Marie sat in the professor's office at ten o'clock the following day. The sun was shining brightly, in a way she hadn't seen in years. It bounced off the golden objects on the desk and rebounded around the room.
Ever since she had inherited some of Logan's mutation, things like this seemed much better than they were before. There was more depth to everything. Colours were more vivid. She could tell what was for lunch before she got to the dining hall. She could even taste smells if they were strong enough; the freshly cut grass made her tongue tingle.
"My dear girl, how are you this morning?" the professor rolled over in his wheelchair. Logan called him Chuck which confused her because that wasn't his name. He told her to call him professor if she wanted to speak. Marie didn't, she gave him a small nervous smile.
"I'd like to help you unlock your mutations full ability and help you to control it. I know that having a powerful one can be daunting at times but never fear." He held out his hand for her to take. The old man bent his head, concentrating on listening to her mind.
Marie wasn't sure what to think about while he did this so she continued looking out the big open window being him. It was so pretty here, so much space and air. Not like that dark place.
Dark place was cold and there was nobody there but doctors who wanted to hurt her. Wanted to stick sharp needles in, take blood out of her. Put chemicals in that made her sleep bad or burn or sick. What happened if they sent her back to that dark place?
Logan was in his own dark place once. His was green not red. But there were doctors; she'd seen them in his dreams. They wanted to hurt him as well. What if they got Logan too?
The professor dropped her hand as if it was a burning coal. He didn't get knocked out but looked as though he'd received an electric shock. He sat for a moment and then scribbled down some notes in a book beside him.
"Were you thinking about your capture and imprisonment at the laboratory just now?"
Marie nodded uncertainly. She wasn't sure what exactly those words meant but she knew laboratory, it was written on one of the doors in dark place. The one she was dragged into the most before they left her in the cold room.
"I want to try again but I want you to think pleasant thoughts. Whatever makes you happy." The professor picked up her small hand again and clasped it between both of his.
Marie didn't know what made her happy. She liked the big bed in Logan's room with all the white sheets and blankets. She felt brave in them, like they were her shield against the outside world. It helped that Logan was there too. He was big and warm and helped her be brave. She had to be for him, so that she could get better. She knew he thought the word healthy all the time and she wanted to be whatever made him happy.
"Much better, my dear. Now, I'm going to take you to Storm's class upstairs so you can sit with children near your own age."
…
Storm was a nice lady with white hair. She smelt like flowers and had a kind smile. She sat Marie at the back so she could keep an eye on the other children. The other kids kept turning around to look at Marie, it made her nervous. What were they going to do to her?
"Hi." The boy beside her whispered. "I'm bobby, what's your name?"
Marie didn't answer, only looked at bobby inquisitively.
"It's okay, I know you don't talk much. I thought you'd like a friend?" Marie gave him a shy smile. She hadn't had a friend in a long time.
…
Later, Marie walked with Bobby in the garden. They had brought out some watercolor paints and paper to see if 'nature's beauty would inspire them'. She liked the way that sounded. A girl in a bright yellow jacket and bubble gum came bounding up to them.
"Hey Bobby, who's your new friend?"
"Hey Jubes" Bobby replied casually, not turning to look at her. Marie was concentring on dipping her brush into the water with paint on it, watching the colours swirl together then dissipate into clear again.
"Hi Chica, what's your name?"
"She doesn't speak."
"So what do you call her?"
"I don't know?"
Jubilee regarded the girl with an interested expression. Marie thought she looked nice enough but she was loud and that scared her a little bit. She was working on being brave though.
"I bet ya twenty dollars I can get her to speak by the end of the week!" Jubilee proclaimed, smacking the gum in her mouth.
"You don't have twenty dollars!"
Just then, Logan came out of the mansion holding a beer in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other. Bobby, looking scared, got up and quickly disappeared in the opposite direction.
Jubilee plonked herself down next to Marie and blew a bubble and it popped loudly, pieces of pink gum sticking to her lips. Marie let out a giggle. The yellow girl was kinda funny.
"Beat it kid, I want to talk with her alone."
"I'm not bothering anyone." She whined.
"Yeah you are, yer bothering me. Now scram." Jubilee pouted and went back inside.
Marie had begun painting a long stemmed flower in front of her. She already formed the shape in light green and was dabbing the brush gently to create the petals.
"Hey, that's not bad you know." Logan commented, making her blush slightly.
"You been making some friends?" Marie gave a nod, biting her cheek while studding the flower again. Logan took a deep breath before continuing.
"I want you to stay away from that Drake boy; he looks like trouble, okay?" Marie just shrugged lightly and continued painting. Logan had been watching them from the mansion's kitchen. The boy had been intently focused on her, his eyes narrowed like a hunters when her back had been to him. He seemed calculating. Out of all the students here, Bobby was the one he knew the least.
"You want to come for a walk with me sweetheart?" she nodded enthusiastically and took his offered hand.
…
Scott sat in his car some twenty miles from the mansion. He was flipping his phone around in his hands, nervous about the call he was about to make. Plucking up his courage, he dialled a number off the scrap of cereal box he had scribbled it on. It rang once before the receiver pick up.
"Cyclops?"
"Yes, it's me. I have to arrange a collection. Xaviers school."
"We'll be there as soon as we can." The call cut off and Scott smiled to himself. Everything was going to work out just fine.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
It just came to my attention I forgot to add the characters in the description! Silly me! (Sorry, still new at this) Hope everyone is enjoying the story so far?
Chapter End Notes:
Please let me know what you think? Pretty please?