Disclaimer: The characters and universe belong to Marvel.

Alex drummed his fingers on the arm rest. After five minutes, he started tapping his foot. After ten minutes, Erik was about ready to restrain his limbs with metal objects.

The Professor glanced over at where they were sitting and said, "Alex, why don't you take a walk around the plane if you're feeling restless? We're up quite high enough now that it would be fine."

The teenager seemed to blanch more at the suggestion, if that was even possible considering how pale he had been since boarding the flight.

"No one said this freak school included flying," he responded through gritted teeth.

"And here we thought Havoc was so tough," Sean teased, "What, prison didn't have a crash course on overcoming the fear of flying?"

Raven laughed and Alex glared at her before asking, "Aren't you just here for the onboard entertainment?"

"That's enough," Erik said sharply, "Be still and look out the window."

Everyone but Alex resumed casual silence as they looked out the windows; he broke into a slight sweat.

Raven traded seats with Charles after the first half hour for the copilot seat next to Hank.

"I almost feel bad for him," she said, leaning back to look at the plasma shooter, whose knuckles were now white from his grip around the harness, "And then he opens his mouth and I feel like he deserves at least a small part of this."

"What's his issue with flying anyway?" Hank asked, and Raven shrugged, responding, "Who knows if you could even get a straight answer out of him."

After a particularly vulgar string of profanities came out of Alex's mouth in response to a joke made by Sean, Erik stood up out of his seat and went to sit across from the blonde teenager. Alex gulped but attempted to look unfazed.

The jet flew through a particularly rough patch of turbulence, and Alex threw his harness off, stood up, and started unsteadily walking towards the back of the plane.

"Alex," Charles asked telepathically, "May I ask what you are doing?"

"Let me off," he responded, "Now."

Charles sent a prodding look to Erik, who stood up and followed him to the back of the jet.

Erik found him leaning over the toilet, emptying the contents of his stomach into it. After a minute of hesitation, he put his hand over his back and rubbed small circles into it.

Alex whirled around and snarled, "Don't touch me."

Erik raised an eyebrow and countered, "Don't take that tone with me."

"Stay out of my face, Erik," he demanded, shoving him away as he spoke. Erik caught the swinging arm and used the force to propel him until he was standing against the wall, one arm twisted behind his back, kept in place as the plane shifted.

Alex was breathing heavily and Erik didn't need any sort of enhanced senses to be able to tell that his heart was pounding out of his chest.

"You don't like flying," Erik stated, holding him in place, "I understand. But that does not give you license to lash out at everyone who is trying to help you."

Alex twisted his head around to make eye contact and Erik noted the desperation hidden behind his eyes. As briefly as the emotion flashed, it was gone and replaced with steely determination as he started struggling to free himself from the hold.

"You don't understand," he growled, "and you never will, so just let me go, you cretin."

"Big words coming from a little boy," Erik commented.

"I hate you," Alex spat and a brief flash of hurt crossed the elder's face before he responded, "You don't have to like us. You just have to obey us."

"Obey?" Alex mocked, "What is this? The 50's? You're not my father."

"Clearly," Erik responded, "because if I was this behavior would have never been tolerated."

Charles' voice rang through both of their heads as he announced the impending descent of the plane. Erik's grip didn't loosen.

"Are you ready to play nicely with the other children?" he asked, and Alex glowered.

Erik took a deep breathe before responding to Charles, "I think the only way to get him back to Westchester in one piece is some serious sedation or a rental car."

Charles chuckled before responding, "I've already contacted the company, brother. You can have fun driving him home from Iowa."