Scott couldn't help but give a slight smile, "It didn't hurt, so I'd say no." he shifted a little in his spot, "so you don't know how the professor got hurt?"

She shook her head, "No one is telling me what happened. They just say it was an accident... Do you know what happened?... Though I guess you do cause you said I hurt Charlie." She pouted. Even the thought of hurting someone made her sad.

"I guess it was an accident." Scott replied, "although I don't really know what happened either. I just walked in and the professor was hurt and you only had a few scratches on you... I thought it was your fault..." he looked away, a bit ashamed now, "he told me it just an accident the other day, I dunno. I guess I was being stupid. I'm sorry"

Ciara nodded. "I guess that makes sense... It's ok, Scottie. I forgive you." She wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug before quickly getting up. "Look Look!" She grabbed a book from the shelf, "I can read it. I can read it." She said, starting to read a book Scott had read her before.

Scott looked over her shoulder at the book curiously, "hey, you're getting good at that. you sure you didn't just memorize it?" he teased

She blushed, a little flustered that he would question the awesome skills she'd had picked up "No! I'm getting smart like Hankie." She said pushing him a little.

"Okay, what's this word?" he grinned a bit and pointed at one word, then another, testing out her skills.

Soon enough they found themselves in the library, laughing and messing around with teaching Ciara more words. Over the next few days all was forgotten and forgiven between them.

*

Ciara had been tucked into bed and the lights had been turned off but she couldn't get to sleep... So she got up, her fluffy pjs and toy in hand as she took the main stairs, one step at a time. It were there that she heard adult voices yelling at one another...

meow?

Time skip?

"It's wrong Charles!" Eric urged, "you're denying her who she is. What she is."

"What she is, Eric, is a danger to herself and others" Charles replied as calmly as he could manage. There was a strain to his voice however, he was trying not to come across as hostile.

"You sound like them" Eric snapped in return, "What's next Charles? Gather more and more of us, stamp numbers in our arms, take control"

"That's ridiculous-"

"Come across someone really dangerous, someone who can change the world perhaps." Eric advanced on his friend, anger in his eyes, "You can't trust anyone but yourself not to screw up, so suddenly killing them doesn't seem like such a bad thing-"

"I would never!"

"By the time you realize what's happening it's already too late. You've become one of the monsters."

"Eric ENOUGH!" Charles snapped, pushing him away, "You know I would never do such things!"

"I can already see it happening in you Charles" Eric glared at him, "I saw it happen in them to. Not all the German Nazis were so bad at first, they had the lines they thought they'd never cross. But little by little, one at a time they caved in to it. Before they even knew what was happening, they were bloodthirsty murderers like the rest."

"Eric" Charles sighed, leaning back against his desk as he ran a hand over his smooth head.

"Watch yourself my friend" Eric's voice was full of anger and caution, "Because as soon as you start crossing that line. I will stop you. We're evolved. We're better than them, so start acting like it."

Ciara froze, a few feet from the door as the shouting got louder and louder. She covered her ears, why were people yelling. She didn't like yelling.

Slowly as their conversation came to a close, Ciara inched herself to the door. She was sniffling but the time she knocked.

Eric and Charles fell completely silent as the knock came, apparently Charles hadn't been paying much attention to anyone else in the building. After a moment the professor opened the door and offered her a smile, "Ciara, are you alright?" he asked softly.

She shook her head and quickly wrapped her arms around his leg, "Why are Papa and Charlie so mad?...I..I...I couldn't fall asleep... I didn't want to be alone."

Charles looked back at Eric, who's angered eyes had instantly fallen soft. Eric walked over and picked Ciara up, hugging her, "It's alright" he assured her.

"Sometimes we have arguments" Charles added, "but we would never harm each other, and especially, we would never let you get hurt."

"Would you like me to tuck you back into bed?" Eric offered with a gentle smile.

Ciara snuggled into Eric instantly, his smell had a calming effect. She reached out and took hold of Charles hand and placed it on Eric's shoulder, "Friends shouldn't fight...." She looked at Eric, "Will you stay with me?...For a little while?"

Eric nodded, glancing back at charles briefly before carrying her out of the room and back to bed, "I'll read you a story until you fall asleep, alright?

Ciara coxed Eric to sit in her bed so she could snuggle up to him. "Little mermaid?" She asked, cuddling closer.

Eric found himself smiling easily, Ciara always had that effect on him. Neither of his own children were quite as good at making him smile. Pietro kept getting himself into trouble and Wanda... well.
Shaking off these thoughts from his mind, the master of magnetism pulled out the little story book of the Little Mermaid and began reading it to her.

Ciara fell asleep curled up to him, sleeping peacefully. No longer breaking vases or pipes. No longer afriad of the red eyes that haunted her dreams... She was happy.

((I thought Eric didn't find out about his kids till after he left the mansion?))

((... riiiggghhht. Ignore that part then XD))

Eric sighed and stroked her hair gently as she slept. Finally he rose and left her to sleep.

*

Ciara stood behind a white curtain, observing the large lab from the edge of the curtain. It was so big and so many machines making funny noises. She'd been told not to go in because there were things that could hurt her but she was ever so curious.

Hank was working away in the lab, he hardly seemed to even notice her presence as he moved around with vigor and purpose to each station.

Ciara's eyes locked on a book on the table, titled "Human Anatomy" She mouthed the title out and couldn't help but smile a little bit. She could see that the book had several glossy pages in it... Pages that would have pictures with words and lines pointing to things on the pictures.

She waited till Hank was on the other side of the room before sneaking out from behind the curtain. She reached up but the table was too high for her. Even on her tippy toes she could just... almost...

"Can I help you?" Hank asked, suddenly standing over her as he looked down through his glasses at her.