Disclaimer: Not Mine.

Note!: Ok, it has just come to my attention that in the novel, they refer to Piotr as Peter. I've decided to switch it, and I know that's confusing, but I'm telling you now. Peter = Piotr.

"Sydney, wait." The aqua-haired girl paused at the doorway. "…Who's Emma?"

"Emma was…" Sydney gripped the door frame, swallowing hard. "Emma was my sister." And with that, she left.

Rogue stared after her in disbelief. She glanced at Sydney's bed, knowing the box was underneath it. It made so much more sense, now.

Sydney ran a hand through her hair, blowing out a burst of air in a dramatic sigh as she plopped down next to the wall. It was odd, to be sitting alone in a hallway, but she didn't care. She just needed to breathe. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she played with the dolphin necklace Emma had given her for her eighth birthday. Her throat tightened, and she knew that tears were close. But she couldn't. She couldn't cry, she wouldn't.

"Sydney?" Peter appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. She hadn't heard him walking over. Sydney looked up, blinking. She'd ended up eating lunch with him the day after she arrived and every day since. People weren't mean or ignorant at Xavier's, plenty of them had talked to her, but they had their friends already. Peter happened to invite her to hang out with his. "What are you doing?"

"Hey, Pete. I'm… Sitting. Thinking." She shrugged. "Anyways, I'm done now. Wanna go get a smoothie?" She'd introduced him to peach smoothies earlier that week. They were her favorite, and quickly became his well.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing ever came out. A shard of stomach-wrenching pain shot through her head. It felt like her mind was splitting in two. Sydney felt her jaw drop, and she heard the piercing cry she uttered, but didn't register it was from her. Peter was leaning forward, close to doubling over, as he grit his teeth and bit back a shout.

"What's happening?" Sydney managed, her eyes closed tight against the mind-shattering pain. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, it just hurt. "Make it stop!"

"I… I don't know!" She could hardly hear him.

And as soon as the terrifying event had started, it was finished.

Sydney slowly opened her eyes, looking up groggily. He seemed as dazed as she did.

"Are you all right?" Peter finally asked, straightening.

"I-I'm fine." Sydney breathed, her voice shaky.

"You're crying."

"What?" Hazel eyes perturbed, she reached up to her face to find it wet with hot tears. Quickly swiping them away, she shook her head. "…What was that?"

"I'm not sure. The last time something like that happened, it was because something went wrong with Cerebro."

Sydney frowned. "Cerebro?"

"Yes. It's a machine that the Professor uses to track mutants. He was brainwashed to kill every Mutant on the planet." Peter gave her a look. "I'm sure you remember that headache."

Sydney nodded. "Of course I do. I was in class, back in Australia. All of a sudden, this—well, you know, headache, happened. It was unbelievable. I almost fell out of my seat, and so did a couple of other students. We got weird looks until it stopped and everyone else doubled over. The news said it was some weird mutant activity, originating from Canada."

"That's about right. Now come on," He held out a hand and pulled her up to her feet, leading her to the doorway as the rest of the students slowly appeared and followed. "I'm sure the Professor can explain what happened this time."

The professor, however, couldn't explain. He had addressed them, told them that it wouldn't happen again, and offered the other words of comfort his students were seeking. But there was something he wasn't telling them, and Sydney knew it.

But she had bigger problems to deal with.

Rogue's prodding, mixed with the terrible lapse she had in the Danger Room, had only brought back the barrage of memories she'd fought so hard to keep down.

Peter had walked her back to her room, and then set off to investigate that afternoon's mysterious event further. He said that surely some psychics or telepaths could put it together. Sydney plopped down on her bed, rubbing her temples to alleviate the echoing ache that rested on the edge of her mind.

Emma.

She could still see her, fresh in her mind as if she was standing right in front of her. Her bright, knowing blue eyes, her platinum-blonde hair that extended past her shoulders, perfectly straight. Her dazzling smile, her infectious laugh that even brought happiness to their father's face. She was so full of life, so smart and eager to learn, so happy.

So alive.

"Come on, Sydney!" The older girl grasped her hand, grinning from ear to ear as they ran barefoot over the sand.

"Oh, it'll be fine, Syd." Emma rubbed her back, a sympathetic expression on her face followed by an encouraging smile. "You'll do better next time!"

"Leave my sister alone!" Emma yelled, eyes blazing, and shoved the bully aside before he could hit Sydney again. "Just because she's not like you doesn't mean you can hurt her!"

"You're the best sister in the world, you know that?" She grinned, pulling Sydney into a hug.

She felt the tears this time, as they slowly dripped down her face. Leaning down so she was on her stomach, Sydney felt around under her bed for the box. She took in a deep breath as she pulled it up, setting it in front of her and staring at it.

Now all she had to do was open it.

AN: ...I'm SO evil. So hey guys, I'm back! And since the plotbunnies have invaded, I'm off to a running start on the next chapter already. =D