Emma paused, with a nervous/slightly hopeful feeling. "Yes?"

"I.... Don't you think we need to talk?" Scott said nervously.

Emma turned.

"I suppose we should," she said slowly.

"Not here," Scott said.

They moved to the end of the hallway where there was a window.

"What did you want to talk about?" Emma folded her arms in a nervous manner.

"I..." Scott was hoping she'd just jump right to the point, as she could have just read it, but no such luck. "I guess...I want to ask if you believe me now."

Emma drew a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"I'll give you this, you did as you said," she said carefully.

"But?" Scott didn't like the sound of that.

"But...it's not me that I'm concerned about," Emma said.

"You still think I prefer Jean?" Scott said.

"I don't know if I think that." Emma could sense, now that she had her power back, that that was not the case. "But I wonder, is all. It's easy enough here, away from all the X-men we know. But back there, it will be familiar, and I saw how they looked at me. To them I'm still an outsider. Even if they believed I was innocent, there's bad feeling still. I'll have to work hard to repair that, if it can be done at all. I'm afraid to drag you into that. Your team is important to you. It's not the same to me--it couldn't be."

"It's true I wasn't happy with their reactions," Scott admitted--he was kind of annoyed actually.

Emma shrugged. "I don't think they'll approve. Even the Professor, probably. I suppose I want to know if that's going to matter too much in the long run."

"I knew what they'd think before," Scott said. "Forge made it clear...but I just thought he didn't understand, and I still think that."

"And if they never do?"

"Then...they don't." Scott shrugged. "You really think that would stop me? It's not like it stopped me from looking for--well, you know... Or do you think I'm that pliable?" That with a note of actual hurt.

"No," Emma said quickly. "No, that's not what I think."

She looked out the window. "Perhaps it's best to be frank: What happened between us still feels like a dream to me. Considering the strain I was under, I'd have believed it was one, if there wasn't clear evidence that it was real... It's just difficult to trust it still. I was shocked at the time. I'm still shocked."

She glanced back at him. "And I really can't believe you actually would leave Jean for me, of all people."

"Why?" Scott didn't expect to hear this.

Emma pursed her lips. "Because I'm me. What do I have to offer? I suppose...it's another thing Shine pointed out to me once, that I stress my ability a lot... The truth is, that's all I've really thought about for a long time. It seemed nothing else mattered to anyone anyway."

She rubbed her arms thoughtfully. "When I joined the X-men, it was the first time a team didn't care solely about power. They expected trust also...compassion, even. Wolverine really only began to accept me once he thought I had that. I supposed I didn't think I did before...or if I did I never put it into words...but just simply feeling pity for people isn't actually showing compassion. I've seen that more clearly since."

"But what does this have to do with anything?" Scott asked. "Did I question your character?"

"No, which in itself was a little strange." Emma shrugged. "But this is what is comes down to, isn't it? I wasn't really a good person. So I didn't really fit on the X-men. And I didn't know I wanted to be that way. I thought I was fooling them for a while... Looking back, it's more like I think I was trying to become like that. After I lost my chance with them, I never expected it to change... This entire time here, I was grateful, though I didn't show it, that at least a few people didn't consider my actions fully reprehensible. Shine in particular--she's infuriating, because she challenges everyone to think of where they are morally...but with her pushing, it became more clear...I wanted to be like that."

Scott still didn't know why this mattered, but he wisely let her continue.

Emma felt she was rambling a bit.

"I suppose what I am trying to say--" She looked sad. "--is that it would have been the height of my hope if you just forgave me for what I did. And I didn't even hope for that very much. I put aside my other feelings. I knew you were too good for me."

"I'm sorry, what?" Scott had never heard that in his life.

"You don't think so," Emma noted. "Well, of course not--if you did it wouldn't be true, would it? You asked me if I agreed with Jean's actions--and I was being truthful when I said I didn't, but they're nothing compared to my mistakes in life. More than you know about, even."

She sighed.

"Usually people like me and you would only have what's known as a fling... I'm not really that different from Raven. When you run in the circles we run in, and do the things that we do to get what we're after, a few minor differences in style and approach don't signify much."

She shrugged. "I wasn't going to say this before, I didn't think it would go this far, but even at the time, I still thought this. You're a good person. Are you really sure you're okay with me?"

Now that it came to it, this was making her emotional.

"Is this what this has been about?" If anything, Scott sounded relieved.

Relieved?! Why was he relieved?

"A large part of it," Emma said.

"And the rest?"

"I suppose I just thought you'd change you mind anyway," Emma said. "Jean was right there..."

"I wondered why you didn't seem to care if I did." Scott was incredulous. "This isn't the reason I thought. I expected it to be that you didn't really care about me after all."

"No!" Emma said with more emotion than she should have in all caution. "That's not it--"

Then she turned red.

Scott thought for a moment, and Emma carefully didn't read his mind.

"Emma, you're right, in a way... There's a lot I don't know about you still. I guess I knew everything about Jean, so I never thought about her past."

Emma nodded slowly.

"But you keep mentioning what Shine said, but she's said other things about that, like how most of the X-men have a past. I'm not sure I'm as clean as you think either. It's not that I'm proud of everything I've ever done. I didn't notice you ever faulting me for it though."

"No, I wouldn't do that," Emma said.

"But you don't expect the same for yourself." Scott wasn't that perceptive, but it was hard to miss that, and astonishingly, Emma had entirely missed that herself.

"I--" She stopped.

"And is that it?" Scott asked. "It's just that you think you're not good enough or something?"

Which sounded weird to say, to him.

"It seemed like a big problem," Emma said.

"So you think there are things about you that might change my mind," Scott surmised.

"Perhaps yes," Emma said.

Scott shook his head. "I'm ashamed to say, one time, yeah...maybe I would have."

"One time?" Emma repeated.

"Not even that long ago," Scott said. "But a lot changed in a short time. If I didn't think differently before, I do now, because...I saw it proven wrong. Multiple times."

"With who?" Emma asked.

"You," Scott said.

She blinked. "What?"

"Not just you--there were others...even Mystique," Scott said. "It seems like it's more important people are on the same side in the end, not that they always were. I'm not concerned about that."

"Truly?" Emma looked up finally.

"You can read minds..." Scott pointed out.

Emma almost laughed. "I try to let you actually talk..."

"Yeah...well, talking about this isn't my strong point," Scott said ruefully. "But I'll try to put it into words: It's just the opposite of what you're saying. I don't think less of you for the past. Actually, I think I thought more highly of you in the end."

"What?" Emma was lost on this now.

"I was angry for a short time. I guess that's why you don't buy that." Scott could at least clearly see that part. "But, if this makes sense, I think it was actually dealing with the problems that ...well, it made my feelings change about it...and you. If that makes sense."

"No, it doesn't," Emma said.

Poor Scott was really floundering here. "What I mean is, it takes a lot more strength to come back from that kind of setback. And, all on your own. It's not something I think I could have done. I always knew you were stronger than I was there. I still think that. I don't think of it as you trying to make up for the past, I think it's trying to start over, something I wished I could do...and honestly, watching you is what made me wonder if I could do it."

"Watching me?" Strangely.

"Basically you're the bravest person I know." Scott finally got a handle on what he was trying to say. "The X-men, all of us, we've all had our problems with accepting our mistakes and moving on. If I look back, I think that all of us would have hesitated to jump back into the game so fast. You already know how long it took me. All of us. Some of us even now, I don't think we're...and I have no idea how to help them with that. I wish I did. But you do... That's not a weakness, is it? Isn't it a strength?"

Emma looked down to hide how abashed this was making her.

"I never thought of anyone looking at it that way. My biggest failures all happened together, that's how I thought of it. And I nearly fell apart. You saw, which was bad enough, but after that, you'd call it a strength? That sounds preposterous, just a little."

"Not to me." Scott didn't know what else to say to that.

But that was actually the best thing he probably could have said.

Emma gazed at her reflection in the window for a moment, pondering it all.

Was it just possible it didn't need to be a gap between them after all?

Letting that thought in just a little made her feel suddenly much lighter; she'd had no idea how much of her lingering blue feeling was over this matter alone.

Scott interpreted her silence as uncertainty still.

Gently, he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I think I want to be with someone who'll try to make things right in the end, because now I know I'm going to have to try to do that also."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "That's certainly a new way to look at it... You know, you've changed somewhat, Scott. I don't think I realized how much till now."

"Really?" Scott said a bit nervously. "Is that okay?"

"No...I think it's good," Emma said seriously. "I think we all have to be allowed to change. Being static is like being dead, isn't it? I've never really been afraid of change... I never thought you would embrace it, though. Not everyone does... That's what surprises me. But in a good way."

"I don't think anyone else will think it's a good thing," Scott muttered. "It'll be nice to have at least one person on my side. If she ever makes up her mind, that is."

"If that's sarcasm, Scott, I certainly didn't intend to--" Emma began.

Scott cut her off with a kiss.

Emma tried to frown, unsuccessfully. "You really should stop using that as a way to get me to stop talking."

"It's the only thing that works." Scott had a surprisingly good come back.

They kissed again.

"Wait...so is that a yes?" Scott paused.

"What do you think?" Emma asked more coyly.

"Not the telepath, Emma."

"Fair enough." Emma slowly put her hands on his shoulders. "I want to say this right--you've been very upfront with me. No games, no half answers."

Scott waited.

"I do love you," Emma said slowly, feeling it was making a great leap to be so direct, but she had to be, just this once. "It's different than anything I've felt before. So perhaps it frightens me, but I've decided that I want this more than I want to play it safe. So if you want the same as me, I will give it my best, I can promise that."

There's something in directness that can break down our usual walls.

Scott slowly, almost like he thought it might end suddenly, pulled her closer.

Emma had the exact same feeling, despite all that had already been said.

But oddly, she didn't mind it. And neither did he, really.

"I want you, Emma," Scott said quietly.

Emma could sense, finally, that this was true... She didn't think it was possible for just a few words to make her feel that glad.

"I want you too, Scott," she said softly.

They kissed each other slowly this time, holding on to this moment which had been so hard fought, but in the end, only more valuable for that reason.

* * *

Raven was feeling much the same as Emma about the DJs still being out of it, but it made her more restless.

She wandered around the house, till she found Morph sitting in the living room, staring at the fire.

He'd been a little off since getting back too. And they hadn't talked a whole lot either...not really avoiding it, just...Morph tended not to talk when he was bothered.

But she thought maybe it was time to ask.

She sat down next to him and stared at the fire for a moment before speaking.

"It's a lot to deal with, still," she commented.

"Yep." Morph was on one syllable.

Raven thought she could guess at least one part of this.

"It wasn't your fault, you know," she said slowly. "No way to know."

"I know," Morph said.

"Don't lie to me," Raven said.

Morph sighed in frustration. "I get that--there was no way we could really have known all that...but it's not like the way the Talis worked was never...okay, it was always something we hated. So...it just seems like it should have been obvious, looking back, that we were just being used. Sure felt that way."

"Take it from me, sometimes you feel it but don't see the pattern until it's too late," Raven said. "That's the worst part about being used... Sometimes it looks necessary, and until you find out later that there were other options, you assume it was the only way. It's not really your fault for being fooled, it's only your fault if you're fooled when you could have known better. No one would say it was your fault this time."

"I know they wouldn't...and I know it wasn't," Morph said. "I guess it was just...just like before.... Somehow no one on the team died, and I'm grateful. But it wasn't because of me. Sometimes it's hard to accept that it's all chance."

"From you? The poster child for taking things as they are?" Raven said.

"Yeah, ironic, right?" Morph said.

"Not so ironic.... Usually our most defining qualities are the ones we develop to deal with life," Raven said. "My survival mentality was pretty much the same. We do what we have to. But deep down, we still don't like it."

"Nope, guess not." Morph frowned.

Raven tentatively put a hand on his arm. "I don't have the answers to it either. But I do think it was more than chance. All of us tried, but there were things that had to be...higher than that. If it helps to feel like something had our backs, something better than a mindless Talis, or that crazy coot, then think about that."

"That makes it better, but it doesn't answer all my questions," Morph said. "Maybe I don't really need those answers...but I wish, then, I didn't have the questions." He put his head in his hands. "I even told the kids we won, that's what matters."

"Sure, but it's not like it's that easy to feel glad about it." Raven shrugged. "I never feel glad about winning. Too much to think about getting there. Do you need to feel glad about it to know it was right?"

"That's...actually a good question," Morph said. "Especially given..."

Ah...she knew it. The other reason.

"Still not sure if you did the right thing at the end," she said.

"Did I actually tell you that?" Morph looked up. "I don't remember actually saying that out loud..."

"It wasn't hard to guess that the no-kill guy would feel concerned about trapping the enemy in a collapsing void of space time," Raven said. "I suppose if I said I thought they deserved it, that wouldn't be comforting--but they did."

"I hate that though," Morph said. "I can't see any way around it, but I hate it. I didn't hate it at the time, though. Maybe..." He paused. "A part of me still has that darkness in there."

"So which of us doesn't?" Raven said. "No one stopped you, did they? Even Shine didn't argue with it. She knew that was the only way to stop them. Or they'd have done this again. The Broker was too dangerous to let escape. He's too powerful. The others also. Even Selene, she's a lunatic. And it's not like we put them there."

"I know all that," Morph said.

"So not everyone can be spared," Raven said. "It's not like it was murder. It was just...not saving them."

"Feels about the same," Morph said. "I wish I could say I was sorry they were there, but I'm not. I'd probably do it again. But that's what I don't like. Is that really me? Do I just...want to solve things that way?"

"It's useless to think about it." Raven sat back, folding her arms. "It was what we had to do. Thinking about it if you make that choice when you don't have to. I've been there too... Honestly, I'm not even sure it's that irreversible. There's something strange about trying to kill someone--in some ways it's like we don't really want to think about what it actually is. Or that's just me. But it happens all the time, even by accident or in war. Heroes make it out to be something you can never come back from...but a lot of people don't see it that way. I think it has to be done, sometimes. And I know you well enough to know you wouldn't do it unless it was the only way. So, I'm not worried about the Dark Side taking over--not that I'd worry, period. I think I can handle him pretty well."

"Did you have to say that?" Morph winced.

Raven smirked slightly. "That's the least depressed thing you've said so far, so probably."

"Ah, you're trying to cheer me up," Morph said. "That's sweet."

"Is it working?" Raven ignored the compliment, though with less annoyance than usual.

"Uh...you know, it is a little," Morph said. "But maybe just words aren't... Okay, that sounded wrong--what I meant is, you can't just hear something and it sinks in all at once... Nothing against you, I just...can't feel that good about it that fast."

"It'd be weird to switch that fast." Raven shrugged. "Feel whatever you want, just don't think about it like that. You should feel bad, if you ask me. There was all too messed up stuff that happened. All of us feel bad about it. But it's probably fine to feel glad too, feel both. Not trying to not feel relieved, or whatever, just out of guilt over something stupid."

"You know, that's actually pretty smart," Morph said. "And you think you're not good at this."

"I just approach it like I'm not going to follow my own advice, and it's easier," Raven said, half kidding.

"It's always easier to give advice you don't think you're going to follow," Morph said.

"But if words aren't cutting it, I could try something else," Raven said.

"Uh--" Morph began.

"Not like that," Raven said. "Gosh, do you only have one thing on your mind? I just meant...what can I do to help?"

"Really?" Morph said. "You're asking me that?"

"You think I know what to do automatically?" she said a bit defensively. "I'm not used to this. Thanks for making me feel even more awkward for trying."

"No, you're doing great."

"Don't patronize me, Morph," Raven said. "I don't have Shine's trick of knowing exactly what to say."

"Hey, sometimes that's scary," Morph said. "This makes you more human."

"And I think you're attempting to deflect." Raven wasn't falling for that.

Morph sighed. "Yeah...okay.... You know what would help?"

She nodded, waiting.

"It's going to seem kind of childish, but--" Morph moved to the side a little and put his head in her lap. "--this actually helps. I don't know...just does."

Raven shrugged. "If it works."

She recalled having been in this position once before... Was that really only a week or so ago?

Morph stared at the ceiling. "Yeah...my mom used to do this... Huh, I've never mentioned that much about her to people. Just remembered it now. Is that weird?"

"I don't know, I think you're lucky if you remember anything you mother did positively," Raven said, with a slight edge even now.

"Oh...right...so never," Morph said.

She shook her head. "No.... At least, if it happened, I can't remember it. But I doubt it."

"No wonder you don't understand what to do," Morph said. "I never thought about it much, I guess, but we're taught how to do things like that. Just...how to be around people. I guess how to love. I always thought we were born that way, that's how people make it sound, but, I don't think we are. I think that's partially my problem, you know? I just assume I know how people work and how to make them happy, but just making people laugh isn't the same as making them really happy. I didn't know how to do that."

Raven was silent.

"The DJs, though, they know," Morph said. "You know, it took all this time for me to get why they know all those things about people, and ask them questions, and push.... They want to know what'll really make us happy. What we really need. Shine could tell you our favorite food, color, or hobby, and Wally would run across the world to get you something you needed if it took that.... Actually he told me a story once about doing that for some kids. I thought, you know, I don't think I've ever gone to that much trouble for people."

"I disagree," Raven said quietly. "I'm sure you have. Anyway, there's more to it than just knowing those kinds of things."

"Yeah, I mean, I know that stuff.... I just don't know if I know as much about how to use it," Morph said. "I guess I never put a whole lot of thought into how anyway."

"Pretty sure if anyone on this team gives the slightest thought to any of that, it's you," Raven said dryly.

"But family knows things like that," Morph said. "That's kind of what I'm thinking about. Friends might not always know that, and that's fine. But to really know someone, you have to think about the small stuff and the big stuff too. Wouldn't you say so?"

"You're asking me? The degenerate," Raven said.

"You're not a degenerate...not really," Morph argued. "You're just awkward."

"Well...thanks," Raven said. 

"I'm the king of awkward, so it's not like it's anything I can judge. I'm just saying." Morph shrugged.

Raven tilted her head. "I suppose I see your point. Though it seems to me you're really just saying you miss them."

"Yeah...I guess," Morph said. "I'm freaking out about that too. Though I think they'll be okay... I hope they will."

"They're not dying, so there's no reason they shouldn't be eventually." Raven tried to say that like she believed it.

"It's selfish though," Morph said. "I just think they'd be helping us all, but, really, we should be helping them. We can't even do that. We rely on people a lot if they let us. I know they really want us to learn for ourselves. I think a lot of what they told me was just about that. How to grow up when it comes to this. But mostly, I think, they love us. I mean, they really do."

"Yeah," Raven said quietly.

"I mean, you should have seen Shine after you went missing--she was having a breakdown," Morph said. "She really likes you."

"Are you trying to make me feel worse?" Raven said.

"No...sorry. I just...I don't know, I thought it might be comforting, actually."

"Maybe to you," Raven said. "But for me, it's...I don't know, she's not doing so well right now. It seems typical of my life. Not like anyone cares about me most of the time. Then people do...and even then, they could just be gone."

"Yeah, but...that's true for everyone," Morph said. "I don't think that's what it's about. It seems to bother you more though."

"I suppose when you don't have someone, if you finally get it, it's worse," Raven said. "I avoided trying to think that way because it was so useless, I thought. But Shine persisted. You can't shake her anyway. She's like a pitbull."

"Yeah."

"And you're probably the same," Raven said.

"Ah...no, I don't think I am," Morph said. "It's hard for me to be that sure of myself."

"That's not the point, is it? I don't think they are as sure of themselves as they seem." Raven hit upon the truth. "But the rest of us let that stop us from trying, that's the difference. But I think Shine singled you out for a reason, with the Talis and all.... If there was some test of whether or not you were getting it, you must have passed...if that helps."

"Actually that does," Morph said. "Though, I hope you're apply that to you too."

"I'd be lucky to just not have them regret their choice," Raven said.

"You should stop talking about yourself that way, you know," Morph said. "What's it gonna take to convince you you're worth the amount of effort they put into it?"

"Perhaps as long as it takes to convince me that they don't just see things that other people don't see," Raven said.

"But aren't the best things the ones that other people don't see?" Morph hit on another truth. "The things that just we see? Maybe. That's what makes it special. That whole diamond in the rough thing, right? You ever felt that way about anything?"

"If I ever tried, I don't remember," Raven said.

"So what do you call this?" Morph picked up her hand.

"Obstinance," Raven said. "On your part, to be clear."

"So you wouldn't go after me, is what you're saying?" Morph said.

"I never would have thought of it," Raven said. "Nothing against you, but I'd never have considered it a possibility."

"Funny, you made the first move."

"Did I really?" She reflected.

"But you thought it wasn't serious."

"Let's not kid ourselves--I had no idea what serious meant," Raven said. "Still not sure I get it, but, if I'm starting to...again, obstinance."

Morph pouted. "Well, that's not very romantic."

"And we're not good at that," Raven said. "We might as well give up trying. Neither of us are the type."

"Well, maybe not, but trying can still be fun even if you're not good at it."

"I don't know what you expected me to say."

"I guess I'm trying to ask if you're happy." Morph was more direct. "I mean...is this working for you?"

Oh...so they were going to talk about this now.

Raven looked at the fire for a moment.

"You want my honest opinion?"

"Uh...not really, but you'd better give it anyway," Morph said, not liking the way that sounded.

"It's become clear I don't know what happy is," Raven said candidly. "I never have... For me, happy was just if nothing was going horribly wrong. Sounds pathetic, I suppose...now. The best way I can answer is to say that, for the experiment we've been doing, I haven't felt like anything is going horribly wrong. I wonder how long that can last."

"Well, maybe it could last forever," Morph said. 

"Not in my experience," Raven said. "But you know who I am...more than I'd really want, if I was going to try to make a good impression...and I can't say I expect there's much more about your life that could surprise me after all that...so, I should be happy."

"But you're not?" Morph said, a bit sadly.

"I think I'm...as happy as I know how to be," Raven said, thinking aloud. "But not as much as you want, clearly. It...hasn't been that long. Maybe I can learn. For now, all I know is I don't want to be with anyone else, and I don't want anything to happen to you. I still think that eventually you're going to reconsider though."

"And why would I do that?" Morph said. "I'm not gonna find anyone else who can tolerate my sense of humor, the stint with the Exiles, and Dark Side."

"I doubt that."

"Well, I haven't so far," Morph said.

Well, that was a good point.

"I see what you're saying," Morph said after a moment. "I didn't before, I don't think. I mean, I'm always trying to be happy...but no, for you that's not normal. I kind of get that. It sounds like what you're really saying is you're just scared of being happy."

"Yeah...that about sums it up," Raven said. "It's once you hope for something that it hurts if you lose it. The truth is, this could be working beautifully, and I'd feel the same--or it is working beautifully, and that's why I feel that way. I don't know what I think will happen, but something."

"Yeah, but you know, Raven, short of you wanting out, there's really nothing that would change my mind," Morph said.

She glanced at him uncertainly.

"And this might sound weird, but what you just said might actually have been the most romantic thing I've ever heard." Morph gestured widely. "Because it means someone is finally afraid of losing me for a change. I've never had that."

"That's sad."

"I know, right? But...with you? Not so much."

Pause.

"I could do something bad," Raven said.

"So could I," Morph said. "I mean, I can't trust myself all the time either. But it doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No, I wouldn't blame you for that."

"But I should blame you?"

Pause again.

"Maybe you think you'd run again," Morph said, more somberly. "But...nothing personal?"

"I wouldn't blame you for taking it that way," Raven said. "Who wouldn't find that frustrating? I'd like to change. But I'm not sure if I can say I have yet."

"You're more worried about it than anyone else though," Morph said. "Even Rogue and Logan have run...but they come back. That's what matters. Would you come back?"

Raven considered. "Perhaps...but then, perhaps not. I might talk myself out of that. Even if I wanted to. That's the problem: I'll do what I'm afraid not to do. If I could kick that.... But have I?"

"Maybe," Morph said more positively. "I think if you can say that, then probably."

Raven leaned on one hand. "I can't just give up on that chance either, though. See, this is what I mean--don't you get tired of this?"

"Even if I did, I have the same problem with my issues," Morph said. "Tired of them or not, they're still there. You've never said anything about that, so why would I?"

"Very fair," Raven said. "Too fair...I can't argue with it."

"So I win?" Morph said hopefully.

Raven shook her head. "Maybe.... I suppose there's no changing your mind, is there?"

"I just don't want to feel like you're giving in because you feel like you have to," Morph said, more somber again. "You act like you're on trial here, but both of us really were trying to decide."

"So far we have nothing really to break up over," Raven said. "Except both of us being worried about different things that could go wrong.... I guess that's not really a reason."

"No, I don't think it is," Morph said. "We have serious issues, but that's kind of in our heads. Whenever we're not focusing on that, we seem to get along just fine. Plus, I seriously missed having you around while you were gone. Turns out, the rest of the team just does not balance me out as well."

"You mean that they don't think you're funny."

"Ouch...no, but...you know. I still think what I thought before. I need you."

"It looks as though it may be coming down to me thinking that also," Raven said. "I didn't think about it much. But, when I saw that other Mystique...it clicked. I used to be that. The fact that I could think that shocked me. Funny, she put part of that change down to you. I realized she was right."

"Aw, really?" Morph said.

"So we're good together, in a way." Raven was starting to find her point. "Not like everyone else, maybe. But the odds of either of us being like anyone else were never that high, so..."

"So you think we should keep this up?" Morph said.

"Yeah, I think so," Raven finally swallowed her pride as well as fear enough to choke out.

To think she was taking Emma's advice on this one.

"Well, great!" Morph said. "That's a load off..."

He grabbed her hand again. "Just don't run, okay?"

Raven nodded slowly. "Compromise...if I do that, just come after me."

"Really?"

"I can talk myself out of it maybe, but I can't talk you out of it. Seems like the only safeguard."

"Okay...deal," Morph said more comfortably. "Now we can kiss or something?"

"You think it's that easy?" Raven said in a different tone. "After before, I'm not fooled. You can have a better line than that."

"I thought it was funny."

"Funny does not equal smooth."

"Well, then there's no hope," Morph said.

"Not much hope anyway--the way you're sitting it'd be difficult anyway." Raven leaned on the back of the sofa in a perturbed manner.

"Oh, is that all?" Morph sat up. "I feel much better now."

"Well, then I guess we're done here," Raven said, faking beginning to get up.

"What, seriously?" Morph said.

"No." She kissed him after all. "But I had you for a second."