CHAPTER SEVEN:

Xaviers School for Gifted Mutants

SABRETOOTH

Cubs. Cubs everywhere.

Playing outside (and some in very odd ways, floating or flying) some running and jumping, others sitting around talking. But still, it didn't seem…..right. The playing was subdued, it wasn't normal, rowdy cubs play. It didn't help that the school seemed to open to him, it wasn't very defensible.

"I assure you, this school has adequate defenses, and many escape routes." The mind-controller Professor said and Victor growled at him.

"You better give me back control or I'll—" Victor began to threaten, but Charles Xavier cut him off.

"Once we are in the basement of the school, I will gladly give you your control back. I will not put my students in any danger."

Logan snorted. "Just HAVING him here is a danger, Chuck, you know that."

"I've had about enough of you, Jimmy!" Victor growled, but his eyes were on his frail. She looked far too pale for his liking, she was shaking. She needed to be back in his arms in the woods where he could hunt for her. It didn't look like she had enough meat.

"Both of you, inside." The Professor ordered. "And we have plenty of food, Victor. I'll have Ororo get her something to eat."

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Cassie blinked at the two of them. "What?"

The presence of all these people were making her antsy and nervous. The school itself wasn't helping. The place was HUGE! "Did this used to be a castle?" she asked.

Charles Xavier chuckled as they quickly made their way to the front doors. "No."

Almost all of the students were stopping to stare at the five of them as they made their way to the front doors, jaws dropping. Sabretooth was a legend here, and not necessarily a good one. Almost everyone knew about how he had kidnapped Rogue, how he was Magnetos muscle-man. Seeing him here without trying to do some damage was very shocking.

She frowned, stopped at the door momentarily. "This place looks expensive…There aren't any super-breakables in there, right?"

The Professor smiled at her and Logan quirked an eyebrow in her direction.

"Do not worry, Miss. Andrews. There is nothing in there that cannot be replaced."

"Why do you ask?" Logan questioned, putting his eyes back on Sabretooth. He wasn't going to let the monster out of his sight, not here in the school.

"Well…..I'm kind of a klutz." Cassie admitted, rubbing at some dirt on her jeans. "I don't want to break anything super-expensive."

Busy looking around nervously, she didn't see the slightest of smiles on the two feral brothers faces.

The inside of the school was just as decadent as the outside.

Plush, soft carpets covered beautiful hardwood floors, and some of the floors were made of marble, or some other kind of pretty white stone. They were paneled walls hung with expensive looking paintings and—just as she had feared—some very expensive and very BREAKABLE looking pieces of artwork positioned here and there.

"We'll go on down to the basement and discuss things more there." The Professor said, wheeling his way confidently down the hall and smiling reassuringly at the students her passed, occasionally pausing to speak to a few of them; "Miss. Alaniss, aren't you supposed to be in History class right now?...Watch where you step, Mr. Charn….Miss. Lucy, I believe you've forgotten your science book, best run along and get it, dear, I tell Professor Hank that you'll be a little late."

The way he interacted with the students calmed her down a little. He seemed almost like a father or an uncle figure to the children here. Some of whom were probably just a little younger than she was. Perhaps seventeen or eighteen.

She also didn't miss the frightful and awed glances that Sabretooth was receiving, so she was surprised when the feral gave a gruff question towards the Professor. "What happened?"

Charles looked politely over his shoulder at the mutant. "I'm sorry?"

"The scent of grief. It's everywhere here." Sabretooth almost complained, his voice thick.

Cassie blinked at him.

Grief had a scent?

Curiosity hit her like a freight-train. Did that mean that all feelings had a scent that only ferals could smell? She had read about animals smelling fear. What did fear smell like? What did grief smell like? Did happiness have a smell? If you could smell happiness, did it make you happy?

`FOCUS, girl, FOCUS!` she ordered herself, kicking herself mentally. `Two scary guys and mind-controller infront of you! Ooooo, that's a pretty painting.`

"I'm afraid we recently went through something of a tragedy a while back." Charles said, keeping his voice pleasant, but she had a feeling he was still in pain. "Everyone is still recovering from it."

Logan looked down at his feet. If looks could burn, the floor would probably be on fire by this time.

"I'm sorry." Cassie said automatically.

They turned down so many halls Cassie's mind immediately began swimming. There was no WAY she would be able to find her way around without stopping and asking for directions…..multiple times.

Finally, they got into an elevator.

It was a rather tight fit but, thankfully, just when she was starting to get panicky, the doors dinged open.

This area of the school, however, looked nothing like the upper levels (which fitted the image of a posh boarding school). This part of the school had walls made of curved metal and metal floors. It was an almost…..antiseptic, hospital like place. She didn't like it.

They entered another room (Cassie jumped when the wall slid open like a door) that seemed to be like an office. There was a desk and several comfy chairs, taking away from the whole hospital-feel.

"Victor, I will give you control back now, if you feel that you can manage yourself." The Professor said. "We have much to talk about."

You could almost see the instant the Professor let go of the feral mutants mind. His entire body (and there was A LOT of him) tensed incredibly. "You do that again, baldy, and I'll rip your head off."

"We are here to TALK, Mr. Creed." Xavier pressed. "Everyone, please take a seat."

Cassie gratefully dropped into a chair like a sack of potatoes while Ororo sank down more gracefully. Logan and Victor, however, remained standing.

"Now, Miss. Andrews, I know that this has been a very long and tiring day, but please, bear with us a little while longer. You may stay here as long as you like. We have plenty of rooms, and I can guarantee your safety while you are here. I believe you need to get to know Mr. Creed."

Cassie gawked at him. "You're coo-coo for coco-puffs." She said. "I have a home. I don't even know WHY I came with you guys! I should be calling the police or something!" Tears began to prick at the corner of her eyes.

Before she could do anything more, her feral captor walked over and picked her up, making her squeak and Logan growl. Sabretooth then sat down on the floor (the chairs were too small for his bulk) and drew her up against his chest on his lap. The low, rumbling sound of his purr began to fill the room.

Logans jaw hit the floor.

Was the great and terrible Sabretooth really PURRING!?

This was simply not RIGHT! The sun did NOT revolve around the Earth, snowballs did NOT survive fire, you could NOT fit a square peg in a round hole, and SABRETOOH DID NOT PURR! These things he knew.

But, there was the great monster himself; holding the young woman in his lap and purring. What was even more astonishing was when the young woman curled up in his lap, tucked her head under his chin and let her eyes begin to droop.

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It had just been too much of a day.

She had had enough, and sleep seemed like a good idea. Normally, it was impossible for her to sleep without medication, but this man had a purr that just lulled her, quieted her mind and made her feel safe.

She had the presence of mind to think of how ironic this was and that she was being an idiot before she fell into a deep sleep.

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Charles Xavier sighed. It had been a long day for him, too. "I suppose we can carry this on later." The Professor said. "I'll have Ororo show you to a spare room."

"She needs to eat." Victor growled out.

"I can bring her something for when she wakes up." The weather witch offered quietly.

"I'm taking her back to the cabin." Victor growled out.

"That would not be advisable." Charles said gently. "You would frighten her again. Please, Victor. Stay here with her. Let her get to know you better. Those pheromones you're putting off will only work for so long."

Logan started a little. "Pheromones?"

"Victor is giving off a kind of pheromone called 'Gershers Pheremone'. It's something like a natural sedative, helping Miss. Andrews to calm and fall asleep." Charles explained quietly. "However, she has to be in close range for them to work, which is why the rest of us aren't sleepy."

Victor snorted. "It only works on females and cubs." He informed them, rising with the young woman secure in his arms. "There's a lot you have to learn, Jimmy-boy. And I suppose I'm just going to have to teach you again."

Victor began to walk towards the door. "You said you had a room?"

Charles nodded, smiling. "Of course."

"Good." Victor snarled. "Someone has to get things in line." As he was walking out the door he managed to whack his brother upside the head again.

Logan jumped back, his adamantium blades coming out. "Watch, it furball!"

"Still don't remember?" Victor asked. "Don't worry, Jimmy-boy, I'll keep trying till you do."

"Or you'll give him worse head damage." Charles said sternly. "Knocking Logan in the head won't help him remember, Victor."

"Worth a shot." Victor answered, striding out. And, it helped him vent his frustration

VOCABULARY:

Decadent: extremely fancy.