Chapter 2

A few days later, when Robin ran from Jacob's car up to her house and flung the door open. She ran into the kitchen where she could normally easily find her mother but she wasn't there…she ran out into the living room where there was a tall red-head and a bald man sitting in a wheel chair. Her mother sat in the room with them. She stopped a bit too suddenly and was lunged forward. A force pushed her up before she could fall over.

"Robin, these are Professor Xavier and Jean Grey, they say they can help you." Her mother explained.

Robin regarded them levelly. Jean was the tall red-head with the bright green eyes and the nice smile and Professor Xavier was a nice looking bald man.

"Help me? Help me with what?" Robin asked.

"Please sit down." The Professor said.

"I don't need you to tell me that," Robin snapped, "it's my house."

Her mother glared at her as she deliberately flung her school bag next to the Jean girl. She looks just like one of the popular girls at school, Robin thought then resent built up inside her. Jean didn't seem to mind and even set her bag in a way that it wouldn't fall off. That made Robin even more irritated.

She hopped over the back of the single chair and sat down as she always did, with her legs flung over the arm-rest. Her mother gave her a look that made her take her feet down. The Professor closed his eyes for a moment and nodded.

"I understand this is a confusing time for you," he said gently, "but we can help you. You see, Robin, we have a special institute where you could live safely and learn to control your mutant powers."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…mutant powers? Special institute? Control my powers?" Robin was incredulous.

"That is correct." He said with a nod.

"I don't know if I got home at a wrong time or something but my house seems more like looneyville than usual." Robin stood up and grabbed her bag, "So, I'm gonna take my bag, go back outside and come back in. Then maybe this will make some sense."

As Robin began to walk away, her mother started getting up but Professor Xavier held up a hand to stop her.

"This must be a lot to swallow. Let her take a walk and come back. She needs time to sort things out." He said.

Her mother sat back down, her mind wasn't completely at ease just yet though. It was getting dark outside and no doubt Robin would walk anywhere she felt like without thinking.

"Jean, please follow Ms. Moby."

Jean got up dutifully and left the house. She trailed Robin from a safe distance away. Robin didn't seem to know where she was going. Her mind was jumbled and cluttered and Jean could feel it without even reading her mind.

Robin soon ended up on a bad street in the wrong part of town. There were some guys standing all around the place and it was only when one approached her that she realized where she was.

"Hey, baby, watcha' doin' 'round here this time o night. It ain't safe." He told her.

She said nothing but clutched her satchel bag and made a u-turn. She was already surrounded by guys, all looking at her in ways she didn't like.

"Leave me alone." She warned, "Or I won't take it easy on you. I'm serious – that's a promise."

They kept on closing in on her. She was in between two street lights. Maybe I can summon some type of energy from these things; she wondered to herself, I am a freak after all.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed.

Jean felt that she should jump into action and started running towards her.

"I said: leave. Me. Alone!" Robin's eyes glowed a pale blue like that of a computer screen and the street lights broke and sent zaps of electricity flying around her in a hurricane like manner where she stood safely inside.

Most of the guys ran but some fell down and scrambled away from the electricity. Jean put them in force fields and drew them far away from Robin.

Robin stood in the center and got breathless as she powered down and thin spirals of gray smoke came from her head. She fell to her knees and panted, trying to catch her breath.

"Freaks!" one boy shouted when Jean released him as she ran away.

Robin could muster a bit of energy, "Yeah, that's right! You better run! I'm a freak!"

Jean went up to her and offered her a hand. Robin looked at her but got up by herself. Jean put a hand on her shoulder.

"You have an incredible ability – an awesome amount of power - but you can't control it yet. We can help you." Jean said reassuringly.

Robin pulled away, "Leave me alone." Then she started off down the road.

Before Robin knew it, she was standing in front of Jacob's house. How she got there was a mystery to her. Maybe she had teleportation powers…one could never know what a freak was like.

"Hey, Aunty Olivia," She smiled at Jacob's mother who opened the door.

"He's up on the roof." Aunty Olivia said with a smile as she stepped by and allowed her to pass.

Robin went right upstairs and into Jacob's room. She climbed through the window to find him sitting and leaning his back against the outer wall of his bedroom. He didn't look up when she sat next to him.

"I was just thinking about you." He whispered staring off at the lights of the town.

She looked up at him quickly, "Really? Why?"

He looked into her deep brown eyes and smiled smally, "Isn't it obvious?" he asked.

She furrowed her brow.

"I love you." He moved his hand gently to her face and leaned in. Robin was paralyzed as his lips came into contact with hers and he drew back as small pulses of electricity went through his lips.

His eyes lit up, "Whoa…" he whispered.

"Jake – I…" she began but he was starting to move in again for another kiss. "Wait, Jake," Robin said pulling away, "I need to talk to you."

Jacob sat back feeling slightly annoyed. He really wanted to kiss her again – such electricity. He knew she was the one. "What is it?" he asked, And make it quick…

"Something strange is happening." She told him looking down at her shoes as she drew her knees under her chin and hugged her shins.

"Don't be afraid – that's just love." He whispered back going in for another kiss.

"Just listen to me." She said impatiently as she gently pushed him backwards. "I'm changing – and it's weird."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked her.

"I mean, I'm kind of…I don't know how to explain it." Robin stumbled over her words, "Okay, I'm going to show you something but you have to promise me you won't freak out."

Jacob nodded. Robin let a breath out as she stood up. She told Jacob to stand back as she tried to summon as little electrical energy as she possibly could but she ended up shooting a bolt of lightning across the street and struck a tree. She covered her mouth in panic then turned to where Jacob sat frozen in a scrambling position.

"See? This girl and a bald guy came to my house and said that they wanted to carry me to some special institute for freaks. Do you think I should go?" Robin asked her faithful best friend.

He moved slowly close to his window, "I don't care where you go."

"Jake?" she asked.

"Stay away from me you – you freak!" he rushed inside and slammed his window shut and drew the curtains.

Robin stood there dumb-founded as she stared at the closed window. Had her friend of nine years just shut her out because she had a disability…if it could be called that? She gaped at the window and saw as the fire brigade came to put out the flaming tree. She had caused it…and now she was all alone.

She felt like crying; but why would she? She was Robin Maria Moby! Nothing could make her cry! She felt her eyes burn and saw as her world became bleary. She began her descent down the tree next to the window and stood for a few moments in the darkness as tears streaked her dark skin.

A hand rested on her shoulder, "I saw everything – I'm really sorry." The Jean girl said, "We've all gone through it at one point."

Yeah, but you're freaks. She thought.

Jean's hand tightened after that thought of Robin's. Robin looked up at her face.

"I read minds." She informed Robin.

Robin shook her head as if trying to get Jean out of her head. The commotion across the street got more and more intense as time went by.

"We better get out of here." Jean told her. Robin nodded in agreement.

At Robin's house, her mother tried to stop herself from worrying and so turned the television on to some cheesy comedy. Just when she began to relax there was breaking news on the television right across from Jacob Mason's house.

"Oh dear, I hope they're alright." Mrs. Moby said quietly.

"There was a freak flash of lightning on this clear night in Pueblo, Colorado." The Asian news reporter said, "Some young men claim that the same girl that attacked them, with what they describe as 'wicked lightning skills', must have done this. This is what one of the boys had to say,"

A thug looking guy came onto the screen and started to talk, "She was small and cute den when me and ma boys wuz talking to da chick she like flared up and unleashed some wicked lightning powers on us, man. It wuz freaky…"

"Oh no," Professor Xavier whispered. Just when he was about to contact Jean mentally the door clicked open and Robin and Jean entered the house and came into the living room. They stood up in silence and watched as the news went on.

The next witness on the screen was Jacob himself. Robin felt her heart sink into her feet before he even opened his mouth. He'd tell them her name and then she'd be labeled a destructive freak and maybe even get arrested.

"I saw the lightning." He said, then waited as they questioned him, he hesitated, "No, I didn't see the person who did it but I bet they didn't mean to,"

Professor Xavier turned the television off and rested the remote next to Mrs. Moby who sat hunched over and sobbed into her hands. Robin felt her eyes stinging again. Her life was completely ruined.

"So you see, Robin, this is why we need to stick together as mutants."

"I'm no mutant." Robin snapped.

Robin zoned out as he explained something about an X-gene to her and her mother. She was sad and angry at the world.

"This is really up to you, your husband and Robin." Professor Xavier said, "We'll leave you to decide Robin's fate." He said in his level tone.

"It's up to you, Robin." Said her mother who knew that would be her father's exact sentiment.

"Wait," Robin said to the professor and the other chick as they left the room, "I've already come to my decision."

"Don't be hasty, Robin. You need time to think this over." Said her mother who was sure her stubborn child would say she wasn't going anywhere.

"I agree." The professor said and Jean, like an obedient lackey, nodded.

It's not like I've got anything left for me here, Robin thought, "I've decided that I'll go to this institute place with you."

Her little brother stumbled down the stairs with a large suitcase with a peach lacy brassier hanging out of the half open zip. "I packed your stuff for you, Robin. I've always wanted to be an only child, bye!"

As Robin rushed at her brother to strangle him, everyone started to laugh. This was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.