TITLE: Phoenix
AUTHOR: DramaLexy
SUMMARY: It wasn't possible to teach her control - it had to be forced. The Phoenix had to be caged. I took the flashback scene from X3 and ran with it. Please R&R.
DISCLAIMER: If they were mine, there would be far less dead bodies. But alas...
She hadn't looked at them, not once, on the drive back to the mansion in Westchester. Jean's eyes were focused on the window as Charles drove, with a look on her face that was halfway between indifference and annoyance. She didn't say a word on the trip, and Charles longed to know what was going on inside of her mind, but wasn't going to psychically pry. Trust had to be built between them, and he knew that if Jean sensed him using his powers on her uninvited, that would never happen.
The car stopped in the front driveway of the castle-like mansion, and everyone got out. Eric retrieved Jean's bags from the trunk while Charles stepped around the car to where his newest charge was waiting, just staring at the house.
"Let's go inside," he told her. "You can unpack later. There's much for you to see and for us to talk about."
In the front foyer, the twelve-year-old child was still silent, though her eyes had turned more curious than angered. "There are six students here now," Charles told her, "Including you. Someday, I hope the house will be full of children. You'll have science courses with Mr. Lensherr – "
/Eric/ she psychically interrupted him.
/Out of respect, please call him Mr. Lensherr/ Charles replied in kind. "And also out of respect, we generally do not have psychic conversations unless there is a reason for them." Jean studied him for a long moment, but finally gave a little nod.
A door down the hall behind them opened and five students emerged, ranging in age from thirteen to seventeen and holding books or notebooks while chatting together happily. Charles smiled as he saw the white-haired youngest of the group. "Ororo," he called to her, and she obediently made her way over to him.
"Yes, Professor?" she asked, a slight accent in her voice.
"We have a new student. This is Jean Grey. Jean, this is Ororo Monroe. She'll be your roommate here."
Ororo smiled, offering a hand. "It's nice to meet you," she said. "I know you're going to like it here." Jean looked down at the other girl's hand, but didn't take it. Ororo turned to Charles, a slight frown on her face.
"Why don't you show Jean around the mansion?" he gently suggested. She nodded.
"Okay." Charles was glad when the redhead actually followed her.
"Jean?" he called to the younger of the two, stopping them. "No psi." Her eyes narrowed slightly, but he was reasonably certain that she would comply. The girls headed down the hall toward the classrooms with Ororo chattering on about which of their three professors taught which subjects.
Eric came down the stairs, having finished putting Jean's belongings in her room. "When does her training begin?" he asked Charles.
"It already has," he quietly replied.
TBC...