- I'm sorry, you seem familiar. Have we met?

Charles Xavier eyed the young waitress who was waiting for their orders. He felt somewhat uneasy. There was something about her, something that caught his eye, more than just her good looks.

- I doubt it, I think I would remember meeting Professor Xavier.

- So you know who I am? He smiled, though still confused.

- Everybody knows who you are, Professor Xavier.

- Well, not everybody, he noted. And please, call me Charles.

She smiled, but the smile did not meet her eyes. The look on her face was sad and stubborn at the same time, which he found disturbing as her lips were smiling.

- And your name would be…?

She pointed silently her nametag, which said Alice.

- Alice, He said and nodded. Alice…?

- Just Alice, Professor Xavier.

- Charles.

- Yes, Professor.

He cleared his throat, suddenly very aware that his companion had been silent all this time. Hank McCoy was looking at him, trying to hide his smile, which annoyed Charles more than it should have.

- I'm sorry Alice. What could you recommend us today?

- To you, professor? A coffee, black and no sugar. And perhaps a peach pie, freshly made?

- That sounds about perfect, thank you Alice.

He didn't look away from the mystery girl, while his friend ordered. He could feel her thoughts working, as if they were light winds, small movements of air, as she took the order and put the notebook in the pocket of her apron. Carefully he tried to push his thoughts to hers, but was immediately blocked by a strong, unseen wall.

- When Alice left them, he turned to face Hank, who was smirking.

- So, what was that all about, Charles?

- It's not what you think, Hank, he shook his head. She is one of us.

- A mutant? .

- Yes.

- How come you did not know she was here? Asked Hank. We searched the nearby areas with Cerebro when we were recruiting.

- There are only two options. One: she was not here then, or two, she was hiding.

- How could she hide from Cerebro?

Charles sighed. He didn't know if it was wise to have this conversation, but the uneasy feeling he had had since he'd first seen Alice, hadn't left him. He didn't like things he could not control.

- She was blocking me just there. She could have blocked Cerebro.

- Block Cerebro? Asked Hank. I did not know that was possible.

- Neither did I, admitted Charles.

And just there he noticed, that Alice had silently appeared by their table, holding a tray with three cups of coffee.

- Here is your coffee, Professor, she said as she placed the cup in front of him.

- He could feel the smell of her dark curls, the aroma of her skin in the air, and it made his heart jump.

- Thank you Alice.

Her forest green eyes met his, and there was not a hint of smile in them. In the matter of fact, there was something else, something dark and fearful. Quickly she looked down, as if to hide her mood from him.

- You're welcome, Professor, she said very quietly.

- Just Charles, please.

- Professor, Xavier. And please, do try to keep out of my mind for now, will you? I'm not the kind of girl you can try to intrude that way.

She said it just like that, not an insult, not a flirt. Just a fact, to put them on the same level. He found he was suddenly out of words, as she walked away. He took his coffee and sipped it, finding it very hot - and just the way he liked it.

- So, I think we can agree on the fact that she was hiding, said Hank and raised an eybrow.

Charles came back to the small coffee shop the next day, and the day after that. And two times the following week. He convinced himself that he was just trying to find out Alice's hidden talent, the type of her mutation, but deep down he knew that there were other reasons as well. He wanted to get to know her, and thinking about her, waiting to see her again, kept him awake at night.

He had tried to give her his phone number the second time he saw her, but she had politely declined, saying

- Professor, I think we both know you don't need to wait for my phone call to contact me.

- But you didn't answer the last time I tried to reach you, he had said.

- Then what are the odds I would call you, even if I took your number, Professor?

Amazingly, Charles was not discouraged. And so he kept coming back. Ordered whatever Alice recommended, always to find out it miraculously was just the thing he had craved for, and always to find out nothing had changed. After a month he still didn't even know her last name, and everything about her was a mystery to him. A strange and annoying feeling for a telepath.

And after a month, he had stopped lying to himself about the reasons for his frequent visits. He had fell for her, strangely and completely, in a way he had not felt in a long, long time.

Alice was trying to clean the coffee machine. It was the quiet moment between lunchtime and dinnertime, and there were only a couple of customers in the coffeehouse. The cleaning was a simple task, but she found it hard to concentrate. She felt that she was being looked at, like she could actually feel Xavier's gaze moving on her skin.

It was an unnerving feeling, but not as negative as she tried to convince herself. In matter of fact, it was arousing, and she bet he knew it.

- He's looking at you again, noted Leonore.

The blonde girl was smirking knowingly, which annoyed Alice.

- More likely stalking.

- Oh, come on, he's not that bad! You remember Stinky-Arnold, who stalked me for months?

- True, Stinky-Arnold was worse. But still, I've told Xavier I'm not interested.

- Why not? Leonore glanced the man, sitting at his table, sipping his coffee, now looking at his newspaper and not them. - He's kinda cute. How can you resist those bedroom eyes…? I bet he's a beast in bed.

Alice glanced at Xavier too. He looked up to meet her eyes, and oh yes, they were dreamy. Sky blue, mysterious, and the look in them told her Leonore was right. Alice also noticed that he was eavesdropping, an annoying thing he did too often. She mentally pushed him away, and he winced.

- A beast in bed, huh, Alice noted bitterly. He's in a wheelchair.

- So what? Leonore smiled with a naughty laugh. - I've heard that paralyzed men can perform just fine, at least some of them. And they might even last longer! Besides, he has the look of a man, who can compensate leg function with other skills. Just look at those delicate fingers…

- I don't care if he has the fingers of a God, Alice snapped. I'm still not going to go out with him. To you everything is about sex!

- And to you nothing is about it.

- That's not true. I'm just not ready to start dating. Besides, I think he can hear us.

Alice looked at Xavier, who was seemingly reading his paper, but she heard him laughing in her mind. He looked up, and signaled them, looking innocent as if he hadn't heard a thing.

- He can't hear us, Alice. You're being paranoid, he just want's the check. You want me to go?

- If you'd please.

Leonore walked briskly to Charles, who gave her a pleasant smile. He was a handsome man, not in an obvious way, but there was something almost too pretty in those deep blue eyes, those expressive brows, those red, soft lips and pale skin. His light brown hair was wavy and fell almost to his shoulders in a carefree way, that made Leonore hope she could run her fingers through them. He looked like an english lord from Leonore's romance novels.

Too bad he wasn't interested in her, she thought. She'd have no problem going out with him, and more.

- Hello, Professor. What can I get for you?

- Alice's number? Xavier looked up to her, folding his newspaper.

She gave a small laugh.

- Sorry, professor, it's not your lucky day.

- Then just a refill for my coffee and the check, please.

- Sure, that'd be 5,50.

He took a bill of ten dollars from his wallet, and gave it to her.

- Keep the change, Leonore.

Another great thing about Xavier, he always gave generous tips. It was obvious he was wealthy as well as handsome. What on earth was the matter with Alice?

- Oh, and would you mind giving this to your friend, he added, handing her a small piece of paper.

- Sure, professor, she smiled and took the note.

- Sending you secret notes? Leonore was smirking, when Alice opened the slip. I do hope it is a love letter. Is it?

Alice didn't answer, just breath out slowly. The note said:

"Dearest Alice,

You are looking exceptionally beautiful today.

It would be my honor to take you out for a dinner.

Please, give me a call,

Yours sincerely, Charles Xavier."

- Again! Leonore laughed. I bet he'd take you to a Michelin Star restaurant if you asked.

- Well, I'm not asking. Alice put the note to the pocket of her apron.

She bent down to write something on a paper napkin, against the counter.

" Dearest Professor Xavier,

You are a creepy stalker, and a self centered little prick.

Please, leave me be.

Yours truly, Alice"

- Would you mind taking this to him, Leonore? She handed the note to her friend.

- Really? Isn't that a bit too much?

- Oh, really. Let's see if he still decides to come back after this.

But he came back. And the next time he sent a note saying:

" Dearest Alice,

It would be an immense pleasure if you dined with me tonight.

Should I pick you up after work?

Yours, Charles Xavier."

With a long sigh she read his note before folding it to the pocket of her apron. He was not giving up easily. Even now he was looking at her with those "bed-me-eyes", which made her heart feel like a humming bird inside the cage of her chest, and she couldn't help blushing. Why could he not just leave her be? Alice was almost angry, as she bent down to write an answer. Why did he keep coming back? Was it so difficult for him to accept that there was a woman whose mind he couldn't read, so he had to try any means necessary to tear her apart for information?

" Professor Xavier,

It would be my pleasure, if you'd fuck off.

With best regards, Alice the Waitress"

- I'm not going to take that note to him, Leonore protested.

- Just as well, I'll take it to him myself.

And so she did, placed it boldly in front of him with the check, looking at him in the eye the whole time. But taking his money was difficult, as even if they did not touch, she could feel the warmth of his hand as he gave her the bill. And he had smile in his eyes, the same smile that played on his lips, so kissable she almost gasped.

Her knees felt weak when she walked away from him.

She'd really have to find a way to stop him from coming back. And fast. Who knew what would happen, if she could not stop this? A cold fear settled in her abdomen, a familiar dread she had cradled for more than a decade. She should listen to it, she knew. Bad things happened when she didn't.

That night in bed Alice stayed awake for a long time, working up a plan