AN: I'm so sorry for how long it took me to get this chapter up. Please please PLEASE forgive me. Anyway, here it is, your long awaited Chapter 46. I really hope you all enjoy it. It had been so long since I'd written the last chapter that I'd completely forgotten what I'd had planned for it, so I had to think up something new, and I must say, I'm quite happy with it. Please let me know what you think.

And special thanks to both Marauder Heir and Mercury Angel. Love ya both.

Chapter 46

Things were starting to feel really cramped in my life. Thoughts swarmed my head, and many other things forced their way in as well. The professor knew what was going on, but there wasn't really much that he could do to help. I just had to find a way to endure everything that was going on. I needed to be strong, but could I be?

xXx

Lily walked down the hall trying to shut out the other students' angry cries in her head. For a while the attacks had died down, but suddenly they'd picked up, even worse than when they'd first started. Lily never told her cousin that she was being attacked again. She didn't think the blue haired girl really needed to know. No need to worry anyone.

"Lily! Lily!" she heard the all too hyper Mara call out. Let out a frustrated sigh, she turned to face the girl. "Let's hang out! Come on! We can go walk around together."

"No thanks Mara," Lily said in a very tired and frustrated tone. "Not today. I think I'm just going to go lay down for awhile." She turned away and continued her trek down the hall. Mara only watched the girl, worry shown all too well on the girl's face.

Mara sighed and headed towards her own room. Lately she hadn't seen much of her friends. Things around the Institute had been getting worse since everyone had found out they were holding aliens here. Mara kicked out at the air and tucked her hands in her pockets. She readjusted her glasses and ducked into her room. All she could think was how stupid people and mutants were. What was so different about everyone? Falling back onto her bed she stared up at the ceiling. She fit in here. People cared for her here, but she hated the way people treated others differently just because they didn't understand.

There was a knock on the door, and slowly it opened. John peered into the room. "Mara? What's wrong?"

Mara smiled as she sat up and shook her head. "Nothing. Mara is fine." She watched as John smiled and made his way into the room. Mara decided to push all her thoughts away. She just wanted to be happy, and she could be that as long as John was around.

xXx

Micki's eyes flew open as she felt the jet come to a stop. Turning her head slightly to the side, she watched as Logan pushed a few buttons and then got up from his seat. She took that as a sign that they had arrived. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she too stood. A nice stretch and she made her way to the back of the jet where the door was. She waited till Logan came and opened the door, and together the two walked out.

Her eyes scanned the area, taking in her surroundings. It was dark, and very cold. A chill passed through as a breeze picked up around them. There was a surrounding of trees and in the distance Micki could see smoke. She figured that's where they were headed. It was oddly quiet for a forest and she couldn't understand why nature would not speak with her.

She took a step off the platform and onto the ground, only to find it very muddy. Frowning at the mud that now covered her boots, she carefully made her way through the woods, following right behind Logan. He had drawn his claws out, a warning for Micki to be careful. She stuck close behind him, keeping all her sense open.

There was a shuffling behind them and she spun, only to find Logan already in front of her, crouched low and growling. She fell back into a fighting stance and listened even closer to the distance, hoping she could catch whoever had already spotted them. There were a few voices in the background, but they were coming from everywhere.

"Micki, stick close. Don't stray away from me." Micki only nodded, having no intention of moving away from him. She knew that they were up against more than one person, and she had no idea what these mutants were like. She wasn't going to risk getting killed.

Logan suddenly cursed himself for bringing Micki along on this mission. What had he been thinking? It would be better if he didn't have anyone to protect. He had known that they would be up against more than just one mutant. The confidence he had once had that Micki could take care of herself was still there, but it was quickly dissipating to the back of his mind. The animal inside him screamed at himself, yelling 'stupid' over and over again. This was a mission he should have gone on alone. If he got hurt that was okay, but if Micki got hurt, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. The girl was too precious to him to see her get hurt.

The wolverine heard laughter to his side and automatically he leapt into the air, claws drawn and at his side. He landed on the ground and growled at a blue eyed, blue haired ponytail boy. He felt Micki run up behind him, probably to keep to his order. "Who are you boy?" he asked in a low growl.

The boy stared at him and a smirk appeared on his face. "And why should I tell you?" And as soon as that was said he melted into the ground and Logan couldn't tell where he was anymore.

After seeing the boy, Micki ran through the list of convicts on the other planets. She'd had a nagging feelings she'd seen him before and sure enough she had. Finally her mind had settled on one incident where she'd met this boy. He had been charged of murder and sentenced to death, but as soon as that had happened, the boy had disappeared, into the ground much like he had just done. It had been raining that day.

Micki turned her attention to Logan. "Water! As long as there is water around, he can liquefy himself. The mud Logan. He's using the mud to mask himself."

"That would explain why I can't pick up his sent." Logan growled deeply.

"You said he has friends, right?" the girl asked. "Do you know how many?"

"I have no idea."

Great! Just what Micki wanted… to be up against an unknown number of people. She once again fell into a fighting stance, but it did her no good as she had no idea where people were or even if she'd already been surrounded. It didn't help even more when she'd felt something wrap itself around her leg and yank her into the ground.

"Logan!"

Logan spun around and grabbed Micki's hand just before she was pulled all the way under. Mud encased the girl from the waist down. He pulled, trying to help her out, but she was firmly planted in the ground.

Once again he went along cursing himself. Logan knew it wasn't going to help, but he couldn't help but feel responsible for getting Micki into this mess. He planted his feet against the ground and pulled as hard as he could. Slowly she rose out of the mud until finally she was free. He saw the vine that had wrapped itself around her foot and immediately he sliced at it with his claws, releasing the girl of her captor.

Micki made her way to her feet and frowned at how much mud now cloaked her. A soft growl made its way out her mouth and she leaned down, slamming her fist against the ground causing the ground to shake. The young boy she had seen earlier and a young girl both shot up from the ground from dizziness. Now that she had a better look she definitely recognized this pair

xXx

Jen had been practicing with her powers, when suddenly her wall of ice had cracked. Staring at it, she couldn't help but feel something was wrong. She stared over at her cousin who she had forced to come outside with her. Lily stared at the wall of ice, her eyes not tearing from it once. Jen could see a small darkness forming in the girl's eyes. She turned her gaze back to the ice wall and watched as it just shattered.

"Lily…"

"Something is about to happen."

"What?"

Lily slowly turned her gaze up at her cousin. She shook her head. "I couldn't say."

AN: Once again, sorry it took so long for this update. Please review.