Now on with the story...
Professor Charles Xavier sat with his students waiting for the last two X-Men to arrive. Scott and Jean had been on their way home from seeing a movie in town when he called the meeting and so it was taking them longer to arrive. A brief mental contact assured him that they would be there momentarily however, so he was content to wait.
Logan was leaning back nonchalantly in his chair fiddling absently with the cigar in his hand. He wasnÕt smoking it...the Professor had a strict rule about smoking indoors and in front of the kids. Though, he might gripe and growl about it...it was a rule Logan followed and even agreed with. He felt no need to share his bad habits with the kids....but that didnÕt mean that he was gonna quit them. With an annoyed sigh he tucked the cigar into his shirt pocket and shifted in his seat. He hated these stupid meetings. They were a waste of time, in his opinion. If something needed doing...why waste time sitting around and ÔdiscussingÕ it. Much better to go out and DO something about it.
Kurt and Kitty were both fidgeting as well. It was getting kinda late and they both had a majorly important exam in English class tomorrow that they were both nervous about. Kurt really had much more reason to be nervous than Kitty. Kurt didnÕt even know how to use a semicolon in a sentence in German...much less English. Kitty, who was doing great in the class, was just nervous because it was a test...and she hated tests. She always did great on them, but they made her so nervous that she almost felt ill over it sometimes...and this test was worth twenty percent of the grade in that class. Needless to say, both of them wanted to hurry up and start this meeting so they could hurry up and finish it and get back to studying.
The only person in the room who didnÕt seem impatient with the wait was Ororo. She sat with the same calm grace that she always had. Only the occasional glances at the clock betrayed the fact that she was just as eager as the rest to find out what the Professor wanted.
ÒSorry Professor.Ó a breathless Jean said as she and Scott rushed into the room. They quickly took their seats and tried to catch their breath. TheyÕd both run from the garage to get to the meeting as fast as they could, and really it was quite a long distance.
ÒQuite alright Jean.Ó Charles said. He didnÕt blame them for the wait...it wasnÕt like this meeting was planned and their date had been for days. ÒThe reason IÕve called this meeting is that Cerebro has discovered a mutant in a town called Bartsville, Texas.Ó He reached over and pressed a button and on the large monitor set in the wall, an image of the mutant appeared.
ÒWhoa...Ó Scott said softly.
She was a girl with light gray, corpse-like skin and long black hair. She had large bat-like wings that were folded at the moment, but from the size of them, their span had to be incredible. She had a tail as well. Not a thin, prehensile tail like Kurt's. HerÕs was longer and thicker, looking more like a lizardÕs tail and it tapered to a fine point. Along the sides were small ridges. Except for her eyes, the girlÕs face was perfectly normal. A little too plain to be called pretty. Her eyes, however were unusually beautiful. They glowed with swirls of color. There were no irises or pupils, just a flowing glow of color.
ÒHer name is Danielle Parker. Her mutant power manifested earlier this evening and from what I could perceive, she is completely unable to control it. She needs our help immediately because her power appears to be having an extremely detrimental effect on her both physically and mentally.Ó He explained.
ÒVhat is her power?Ó Kurt asked.
ÒEmpathy. She is a very sensitive empath. At the moment she is under too much stress for me to be able to judge the extent of her power even with CerebroÕs assistance.Ó the Professor paused a moment before continuing. ÒJean, Kurt, I will need the two of you to come with me to Bartsville.Ó
Jean nodded, but Kurt stifled a groan. ÒProfessor...I vant to help. Really I do...but I have this test tomorrow...Mr. Rexington said no make-ups...Ó Kurt trailed off miserably. He really did want to go help. HeÕd never seen another mutant who looked as different as he did. He knew heÕd be able to help her understand what a great place the Xavier Institute was and that she wouldnÕt have anything to fear in coming. He also knew that he wasnÕt doing well enough in English to get a zero on a test that counted for twenty percent of his final grade.
Charles smiled at his student. ÒI donÕt think it will be a problem Kurt. IÕm sure Mr. Rexington can be persuaded to allow you to retake the test when we return.Ó
ÒUm...Professor....IÕd...Ó Kitty started.
ÒNo Kitty.Ó Professor Xavier cut her off, knowing what she was about to suggest. He hadnÕt even had to use his powers. He gave her a stern look. ÒThere is no need for you to miss your test tomorrow.Ó
Kitty sighed in defeat. ÒWell...it was worth a try I guess.Ó
A touch of amusement entered XavierÕs eyes. He knew why Kitty wanted to go. Thoughts of the impending exam and her doubts concerning her ability to pass it were loudly projecting from her public mind. He considered allowing her to come along to put her mind at ease, but put the thought aside. She wasnÕt really needed for this mission and it would be an abuse of his power to ÔpersuadeÕ her teacher to let her make up the test when it wasnÕt necessary for her to miss it in the first place. Besides, Kitty was always this way when she had a test, despite the fact that the lowest grade sheÕd ever gotten was a B. He became serious as he turned toward Kurt and Jean. ÒWeÕll be leaving in an hour.Ó
His students nodded and left to go get ready for the trip. Xavier turned to Ororo and Logan. ÒYou two are in charge until I return. Ororo will you call the school tomorrow and inform them that Jean and Kurt will be absent?Ó
ÒOf course Professor.Ó
Xavier nodded and backed his chair away from the table. ÒWe should be back tomorrow, but IÕll be in touch if weÕll have to be gone longer.Ó Ending the meeting, Xavier went to prepare for departure.
A little over an hour later, they were flying toward Texas. Kurt was piloting the jet, to his complete and utter joy. Jean was sitting in the copilots seat reading information on Bartsville, Texas that sheÕd printed out from Cerebro. Professor Xavier was sitting in a passenger seat, reading a newspaper. Looking for stories on mutants. Reports on mutants in the media were sporadic at best, which could be a good or a bad thing.
Professor! This canÕt be right, can it?
What is that Jean?
Jean transmitted an image to him, a line from the printout she was reading. Bartsville: Population 133.
Its most likely true Jean. Cerebro doesnÕt make typos. he replied coloring his thoughts with a grin.
! Jean turned around to look at him. ÒProfessor....there are more students going to our high school than there are people living in this whole town!Ó
Kurt, who was lounging in the pilots seat, flying with his feet, leaned over to look at the printout Jean was holding. ÒMein Gott....there more cows than people.Ó he said.
ÒKurt, perhaps you should pay attention to flying the plane?Ó Xavier stated, pointing toward the flight controls. Kurt turned and saw that the jet had started to slant toward the ground. With a small yelp he straightened up in his seat and pulled the BlackBird back on course.
ÒSorry Professor, Jean.Ó he said contritely. Jean gave him a slightly strained smile.
Xavier sighed. ÒJust pay attention to what you are doing Kurt. YouÕll have plenty of time to look at the printout when we arrive.Ó Charles tried to sound stern but he had a feeling he wasnÕt doing a good job of it. Sometimes it was difficult to remain firm with Kurt, even when he did foolish things. ÒIt will be much too late to visit the Parkers. IÕve reserved rooms for us at the inn in town. WeÕll see Danielle and her parents in the morning.Ó
Toby sighed in frustration as he settled on the couch. He hated the new doctor with a passion. Dr. Stimple had moved to Bartsville from Dallas last year. Toby supposed that as a doctor he was alright. But he was a grade A asshole as a person. He was uptight and snotty and worst of all, he was genuinely terrified of Danielle. Danielle thought it was hilarious of course. The same as she did whenever she met someone who as really bothered by the way she looked.
Under normal circumstances, Danielle would have loved to have gone to the doctors just so she could watch Dr. Stimple trying to be polite and professional while sweating like a hog because he was in the same room with her. Normally, her teasing would have made her brothers laugh and would have eased their tension as the doctorÕs attitude irritated them more and more.
This hadnÕt been a normal circumstance.
The ambulance had arrived quickly, it had been at their parentÕs wreck waiting for the police and volunteer firemen to dig the bodies out. Tony Ugarte, the driver of the vehicle had been sitting behind the wheel smoking a cigarette, trying not to think about the fact that Thomas and Jennifer Parker were two of his good friends...that heÕd just been at the ParkerÕs last weekend for a barbecue....when Sheriff LewisÕs call had come through about Danielle. HeÕd put out his cigarette and yelled for Chris Jenkins to come on. As soon as the paramedic got in theyÕd rushed to pick up Danielle. It wouldÕve be a while before the bodies were excavated and there was only the one ambulance after all.
Once theyÕd arrived at the hospital, Chris and Tony rushed Danielle in. They hadnÕt been able to get her to wake up on the way, and while her vitals were stable, they were really concerned. Toby and David had ridden behind the ambulance with Sheriff Lewis. Betty Harris had met them in the hall and had directed them to one of the hospitalÕs exam rooms. The hospital was small...more like a doctorÕs office than an actual hospital...but it was well equipt. Its regular hours were from nine in the morning till eight at night and it was staffed by Doctor Stimple, the anesthesiologist Robert James and the two nurses Betty Harris and Susan Jenkins. They all remained on call in case of emergencies 24 hours a day however and none of them lived more than a five minute drive from the hospital. If there were a major catastrophe the ambulance could take the patients the forty-five minute drive along I-20 to Sweetwater. Betty had directed Chris and Tony to lift Danielle onto the examination table and sheÕd begun to set out the things Dr. Stimple would need.
The doctor had arrived shortly and after taking a moment to try to hide his distaste at the fact that heÕd been called out of bed to come look at the mutant girl, heÕd begun examining her. Toby, David and the others had been left standing just outside the room and waiting for the doctor and nurse to come tell them what was wrong with Danielle. Toby could still feel that wait even now that it was over and they were all home. It had been horrible, the whole evening had been a nightmare, but the thought that something was wrong with his sister on top of everything else had almost been too much. The waiting had almost been too much. The only thing that had kept Toby from just going completely crazy was that David needed him. Because, despite the differences in the way David and Danielle looked, they were twins and were as close as any twins were and while Toby was having trouble dealing with the fact that something was wrong with their sister, David was much much worse off.
A few minutes that seemed like hours passed and Dr. Stimple came out of the exam room followed by Betty Harris. The doctor looked irritated, and so did the nurse, though it looked like she was more irritated with the doctor than anything else.
ÒWhats wrong doc?Ó Toby asked anxiously as soon as he had spotted the doctor. In the back of his mind, heÕd had a crazy urge to yell ÔWhats up Doc?!Õ at the top of his voice. HeÕd restrained it though and worried that perhaps he really was going insane after all.
ÒShe fainted.Ó Dr. Stimple had said simply.
TobyÕs mind hadnÕt been able to grasp what the doctor had said at first. Fainted? Is the man serious? Fainted? heÕd wondered. ÒDoctor...we know she fainted.Ó heÕd said a little angrily. ÒWhat we wanna know is why. Whats wrong with her?Ó
Doctor Stimple had shrugged carelessly. ÒI donÕt know why she fainted.Ó
TobyÕd stood up then, all ready to smack the smirking asshole down, but David had stopped him. ÒToby!Ó HeÕd said sharply. Then, heÕd turned imploring eyes on the doctor. ÒDoctor....will she be ok?Ó heÕd begged.
Stimple had taken pity on the poor boy and in a gentler voice heÕd explained that he really didnÕt know why Danielle hadnÕt awakened yet. That as far as he could see there wasnÕt anything physically wrong with her. HeÕd told them that it was his opinion that the stress of hearing about her parents had caused the faint and that when she was ready she would wake up. HeÕd suggested that they take her home and make her comfortable. ÒIf she doesnÕt wake up by tomorrow night, bring her back in.Ó heÕd finished.
Just then Sheriff LewisÕs radio had squawked ÒSheriff you copy?Ó
Lewis reached over and pressed the button on the radio he carried. ÒYeah Vega, I copy. Whats up?Ó he replied.
ÒChris and Tony there with you Sheriff?Ó
ÒYeah Vega, theyÕre here with me Ôn the Parker kids at the hospital.Ó Lewis said carefully to his deputy. Vega had been left in charge of the crash site when heÕd gone to tell the kids about their parents.
Vega had evidently gotten the hint. ÒWell....uh...could ya send em on back soon as possible Sheriff? We need em back here now.Ó
ÒTen-four Vega, IÕll send em over soon as we get these kids home.Ó Lewis hadnÕt been able to meet Toby and DavidÕs eyes during this exchange. Toby had been grateful...as long as the sheriff didnÕt do that, Toby had felt reasonably sure that he could pretend he didnÕt know what they were talking about.
So, Chris and Tony had taken Danielle back to the ambulance and had driven her home. He and David had ridden back in the sheriffÕs car. That had been a little over an hour ago. Danielle was still sleeping or whatever and David was sitting in her room with her. Last time Toby had looked in his brother had fallen asleep on the floor with his back leaned up against DanielleÕs bed. Toby looked at the clock and decided that he should probably get to sleep too, but he couldnÕt seem to make himself get up from the couch.
When Toby woke up, he was still on the couch. Someone had put a cover over him and slid a pillow under his head. In a moment of sleepy confusion he thought his mother had done it. It was the kind of thing sheÕd done before when he was little and heÕd fallen asleep on the couch while trying to stay up watching movies on the tv. He could hear her in the kitchen and he could smell sausage cooking. He opened his mouth to call out ÒGÕmornin Mom.Ó like he always had on days like this, but something stopped him. At first he couldnÕt think what it was...but something was wrong. Toby tried to force his sleepy mind to think. He was not a morning person...and it always took him a little while to get up to speed in the mornings. The first thing that hit him was that it was a school day and it was nearly nine-thirty. Why hadnÕt Mom woke me up yet? he wondered. Then, like the horrible realization that all that was left in the space where youÕd parked your car was a small pile of shattered glass...he realized that it wasnÕt his mother in the kitchen. It would never be his mother in the kitchen. Never again. No matter how many times you closed your eyes and told yourself that when you opened them, the car would be there and youÕd imagined the pile of glass...it was always gone. His mother was always going to be gone.
For a little while he just lay there, held by that thought. It echoed over and over in his head till it drowned out everything else. Slowly though, other things began to seep in. The smells coming from the kitchen were the first thing that began to break the train of thought that was wearing a grief filled groove in his mind. The smells stirred up his hunger. He hadnÕt eaten anything since lunch yesterday. At first the hunger was hardly noticeable....a small pang deadened by the tight pain in his chest and throat and eyes. But as the smells caught his attention the hunger rose up and slowly but surely overpowered the other pain. The pain of loss. Realizing he was hungry led him notice the cooking noises again and wonder who was in the kitchen. Probably David, he thought. Or....maybe Danielle? He doubted it, but the thought alone was enough to make him get up and go look.
It was Aunt Jane. She stopped what she was doing when he entered the kitchen and for just a few moments they stood there staring at each other. Then Toby noticed sheÕd been crying. Without warning his own tears began to fall and before he knew it he was in her arms and they were both sobbing. After a while Toby got control of himself and after giving his aunt one last squeeze, he pulled away. ÒWhen did you get here?Ó he asked.
ÒThis mornin.Ó she replied wiping her face with a towel. ÒSheriff Lewis called me this mornin real early. Woke me up. He......told me what happened...Ó she paused for a moment, swallowing. ÒI came over around six...yaÕll were still asleep. I used my key.Ó
ÒYou didnÕt have to do all this...Ó Toby said softly. Aunt Jane had cleaned up the forgotten dinner and taken down the table settings. He didnÕt know what sheÕd done with the gifts...they werenÕt anywhere in sight. SheÕd also cooked breakfast. More breakfast than the four of them would be able to eat in a week. That was his auntÕs way of coping with crisis, he realized in a detached way. She cooked and cleaned.
ÒYes I did.Ó she said softly. Not knowing what else to say or do, Toby sat down at the table and fixed himself a plate of food. He wasnÕt really hungry anymore, in fact the thought of eating made him slightly ill. But his aunt had gone to all the trouble...and he knew it would just make her cry again if he didnÕt at least eat a little. And if she started crying again...so would he...and if he did...he wasnÕt sure heÕd be able to stop. So he focused on filling his plate and getting the food down.
After heÕd eaten as much as he could, Toby took David a plate. The poor boy was still asleep on the floor by DanielleÕs bed, propped up against it. Aunt Jane had covered him up too, but hadnÕt tried to get him to move. She knew it would be a battle sheÕd never win. Toby set the plate down on DanielleÕs dresser and gently shook his little brother awake. David came to with a slow reluctance. He was no more a morning person than his brother.
As soon as David was awake the first thing he did was glance at his sister. The look of disappointment on his face when he saw that there was no apparent change was heartbreaking. Toby felt his eyes begin to tear up again and quickly looked away, but it didnÕt help. The urge to cry was uncontrollable. Soon he was sitting beside his brother sobbing like a child for the second time that morning. David was crying too though...and he thought maybe he could hear Aunt Jane crying in the kitchen. The family that cries together... he thought senselessly. Oh god it hurts. It hurts so bad.
It took him longer to stop crying this time, but he finally did. His tears tapered off slowly but surely leaving him with a desolate empty feeling that somehow was wrong. Was somehow painful. This empty painful feeling worried him. It dulled his mind however and after a while he forgot why he was worried. HeÕd forgotten DavidÕs food too he realized slowly.
ÒI brought you some breakfast Davie....Aunt Jane cooked it...Ó he trailed off as he noticed the dull uncomprehending look in DavidÕs eyes. The small sense of worry grew into a sharp spike of fear. Not Davie too! he thought despairingly. The fear kept on growing which frightened him which made the sharp cutting fear grow faster which frightened him more which made the fear grow faster which...and on and on. A vicious cycle. A catch-22. Caught in the cyclone, Toby watched with an ever growing sense of horror, the look of terror that had appeared and intensified so quickly in his brotherÕs eyes. He thought he heard a dish shatter from the kitchen and he knew with a sick certainty that Aunt Jane could feel it too. The fear...the ever growing terror. Now tempered with a sick feeling of horror. And behind it all...the grief. Part of him sat back and realized that the grief had been growing like this since heÕd woken up. But he hadnÕt noticed. Why hadnÕt he noticed? Because grief wasnÕt like fear. Grief was slow and dull and creeping like one of those giant sloths in the zoo. You never noticed it moving till it was almost at the end of the branch it was hanging from. And you never noticed how sad you were till it choked you. Fear though...fear wasnÕt a sloth...it was a cheetah. All fangs and tearing claws and lightning speed. Fear could spring up on you out of nowhere and cut you down. And that was what was happening, he knew. Grief was strangling him and fear was tearing him down and soon there wouldnÕt be anything left soon he...
It stopped. It just stopped. He was still afraid...but...the fear had shrunken to life-sized proportions again. He was still sad...but....the grief was controllable again. He saw David blinking in confusion. He understood his brotherÕs confusion. He felt pretty damned confused himself. Did that really just happen? he wondered. The memory of it was already slipping away. Losing its edge, like a bad dream will after you wake up. Despite the fact that he was still shaking and drenched in sweat from the strange ordeal, he was ready to decide that it had all been some sort of horrible figment of his imagination, when the door bell rang.
ÒHello?Ó Toby heard his aunt say as she opened the door. Still too wrung out to attempt to get up, he listened carefully to see who was at the door.
ÒHello. My name is Professor Charles Xavier. This is Jean Grey and Kurt Wagner.Ó Xavier introduced himself and his students to the distraught woman who answered the door. She didnÕt look well at all and he was quite glad that heÕd arrived when he did. If heÕd known things were this bad, he would have come sooner. As it was, heÕd barely gotten a shield around the girlÕs mind before sheÕd driven her family insane with their own emotions. Not to mention what theyÕd been doing to her. ÒI was wondering if we might speak with Mr. and Mrs. Parker?Ó As soon as the question left his lips he felt a surge of painful grief emanate from the woman. OhgodJennifer deadmydeadlittledeadsisterdead Its not fair So youngsoyoungsogoddamnedYOUNG Charles quickly increased the shielding heÕd placed around DanielleÕs mind as he felt the girlÕs reaction to her auntÕs grief.
ÒIÕm very sorry Professor Xavier.....my sister....died last night. Her husband too.Ó The womanÕs voice quivered slightly but she continued. ÒMy nameÕs Jane Simpson. Can I help you?Ó
It all made sense to him now. Everything. ÒIÕm actually here to discuss their daughter. Danielle. May we come in?Ó he asked and gave her a tiny push to say yes. Normally he would never do such a thing, but it was vital that he explain what was happening and why Danielle needed his help.
ÒOf course, please do.Ó she said, stepping back to let him, Jean and Kurt in. ÒDanielle isnÕt well at the moment....IÕm afraid she was hit hard by...what happened.Ó
ÒYes...actually...thats what we are here to discuss.Ó Charles paused as a boy of about seventeen years entered the room. He looked even worse than Ms Simpson did. A quick touch told him the boy was DanielleÕs brother. ÒI run an institute where mutants can learn how to control their powers...to harness them. I want to invite Danielle to come to my institute.Ó
ÒBut Danny doesnÕt have any powers. She just looks different.Ó the boy said in confusion.
ÒThats not entirely true. She does have a power, and always has. It was just dormant....last night it became operant. I could even tell you the exact time it happened...Ó he studied the boy for a moment before continuing, Òbut I think you know. DonÕt you?Ó
Toby stared at these strangers whoÕd just shown up out of the blue. Who seemed to know more about the last fourteen hours than he did even though heÕd lived them. The tall red headed girl and the short boy with long hair watched him with almost expectant looks in their eyes. They were waiting on him, he realized. Them and the old guy in the chair. Waiting on him to answer. Only he didnÕt know what he was supposed to say. Danielle didnÕt have any powers. Up until last night sheÕd been perfectly normal...well..as normal as....wait. Last night. Suddenly, the manÕs words repeated themselves in his mind Ôlast night it became operant....Õ Last night. The memory of Danielle huddled on the floor sobbing and screaming, rocking back and forth, hugging herself against some unknown pain flashed into his mind. Was that her power? What the hell kind of power could do that to a person? Then he remembered what had happened to him, David and Aunt Jane earlier this morning. ÒWhat is her power? What the hell did it do to her? To us?Ó he demanded.
ÒYour sister is an empath. She is very sensitive to the emotions of those around her...and judging by what was happening this morning she can project emotions as well.Ó Xavier explained.
ÒThis morning? How do you know about that? In fact....how do you know any of this? Who are you?Ó Toby demanded angrily. Before the man had a chance to answer David came out of DanielleÕs room.
ÒToby! Aunt Jane! DannyÕs waking up!Ó he announced and then ducked back into his sisterÕs room. He didnÕt notice Xavier, Jean or Kurt at all...and they were soon forgotten by Jane and Toby as well, as the two of them rushed into the girlÕs room.
How long had she been in the dark? Years? Centuries? Longer? It felt like longer. Longer than longer. Forever. Once in a while she would attempt to rise out of the dark...only to be held in a moment of soul flaying grief and fear before she was cast down gratefully into the cool comforting blackness. This time was different....she felt herself leaving the dark...and the pain was gone. The fear was gone. It was quiet. Danielle opened bleary eyes and saw the faces of her brothers and her aunt. They looked so strange to her and she didnÕt know why. ÒWhats wrong?Ó she muttered hoarsely. She was trying to understand what was going on.
David didnÕt say a word, he just hugged her. Aunt Jane smiled through her tears and asked her how she was feeling.
ÒI donÕt feel anything.Ó Danielle answered curiously, sitting up in bed. ÒNothing at all. Thats kinda weird isnÕt it? I mean...I remember what happened...I remember Sheriff Lewis coming by....telling us Mom and Dad had a wreck...I remember something happened to me....but....I donÕt remember how any of it felt...and I donÕt feel anything now.Ó
Toby listened to this with a growing sense of confusion. He said she was an empath...sensitive to emotions.....how can that be if she canÕt feel anything? Why canÕt she feel anything?
ÒBecause Professor Xavier had to put a shield around her mind to protect her...and all of you.Ó a voice said from behind them. The red haired girl was standing in the hall way watching them.
Toby gaped at her. ÒHow..Ó
ÒBecause IÕm a mutant too you see. I can read minds and move things telekineticly. IÕm one of the ProfessorÕs students.Ó she answered before he could finish the question. ÒKurt is another of the ProfessorÕs students. HeÕs a mutant too.Ó
David looked from the girl to his brother and back again. ÒSomeone want to tell me whats goin on?Ó he asked a little indigently.
ÒMe too.Ó Danielle added only her voice was emotionless.
ÒMaybe weÕd better go back to the living room.Ó Jane suggested. ÒYou feel alright to move Danny?Ó she asked.
ÒSure.Ó Danielle replied, standing. She was a little unsteady at first...but as she went she got better.
ÒProfessor Xavier, this is my niece Danielle. Danny this is Professor Xavier. He came to see.....well...I guess really he came to see you.Ó Jane said.
ÒNice ta meet ya.Ó Danielle answered automatically. There was no meaning there though. It was a polite answer and nothing more. She had no feelings one way or another about meeting this man. This lack of emotion would worry her...if she were capable of worry...which she didnÕt seem to be.
ÒDanielle I understand you are confused about why you donÕt feel anything.Ó Xavier decided to jump right in. ÒI placed a shield, a very strong one, around your mind in order to protect you from the emotions of those around you. I also had to block your own emotions as well because your power allows you to transmit your emotions to others. You havenÕt learned how to control this yet, however, so youÕve been randomly broadcasting emotions that have been harmful to others. Do you understand?Ó
Danielle thought about it. It made sense. A shield to protect her...a shield to protect them. It was logical. ÒI understand....but...whyÕs it necessary? Why am I Ôrandomly broadcasting emotionsÕ?Ó
ÒI believe that the shock of hearing the news of what happened to your parents caused your mutant power to manifest itself. The first onset of psychic powers such as telekinesis, telepathy and your power: empathy are often brought about by traumatic events. Moments of high tension or stress.Ó
Danielle nodded calmly. ÒSo I have a power now. IÕve got empathy. DonÕt do me much good like this though. How long do I gotta stay like this?Ó she asked.
ÒUntil you learn to control your abilities it would be dangerous for you to be around people unshielded. That is why we are here actually. To invite you to come back with us to my institute. You can learn how to control your power there. How to use it in a positive way instead of it using you.Ó
ÒWhoa...hold it. Danielle go with you? We donÕt know you mister. No offense...but why should Danielle go with you? This is her home. People know her here. SheÕs accepted here. Nobody hereÕs gonna call her names or things like you see people doin on tv to mutants.Ó David said angrily. ÒWhy should she leave and go somewhere where people donÕt know her, where theyÕll just look at her...without seeing her?Ó
Charles nodded, heÕd expected this. This question was the reason heÕd brought Kurt along. ÒDanielle, this is Kurt Wagner. He is a student at my institution.Ó Kurt stepped forward a bit and smiled. Professor Xavier had explained last night what he wanted him to do. HeÕd asked if he had any problems with doing it. The Professor knew he was terrified of being seen. KurtÕd told the Professor he didnÕt mind. Last night heÕd just said it...today he realized that he really didnÕt mind. He knew now that these people werenÕt going to point and laugh at him. No one in this house would call him a freak. Kurt pressed a button on his watch and the holo image of the normal boy he pretended to be disappeared leaving a fuzzy blue elf with yellow eyes and a tail exposed to them all.
ÒWow...Ó Toby said. Any objections he had blown right out of the water by this.
Kurt took off the watch and handed it to the Professor. Charles held it out so they could all get a better look at it. ÒThis holo imager allows Kurt to go to high school with the other students without having to worry about people misunderstanding his appearance.Ó he explained, handing the watch back to Kurt who put it on and hit the button again. The fuzzy blue elf was once again replaced by the completely normal looking boy.
ÒWell...thats all really cool and Star Trekian...but why should my sister have to go running off to who knows where just so she can hide? She can stay right here where no one cares how she looks.Ó David argued.
ÒDavid...your sister has to get training on controlling her abilities. If..Ó Charles started.
ÒWhy? SheÕs fine right now. Why canÕt she just stay that way?Ó
ÒHold it!Ó Danielle interrupted loudly. ÒIÕll go.Ó she said simply. ÒI canÕt live like this forever. Dead inside like this. IÕll go insane.Ó
David just stared at her unbelievingly. Aunt Jane wiped her eyes again and waited to hear what Danielle wanted to do. It was really up to her after all. Toby looked at her for a moment then asked ÒYou sure bout this Danny?Ó
Danielle nodded. ÒYes. This is horrible. Not feeling anything. I mean...I know Mom and Dad are dead. I can sit here and say it like I was saying that its sunny outside. Like it doesnÕt mean a thing. Cause it doesnÕt. I canÕt feel it...so its not real. I canÕt cry for them. Do you know how horrible that is? TheyÕre gone...and I canÕt cry for them. I donÕt feel anything at all. I want to be able to cry for my parents.Ó
Toby understood, so did Jane, but David was another matter. ÒSo youÕre going to leave? On top of.....YouÕre leaving. Thats just great, nice ta know you care.Ó David spat angrily. Then he got up and stormed out of the house, leaving the others in shock.
Danielle sighed. ÒI couldnÕt even feel that.Ó she whispered as she stood to follow her brother. Danielle couldnÕt feel it, but Charles could. HeÕd felt the raging emotions held in by his shields. HeÕd felt the pain that slashed against them at them as Danielle heard the hurt in her twinÕs voice.
David was sitting on the porch when she came out. There were tears on his face. ÒDonÕt hate me Davie.Ó Danielle said as she sat down beside him. He turned at looked at her, startled. ÒDonÕt hate me. I have to do this, but please donÕt hate me cause of it. I wonÕt feel it now...but when I can...I think itÕll probÕly kill me if you hate me.Ó Danielle said softly.
David looked at his sister. At her eyes. All the secrets of Danielle were in her eyes. All you had to do was learn the patterns of the colors and swirls. Do that and you could always tell how she was feeling, almost what she was thinking. His sister could never lie to anyone whoÕd known her long enough to figure out the patterns of her eyes. All her emotions had a color...red for anger...yellow for fear...maroon for annoyed...blue for sad...green for happy....and all the shades between. Right now though her eyes were gray. There were no colors, no swirls, no glow. They looked dead. Like fish eyes. He shuddered at the thought.
ÒNever in a million years.Ó he chocked out, hugging his twin tightly. ÒI understand Danny. I do. IÕll just miss you so bad.Ó he whispered, tears thick in his voice.
At that moment Danielle felt the shield loosen just a bit and for one instant she could feel her reaction to her brotherÕs words. The joy. The grief. The love. It only lasted for the tiniest of moments, but as she sat on her front porch hugging her twin brother, tears poured from her eyes and it was enough. She was grateful for that one instant.