn. You of all people knew how I care about her even back then and it killed me that my best friend, my cousin, someone I’ve thought of as my sister, my blood would let fear stop them from what was right. I didn’t think about the fact you had three reasons to be afraid for. And then after when everyone else forgot the truth and we were supposed to just keep it buried. I just..I couldn’t forgive you. I couldn’t pretend it never happened. Because I couldn’t talk to you about it without breaking that promise to keep the truth buried.”, David said with a sigh. “But the truth is out now. My sister and that group brought it to the surface. So question becomes can you and Demitri forgive what my mom and dad did.”, Merrick spoke up. David glanced to Merrick, the cousin with a reputation. “I can’t speak for your brother. That’s up to him though I’m sure he will because he’s wanted nothing more than to be got be your brother.”, David answered. “As for me. I suppose I could. Mind telling me why you’re here with your boys and duffle bags?”, David asked as he stepped aside with Aislinn for them to walk inside. Aislinn was relieved that David was forgiving, as long as she wasn’t asked to forgive Wanda or the two Frosts that had taken her hostage she was fine. Kim smiled and stepped inside followed by her sons, Sebastian closing the door behind him. “As I said Landon and Lily came to talk to me this morning. Landon told me what he’d learned last night. I confronted Wanda. She didn’t deny it. And well she kind of stepped over a line and I let my Bryant temper win.”, Kim explained.
“Let your Bryant temper win? What line?”, David asked heading for the living room so they could sit and talk. Tommy and Billy heard voices and had come down part of the stairs to listen better. “Mom you KO’d Wanda. I’d say that’s more than the Bryant temper winning.”, Merrick said shaking his head setting their bags down as he leaned in the doorway of the living room while his mom sat down with David and Aislinn. Sebastian stood close to this brother still uncertain about all of this. “You knocked Wanda out?”, Aislinn exclaimed. David started to laugh. “Alright so again what line? Explain please.”, David asked. Kim smiled with a shrug. “She tried to play it off that losing you was insignificant and that I owed her for my husband and additional two children.”, Kim explained. “Then when Wanda thought she was in the clear mom turned and bam knocked her the fuck out.”, Sebastian said. Kim looked at Sebastian shaking her head for the swear. Merrick rolled his eyes and hit his younger brother across the back of the head. “I’ll soap his mouth later mom.”, Merrick commented. “But..Merrick swears all the time!”, Sebastian defended. “I swear, but I never do it in front of mom dippy. Learn some manors kiddo.”, Merrick explained. David chuckled a little shaking his head at the two boys. “Alright so you punched Wanda, fantastic for you. So why are you and the boys at our door with bags? Where’s Christian and the girls?”, David asked. “Because I knocked Wanda out. I can’t stay at the Academy anymore. I’m kind here for more than just forgiveness but hoping for sanctuary…”, Kim said rubbing the back of her neck. David blinked. “Um well I don’t get to say no, you know. But again where are Christian and the girls then?”, David said. “Josalyn and Emma didn’t want to leave the Academy. They don’t care what Wanda did, they want to be Acolytes.”, Merrick explained. “Right, and Christian is staying to protect the girls. We put the option to the kids. Merrick and Sebastian chose to leave with me.”, Kim explained.
David looked to Merrick and Sebastian with a raised pierced brow. “So why did you two leave? I mean Merrick you’re going to be a senior soon and have friends at the Academy.”, David questioned. “We’re here because of mom. Dad is staying to make sure my sisters are safe then it’s only right that Bastian and I come with mom to make sure she is safe. And I really only have one true friend at the Academy, Malcolm. And he won’t ditch me for leaving the Academy. And I’ve got a suspicion when things are all said and done from this can of worms Landon opened Malcolm won’t always be Academy either. “, Merrick explained with a smile. He certainly wasn’t going to mention that Malcolm had been helping Landon’s group or that Malcolm was dating Cora Lee. He figured the latter would get Malcolm in more trouble with the metal bending mutant sitting on the couch that the former. “You don’t consider Tommy and Billy your friends?”, Aislinn asked. Merrick shrugged. “Double sided question. We are more acquaintances than friends, plus they don’t live at the Academy anymore. And judging by the scent they are sitting on the stairs.”, Merrick explained. “Boys?”, Aislinn called. Billy and Tommy sighed and walked down the rest of the stairs. “Yes Mrs. Bryant.”, they said hanging their heads. Kim chuckled. “Hello boys.”, Kim greeted. “Hi Mrs. Bryant-Frost.”, they greeted keeping their heads down. David shook his head and sighed. “If you three are staying you know what you have to say right.”, David stated. Kim smiled knowing this meant they could stay. “Sanctuary.”, Kim said then looked to her boys. “Sanctuary.”, Sebastian declared with a smile. Merrick sighed and shrugged. “Sanctuary…”, Merrick stated. Aislinn smiled. “It’ll be nice to have a full house again. Boys why don’t you show Merrick and Sebastian upstairs. Guess they can take Cora Lee’s old room. I’ll call Cora Lee to have her and Lily come get the rest of their things so that Merrick and Sebastian can make themselves at home. Kim you can take Demitri’s old bedroom.”, Aislinn said giving out bedrooms. Tommy and Billy nodded. “Yes Mrs. Bryant. Come on guys.”, Billy said heading up the stairs followed by his brother and the Bryant-Frosts. Kim smiled and lunged hugging David. “Thank you David.”, Kim stated hugging him tightly. “You’re welcome Kim. You’re family and I think it’s been long enough that the Bryants haven’t been on the same side.”, David said hugging his cousin back. Aislinn just smiled glad that David had his cousin back she knew that he missed her.
Tommy and Billy stopped at Cora Lee’s door that was open and pointed inside to the two full beds. “Well as requested this is Cora Lee and Lily’s old room. Guess it’s yours now.”, Billy said still a little uncertain about the idea that Merrick of all people had left the Academy. He always seemed to be the one that relished being the ‘bad guy’. “Thanks.”, Sebastian said walking in and grabbing a bed jumping on it. Merrick shrugged and walked in setting his bag down and sitting on the other bed. Based on what little was left in the room and the faint scents he knew the bed he was sitting on belonged to his triplet. He glanced over to Tommy and Billy who were still standing by the door. “You two got something to say?”, Merrick asked. “I just seems odd. I mean we can get Mrs. Bryant-Frost’s departure. Mr. Bryant is her family that she held dear and our mother took that away from her. I’m just a little surprised that you followed her leaving Josalyn, Emma and Christian behind.”, Billy answered. “You are surprised that my loyalty is with my mother? They gave each of us kids the choice to leave or stay . I chose to leave because I don’t trust your mom to not still come after mine despite having Haven sanctuary. So I’m here to make sure my mom is safe. Sebastian also chose to come with mom. Our sisters wanted to stay with the Academy, so dad is staying with them. Dad can protect my sisters so I’m not worried about them.”, Merrick explained. Tommy sighed. “What about our cousin Malcolm?”, Tommy asked. “Malcolm is perfectly safe. Sebastian how about you go back downstairs with mom alright. Need a private conversation with the twins.”, Merrick suggested. Sebastian frowned but nodded and headed out of the room and down the stairs. Billy watched him leave a little confused having no idea about Merrick’s level of knowledge or involvement. “Why did you send Sebastian away?”, Billy asked. “Because my little brother doesn’t know everything that’s gone down where I do. I suppose there hasn’t really been time for your brother or cousin to tell you that I already know about Tommy’s relationship with Lily and Malcolm’s with Cora Lee. I know everything. Malcolm has been helping you guys and he’s risking not just his life but his family’s to do it. But till he knows that his family will be safe from your mom he’s not going to leave. Not for you two and not for Cora Lee, especially since they only just started dating.”, Merrick stated. Billy blinked at Merrick’s insight and knowledge of the situation. “So you aren’t planning to out him or anything right?”, Billy asked. Merrick growled in response. “Malcolm is my best and only friend. I’m not going to do or say anything that gets him hurt. Thing is that no one else is needs to know that I know a damn thing or that I even care about it. Now I’m going to unpack.”, Merrick said shutting the door on their faces. “Well this is going to be interesting..”, Billy commented. Tommy shrugged. “At least here he’s not at the Academy where Lily would have to face him if a fight came down to it.”, Tommy said heading to their bedroom to continue getting settled in.
Back at the academy all adult members reported as requested to the ready room in the lower levels of the academy. Wanda had gotten dressed and stood leaning against the far wall her long natural brown hair pulled back into a tight braid the expression on her face that of a serious and close to aggressive nature. Wanda folded her arms across her chest as she waited for her team to assemble keeping her eyes on the door. First to enter was her sister Lorna her wavy green hair hanging lose around her shoulders. Lorna looked to her sister concerned wondering what was going on as she took a seat near Wanda at the table. Vin ducked under the doorway as he followed his wife in and sat next to her taking her hand into his. He had always held concerns when it came to Wanda. Sure he followed her orders and had since the day he originally joined the brotherhood all those years ago, but Wanda’s acceptance of him into her Acolytes changed a little when he fell in love with her sister. John walked in next and took a seat next to Vin, he wasn’t really sure what all Wanda was going to tell the group or how she’d try and twist this to meet her needs but he wasn’t going to sit too close to the mother of his children. Adien, Blake, and Christian walked in next. Lilith followed behind the triplets with her own twin sister, the only human to be allowed into the Academy, Eve. Christian sat down next to John followed by his brothers and their wives. Wanda took note that Christian entered without Kim. Geri grumbled as she walked in followed by Damon as they took seats across from the Frost triplets. Aries ducked under the doorway and walked in taking a seat next to Damon followed by his wife Thereza in her reptilian form. Nils and Ilayana walked in next having to basically pry young Lucian from his mother telling him to stay with his sister Esabelle. Nils and Ilayana took seats next to Thereza. Last to walk in where Jillian, her wings folded neatly, and Azazel who looked over the room with some interest as they sat down across from Lorna and Vin.
Wanda narrowed her eyes on Christian with everyone else already in the room so the only person not present being his wife, the one who hit her. Wanda walked to close the door to the war room but was stopped by Malcolm’s foot. Wanda raised an eyebrow as he pushed the door open and stepped inside followed by Josayln, Emma, Talia, Alexander, Apollo, and Artemis who walked to stand along the back wall. “I said that this meeting was only for the adults of the Academy. You seven should head back upstairs immediately.”, Wanda declared pointing back to the door. Malcolm leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his large chest and looked to his aunt. “No. What you need to tell our parents the other older students have the right to hear. We are the next generation. We are the ones that are the future of the Acolytes and this Academy. So, respectfully, no Aunt Wanda. We shall stay.”, Malcolm answered. Lorna cast a worried look from her son to her sister. Wanda glared and looked to the others. “We are not leaving Miss Maximoff. We have the right to be here, to know what is happening as it will affect us too.”, Josalyn stated standing straight with her hands clasped behind her back in a fashion similar to a soldier reporting before their commanding officer. Emma quickly took the same stance as her big sister. Talia however leaned casually on the wall next to Alexander her tail swishing as the only sign of impatience. Alexander did not look casual but stone faced similar to the expression on his father’s face. Apollo and Artemis nodded in agreement keeping their gaze forward. “Fine. Have it your way nephew…”, Wanda said. Malcolm smiled, Lorna rolling her eyes as the smile was that of his father when he won an argument. Wanda closed the door and moved back to the front of the room. He was just thankful his aunt didn’t throw them out, he wanted to make sure that she told the truth.
Wanda took a breath and looked over the table of her Acolytes and glanced to the back wall to the next generation, as her nephew had pointed out, of her Acolytes. “As many of you are aware last night we were betrayed. And it was the worst kind of betrayal as it was perpetrated by my own sons William and Thomas.”, Wanda started. There was only quiet in the room as everyone wanted to hear the details which had not even been shared last night when the lock down had been declared. “Last night the x-men student leaders; Landon, Lily, Rose, Cora Lee, Atif, and Ashley managed to beguile and convince my own children to turn against us all. Thomas and William under the rouse of Thomas being ill left the Draven last night. Malcolm, the kind cousin he is, offered to help get Thomas home safely. He was betrayed by his cousins as they hit him across the back of the head with a rock to knock him out. After they accosted their cousin Thomas snuck into my office and stole my spell book.”, Wanda continued her eyes glancing to John as she had a feeling he knew Thomas had done this. There was a look of shook in some parents faces looking to Malcolm who gave a small nod confirming he had been hit with a rock. “I was shocked and appalled that when I tracked my book I found William and Thomas with the x-men student leaders, Aurelia, and of all strange people Solangel of the Haven. William was using my spell book to perform a spell that would call someone forth. I tried to understand why they would betray us, to be told that they did this for ‘love’ and to right a wrong they fell I committed.”, Wanda explained. Azazel looked to Wanda mildly interested at this point. He knew what the mutant Solangel was capable of having had a run in with her once before when she was attending a movie with his son Kurt, Kurt’s wife Isis, and Isis’ brother some years back. It had not been a pleasant encounter.
“Love? A wrong?”, Damon questioned. Damon was probably one of the few people seated at the table that did believe love was a powerful emotion and that there is a line, thin as it may be, between right and wrong. He had known love before he joined the Acolytes, he also knew the pain that losing that love could cause and the extremes he’d have gone to in order to keep that love. “Apparently they feel that they are in love. William truly believes he is in love with Atif as Thomas believes he is in love with Lily.”, Wanda explained. At the back of the room Josalyn gulped trying to not show any emotion in regards to this news. She had always liked the Maximoff twins, never fully accepting that Billy truly only liked men. And now she was being told that Billy certainly did only like men as he cared for the red haired Atif Ashton, and what stung a little worse was to know that Thomas cared for her own identical triplet. “As for the wrong. That is why I have called this meeting. As you may have noticed there is an empty chair at our table, Kim has not joined us. And if you look to the back wall and think of the older children you will see we are missing Merrick. This morning Kim accosted me and I am going to assume that she has fled the Academy and by his absence I can only guess that Merrick has left with her.”, Wanda answered looking to Christian. The room filled with small sounds and whispers of shock that an original Acolyte had done such a thing. Christian stood up to address the group. “Yes this morning my wife hit Wanda. And yes my wife has advocated from the Academy and our sons have chosen to advocate with her. By now they have already arrived at the Haven and with any amount of luck have been granted sanctuary. My wife made her choice and I will not begrudge her the right or the right of my sons to choose. My daughters and I are still here and will remain here.”, Christian explained his hand gesturing to Josalyn and Emma who nodded.
“But why? Why would Pretender hit you? She had been one of the longest and most loyal members second only to your own sister.”, Azazel questioned. “What wrong could you have done that would bring one of your loyal members to turn against you?”, Jillian asked following her lord’s inquiry. Talia stood silent but smiled a little having an inkling that perhaps her parents had seen a chink in Wanda’s armor and were going to make a play. “Almost fifteen years ago I made a decision. A decision that I had to make to ensure that my Acolytes would survive. It was not a decision easily made and yes for some it would be considered ‘wrong’ but I would not and could not allow my Acolytes to come to harm.”, Wanda started to explain. The original members of the Acolytes; Lorna, Vin, Christian, Adien, Blake, and John all looked to her confused. Wanda took a breath. “Fifteen years ago while my sister was president she and Vin, as one of her secret service agents, were the only two I knew would not come to harm. But I couldn’t let The Frost brothers, Kim, and certainly not John come to harm. When the Xavier Institute was attacked it was not the Friends of Humanity. It was us.”, Wanda stated. There was a round of shocked expressions and confused looks in the room. Only John, Christian, Josalyn, Emma, and Malcolm did not seem shocked. They having known the truth from the outburst that occurred between Wanda and Kim earlier. “What do you mean it was us?”, Lorna questioned. “Just what I said. The Friends of Humanity was not smart enough, strong enough, nor capable of pulling off what happened to the Xavier Institute and its’ members. I orchestrated a perfectly timed strike against the Institute and its members living off campus. We were able to successfully capture Wolverine, Mikali, Annai, Jean, Dreamer, Max, Dazzler, Nightingale, Armelle, and Warren. Yes a number of their members perished in the attack on the institute that I trusted to only person I knew I could with something like the Institute, John. However many also escaped. We are the ones that with military personnel, supplied by Lorna, tortured captured x-men for information of where their refugees would have gone. None talked in spite of our efforts.”, Wanda explained. Christian hung his head slightly as this was all being laid out on the table.
He was ashamed of his hand in these atrocities but he couldn’t leave like Kim had. Lorna reached holding Vin’s hand tightly as she felt she might be sick, she had fought alongside some of those Wanda listed. Damon blinked a little, he’d known that Wanda was capable of some serious things but to pull off an attack like that. But why was she telling them all now, and why did everyone including the original Acolytes think it was the Friends of Humanity who’d attacked? “I made an attempt to get the Haven on our side, hoping that for Crow family ties to Pretender would be enough. However he refused. Adien and Blake, took it upon themselves to try and force Crow’s hand.”, Wanda explained. Adien and Blake looked to each other and then to Wanda with raised eyebrows. Wanda noticed the look but continued. “They kidnapped Aislinn. However this error in judgment resulted in the reverse reaction than they’d hoped. Crow did not yield and instead took the action of kidnapping a Haven resident as an act of war. He somehow found the refugee X-Men and joined them. They divided into teams and attacked the five prisons that we were holding the captives. We were over taken and losing. I personally was one the roof of my prison facing off in combat against both Howlett brothers and Aurelia. I was getting calls from the other prisons telling me they were being over taken. I feared for the lives of my team. I could not let any of them die. So I did the only thing I could. I used a large amount of my power and I changed reality. I took my team out of the equation. Everything that befell the X-men still happened just to everyone’s knowledge it was no longer my people but the Friends of Humanity. I am not sure how but the X-Men and the Haven remember what really happened. And last night when Thomas stole my book and William performed a spell they were calling Logan Howlett forth. I do not know how it happened but he was not dead, somehow when I changed reality and whatever prevented my power from affecting the X-men and Haven sent him away to another dimension.”, Wanda said looking around the room.
Azazel was rather impressed at the extent of Wanda’s ability, as were Jillian, Nils, Ilyana, Lilith, Ares, Thereza, and Geri. Eve wasn’t impressed, rather scared by what Wanda had just said. She wouldn’t ever speak up about her fear, no she’d gone these last twelve years unnoticed among the mutants of the Academy since she married Blake. Damon also didn’t look impressed, he always had an idea of what Wanda could do and it wasn’t impressive to him. In the far back of his mind he wondered if Wanda had not altered reality and made the Friend of Humanity a true threat to mutants, would he have lost Isadora. Maybe she wouldn’t have had to flee the country if it had been known that the attack on the mutants was by other mutants. And if the Friends of Humanity hadn’t gained the power it did from Wanda altering reality it wouldn’t have become global and a group in Italy wouldn’t have killed Isadora before he could find her. The more he thought about how Wanda’s actions had impacted him he clenched his fits under the table, his face still not showing any signs of emotion. “Apparently this morning Landon, Lily, Thomas and William came here and spoke only to Kim and delivered this information but only with their side. They of course wouldn’t know that I did what I did to save the lives of my Acolytes. Kim did not want to hear my side of this as she only saw red and became enraged blaming me for why Crow cut her from his life. But now the truth is out there. The X-Men and Haven have always known it and now all of you do as well. This does not change anything. It doesn’t change our mission, our goal of mutant superiority. It doesn’t change my plans to eliminate any who stand in our way. As the leader of this group that brought Logan back and exposed the truth, I shall personally deal with Landon Bryant. I will not allow that boy to grow up to lead the X-Men. If Kim and her sons have gained sanctuary of the Haven we of course are still bound to the Haven contract to not directly attack them. This however does not mean we can’t speak to them or provoke them without violence.”, Wanda said now mostly looking to the wall of the young people. Talia smirked liking the way that sounded. “So we have seen how Kim handled this news. Is there anyone else that would like to advocate from the Acolytes and this Academy? Any who wish to challenge my decision to keep my team alive?”, Wanda asked looking around the room. No one raised their hands or spoke up. “Good. You are all dismissed. We carry on as normal.”, Wanda stated.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Landon climbed back into the front seat where Rose and Cora Lee were waiting rather impatiently. Lily climbed into the back with Tommy and Billy right behind her to be greeted by the concerned faces of Ashley and Atif. “So? You guys all seem to be in one piece. How’d it go?”, Rose asked. “What you’re surprised it didn’t become a fight? I’m not sure what that says about your confidence in me…”, Landon teased with a smirk. Rose rolled her eyes. “I just didn’t trust that the Acolytes wouldn’t have turned it into a fight.”, Rose explained. “Tommy had someone on the inside, not sure who and probably better that I don’t. Whoever it was got just Kim to come out and talk to us. I told her the whole story and now it’s in her hands to decide what she does. For now we can just kind of wait and see. First thing though I’m dropping the twins off at the Haven and then the rest of us can go to the institute and get actual clothes. Which means I want all my borrowed clothes back.”, Landon explained. Rose hugged the band tee she’d managed to get that morning. “I’m keeping this shirt damn it. It’s my favorite band and I don’t have one of their shirts.”, Rose said with a mostly playful growl. Landon rolled his eyes. “Whatever, keep my shirt…”, Landon said in exasperation before driving off.
Inside the Academy Wanda was coming down the stairs and looked confused seeing her nephew and Merrick peeking out the front window. “And what is so entertaining boys?”, Wanda asked folding her arms. “Um. Well Aunt Wanda… Mrs. Bryant-Frost is outside she went to deal with Tommy, Billy, Lily and Landon who were standing on the sidewalk.”, Malcolm explained just as the door opened. Kim stepped inside still a little confused from her conversation. Kim raised an eyebrow looking at her son and Malcolm by the window and then looked to Wanda on the stairs. In that moment Kim decided she not only wanted an answer but she needed. “You need to explain to me what happened fifteen years ago Wanda. Because if even a part of what Landon just told me is true we are going to have some issues.”, Kim said folding her arms across her chest locking her blue-green eyes on Wanda. Merrick looked to Malcolm and they both stood up and just waited quietly because they both wanted to know what Landon had told Kim. “What are you talking about? You would honestly believe a child over me?”, Wanda questioned walking to stand in front of Kim. Malcolm and Merrick both stepped back a little to be against the window as they looked at the two women standing eye to eye.
“Then tell me what happened fifteen years ago.”, Kim said. “What did the child tell you happened? Because we all know that fifteen years ago the Friends of Humanity attacked the Xavier Institute burning the place to the ground resulting in the deaths of a number of their members and the capture of some others.”, Wanda said keeping a straight face. In the back of her mind she knew it was a lie. But she would try and deter anything Landon may have told Kim. She would not stand for mutiny. “You can stop talking down about Landon. I didn’t like when you talked like that about his father and I don’t like you doing that to him. Landon gives a very different and polarizing rendition of that night. Apparently based on a video surveillance from the old institute and the infallible mouth of John Howlett Jr it wasn’t the Friends of Humanity but US that attacked the institute. Landon has video of St John, your boyfriend, burning the institute, killing and taken hostages specifically the video shows him killing Tanner and taking the rather pregnant Sadria hostage. And from John Howlett’s account let’s see…oh right my husband was sent after Mikali and Annai taking them hostage, my bumbling buffoon brother-in-laws were sent after Kurt and Isis but failed, oh and I was sent after Logan. Guess that explains why the Howlett family has loathed me and mine. And then you had us torture the hostages to find out where the others went. Oh and let’s not forget the kicker you wanted my cousin and his Haven so damn bad that my moronic brother-in-laws KIDNAPPED Aislinn. Kidnapped her! And my cousin and all the x-men still remember what happened because your reality warp didn’t have the full effect you wanted. So I’ve been out casted by my own blood because apparently in that reality I was afraid of you and didn’t return Aislinn back to David or even tell him where he could find her. And I’ll chalk that up to having three young children to worry about. Now tell me if Landon lied to me.”, Kim said starting to poke at Wanda angrily as she talked.
Malcolm and Merrick both went wide eyed at Kim retold what Landon had said. They quickly moved again to get out of the way as Kim poked Wanda backing her to a wall. “What do you want to hear from me? Because I think you are forgetting who you are dealing with Kimberly.”, Wanda said clenching her fists. “You aren’t denying it, you are actually avoiding answering me. So that tells me my cousin wasn’t lying. I can’t believe you. I can’t believe the nerve you have. To manipulate our memories like that. To let us believe a lie for the last fifteen years! I lost my cousin because of you!”, Kim yelled. Of course now that she was raising her voice others starting coming down the stairs to see what the fuss was. Christian, Josalyn, Emma, and Sebastian the first ones down because it was Kim yelling. “You lost a cousin who cares. Because of me you aren’t dead right now. Because of me you got Lily from Calvin, because of me you were able to marry Christian and have two more children. You’ve had a rather peaceful life because of me. Now you better remember who you are talking to and who you’re poking.”, Wanda countered. Kim looked to her husband and her children then back at Wanda. She started to turn. “Glad you came to your senses.”, Wanda said. Kim glared and clenched up her right fists as it turned to steel before turning and punching Wanda in the face.”Go fuck yourself Wanda. I don’t owe you shit beyond the punch you just got. David has always been more than a cousin to me, he was like a brother and you took him away from me. I love my husband and I love my children, but I can’t do this. I cannot live a lie.”, Kim said starting to walk up the stairs.
Wanda was slumped unconscious on the ground. Malcolm wasn’t sure what he should do but to keep up his façade he rushed to his aunt trying to get her to wake up. Merrick stood in stunned silence with his siblings. Christian rushed up the stairs after Kim and into their bedroom. “What the fuck are you doing babe? You just knocked Wanda out. You know the person who could alter us out of reality. Want to tell me why?”, Christian asked closing their bedroom door. “Read my mind and you’ll understand, I’m not going to say it all again because it’ll just piss me off.”, Kim said going to the closet and grabbing a suitcase starting to pack her clothes. Christian scanned her mind and slumped down to their bed as he saw it all. “So..she not only lied to us all but she altered out memories. Wait what are you doing? Why are you packing?”, Christian asked. “Yeah why are you packing?”, their children echoed having followed after them and piled into their bedroom. Kim looked up at her family and sighed closing the lid to her suitcase. “I can’t stay here. One I refuse to live her lie. I did those things and I’ll face whatever comes with them. I’m going to see David and I’m going to BEG him to forgive me. And I just knocked Wanda out I cannot stay here. The Haven is the only place I could be safe if David will let me in.”, Kim explained.
“But mom what about the rest of us?”, Emma asked. “You can come with me. I’m not saying you kids need to go to the institute like your sister Lily. But she was the one that understood something wasn’t right here.”, Kim explained. Emma and Josalyn shook their heads. “No way mom. I don’t care what Miss Wanda did or didn’t do. This is our home, this is our school and these are our friends. We can’t go rouge, we can’t just go against Wanda like this.”, Josalyn said. “Speak for yourself sister. If mom is going I’m going. Wanda won’t let this just go and I’m not going to stay here when I could be with our mom and have her back.”, Merrick said shaking his head. Emma looked at her older brother and blinked. “Wait..what? You’d leave us too?”, Emma asked rather offended by this. “Someone needs to have mom’s back. And what happens if David won’t forgive her and let her stay at the Haven? Someone needs to make sure our mom is safe. I’m the oldest, excluding Lily. So it’s my responsibility to protect our mom.”, Merrick said moving to stand next to his mom. Emma grabbed his wrist trying to pull him back. “What about the rest of us. Don’t you have an obligation to protect your younger siblings?’, Emma questioned. Merrick pulled his arm away from Emma. “You guys can make your own choice. If it’s so darn import you can leave with us.”, Merrick countered.
“I…I can’t leave. I mean I graduate soon and then I’m going to Boston for college. I couldn’t be Haven and I sure the hell won’t be an X-Men like Lily. I’m staying right here.”, Josalyn stated. Emma just looked at Merrick in shock that he’d pick their mom over her and the others. “I’ve got friends here. I’m not moving to the godforsaken Haven that’s for damn sure.”, Emma declared. Christian sighed and looked at Kim and Merrick then looked to his other children. “I can’t just go with you Kim. I love you, more than life itself. But I have my connection to my brothers. And one of us should stay to protect the children who aren’t willing to leave.”, Christian said with a sigh. Kim nodded and looked to her youngest. “Well Bastian what’s your choice. I want you to understand that no matter what I love all of you, and if David lets me stay at the Haven you can still see me. And this also doesn’t mean your father and I are splitting we are just having a forced separation.”, Kim explained. “Just till you kids are out of school, then I’ll join your mother.”, Christian added reaching over holding Kim’s hand. Sebastian bit down on his bottom lip trying to decide if he should leave with his mom and brother or stay with his father and sisters. “Umm. I have friends here…but I’m sorry dad. I want to be with mom.”, Sebastian said quietly looking at his feet. Christian sighed and walked over to hug Sebastian. “Don’t tell me sorry. I can’t go with your mother yet. So I’m going to trust you boys to keep her safe and out of trouble, which trust me can be difficult.”, Christian assured his son. Sebastian nodded. “Then boys go pack. We get out of here before Wanda wakes up for her little nap.”, Kim instructed. Merrick nodded and grabbed Sebastian and they both headed to their bedrooms to start packing.
Downstairs Malcolm was sitting next to his aunt waiting for her to wake, though hoping that she didn’t till Kim was safely away from the Academy. He kept looking up to the stairs waiting for someone to come downstairs. And it didn’t take long before his ‘uncle’ walked down stairs holding his head. “I am never drinking that much again….”, John grumbled holding his head walking down the stairs. He stopped seeing Malcolm sitting on the floor next to an unconscious Wanda. “What the hell happened?”, John asked jumping over the railing skipping the last part of the stairs to land by Wanda kneeling down. He could see her jaw was broken just by the look of it. “Who the hell broke Wanda’s jaw?”, John asked before looking up to the stairs. “DAMON! GET YOUR GREEK ASS DOWN HERE NOW!”, Jhon shouted. “Um…Uncle John…it was..well it was Kim. Apparently fifteen years ago that thing between the X-Men and the Friends of Humanity was actually between the X-Men and you guys. And like Adien and Blake kidnapped Aislinn and it got the Haven involved and so David stopped talking to her because of that. Somehow Aunt Wanda changed reality enough that you guys and everyone but the X-Men and Haven didn’t remember it was the Acolytes and instead thought it was the Friends of Humanity. So um… when Aunt Wanda admitted to it and kind of talk down about Kim’s family bond with David…well Kim went steel arm and punched Aunt Wanda.”, Malcolm tried to explain giving a summary of what happened. He after all couldn’t just out himself as having any hand in anything that would say he went against Wanda. John went wide eyed looking from Wanda to Malcolm. “I knew she was hiding something from me..but wow. “, John said shaking his head.
Upstairs Damon grumbled awake hearing his name being yelled. He sat up rubbing his hands over his face and then through his white hair. Geri grumbled next to him reaching over with his right arm to hold his waist trying to keep him in bed. “Stay..”, she muttered. Damon sighed shaking his head. “You know I can’t. Someone’s probably hurt.”, Damon said prying her hand away and getting out of bed starting to put clothes on. Geri rolled to watching him. “Who cares what John wants. Stay in bed with your wife.”, Geri suggested reaching out and grabbing the band of his pants tugging him back as he was pulling a shirt over his head. “Tempting….but my job here is to heal and train people.”, Damon said pulling himself loose from her grip. Geri grumbled as he walked out of their bedroom. She didn’t like sharing Damon for any reason. Damon headed down the hall but paused looking seeing Sebastian walking out of his room with a large duffle bag. Damon tilted his head a little confused but chose to not think on it and head down the stairs to see what John wanted. “Jesus..”, Damon said seeing Wanda on the ground. John looked up. “Yeah thanks for taking your damn time. From what Malcolm said Kim clocked her with a steel fist breaking her jaw. Now fix.”, John answered. Damon nodded and moved over placing a hand on Wanda’s jaw closing his eyes as his white healing glow emitted from his hand and spread to her. As soon as she was healed Wanda’s eyes shot open. “Where’s KIM!”, Wanda shouted starting to get up. Damon placed a hand on her shoulder. “Stay still for a moment. Now who wants to tell me what happened?”, Damon asked. Malcolm looked up to the stairs hearing more people waking up. His mother and father came down next, Lorna rushing to her sister concerned. “What happened?”, Lorna asked. Wanda looked around annoyed. “Apparently your sister needs to explain some things to the rest of us, especially we original Acolytes.”, John said looking to Lorna. Vin raised an eyebrow and looked to his son. Malcolm nodded. “Yeah. There’s something that Aunt Wanda should explain before it’s heard from our enemies lips.”, Malcolm stated. Wanda sighed heavy. “Wake everyone and all the adults are to meet me downstairs in the meeting room. And that better include Christian and Kim.”, Wanda stated pulling herself to her feet.
During all this Kim, Merrick and Sebastian said their goodbyes to Christian, Josalyn and Emma before taking the back stairs to escape the Academy and made their way to the Haven. “You are sure about this mom? That David will let us stay?”, Merrick questioned as they got closer to the Haven. Kim shrugged. “I don’t know, I can only hope. Only hope that he can understand that I didn’t remember and that I feel beyond horrid knowing the truth of my actions and lack thereof.”, Kim explained as she took a breath before knocking at the Haven door. Merrick and Sebastian stood on the steps behind her shouldering their bags. Merrick had taken his mother’s bag from her and now carried his duffle bag over his left shoulder while holding her suitcase in his right hand. Inside the Haven David and Aislinn had settled down onto the couch neither really talking both just trying to process that the Maximoff twins were upstairs in Landon’s old bedroom unpacking and that their children had fought Wanda to get the truth out there. Both of their heads turned hearing a knock at the door. David could feel various amounts of metal outside and wondered who it was. “I’ll get it… you answered it last time and it was the Delaneys and Duncan.”, Aislinn said patting David on the knee as she got up from the sofa and headed for the door.
Morpheus followed and landed on Aislinn’s shoulder as she pulled the door open. Morepheus kawed flapping his wings at the sight of Kim and her two sons. Aislinn was equally shocked and blinked in confusion seeing Kim, Merrick and Sebastian at the door with bags. “Um. Can I help you?”, Aislinn questioned. “Who is it now? It’s new years for crying out loud. If it’s more people from the institute wanting to know what happened last night tell them to go talk to Landon back at their damn school.”, David yelled from the living room. Kim looked at Aislinn and looked down at her feet before taking a breath. “I need to talk to me cousin.”, Kim stated her voice low. David froze hearing Kim’s voice. He’d know her voice anywhere even after all these years of not hearing it. One just didn’t forget a voice they’d heard their whole lives. Aislinn looked to the living room seeing David shaking his head and then back to Kim and the boys. “I..I don’t know if he really wants to talk to you.”, Aislinn said starting to gently close the door. Kim put her hand up to stop her. “Look I get it. I really do. But I need to talk to him. I saw Landon this morning. He came to the Academy with my Lily. I know why you guys don’t like me and haven’t talked to me. And I get it. I wouldn’t talk to me either. But I don’t remember doing it. I didn’t have someone save my memories of what happened like you all. I had my mind tampered with by Wanda like the rest of the world. And maybe I didn’t try hard enough, didn’t fight hard enough for you then.”, Kim said tears forming in her eyes. “But.. did any of you think about the fact I didn’t remember what happened? Did you ever think that I had my babies to fear for? You all know what Wanda could do and did do. Imagine what she’d have done to my triplets if I’d took a stand back then.”, Kim explained. “Please I just…I need to talk to David. I need my cousin…”, Kim pleaded.
Aislinn took a deep breath and looked to David again her expression pleading that he come to the door. Aislinn may have been angry about Kim and Christian being party to what the Acolytes had done fifteen years ago, but Kim had a point they didn’t remember what they had done and Kim did have the triplets to worry about who were so young back when it happened. Aislinn hated to think what could have happened to Lily and even the other two, who she didn’t know as well as Lily, if Kim had betrayed Wanda back then. David sighed he could hear the pain in his cousin’s voice. He knew she was probably about to cry, which she rarely ever did. Last time he saw Kim cry was after the ordeal in the future when he’d rescued her from the future Calvin too late to stop the rape. So he got up from the sofa and walked over to stand behind Aislinn and now stood face to face with his cousin. And he was right she was about to cry he could see it in her blue-green eyes. “David..I.. I’m sorry. If I’d know what I’d done…I’d have apologized sooner. And maybe it’s better that it’s now…now that my children have their powers and are big enough they could, and in Lily’s case did, defend themselves against Wanda.”, Kim stammered an apology out. Merrick eyed David waiting to see how this played out. He didn’t think David would start a fight because this was Haven property, but that didn’t mean he had to let them in or accept his mom’s heartfelt apology. Sebastian peeked around his big brother nervously. David looked at his cousin thinking then his eyes looked to Merrick and Sebastian and he started to wonder what all was going on, given they had bags.
“I know Kim. And you’re right. I didn’t think about the triplets or what Wanda would have done to them if you’d sided against her. I just saw that you and Christian hurt my friends…hurt my family and that you both knowingly refused to tell me what happened to Mikali or Isis and worst didn’t tell me where to find Aislinn. You of all people knew how I care about her even back then and it killed me that my best friend, my cousin, someone I’ve thought of as my sister, my blood would let fear stop them from what was right. I didn’t think about the fact you had three reasons to be afraid for. And then after when everyone else forgot the truth and we were supposed to just keep it buried. I just..I couldn’t forgive you. I couldn’t pretend it never happened. Because I couldn’t talk to you about it without breaking that promise to keep the truth buried.”, David said with a sigh. “But the truth is out now. My sister and that group brought it to the surface. So question becomes can you and Demitri forgive what my mom and dad did.”, Merrick spoke up. David glanced to Merrick, the cousin with a reputation. “I can’t speak for your brother. That’s up to him though I’m sure he will because he’s wanted nothing more than to be got be your brother.”, David answered. “As for me. I suppose I could. Mind telling me why you’re here with your boys and duffle bags?”, David asked as he stepped aside with Aislinn for them to walk inside. Aislinn was relieved that David was forgiving, as long as she wasn’t asked to forgive Wanda or the two Frosts that had taken her hostage she was fine. Kim smiled and stepped inside followed by her sons, Sebastian closing the door behind him. “As I said Landon and Lily came to talk to me this morning. Landon told me what he’d learned last night. I confronted Wanda. She didn’t deny it. And well she kind of stepped over a line and I let my Bryant temper win.”, Kim explained.
“Let your Bryant temper win? What line?”, David asked heading for the living room so they could sit and talk. Tommy and Billy heard voices and had come down part of the stairs to listen better. “Mom you KO’d Wanda. I’d say that’s more than the Bryant temper winning.”, Merrick said shaking his head setting their bags down as he leaned in the doorway of the living room while his mom sat down with David and Aislinn. Sebastian stood close to this brother still uncertain about all of this. “You knocked Wanda out?”, Aislinn exclaimed. David started to laugh. “Alright so again what line? Explain please.”, David asked. Kim smiled with a shrug. “She tried to play it off that losing you was insignificant and that I owed her for my husband and additional two children.”, Kim explained. “Then when Wanda thought she was in the clear mom turned and bam knocked her the fuck out.”, Sebastian said. Kim looked at Sebastian shaking her head for the swear. Merrick rolled his eyes and hit his younger brother across the back of the head. “I’ll soap his mouth later mom.”, Merrick commented. “But..Merrick swears all the time!”, Sebastian defended. “I swear, but I never do it in front of mom dippy. Learn some manors kiddo.”, Merrick explained. David chuckled a little shaking his head at the two boys. “Alright so you punched Wanda, fantastic for you. So why are you and the boys at our door with bags? Where’s Christian and the girls?”, David asked. “Because I knocked Wanda out. I can’t stay at the Academy anymore. I’m kind here for more than just forgiveness but hoping for sanctuary…”, Kim said rubbing the back of her neck. David blinked. “Um well I don’t get to say no, you know. But again where are Christian and the girls then?”, David said. “Josalyn and Emma didn’t want to leave the Academy. They don’t care what Wanda did, they want to be Acolytes.”, Merrick explained. “Right, and Christian is staying to protect the girls. We put the option to the kids. Merrick and Sebastian chose to leave with me.”, Kim explained.
David looked to Merrick and Sebastian with a raised pierced brow. “So why did you two leave? I mean Merrick you’re going to be a senior soon and have friends at the Academy.”, David questioned. “We’re here because of mom. Dad is staying to make sure my sisters are safe then it’s only right that Bastian and I come with mom to make sure she is safe. And I really only have one true friend at the Academy, Malcolm. And he won’t ditch me for leaving the Academy. And I’ve got a suspicion when things are all said and done from this can of worms Landon opened Malcolm won’t always be Academy either. “, Merrick explained with a smile. He certainly wasn’t going to mention that Malcolm had been helping Landon’s group or that Malcolm was dating Cora Lee. He figured the latter would get Malcolm in more trouble with the metal bending mutant sitting on the couch that the former. “You don’t consider Tommy and Billy your friends?”, Aislinn asked. Merrick shrugged. “Double sided question. We are more acquaintances than friends, plus they don’t live at the Academy anymore. And judging by the scent they are sitting on the stairs.”, Merrick explained. “Boys?”, Aislinn called. Billy and Tommy sighed and walked down the rest of the stairs. “Yes Mrs. Bryant.”, they said hanging their heads. Kim chuckled. “Hello boys.”, Kim greeted. “Hi Mrs. Bryant-Frost.”, they greeted keeping their heads down. David shook his head and sighed. “If you three are staying you know what you have to say right.”, David stated. Kim smiled knowing this meant they could stay. “Sanctuary.”, Kim said then looked to her boys. “Sanctuary.”, Sebastian declared with a smile. Merrick sighed and shrugged. “Sanctuary…”, Merrick stated. Aislinn smiled. “It’ll be nice to have a full house again. Boys why don’t you show Merrick and Sebastian upstairs. Guess they can take Cora Lee’s old room. I’ll call Cora Lee to have her and Lily come get the rest of their things so that Merrick and Sebastian can make themselves at home. Kim you can take Demitri’s old bedroom.”, Aislinn said giving out bedrooms. Tommy and Billy nodded. “Yes Mrs. Bryant. Come on guys.”, Billy said heading up the stairs followed by his brother and the Bryant-Frosts. Kim smiled and lunged hugging David. “Thank you David.”, Kim stated hugging him tightly. “You’re welcome Kim. You’re family and I think it’s been long enough that the Bryants haven’t been on the same side.”, David said hugging his cousin back. Aislinn just smiled glad that David had his cousin back she knew that he missed her.
Tommy and Billy stopped at Cora Lee’s door that was open and pointed inside to the two full beds. “Well as requested this is Cora Lee and Lily’s old room. Guess it’s yours now.”, Billy said still a little uncertain about the idea that Merrick of all people had left the Academy. He always seemed to be the one that relished being the ‘bad guy’. “Thanks.”, Sebastian said walking in and grabbing a bed jumping on it. Merrick shrugged and walked in setting his bag down and sitting on the other bed. Based on what little was left in the room and the faint scents he knew the bed he was sitting on belonged to his triplet. He glanced over to Tommy and Billy who were still standing by the door. “You two got something to say?”, Merrick asked. “I just seems odd. I mean we can get Mrs. Bryant-Frost’s departure. Mr. Bryant is her family that she held dear and our mother took that away from her. I’m just a little surprised that you followed her leaving Josalyn, Emma and Christian behind.”, Billy answered. “You are surprised that my loyalty is with my mother? They gave each of us kids the choice to leave or stay . I chose to leave because I don’t trust your mom to not still come after mine despite having Haven sanctuary. So I’m here to make sure my mom is safe. Sebastian also chose to come with mom. Our sisters wanted to stay with the Academy, so dad is staying with them. Dad can protect my sisters so I’m not worried about them.”, Merrick explained. Tommy sighed. “What about our cousin Malcolm?”, Tommy asked. “Malcolm is perfectly safe. Sebastian how about you go back downstairs with mom alright. Need a private conversation with the twins.”, Merrick suggested. Sebastian frowned but nodded and headed out of the room and down the stairs. Billy watched him leave a little confused having no idea about Merrick’s level of knowledge or involvement. “Why did you send Sebastian away?”, Billy asked. “Because my little brother doesn’t know everything that’s gone down where I do. I suppose there hasn’t really been time for your brother or cousin to tell you that I already know about Tommy’s relationship with Lily and Malcolm’s with Cora Lee. I know everything. Malcolm has been helping you guys and he’s risking not just his life but his family’s to do it. But till he knows that his family will be safe from your mom he’s not going to leave. Not for you two and not for Cora Lee, especially since they only just started dating.”, Merrick stated. Billy blinked at Merrick’s insight and knowledge of the situation. “So you aren’t planning to out him or anything right?”, Billy asked. Merrick growled in response. “Malcolm is my best and only friend. I’m not going to do or say anything that gets him hurt. Thing is that no one else is needs to know that I know a damn thing or that I even care about it. Now I’m going to unpack.”, Merrick said shutting the door on their faces. “Well this is going to be interesting..”, Billy commented. Tommy shrugged. “At least here he’s not at the Academy where Lily would have to face him if a fight came down to it.”, Tommy said heading to their bedroom to continue getting settled in.
Back at the academy all adult members reported as requested to the ready room in the lower levels of the academy. Wanda had gotten dressed and stood leaning against the far wall her long natural brown hair pulled back into a tight braid the expression on her face that of a serious and close to aggressive nature. Wanda folded her arms across her chest as she waited for her team to assemble keeping her eyes on the door. First to enter was her sister Lorna her wavy green hair hanging lose around her shoulders. Lorna looked to her sister concerned wondering what was going on as she took a seat near Wanda at the table. Vin ducked under the doorway as he followed his wife in and sat next to her taking her hand into his. He had always held concerns when it came to Wanda. Sure he followed her orders and had since the day he originally joined the brotherhood all those years ago, but Wanda’s acceptance of him into her Acolytes changed a little when he fell in love with her sister. John walked in next and took a seat next to Vin, he wasn’t really sure what all Wanda was going to tell the group or how she’d try and twist this to meet her needs but he wasn’t going to sit too close to the mother of his children. Adien, Blake, and Christian walked in next. Lilith followed behind the triplets with her own twin sister, the only human to be allowed into the Academy, Eve. Christian sat down next to John followed by his brothers and their wives. Wanda took note that Christian entered without Kim. Geri grumbled as she walked in followed by Damon as they took seats across from the Frost triplets. Aries ducked under the doorway and walked in taking a seat next to Damon followed by his wife Thereza in her reptilian form. Nils and Ilayana walked in next having to basically pry young Lucian from his mother telling him to stay with his sister Esabelle. Nils and Ilayana took seats next to Thereza. Last to walk in where Jillian, her wings folded neatly, and Azazel who looked over the room with some interest as they sat down across from Lorna and Vin.
Wanda narrowed her eyes on Christian with everyone else already in the room so the only person not present being his wife, the one who hit her. Wanda walked to close the door to the war room but was stopped by Malcolm’s foot. Wanda raised an eyebrow as he pushed the door open and stepped inside followed by Josayln, Emma, Talia, Alexander, Apollo, and Artemis who walked to stand along the back wall. “I said that this meeting was only for the adults of the Academy. You seven should head back upstairs immediately.”, Wanda declared pointing back to the door. Malcolm leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his large chest and looked to his aunt. “No. What you need to tell our parents the other older students have the right to hear. We are the next generation. We are the ones that are the future of the Acolytes and this Academy. So, respectfully, no Aunt Wanda. We shall stay.”, Malcolm answered. Lorna cast a worried look from her son to her sister. Wanda glared and looked to the others. “We are not leaving Miss Maximoff. We have the right to be here, to know what is happening as it will affect us too.”, Josalyn stated standing straight with her hands clasped behind her back in a fashion similar to a soldier reporting before their commanding officer. Emma quickly took the same stance as her big sister. Talia however leaned casually on the wall next to Alexander her tail swishing as the only sign of impatience. Alexander did not look casual but stone faced similar to the expression on his father’s face. Apollo and Artemis nodded in agreement keeping their gaze forward. “Fine. Have it your way nephew…”, Wanda said. Malcolm smiled, Lorna rolling her eyes as the smile was that of his father when he won an argument. Wanda closed the door and moved back to the front of the room. He was just thankful his aunt didn’t throw them out, he wanted to make sure that she told the truth.
Wanda took a breath and looked over the table of her Acolytes and glanced to the back wall to the next generation, as her nephew had pointed out, of her Acolytes. “As many of you are aware last night we were betrayed. And it was the worst kind of betrayal as it was perpetrated by my own sons William and Thomas.”, Wanda started. There was only quiet in the room as everyone wanted to hear the details which had not even been shared last night when the lock down had been declared. “Last night the x-men student leaders; Landon, Lily, Rose, Cora Lee, Atif, and Ashley managed to beguile and convince my own children to turn against us all. Thomas and William under the rouse of Thomas being ill left the Draven last night. Malcolm, the kind cousin he is, offered to help get Thomas home safely. He was betrayed by his cousins as they hit him across the back of the head with a rock to knock him out. After they accosted their cousin Thomas snuck into my office and stole my spell book.”, Wanda continued her eyes glancing to John as she had a feeling he knew Thomas had done this. There was a look of shook in some parents faces looking to Malcolm who gave a small nod confirming he had been hit with a rock. “I was shocked and appalled that when I tracked my book I found William and Thomas with the x-men student leaders, Aurelia, and of all strange people Solangel of the Haven. William was using my spell book to perform a spell that would call someone forth. I tried to understand why they would betray us, to be told that they did this for ‘love’ and to right a wrong they fell I committed.”, Wanda explained. Azazel looked to Wanda mildly interested at this point. He knew what the mutant Solangel was capable of having had a run in with her once before when she was attending a movie with his son Kurt, Kurt’s wife Isis, and Isis’ brother some years back. It had not been a pleasant encounter.
“Love? A wrong?”, Damon questioned. Damon was probably one of the few people seated at the table that did believe love was a powerful emotion and that there is a line, thin as it may be, between right and wrong. He had known love before he joined the Acolytes, he also knew the pain that losing that love could cause and the extremes he’d have gone to in order to keep that love. “Apparently they feel that they are in love. William truly believes he is in love with Atif as Thomas believes he is in love with Lily.”, Wanda explained. At the back of the room Josalyn gulped trying to not show any emotion in regards to this news. She had always liked the Maximoff twins, never fully accepting that Billy truly only liked men. And now she was being told that Billy certainly did only like men as he cared for the red haired Atif Ashton, and what stung a little worse was to know that Thomas cared for her own identical triplet. “As for the wrong. That is why I have called this meeting. As you may have noticed there is an empty chair at our table, Kim has not joined us. And if you look to the back wall and think of the older children you will see we are missing Merrick. This morning Kim accosted me and I am going to assume that she has fled the Academy and by his absence I can only guess that Merrick has left with her.”, Wanda answered looking to Christian. The room filled with small sounds and whispers of shock that an original Acolyte had done such a thing. Christian stood up to address the group. “Yes this morning my wife hit Wanda. And yes my wife has advocated from the Academy and our sons have chosen to advocate with her. By now they have already arrived at the Haven and with any amount of luck have been granted sanctuary. My wife made her choice and I will not begrudge her the right or the right of my sons to choose. My daughters and I are still here and will remain here.”, Christian explained his hand gesturing to Josalyn and Emma who nodded.
“But why? Why would Pretender hit you? She had been one of the longest and most loyal members second only to your own sister.”, Azazel questioned. “What wrong could you have done that would bring one of your loyal members to turn against you?”, Jillian asked following her lord’s inquiry. Talia stood silent but smiled a little having an inkling that perhaps her parents had seen a chink in Wanda’s armor and were going to make a play. “Almost fifteen years ago I made a decision. A decision that I had to make to ensure that my Acolytes would survive. It was not a decision easily made and yes for some it would be considered ‘wrong’ but I would not and could not allow my Acolytes to come to harm.”, Wanda started to explain. The original members of the Acolytes; Lorna, Vin, Christian, Adien, Blake, and John all looked to her confused. Wanda took a breath. “Fifteen years ago while my sister was president she and Vin, as one of her secret service agents, were the only two I knew would not come to harm. But I couldn’t let The Frost brothers, Kim, and certainly not John come to harm. When the Xavier Institute was attacked it was not the Friends of Humanity. It was us.”, Wanda stated. There was a round of shocked expressions and confused looks in the room. Only John, Christian, Josalyn, Emma, and Malcolm did not seem shocked. They having known the truth from the outburst that occurred between Wanda and Kim earlier. “What do you mean it was us?”, Lorna questioned. “Just what I said. The Friends of Humanity was not smart enough, strong enough, nor capable of pulling off what happened to the Xavier Institute and its’ members. I orchestrated a perfectly timed strike against the Institute and its members living off campus. We were able to successfully capture Wolverine, Mikali, Annai, Jean, Dreamer, Max, Dazzler, Nightingale, Armelle, and Warren. Yes a number of their members perished in the attack on the institute that I trusted to only person I knew I could with something like the Institute, John. However many also escaped. We are the ones that with military personnel, supplied by Lorna, tortured captured x-men for information of where their refugees would have gone. None talked in spite of our efforts.”, Wanda explained. Christian hung his head slightly as this was all being laid out on the table.
He was ashamed of his hand in these atrocities but he couldn’t leave like Kim had. Lorna reached holding Vin’s hand tightly as she felt she might be sick, she had fought alongside some of those Wanda listed. Damon blinked a little, he’d known that Wanda was capable of some serious things but to pull off an attack like that. But why was she telling them all now, and why did everyone including the original Acolytes think it was the Friends of Humanity who’d attacked? “I made an attempt to get the Haven on our side, hoping that for Crow family ties to Pretender would be enough. However he refused. Adien and Blake, took it upon themselves to try and force Crow’s hand.”, Wanda explained. Adien and Blake looked to each other and then to Wanda with raised eyebrows. Wanda noticed the look but continued. “They kidnapped Aislinn. However this error in judgment resulted in the reverse reaction than they’d hoped. Crow did not yield and instead took the action of kidnapping a Haven resident as an act of war. He somehow found the refugee X-Men and joined them. They divided into teams and attacked the five prisons that we were holding the captives. We were over taken and losing. I personally was one the roof of my prison facing off in combat against both Howlett brothers and Aurelia. I was getting calls from the other prisons telling me they were being over taken. I feared for the lives of my team. I could not let any of them die. So I did the only thing I could. I used a large amount of my power and I changed reality. I took my team out of the equation. Everything that befell the X-men still happened just to everyone’s knowledge it was no longer my people but the Friends of Humanity. I am not sure how but the X-Men and the Haven remember what really happened. And last night when Thomas stole my book and William performed a spell they were calling Logan Howlett forth. I do not know how it happened but he was not dead, somehow when I changed reality and whatever prevented my power from affecting the X-men and Haven sent him away to another dimension.”, Wanda said looking around the room.
Azazel was rather impressed at the extent of Wanda’s ability, as were Jillian, Nils, Ilyana, Lilith, Ares, Thereza, and Geri. Eve wasn’t impressed, rather scared by what Wanda had just said. She wouldn’t ever speak up about her fear, no she’d gone these last twelve years unnoticed among the mutants of the Academy since she married Blake. Damon also didn’t look impressed, he always had an idea of what Wanda could do and it wasn’t impressive to him. In the far back of his mind he wondered if Wanda had not altered reality and made the Friend of Humanity a true threat to mutants, would he have lost Isadora. Maybe she wouldn’t have had to flee the country if it had been known that the attack on the mutants was by other mutants. And if the Friends of Humanity hadn’t gained the power it did from Wanda altering reality it wouldn’t have become global and a group in Italy wouldn’t have killed Isadora before he could find her. The more he thought about how Wanda’s actions had impacted him he clenched his fits under the table, his face still not showing any signs of emotion. “Apparently this morning Landon, Lily, Thomas and William came here and spoke only to Kim and delivered this information but only with their side. They of course wouldn’t know that I did what I did to save the lives of my Acolytes. Kim did not want to hear my side of this as she only saw red and became enraged blaming me for why Crow cut her from his life. But now the truth is out there. The X-Men and Haven have always known it and now all of you do as well. This does not change anything. It doesn’t change our mission, our goal of mutant superiority. It doesn’t change my plans to eliminate any who stand in our way. As the leader of this group that brought Logan back and exposed the truth, I shall personally deal with Landon Bryant. I will not allow that boy to grow up to lead the X-Men. If Kim and her sons have gained sanctuary of the Haven we of course are still bound to the Haven contract to not directly attack them. This however does not mean we can’t speak to them or provoke them without violence.”, Wanda said now mostly looking to the wall of the young people. Talia smirked liking the way that sounded. “So we have seen how Kim handled this news. Is there anyone else that would like to advocate from the Acolytes and this Academy? Any who wish to challenge my decision to keep my team alive?”, Wanda asked looking around the room. No one raised their hands or spoke up. “Good. You are all dismissed. We carry on as normal.”, Wanda stated.