Eric frowned, "I still don't like this" he commented, "Even if he's from another dimension, what proof do we have that he's really so different from our Sinister?"

"All Horatio said was that he changed things" Beast agreed, "He didn't say for the better or for the worst. He could still be lying."


Nathan glanced at the glass but just shook his head and looked back at Ciara, "It isn't enough. They will doubt me until the day I die. There's nothing I can say to make them believe me, only you have that power."

"But he is different!" She protested. "It may not make sense to you but Nathan treated me much different than Sinister. Even though I was under his control, he still tried to act like Nathan, keep me from doubting the feelings he altered.... I couldn't see if then but now that I'm out of that situation it's so much clearer...

The look in his eyes, his tone of voice...when he didn't think I was looking... the way he pushed me away when I tried to stop him from hurting others... How he enjoyed watching me drown over and over again..." She gripped her hands to her chest. Remembering her time with Sinister "Nathan is nothing like that man... Something always felt odd with Sinister when I related my feelings for Nathan to him..."

"He's not a bad person!" She declared before turning back to Nathan. "I can only make them see to a point. You also need to show them that you're different from Sinister... Would you allow the Cuckcoos to enter your mind to confirm that you're not a threat?" She asked looking into his eyes, wiping some of the sweat from his brow.

Nathan looked away from her, "I... can't. I won't let any telepath inside my head. It's just not something I can bring myself to allow." his hands gripped the arm rest of the chair tightly, "trust is not something I have been capable of for most of my life. I trust you Ciara... but not them"

"Then how can you expect anyone else to trust you back?" Pietro spoke up.

"I don't expect them to trust me" Nathan replied, "I expect them to trust Ciara."



"Perhaps" Charles offered, "with the proper precautions, we could give him a chance? Keep the collar on, give him a guard and see what he does with it?"

"Everyone desires a second chance. Please Scotty!" She asked, her eyes big and her hands together.
Scott paused. She hadn't called him Scotty since before she had been taken from them. Scott ruffled his hair. The situation was so much easier when he thought there was only one Sinister. "Alright. But one step outta line and you're back in here, got it, Nathan?" He turned the speaker off and turned to the others as Ciara smiled happily.

"Is it just me or does Ciara seem much more back to normal than before she entered the room?"

"You don't think he did something, did he?" Beast frowned, glaring at Nathan through the glass.

"I'll have a look at her" Charles assured, "I get the feeling that having Nathan around might actually be beneficial to her recovery."

Magneto was silent for awhile whilst they spoke, he stared at Nathan, distrusting but finally raised his hand to release him from the chair. "I'll call Colossus in to watch him"



Nathan let out a sigh of relief as the metal finally moved away from his body, however the collar of course was still in place and Eric had apparently decided to keep a bit of metal bound to Nate's wrists-just in case he needed to be subdued again. He carefully pulled himself out the chair and stretched his stiff muscles, "Well... it's a start." he smiled at Ciara.

"Pietro can you go get a glass of water please?" She asked, looking Nathan over. "You said you would let someone into your head... Would you perhaps let Rogue touch you?" She asked, helping him out of the chair.

"Are you sure?" Pietro asked, he didn't want to leave her alone with him, even for just a moment.

Nathan thought for a moment but shook his head, "No. Everyone she touches stays a part of her forever, That's almost worse"

"It's alright Pietro. There's no need for me to be scared anymore." She frowned at Nathan, "I just wish there was a way to make them trust you as much as I do... You'll have to gain their trust all over again..."

Pietro hesitated before speeding from the room to get her some water.

Nathan shrugged, "I'm not sure they all ever really trusted me to begin with. There were always some parts of my nature that I can't hide... my hunger for knowledge. I know it can be dangerous, spending time with Hank and Phil I'm sure they've seen it to, but it's them I would like to thank for keeping me in check-for seeing that I can't always be trusted. Not when it comes to science anyway. Don't get me wrong" he touched her cheek lightly, "I'm glad that you feel like you can trust me... but Ciara... don't... don't you ever let me do anything to you. Even if it's just an eye-exam, one thing leads to another and I can't always stop myself." he swallowed, "I don't want to hurt you."

She nodded, "We all have our demons, Nathan. But not all of us can admit to having them. I promise I won't let you." She promised, giving him a hug. "Even if my Dads aren't around, I'll make sure not to let you."

"Especially if they aren't around" Nathan hugged her tightly, "It's those two who have helped keep me in line for most of my time here. I would love nothing more than to have them continue to do so"

Ciara pulled away and went up to the glass, "Can Nathan still come over to play Scientist with you two? Pleeeeeease?" She asked sweetly.

Beast and Phil looked at each other, "We'll discuss it" Phil replied through the speaker.

Nathan smiled and Pietro returned with the water, "we should head back Ciara" he stated, glancing at Nathan uncertainly.

"I'll see you later then" Nathan looked up at ciara, he was after all still in a ten-year-old's body, and thus, much shorter than her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Nathan." She took the glass of water and handed it to Nathan. "You seem to be a little dehydrated... I'll see you later, Nathan." She said, her hand slipping into Pietro's as they left.

Nathan accepted the glass of water, sipping from it he watched Ciara disappear and then he turned to the glass with a victorious smile, "So then gentlemen, where do we go from here?"

Meanwhile Pietro took Ciara back to the hospital.

Ciara entered her room and spun around in a couple circles before flomping down on the bed. "Ohhh, I feel so much better after visiting Nathan. It's like a weight has been lifted off my chest."

"Really?" Pietro asked, a little confused, "But... how do you know he was telling the truth?"

"Because." She sat up, "Because I've spent a lot of time with Sinister... He's so different than Nathan... You can't hear it but he has the same patterns in his speech as Sinister. When Sinister acted kind to me his voice and facial expressions were different than when Nathan talks to me... Plus, I'm also following this." She stood up, taking his hand and placing it on her chest. "I wasn't wrong about you, was I?"

Pietro frowned but sighed, "Alright... just... be careful around him okay? Just in case..."

"Promise. Cross my heart and hope to die." She said doing the actions involved with it. "Pietro..." She shifted back and forth, "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Pietro blinked, caught off by the question, "Wh-what? Yes! I mean, you are... and... um... why do you ask?"

Ciara looked away. "Well... because I think you're....Nevermind."

"what?" He tilted her chin up to meet her gaze, "what's on your mind?"

She could feel her knee going weak and her face flushing. She couldn't looked away, "That's because..I..." She started, moving closer to him, her eyes closing slightly. "love..."

Pietro bridged the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers.