Mirror, Mirror

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, Busiest Woman Alive ™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch and Uberbeta… Box issues… I’ll fill you in in a bit… InterNutter, TC, Maxwell Pink, Dracena and Greywolf are loverly and wondermous for archiving/hosting. J ProPhile: Wheeee for gradutation! Morgan: Alive out there? Readers/Reviewers: Okay, this is the last official chapter of this fic. Yes, there’s lots of loose ends but you know how it goes…they’ll be picked up in the next fic! But for now, this the last chapter and there will be a Dr Nightfall inspired holiday fic! J

“Do what now?”

“It’s done,” Sean said tightly. “It’s all said and done.” He swept a gaze over Kurt and Saint John, taking in their uniforms and the heavy black bag on Pyro's shoulder. “Go get yourself changed.”

“Wait, what?” Kurt shook his head as if to clear it. “How?” He took a step forward, his brows drawn together in confusion.

“Go change into your street clothes. We need to go pick up your friends at the school.” Sean turned away from them pointedly and marched himself back to the office where Beast waited. “Where’s Warren?” he asked, shutting the door firmly behind him, cutting off Kurt and Saint John’s protests.

“He’s at the hospital with Charles,” the doctor sighed, pressing a massive, hairy hand against his forehead, trying to stave off a headache. “Are the children at the school alright, as far as you know?”

“The rally was broken up when the bonfire was lit,” Sean sighed. “Apparently, for all their talk of first amendment rights and civil liberties, no one thought to get a permit for the bonfire.” He smiled briefly, looking tired. “Emma wishes to pass along that the students in Boston will be down for the Christmas weekend, by the bye.” It seemed incongruous, including that bit of information in the exchange but it was on his mind, Emma’s exhausted voice ringing in his ears as he stood before Beast. The past twenty four hours had been a rollercoaster of hellacious proportions for them all, he knew. It was not done yet, not truly. Things were still in splinters, the Brotherhood apparently undergoing some factioning of it’s own even as the Institute struggled to stay alive.

“Good,” Beast sighed, smiling weakly. “Charles is out of surgery. We can see him in the morning but for tonight, Emma will go to Saint Dymphna’s when he is transferred from Bayville General. Is Storm…”

“She’s working on getting the students back to the Institute from the college. I’ve sent Kurt and Saint John to change from their uniforms and hopefully calm down a bit.” He knew that would be a long shot but it was better than nothing. They would still be idling high, spoiling for a fight that was not going to come, and that would end up playing out in the walls of the house whether he wanted it to or not. “Now what?”

“Now,” Beast said softly, “we try to sort things out.” He leaned back in his seat and stared at the ceiling. “The Friends of Humanity are not going to go quietly. This disruption of their rally will only give them ammunition for later gatherings, for more vitriol against mutants, real or imagined. The Morlocks are growing more and more bold and,” he continued, his voice roughening and rising, “for all we know, the blasted Shi’ar are still lurking about!”

Sean winced. “I try not to think about that. I have enough odd in my life without birdy aliens.” He smiled weakly again and sank gratefully into one of the overstuffed armchairs in the private study. “Have you contacted Mark and Logan?”

“Yes… Mark does not seem happy. He asked once about the Brotherhood but I think he was getting at something else…” He spread his hands in a ‘who knows’ gesture, and continued. “Kitty will be staying here tonight and leaving very early tomorrow to return to class before her first exam. Would you mind driving her?”

“Oh, sure. Not a problem,” Sean yawned. “Betsy will be needing a ride back to the train station too so I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

“Betsy… I thought she was at the hospital with Warren?”

“She’s here,” Sean shrugged. “She said something about being useful, and she disappeared into the sublevels.” Frowning thoughtfully, he added, “I haven’t seen Jono, either.”

“He’s… out,” Beast said with a distinct hitch in his tone, something akin to irritation but milder. “He’ll be back soon enough.”

“So now we wait this out? Wait out Essex, wait out the Morlocks?” Sean shook his head. “This doesn’t seem right.”

“First and foremost,” Beast intoned, “The Xavier Institute in all it’s incarnations is a school. It’s high time we acted like educators rather than revolutionaries.” He stood, smoothing his fur absently. “Especially before the state board of education decides to tighten the noose.” The threat was real enough and more worrisome to him than any the Brotherhood could produce. If they shut the Institute, the students would have nowhere to go for the most part. And they would not be allowed to keep them at the house, he knew. And Kurt, Rahne… so many would lose their visas to stay in the country.

“Right,” Sean said slowly, nodding but rolling his eyes. “Because the students will just roll over for that idea.” He stood as well, stuffing his hands deep in his pockets as he blew out a harsh breath. “Professor Xavier will be okay, though? I mean… a heart attack is never minor but…”

“He’ll survive this time,” Beast smiled. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go check on Paige. I suggest you find Kurt and Saint John and make sure they’re not trying to slip out through the fire escape around back. Kurt might do something silly, like teleport.” He winked knowingly at his friend and let himself out of the room.

Sean rocked back on his heels for a moment, closing his eyes as he took a deep, cleansing breath. “Saints help us all,” he murmured. “We have to be normal now.”