It was past midnight, the institute was quiet and dark as they slept, Aria was sleeping as the moonlight shone into the room and onto her face. As she slept she was unaware that she was being watched from afar.
Morning finally came as her alarm rang causing her to roll over to turn it off, she rubbed her eyes and stretched as she got out of bed. Thankfully the professor had given her a room with her own bathroom so she walked in to start her day. pushing her hair out of her face, she picked up her towel and a clean set of underwear and then went into the bathroom to take a shower. She got undressed and stepped into the warm shower as she began to collect her thoughts about the previous night.
Even though it was a new day she still felt like she was being watched but she shook it off she reached over and grabbed her shampoo, poured a good amount into her hand and began to wash her curly hair. After a nice hot shower and she had brushed her teeth, aria came out her bathroom in her fluffy leopard print bathrobe with her hair wrapped in the towel.
She rubbed on her mango scented lotion before she moved on to her face, once cleaned she put on her moisturisers and lip balm. She then walked over to her closet and pulled out an outfit for the day and matching shoes.
"I'm telling you, Logan, something happened last night" storm said as they drank their morning coffee.
"I hear ya storm," he said as he looked out the window since the institute was surrounded by a thick forest who could guess what was out there, the grounds were secure but still…
"with this damn forest, who knows what is out there," he said "so how is she," he asked her.
"she was really scared, Logan"
"I could only guess," he said with a sigh.
"good morning" they heard causing them to turn around. Aria was dress in a blue and white shirt, a blue skater skirt with matching blue pumps. Her hair was straightened and held with a striped hairband, she had on a little makeup with a simple pair of earrings and a gold chain around her neck.
"aria" storm said with a smile as she walked up to her "how are you feeling"
"much better, I think after last night, I just needed a good night sleep," she said with a smile but then she turned to Logan "good morning, Logan"
"morning" he replied as he picked his cup "I'll catch ya later," he said as he left with a wave.
"bye," she said as she and storm watched him leave.
"so Aria do you want anything to drink before the kids come in," storm said as they walked to the counter.
"yeah, just some tea please," she said as she watched storm grab a mug for her.
"any particular type"
"ginger would be great," she said as she watched storm make her tea.
"here you are," storm said as she handed her the mug "I hope honey is ok"
"Ro honey is just fine," she said as she took a sip "I'd love to stay but I have to get to class before the children arrive," she said as she picked up her clutch and rushed out the door with a wave.
"take care of yourself aria" storm called out.
"I will thanks" she called back.
Aria got to class a few minutes early so she placed her stuff down and got ready for her class, looking around the large room, she stepped the around the class to look out of the window which faced the forest. It was her first proper class and she had it all planned, hopefully, as the days went by she would get past the nerves and enjoyed herself here at the institute.
She was so close that he could grab her and take her away from that damned building, her scent was driving him crazy but he knew he couldn't make him move…not yet at least.
"alright class we are going to start learning a performance that will combine both music, dance and a little acting plus you also get a cultural lesson," she said as she talked to the class, looking around she felt like she had more students than the previous class but maybe it was just her.
"I'm sure you have all seen the manuscripts on your chairs, so have a quick read through quietly please while I go grab something ok" she said as she left the class to grab something from her room, she finally got there and grabbed her sketchbook but then she noticed that her window was wide opened so she walked over and closed it.
"weird I don't remember leaving that open," she said as she left the room and made her way back to the classroom, she arrived back to the room where she was hit by a shocking sight.
One of the students was sitting on the floor crying while the some of the other girls comforted her while the rest looked terrified.
"what happened here," she said as she rushed to the upset student and wrapped her arms around her as she comforted her.
"we were reading when Cindy pointed to the window with a scream and when we looked up we saw something run past really fast" a boy named bobby said to her "Leo went to go get the other teachers," he said as Logan, storm and the professor rushed in.
"Aria what's going on," Logan asked as they rushed to her side.
"I left to go get something and then when I came back, the whole class had been spooked by something, Cindy saw something outside the window," she said as she continued to rub the scared child's back.
"Logan," the professor said as he turned to him.
"on it," he said as he rushed out of the class.
"storm will you stay here with the children and Aria, you and Cindy come with me please," he said to the two women.
"of course," they replied, storm gathered up the children while Aria gathered Cindy in her arms and followed the professor to his office.
Logan got outside and almost instantly a strange yet familiar scent filled his nose, along with a couple of questions the main one being.
How the hell did he get past the security systems?
He thought as he cautiously walked over to where the scent was the strongest which was a part of the fence, on the other side the forest, it didn't take a genius to figure out where he had gone.
"Logan, did you find anything" he heard in his head.
"yeah, I've got a scent"
"good do you recognise it"
"unfortunately no but I'm going to follow," he said as he got ready to scale the fence.
"no Logan do not pursue, we don't know if this is a trap" he heard causing him to growl as he turned from the fence and began to walk back to the institute, unaware that he was being watched from the forest, by two glowing eyes which didn't look happy.
"wolverine" he growled before he turned and ran into the forest.
Aria, Cindy and the professor walked into his office closing the doors behind them, Cindy was still holding on to aria so she decided to sit her in her lap.
"now Cindy, can you tell me what you saw," he said as he sat in front of them.
"I was reading the music sheet miss Aria gave us when I noticed something by the window and when I looked up all I saw were two eyes," she said as she burrowed herself into aria's embrace.
"poor thing," he said as he brushed her hair out of the way and looked at her thoughts to see the incident through her eyes.
He saw them…
The dark figure with the glowing eyes…
With a sigh, he withdrew his hand and opened his eyes, Cindy, however, had fallen asleep in aria's arms, so he turned to her.
"professor, you don't think…." She started but he only confirmed her fears with a nod.
"yes, aria I believe there is a link between what happened to you yesterday and what happened to Cindy today," he said causing her face to fall.
"but why," she asked as she subconsciously held Cindy closer to her.
"I don't know, but one's things for sure we will find out who is doing this and what they want," he said as he placed a comforting hand on her back.
"aria, even though you have only been here for a short time, you have touched a lot of people here with just your personality. People who if needs arise will be willing to protect you, I knew it would be risky hiring you here but I felt that it was a step that had to be taken sooner or later to show that being a mutant or human should not count in our societies. I was shocked when I heard that you were willing to take this job, but with what I have seen, I couldn't choose anyone better for it" he said causing her to look up into his warm eyes.
"but at the same time, I can feel and sense such a deep hurt in your mind but until you are ready to share, I will not pry into your mind but just know that you can talk to me, alright," he said as she took a deep breath.
"thank you, professor," she said with a warm smile.
"please aria, when we are away from the children, just call me…Charles, "he said with a smile of his own.
"alright…Charles" she said "let me take Cindy to bed, then I'll get back to class," she said as she got up.
"alright aria, I'll see you later," he said as he watched her leave, once the door closed he went up to the window that faced the forest, looking at it, he sent out a mental message to it.
"whoever you are, what do you want," he asked, surprisingly he got an answer but from one person he would never expect.
"you have my mate, and I'm coming to get her"
Aria opened the door to Cindy's room, which she found with hank's help and laid her on the bed before tucking her in, she reached over and wrote a quick note and placed it on her dresser, from what she heard Cindy's mutation was something beyond hyper flexibility which meant that she could fit in the tiniest places, but at the same time it meant that she was a wonderful dancer.
"sleep well Cindy," she said as she stroked her hair before she left the room but then she heard something.
"goodnight mama" she heard but then turned and left the room.
Storm looked up as she watched aria walked towards the class.
"how were they," she asked her.
"they were fine aria but how's Cindy" storm asked.
"she's asleep," she said with a smile.
"well then, if you're sure you're ok then I'll go see the professor," storm said as she walked to the door.
"I'll be fine storm, you get going," she said as she watched her leave, looking at her class she knew she had to be strong for them, so she clapped her hands to get their attention.
"alright children, everything is ok now, so let's get started ok," she said as she began the teaching.
Storm walked to the office and knocked on the door but got no answer so she peeked in.
"professor?" she called as she looked in, she saw him sitting with him back towards her so she came closer.
"Charles?" she said as she touched his shoulder causing him to jump and turned to her.
"oh…storm, it's just you," he said as he rubbed his face with his hand.
"is everything alright, I have never seen you so distracted," she said as they looked at each other.
"yes storm, let's just say I have a feeling that there is more to this than we know," he said to her before casting his gaze out to the forest.
"well if you need be Charles please call," she said as she left him as she felt he needed to be alone. Once Charles was alone he got back to the conversation he was having.
"now baldy, back to our agreement"
Even though the class had ended, aria still wanted to spend time with some of the students that still seemed shaken, the professor had told her that a good number of the students didn't go to regular school like the others because they were still learning to control their powers, so they were being…home-schooled hence why kitty and rouge weren't there.
"miss aria, what was that" a boy named Leo asked her, she didn't know what his power was yet.
"I'm not sure dear but everything is being taken care of," she said with a smile. She looked at their faces and they looked like they could use some cheering up before siesta, so she got up and beckoned them to follow her, which they did as she sat at the grand piano and they sat around her.
"you guys look like you need a little…musical pick me up" she said as she cracked her fingers and tested out some keys to see if the piano was tuned which it was. So, with a deep breath she began to play a beautiful lullaby on the piano, the beautiful tune filled the room as she noticed the kids watching her fingers as she played, at least there were not as scared, she thought and before she realised what she was doing she started singing along with the piano.
"Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more" she quietly sang seeing that it was working she continued.
"You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart
Always …Always" she finished, giggling as the students clapped.
"alright, guys its time for siesta so to your rooms," she said as she got up from the piano and watched them leave the room before she packed up her stuff and made her way back to her own room.
It was night time at the institute, just after dinner and everyone was relaxing before bed, aria and Ororo were in the lounge as they spoke to each other and sometimes the young children, they spoke about their lives and cultures, but as they spoke the house alarm went off.
"what's going on," aria said as she jumped off the couch.
"trouble, aria you stay here with the kids," she said as she ran out of the room.
"miss aria what's going on," one of the younger children asked her as they left the lounge and made their way deeper into the mansion.
"don't worry about it sweetie, everything's fine," she said to her with a smile but she could only hope it was.
The X-men and the professor rushed out to the front as they faced the gate which looked like it had been torn off its hinges.
"what's going on here," kitty asked as she looked at the damage "who did this"
But the professor went ahead of the group with a troubled look on his face.
"this is not what we discussed," he said as he looked at the dust cloud, the group watched as a large figure walked out with a snarl on his face.
"well…I got tired of waiting" he growled.