SmallvilleX: Evolution Year 3.(1.5): The Search for Magik

Summary: After Illyana's true nature was revealed she vanished and now the search for her is on. Can the X-Men find her before they learn how she can be the worst enemy imaginable? Also Clark has some 'splainin to do!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: Deciding to end the last story on the little cliffhanger of Illyana's disappearance I realised that this really wouldn't fit into the theme I had for the proper 2nd part of Year 3 so I decided I'll slip in the conclusion to Illyana's fate into its own little story. And here it is.

Chapter 1

It wasn't instantly that Clark was dragged away for an interrogation. Nope. There was too much to do to first in the aftermath of Selene's attack upon them.

Emma barely stayed long enough to make sure her students were being looked after properly before she was off to Boston, leaving her injured students behind at the Institute plus a few others. For example the other 4 Cuckoos wouldn't leave their sister Sophie behind who was in a deep coma at the moment.

As for the relationship between Scott and Emma...lets just say Jubilee was selling tickets to see that showdown when it came.

Lana, too, was down in the infirmary, still unconscious and had been now for over a day. Dr Strange had confirmed that Isobel was gone and he was also able to remove the slave bracelet from her...and Tess too.

She had left with Hawkeye shortly after that. Him taking authority for her as an Agent of SHIELD.

No-one had the power to stop him...legal power that is.

The same was also true of Sage and her bracelet but what she was going to choose to do now she was free was anyone's guess.

Lets see what else?

Oh there was no sign of Emplate and his 'children'. Their best guess is that Selene took them to punish them for their failure.

It had deeply affected Penance who had retreated into herself more than usual. Clark was pissed at not being able to get the counter-spell to whatever Selene did. Another, so far, unfulfilled promise.

Volcana was up and about and threatening to burn down the entire State in her rage. God only knows what Shaw was planning to do with her. No-one could figure it out. Claire would never have stayed voluntarily with her father. She hates him. The only speculation they could conceive of would be altering her mind in some fashion.

For the sake of the mansion no-one had said that out-loud to the fiery young woman.

So far Live Wire was still hanging around. No-one knew why. She could just leave. No-one was in the mood to try and force her back into her cell.

Right now Clark was sitting by Lana's side where she lay sleeping. Chloe with him. Despite it all they were still Lana's friends.

"Do we know what she remembers...if anything?" Chloe asks her alien friend.

Clark sighs and shakes his head. "If we ever believe anything Isobel said then Lana was sleeping essentially."

"So she might wake up and we have to tell her she's lost 18months of her life?"

Yes. It has been that long. Painfully long. Clark's been counting every day since as a failure on his part to fulfil his promise to save her.

"What about Nell? What about Lex?" Chloe asks about when they tell those two. Lana's aunt and her, at the time, boyfriend. Though now it makes Chloe's skin crawl just thinking on it. Lex had fallen a long way since she and Clark first knew him.

Clark's not close to either any more. "I don't think anyone has told either of them yet. I'm not sure we have a believable story. Though Nell will have to be told at the very least. I'll mention it to mom and dad. Perhaps it's better it comes from old friends."

Chloe nods along. There falls an awkward silence. Chloe hates awkward silences. "Soooo," she drawls.

Clark looks at her expectantly.

"When are we going to talk about your girlfriend?"

Clark is so not surprised. In fact he's been expecting this. Far sooner than now in fact. "With all due respect Chlo I know as soon as the immediate issues are dealt with I'll need to fess up the whole truth so I'm just going to keep my mouth shut until then."

Chloe pouts. Clark rolls his eyes in response. "I am surprised Piotr hasn't come to wring the truth out of you. He's overprotective of Illyana," the golden-skinned girl says.

Clark shrugs. He's been sorta avoiding the big Russian. Course that doesn't entirely explain why, as Chloe said, that Piotr hasn't come looking for him. "She hates that," he mumbles.

"What?"

"Illyana. She hates the overprotective big brother routine or anything that implies she can't look after herself. She believes she can't look weak or vulnerable."

"I know the feeling," Chloe says with a sigh, pulling at her sleeves slightly.

Clark frowns slightly. Had they not got past this yet. Her insecurity at her transformation. He thought her saving his dad had done a lot to restore her self-confidence. Seems there is more work to do in that area.

Clark is just one area of fallout. Another is Firestar who wanted nothing to do with her teammates any more. She wants nothing to do with anything remotely touched by Emma Frost.

In fact after her emotional outbursts in the pocket she had been quiet, shrunken into herself. She had either reached the depression stage of grief or even the final one; acceptance. It was hard to tell when she wouldn't talk.

And Amara, her fellow betrayed, wasn't much help as she was still trying to deal with her anger over how she was used and manipulated. Empath...gah the mere thought of the fact she ever allowed that vile creature to touch her make her physically shake with rage.

She was giving Claire a run for her money in who would burn the mansion down first.

While the Professor is psychic he thought it best, in this case, to leave it to Storm and Martha to help the young women.

Storm already had in the pocket dimension with Angelica. They already had a connection, however tenuous and if anyone knows how to deal with explosive tempered pyrokinetics it was Martha so when Amara calmed down enough to talk the elder Kent woman would be there.

Speaking of Storm she finds Angelica doing what a lot of people, herself included do. Stand on the cliff edge and look out to sea. "It's amazing how often people come here, seeking illumination. Or perhaps just to enjoy the view. Although it's somewhat less appealing on a chilly November day."

"I don't ever feel cold. I'm always warm," Angelica murmurs quietly about the side-effect of her microwave based powers.

"Alas we are not all as fortunate as you."

Angelica snorts. "Fortunate?" she mutters with disgust. "These powers are what brought Emma Frost to my door. My powers killed..."

"No," Ororo stops her right there.

Angelica turns her head, a dark look on her face. "What?"

"No, child. Your powers killed no-one. You killed no-one," Ororo corrects her. "The blame lies on Emma's shoulders alone and she alone will have to answer for what she has done."

"But I..."

"No," Ororo cuts her off. She won't let Angelica blame herself.

Angelica closes her eyes, tears threatening to leak from them. "I can see him," she whispers. "He was going to tell me the truth...he genuinely cared for me and he...I...burned..." she stumbles over her words, her voice full of distraught emotion.

Ororo takes the girl in her arms. "Shh, shh, it's ok. Let it out. Don't hold it in," she says softly, soothingly.

Angelica sobs, her heart aching. To know Randall really cared for her so much he was going to betray Emma...and for that act Emma used her to kill him.

Ororo knows that this will lie heavy with the young woman for a very long time in all probability. It is some time before Angelica regains control of her emotions.

The red haired girl pulls back and sniffles, wiping the tears from her face. "So...what do I do now?" she asks, clearly lost.

"Do you have any family?"

Angelica nods. "My father...but I'm not sure it would be safe to go home. With the Hellfire Club in, what must be, turmoil all of us and our families are at risk."

Ororo frowns. She doesn't think that occurred to her before now. She'll have to mention it to Charles and try and figure out what they can do, if anything. Sage might have ideas and knowledge that they can use but that's for later. Right now let her deal with Angelica. "If you wish you can stay with us," she offers. "You could share a room or move into one of the new ones in the new wing. The paint's not all quite dry but most of the rooms are liveable now."

"You'd really just take me in?" Angelica asks in surprise that they would be so generous to someone who had, up till very recently, been an enemy of sorts.

"Of course. If you don't believe me ask Marie...or are you still angry at her?" Ororo queries from what she remembers of the interaction between the two.

"I was," Angelica admits but using the past tense. "But now I can see she did the right thing in getting away from the Club."

"It is up to you. No-one here is a prisoner." Ororo pauses. Was that true as far as Live Wire was concerned? The blue haired nuisance had sorta been held against her will but then again Charles and Clark too, insisted she wasn't well. That her powers were affecting her mental state. That had been enough for even Hank and he's one of the most moral men she knows. Oh well that's an aside. "It is up to you," Ororo repeats. "But at the very least you should contact your father and let him know how you are," she mentions.

Angelica wraps her arms around herself. "I'll think about it."

Ororo nods. "Very well. There's no rush in making a decision. Come find me when you're ready," she advises before she walks off, leaving the young woman alone with her thoughts.

In his office Charles is drinking some calming tea. He's going to need a lot more of the beverage before this situation is completely cleared up.

Speaking of which one aspect he can deal with right now. "In your electricity form I can't read your mind but I can sense your presence. If you wish to speak with me Ms Willis please just appear and do so," he speaks to the empty air.

One of the nearby sockets sparks and fizzles before a burst of electrical energy shoots out and before the Professor's eyes Live Wire appears in the chair the opposite side of his desk.

Charles finishes sipping his tea before placing the cup down. "Can I offer you a cup?" he asks her.

Live Wire makes a face.

"I'll take that as a no," Charles assumes. "So since silence is something I know you abhor," he says humorously, "I'll begin shall I?"

Live Wire shrugs.

"I'm surprised you're still around," he admits. "You're free. After your assistance, which I will express my gratitude again for, I think allowing you to leave is a fair reparation but before you go if you'll let me speak I have something I wish to say to you."

Live Wire cocks her head, her unusual silence continuing.

"I believe I made a misjudgement locking you up," he confesses. "At the time I truly believed it necessary due to your unstable powers affecting your judgement but in the end it never accomplished what I desired. I was never able to get you to really trust me to help you. I still want to help you Leslie," he insists. "I want to help you recover your missing memories and how SHIELD must have obtained you at some point," he reminds her of how she ended up with them in the first place. From what they can figure out SHIELD used her to lure Clark out in one of their many failed attempts to capture him. Well Clark ended up capturing Live Wire instead. Charles continues, "I wish to help stabilise your powers. Hank believes it is possible to design a suit to accomplish this but he would require your permission to perform tests. In the end the choice must be yours. As of right now I will not force you but do be warned of this; if you return to your criminal path Clark will stop you and next time you will end up in prison."

"That a threat?" Live Wire asks, hostility just on the edge of her voice.

"No. A reasonable assumption based on your record to date against Clark."

Live Wire snorts. "I take it easy on him," she mutters.

"Of course you do," Charles humours her.

"Though I'd rather wish he would take it hard on me," she suggests salaciously.

Charles rubs his forehead. He doesn't need those sort of images projected. "Leslie. I really think we have reached the decision point of this conversation. I've made my offer to aid you. If you wish there is a room in the new wing. I can guess part of you must have hoped for this offer otherwise I'm not certain why you continue to hang around."

"Someone has a high opinion of themselves. I don't need anyone and my reasons for hanging around are my own!" Leslie argues strongly, going so far as to stand up and get right in the Professor's face.

Charles remains calm. It's hardly like he hasn't had to deal with an unruly student on many an occasion. He simply meets her gaze with a steady one of his own and waits for the emotional outburst to pass. For her defensiveness to pass...and boy was she defensive. Another aspect he would like to get to the bottom of in regards to her psychology.

"Staying means obeying the stupid rules again doesn't it," Leslie murmurs, her anger fading as quickly as it came.

"It does," Charles confirms.

"I don't like rules."

"They are non-negotiable although I always try to give those that break them a fair hearing."

Live Wire returns to sitting on her chair, a knot of concentration on her brow as she clearly thinks it over.

That is about as much as Charles ever hoped when he started this discussion. That she wouldn't instantly reject his offer. There is really little more he can say to persuade her. He's offered her accommodation, protection and assistance. Now it is up to her but what her actions in that dimension, helping save his students, proved is that there is the spark of a decent person under all that noise. The trick is to reach it and bring it to the surface but in the end, the choice is hers. She has to want to become that decent person. A decision she'll probably take some time to think over.

Sanctum Sanctorum…

One of the people most affected by recent events is Wanda Maximoff who is in the study of her magical teacher, pouring out her shame for a 2nd time. The first time having been to Clark in Limbo after Illyana put her through that hell of a trial.

However much she didn't want to do this, she needed to do this. To apologise for the way she had behaved to Dr Strange.

When it's over Wanda feels emotionally drained, slouched down in her chair, looking down at the floor, not able to meet her Master's gaze for fear of what she might see.

Disappointment mostly...and that says a lot about how much Wanda has grown and changed. Before, when she just fuelled by rage at her father she never use to care what anyone thought of her. Now though there are people she would like to be proud of her. Dr Strange is one of them.

Dr Strange brings his hands together in front of him, his index fingers tapping against each other as he absorbs Wanda's tale.

"I don't know what else to say," Wanda says quietly. "Except that I should have listened to you. I thought I wanted power after what happened during the fight with Apocalypse but when I was offered a way to get that power..." she shudders with revulsion. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

"I know you are," Stephen accepts her remorse as genuine. "You were offered power but chose your friends instead. Well done. You've passed your trial."

"In the most horrid way possible."

"They are never very pleasant. I can assure you," Stephen offers, his eyes getting a momentary haunted look as he recalls his own trial.

"So I'm suppose to feel terrible?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful," Wanda mutters sarcastically.

"You trial is a lesson that must stick with you for a long time, Wanda."

"So I never repeat it. Why would I want to? That guy...Goddess I'm sorry," Wanda says, her head falling into her hands as she recalls once again that man Selene sucked dry and gave his energy to her. It doesn't matter he probably deserved it, it was wrong.

A short time later Wanda feels a hand laid upon her shoulder. She looks up to find Dr Strange standing over her, a sympathetic expression on his face.

"You are a good person Wanda and that man's death did not come at your hands," he feels the need to say to her.

"That's what Clark said."

"Then perhaps you should listen to us. Don't forget what happened but don't let any undeserved guilt cripple you either. You have proved you are ready to be a great Sorceress."

"As long as I follow your teachings right?" Wanda queries, trying to inject humour.

"Well I don't like to boast," Stephen drawls.

Teacher and student chuckle together.

Wanda feels some tension lift, glad that Dr Strange still wants to be her teacher. "So I have to ask what are we doing about Clark and Illyana?"

Stephen strokes his beard. Yes, Wanda's story included that trip to Limbo. "When the time comes to hear Clark's side of the story I believe I shall request of Charles to be present. I know certain things, rumours almost of what has transpired in that dark dimension lately but it would be advantageous to get a first hand account of what actually has happened."

Basically he only knows pieces of the story and not how it all fits together.

At the Institute…

Clark had left Lana for now, leaving his ex comfortably asleep. His mother was going to speak to Lana's Aunt Nell last he knew. When Lana awakes...well they'll have to see what, if anything, she remembers. He'll speak to her...if she wants to speak to him that is. They were not on the best of terms before her prolonged possession.

Right now Clark was ticking another item off his list and was checking up on Penance.

He has his hand on her cheek, stroking it with his thumb, soothing her with his touch. He lets out a sigh. "I'm sorry Monet," he apologises. "I promised to undo this and I let the opportunity of having Selene slip through my fingers," he expresses his remorse and guilt over what he perceives to be his failure.

"You should not blame yourself," comes the response from Sooraya. He was in their room after all.

Clark looks up at the veiled Afghan girl. "But I like blaming myself," he jokes only half-heartedly.

"I have noticed this," Sooraya remarks dead-pan style. "Still even if we caught Selene I find it highly unlikely she would disclose the counter spell."

"I still have a slither of optimism left that we could have found a way."

"And I believe you will find a way to aid Monet eventually. It will simply take time."

"Thank you for still having faith in me Sooraya," Clark says genuinely. "I'm not sure as many others do."

"Illyana?"

Clark nods. "It's complicated," he says. "Despite what you saw her change into believe me there is a good person in there, struggling to get out. However, since I know I'm going to have to spill all I'd rather not tell it right here and now."

Since Sooraya really doesn't know what she saw she has decided to leave judgement until she gets facts and contents.

"How are you and Penance doing? Did Emplate hurt either of you?"

"Not physically but seeing him...was not good for her. I think she remembers him all too well."

"Yeah, well, when I get my hands on him that won't be good for him," Clark promises.

"Rrr," Penance says softly, nuzzling into Clark's touch. Because of her diamond hard skin she so rarely gets any sort of physical contact. It's really only Clark that can touch her.

Clark gives her a weak smile. That's when the door to the room opens and he spots Logan standing there. "It seems the escort to my execution has arrived," he jokes with gallows humour.

"Hardy ha Space Boy," Logan grumbles at him. "The Professor is waiting for ya," he informs him.

Along with every other adult probably. Clark had chosen not to peek. "Well I have to go," he says to both Penance and Sooraya. He leans in and gives the red skinned mutant a soft kiss on her cheek. "You be good," he advises.

"Rrr," Penance says in reply, looking shy but happy at that last small show of affection.

Clark straightens to his full height and steps up to Logan. "So after you?"

"No after you. I insist," Logan says in his no nonsense tones.

Clark is in no mood to argue so does as he is asked as he is marched to his, he would joke, doom.

Author's Note: Ok I'm slightly delaying the moment Clark has to deal with his ex, one Lana Lang but it will come. So in one regard he has finally kept a promise and gotten Lana back and in another he failed to help Monet. For the moment I kinda like to keep her stuck as Penance. And will Live Wire stick around? Become more an anti-hero than a villain? Way back sometime now in the comics Supes and her did eventually reach a mutual respect, almost friends position. I'm tossing the possibility in the air. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark finally has to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Illyana.