You're Guardian Angel
Chapter 2 The Lesson
DisclaimerI do not the X-Men Series, so please don't sue...The only characters that I do own, are Lauren, Kendra and a few others that wont be mentioned until later in the story. I really do hope that you like this story, so let me know what you think of it. Sorry that the Chapters are so short...
She earned an eyebrow raised for that one. "You can't fly?" He sounded a bit stunned at the mere thought.
Lauren felt so ashamed by the fact that she was telling a complete stranger with wings about this. "Because, my family never allowed me to fly."
Silence.
"In fact, I was only allowed to have them out when I was in the shower, and in the privacy of my own bedroom."
"Wow." Warren whispered under his breath. "I know the feeling, but why didn't you at least try to learn?" he wasn't trying to sound mean; he was just confused and concerned. To him, having wings and not being able to use them was useless.
"You don't think I didn't?" She asked stunned, but Warren shrugged, as Lauren calmed her voice down a bit. "I tried, once. I leaped from my roof, and it ended badly."
"How so?"
Lauren froze.
Nobody but her parents, the family Doctor and her little brother knew of the accident but it would be a good start for her to begin trusting people so she took a deep breath.
"I ran for the end of the roof, as fast as I could. When I leaped into the air, I flapped my wings, but fell like a rock. Normally I'm pretty good at landing on my feet, but I was paying more attention to my wings rather than the ground, and crack. Both of my legs broke clean in half, and I dislocated my right elbow when I tried to break my fall."
Warren, still curious, decided to risk one more question. "How far was it?"
"It was off of the roof of our three story house."
Warren then had his next question answered for him in a sensitive tone of voice. "From then on, I was never left home alone, I couldn't even attempt to try it, and if I did," She paused, before shaking her head. "I don't even want to explain the consequences." By the time Lauren had realized that she had said too much, it was too late.
"Oh, okay, I was only wondering. Why don't we get busy on teaching you how to fly then shall we?" but the truth was, Warren really did feel bad for her. Never learning to fly? He couldn't imagine a life like that…
"You mean, your willing to teach me how to?" Lauren asked as Warren nodded his head in confirmation. "Thank you so much" She practically yelled out, and before she could even comprehend what was happening, she jumped into his arms and gave him the biggest and most affectionate hug he could recall.
Regaining control over her body, Lauren withdrew from the embrace, leaving Warren flushed. "So er, were do we begin?"
"Um, well." Warren said, after he recovered, and then blushing some more, he continued. "Have you seen Angels in the out field?"
"Yeah? Who hasn't?"
"Well, I want you to do the Angel sign, only with your wings." When he noticed the confused look on her face, he began to push his wings down, slowly at first, and then gained momentum. "Like this."
Lauren copied his movement, and managed to pick up speed fast. She thought about how dorky she looked, and nearly stopped, but Warren then encouraged her to keep going.
"Okay, now I want you to jump off of the ground as hard as you can, while still flapping your wings."
Lauren concentrated hard, as she began to pump as fast as she could, then with a firm kick, she leaped into the air, were she hovered for a moment, and then landed again.
"That was great, don't give up, and now try again."
Repeating the steps, she kicked hard away from the ground, were she managed to hover for about a minuet longer. "I'm doing it!" She shouted, only to lose her concentration and land again.
"Okay, you can stop flapping your wings." Once her body relaxed, he thought long and hard for a moment. "Now I'm going to take you to the roof, I think you can handle this." Lauren flinched at those words, her mouth opens to protest then closes it again, trusting his judgment.
"I could to take you up to the roof," he offered.
"Really?" her eyes lit up with the idea.
Smiling he replied. "You'll have to hold on to me tightly. We wouldn't want you to fall." "Right," she said, her breath already trying to fail her as she nervously stepped closer and awkwardly wrapped her arms around his neck.
Gently he, scooped her up into his muscular arms, then with a huge down sweep of his powerful wings they were airborne.
It was astounding, to her, finally watching the grounds flash away below, but It was over far too soon as before she even realized it they were landing softly on the roof.
"Okay, now as never racking as this is, I want you to run at the edge, without flapping your wings this time, and leap off. Trust me; your instincts will take over."
"ARE YOU INSANE?" She shouted at the blond. "I'll kill myself from this height!"
"Laura, Laura! Trust me; I won't let anything happen to you okay? If you fall I promise to catch you, deal?"
Everything inside of Lauren was screaming in protest to what she was about to say, but for some odd reason she trusted this guy, and trust for her didn't come easily. "Okay, deal."
He leaped off of the roof, as if it were nothing, and hovered a few feet away from the edge, ready for anything. "I'm ready when you are."
Lauren's heart began to pound as she took her first jogging steps towards her doom. Come on girly, you can do this. He won't let you fall. He won't let you fall. He won't let you fall. She closed her eyes, as her foot left the last bit of solid ground.
It was like one big blur of motion, as her wings snapped out as hard and as fast as they would go on there own accord. The she pushed downward with all her strength, then pulled her wings up, and pushed downward again.
Oh my God! I'm actually flying just like I've always dreamed! The school draped in her shadow from the early morning sun, and began to recede beneath her.
Warren caught an updraft of air and managed to glide up next to her. "You're doing great!" he shouted to her. "How does it feel?"
"Absolutely Amazing!" Lauren shouted, her excitement clearly betraying her voice. "It's all that I've dreamed of!"
The sound of rushing air was in her ears. The smell of the moisture delighted her nose, and the feel of Angel beside her, made her feel right at home. It really reminded her of how birds flock together, to keep each other safe and company.
All throughout the flight, Warren taught her how to turn, roll, increase and decrease speeds, ascends and descends.
"Okay, now to teach you how to land." Warren stated, as he began his descend, aiming for the patch of grass behind the mansion. Warren back winged abruptly just before hitting the hard pavement, allowing him to land softly.
Watching intently, Lauren swooped down, completely missing her target, witch was the vacant space beside him. She began to back wing, but not in time enough to stall her landing time. Her feet hit the ground running slower than her upper body was moving, witch ultimately resulted in a few choice swear words, and gaining, scrapes on her palms and arms.
"Are you okay?" Angle asked, as he helped the fallen girl to her feet.
"Yeah I'm fine," She brushed away the grass on her pants, and arms before bursting out in hysterics. "Taking off is way easier than landing."
Warren laughed along with her, his sexy chest rising and falling rapidly. "Yeah, I'd have to agree."
"Nice landing." The two's heads snapped in the direction of Storm. "I didn't know you had wings, Lauren."
"She did well for her first time." Warren bragged for her.
"That was your first flight?" Blushing, Lauren nodded. "You didn't do too bad. If your good enough, I'll let you join the team."
"Team?" Lauren asked confused.
"The X-Men." Angel added.
"Umm I'm sorry, I still am really lost. Is that like a football team?"
"Allow me to explain." Storm began. "The X-Men fight everything ranging from mutant criminals to galactic threats. We're often depicted as a family. We live here at The X-Mansion."
"The X-Mansion?"
"Xavier Mansion." Storm Laughed lightheartedly. "The mansion has three floors and two underground levels. To the outside world, it had acted as a higher learning institute until the 2000s, when Xavier was exposed as a mutant, and it became a full mutant boarding school. Xavier's vision was that mutants and humans could coexist together. Here at the institute, we are still trying to make that dream a reality."
Lauren was still a little weird out by the whole idea, but nothing in her life was ever normal. Like the fact that she was a freak that had HUGE wings on her back.
"Well I have to ask you a few questions, and have you take a few tests, to help us know what classed to place you, is that ok?"
They started for the Mansion, towards Ororo's classroom. "That's fine, and…thank you, you know for taking me in."
"No problem, it's what we do."
The two began to climb the large oak staircase, passing many sleepy looking teenagers. "As you might already know this is the Xavier's school for Gifted Youngsters." She paused "Professor Charles Xavier had passed on… a few months ago."
Lauren was listening with great interest, and was slightly pained by the news. "I'm so sorry to hear about that."
"It's ok. It gets easer with every passing day." she stopped outside an oak door, and opened the door to the classroom.
"Take a seat." Lauren did so, across from Ororo, with the cherry wood desk between the two of them. "Now let's begin, what do you know about your powers already?" She just sat in the silence and begins to stare down at her feet. "It's ok, we won't judge you. Well all have our own unique gifts."
She looked up at her, and cleared her throat before she spoke. "Well I can heal faster than others."
Storm raised her eye brows for that one. "How long have you been able to do that?"
"I think since I was a little baby." She finished quietly.
"Then its probably a Blood-borne healing factor." She nodded her head.
"A Blood-borne what?" Lauren asked, confused, but laughing.
Storm laughed at the girl's ability to giggle at her confusion, not many did that, well except for Kitty. "Blood-borne Healing Factor. It that regenerates damaged or destroyed areas of his body far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary human and may make you immune to most toxins and diseases. Much like Wolverine is."
Lauren wanted to ask who that was, but held her tongue and let the teacher finish.
"Because of it, you may be nearly immune to injury because the healing blood is constantly flowing through you. For example you may be able to repair broken bones in days. Angel has this factor as well."
Strom paused momentarily. "What other powers have you taken notice of?"
"I guess you can say that I pick up on others feelings with out them even telling me, and I don't get cold or hot very easily."
"Well the first one is Empathy, that's were you can quite literally feel others emotions, see there dreams and memories. Its very rare among mutants as far as I understand. As for the second, that's possibly because you need to be able to withstand high altitudes. How long have you been able to do these?"
"Umm, the Empathy thing and immunes to weather since about the time I was 5 or 6 years old. The wings and such didn't come until about a year or two after puberty."
"I see, and your sixteen now?"
"No ma'am, I'm seventeen"
Strom continued to write for a few moments longer, then ripped off a piece of paper, then handed it to her right as a ruggedly handsome man entered the room.
"Oh, sorry Strom, I didn't know you were with a student."
Strom smiled at him. "Ah, Lauren. I'd like you to meet Logan, also called Wolverine. Logan, this is Lauren, our newest student."
"Pleased, to meet you." Lauren said, quietly to him.
After a brief acknowledgement from Logan, Strom continued. "Would you mind, Logan, if I asked you to take her to Hank?"
"Sure, not at all."
