Chapter 4: Blaze

The young girl was awoken suddenly by a knock on the door.

'Come in,' she called, half asleep. Scott opened the door.

'The professor would like to see you,'

'Okay, let me get ready,'

'I'll wait outside,' He said. The girl got up as he closed the door and pulled her hair into a pony tail, she pulled on her black pants and black tank top. She got the impression that Scott didn't like her much. He seemed quite cold or indifferent towards her, though perhaps that's just how he was. She brushed her hair once more before opening the door. Scott led her to a room. The professor sat behind a neat desk.

'Hello Scott, thank you for bringing her, please, sit, Scott if you wouldn't mind waiting outside the door,' The professor said. Scott left the room and the girl sat in the chair.

'Now, I would like you to read my mind. I need you to focus on me and try to take down any barriers in your mind preventing you from doing this, just focus on me and reading my thoughts,' Said the professor.

'Okay,' Said the girl before intensely staring at him. They sat there for about five minutes before the girl stood up.

'It's pointless! I told you I'm not a mutant, why would you think I was? There is nothing I have done that could make you so certain that I am! So tell me why… why do you think I'm a mutant?' She shouted.

'Please sit down and I will tell you,' the professor said calmly. She returned to her seat.

'Thank you. We have two reasons for believing you are a mutant. The first of which is that I cannot read your thoughts despite the fact that I am a telepath, I believe this is because you are yourself a telepath and have blocked my powers. The other reason is that when we found you, you were on fire, but when you were picked up the fire disappeared, I believe you were wrapped within your own telepathic energy and that is why you were unharmed, so please will you try again because I am certain you will be able to read my thoughts,'

'I'm sorry,' she said quietly then returned to focusing. She sat there for a few more minutes. She felt as though her mind was opening then suddenly a pain rippled through her as hundreds of voices seemed to echo through her mind at once and she fell to the floor clutching her head. She started screaming. The professor was shouting incoherently and Scott ran back into the room. She passed out and was silent. Scott picked her up off the floor.

'What happened?'

'I'm not sure, I think she may have just accessed her powers but then something happened,' Said the Professor.

'I'll take her back to her room,' Said Scott

'Thank you, then will you ask Logan to watch her until she wakes up, I would like to speak to you,'

'Sure, Professor,' Said Scott. He left the office and walking down the hall carrying the unconscious girl.

Scott re-entered the room

'Logan's watching her,' He said quietly.

'Thank you Scott,'

'What did you want to talk to me about?' He questioned the professor

'I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're re-joining the team, I know it's been hard since Jean has been missing, and I know you still want me to continue searching for her, which I will, but I need you to let go and not get your hopes too high, it's been two years and we need you to be a leader, you are an important asset to the X-men, Cyclops, so I'm asking you to let go, Jean meant a lot to all of us, it's been hard but we've all been able to move on and we need you to as well,' Said the professor. Scott remained silent, unsure of how to respond.

The girl opened her eyes and sat up in bed.

'You're up kid,' Said Logan making her jump.

'Yeah,'

'How're you feeling?'

'Alright, my head still hurts a bit, I'm not quite sure what happened, one minute I was fine then, all these voices… and my head felt like it was splitting open,' She said rubbing her head

'You've been asleep for a few hours, any more nightmares?'

'No, I don't think I dreamed at all,'

'Well that's good. By the way, do you have any idea what your name is?' He asked

'No… Still none, maybe I should make one up, so people have something to call me,'

'Yeah that's probably a good idea, do you know what to call yourself?' Logan asked. She thought for a few moments, about what the professor had told her and she knew what name she'd choose.

'Blaze,'