Ruth was out of the mansion within the hour.

Raven had made Jean pack up her things for her, making sure they only fit in one suitcase. It wasn't hard, Ruth didn't have much.

It was around five in the morning when everyone's safety was insured. It was also the time when Ruth was sent away.

Charles had persuaded Raven to let Ruth take a warm bath before she left, but that was it. He didn't look at her when she left.

She sat in Hank's car, her nails digging into her arm. She was still crying.

"Is there anywhere I can take you?" he asked for the fifth time. Like the other times, she didn't respond. He growled. "Ruth, as someone who went to college when he was your age and younger, I should know that having somewhere to stay is extremely important! Do you have any family in New York? Any at all?"

She sniffed, shaking her head violently. "No! I'm from California! I don't know most of my family because pretty much none of them approved of my parents getting married! I'm alone! Just send me to jail again!"

Hank skidded to a stop in the middle of the road, nearly sending Ruth flying through the windshield.

He whirled around to glare and her and her heart started to race, a jolt of fear striking her.

He took a deep breath. "There is no way I'm sending you back there. Never. Damn, I'd send you to St. Agnes, but they wouldn't accept you."

She let out a shaky breath. "I'm Catholic if that helps? They take in stray Catholics?"

He started to drive, slowly, looking at her. "Really?" She nodded. "Huh. Didn't strike me as the type."

She bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah. Kurt doesn't know. Uh, I don't like the church much, you know?"

Hank nodded, not answering. After a moment, he said, "I don't want to send you away. Neither does Alex."

She scoffed. "I nearly killed him."

Hank nodded. "Charles trusted Alex not to kill me or him. You remind him of himself. He knew you didn't mean it. He tried to use that to keep you at the mansion."

She looked at her shoes. "And you?"

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "We let everyone else stay, no matter what they did. We need to stick together. And everyone's mutations are different, that's why we work with them. We were just starting with you."

She bit her lip. "Everyone wants things so fast. I can get it eventually, but no one ever waits!"

He nodded. "That's the way I felt when I was your age. For the longest time, really."

She frowned. "But you graduated college when you were my age! You sped through school!"

He smiled, a little bitterly. "But I wasn't good in social situations. Even when I met Charles and Raven and Erik and Alex. I'm still working on it now."

She looked at him. "Me too." She sighed. "Me too."

Hank nodded and they went silent. It wasn't until they neared the lights that he spoke again. "There's one place I could take you..."

She sighed. "Okay."

º º º º º

"Is she alright?" Alex was the only one that greeted Hank at the door. If his question could count as a greeting.

Hank shook his head. "Not really. She'll live, but she's reverting back to her old self. She was doing so well."

Alex put a hand on his arm. "I know. C'mon, go get some sleep."

Hank let himself be taken to his room by Alex who rubbed circles into his wrist, comforting him in the only way he knew how.

"Thank you, Alex," Hank said as they stopped in front of his door. "Good night."

"Night, Hank," Alex said, nodding. As he turned to go, he heard Hank clear his throat.

"C-could you stay with me? Just to sleep, nothing more?"

Alex turned slowly, looking up at the dorky man in front of him. A man he's known for two decades. He nodded wordlessly, stepping into the room.

At least he could comfort Hank.

º º º º º

Scott had been looking for his brother all morning. He had woken up feeling terrible, his heart aching. He had made his way to Alex's room, but found it empty.

He had skipped over Charles' room, not ready to face the telepath who had enough on his mind. If he was a little upset at the man, he wouldn't admit it to himself.

He had knocked on Hank's door. When there came no reply, he opened the door, frowning when he saw an unusually large lump on the bed.

He closed it wordlessly. He had figured Raven was with Hank, he knew there was some tension between them, maybe they finally figured it out. He would find Alex in the morning.

So he headed back to his room. He didn't want to see any of his friends and he was certain they didn't want to see him. He was the reason Ruth was upset in the first place.

It was all his fault.

He didn't realize he was looking for Ruth until he was in front of her door, his hand raised to knock, his body already ready to lean against the doorframe.

He opened it, knowing there would be no one to open it.

Ruth never decorated her room. She didn't have anything to hang up or paste. If he didn't know her, he wouldn't think anyone had ever stayed in the room.

There weren't any clothes in the closet and no things were on her desk, save for the mansion's textbooks.

He turned to go, but something caught his eye. On her bedside table, in place of a lamp which was on the desk, was the record player he had bought her, the vinyl resting beside it.

He sat on the bed, pulling out the Culture Club vinyl. He never did get to listen to it with her.

He took out the record, placing it on the player. He lifted the needle and let it start.

He let the sound of the music lull him to sleep, imagining Ruth dancing to the songs with him, laughing instead of crying.

With him instead of gone.

º º º º º

"Thank you for letting me stay here, Ms. Maximoff," Ruth said, looking up at the woman placing a plate in front of her.

"Of course, honey," the woman said. She sounded perpetually tired. Not sad, just tired.

Ruth ate in silence, listening to the sound of cutlery hit plates. She tried not to look at the woman in front of her, the woman who gave birth to Peter Maximoff.

"How is he doing?" Ms. Maximoff asked after ten minutes.

"Peter?" Ruth asked, even though she knew the answer. Ms. Maximoff nodded. Ruth cleared her throat. "He's doing well. He's great, really. He's part of a team and he's doing great things. He has friends, he was my first friend."

She smiled fondly, a faraway look in her eyes. The look of a mother who missed her child. "He was always a little strange growing up, but he always had this aura. He knew how to connect with people, even if he liked to just hole himself up in that room of his."

Ruth smiled. "He's amazing. He helped save the world, actually, those few months ago."

Ms. Maximoff put a hand over her heart, gasping. "I had no idea. He hasn't called or visited."

Ruth's heart ached for more than one reason. "I'm sorry."

Ms. Maximoff waved her hand, trying to smile. "No worries. I practically threw him out when he decided to leave. We'd seen enough of each other for a while."

Ruth shrugged. "I hope he comes to visit you. He mentioned you the last time I saw him."

She looked so hopeful. "Did he really?"

Ruth nodded, remembering Peter mumble something with the word 'mom' while she stroked his hair. "Yeah. I didn't catch it, but I knew it was about his family."

Her smile faded slightly, but she still looked pleased. "Did he tell you? About his father?"

Ruth shook her head. "No. He never talks about him, I don't think anyone knows."

Ms. Maximoff nodded. "Oh. Well, I feel like he'd want to tell you himself, so I'll keep it to myself."

Ruth shrugged. "You don't have to tell me, but I know I'm not going to be seeing him for a long time."

Ms. Maximoff gave her a sympathetic smile. "You will. I'd give it ten years, then something interesting will happen and you'll have to see them again."

Ruth was starting to see a pattern with years. She went to mention it to Hank, then remembered where she was. So, she continued eating.

º º º º º

Kurt sat in Ruth's room with his friends, frowning at the spot where his blanket pile—their blanket pile—used to be.

"I miss her," he whimpered, looking around the room.

Jubilee nodded. "Yeah, me too." She shot a small firework into the air, harsh and angry. "It's not fair! Hank's plane blew up the school and he's still here! Alex caused it and he's still here!"

"Well, what could we do? Even Charles agreed," Ororo argued, sitting on the chair. "I believe we all deserve a second chance, but like Mystique said, Ruth has been given many chances."

"She set fire to some fucking curtains, that was it!" Scott snapped. He had been lying on the bed, not moving, even when his friends came to find him. "Now she's off in who knows where!"

"Prison." Everyone turned to look at Jean who stood in the doorway. "They had retrieved her from prison. They probably sent her back."

Jubilee put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my God...what do you think she did?"

"Whatever it is, it's probably why Raven didn't trust her," Scott reasoned. "God, she's a jailbird. We trusted a crimina—"

"They had retrieved Alex from jail too," Jean interrupted. The room went silent. "You know this, Scott, he had been asked to be placed in solitary confinement. Charles and the other retrieved him."

Scott was sitting up, staring at her. "What?" Jean nodded and he started to shake his head. "No, no, no, no, you're wrong."

"No, I'm not, Scott, it's true," Jean said.

He was shaking his head violently. "No! They said he was at summer camp all those years! He was a counselor, he helped kids! They showed me the letters he sent them, then he went off to college and got too busy, but came back when they had me! That-that—"

Scott was shaking. He didn't know what to think anymore. Jean tried to reach out to him. "Scott..."

"Stay out of my head, Jean!" He ran out of the room, pushing past his best friend, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Alex!" he screamed, racing down the halls. "Alex you fucker, where are you!"

"Scott, what's wrong?"

He turned towards the voice, shaking. His brother was coming out of Hank's room, wearing clothes that weren't his.

Ruth had done the same and he got angry. Then, within the day, she left.

He burst into tears right there in the hallway, falling to the floor because he couldn't take it anymore.

Alex rushed to his side, pulling him into his arms. "It's okay, Scotty, it's okay."

"No, it's not!" he sobbed, clinging onto his shirt, "You were in jail! She was in jail! I'm mad at you and I was mad at her, then she left! Don't leave me!"

Alex stared down at his hysterical brother, confused at his words. He said the first thing that came to mind. "Who told you I was in jail?"

Scott froze, then let out a shaky breath. He sniffed. "So it's true. Damn it, why didn't you tell me!"

"Because you looked up to me!" Alex cried. "You thought I hung the moon and what was I supposed to say 'yeah, sorry, I know I'm in the army, but I was also in jail, sorry, little bro, the things you told your class about me weren't true', I wasn't going to do that to you, Scott!"

"But I'm older now!" Scott argued, "Were you just never going to tell me?"

Alex stroked his brother's hair. "I don't know."

Scott hiccuped and buried his face in Alex's shirt. "Please don't leave me."

Alex pulled his brother closer, almost protectively. "Promise."

Scott sighed and just let himself be held. He always found the feeling weird. He never liked holding hands too long and when the girls he dated tried to let him touch them, he found himself freezing, uncomfortable with what happened next.

His parents said that he'd learn to like sex and everything else, but he never felt the feeling people described. He didn't understand the need to rip each other's clothes off and just...Kissing was fine and holding hands was fine, but sex he didn't...get.

"What're you thinking of?" Alex asked, noticing the little frown Scott had whenever he was thinking too hard.

"Sex," Scott replied, "And how I don't want to have it, how I don't understand the yearning for it."

Alex rubbed his brother's back. "Then you will never have to."

Scott smiled. "Thanks, Alex." He frowned again, leaning against his brother for support. "I miss her."

Alex nearly froze, recognizing his tone. "It's okay, Scotty. She won't be gone long."

º º º º º

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ruth asked, stepping into the living room to see Ms. Maximoff dusting.

The woman shook her head. "No, but thank you." She looked past Ruth at something. "Why don't you stay in Peter's room? He has some arcade games and other things he'd stolen in there...make yourself at home."

Ruth was taken aback. "Thank you, ma'am."

Ms. Maximoff smiled and continued dusting. Ruth stared at her for a moment before heading towards the door leading to the basement.

Ruth was always afraid of her basement. She was afraid of a lot of things, back when fear ruled her more than anger did.

This basement was different. It wasn't warm, but it looked fun. Not the scary type of fun in the horror movies, but the teenager type of fun. Everything about it screamed 'Peter'.

She smiled and looked around, awestruck by all the stuff he had...stolen. She smiled, thinking of a younger Peter, maybe her age, discovering his mutation. Or maybe he discovered it at a young age. Regardless, he started to steal stuff.

She wondered if he stole things just for himself. It sure looked like it from the startling difference of scenery from the upstairs and the basement.

Then a thought popped into her head.

It's Mother's Day and Peter isn't home. He's who-knows-where and Ms. Maximoff is cleaning the house, sad and alone.

She hears the sound of the doorbell. She expects to see the police, asking for her son. Instead, she sees a large array of flowers in front of her, taking up the entire porch and even the stairs, sent from a stranger.

She hears footsteps behind her and sees Peter, eating a lollipop. "Jeez, who likes you this much, mom? Oh, by the way," he hands her a lollipop, "Happy Mother's Day or whatever."

He retreats back to his room, not looking back. Ms. Maximoff knows it's him, she just knows it. She has no proof, but she knows.

Ruth sat on Peter's bed, smiling. She knew Peter would have done that. He probably did. The thought left her happy for the rest of the day.

A small mercy, really.

a/n ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 4, 2016 BUT UPDATED TO CHANGE THE GIF UP TOP

I'm so proud of this chapter, you have no idea. More view points too! And by more, I mean mostly Scooty Suumers!

Also...Asexual Scott! I took his little thing about his feeling towards sex from my own feelings because I too am asexual sooo...yeah!

Ruth isn't going to be gone for that long! But, she needs to be gone for a while because she's gonna find some shit out as are the X-Kids so...yay, pain!

Also agh! I'm so mad that the gif I used has subtitles (not that I don't love subtitles, they're important) but I tried to keep up my streak of not having them. Why!!!!!

I'm super happy with this chapter and I hope you are all too! Well, maybe not happy happy, but pleased. Yeah, pleased is the best word this chapter is kind of sad...yay!