I don't own anything from the original X-Men comic or movie franchise as the characters are owned by them not me, this story is just a piece of my imagination that's stands outside of the base story for my own creative outlet. Although if you don't like it then don't blame me, blame the ones who created the original stuff! ;) :P

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I watched absent-mindedly as the pen scrawled across the page, etching out lines without any real meaning or direction. I then glanced back across the street to follow the activity in the small unassuming house over the road –that's always how it is, a picture of normality to anyone else until the heaven of routine and regularity is shattered. A large van had pulled up outside the house but moments ago and already a small boy, no older than 5, was being dragged out kicking and screaming through the front doors and towards the van. The two men "escorting" him weren't scary or intimidating, just normal people sent out to do the job. I wondered if they went home at the end of the day realising the pain they cause to people like us, the innocent lives they ruin. The parents were nowhere to be seen of course, the ones meant to always be there for you are always the first to betray you when it comes down to fear.

I've seen scenes like this more times than I can count; a young naive child with no real understanding of the situation being forced into the harsh reality of today's society. It's not like there's a massive sign plastered on the van saying "Mutant detainment" or that the house screams out "A mutant lives here!" but it's always just as obvious what is happening each time. The so called "mutant problem" has been growing rapidly since recent conflicts between the mutant extremist groups and the clashes with the local government. I doubt it would end well; threats of war are hanging in the air all around.

I could have saved the boy if I'd wanted to, it doesn't take much. But I knew that eventually someone else would come to his aid. They don't take long. To be frank I don't quite see why that with all their strength and talents they couldn't detect them before their taken. I guess the distress of being taken away from home just amplifies their desperation for help that little bit more to be visible on their "in need of help" radar.

The van engine spluttered to a start and the boy's screams dissipated into cries before fading into the distance. I looked back to the pen which was now hovering above a page with the vague image of their distinctive emblem emerging from my other scribbles, the X Men. I admired them in some ways, their desire and determinism to help us one by one in order to stop this never ending hysteria around mutants. Yet I couldn't help but wonder if their efforts were for nothing. I'd never really understood them truly, only hearing titbits of new coverage and watching them from afar when our paths cross.

I let the pen fall to lay flat on the page as my mind wandered. I'd always been interested in mutants, I found it fascinating to think how many are out there and what they are capable of, and I often found myself looking out for any signs or hints in order to observe them. In consequence I was frequently able to locate one before they or the government did, often before the parents had even really taken much notice. As mutant genes are so diverse and individualised there are no real rules or regulations that being a mutant conforms to, yet we all suffer in the same way – we are all feared and ostracised. Which makes it easier for most to form bonds as our plight to be accepted unites us, in some cases uniting us against humans.

It was in a situation very similar this when I'd first seen them...

I watched from behind the cover of a large oak tree at the edge of the street, it was getting dark but the house across the street glowed with light. My fascination with the light being emitted from the core of the house was broken when a large jet started to descend onto the field across from me. I was shell shocked seeing such a large imposing machine in such an ordinary space and coward slightly where I was hiding. The doors extended down and three figures came out; a woman with striking white hair, a man in a wheelchair and a man with brown unruly hair who stalked out after them. The first two made their way towards the house just as the door opened and a small child (who I realised was the source of the light) stepped forward clutching his head. They didn't cower away as I'd expected but instead the woman walked over to him and reached for his hand, bringing him back over to the man in the wheelchair who gently placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. I could see that the man was gently talking to him and as he did so the light radiating out of the boy's skin dimmed to a faint glow.

The other man, who was younger than the other two, at this point had come to stand behind them and I moved slightly to get a better look at him, as I did his shoulders tensed and his head swung round in my direction. I froze and held my breath praying he couldn't see me as his black eyes searched the grounds, I also vaguely wondered how he'd been able to hear me but then dismissed myself. He's a mutant of course, why else would he be here with them? The woman started to lead the boy towards the plane and the man in the wheelchair went to follow before noticing the other's stiff posture. It was then that he looked up directly at me and met my frightened eyes. At which point I was paralysed, how can he see me up here?! His eyes were kind and open with an age to them that didn't fit with his other features, as he looked at me his gaze soften and he smiled ever so slightly then turned to go. The second man relaxed slightly as he failed to spot me and had missed the odd exchange, he too went back to the plane.

Remembering back I could still see the kindness and knowledge in his eyes so clearly, Charles Xavier as I now knew him as was one of the only mutants I'd ever seen or heard of that truly has hope for our kind. His plight for our acceptance and co-existence with humans in peace has inspired so many others to join him, while he pursues the constant task of reaching out to other young mutants in need of his help and support. I'd heard of his school for the gifted and had always wondered about what lies behind its gates, the concept of a school for mutants being all but foreign to me.

My stomach let out a low grumble and I shook my head slightly as I focused back on the present, it had always been too easy for me to get lost in my own thoughts, get a grip for god sake. Now what I should really have been thinking about was getting out the tree I was happily perched in and finding something to eat. My stomach let out a growl of agreement and spurred me into climbing out of the tree, not too gracefully at that either. I looked down to where my knee had caught one of the branches to see that my jeans were now slightly scuffed and torn - not really differing much from the rest of my clothing which was getting worn out and too small... I should probably look into getting some new stuff.

I set off walking down the street and followed my gut in hoping that it would lead me to somewhere with food. Clothing and looking presentable hadn't been the top on my list of things to worry about the past few years but I slowly realised it might need to be bumped up a few places in my priorities. I'd been walking aimlessly for 20 minutes when the sound of traffic started getting louder and I rounded the corner onto a larger street with several shops, looks promising. I continued along the street, passing a corner shop and a hardware store before finally spotting a small diner. I headed towards it probably a little to eagerly, the bell ringed above the door as I entered causing most of the diner's few customers to turn and look at me, most probably trying to figure out who I was and what I was here for. That's the problem with small towns, you never know where you're welcome. Their stares and appraisals made me acutely aware of my rather dishevelled appearance but luckily my hunger was too pressing to let me dwell on that issue for two long.

I went up to the counter and a young girl, probably only just 16, was poised behind the till clacking her jaw together as she mulled over a piece of gum. Unlike everyone else she was too concentrated on something with her nails to look up on my arrival and took no notice of my approaching. I coughed slightly to catch her attention and she looked up at me, her stare accusing me of interrupting something important

"Can I help you?" she had a strong distinctive twang to her voice that made my reply seem even more out of place and out of town.

"Err yeah... please may I have something to eat and drink?" my request sounded timid, I hate being like this around people. At my request she gave me a quick once over, wondering probably if I was likely to pay for it or run. Shit. I haven't got any money! Well fuck. Despite my inner dilemma I tried to keep calm and I looked to the blackboard on the wall behind her, picking out the cheapest items on the menu – water and toast, how filling, really shoulda thought before I let my stomach rule my brain. Just as I was summoning up the courage in my voice to make my order - without sounding like a wuss with no money - a hand appeared on the counter next to me, a large slim male one. "whatcha havin darlin?"

I looked up and beside me was a young man, with wavy blonde hair that was brushed back off his face, he had a slim jaw with a vague smattering of stubble and his features were soft but with a slightly amused and mischievous edge to them. I was unable to decipher exactly what his intention was but deemed him mostly harmless so I answered him warily "I was just going to order a glass of water and some toast."

He smiled and turned to the girl behind the till, who was waiting rather impatiently while watching the exchange with a quizzical expression, "Two large cups of coffee and some sandwiches please" his order puzzled me, as did the way he simply placed a few bills on the counter before turning to sit at a nearby table. I was still stood at the counter perplexed as to who he was and what he was doing, not quite processing what had happened when I heard him whistle. Looking over he had kicked out the chair opposite him and was looking at me expectantly.

"Why?" was all I could ask as I sat in the chair he had offered me.

"Because why not? You're a pretty girl, on your own, obviously away from home and you looked like you could do with a friend" he eyes gleamed with a gentle kindness while his tone was very matter of fact. It made me marvel at the nature of human kindness and I wondered briefly if he would have acted the same way if he knew I was a mutant. Stop worrying about that and just accept his kindness! You're pretty lucky he wasn't some weirdo looking to harass you, at least try to be nice to him. I smiled shyly and thanked him, "So what's your name?" I was secretly intrigued by him and his random act of kindness.

"John, yours?" he seemed relaxed and at ease, unlike most would be when talking to a stranger.

"Laura" it felt weird to say it out loud, I'd not really had much interaction with people over the past few years, and even those close to me stopped wanting to talk to me eventually.

Our food came and we ate in comfortable silence, although it wasn't exactly silent with the speed and enthusiasm at which I wolfed the sandwiches down. Way to make a good first impression, he probably thinks your some kind of feral animal after that! But he didn't seem to notice and was content in watching people pass the window and he drank his coffee. I hadn't realised how much I'd been neglecting myself recently until the first sip of warm, milky, sugary coffee passed my lips – God I needed this. We dropped into conversation quite easily, I didn't have to tell him much as he seemed happy enough to tell me about himself while I took in the surroundings of the diner – the faded leather on the seats, the worn out posters and photos on the wall, markings and dents in the varnished wood of the table, the gentle ticking of the clock on the far wall, the static of the radio behind the counter. It wasn't until I realised he had stopped talking that I became aware of him watching me. "where are you going? What are you looking for pretty girl?"

I stumbled a little at his questions " w-what do you mean?" I looked away averting my gaze from him, his questions were unnerving and I'd felt a shift in the atmosphere between us.

After a brief silence that seemed to stretch on forever he got up from the table and as he walked by me he bent down to whisper "You're gifted, so stop running from yourself. There's no point in having gifts if you don't use them." And with that he left, but where he'd placed his hand on my shoulder there was warmth and I could see a small flickering ember on my sleeve. A mutant. I should have guessed.

It was from that moment on that I had decided I was finally going to accept my fate.
I was a mutant and it was time to believe in myself.

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Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! I know I haven't really given anything away yet but I've got some stuff planned out so don't worry, I just wanted give you a bit of a taster and see what you think :P So let me know as I'd love to hear people's thoughts and opinions and I will certainly try my best to answer any of the questions you've got! :)

Thanks!

Pandasaurusrexamon xxx