It was different this time, though. I was able to think. I wasn't completely unconscious. Good, Kristin. That is good. Think. Use this time to think. Okay, so first off: the Family Bond. Pentatonix, well only Kirstie, Mitch, Scott, and Kevin, were now my family. I had a family! That's amazing! I've always wanted one, wanted to feel connected to someone in that way! Hell, I've just wanted to feel connected to someone, no matter what way it turned out to be. Now I have a family. But, unfortunately, that family travels. And they are celebrities. That's going to be difficult to manage. They are on tour, which means they're away a lot. It will be hard to be away from them. Kirstie: the beautiful and bright mezzo-soprano who instantly felt like a sister to me. Kevin: the warm and handsome beatboxer who made me feel confident in myself. Mitch: the spontaneous and wonderful tenor who reminded me of a silly younger brother. Scott: the sweet and funny baritone who constantly carried a positive energy. They were mine, my family. I could not let anyone every harm them or hurt the connection we shared. I needed that to survive. I needed the Family Bond. It was a part of me. If it was ripped away, I would be broken, and for me to be broken almost ensured my annihilation.

And Avriel. Avriel Benjamin Kaplan. My Dragon. My Avriel. My One.

I gasped harshly, being thrust back into reality. I coughed roughly. My One. My Soul Mate. I actually had one, and I had found him! But would he accept the Bond? Or would he destroy me? Would we have a happily ever after, or would our love burn in flames, a natural disaster?

"Kristin, focus! Your Talents are going crazy!"

My eyes flew open, and I shut down my entire being. "Yes?" I asked robotically.

Logan appeared in front of me. "Baby girl, you're okay. You are safe, and everything will be fine. Charles explained the situation to me, and there's no reason to freak out."

I gazed blankly at Logan. "Am I freaking out?"

He stared at me and sighed, shaking his head. He backed up from me and looked to the others in the room. "She's going to be like this for a while."

I appraised the room around me. I was lying on a bed, Quicksilver's. I must have been placed in his room. Charles was beside me near the bed. Silver had one of my hands clasped in his own, and he was buzzing, flickering due to his quick movements. Logan was at the foot of the bed, and a worried Jean was standing near the entryway.

"Hi, Mom."

Jean moved closer, stopping beside Logan. "Are you well, Menagerie?"

I smirked at the nickname. "Of course, Phoenix." At her frown, I corrected myself. "My apologies, Mother. I am currently doing as well as I possibly can, considering I have recently met a man I am to fall unconditionally in love with, only to have the knowledge that there is a low possibility of seeing him again any time soon."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that," Professor mentioned, sounding rather fatuous.

I dully gazed at him. "Why is that, precisely?"

"Your father and I purchased tickets for you to their concert tomorrow night," Jean told me.

"They're VIP," Logan added.

I sighed and resumed to my normal self. "I guess I should tell them that, then."

Silver stopped flitting about. "No, surprise them baby."

Logan shot a glare at Silver, but I ignored him and focused on Jean. "Wait, you said tickets as in plural. Who else is going with me?"

She smiled. "You never miss anything, do you? I was planning on letting you choose. Your father and I only wished for someone to accompany you, but we were not going to limit your options."

I nodded and turned beside me. "Silver, feel up for a concert tomorrow night?"

He smiled brightly. "I'm always up for a concert!"

Logan groaned. "Of course you would have to choose the most idiotic male in North America."

"Hey, I resent that!" Quicksilver yelled, crossing the room to begin wrestling with Dad.

I ignored them and turned to Charles. "Grandpa, what changes will occur to my family?"

"The first alteration should be in the form of a Mark, a tattoo if you will, that will show that they are branded as yours, just as you will receive one when they accept the Bond."

"Is the Mark permanent?" Jean asked, sitting beside me on the sheets.

Charles nodded. "The Marks will endure. There will be a difference, however, between the Mark of your family and that of your One."

I nodded in understanding. "They will notice them soon, no doubt, and have no explanation to how they appeared. This could become problematic, though I imagine I would not have been able to hide my world from them in the future."

Logan looked worried. "Should she tell them so soon, Professor? What if they tell others?"

I bit back a remark, and Jean laid a hand on my shoulder. "If they are bound to her, Logan, they will not be able to tell anyone. It will be next to impossible. The Marks would prevent that."

"Oh, so now I'm taking all of their free will? What kind of messed up concoction did Fate create?" I asked rhetorically.

Silver snorted. "We all discovered a long time ago that she's quite a bit screwed in the head, baby. I thought that by now nothing would upset you."

I laughed shortly. "What is life without surprises, honey?"

"Your One isn't going to like this interaction between you and this idiot, Kristin."

"I know, Logan. It's all innocent, anyway. Quicksilver is my best friend who is a sort of distant relative. Avi will understand."

"Ah, so that is the young man's name?" Jean asked, smiling.

I groaned. "Mom, please don't do this right now. I haven't even talked to him that much."

"He did call," Silver mentioned.

"Why don't you return that call, Menagerie?"

I resisted the urge to plop face down onto the mattress. Why did my parents choose this time to accost me about a man in my life? And, Avi wasn't really even in my life anyways. Plus, I was twenty-five years old, not fifteen. I was old enough to deal with my love life without my parents interfering too much.

Charles saved me from my impending rant. "Dear one, would you like some time to yourself?"

"Yes, please. I need time to reply to my messages and just think about all that has happened. My life has changed so much in one day. I may not show it, but I'm very much overwhelmed at the moment."

They all conceded and stepped out of the room. In fact, I believe they left the apartment. I was unconcerned, as long as I was given the privacy I requested without disruptions.

Breaking news: the girl who thought that she would forever be alone has now found herself with a family and a soul-mate. How, you may ask? She is a mutant, and with all of the abilities she has, the ruler of the universe has decided to gift her with the capability to form Bonds with others. Bonds, also known as soul-connections, are often formed between humans but on a lesser echelon than those of mutants, especially very Talented ones. These Bonds will cause her to form lifelong connections with those who have been Marked, and those involved will always feel emotionally tied to one another. Once the Bond has been officiated, the mental tie will strengthen as well, and some of the Talents of the mutant will be transferred to the humans.

However, because of this intimate connection, both parties will be at a higher risk. Love will unite them, but it also has the capacity to tear them apart in the end. In an instance that the mutant's One is harmed, the mutant will feel the same level of pain and more, along with unlimited grief at failing at being a mate. If the One dies, the mate follows closely behind with a broken heart. If the mate dies, the One will continue living, but usually, the One results to suicide to rejoin their mate wherever they may be.

There are negatives just as there are positives. The mutant will have gained a family, thus closing the hole of loneliness he or she had carried around. Their Talents will become easier to manage and slightly more powerful, and the individual will become more confident in themselves and their abilities. The mutant will have also gained a One who will be a source of unlimited love and comfort. No two were ever created to fit together as seamlessly as a mutant and their One.

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death." – Robert Fulghum

I sighed, emerging from my inner monologue. I was undoubtedly happy. I dared to venture I was even joyful. Although, there was still a part of me that held stubbornly onto the belief that every good thing ended in ashes, and that small piece whispered evilly of the disastrous ends my family and I could meet. Were the pros worth the risks of the cons? Were love and family worth pain and sadness?

Yes.

Love you all, my darlings.