Disclaimer: same as always.
See told you I'd have chapter 11 up within the week, man am I proud of myself…I had a lot of papers due this week for my classes and any writing I was able to get done was worthwhile…Anyways…review thanks at the end! Enjoy!
Storm joined them not long after Logan left; all three of them working on the system long into the night. With Jean's supervision, Dan had a good portion of the jet's complicated computer system nearly repaired without an incident.
Around midnight, however, Dan was getting tired and was showing it. After all he hadn't really gotten much sleep in the past twenty-four hours and after using all the power he had to repair the jet; he was emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. Jean and Storm saw this quickly and both decided that it was time for Dan to call it quits, he had done everything that he could do; the rest of the repairs were strictly mechanical.
At first, Dan protested being sent to bed, but he was to tired to argue and eventually gave into Storm guiding him out of the jet towards the tents that had been set up earlier. Kurt was in a tree above the site, hanging like a bat watching over the group,
John sat behind the fire, still flicking the zippo. He looked at Dan as Storm guided him towards an extra tent that someone had taken thought to set up for him, John didn't say anything to Dan and vice versa and minus a quick angry head shake from Dan, the only reaction from John for that was a pause in his clicking for about two seconds, though he was still pissed at him…Dan had a feeling it was John who had taken thought to set up the small pup tent for him, he'd thank him in the morning, even maybe consider forgiving him for everything…maybe.
By the time they had walked the short distance from the jet to the camp, Dan was so tired that he was relying solely on Storm to support him, preventing him from tripping on exposed roots and loose bits of earth.
With grace and acrobatic ability, Kurt dropped from the tree and landed in front of them, causing Dan to jump slightly.
"Kurt could you help him to his tent, he's overtired." Storm said barley above a whisper, Kurt nodded "Dan where is your visor?"
"Poc…pocket," he stuttered, she nodded and reached into his jean pocket and extracted the visor,
"Eyes shut?" he nodded closing his eyes tight, he felt her slip his glasses off and felt the cool night air on his full face, he longed to open his eyes and let the cool woodsy air get into them, but knew he couldn't, and he couldn't help, but feel angry about that…maybe it wasn't anger…more like total jealousy of all the others in the group, then again, he was really to tired to tell the difference or really care for that matter. He felt his visor against his face and felt her clip it behind his head. "All set,"
"Than… Ms. Munroe," he said
"You did a good job tonight Dan, thank you for all your help, we couldn't have done it without you" she said hugging him and kissing the top of his head. "Thank you too Kurt,"
Kurt nodded again and pulled Dan's arm over his shoulder helping him to the tent, that being the last part of the night that the boy remembered, as sleep overtook him and he entered what started out as a completely dreamless slumber, and led not to a nightmare as he would have predicted, but rather a negative memory that was followed by a very positive one, that had been triggered with the meeting of two people who would change his life and the entrance to a brand new life…
(Dream)
"Come on freak…you want your wittle book? Hey what's the matter to stupid to fight back? Or just to scared" Dan clenched his fists tight desperately trying not to lash out at the other boy. Though he was older then this kid, by at least a year, Greg was one of the biggest kids around and the meanest, and Dan was technically the 'new kid' which meant he was a prime target for the other kids.
After being kicked out of his fifth foster home in only two months, Dan's caseworker Kathy, had dumped him at a group home…ok so dumped was a harsh word… it just temporarily she insisted until she could locate another family. After Sandy, she was one of the few adults in his life that Dan actually got along with and trusted for that matter, she just wanted him to have a solid home and be happy. When he had heard that before, what felt like hundreds of times in his life, Dan knew that it was just total sarcasm, but from Kathy it was total honesty.
She had been his caseworker since he was nine, it had been her who had truly believed that him and Sandy were perfect for one another and had been just as distraught when everything with her happened. He had only one complaint about her, she like the rest of the adults in his life…claimed they couldn't tell him about his past, about why he had no memory before he was nine. It was either they really didn't know or were just keeping that information from him.
A group home had been her only option at that particular time; most foster parents weren't up to taking on an adolescent and usually asked for younger kids finding one that would take him was going to take time. It was the same old story and Dan was all to use to it. He had been in a few group homes like this, but never as long as he had been in this one, almost a week and the bullying was getting worse each day and he wasn't sure how much longer he could take it, before he finally had enough and hopped the fence, something that he had no problem doing.
His small size, quiet mannerism, and desire for constant seclusion from his peers, were only three of the reasons he was a target. Dan was convinced that Greg had a sixth sense that detected mutants and that was the fourth reason for his bullying.
Though on an honest thought, Dan didn't really consider himself a mutant, he just chose to ignore the fact that he could move things with his mind and could fix, scan, even destroy mechanical devices, like the computer in the main office of the group home, a thought that always brought a grin to his face. Even if he did admit that he was a mutant, he would never voice that allowed.
In it's own pathetic way, the state of New York was taking care of him, he would be on his own if he was exposed as a mutant then who knows what would happen. That was all the more reason, to keep his temper at bay and not react to Greg's teasing.
"Just give it back Greg," he said softly
"Not until you beg,"
"I'm not going to beg for my own book,"
"Kiss the pavement freak or kiss your book goodbye." Two of Greg's buddies came up behind Dan and pushed him down to his knees, he wasn't strong enough to fight them off and quickly found himself kneeling in front of Greg. One of the kids had his knee on Dan's back and was jabbing it right into his spine, it was all Dan could do not to cry out in pain as the guy's knee located a pressure point and while he kept his knee firmly in the small of Dan's back, the other kid held Dan's arms preventing him from struggling, he was total restrained by them and unable to move.
"Get the hell off of me!" he managed to gasp out between breaths. He looked up at Greg who was swinging his book back and forth, if he could move his arms, Dan could easily have reached up and grabbed the book…but he couldn't…at least not with his hands, but he could with his mind.
Suddenly the book flew out of Greg's hand, landing a few feet from the group. Obliviously not wanting to look like a butterfingers in front of his pals, Greg scoffed at them like he had meant to do that and after pushing Dan's head down so hard that it connected with the pavement, they left him flat on the ground and headed off to pick on someone else.
Slowly, Dan sat up rubbing his head, there was a little bit of blood on the pavement and he groaned at finding even more on his hand. A nasty taste filled his mouth and when he spit it out, a good amount of blood hit the ground as well along with what he hoped was a baby tooth, one of only a few ones left. He grimaced and weakly tried to catch his breath,
"That was a very impressive use of control," Dan looked up, for a spilt second expecting Greg to be back.
Instead, it was a bald guy in a wheelchair and standing right in front of him with his hand out, a younger guy with red lenses glasses. The guy with the glasses gave Dan a half kind of smile, at first he was suspicious, but this only lasted a second or two…before he took the guy's offer and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet.
"Thanks," Dan said softly to the glasses guy, before looking at the one in the wheelchair.
"Dan Thomas I presume?" he asked the boy, folding his hands under his chin, looking at Dan expectantly
"Depends on whose askin'," Dan retorted, he walked over to where his book had landed and picked it up, dusting it off, before turning back to them "and why…" the man gave a knowing smile,
"Dan, my name is Professor Charles Xavier," Dan nodded slowly, very confused as to why this Xavier guy was even talking to him. "I'm the founder of a school in Westchester county, a school for the gifted." It was all Dan could do to not laugh, struggling to suppress the snicker that managed to escape him. "This is Scott Summers, one of the instructors at the school, a mentor if you will."
"If you run a school for the gifted, then why are you here?" he asked as serious as possible, "and more importantly, why are you talkin' to me 'bout it? Do I seriously look gifted too you?" he paused and rubbed the cut on his forehead, wincing from the sting. "Look man, if I don't go get cleaned up? I'll get reported for fightin' we're talkin' a group homes equivalent to a prisons solitary confinement. And as much as I like bein' alone? That would mean missin' dinner, something I'm not planning on doing. So you're better off sellin' your school offer to someone who deserves it," he finished and started to walk off, Is that truly how you feel? You feel that you are not gifted? Dan turned to Xavier and stared at him…he was hearing the guy's voice, but it was inside his head. "What the heck?!" he exclaimed rubbing his temple "how're doing that man?"
"It's called Telepathy, though I'm very sure you are aware of it." Xavier answered, "as it is an ability I believe you are gifted with, along with telekinetic abilities, and a computer ability I trust." Dan went pale and stared at Xavier "am I correct?"
"If your telepathic then you already know that." He said softly
"Dan, I am offering you the chance to learn to not only harness your gifts, but enter a place where you will always be accepted and have a place to call home." Xavier smiled again "understand?"
"I'm confused 'bout one thing,"
"Yes?"
"Your school…you said it's for the gifted…"
"Yes?"
"Is that a play on words or just to keep it secrete whose really goin' to school there?" Xavier looked at the guy with the glasses
"It's complete honesty Dan, only those who are gifted are in attendance," he smiled "we just leave out the detail that those gifted individuals are mutants," Xavier paused, so what do you say son?" Dan looked out at the yard, right across it, where Greg was beating up another kid, while his two buds held the kid. Then he looked not far from them, two of the employees, stood there completely oblivious to the beating that was occurring no more then five feet from them.
"What if my caseworker comes lookin' for me?"
"I believe the necessary people have been informed that you are being offered admission to Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, in all probability you pass the entrance exam."
"There's an entrance exam?" Dan exclaimed
"Of course, it is after all an Ivy League prep school." Xavier smiled "we don't accept just anyone." Slowly, a grin crept across Dan's face
"So what do you say kid?" Scott asked
"I say, bring on the exam, I can take your best questions." He said,
"Wonderful, Mr. Thomas I have no doubt that you will pass with flying colors."
"Dan, I know you're a smart kid, but are you sure you want to go to boarding school for the gifted?" Dan looked at Kathy, "it'll be full of snobs," she finished with a grin, "your words I believe not mine," he nodded
"I know, but it'll be cool, I can show up the richie kids, show 'em that a kid from the wrong side of the tracts can outsmart 'em in both street smarts and book smarts." Kathy's grin went to a sad smile as she hugged him tight,
"If you need anything, you call my cell, day or night," Dan nodded as she handed him her card, not that he needed it, he had her number memorized in his photographic like memory, but he knew it made her feel better knowing that he had the card with the number on it.
"So when this whole thing is up…am I gonna end back up in the system?" he asked seriously, that thought had been bugging him since the entrance exam the day before.
"Actually Dan, Professor Xavier will be your legal guardian while your at the school," Dan thought this over for a moment, it wasn't like he had another place to go, so if this guy was willing to become his guardian, then all the power to him. "But I'm still going to do spot checks," she paused "random spot checks, just to check in on you, make sure you haven't caused a riot amongst the students."
"Me?" Dan exclaimed pointing to himself as innocently as possible "me cause a riot at a school? I would never." Kathy hugged him again and took his hand, walking him down the steps of the group home towards the Rolls-Royce parked out front. Scott walked over to him and giving him a grin took his suitcase from Kathy's hand and put it in the trunk. Xavier approached them and looked up at Kathy.
"I promise you Ms. Mitchell Dan is in good hands, he will do very well with us." She nodded and after one last hug, pushed him gently towards the car. Looking back at her, Dan climbed into the backseat and looked around the car as Scott shut the door.
Luckily the front window was open a crack and he could hear everything that was being said, but the strange thing was, that Dan didn't remember any of this, he was hearing all of this for the first time and but he realized, that in the excitement and nervousness of that specific day, leaving the group home and entering the school…he had pushed this one part to the back of his memory, he had probably been listening subconsciously and hadn't realized it.
"I hope you understand Professor Xavier what he has been through, this school of yours is a chance that not many kids in his position are given, but that doesn't mean he's totally ready for it. Dan has been through more foster families in three years then most who are in the system their entire lives go through. He's been tossed around and dumped on for three years and-"
"Yes I know…he has no recollection of his life before he was found wandering the streets at age nine since which as you said he has been in multiple foster homes, including one that was very nearly permanent until an incident occurred to result his being removed from the woman's care and placed right back into the system." Xavier said softly "but I can help him leave all that, as you said, the school is a chance that not many are given, Dan is an extraordinary young man, talented and yes incredibly gifted, and I promise that he will not only do well in school, but in life as well, he has a bright future and just needs guidance, something that I am afraid he is not going to receive as a ward of the state, which in all beliefs he should not have become in the first place.
"Excuse me?"
"If I may ask, when Dan was found, did he say that was his name or was it given to him?" Kathy didn't answer for a second "Ms. Mitchell?"
"Sorry, I was thinking, when the police found him wandering down Canal Street, he was completely out of it and half starved, like he hadn't eaten in days. I met him at the hospital, where the doctors were treating him for some minor burns, he couldn't tell anyone where he had gotten them, where he was from, or who his parents were, the only thing we got from him was that his name was Dan Thomas. His name was run through the missing children databank, but there were no hits, we couldn't even find a birth certificate or anything with that name on it that fit his age. We knew it wasn't his real name, but it was the only name he would give us, and it just kind of stuck." Kathy paused "do you know something Professor Xavier? I mean how did you even know Dan was here?"
"All in good time Ms. Mitchell, all in good time." Xavier said "I trust you will be checking in on Dan shortly?" Kathy nodded
"It's required by the state."
"Perfectly understandable, but it is time for us to be going, traffic tends to be quite hectic and I would like Dan to have plenty of time to settle in as he starts classes tomorrow." Kathy nodded again, she walked up to the window and he rolled it down to look at her
"Remember what I said honey, if you need anything call me ok?" Dan nodded a thank you to Kathy, before Scott put the car into drive, and they headed off...
(end dream)
Dan had kind of hoped that the dream would continue, but that was impossible, because he was awoken suddenly by the sound of Wolverine knocking on his tent, yelling
"Rise and shine Squirt, you've got 30 seconds to get out of there before I pack it up with you in it." with that threat on his mind, Dan was up and out of the tent in less then 10 seconds, partly because he was wide awake now…and partly…because he didn't doubt Logan's threat in the least.
Ok I really wanted to go on with the dream and actually I wanted to make it a flash back, you know go into Dan's arrival at the school and meeting Peter…and everything, but it was getting rather long and figured better cut it. So there might be a flashback of something like that in the near future chapters, but for now I hope you all enjoyed that chapter, next one will be up either tomorrow night or Friday, because it's all written and set to go.
So one review thanks to be handing out!
Supernatural Chick: Thanks for your review I really appreciate it, I hope you enjoy the update, like I said last chapter, I'm gonna try like mad to get the new chapter of the Immortal Child up and hopefully Einstein as well, both of them are giving me trouble, but hopefully my Muse will stop being fascinated with the new X-men movie soon and actually help me write…Lol…Anyways thanks again! Till next time!
Thanks for reading everyone, hope to hear from you people! Reviews welcome, but flames will be put in a cannon and blasted to oblivion.
(Bows)
Sharpsnout
