A.N – this has been inspired by the work experience my friends and I recently had to go on. I wrote this chapter when I was thinking it would be a horrendous week. Actually it was really good fun. Anyway, it's set near the beginning of series two, after Beast of Bayville. It's going to be quite long, depending on who I can think of jobs for. I already know what Rouge, Kitty and Jean are going to be doing, but I have no clue where anyone else will go. If anyone has a request for any other characters, I'd be really grateful for ideas.
Also, I've no idea if there is work experience in America, if anyone's puzzled about it, I'll write in an explanation in the next chapter (although it pretty much does what it says on the tin.)
Disclaimer – I don't own X-Men, or the idea of work experience. I'm all out of witty *cough cough* comments to put in disclaimers too.
The teaching staff of Xavier's Institute had a habit of sitting in the kitchen, relishing the peace before the students arrived back from school. It was a useful time to raise any questions or note observations without the danger of being overheard by any teenager who happened to be passing. Although the speed varied depending on who the teenager in question was, any information that would have been preferably private could be expected to be common knowledge within a couple of hours. Even Scott and Jean were not to be trusted, although that might have been something to do with the impressive stealth skills Logan now regretted having drilled into Kitty and Kurt. The adults widely agreed that a meeting had been called announcing the banning of secrets at some point, and their invites had got lost.
With the addition of the New Mutants to the school, the conversation had been centred on their progress for the first few weeks of term. The first afternoon that wasn't completely taken up with discussing their strengths and weaknesses (on this point, Logan seemed to have compiled notes that would rival the stacks on research Hank had in storage) brought a startling event.
The various cars drew up the drive way, and paused outside the front door to let everyone other than the designated drivers (today Scott and Jean) out. So far, normal. The new students wrestled past each other and bolted for the door, ready to attack whichever room that was unfortunate enough to attract their interest. This was still normal. Bobby (probably today's designated snack-collector) dashed round the kitchen, pulling various bags of crisps and fun-sized bars of sweets down from the shelves, and raced out again, calling out a garbled "hi, bye!" over his shoulder. The sounds of an argument over the TV remote showed high levels of normality.
What startled the staff was Rogue, Kitty, Kurt and Evan stalking into the room, each dumping a piece of paper on the table before walking out, all looking like they had just been volunteered to clean up the mess that was normally left in the TV room, and this time had to do it.
"What ever could be wrong with those four?" Ororo asked as Logan and Hank began to inspect the sheets that had been dropped between them.
Hank looked a little relived as he scanned his piece "I wouldn't worry, Ororo. It's just the permission slips the school issues for any excursion."
Logan growled. "Have you looked at these properly Doc? These're for work experience."
Ororo sighed. "We will need to take precautions with this. I'll talk to Charles about insurance details later."
"Don't you think that you are both overreacting a little," Hank asked. "They are all quite responsible, I'm sure that this is a little unnecessary."
Logan and Ororo looked at him like they had the day his experiment had turned his fur lime green. After a few moments Logan shrugged his shoulders. "Forgot you're new. Word of advice for you," he lent forward a little to help prevent against eavesdroppers, "don't ever underestimate these kids ability to destroy stuff."
Hank still looked doubtful, but the entry of Scott and, both holding similar slips of paper, put an end to the debate. In contrast to the others, Scott and Jean didn't look upset in the least.
"So you two are being set loose as well," Logan said to them.
"Yes, we got to choose today," Jean answered happily. "We're all going to work at a local business for a week. It should be a really useful experience."
"And we need these permission slips signed and returned by the end of the week or we can't go out," Scott added. "The school is hoping we can go at the end of the month, and they want to organise placements for the New Mutants just after Christmas."
"Small mercies," Logan muttered.
Ororo asked the two teenagers what everyone else was wondering. "I am glad that you are both looking forward to the experience," she said, trying to put the next part delicately, "but I don't quite understand why you are pleased and the others are acting as if the world is about to end. I would have expected them to be pleased at the prospect of a week with no school."
"Well," Jean began, "I don't really know the details, but I think it's something about they were the last ones to choose, so the only choices left were the ones no one else wanted."
"We were in the first group, so we got quite a good choice," Scott added, looking smug.
"Thank you for informing us," Hank smiled at the two. "Really I am quite disappointed I failed to anticipate this. We could have arranged for some of you to be able to come and help here."
"That's alright, sir. We need some experience of a work place without explosions," Jean smiled as she and Scott left the kitchen.
Logan was glaring at Hank, "Offer them a week here? You really haven't seen them that much, have you?"
"I wonder," Ororo broke in, "why, if permission slips are needed so urgently, didn't the others just hide them from us? It wouldn't be the first time they've tried that."
Hank answered quickly, wanting to take the attention away from his offer. "We would have been informed anyway, through letters. It's a school policy, and I'm sure they were informed of it. The school doesn't like having anyone miss the work experience when they set it up. It is seen by the staff as something of a holiday," he grinned.
"So while we have to worry about property damage, your lot are going to be watching football?" Logan asked incredulously.
"Not football, baseball." Hank silently cursed himself for yet again managing to put his foot in it. A loud crash came from the tv room. "I think I might see your point now," Hank groaned. "Ororo, could you tell Charles when you speak to him that I know the company the school uses; we may be able to extend the existing insurance policies on our students."