Our Close Call

Her pulse beats in my mind as I open the connection just enough to make sure that she's still sitting alone on that great grey stone. I brush past the living clawed arms of the branches of trees and bushes as they scrape against my bare skin. I try to ignore the pain and focus on finding Marie, I take a left and start following a new path as I keep my focus on the mental trail my mind has pointed out to me.

After moving several paces following the trail going left, I come across another two-way trail, but my mind has already prepared itself for this and in just another moment I know that I must take to the left again. …It's all my fault came the recognizable voice of Marie through the link I had created I'm getting close I think to myself as I feel the presence of Marie deepen with every step I take.

…Why me? The voice replied as I began to walk faster, …Why would you let me suffer like this? The voice grew louder and more intense as my expression turned emotionless. I continued to follow the trail as I began to walk faster when I could literally feel Marie, could feel the girl's presence as though she were standing right next to me. So as I brushed past the largest of bushes, I gasped when I saw the depressed young women, still positioned on the grey stone while crying.

…I hate you! Screamed the voice of Marie's thought just as Marie jumped from her seating positioned to punch the sky, her shrilled scream skyrocketed through my mind as well as my bones. After a moment more of watching the distressed teen, I quietly made my way towards the girl Marie… I called out using my mind.

"What?" replied the girl in confusion as she looked from left to right in search of the voice; I now stood directly behind the girl as I said out loud, "behind you". At the realization of who was behind her, Marie refused to turn around and face me, "what are you doing here?" she asked as her arms went to hug her self. "I'm here because we need to talk" I reply coolly as I place my hand on her arm while I gently guide Marie to face me.

Her head is down and off to the side as she continues to hug her self with her own arms, I watch her for a moment before I ask, "don't you ever get tired of being the only one to hug you?" She shoots me a confused look as I smile warmly at her young features; I begin to move closer to her. I don't want her to turn away so I place my hands gently on her arms and pull lightly on them to let her know that I want her to release her hold on herself.

Marie still keeps her eyes away from mine as she drops her arms from there previous position as I move closer to her, "how long has it been since someone gave you a hug?" I ask as I stand so close to her that I can almost feel her breath hitching at the sudden closeness of my body to hers. She shrugs as an answer as I let my left hand move up her arm as I say, "look at me" she refuses to look as I thought she would, so my hand continues to make it's slow descent up to her face as she brings her eyes down to watch my hand.

I can't explain what I feel from her when she watches my hand; it's hard to describe her facial expression let alone the sudden but almost unheard moan that escaped from her lips when my hand mistakenly brushes against her breast as I try to forget my own feelings from that moment. She flinches when my hand finally makes its way up her neck, her mouth opens to protest but I hush her doubt away as my other hand moves up to follow the same pattern on the other side.

My hand is on the skin of her neck as I finally say something to her, "relax Marie" she's afraid now, but it seems that the sound of my voice has triggered some sort of feeling of courage and trust in her mind as my hand finally comes to the side of her face. She still doesn't look me in the eye, but that all changes when I gently guide her face to look in my direction with my hand, I then move my hand to cup her chin as I slowly guide her face to look up to my taller form.

She sees me and even though I know that she's afraid I can't help but notice how our eyes just stare into each other, we don't want to look away. So as we stare into each others eyes, my fingertips gently stroke her face as she watches me in almost pure bliss, I then ask her, "how does this feel?" she smiles at me and replies, "like heaven".

We smile at each other and as I move my hands to place themselves around her neck she takes the hint of what I want and moves her hands to place around the small of my back as we close the distance between us. With our arms around each other we hug for what seems like hours, its just Marie and I holding each other alone in the woods that surrounded the school.

She hesitates for a moment before she relaxes into our friendly hug, I try to suppress a moan when I feel her head press itself between my breasts, unintentionally I'm sure, but after a moment Marie seems to realize where her head is resting and moves away from me. She smiles at me as I smile back at her in comfort, I want her to loosen up more and at least remove her gloves but she seems to know what I'm thinking and immediately dismisses it, "no, not now…I mean, we don't know exactly how touchable I am yet, maybe we should wait till later."

"I understand Marie…we should get back to the school anyways, the professor will not be impressed with me if we miss dinner" I reply as Marie grins at me before making her way to walk beside me as we make our way back to the school. "I'm sorry for running away from you earlier, I guess I was a little caught off guard by the idea-" "the idea that you could be touched?" I interrupt as Marie replies, "yeah, that and I was afraid that I had hurt you…it's not like every day that a touch from me won't kill anyone" Marie replies as I move my hand to touch her shoulder as I reply, "this could mean great things for you Marie, you won't have to worry about that anymore".

She flashes me a happy smile as I smile back at her, "I have great news for you Marie…that's part of the reason why I was looking for you" I say as I suddenly remember what the professor and I had discussed earlier, "really? What is it? Know homework for the rest of my life?" Marie asked as I laugh at her last question. "I'm afraid that the homework thing is going to stay in affect, but I have news about a possibility for you…the professor and I have been working very hard to think up a way for you to be able to touch, and since it's obvious that your body is mutating-" "mutating? Please tell me that I'm not going to grow a tail or anything" Marie replies as I laugh at her response.

"Well, maybe a little tail-I'm kidding! It's highly unlikely that you will be growing a tail" I reply, as I can't help but smile at Marie's response to my joke about her getting a tail. "Ok, sorry to interrupt, what else where you going to say?" she asks as I finish what I need to say to her, "well, the professor and I believe that since you are mutating and can handle a curtain amount of contact, that in order to make it permanent we are going to have to strengthen your mind. Teach you to control your powers from your mind." She's looking at me as though I have suddenly sprouted a third eye, as she stays quiet for a few moments.

"How would we do that?" She finally asks as we reach the end of the woods and begin to walk to the entrance to the school. "Well, quite simply we'd have to practice on your mental focus. You're ability to concentrate and control your powers from within, teach you're mind when it needs to use your mutant abilities. You see, the professor and I both believe that the reason why you can't touch anyone without absorbing there powers is because your body believes that it's either in danger or is not even aware of what it's doing. If you can teach yourself to control your body's reactions, then it's possible that you can control your powers." I explain as simply as I can.

"So, you mean that there's a possibility that I will be able to touch anyone I please…and not absorb them?" Marie asks as I nod my head in confirmation. "That's fantastic news!" She practically yells out as she jumps into my arms and gives me the biggest and most affectionate hug I think I have ever had. Before I know it, I find myself pinned to the ground with Marie on top of my as we're laughing and smiling with the joy as well as Marie's outburst of approval.

Time seems to stand still when the sudden realization of how close Marie's lips are to mine seems to add tension to the air around us. I feel her lips move closer to mine, and if it weren't for Marie backing out at the last minute, I'd have sworn that we would have kissed.

"Ok, now would be a good time for me to get off of you" Marie stated as she tried to pick herself up, while I try to control my beating heart. After Marie jumps to her feet she holds out her hand to me as I smile and take her offer of help. Now that we are both standing we continue our way back to the school as we try to laugh off the uncomfortable realization of our close call.