Beautiful Ruins

Chapter 105

I race toward and jump off the ledge, smiling as my body hits the water. I laugh and open my eyes under the water, it's beautiful. I swim forward, grateful I don't have to go up to the surface to catch my breath. I could stay here forever; I could live in the ocean.

I have no idea how long I've been swimming for until it occurs to me, I should check where my friends are. I turn around but can't see any of them, I shrug, Charles is one of the most powerful mutants in existence, nothing bad can happen while he's around.

I swim down even deeper, close enough to touch the ocean floor. I grin, this is amazing, the ocean is endless I feel like I could keep swimming forever and ever. I swim up to the surface, deciding to let everyone know that I'm alive in case they forgot I can breathe underwater.

My eyes widen as I realise how far I've swum; I knew I was a strong swimmer, but I didn't think I was this good. I smile as I see MJ and Ned splashing each other, I swim back over to my friends.

"It's beautiful" I say, popping up next to Peter. Henry nods in agreement, it's his first time seeing the ocean too.

"Were you tempted to swim far away and never return?" Milo asks, half joking but half serious. I would never leave my friends behind but starting over is tempting, maybe after we defeat the x-men I'll go somewhere far.

"And let you have all the fun? No thanks" I say, grinning at Milo. I glance back at Charles who's watching me with a small smile on his face, as much as I want to keep swimming, I should thank him for letting us stop here.

I jump up onto the ledge, pulling myself up and walk over to Charles. "Thank you for this" I say sincerely, the more I get to Charles the more I yearn for the childhood I could've had if I was raised by him, hell him or Tony honestly, both are amazing fathers.

"You deserve to have fun, Storm, you might be caught up in all this but you're still a kid" Charles says, glancing at me. "When Peter, Ned and MJ suggested the idea I was only too happy to agree to help."

"It means a lot to me" I reply.

"Go have fun with your friends, I'm enjoying watching you all" Charles replies, I wonder if this is the first time he's seen us actually act our age, most teenagers aren't risking their lives to fight every other day and most teenagers aren't haunted by memories they'll never forget.

"Milo and Henry are having a competition to see who can hold their breath underwater the longest" Ned informs me as I jump back into the ocean.

"I bet I'd win" I say, causing my favourite trio to roll their eyes at me. I grin and dive under water once more, I begin to swim out, if I had no responsibilities, I'm not sure that I'd ever stop swimming, being underwater feels amazing.

I pull myself along underwater, loving the fact that I can't see an end to the water, where would I end up if I just swam and never stopped? I kick my legs, swimming even faster, I smile as I glance around me.

I flip over and start swimming back; I stay underwater until I see MJ and then I pop up next to her. MJ jumps as I appear next to her, she grins at me.

"For a second I forgot you can hold your breath underwater and I got real concerned" Milo says, I laugh slightly at his response.

"We'd better head off to the farm" Peter says sadly. We all get out of the water and dry ourselves with the towels that Charles packed, we put our clothes on over our swim wear and head back into the van.

"Thank you, this was an amazing present" I say to everyone, wanting them to know how grateful I am for every single person here. Peter smiles and gives me a hug; I can't believe I disliked Peter when I first met him and now a few months later he's one of my favourite people in the entire world.

"If anyone deserved a day like this, it's you" Henry says, smiling at me. I smile at Henry and rest my head on his shoulder, there's nothing romantic between the two of us, but I feel safe with Henry and I know he has my back.