This story is set in the X-men movie universe, taking elements from the first three X-men movies as well as some pieces of Wolverine Origins. Some things will be embellished by taking elements from Earth 616 continuity other things will be expanded on. Enjoy and review!

The X-men are the property of Marvel and I do not own them, though I do enjoy playing with them.

-Bold Italics are thoughts-

-Outside the Institute-

This is it, Aaron no turning back now…

It's not fear that causes his hesitation, no, it's the realization that the moment he's been planning for the better part of a year is right in front of him. The moment, he'd spent his whole life waiting for. It wasn't until recently he realized the profound truth of that fact.

At first glance, Aaron is your typical teenager.

Dressed in a pair of faded jeans, topped with an oversized Philadelphia Eagles hoodie; in a crowd, most people wouldn't give him a second look. His caramel complexion compliments his curly dark brown hair, both of which he gets from his mother. There is a single dimple on his right cheek and hazel eyes. The dimple courtesy of his grandfather, the eyes the father he's never met. At six foot three he's a little taller than most and his build suggests that he is athletic and active, but so is the average high school kid.

What sets Aaron apart is that he is a mutant. It's also, at least in part, what's led him here to the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

It took him quite a bit of time to find this place. When dealing with a facility that isn't supposed to exist and whose existence has been wiped clear from the minds of anyone not currently living there, no one would have blamed him for giving up. But he was determined. And now, after months connecting the dots and the payoff is awaiting him.

All he has to do is walk through the gates.

-One year ago-

"How are you feeling today, mother?" Aaron asks holding the hand of his mother as she lies in bed.

"Not as good as most, better than some," She answers flashing a weary but warm smile. For the last six months it's been her standard answer. Even when she finally became too weak to be out of bed for long stretches of time she still maintained her good humor. Now the time is ticking away.

Aaron had wanted to take her to a hospital, but she adamantly refused. She knew that would put the two of them back into the system, back on his radar. Something she could not allow, even if it meant her life. But she knew something else; that even with the best doctors and the best treatment there was no help for her. And if she was going to die, it would be in her home, surrounded by warm memories and with her son at her side.

"You need a haircut," She remarks running her hand through her son's curly locks. She smiles as she realizes that his hair is just as thick and unruly as his father's although he would never know that.

"She's right you know, you could use a shape-up at the very least."

"Fury?" she calls out surprised to see him standing in the doorway of her room. He was the very person she was trying desperately to avoid. She didn't want him mixed up in their lives again. Especially not Aaron's. She looks over at her son who, of course, isn't surprised in the slightest.

"I thought I made myself clear the last time we spoke, that we were never to do so again." Aaron states menacingly, getting to his feet to face Fury.

"And I thought I made myself clear when I told you that you were not done working for us." Fury returns drawing a gun and pointing it at Aaron. "Not by a long shot."

"You really think you can pull that trigger before I rip out your other eye, Nick?"

Nick Fury smiles before holstering his weapon. "I know I could, but it wouldn't do me much good would it? I wouldn't be here unless it was absolutely necessary." Aaron remains skeptical but relaxes his posture and nods for him to proceed.

"There's a job that needs doing and you're the best person for it…"

-Outside the Institute-

At the time he declined, wanting to focus on caring for his mother, but when Fury approached him again… It became obvious to Aaron that he was indeed the best man for this job.

Setting down his large Duffel bag, he goes over his objectives. It's something that has always managed to calm his nerves when faced with a mission as delicate as this one. Organizing them in his head helps him to focus on how each can be reached.

Even with his eyes closed, he feels movement behind him. He turns from the security gate and comes face to face with the Beast. A blue-furred brute with glasses and a lab coat. He manages to hold back the laughter that wells up within him at the absurdity of the scene and holds out his hand.

"Aaron Carter." He states confidently looking the large figure squarely in the eye.

"Dr. Hank McCoy, Nice to meet you Aaron! Since you're a little early, the rest of the faculty, such as it is, is still teaching class, so you're stuck with me. Welcome." Beast is pleasantly surprised by the young man's reaction to his appearance. Being used to stares and at times outright fear, Aaron's calm demeanor is refreshing to him.

"Thank you, Dr. McCoy," Aaron states shaking his hand while sizing the man up:

Dense musculature throughout his entire frame, coupled with above average agility and speed. I'd have to surprise him, stay downwind and snap his neck if he's the one I'm looking for…

"Your school looks amazing." Aaron offers with a warm smile that in no way betrays the grim thoughts he is entertaining.

"Wait until you see the inside, I'm sure you'll love it! And outside of class, call me Hank, or Beast if you want. The doctor title is just to impress the ladies!" Hank laughs as he easily slings the young man's Duffel bag over his shoulder. The bag contains nothing out of the ordinary, just clothes and hygiene products. For this mission he needed no tools other than those he was born with.

Because of the nature of the school once he located it he couldn't just walk up to the gates and ask to be admitted. He had to create the opportunity for them to seek him out. Setting up the circumstances had been easy enough; the hardest part was waiting to see if they had picked up on the bread crumbs he'd left behind. When received a call from McCoy himself last week, extending him an invitation he knew that he'd made the correct moves. After pretending to consider the invite for a few days, he called to say that he accepted.

As Hank leads him through the gates and up to the main house, he attempts to draw him out. Talking to him about his background, his mutant ability, what he hopes to learn at the school…

"Intriguing…" Beast remarks, "You're able to 'read' another persons' mind simply by touch and absorb any ability you choose?" Beast already knew this from their earlier conversations, but he wanted the boy to expand on it more. As open as Aaron seemed at times, Beast had to admit there were times he seemed to only give the bare minimum of information. Beast just chalked it up to him being a typical teenager.

He's not going to be satisfied unless you give him more to go on…

"As long as it's a mental gift; like playing the guitar or being good with computers, yeah." Aaron answers, knowing he wanted him to elaborate more, "But it's not like I could shake LeBron James' hand and suddenly dunk like him; if I could I would have already tried."

"What have you chosen to absorb so far?" Hank asks, smiling at the young man. Beast, now realizing the difference between Rogue's and Aaron's abilities, he felt more confident that Aaron could indeed be the key he was looking for.

Aaron shrugs his shoulders innocently. "Nothing substantial, yet… It can be a pretty painful experience if I try to absorb too much. So I've limited myself to picking up basic things. Languages are the easiest."

"Yes, I would imagine so…" The primary reason that Beast reached out to Aaron was in the hope that study of him would help Marie. Yes, the school is a safe haven for mutants, but most in attendance have no choice but to be here. This was not the case with Aaron as far as Beast could tell. He was in control of his abilities; no outward appearance of his mutation. Plus, after speaking to his parents; his family seems supportive of him being a mutant. Beast couldn't see any reason he'd actually want to come here other than his invitation.

Before Beast can ask his next question, the front doors of the mansion explode with flames and the bodies of two young men. Aaron, reacting with lightning speed, pushes Beast from their path onto the grass. The two boys land hard onto the gravel path leading up to the front doors.

The one seemingly engulfed in fire is Samuel Guthrie also known as Cannonball; Aaron plucked that information while shaking hands with McCoy. He's able to generate a kinetic field of energy that protects him from harm and propels him forward like a rocket. The other boy surrounded by black energy is Roberto DaCosta, "Sunspot" getting his power from the sun.

Neither of them are much of a threat. Despite DaCosta's superhuman strength his combat skills are little more than a brawler. With his ability to store solar energy limited I could easily evade and outlast him until he burned out. The hick may be nearly invulnerable when blasting, but he is unable to change direction quickly. Proper planning and maneuvering takes him out of the fight. In a melee situation though… well hopefully it won't come to that.

Beast recovers from his tumble and runs to break up the two boys, who Aaron imagines are arguing over something stupid as teenagers are wont to do. Thankfully, their refusal to cease struggling keeps Beast from wondering how Aaron was able to move so quickly.

If this is an everyday occurrence, keeping a low profile here will be difficult.

"Tabby! Why don't ya'll do sumthin about this? Ya know they's tussling cause a you!"

"I'm sure I could care less, Marie."

Aaron turns to see the exchange between the two girls. The one he knows to be "Tabby" is a well proportioned blonde dressed in what appears to be the tatters of a sweater, barely containing her chest. The jeans she has on seem to be painted on and are cut low to show her hips and the thin straps of a black thong. The other, "Marie" is dressed much more conservatively even going as far as wearing a pair of elbow length gloves. Apparently bored with the exchange, Tabby walks away leaving Marie mid scolding.

"Ah swear that girl- Sorry bout all this."

Aaron smiles at the owner of the southern-accented apology. He allows his stare to linger a moment over her long brown hair and shapely young curves. Her soft, milky skin turns crimson at his attention, but he ends her torture by clearing his throat and extending his hand.

"No problem. I'm Aaron-"

"-Carter. Ah know, Ah'm Ro-… uh Marie, we've been waiting for you- Ah mean, expecting you." She blushes stammering slightly.

Her powers are similar to mine in that she absorbs ability by touch. Unlike me, she has no off switch and is fairly useless in a fight unless able to absorb abilities from other mutants. Of course doing so would weaken, even kill her teammates. Something I could easily use to my advantage.

Smiling at her fumbling, he covers her small gloved hand with both of his. "Since Dr. McCoy appears to have his hands full, perhaps you could continue my tour…?"

"Actually,"

Aaron looks up at the mountainous man standing with his arms folded behind Rogue. At 6'6" Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin would intimidate most people and that's before turning his skin into a steel form almost as dense as Adamantium. Aaron simply smiles at the giant.

This one's more farm boy than fighter, but that doesn't mean he'll be a pushover. Metal armor makes him slow; he relies too much on his strength. He may be nigh invulnerable in that form, but he can still be incapacitated with proper planning. Say a nice deep body of water...

"Tours are normally given by faculty members tovarich, besides some of us should actually be in class." He shoots an accusatory glance in Rogue's direction. "I can take your bag to your room while you wait, if you like."

"Спасибо, мой друг." Aaron thanks the big Russian in his native tongue while tossing him his bag.

Piotr raises an eyebrow in surprise before smiling in return "You are welcome. Rogue, you should return to class before Miss Monroe notices you're gone."

Casting a frown at the big man that makes Aaron stifle a chuckle, she pushes past him with the playfulness of a younger sister. This time his gaze lingers over her shapely bottom, as Beast makes his way back to him. If he is aware of anything being amiss, his face doesn't show it.

"I hope this doesn't sour you on attending this school. Believe it or not this isn't an everyday occurrence. If you're ready we can continue the tour..."

"Sure." Aaron answers casting a quick look over at the two boys still arguing but both have powered down. So far Aaron has no clue which of them he is here for, but he has hopes that once he's acclimated he'll be able to sort things out easier.

He acknowledges Beast's endless droning with an occasional nod or snicker in the right places as he shows him the rest of the mansion. There are numerous young, but powerful mutants here, who could prove problematic. If they're smart they'll stay out his way, but he doubts they will.

I really hope I don't have to kill anyone… at least no one I wasn't already planning on killing…