Shielded: I never thought that I would be back here at the Institute for anything more than a brief visit. But, here I am. I'm back where it all began and my life has taken a number of unexpected twists and turns. It's here of all places where I'm determined to find myself again, find the woman that was lost long before that tragic day my late husband died. Eventual OC/Scott, lots of OC/X-Men interaction.

Disclaimer: The X-Men and any other mentioned Marvel characters are not my property. I cannot claim ownership over them, and I ask forgiveness from their creators should they ever see how badly I've butchered their perfect creations. Eleanor Jenkins and a few other characters are my own, however, so please leave them alone.

Rating: There are adult situations in this story, but they are much later on in the story. That being said, however, it would be safest to assume that this story is rated M+ for Mature Audiences since there is some language and a number of alcohol/drug references as well as suggestive material. Chapters containing sexually explicit material will have forewarnings, however, so if you're uncomfortable with those type scenes you'll be able to skip ahead with ease!

Author's Note: There is just something about a mourning Scott Summers that pulls at my heartstrings. This is a story focused on Eleanor, a woman who in her own right acknowledges that she's a bit overweight and wants to change that. This is her journey, so the story focuses a great deal on character development and examining how she finds her way out of her shell – again. Set almost two years after the end of X-Men 2: X-Men United, this story follows the X-Men as they continue to heal and recover from their losses and the changes caused by The Blackout.

"The softest hearts always have the toughest shields." – Claire Cross, Double Trouble

Shielded

~Chapter One~

It had been five and a half years, give or take a few weeks, since I had last been inside of the magnificent Mansion. The last visit had been during Christmas vacation, when the Professor had asked for my assistance in rectifying a mess in his office and his ledger books. I had stayed in the guest wing with other visitors, shared meals with old friends and strangers, and spent Christmas Eve mostly alone in the messy main office of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Children.

Though my name had been on the invitation list for every event since, I hadn't planned on returning. The School held too many memories for me, both good and bad, for me to have ever considered taking any of the positions that I had been offered over the years. Neither teaching nor bookkeeping nor merely an informal position as the School's sole secretary had seemed like the right fit.

But, it was now home.

I pulled on a loose sweater, the fabric baggy around my midsection and sides, and slipped out of the large suite that was my new home. Faculty, even those considered to be adjunct faculty, were housed in the spacious suites that were spread across the dormitories in the Institute. Mine, I had been grateful to discover, was at the end of a mostly-empty corridor. Many of the nearby rooms were still undergoing renovations, so neighbors were unlikely for several months.

The corridors were familiar, and I found myself dragging my fingers across the wallpaper in fond memory as I slipped quietly down the hall. A small group of teenaged girls burst out of one of the shared girls' bathrooms and I paused in my tracks to watch them disappear around the bend. The students, as I'd discovered, paid little attention to a newcomer such as myself. I was another face, another name, that most probably wouldn't even remember.

Like a member of the cleaning or cook staff, I was mostly invisible.

Since it suited me, I relaxed my shoulders slightly and continued my trek down the hall. The back set of stairs that led into the informal den was vacant, but the den itself was quite active for midafternoon on a Saturday. A few students cast curious glances in my direction before they went back to whatever they were doing, and I focused on where my sneakers were heading as I continued along my way.

"Ah, Eleanor. I did hope that you would consider joining us for a late lunch today. Please, do have a seat."

In all honesty, I had forgotten about the Professor's invitation to a staff lunch. I had merely hoped to sneak down, find some food in the kitchen, and then get back to my room so that I could finally finish unpacking. My body tensed under the multitude of curious looks from the other staff members, and I glanced around the long dining table only briefly before I slid into the only empty chair at the end next to a man I did not recognize.

I zoned out for the first five minutes of the lunch before I realized that Charles Xavier was making introductions. He cleared his throat, rather loudly, and I noticed his gaze resting on me. "I'm sorry," I murmured, clearing my throat somewhat loudly. "I guess I may have zoned out for a moment or two. What did I miss?"

"I presume that you've already decided on your schedule, my dear?"

"Yep. Uh, yes, I have." I found myself wishing that I had brought down something to keep my hands busy. The plate of food in front of me was appealing, but I found myself unable to really eat with so many people that seemed to be looking straight at me. So, I twirled my fork around a few times before I sat it down and folded my hands in my lap. "I am going to keep regular office hours every weekday from eight until four, depending on my schedule. Monday and Tuesday I will be available as adjunct for either Mathematics, Science, or possibly Literature. I can assist with proctoring, grading, or looking after classes while an instructor attends to other duties."

I took a deep breath and flushed when I realized that they cleared expected me to have more to say. "Uh." I found myself wishing that I hadn't braided my long brown hair back so that I could hide behind the curtain it created, and instead glanced down at my hereto untouched plate briefly. "I am going to be handling the bookkeeping as well as recruitment and the like. Furthermore, I plan to help increase our fundraising so that we are less reliant upon the Professor's deep pockets."

"And the X-Men?"

Though I had known him for years, it always made me feel awkward to try to look Scott Summers in the eye. He wore ruby-colored sunglasses to prevent his optic blasts from constantly destroying all that he saw, but it made it difficult to know if he actually was interested in what you had to say.

"I hadn't-"

"I hope that Eleanor will reconsider her reluctance and decide to train full-time with the X-Men," Xavier interrupted gently. He cast a soft smile in my direction and I squirmed in my chair. "Regardless of whether or not you join the roster, all of the instructors train together. Given the dangerous conditions of our society, we must be prepared to protect the students at all costs. Scott, I trust you to provide a schedule to Eleanor at your earliest convenience."

When he lifted one eyebrow, I couldn't help but wonder if he carried on a mental conversation with the Professor that included, at least in some shape or form, whether or not he would have the time it would take to whip me into shape.

I straightened my shoulders, picked up my fork, and scooped up a bite of grilled salmon. While I chewed, I tuned into the conversation at hand and cast furtive glances around the long table. The personnel files I had been provided were all quite thorough and I felt like I, at the very least, knew the very basics about the people that I would be living and working with for the foreseeable future.

As Scott continued to speak about an upcoming fieldtrip, I found myself wondering if he or Ororo remembered me from our youth. I had attended the Institute for only a year and Scott had been a student then. Ororo, if I remembered correctly, had joined the student body two months before I had left to move back home to Montana. Hank, who cast a few sly smiles in my direction, seemed to recognize me.

Based on the curious glances that she cast in my direction, I sensed that she remembered me, at least partly. When she smiled at me, I returned it quickly and then focused slowly on my plate.

Then, I realized that I had already finished the meal.

A little flustered, I dropped my fork and it clattered against the chinaware noisily, ringing loudly in my ears. I grabbed my cloth napkin and twisted it between my fingers and felt the heat rushing up my neck, but it took a few moments before I was able to lift my gaze.

From his position at the head of the table, Xavier looked concerned by my obvious discomfort, but he continued to speak as though nothing had happened. Though I felt Scott's gaze on me, he said nothing and simply listened to the news that there would be more iPads made available for the student body within the next month.

I, meanwhile, found myself wishing, for the umpteenth time, that I was anywhere but the Xavier Institute.

One year as a student, as a teenager, had been more than enough for me. I couldn't quite believe that my life had come full circle; bringing me once again to the place that had given me a sense of peace that I'd never thought I would lose.

But, lose it I had. Turmoil and depression had ruled my life for a year and a half, and I'd found myself more than ready to climb out of the hole and find my way yet again. The person that stared back at me when I brushed my teeth wasn't the same person that I'd remembered seeing every day of my life, but I had to start somewhere.

"Anyone for dessert?" Ororo inquired politely, motioning to a sideboard where a covered dish awaited. "I believe our Rogue here made us a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie."

My stomach knotted in response and I felt the familiar clutching that made me feel almost guilty. I quickly shook my head and rose to my feet, bumping my chair out noisily. "I need to make a few phone calls. Thank you for dinner," I called out to the room in general, but didn't necessarily direct my attention to any person in particular.

And then I made my escape and hurried out of the room and hurried towards the office across the hall from Charles Xavier's study – the office that served as the Institute's secretary's base of operations. There were more than a dozen boxes stacked in the far corner, most of which held student files, applications, contact information, health records, and of course bills. I eyed the four stacks of cardboard boxes for a moment before I examined the rest of the room thoroughly.

Before I'd accepted the position, the rest of the staff had maintained the records only occasionally. The computer atop the expansive desk near the windows was out of date, and both the fax machine and the printer needed to be replaced immediately. There was a laptop tucked out of sight on a table that was piled high with office supplies, disorganized and strewn with plastic and wrappers littering the floor.

Though I feared the worst, I pulled open the first door near the small seating area that led to the supply closet. As I'd expected, office and school supplies were disorganized, covered in varying levels of dust, and the overhead fluorescent lighting was in need of repair. I shook my head, closed the door, and carefully opened the door to the small closet of an area that was the filing area.

"Oh, damn." I closed my eyes for a moment, backed out of the tight area, and closed the door without another word. "I guess Xavier wasn't exaggerating how badly he needed someone to fill the position."

At first it had seemed like a guise, a way to influence me to return to the Institute. He had never been shy or secretive about his wish for me to join the rest of his X-Men. My business degree would allow me to teach along with his other X-Men, and we would all somehow be one big, happy family.

Then it had felt like charity. After Todd – I shook my head, dusted my hands off on my sweats, and decided that I would begin my first official day first thing in the morning. There was no sense in getting started only to quit before I could truly finish.

As I backed out of my large and spacious – though disorganized and messy – office, I couldn't help but hope that I hadn't taken on more than I could manage when I'd signed the employment contract with Charles. The School's secretary had seemed like an easy job, but maybe I hadn't considered every angle before I'd accepted his offer.

Only time would tell.