At this point I don't think I need a disclaimer. Also, a huge thanks to my sister for editing each chapter. It took a total of ten edits for this chapter alone.

Part One

A brown haired boy was goofing around on the internet looking at online manga scans during his English class's lab session. He was leaning back in his seat focusing on the scanlation instead of his English teacher. A tap on his shoulder caused him to jump and quickly tap a few buttons, changing the image on the screen. His teacher rolled her eyes as she said, "Mr. Drake, would it kill you to do your work in class?"

"Um, I was just taking a small break, Ms. Robinson," Bobby tried.

"Looking at some comic book," Ms. Robinson said. "You should be writing that paper. That's why I got the computer lab today."

"I was just taking a break, I have most of it finished anyway," Bobby stated.

"Oh, then let me see it," she said.

"Um, sure," Bobby said, pulling up the paper.

His teacher leaned over to look at the text and sighed, "I hope that you don't turn in a paper just saying 'I'm bored with this' repeatedly."

Several chuckles escaped from his classmates. Bobby shrugged, "What can I say, I just haven't been that inspired."

Ms. Robinson rubbed her temples, "Robert Drake, how you are doing as well as you are, I don't know."

*****Line-Break*****

Bobby Drake undid the tie of his school uniform at the lunch table letting it hang loosely around his neck as his jacket hung off the back of his chair. He opened his lunch bag, rummaging around for the apple at the bottom of the bag. Bobby listened as his friends talked about how they would soon be the upperclassmen of the middle school. It was true that he was looking forward to that just as much as the others were, but to get there meant that they had to finish up the last of their assignments and any tests that the teachers had in store for them.

Bobby sighed as he looked around at the cafeteria filled with boys, boys, and more boys. He leaned back, taking a bite out of his apple when his friend Tomas asked, "So, Bobby, any plans for break?"

"Hang out, do some computer programs, go to the carnival to pick up girls, get some new books, and sleep in," Bobby stated. "How about you?"

"Not sure," Tomas said, pushing back a strand of hair and looking slightly disappointed. "Maybe I could convince my parents to let me go to some conventions. That could be fun. Maybe I could pick up someone."

Bobby shrugged, "I'm sure that there is a girl out there for you. Not going to try at the summer carnival?"

"Um, the girls around here . . . aren't really . . . ah . . . my type. I figured that I might have more luck at a convention," Tomas answered staring down at his food.

Bobby nodded, "Yeah, just keep in mind that you don't know anything about them."

Tomas nodded, his green eyes looking away from Bobby. Bobby started to eat his apple as Jones talked about his own plans for the summer. It involved a lot of traveling.

Bobby was about to ask how he was going to have enough time to enjoy the sights when a rolled up newspaper hit his shoulder. Bobby turned in his seat to face Mr. Davidson, the PE teacher. He put on his most innocent grin as he asked, "What's up Mr. Davidson?"

"Wear your school uniform properly, Drake," Mr. Davidson commanded.

"It's lunch time," Bobby retorted.

"You are on school grounds. Wear your jacket correctly and get your tie back on," Mr. Davidson said.

Bobby groaned seeing that Mr. Davidson wasn't moving. His blue eyes stayed locked onto Bobby as Bobby corrected his uniform. Mr. Davidson left their table, looking around for other students breaking school rules. Bobby groaned, "He needs a life, or a girlfriend at least."

"I think he and Ms. Robinson broke up recently," Tomas stated.

"What? Shoot, we need to get them back together," Bobby said.

"New administration made a new rule, co-workers aren't allowed to be in a romantic relationship with each other," Jones said while chewing on his sandwich.

"Why?" Bobby asked.

"Since those kinds of relationships can cause trouble within the work place. If they got into a fight while on a date or after a breakup it might carry over to their work and ability to work together," Tomas stated.

"Great," Bobby muttered. "So, the new administration is making our lives horrible because of a what if."

*****Line-Break*****

Bobby stared at his computer for a good minute before he moved away. He was glad that he had started the paper right after he got home. There was still time to fix this. He carefully passed through his room to the door. He had to pull at the door for a bit before it would open. Once he got it he opened it a crack he glanced into the hallway before slipping out and closing the door quickly behind him. He walked causally to the bathroom when he ran into his mother. Her brown hair reached halfway down her back. His mother inquired, "How goes your paper?"

"Um, my computer froze," Bobby said sheepishly. "So, I'll have to rewrite some things."

She shook her head, "This is why you should have started sooner."

Bobby nodded as he headed into the bathroom as his mother went downstairs. He quickly opened the drawers, pulling out the blow dryer. He made his way back to his room after checking to make sure that the coast was clear. The first thing he did once he got back was look around for a usable plug. He then glanced between the blow dryer and the huge pile of ice before him before sighing, "I hope this works. I need that paper."

Part Two

It took Bobby several hours to get the ice off of his computer. He started to take it apart to dry out the insides of his computer. Once he was sure that everything was dried out he put it together and turned it on. Bobby's shut his eyes as it booted up. He heard a loud beep from the computer and slowly opened his eyes. He sunk down onto his desk with a groan when he saw what was on his screen.

He pushed himself off his desk as he picked the blow dryer back up. He turned around to his shelves of comics and manga to start to dry them out.

Bobby jumped when someone knocked at his door. He opened his door after making sure that whoever was on the other side wouldn't see the ice. Bobby put on a goofy grin as he greeted his father, "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"Bobby, why are you using a blow dryer?" his father asked as he was rubbing his arms. He then remembered why he had knocked on the door in the first place, "Were you able to get your paper?"

"Um, no. My computer kind of died after freezing," Bobby said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, the blow dryer, um, that's to dry up some water that I spilled."

"Use a towel for cleaning up water," his father said as he rubbed his temples. He grumbled under his breath, "Great, now I'll have to get a new computer."

"Right. Nearly finished anyway," Bobby chuckled. "Ah, could I use your computer to rewrite my paper?"

His father frowned before nodding, "You can borrow it after nine."

"Ah, thanks, Dad," Bobby said.

*****Line-Break*****

Bobby headed downstairs going straight to his father's den. Bobby knocked on the door as he poked his head in, "Hey, Dad, I can borrow your computer now, right?"

"Oh," his father's brown eyes glanced at a clock before saying, "Of course. Just let me send this e-mail first."

Bobby leaned against the doorframe until his father got up from behind the computer. Bobby flexed his hands, cracking his knuckles before he started to retype his paper. His fingers flew across the keyboard recreating the first two pages of his assignment. He just had one more page to type and then he would be finished. Bobby felt a chill run down his back and then throughout his body. He jumped from his seat and quickly ran out of his father's den into the hallway. The chill vanished suddenly, leaving the hallway covered in a thick layer of ice. Bobby looked around at his surroundings with a groan. His attention then fell onto his arm. It looked like it was covered in ice. He reached with his other hand to brush the ice away to not only find that it wouldn't come off, but that it seemed to be all over his entire body.

Bobby stared at his hands before dashing into the downstairs bathroom. He slammed the door behind him as he turned on the hot water. As soon as his hand came near the heat Bobby jerked backwards with a yelp. He started to mutter as he changed it to cold water, "Duh, I'm made of ice. How was that a good idea?"

He examined his arm, glad that there was no damage. Even though the hot water didn't touch his arm, it had sent a signal of pain through it. He looked at his reflection with a sigh, "What am I going to do?"

He jumped as he heard his mother scream, "What is . . .? Where did all of this ice come from? What in the world?"

Bobby tried to take calming breaths as he heard the pounding of his father's feet coming down the hallway. Bobby stared at his reflection and focused on being himself, without ice. He gasped as the ice became skin. He ran his hands down each arm, the back of his neck, and his face. He could still his parents trying to figure out what had happened in the hallway. Bobby sighed and braced himself before heading out of the bathroom.

*****Line-Break*****

Bobby sat on the couch staring at the thermometer sticking out of his mouth. To be honest, trying to stare at it was giving him a slight headache. It wasn't even like he could really read what it said, but he could see the numbers slightly. It wasn't moving past eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Bobby scowled, knowing very well that that wasn't normal. As it started to beep his mother took it from his mouth and stared at the thermometer before placing another one into his mouth. Bobby reached to take it out when his mother said, "Don't you dare take that out, Bobby. This thing must be broken."

Bobby leaned back into the cushions, staring off into space. The thermometer beeped and was pulled out by his mother before he had the chance to grab it himself. She sighed and was about to put another one into his mouth when Bobby placed a hand over his mouth as he said, "Mom, I don't think that they are broken. You saw the ice. As I said, I think I created it. It's not like I'm sick. So, calm down."

His mother shook her head. She sat down placing her head in her hands. Neither of his parents could really understand what had happened but they had no way to explain how that sheet of ice had gotten there. Bobby leaned forward placing a hand on his mother's shoulder. He looked up when he heard the doorbell ring. He moved to get it when his mother grabbed him by his wrist. His father hurried to the door, peaking out of the eyehole. He looked mildly confused and opened the door slightly, "Hello, um, this isn't really a good time, Mr. ah . . ."

"Xavier. I am Professor Charles Xavier. I believe that I can help you with your son's recent . . . growth spurt, Mr. Drake," the man said politely. His voice held authority.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bobby's father tried to deny.

"I know about the layer of ice that you found in your hallway. Is it alright for us to come in so that we can discuss this away from prying ears?" Xavier asked.

Bobby stared, intrigued, as a bald man in a wheelchair came in followed by a tall boy with red shades. The boy was an older teen, maybe an adult already, who was fairly rigid in his stance. The two were lead into the living room where they sat down. Bobby's father sat on the other side of his son as he asked, "What is it that you know?"

The older man placed his hands together and rested his head on them as he stated, "As I said, I'm Professor Charles Xavier. This is Scott Summers, one of the students at the school that I run. It is a pleasure to meet you. There is something that you have to understand. Despite what you might think this is perfectly natural. You see your son, Bobby, has unusual powers. Like myself and Scott. The school that I run is for people like ourselves; to learn how to use our gifts."

Xavier paused. His eyes scanned the family sitting in front of him. His eyes landed on the thermometer in Mrs. Drake's hand. He stated calmly, "This is perfectly natural and isn't something that will cause any health issues, as long as Bobby learns to control his power. Bobby is what is called a mutant."

"Are you insinuating that our Bobby is some sort of freak?" Bobby's mother said, hugging her son's arm.

"He is gifted. There is nothing wrong with him, Ms. Drake," Xavier's calm voice said. Nor with any of us. We just have gifts that others don't. We can do things that other people can't.

Bobby stared at Xavier's lips as he realized that they hadn't moved once. Bobby's mouth opened and closed like that of a fish. Xavier continued as if nothing was wrong, "The school that I run can teach Bobby how to use his powers in a safe environment. There will be other students much like Bobby there learning to control their powers."

"Powers?" Bobby asked as he grasped what the man was saying. "Like superheroes? Wait a second, how? Last time I checked no radioactive spiders have bitten me."

Scott chuckled, "It's nothing like that. Superheroes would probably be the best way to describe how our powers could be used. Instead of a spider bite our powers come from genetics. The Professor has studied genetics for years. He created the Institute to help mutants learn to control their powers."

"And what is this school of yours called, Professor Xavier?" Mr. Drake asked skeptically.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Anyone who doesn't know the true nature of the school thinks that it is for young geniuses to learn in a creative environment," Xavier explained.

"Wait a second. Youngsters? I'm not a youngster. I'm a teen," Bobby protested.

If Bobby could have seen Scott's eyes he would have noticed them rolling. Scott pointed out, "Technically speaking, you are a youngster. You're not even in high school yet."

"So?" Bobby asked. "I'm not a youngster."

Scott just sighed throwing his hands into the air as Xavier explained more about the school to Bobby's parents.

Author's Note: I decided to give Bobby a colder inner body temperature. Also, I figure that Amara might have a warmer body temperature.

Next Up: Jubilee