"Why are you listening into our conversation?" I ask Peter, trying to avoid the question. I roll my eyes as Milo appears, great I'm assuming the entire household is listening to us, I wait for MJ or Ned to appear.
"Deathbird is an assassin, people say she's the deadliest assassin in history, nobody has crossed paths with her and survived" Milo answers, how does Milo know about Deathbird? Peter's eyes widen and he stares at me. "I know things" Milo shrugs. I decide to wait until later to ask him how he learnt all this, an assassin murdering Ashton is more important.
"So, who's next? Storm? Henry?" Peter asks, glancing at us. I glance at Henry who looks at me. I nod silently, it's probably safe to assume we are next and if Deathbird has never failed, then it's only a matter of time before she comes here. If she finds out Estella is my mother, it'll make the location easy for her to find.
"We're not going to let her kill you" Milo says determinedly. "Look at everyone we have on this farm. Henry and Storm have trained their entire lives, they're powerful and know how to fight. Peter, you have powers and unimaginable strength, I know how to fight, and we have Charles Xavier. Deathbird can come but she'll realise it was a mistake."
I appreciate Milo's confidence, but I'm not sure if he's right. Deathbird has never failed, nobody has survived her. I glance at Henry, I just promised myself I'd do whatever it took to keep him alive, am I breaking that promise already?
"Milo's right" Peter says, I glance over at Henry who hasn't said anything since Peter and Milo entered the conversation. "Nobody's getting hurt, not anymore."
I wish I could express to everyone in this room how much I love and care for them. A deadly assassin is probably coming after me and Henry, yet Peter and Milo didn't consider running away for even a second.
"Besides, you'd never die in winter" Henry says to me, I can't help the smile that spreads onto my lips at his comment. Peter and Milo raise an eyebrow and glance at each other in confusion. "Storm doesn't like winter" Henry informs them, as if that explains it.
"Why would Magneto send an assassin after you?" Peter asks, frowning slightly as he ponders his question. "Ashton escaped the x-men ages ago, why did it take Magneto so long to decide he had to die?"
"If I'd spent more time with Ashton, maybe he'd be here" I say quietly, if I had fought harder to get him out of his cell, if I hadn't avoided him because I was upset, he'd be alive right now. Maybe Scarlett turned against me because she realised, I wasn't worth it, that I was a bad person.
"It's not on you, Storm. Besides, I'm pretty sure Ash tried to find Deathbird" Henry replies after a few seconds of silence.
"Why would Ashton seek out an assassin?" Milo asks, I exchange a look with Henry. It's just how our group worked, we'd do anything for each other, I just wish I'd found out about Deathbird before Ashton.
"To protect us" Henry answers, his tone slightly defensive. Milo frowns and glances at Peter who gives a small shrug. "The four of us were family, okay? Don't question our relationship with Ashton or Scarlett." I never imagined we'd fall apart, I truly thought we'd stay together forever, but two of us are dead.
Milo and Peter don't argue with Henry, I understand why people question why I mourn Scarlett and Ashton, but they weren't there when I was growing up. They didn't see the good parts of Scarlett and Ashton, the parts that made me decide these were my people and nobody was going to hurt my people.
Milo and Henry end up leaving to go explore the property, Peter glances at the gold bracelet on my wrist and smiles.
"Henry told me about his gift idea, I think it will help both of you" Peter says softly, grabbing my wrist and examining the bracelet. "They can't fall off." I'm glad Peter doesn't question our trauma, our need to know our friends are safe at all times.
"I should get something like that for you" I say, glancing at Peter. We might be on this farm to heal, but my friends are in danger. It's not paranoia if someone's really out to get you and Magneto certainly wants us dead.
"I can take care of myself, Storm, you don't have to worry about saving everyone all the time" Peter says softly. "You won't live if you worry about everyone around you."
"You're right" I say, as much as I'd like, I can't know where everyone I love is at all the times and if they're safe. "I'm really glad we became friends."
"I knew you were a good person from the minute I entered the x-men academy" Peter says, it feels like it was years ago, the past few months have been filled with tragedy, but I met some brilliant people I'll love for the reason of my life.
*Author's Note* What has been your favourite moment in the book so far?
YOU ARE READING
Beautiful Ruins
Ação"Maybe there was a fleeting moment where I wanted to be a hero and believed I could be one, but the truth is I'm not, I won't ever be. My past does define me, it made me a villain" - Storm. Fifteen-year-old Storm is the daughter of Black Widow and I...
