Somehow, things settled again after the conference ended.
The only thing that hung over them for the following days was Cindy's condition.
Hank finally took her to the hospital. Wally went with him, and, with a little people skills and helping the staff with some stuff, he convinced them to let Cindy be admitted.
She was out of danger soon enough, but still in pain and frightened.
The others took turns visiting her to keep her company.
The other victims of the attack recovered faster, though some with lasting PTSD about it, probably.
Kitty proved a little more resilient than expected of her and brushed the whole thing aside in favor of praising her own and the others' efforts at dealing with it.
"I mean, we survived," she said. "Just the three of us, and Trinity, for, like, a long time. That's impressive, isn't it?"
"Sure," Wally agreed.
"Don't let it make you cocky," Scott warned her. "You're still green. You were lucky the adults there were competent."
"You mean Mystique," Kitty snorted. "We just did what she said. But it was awesome, other than it was terrifying, and I hated it."
"That's superheroing," Wally said. He found it funny.
The X-men didn't find it so funny.
It didn't help that Mystique was encouraging Kitty to think of it that way.
"Kid's got a lot of potential," she said. "She'd better develop it quickly."
"I don't like hearing you say that," Scott said, "considering how you treated people with 'potential' in the past."
"Well, I'm fresh out of brainwashing machines, so I think she's good for now," Mystique said snarkily.
Cyclops was really testing her patience, which was not immense to begin with.
"You say things like that, and then you wonder why no one around her trusts you." Scott got her back a little too well.
She frowned at him savagely but had no answer.
"Scott, shut up." Morph looked up, irritated now.
"Did you hear what she said?" Scott said.
"Yeah, it was a joke, Scott. Get over it," Morph said. "This is your way of thanking her for saving the kids?"
"I didn't mean that," Scott said. "Just that Kitty is a little arrogant about her powers right now."
"She's not the only one," Mystique said slyly, taking a sip of her drink so as to muffle her words.
"What was that?" Scott said.
"Just drop it," Morph said. "Kitty's attitude is not Mystique's fault anyway. She's just new at this. She'll simmer down. We all did. Except Logan and Gambit."
"Yeah, exactly--she could end up like them," Scott said.
"Your respect for your colleagues is truly touching," Mystique said, looking down at a magazine now.
"I don't remember asking you." Scott frowned at her.
"Did I ask you for your opinion?" Mystique was picking up Shine's habit of sassing him the same way he spoke to her.
"Why do you all say that?" Scott said. "Can't a man have his opinion? I am the team leader."
"Not of me," Mystique said. "And when I want your opinion, I will ask for it." She deliberately turned a page.
