Okay as far as Warren's age is concerned I'm just taking an educated guess based on the episodes. It's close enough anyway.

Just Helping Out a Friend

Meanwhile the Blackbird had landed on the outskirts of a small clearing near a cabin. "You think we should have brought some of the other students?" Hank asked.

"I think we should see Mr. Worthington alone first," Xavier said. "Maybe he wants to discuss again the possibility of him teaching at the Institute?"

"I know we're short handed but the guy's not that much older than Jean or Scott," Hank frowned. "How old is he anyway?"

"Twenty three," Xavier nodded. "Still I think he could be a good addition to the team. But let's see if that's what he wants to talk about."

"Hank, Xavier," Warren greeted them at the door. "I'm glad you showed up."

"It's good to see you Warren," Hank smiled.

"It's good to see you too," Warren nodded.

"Have you considered our offer to teach at the Institute?" Xavier asked.

"Is that why you're here?" Warren asked.

"What do you mean?" Hank blinked. "You called us."

"No I didn't," Warren said. "But I was going to anyway. There's someone I want you to meet. Come in."

They went into the cabin. "Jesse," Warren called out. "There are some friends of mine I want you to meet."

Inside was a tall, lanky African American boy about sixteen years old. He had short dreadlocks and was wearing jeans and a baggy sweater. "Jesse these are the people I was telling you about," Warren told him. "Charles, Hank, this is Jesse Aaronson."

Jesse looked very nervous, especially when he saw Hank. "Hello. Hey, you're blue…and furry."

"Observant isn't he?" Hank quipped.

"Sorry," Jesse nervously apologized. "I didn't mean…"

"It's all right," Hank waved. "I realize that my appearance is distressing at times. Believe me, I've given myself a fright now and then."

"It's just that…" Jesse looked around. "This is all so new and weird to me. I mean first a guy with wings and now a blue furry guy…Then again I'm a freak too so I guess it doesn't much matter."

"We mutants are not freaks Jesse," Xavier said kindly. "Just people with different abilities. Different gifts."

"Yeah well tell that to the people at my foster home," Jesse grumbled. "Or that crazy doctor that tried to turn me into his personal guinea pig." He shivered at an unknown memory.

That was when the television set turned itself on as well as the lights starting to go on and off several times. "What in the world?" Hank looked around. Then the television exploded again.

"Aw man I did it again!" Jesse groaned. "Sorry about that, but when I get nervous or something machines go haywire!" A light bulb in a nearby lamp seemed to over charge before it exploded. "Not to mention any light bulbs."

"Disruption of electric and mechanical devices," Hank raised an eyebrow. "That is an interesting mutation."

"It's all right Jesse," Xavier said calmly. "There's no need to be afraid of us. You're among friends here."

"Look I know what you all are thinking," Jesse said defensively. "But I ain't no scaredy cat! It's just the past two weeks have been the weirdest in my life! I mean it would freak anyone out!"

Another light bulb exploded. "Jesse maybe you should calm down a little before we end up completely in the dark," Warren smirked.

"Sorry, I don't mean to do it…" Jesse put his hand to his head.

"It's all right Jesse," Xavier said. "It's perfectly understandable."

"We know exactly how you feel," Hank said. "When I grew fur and claws I trashed a school room. And that was less than a year ago. Believe me if anyone understands how one's powers can get out of control…"

"Wait a minute, you weren't always furry?" Jesse looked at him. "And you're an adult? I thought stuff like that happened in your teens or something?"

"Usually that's the case," Xavier told him. "But sometimes advanced mutations do happen in adults. It's rare but it happens. But we'd like to find out more about you if you don't mind?"

"Well…"Jesse sat down. "I'm an orphan. My folks died when I was five. I have a brother but I haven't seen him in a long time. We were split up when I was a kid. I lived in this group foster home. It wasn't so bad. Kinda strict and religious but we all cared about each other. Kind of like a family. Or it was until…"

Jesse took a deep breath. "For a while I was getting headaches. No one knew exactly what it was. Then a couple of weeks ago I was having a real bad day. I flunked a test at school, got detention for being late to class. Then I got into an argument with my best friend and roommate. Well my ex-best friend and roommate. It was stupid. It was over whose stuff was on who's side of the room when all of the sudden I blew my stack. The next thing I knew the stereo explodes. My foster dad ran in and saw the light bulb explode. At first we all thought there was some kind of electrical short in the room. But then I went into the kitchen to cool down, but I was still kind of jumpy. Somebody was popping popcorn in the microwave and left the kitchen for a second so I was the only one in there. Well you can guess what happened next. Suddenly everyone in the whole house is looking at me like I grew another eye or something. I tried to deny it wasn't my fault, but then the TV exploded when I walked in front of it and…that's when I knew. Unfortunately so did everyone in the house."

"I take it that your foster parents did not approve," Hank said.

"Not even an hour after that happened I was told to pack my things," Jesse said bitterly. "That I was unsafe to be around the other kids. These were people I grew up with and all of the sudden they turned into perfect strangers! I couldn't believe it! Even my best friends turned their backs on me."

"It's not an uncommon reaction I'm afraid," Xavier sighed.

"The next thing I knew is that I was shipped out to this hospital," Jesse sighed. "Man I wasn't there for even an hour when I realized that that place was whack! That means crazy."

"I know," Xavier smiled. "I've been around teenagers for quite a while."

"Well this doctor acted like I was some kind of new toy or something," Jesse said nervously. "Running all these weird tests on me. Convinced my foster parents that he could cure me or something but curing me was the last thing on his mind. Well after three days I couldn't take any more so I just checked out. I mean I ran and I never looked back. I've been trying to lay low or something but everywhere I go my powers just keep acting up and everybody freaks out when they see me. It's really getting on my nerves! Then I ran into Angel Man here and wow…it's just all too much ya know?"

"I found him when I was flying around in New York," Warren explained. "He caused quite a commotion. Fortunately I was able to get him away before any angry mobs could find him."

"Yeah when I saw this dude with wings I thought I was tripping…I mean going nuts," Jesse said. "But he was the real deal and I figured what the heck did I have to lose so I went with him."

"I brought him here to my family ski lodge because it was isolated," Warren explained. "I thought he'd be safer here."

"Yeah not to mention fewer things for me to blow up," Jesse sighed.

"How did you know where to find us?" Angel asked.

"You left a message on our computer," Hank told him. "Remember?"

"No I didn't," Angel looked at him. "You guys called me."

"We assuredly did not," Hank said. "Most peculiar."

"But if you didn't call us," Xavier frowned. "Who did?"

************************************************************************

"Come on Scott you promised!" Kitty pulled on his arm.

"How did I let you two talk me into this?" Scott groaned as they walked in the mall.

"Hey it's not like you don't need new shoes either," Rogue told him. "Hey look over there."

Over by the bookstore was Arcade. "It's Arcade!" Kitty said. "Why don't we ask him now about Cerebro?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rogue asked Kitty. "The last time he was at the mansion he nearly killed us!"

"Well he didn't know it was us or anything. He like thought it was a video game," Kitty told her. "Besides that was a long time ago. There he is. We might as well ask him."

"Well the Professor did want to talk to him first," Scott thought.

"Yeah but he's kind of got his hands full right now what with Angel needing him and Sam's sister coming to the Institute," Rogue said. "I mean think about it. It's one less thing for him to worry about."

"Yeah but can we trust him?" Scott said. "Remember how easily he got into Cerebro the last time."

"Scott he didn't know what he did, he thought it was just a giant video game like Kitty said," Rogue told him. "It couldn't hurt to ask."

"Well as long as we're here…" Scott sighed.

Arcade looked over and saw them. "Uh hey Kitty," He smiled. "Rogue, Scott. Haven't seen you guys in a while. Where have you been?"

"Uh well kind of at the Institute," Kitty fidgeted.

"Oh right the whole mutant thing," Arcade ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry. I forgot. So how are you holding up."

"Pretty good considering the entire town hates our guts," Rogue sighed.

"Yeah well people can be real jerks," Arcade shrugged. "I should know."

"Look I know this is gonna sound weird but can we ask you a favor?" Kitty asked. "You remember that big computer at our house?"

"Cerebro?" Arcade blinked. "Hey that was the thing with the video game with…Oh man that wasn't a game was it?"

"No it wasn't," Scott folded his arms.

"Oops," Arcade gulped.

"Look we're not mad about that," Kitty said.

"Speak for yourself," Scott muttered under his breath.

"But we're really having problems with it and we figured since you're so good with computers…" Kitty started.

"You want me to help fix your computer?" Arcade's eyes widened.

"Look if you don't want to we understand," Rogue began.

" Are you kidding? I'd love to help," Arcade grinned.