A/N: As always, thanks for the reviews!
-4-
"Sofia, please…I'm begging you," Julian says to the girl on the bed. She is surrounded by open suitcases, and folded clothes. "Don't go. Don't you care about me at all?"
"Yes." The girl places a stack of shirts in one bag. "That is exactly why I must leave, Julian. I will not stay here and let you wait for me to—" she pauses. "To die…because bad times are coming for us all."
"I can't believe you think leaving is better than us trying, together." Julian gives her an incredulous look. "We're supposed to lean on each other, during the hard times. That's what gets us through."
Sofia doesn't answer, adds another stack to the case.
"You don't love me, do you?" Julian demands.
"I do." She looks up at him. "But I do not think you love me. Not completely. I do not wish to stay and find out…when this door has been closed to me. I would rather leave with my head held high."
"Okay—but—you're completely wrong," he says, his voice full of frustration. "I'd do anything for you. We can't just end like this! I'll come with you."
"You cannot be serious." Sofia gives him a small smile. "Julian…you know you would kill yourself, having to live like a normal human. The X-man…it is your ultimate dream to be one. But not mine."
"That doesn't matter. We—"
"Things change, Julian. Nothing stays the same. We are going two separate ways, to two separate places. And your path…you must walk it without me." Sofia reaches out and touches his chest, over his heart. "You say you will do anything for me. Then do it. Live your life, and let me go."
"But—" Julian grits his teeth. "I can't."
"You will find yourself more capable than you ever imagined," Sofia says. "I have faith in you. I know you will be strong."
"Can I at least write you somewhere?" he asks.
Sofia hesitates. "Not for a while. I want to be over it all when I speak to you next. One day…yes. We will always be friends…and I will see you again. Not soon, though. I will find you when I am ready."
"That's bullshit," Julian says angrily.
"Please do not curse around me. You know I do not like that kind of language."
"I—"
"Let us say goodbye now. The healing will begin sooner then." Sofia holds out her arms. He sweeps her into his and holds her tightly, his head hurting from barely restrained tears.
"I'm going to miss you," he murmurs, into her neck.
"Not as much as I will miss you," Sofia says, her voice suspiciously shaky. "You can be…abrasive…but I do not think I have ever cared about anyone more. Goodbye, Julian, and take care of yourself."
"…you too," he mumbles. They kiss briefly, and then he runs out of the room and slams the door, wanting to kick the shit out of something—or someone. Instead, he flies up to the roof, and sits on the edge, wondering what's happening to him.
Why is everything falling apart?
…
"Any idea what this is about?" Cessily asks Laura, sitting down in the empty seat on her left. They are in the rapidly filling auditorium, as requested telepathically by Emma Frost.
"Maybe about the students who lost their powers," Laura suggests, folding her arms across her chest.
Cessily closes her eyes, then opens them again and forces a smile. "How's Sooraya working out as a roomie?"
"She's great. Quiet, which is great." Laura hesitates. "I have enhanced hearing."
"Oh!" The other girl's white eyes open wide. "So that's how you heard those guys the other day! I thought that was weird. I guess you are Wolverine's daughter...so it kind of makes sense."
"Yep," Laura says. She hears the auditorium door open, and as a group of students walks in. Julian is amongst them. She instantly stiffens.
"So what were they talking about?" Cessily asks.
"I don't remember," she replies, an easy lie. She doesn't particularly feel like spreading gossip. "I've had a lot going on lately."
"Oh. Well, duh…you did just come to the school, like, a few days ago." Cessily pauses. "Sorry…I keep feeling like you've been here forever. I guess I've had a lot going on, too."
"Everyone has."
The girls look up to see that Julian is approaching them. His eyes are bloodshot, Laura notices immediately. Her throat tightens.
"Hey," she says.
"Hi, Julian. You should sit with us!" Cessily says. "I've been saving a spot for Sooraya. Have you seen her?"
"Nope." He sinks down in the seat beside Laura, and she looks at the floor as she starts to detect the heat radiating from him. This is probably the closest they've been yet. "I think she had an assignment to finish up."
"Are those still due?" Cessily asks, alarmed.
"Hell if I know," Julian says. "I didn't do mine…what with the migraine I had for like two days there."
"Did you get Elixir to heal you?"
"Nah. Not asking Josh for anything. I could have all my limbs cut off and I still wouldn't consider it." He grins easily, and looks at Cessily, then Laura. "I've about had it with that team of douche-bags."
"They're not that bad," Cessily protests. "To begin with…what about Sofia?"
"You know I don't count her." Julian looks down at his hands, clasped between his knees. "Have any idea what this is going to be about?"
"Laura guessed it would be about the depowered students." Cessily looks over at the other girl and frowns-why is she staring at the floor?
"Possibly. Hey, Santo!" Julian has turned his head, and is calling to the big rock-golem thing approaching their row. "Have you met Laura?"
"Not yet," Santo replies, in a rumbling voice. He waves in her direction. Laura looks up and nods ever so slightly, then forces herself to lean back in her seat.
This is going to be a long speech.
…
Surprisingly, it is not.
"Look around you…for this is all that remains. Many of you only know the world where mutants thrived and were on the rise. Where we influenced cultures, built our own cities, and even a country. A world where we numbered in the million's and Charles Xavier's dream was finally within our reach…the world we knew is gone and with it most of our hope of survival. We are scattered across the globe, numbering in the hundreds. The few of us on this stage have faced some of the dangers that await us, but I fear nothing has prepared us for what is to come."
Emma Frost's voice echoes through the auditorium, firm and cold, as her fingers grip the podium in front of her.
The audience is the entire school-all two hundred and more students.
"You are at your childhood's end," Emma tells her students. "You are mutants in a world that hates and fears you. It's time to grow up."
Laura closes her eyes. Grow up. When she's never even been a child yet. What does this make her?
"The remaining human students that haven't left already will board a bus in forty-five minutes to take them someplace safe. If you want to say goodbye, now is your chance."
"Oh my god—" Cessily whispers. Julian hangs his head again.
"Dismissed," Emma says.
"You—oh my god—no way!" the girl says, covering her mouth. "They can't! Sofia—and Brian—oh no!"
"We already said goodbye." Julian replies despondently. He rubs his eyes with his palm. "Well…not Brian. But he's been drawing away ever since he lost his powers, if you noticed."
"I did." Cessily looks at Laura. "Oh, this is so awful. I can't stand stuff like this."
"It's not like they're dying," she offers. She feels bad for the kids, but when it comes down to it, she's still an outsider.
"Good as dead," Julian says. "We'll never see any of them again."
"Oh god. Julian, I'm so—" Cessily says.
"Don't. I don't want to talk about it." He grits his teeth. "I'll get over it."
Laura says nothing, closes her eyes and tries not to show she is pleased to hear that Sofia is leaving. She wonders how long she should wait.
…
Thirty minutes later…
At the train that will take the depowered students away from the school, Laura waits with the other mutants, in a crowd near the loading door. She is supposed to be saying goodbye, but seeing as she doesn't know any of these people, she feels very awkward. The only benefit of having joined this group is standing in front of her. She'd almost forgotten to breathe when he'd joined the 'farewell group' lead by Frost-and she'd realized he was wearing a uniform. A skin tight, red-and-white uniform with a matching red jacket. She'd leaned against the wall, eyeing him from behind and for the first time agreeing with the notion of costumes, which before had seemed entirely stupid to her.
Now it doesn't seem stupid at all.
"Brian, over here!" Julian calls, waving his hand at his friend, a dark-skinned boy, with dreadlocks. He heads over to the line of still-powered mutants, a duffle bag on his shoulder, and a frown on his face.
"It's been fun, Jules." He reaches out, offering his hand. The other boy shakes it, then they hug briefly, with one arm. Puerto Rican, Laura decides finally of his accent.
"I'll write you, okay?" Julian says, his voice cracking slightly. "And as soon as I get money…I'll come out there and visit you. I promise."
"Thought you got disowned." Brian arches his eyebrows.
"I'll work on that." Julian forces a grin. "You stay cool…and safe…and get the girls lined up for me. I'm going to want a couple."
"You got it." Brian smiles grimly in return. "Later man."
"Later," Julian says.
"Oh—BRIAN!" Cessily sobs and throws her shiny arms around the boy. "I c-can't! This is too hard! I hate goodbyes!"
"It's okay," Brian says, patting the girl's back. "Great knowing you, Cess. Come visit if you can."
"I w-will." Cessily chokes out another sob, and Laura looks away, feeling awkward. Santo's next. He is much lighter in his farewell than the other two, but it is still evident that he is disturbed. Sooraya says a polite goodbye. Then Brian picks up his bag again and enters the train. "Later, guys," he calls. "Good luck with your school…and becoming X-men, and all that."
"Good luck to you too," Julian calls. Brian disappears from view.
"Oh, man, this is even harder than I thought it would be," Cessily says.
"Mmhmmm." Julian reaches up and wipes his nose on his jacket sleeve. "Can't wait till this is over."
"Hey, there's Mark!" Cessily says. "MARK! Over here!"
…
Forty-five minutes later…
WOOOOOOWOOOOOO! The train's whistle blasts, in final warning.
"Ohmigod, go!" Cessily says, to the girl that was just embracing her. "Write me, promise!"
"I will!" the girl replies. "Enjoy being a mutie. I'm off to become a rock star, now that it's an option again."
Grinning, the girl picks up her suitcase and runs into the train; the door closes behind her, as she is the last of the students.
"I can't believe they're gone…just like that," Julian says. "Pretty soon Brian's going to be a mile away…then ten miles…then—"
"Don't!" Cessily yelps.
"Let's head back in…I'm hungry," Santo says.
"What the—how can you be hungry at a time like this?" the girl demands.
"Tears always make me hungry, dude," the boy replies easily. "I'm starvin'."
"You big freak," Julian says. "I'm going to watch the train out of view."
"That will cause bad luck," Sooraya says. "If you wish to see them again…you should turn away quickly. Otherwise it means goodbye forever."
"We won't see them again." He looks grim. "Might as well cheer them on."
Laura turns, hearing engines in the distance. As does Logan, who is standing at the entrance to the tunnels they had passed through to reach this secret train station.
"Looks like we got trouble," he says. "I smell Sentinels."
"Bozhe moĭ!" the tall, enormous man beside him says, in Russian dialect. He has short-cropped dark hair, rugged features, and clear, blue eyes. "Surely you are joking."
"Wish I was, Pete."
Laura whips her head to look at the other children. "They're talking about Sentinels."
"What—" Julian looks at her now.
"I can hear them, too. We've got incoming. Get ready for a fight…"