The Element of Change {Xmen first class}

Ch. 10 "Learning to Live Again"

A/N: There's a picture and a video for this chapter. So since I hate writing movie scenes (honestly, I do guys. I feel like I'm just reiterating what has already happened), I decided to just add this where Lei is thinking back to what transpired on the beach. Sorry to some of you who were looking forward to the final battle scene, but don't worry. You'll still get to find out what happened. Only a few chapters left!

Lei walked through the gardens of the mansion and pulled the sweatshirt tighter around her body. Although Raven and Erik were the only ones that had left, somehow the mansion felt empty. Right now, she needed to talk to Charles about what to do now that they had defeated Shaw. Moira was still at the mansion, but soon she would have to go back to work at the CIA.

"So how many students do you think you'll have here, once you get the academy up and running?" She heard the brunette ask as Lei rounded the corner. She felt a pang of guilt at seeing Charles in the chair and stopped her walking.

"As many as I can manage," Charles responded. "Possibly more."

Lei smiled. She was glad his work ethic hadn't gone with his ability to walk.

"You know, one day the government is gonna realize how lucky they were to have Professor X on their side," Moira informed him as she stopped pushing the chair and walked around to face him. Lei bit back a bitter smile. She remembered the day Raven had decided to think up secret spy names. God, how many lifetimes that seemed now.

"Oh! Yes," the Englishmen mumbled, looking away from the woman next to him. "I suppose I am a real professor now, aren't I? Next thing you know I'll be going bald." Moira attempted a chuckle, but it died the moment it left her lips. "We're still on the government's side, Moira," he continued. "We're still G-men, just without the G."

"No," she said sternly, shaking her head. "You're your own team, now. It's better. You're... X-Men."

"Yes. I like the sound of that." Charles chuckled lightly and Lei smiled from her position at the corner of the house, but then Moira and Charles became serious and her smile fell. "Moira," he told her. "For us anonymity will be the first line of defense."

Moira squatted down to look at him. "I know. They can threaten me all they want, Charles." She told him boldly. "I'll never tell them where you are. Ever!" She insisted. Lei admired her tenacity, but knew it wouldn't stand with Charles. If there was one thing she knew about the man, it was that he was selfless and he would give up his biggest desires to keep someone safe.

"I know you won't. I know," he murmured, leaning in closer to kiss his companion.

Lei bowed her head and walked into the mansion, feeling bashful at seeing such an intimate scene between her two comrades. She would wait until Moira had left to talk to the professor, for she knew that kiss had been one of goodbye.

She sat in Charles' office now, waiting for him to return. As she did this, her mind drifted back to that day on the beach and more specifically, when she had last seen Erik.

The team, after some turbulence with the plane, had landed on the beach safely. A little rattled, but safe. Erik had gone into the submarine to retrieve Shaw, while the rest of them stayed outside to fight Shaw's remaining team members. Lei had been slightly insulted when Charles told her to stay by the plane. It was a good thing he did though because the mutant known as Riptide was making his way towards them.

Lei brought out the water bearers Hank made for her and was about to attack when Riptide formed a small tornado in his hand and sent it towards the young woman. The gust of wind got bigger and bigger as it made its way towards her. The next thing she knew she was feet away from the plane with the wind knocked out of her and her back against the hot Cuban sand. Lei groaned and rolled to her side, trying to force herself to stand and stop Shaw's man from getting into the plane where Charles and Moira were. Her water bearers were nowhere in sight.