Days slipped by without trouble as Hal continued to help Emma train in the woods, sharpening her abilities by mind-controlling critters and practicing restraint. Yet as the days dragged on, a restless feeling gnawed at him.
Illyana still hadn't returned. Each passing day only made the guilt sink deeper into his chest. And while the estate remained eerily peaceful — no police at the gates, no government agents sniffing around for missing teenagers — the silence only made Hal more uneasy. They needed to move soon. But without Illyana back, he wasn't ready to leave. Not yet. He promised himself: just a few more days. If she still didn't show, they'd have to go without her.
This morning, like all the others, Hal walked a few steps behind Emma, keeping a watchful eye as she wandered the edge of the Frost estate, scanning for animals to practice on. But instead of a squirrel or a bird, they stumbled across something — someone — else.
Roberto lay sprawled in a clearing where the sunlight cut through the trees, soaking up the soft morning rays. He stared blankly up at the sky, arms stretched out, as if trying to merge with the light itself.
Emma slowed to a halt, clearly hesitant. Roberto hadn't exactly been welcoming to her in the past. Hal gave her a nod before walking forward alone.
"Sunbathing?" Hal asked casually, stepping closer.
Roberto cracked a smile without moving. "You know me. I'm like a plant. Sunlight powers me."
Hal chuckled. "I wouldn't say a plant. Maybe more like Superman."
Roberto laughed lightly. "You think I'm Superman?"
"You can't breathe freezing mist or shoot lasers from your eyes," Hal said with a smirk. "But sure, close enough."
"Nah…" Roberto muttered, his smile fading. "Superman doesn't burst into flames when he powers up. His skin doesn't turn black as coal, either."
"I've never actually seen you transform," Hal said.
"Trust me," Roberto mumbled, "you don't want to."
Roberto's gaze flicked past Hal, noticing Emma lingering awkwardly behind.
"Training her?" he asked, voice almost bored.
Hal shrugged. "Wanna join?"
Roberto scoffed, finally pushing himself up onto his elbows. "And be her lab rat? No thanks."
"Come on, you don't have to be so hostile," Hal said with a sigh.
"Easy for you to say," Roberto muttered. "You're immune to her powers. I'm not."
"She's trying to learn control," Hal reminded him.
Roberto shrugged, unbothered. "You can't blame me for not trusting her, Rayner."
"I'm not blaming you. I get it. But at least try to be civil."
Roberto raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I'll be nice. Happy now? Now, if you don't mind, I'm trying to enjoy the sun."
"Got it. I'll leave you alone."
Hal turned back to Emma, who was still standing a few steps away, watching. Together, they walked away from the clearing.
"He still doesn't like me, huh?" Emma muttered under her breath.
"Call it... warranted suspicion," Hal said carefully.
Emma frowned. "Warranted? What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm not trying to be rude. But you'll have to face this sooner or later," Hal said, voice gentle. "Your powers don't exactly inspire trust. Not from people like Roberto, who value their privacy. Even if you don't mean harm."
"But… I'm not doing anything," she whispered, hurt flashing across her face.
"But he doesn't know. And that fear doesn't go away just because you're a good person," Hal said quietly. "I'm sorry."
Emma clenched her fists at her sides. "So in the end, I'll just be an outcast everywhere."
"That's not true," Hal said firmly. "Look at Dani. She trusts you. I trust you."
Emma gave a small chuckle, but it didn't last. Her smile faded as quickly as it came. "Listen, I—"
She stopped walking, freezing mid-step.
Hal halted too. "What's wrong?"
"I wanted to talk about… escaping," she said, voice low.
Hal's expression turned serious. "So you've made a decision?"
"No, no, not yet. It's just…" Emma hesitated, hugging herself tighter. "I need… approval."
Hal raised an eyebrow. "Approval?"
"I mean I want to hear your thoughts," she corrected herself with a blush. "I want to stay."
Hal's features softened. "That's good. If that's what you want, then stay."
"But… my father." Her voice cracked slightly. "My family. I can't stand them. I want to stay because maybe… if I inherit the estate someday, I could use it. Maybe I could help people like us. Teach them. Protect them when the public world finally… discovers us."
Her words trailed off, as if she wasn't even sure she believed them.
Hal gave her a warm smile. "That's a noble dream if I've ever heard one."
Emma gave a shy smile. "Thanks. But still... I can't. I just can't deal with my family. Which is why, maybe, I could..." She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Make them nicer to me?"
Hal stayed silent for a moment. Then he reached out and gently took her hand. Emma flinched, but when she looked up at him, she didn't see judgment — only understanding, only compassion.
"If that's what you need to survive, then do it," Hal said calmly. "But, Emma... don't ever start seeing people as toys. Or livestock. We might have powers they don't, but we're still living in the same cruel world. Everyone's shaped by the life they've been given. Just like you. Just like me. Remember that, okay?"
Emma's throat tightened. She stammered out, "I-I'll keep that in mind."
Hal smiled lightly, then said, "Hey, Emma?"
"Y-Yeah?" she answered, still a little thrown off.
"There's something... I want to try. It's personal. Is that okay?"
She nodded before she could even think about it, her heart beating a little faster as she found herself unconsciously leaning in.
Hal closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Emma held her breath — and suddenly felt something brush against her mind, a strange, foreign sensation that made her jolt back, releasing his hand.
"W-What was that?!" she gasped, stepping away.
"I'm sorry," Hal chuckled, holding up his hands. "That was me."
"W-What? I thought you said you weren't a telepath!" she said, wide-eyed.
"I'm not, normally. I just—" He paused as the sensation faded away.
Emma blinked and said, "It's gone."
"I know." Hal gave a low hum. "It's temporary... I think."
"What's temporary?" she asked, still shaken.
"I think I can copy powers," Hal said casually, as if he were discussing the weather. "But only if I feel... compassion toward the person."
"You're serious," Emma muttered, staring at him like he'd grown another head. "How many powers do you even have?"
"Don't know the exact count yet," Hal laughed. "Anyway, keep that feeling in mind, alright? You might meet another telepath one day — better to recognize the signs."
Emma gave a small, shaky nod.
"Come on," Hal said, his voice lighter. "Let's head back."
—
That night, Hal sat by the fire with the rest of the group, quietly eating the meal Roberto had cooked. The fire was no longer a big, open blaze — it burned underground now, hidden beneath a carefully dug pit with a secondary hole for oxygen flow. A large rock and a few sticks covered the main opening, letting just enough air pass through to keep the fire alive while keeping the smoke thin and manageable. Safe enough now that they didn't even need the protective dome overhead.
Tonight's dinner was simple: soup. A mixture of canned goods scavenged from the abandoned facility and odds and ends from Emma's family's pantry. Most of them ate in silence, while the girls — Emma and Dani especially — chatted happily off to the side.
Hal, meanwhile, just stared at his bowl. He idly stirred the soup, not really hungry. He had realized, days ago, that he didn't seem to feel hunger anymore — not when he had energy stored up inside him. Tonight was another one of those nights. The soup was just something to keep his hands busy.
Emma's words from earlier drifted back to him: about wanting to teach, to guide her kind. Mutants. She had a dream — one that felt impossible to Hal, but she chose to chase it anyway.
And what about him?
That question gnawed at him again. Could he guide mutants too? Could he stand at the front when the time came?
No, Hal thought. It wasn't about whether he could. He had to. Especially if mutantkind is finally revealed to the world. Would they be welcomed? Feared? Hunted? He had to be ready — for himself, and for the others.
He looked around at them — the boys eating quietly, the girls laughing softly — and sighed. How long could this little bubble of peace last?
It was then he heard a sound behind him — a low hum, a crackle in the air — and turned just in time to see a portal open.
Illyana stepped through, looking exactly the same as when she'd left: the same scuffed clothes, the same tired scowl carved into her face. Without a word, she strode over, plopped down near the fire, and grabbed a bowl.
"I'm starving," she muttered, ladling out soup from the pot and shoveling it down almost viciously. She finished in minutes, slamming the empty bowl down in front of her before leaning back with a heavy sigh, as if she hadn't just been missing for days.
Everyone stared at Illyana.
"You okay?" Hal asked carefully.
She rolled her eyes. "Not this again. I'm fine, Hal."
Hal just smiled. "You called me by my name. That's new."
"What, you want me to call you 'New Guy' again?" she muttered. "Stop complaining."
"I'm not complaining," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "If that's not obvious enough."
"Then stop talking," she snapped.
Hal chuckled and left it at that. It was then Illyana's sharp gaze landed on an unfamiliar face — the brown haired girl sitting close to Dani.
She frowned. "Who's that?"
Emma stiffened, glancing nervously at Hal for backup before answering, "I'm... Emma. Emma Frost. I live here. I'm a mutant too."
"Oh," Illyana said flatly. Then, after a beat, "Then why are we out here? Why not inside?"
"Because my parents don't know you're here," Emma explained, fidgeting slightly. "If they find out, the people hunting you might come."
"Let them come," Illyana muttered, crossing her arms. "Though I guess our fearless leader here would rather run than fight."
"It's not worth it," Hal said simply. "They'll just keep coming, and bring bigger guns every time. Better to avoid the fight while we can."
"Whatever you say," she muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm.
But then Illyana stiffened, her hand shooting up to her temple. She scowled and turned sharply toward Emma. "Did you just—? Was that you?"
Emma shrank back. "I—I didn't mean to—"
In a flash, Illyana summoned her sword, pointing it straight at Emma.
"First that doctor, then the New Guy, now you? People on Earth are way too curious," she growled.
"Hey!" Dani shouted, yanking Emma out of the way. "Illyana! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Illyana!" Hal said, his voice firm. He quickly stepped between them, throwing up a barrier of energy. "Enough!"
"Get off me," Illyana muttered, but she didn't pull away.
"She can't help it," Hal said. "It's her power — telepathy. She's new to it."
Illyana's eyes narrowed, but when Hal grabbed the blade of her sword, energy crackling as he started absorbing it, she huffed and made the weapon vanish with a flick of her wrist.
She turned, as if about to walk away, but Hal caught her wrist gently.
"I said get off me," she repeated, though there was no real force behind her words.
"Illyana," Hal said softly. "We need to talk. Alone."
She hesitated, meeting his eyes — and for a moment, all she saw was not judgement, but understanding. compassion.
"Fine," she muttered.
—
Hal stood with Illyana at the edge of the forest, the night air cool and still around them. She turned to him sharply, her eyes hard.
"What do you want to talk about?" she said, already sounding annoyed.
"You, first of all," Hal said. "And you need to stop."
"Stop what?" she snapped.
"Being so damn defensive when you don't need to be," Hal said calmly. "It's fine to be cautious if someone tries to read your mind. But pulling a sword on her? She's sitting with us, Illyana. She's not tied up or threatening anyone."
"I don't like people sneaking into my head," she muttered. "That includes you. That includes everyone."
"Yeah? So does Roberto. So do I," Hal said. "Nobody likes it."
Illyana clicked her tongue in irritation. "Alright. Fine. I'm sorry."
Hal nodded slightly, then asked, "Do you even know how long you've been gone?"
She frowned. "What? Isn't this just the day after I left?"
"You've been gone for days," Hal said. "I was thinking we should move on, but we stayed because you hadn't come back."
Illyana froze.
"You... waited for me?" she said, quieter now.
"What, you wanted us to just leave you behind?" Hal asked. "If you want out, just say so. At least then we won't feel guilty if we have to leave."
She looked down, her voice softer. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Time doesn't work the same in Limbo. I have to concentrate to land where — and when — I want. Sometimes I miss."
Hal sighed and stepped closer, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder. She finally looked up at him.
"I get it," he said. "And I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you about things you don't want to talk about. Are we good?"
Illyana gave a small nod. "Yes. We're good."
"Then please," Hal said, voice gentle but firm, "stop picking fights with everyone. Especially with Emma. She's new to all this. She's not your enemy."
"I'll apologize," Illyana said with a hum, almost grudging — but genuine. "Are we done?" Illyana asked stiffly.
Hal let go of her shoulder. "Yeah, we're done. Now let's get back—and don't forget to apologize."
They returned to the camp, where the others were still gathered around the fire. Illyana walked up to Emma, standing awkwardly in front of her.
"I... apologize," she muttered, almost too quietly to hear. Without waiting for a response, she turned and sat down heavily near the fire.
Everyone stared at her, stunned. This wasn't like her at all.
Roberto leaned in toward Hal, whispering, "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing," Hal said with a shrug.
"So you're telling me she just... apologized? Out of the goodness of her heart?" Roberto raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like bullshit to me."
"People can apologize, you know."
"You know the first thing she did when she met Dani was try to pick a fight, right?" Roberto said, voice low. "She nearly slashed her face."
"Well..." Hal muttered, "people change."
Roberto snorted. "Yeah, sure. You should really look into your powers more, man. Maybe you are messing with her head."
"I don't think so," Hal said, shaking his head. "It's not like that. I'm not influencing anyone."
Roberto just shrugged and moved away, muttering something under his breath.
Hal stood and cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.
"Hey, everyone," he said. "Now that Illyana's back, we should get ready to move. Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Dani frowned. "But what about Emma?"
All eyes turned to her, making the girl visibly shrink under the attention.
"I'm... not going with you," Emma said, her voice soft but firm. "I'm staying."
The rest of the night drifted by with Dani and Emma talking quietly, the others giving them space, as Emma shared her hopes and dreams—and the difficult road she was about to walk.