X-Men: The Next Class

After the Professor had left, Bobby pulled up a chair and talked to me while he kept me company. Considering the strange circumstances we found ourselves in, I guess you could say that we became pretty close friends. I found myself trusting Bobby easily, which was weird for me since I've kept the same circle of friends for years, never letting anyone new in because I was afraid they'd tear what I had apart. Since Bobby was the only one able to hold me together at the moment, I let him in.

We talked for what seemed like hours. He explained to me what mutants were, why they weren't as dangerous as normal humans believed them to be, and why Professor Xavier does all that he can to reassure the world that most mutants are harmless. Some, I learned, are actually evil and harmful. I told him about my family life, my friends, and my gymnastics career. He seemed pretty impressed when I rehashed all of the competitions, honors, and awards I had won. When I asked Bobby about his family life, he redirected the conversation to all the fun things he did in Boston, where he was from. He didn't think I'd notice, but I did. It didn't really matter to me, though. All that mattered was that we entertained each other and that he kept my mind off of whatever was happening to me.

When I looked at the clock next, it was 2:30 in the afternoon. Since it was a weekend, most people had family come to visit them at the school. I was hoping that I would get to see my parents again. I was really close to them, and they always doted on me since I was their only child. Apparently, my anxiousness to see them showed, because I kept looking expectantly at the door.

Bobby sighed, and laid out across his chair. I mimicked him and laid out across the bed I was on. We were laying side by side, just staring at the ceiling, when we heard yelling at the end of the corridor. I stood up and walked over to the door with Bobby right behind me.

"What's the yelling about?"

I shrugged and opened the door slowly. Through the crack I saw a tall, older male with short brown hair. He had tinted red eyeglasses on and he appeared as though he hadn't slept, eaten, or shaved for days. He was talking to the same gray-haired woman who had been in the infirmary when I woke up. She seemed absolutely livid.

"Are they dating?" I asked Bobby. Since I was new to the school, I had no idea who anyone was. Bobby shook his head and closed the door from behind me. He turned around and sat back down in his chair. I followed suit, laying down on my back and turning my head to look at him.

"Professor Xavier and the teachers at this school form a union known as the X-Men. That man out there that you saw is a Professor named Scott Summers. He's one of the X-Men."

"What's his deal?" I asked.

"Last year, the X-Men had to put up a fight against a Colonel named Stryker. He's the person who basically created Professor Logan. Logan was already a mutant, but Stryker added indestructible claws to him. Anyway, the fight ended badly. One of the X-Men, Professor Jean Grey… well, she died. Professor Scott and her were in a relationship…"

"So he thinks that it's too hard to stay here..." I interjected, matter-of-factly.

"Possibly, I just think he wants to go back to Alkali Lake."

"Alkali Lake?" I asked. Bobby looked at me and then nodded in understanding.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. That's where all of it happened, where Jean died. I was there. I'm an X-Men in-training, along with Rogue, Colossus, Kitty," his voice trailed off, as if remembering others who were lost. He continued on regardless. "There are others that Professor Xavier thinks are ready, but it's up to Professor Storm to decide when they are, since she's the one who spends time with us training. That's who you saw talking to Professor Scott."

According to Bobby, it was usually the older students who were the X-Men in Training. Would that mean that I would be one? I stood up and walked over to the door, opening it just a crack until I was able to see a fiery red-headed girl talking to Professor Storm. I walked out of the door but then felt something pull me back. I guess the thing that pulled me back didn't expect me to turn around because when I did, Bobby and I found ourselves splayed across the floor. I got up quickly but Bobby took his sweet time getting up.

"What did you do that for?" I asked Bobby, turning back around to face the door. Once again, he turned me around; this time, I managed to stay standing.

"I guess you forgot that you're not exactly wearing clothes," Bobby said, gesturing toward my bathing suit. I crossed my arms in front of my chest, suddenly feeling very exposed. Perceptive Bobby noticed because he started to take off his black hoodie. He was about to lift the hoodie over his head, when his shirt got stuck on the inside.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped a little. Damn, this kid has abs… I could feel myself staring at his body but I couldn't bring myself to look away as the toned muscles worked to try and get Bobby free from the fabric entrapping him. I licked my lips before Bobby's muffled voice pulled me out of my dirty thoughts.

"Um, Hope? Do you think you can help me with this?" Bobby asked.

I stepped forward and yanked the shirt down from under his hoodie, thus freeing the hoodie. Bobby finished pulling the hoodie over his head and handed it over to me. I pulled it on and exited the room with Bobby right behind me. The redhead was still standing there, hands in her pockets. Parents were walking all around me, trying to find their kids. I walked up to the redhead and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Hope," I said, following her gaze down the hall to the door where I'm assuming Storm had just walked through.

She turned to look at me and glanced over my hoodie-wearing body. "I'm Mina… say, Bobby, isn't this the hoodie Rogue gave you last year for Christmas?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Hope didn't have any clothes so I gave her the hoodie to wear since she insisted on walking out of the infirmary."

"Wait.... what do you mean she didn't have any clothes?" Mina asked, her eyes scrutinizing Bobby. He began to rub the back of his neck, probably as a nervous habit.

I never got to hear his response because all of a sudden, my senses became hazy. I felt my knees start to buckle from under me, so I threw myself at the nearest support column in order to stay standing. I tried to call out for help and Mina and Bobby put their discussion to rest so they could steady me. I took a few wobbly steps away from them and shook my head hard, trying to clear everything up; of course, it didn't work. I felt Bobby's icy hands lift up my hoodie and rest on my stomach and forehead. Mina leaned me against the column, knocking into a lady who was being united with a mighty big son.

When the lady turned around to apologize, I heard her say, "There you are."

Maura?

I think I'm going to be sick. I run back to the room Bobby and I had come from (or at least I run toward the general direction of it) and Bobby shoved the door open for me before I even got there. I find the nearest trash bin and hurl the contents of my stomach into the plastic bag lining it. Mina pulled my hair into a loose bun at the nape of my back and ran her hand up and down my back.

"What's happening to her?" Maura asked, closing the door behind her. I glance toward her and find that her son had followed her into the room as well.

"Her body's transforming to fit her X-gene and vomiting is a coping mechanism for pain."

Maura nodded. Though my body still ached, my senses were a bit better, so I was able to make out her expression as being one of acceptance.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not minding that some people would have considered my question to be a bit rude. Maura was used to me; she would have known I just wanted a straight answer.

"This is my son, Peter. Peter, this is Hope. She's the gymnast I always tell you about."

He offered me a smile, and I flashed him a short smile back.

"So, you knew about mutants? You knew I was a mutant?"

Maura's smile faded and she motioned for me to take a seat on the hospital bed I had been in. I hopped up and laid down and she sat in the chair that Bobby had originally pulled up next to me. Bobby took this opportunity to ice my stomach and forehead again, only this time he stayed over the hoodie. Peter and Mina stood idly by as Maura began to speak.

"Hope– I always knew you were stronger than the rest of the girls, but I didn't actually hear of your powers until your mother came in to cancel your tuition."

"Well, I'm here now... so I wouldn't really need it, would I?"

"I guess not," she sighed, pulling a few papers out of her coat pocket and sliding them over to me.

"What are these?" I asked, while picking them up.

"They're adoption papers." Maura said, biting her lip. Her eyes began to well up with tears threatening to spill, and her son, who easily towered over her now that she was sitting down, rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. I was lost.

"Read them," she commanded, a scary tone of finality in her voice. I was pulled back to days in the gymnasium when she would shout out routines to us and we'd have to follow her orders. This was not like that. Back then, I was more then willing. Now, I was unsure. I opened up the pieces of papers and found my name printed on the pages.

"Hope," Maura spoke. "Your parents abandoned you after Charles– Professor Xavier– went to go see them. After learning of what was to become of you, I adopted you."