Cecily woke to the sun streaming through the curtains, its warmth hitting her eyes and pulling her from sleep. She groaned, squinting at the clock on the nightstand. It was still early, the kind of quiet hour when the world seemed to be holding its breath. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before sliding out of bed.

She pulled open the curtains, letting the light flood the room. She stood there for a moment, taking it all in, feeling a strange mix of peace and longing.

Her gaze drifted back to the bed, to the empty space beside her. It was a sight she had grown used to over the years, but the absence still tugged at her heart.

Today, though, something felt different. Cecily knew it had been a few weeks since she had last visited, and the thought of going back weighed heavily on her. But it was something she needed to do.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the day ahead. With a determined nod, she turned away from the window and began to prepare for the day ahead.

It had been a couple of months since they'd left, but now, it was time to come home. As they walked through the doors of the mansion, the familiar warmth of the place washed over them, along with the sight of their friends gathered to welcome them back.

The moment Cecily spotted Storm, her heart swelled with emotion. Without a second thought, she dropped her bags and sprinted across the room, wrapping Storm in a tight embrace.

"Welcome back," Storm murmured, hugging her just as tightly.

Cecily buried her face in Storm's shoulder, holding on like she'd never let go. "I missed you," she whispered, her voice full of emotion.

Storm smiled, pulling back slightly to look at her. "I missed you too, Cecily. It's good to have you home."

The room buzzed with excitement as the others gathered around, but for a moment, it was just Cecily and Storm.

Cecily reluctantly let go of Storm and turned to Jean, pulling her into a warm embrace. "Hi, Jean," she said softly, holding on for a moment longer before they both stepped back.

Jean's eyes caught something new, and she gently took Cecily's hand, her gaze fixating on the ring glimmering on Cecily's finger. "This is new," Jean remarked, a knowing smile spreading across her face.

Cecily giggled, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Do you like it? I got it recently," she said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Jean smiled warmly, giving Cecily's hand a gentle squeeze. "It's beautiful, Cecily. It suits you perfectly."

Storm walked over, taking Cecily's hand to examine the ring more closely. "It's beautiful," she said, her tone sincere. She looked up, meeting Cecily's eyes with a knowing smile. "I can't believe you kept this a secret. How long were you planning to hide it from us?"

Cecily laughed, shaking her head. "It wasn't a secret, just... something I wanted to share in person."

Storm pulled Cecily into another hug, tighter this time. "I'm happy for you," she said warmly, her voice full of affection. "You deserve this."

Cecily glanced over at Scott, her heart racing a little as she worried about how he might react. She held her breath for a moment, surprised when he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

"I thought I told you not to do anything stupid," Scott muttered, his tone gruff but softened by the smile tugging at his lips.

Cecily laughed, the tension melting away. "When do I ever listen to you?" she teased, her voice light and full of affection.

Scott pulled back slightly, giving her a stern look that quickly turned into a grin. "Guess I should've known better."

Cecily slid open the metal door to the outpost, the cold air brushing past her as she stepped inside. Her eyes scanned the dimly lit space until she spotted Caliban.

"Hi, Caliban," she greeted softly.

Caliban looked up from what he was doing, his expression serious. "Logan's asleep right now," he informed her.

She nodded, trying to keep her voice steady. "How's he doing?"

"He's barely sleeping, drinking more and some of the wounds he's getting... they're not healing," Caliban replied, his tone heavy with concern.

Cecily's gaze dropped to the floor, a knot of helplessness tightening in her chest. There was nothing she could do to fix it, and that reality weighed on her. After a moment of silence, she cleared her throat. "I'm gonna... I'm gonna go see the professor," she said, her voice quieter now.

As she stepped outside, she made her way to where the Professor was being kept, her steps heavy with the weight of her thoughts.

Cecily entered the small, dimly lit room where the professor was being kept. She gently shut the door behind her and walked over to where he was lying down. The moment she approached, his eyes fluttered open.

"Cecily?" he called out, his voice weak but filled with recognition.

She reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Hi, Professor," she greeted him softly.

"Cecily," he began, his tone urgent, "you must talk to Logan."

Cecily sighed, releasing his hand to rub her face in frustration. "Please, Professor, not this again," she said, her voice laced with exhaustion. She knew exactly what he was referring to—his persistent belief that there was another mutant out there, someone important.

"Cecily, you must," he insisted, his voice growing more desperate. "It's crucial."

She shook her head, feeling the weight of his words but knowing how difficult it would be. "Even if I wanted to, he won't talk to me, Professor," she admitted, a note of defeat in her voice. She turned away, heading for the door. "I'll try to come back soon," she said, her heart heavy as she left, trying to drown out the sound of his protests echoing behind her.

Cecily walked back inside, the tension in the air palpable. Logan glanced up at her, his expression hard and unwelcoming. "What are you doing here, Cecily?" he asked, his voice cold and distant.

She met his gaze, unflinching. "What do you think, Logan?" she replied, her tone steady despite the turmoil she felt inside.

Logan studied Cecily, his eyes taking in every detail. The exhaustion was evident in the dark circles under her eyes, and her once long, blonde hair was now short and brown. His jaw tightened, frustration crossing his face.

"You shouldn't be here," he muttered, turning his back to her. Cecily stood in silence for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"I talked to Caliban earlier," she started. When he didn't respond, she continued, "He says you're not sleeping and your wounds aren't healing."

She hesitated, her voice trembling slightly, "I'm... I'm worried."

Logan let out a bitter laugh. "Didn't seem too worried when you left," he said.

"That's not fair," Cecily replied, shaking her head. "You know it wasn't like that."