The rain started to pour down harder. The full moon shown through the window and projected itself onto Sapphire's sleeping body. She loves it when it rains; it reminds her of the waterfall.

She likes thinking about the waterfall, but then she remembers the dreams she had. She had them at least twice a week. They were more like nightmares and they were always about a storm. A storm that flooded the world. A flood she couldn't stop.
Those nightmares were her inspiration to practice controlling her powers. No matter how late it was, dark it was, or how tired she was, she'd practice. Ever since she left, she stopped having those dreams, until now. She tossed and turned, sweating.
"No, stop. No. it's not my fault. STOP!" she sat up in bed, wide awake. Tears trickled down her face. This was the worst. She cried harder and walked to the window to watch the rain fall. As it fell, the visions of her nightmare flashed back. She was sick of no one knowing about them, so she went to the one person she could trust; Kurt.
Sapphire slowly walked down the hall to Kurt's room. "Oh, what door was it? I think it was this one," so Sapphire knocked on what she hoped was Kurt's door. It opened to reveal a drowsy, fuzzy demonic creature. Only one eye was open (barely). "Kurt, I need help," Sapphire pleaded. Both his eyes shot wide open as he took her trembling hand.

"Come in"

Kurt turned on his light as Saph took a seat on the edge of his bed. He turned to look at her and noticed her tear-stained face. He took a seat next to her. "Vy are you crying so much?" he asked taking her hand again. "Nightmares," she said as the thunder rolled.

"Vat about zem?"

"When I was at the waterfall, I would have these nightmares almost twice a week. I hadn't had one since I left, but it happened again," she started to cry again. Kurt walked to the dresser and got her a tissue. "Thanks" "you're velcome. Tell me, vat vere ze dreams about?"

"A flood. Waves crashed on the rocks near the shore. It rained like nothing. Lightning. Thunder. The works. I saw people drown. As the flood grew, I couldn't control all the water. The whole world drowned. But tonight, I actually saw myself. I was furious, but I looked sad, hurt. I killed everything and everyone all because I couldn't control my powers." As she finished her explanation, she started crying more and the rain outside fell harder than ever.

"How often do you have zese?"

"Often. And it's always the same, but every time it gets worse"

"I zink you should tell ze professor"

"Why?"

"Maybe he can help. He has vierd vays of doing zat"

"I'll tell him tomorrow, but Kurt, you have to promise not to tell anyone else"

"I promise. C'mon, I'll valk you to you room"

They walked down the dark corridor hand in hand. Sapphire opened her door. They were greeted by gusts of wind. "Ze window's open!" "How'd it open?" they both ran into the room. Kurt closed and secured the window while Saph pulled the water from the carpet and anything else that got wet. "Great, now where is this water supposed to go?" she shrugged and put it in the fish tank. "And lets not tell anyvone about zis, either," Kurt commented and they shared a moment of laughter.

"Ve should go to bed. Its 2:00 and you have your first team practice tomorrow"
Sapphire climbed into bed and Kurt pulled the covers over. "thanks." Kurt smiled and replied, "good night." He kissed her on the forehead and walked out closing the door behind him. As she fell asleep she wondered if she should have told him that she was the one who caused the flood in the first place.

THE NEXT DAY
There was a knock on Sapphire's door. It was Charles.

"Sapphire, you should come with me before training starts"

Saph walked out of the room wearing jeans, flip-flops and a plain white t-shirt. It was apparent she had been up for a while. She walked with Charles for at least 10 minutes, going down brightly lit silver corridors.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked with worry in her tone.

"You'll see," he replied in his usual relaxed tone.

They eventually stopped at a room without the lights on.

"Sapphire, when you are training, and when you are with us on a mission," there was a pause, "you'll need your own uniform." Then Charles lit up the shadow box displaying her uniform. It was deep blue with an X on the left upper chest and a silver diagonal thick stripe below it. It had blue glovlettes and a blue belt with silver 1 inch heel boots.

"Oh my gosh! This is for me?" she was so happy she hugged Charles.

"Suit up. Training starts in half an hour, and you'll want to get used to moving in your first suit." He left and let her change.

Once she found her way back to her room, she began to warm-up. She found the uniform was quite comfortable. She wondered what everyone else's looked like. She'd only seen Ororo, Jean and Scott's uniforms.

It was soon 10:00 and time for training, so she headed out of her room realizing she had no clue where it was. Ororo was walking by her room just then.

"Ororo, where's the training room?"

At first, Ororo just stood there with her back to Sapphire. Then without turning, she said, "follow me." Sapphire thought that was a little strange, but she felt an unknown trust in her.

It was only when they got to the door of the room did Ororo turn and face Sapphire. She looked like she was going to cry. "Sapphire, please, be very careful in there," she placed a hand on Saph's shoulder. Then continued, "It can be dangerous. I know what you can do. Trust in your abilities."

"Yes Ms. Monroe"

"Please, call me Ororo."

They smiled and Sapphire entered the room only to find she was the last to arrive. "Sorry, got lost." That wasn't completely true, but they accepted the answer.

Ororo and Charles were in the control center. Jean, Scott and Logan didn't have to be there, so Scott and Jean went on a date and Logan went to his favorite pub.

"Ok," Ororo started. "Since this is your first session for about half of you, we're gonna run it like a battle. Bobby, team with Kitty. Jaime, team with Evan. Allie, team with Rouge. Sapphire, team with Kurt."

Charles broke in, "x-men go easy on the new recruits. We'd like them to stay alive," he let out a small chuckle, "begin"

Bobby and Jaime looked scared, which is what Charles wanted to happen, but Allie and Saph weren't fazed.

Jaime surrounded Evan before he could even make any move. Evan sent out a few spikes, missing on purpose, but it still shocked Jaime's doubles back to the original. Their battle continued.

Bobby sent a sharp icicle at Kitty, but she phased through it. "You're gonna have to do a lot better than that," she teased running after him.

"It won't do you much good to absorb me, Rouge," Allie insisted observing the other min-battles. "An why is that?"
Allie mimicked Jaime's powers and surrounded Rouge. "Cause I'm just like you." "I don't think so!" Rouge lunged for one of Allie's doubles, but she pulled them back and Rouge fell to the ground. Watching Bobby, Allie froze Rouge's feet to the ground. "Bitch! You asked for it!" the girls began to fight.

Saph and Kurt circled each other. "Since we have to," Sapphire grinned. She then pulled water out of the air (the moisture) and used it as a whip. Kurt teleported. bampf "since Ve have to," Kurt was right behind Saph. She spun around and encased him in a water suit. He teleported out and onto the ceiling. Then gave her a handsome smile. She sent a water ball up, but gravity brought it back down and it rained on her. She dried her self instantly.

The battled went on as Ororo and Charles observed them.
"She's quite gifted," Charles commented about Sapphire, knowing what Ororo was watching.

"Yes. Yes she is."

"She has many things to learn though. Especially from you."

"I know. But I can't tell her. Not now at least."

"Either way she'll find out. Would you rater she be upset…or upset at you?"
"It just hasn't been the right time yet."

Soon, the training was over and Allie and Saph were talking about the uniforms. Allie's was deep blue and had a maroon triangle stripe pointing downward. The dark green belt pointed the same way and had the X as the buckle. Her boots were black with silver heels the same height as Sapphire's boots. Both of their uniforms had a turtle neck.

"I love your uniform," Allie said eyeing it.

"Same here"

Then Kurt caught up with the girls. "So, do you like mine?" he asked realizing what they were talking about.

"I love it Kurt," Sapphire was first to respond. Allie just smiled. "It's nice."
Suddenly Kurt burst out, "Saph, I have a gymnastics tournament tonight, and I got a free ticket for you if you vant to go."

"Of course I'll go"

"Great! And maybe we can grab dinner on the way back. Vat is you in ze mood for?"

"Um, Chinese?"

"Ok. I'll see you later zen," Kurt walked into his room with a smile on his face.

"You have a date! With Kurt too!"

"So?"

"Sooo, has he asked you?"

"Asked me what?" Sapphire knew what she meant, but she wanted to waste as much time as it took to get to her room.

"Asked you to be his girl friend! Duh"

Saph couldn't think of anything to say, but luckily, they reached her room.

"Uh…got to go!" she ran into her room and shut the door.

Around 1:00, Ororo knocked on Sapphire's door. She opened it and said hello.

"Sapphire, can you come to lunch with me?"

Sapphire agreed and got into Ororo's car. The ride to the restaurant was quiet. The radio wasn't even on.

"So, am I in trouble?" Sapphire broke the thick silence.

"No." Another silence. Finally, they got to the diner. They sat down and tried to decide what they wanted. This time, Ororo was the one who broke the silence.

"I think I'll have a salad."

"I'll have a turkey club."

Once the waiter got to their table, they gave him the order. While they waited for their food, Ororo asked Sapphire about Kurt.

"I do like him. I just hope he likes me back."

"Who wouldn't like you Sapphire? You're pretty, smart, and funny. What's not to like?" she said taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm not that perfect."

"Don't say that."

"Why? My hair and eyes are two different colors, I never knew my parents, I was abandoned when I was twelve cause they guy didn't like mutants, and guess what? I'M A MUTANT! I'm not perfect. I NEVER will be."

"No matter what happens in your life, that is no way to think or feel. You should be proud to be a mutant."

Their food arrived.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Ororo took a deep breath.

"Sapphire, I don't know how to tell you this, but-" Just then her phone rang and she was called off.

"Can you drive?" Ororo asked as she stood up.

"I'm 16 and I lived at a waterfall for 4 years. You tell me."

"Wing it," she said tossing the keys to Sapphire. Ororo was gone in a flash.

Sapphire wasn't a bad driver considering there was a cop at every intersection that could've pulled her over easy. She made it to the mansion by 3:00and decided to take a small nap. A few hours later, she woke up and took a hot shower. It was maybe 5:30 when she got out. She started to get ready to go with Kurt since the tournament started at 6:30.

She wore a blue beaded top with her white denim jacket, since it was the beginning of October, it was a little chilly out. She put her black jeans and sneakers. She only put mascara and Frosted Rose lipstick. She never wears eye shadow because it was always hard to match both eyes.

Kurt and Saph walked to Kurt's car holding hands. Kurt was a gentleman and opened her door for her. She smiled and he got in on his side. It didn't take long to get to the school.
Everyone was filing into the gym. Kurt and Saph had to part, but not without a kiss. She took a seat in the bleachers. Then she saw Allie with Pietro. 'Why is she here with him?'
She thought, putting her head down hoping to blend in. 'yeah, my white and blue hair really blend in!' she thought sarcastically. Allie and Pietro sat in the second row of bleachers, five rows down from Saph. Three or four people from the rival team did their routines pretty well, but now it was Kurt's turn. Before Kurt came out, Pietro walked to the side of the gym closest to the flying bars. As Kurt came out, he waved at Sapphire. Allie turned around wondering if he was waving at her and saw Saph. She quickly turned around. 'Damn it! How did I miss her sitting there?' she got up and fast walked to Pietro. They seemed to argue as Kurt started his routine. Allie stormed out of the gym angry as hell.

Kurt had a perfect routine until he went for his last bar jump. Pietro ran over and knocked over the bar Kurt was supposed to catch on. Kurt fell a good 10 ft. Sapphire was so scared while he fell, she saw him fall in slow motion. As Kurt hit the ground, his image inducer shut off, exposing the blue fur; the real him. The crowd went dead silent as Sapphire ran down the bleachers screaming his name. Her voice echoed as Pietro's smile widened.

Sapphire reached Kurt's side after what felt like, to her, an eternity. She put her ear over his mouth, looked up and shouted; "HE'S NOT BREATHING!!"
No one seemed to care.