...............
Over the next two days Theresa's world passed in a blur of pain and a lethargy so strong it seemed to suck the very energy from her muscles, even trying to think proved too much of an effort. There were periods of lucidity but the pounding in her head that that caused quickly had Theresa seeking the sanctuary of sleep, but then on the third morning as she tentatively opened her eyes she realised that the pain had finally gone.
Not daring to believe it at first she waited motionlessly for it to return, but it didn't, and slowly Theresa released the breath she'd been holding and sagged into her mattress with relief. It was then that she discovered she was in a different room.
"What the bloody hell now!" she gasped in alarm, panic seizing her chest she snapped into a sitting position and surveyed her surroundings.
Clearly a bedroom, it was richly but tastefully furnished with dark mahogany furniture, heavy burgundy velvet drapes arranged in perfect order around two huge casement windows through which the bright morning sunlight shone on a thick Wilton carpet of creams and bronzes. It was such a perfect antithesis to the large clinical room she had been in last time she began to wonder if she was even in the same building?
Taking a deep breath Theresa threw back the covers and eased her bare legs over the edge of the bed, her toes sunk into the plush carpet as she slowly came to her feet while tugging futilely at the white gown that barely kept her modesty. "Sod it" she sighed releasing the short hem and headed purposely for the door. It was locked.
"Well surprise, surprise" she glared at the door handle, banged the wooden panelling with her first turned and headed for the windows, these were not locked, but as she stepped out she realised why, she had to be at least three floors up.
Staring over the concrete balcony at the ground beneath Theresa sighed, she hated heights always had done so this way was defiantly not an option "bloody, sodding hell" she busy feeling inadequate and cursing fluently when a man emerged from beneath the balcony.
Theresa froze, watching him intently as he stopped looking out across perfectly manicured lawns. He was a big man and his long dark hair, which was lit almost auburn by the sunlight, brushed his wide shoulders. Reaching into the pockets of his long coat the man then lifted out a packet of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled deeply. Turning his head Theresa caught his profile as he blew out a long grey stream, 'handsome, very handsome' Theresa found herself thinking 'probably knows it too, like all good looking men' she added as images of David sprung to mind.
As if sensing her snide remark the man's head shot round to face her, not able to move Theresa stiffen in horror 'Jesus! What the hell is wrong with his eyes! They're red, bright bloody red, that isn't normal, nobody has red eyes' spinning around Theresa darted back into the room and began ripping open drawers and cupboards.
Beneath her Remy LeBeau lifted his arm and pressed a button on his wrist watch "jus taught y' should know dat our guest is up an' about."
...............
She refused to sit down, instead she stood, arms crossed firmly across her chest and her spine so stiff the others in the room were convinced it was about to snap at any moment. Her chin was lifted definitely and there was an Icelandic glint in her silver eyes as she glared at Prof. Xavier behind his desk, Logan was convinced he had never seen a woman so angry yet so scared in all his life, Jean just thought she was very brave.
"So, I'm in America, a place called Westchester," Theresa bit out "you sent your 'team' to rescue me from my car wreck, a car wreck that you somehow knew was going to happen, and brought me here to your home."
"That is correct" Xavier confirmed.
"Now for the million dollar question" Theresa sneered "why?"
"This will take a while to explain Mrs. Millin."
"I've got all the time in the world" Theresa interrupted "and stop calling me Mrs. Millington for Christ's sake, Theresa will do."
"Okay Theresa" Xavier continued "I will try, but I warn you some of what I'm about to say you may have difficulty understanding but I assure you now that it is all true and you are in no danger."
One eyebrow rose imperiously at that statement but otherwise Theresa remind silent.
"This is house is much more than bricks and mortar, it is also a school and a home for a group of very special people who were born different from the rest of humanity." A tighten of the jaw but she still said nothing so he continued.
"They are known as mutants, the next evolution of the human race, no one is quite sure how the mutation was first triggered but around puberty some people started to alter, sometimes the mutation is just physical then there are others who develop unique gifts and powerful abilities sometimes it is a combination of the two" Theresa remembered the red-on-black eyes and a shiver snaked down her back.
"As these differences grew more frequent and more profound the rest of humanity, as it usually does when faced with something it didn't understand, started to discriminate and shun mutants, as the bigotry increased problems began to occur. The more powerful mutants fought back some committed dreadful crimes, which in turn forced some governments to criminalize mutants. They passed laws forcing us to register out abilities, some were arrested without charge mutants were being drove underground, things were getting desperate but then suddenly you came along and things began to change."
A large fist of dread was beginning to form in Theresa's stomach "what do you mean I came along, I changed what?" not waiting for an answer she turned to look at the others in the room "you believe this bull shit don't you, well you're all stark raving mad do you know that? I've never seen any of you before in my life and I have no idea what your talking about" her voice raised another notch at their solemn faces "but I'll be damned if your going to suck me into your little world of illusion."
She glared at Xavier slamming both shaking hands on his desk she leaned slightly towards him "there is no such laws and you know it" she hissed at him "yes people sometimes are born handicapped but they don't have 'special powers' and there certainly is nothing called a mutant."
With that she spun on her heels and darted for the door, Logan sided stepped blocking her exit "oh, no, don't you start again" she spat at him "get out of my way!"
"You are quite correct in one sense Theresa" Xavier called from behind her "you have never heard of mutants before, but that you see is because in you universe they do not exist"
Theresa turned to stare at him he'd moved from behind his desk and now sat in the middle of the room with Jean behind him, "in my what?" she whispered incredulously.
"You are not just in a different country but in another universe another dimension really" he explained calmly and matter-of-factly "we went through a portal, a tear in time to your universe at the point when you crashed and brought you back, but I do assure you there is such a thing as mutants in our world Theresa and if you will try and stay calm me I will prove it to you."
............
Over the next two days Theresa's world passed in a blur of pain and a lethargy so strong it seemed to suck the very energy from her muscles, even trying to think proved too much of an effort. There were periods of lucidity but the pounding in her head that that caused quickly had Theresa seeking the sanctuary of sleep, but then on the third morning as she tentatively opened her eyes she realised that the pain had finally gone.
Not daring to believe it at first she waited motionlessly for it to return, but it didn't, and slowly Theresa released the breath she'd been holding and sagged into her mattress with relief. It was then that she discovered she was in a different room.
"What the bloody hell now!" she gasped in alarm, panic seizing her chest she snapped into a sitting position and surveyed her surroundings.
Clearly a bedroom, it was richly but tastefully furnished with dark mahogany furniture, heavy burgundy velvet drapes arranged in perfect order around two huge casement windows through which the bright morning sunlight shone on a thick Wilton carpet of creams and bronzes. It was such a perfect antithesis to the large clinical room she had been in last time she began to wonder if she was even in the same building?
Taking a deep breath Theresa threw back the covers and eased her bare legs over the edge of the bed, her toes sunk into the plush carpet as she slowly came to her feet while tugging futilely at the white gown that barely kept her modesty. "Sod it" she sighed releasing the short hem and headed purposely for the door. It was locked.
"Well surprise, surprise" she glared at the door handle, banged the wooden panelling with her first turned and headed for the windows, these were not locked, but as she stepped out she realised why, she had to be at least three floors up.
Staring over the concrete balcony at the ground beneath Theresa sighed, she hated heights always had done so this way was defiantly not an option "bloody, sodding hell" she busy feeling inadequate and cursing fluently when a man emerged from beneath the balcony.
Theresa froze, watching him intently as he stopped looking out across perfectly manicured lawns. He was a big man and his long dark hair, which was lit almost auburn by the sunlight, brushed his wide shoulders. Reaching into the pockets of his long coat the man then lifted out a packet of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled deeply. Turning his head Theresa caught his profile as he blew out a long grey stream, 'handsome, very handsome' Theresa found herself thinking 'probably knows it too, like all good looking men' she added as images of David sprung to mind.
As if sensing her snide remark the man's head shot round to face her, not able to move Theresa stiffen in horror 'Jesus! What the hell is wrong with his eyes! They're red, bright bloody red, that isn't normal, nobody has red eyes' spinning around Theresa darted back into the room and began ripping open drawers and cupboards.
Beneath her Remy LeBeau lifted his arm and pressed a button on his wrist watch "jus taught y' should know dat our guest is up an' about."
...............
She refused to sit down, instead she stood, arms crossed firmly across her chest and her spine so stiff the others in the room were convinced it was about to snap at any moment. Her chin was lifted definitely and there was an Icelandic glint in her silver eyes as she glared at Prof. Xavier behind his desk, Logan was convinced he had never seen a woman so angry yet so scared in all his life, Jean just thought she was very brave.
"So, I'm in America, a place called Westchester," Theresa bit out "you sent your 'team' to rescue me from my car wreck, a car wreck that you somehow knew was going to happen, and brought me here to your home."
"That is correct" Xavier confirmed.
"Now for the million dollar question" Theresa sneered "why?"
"This will take a while to explain Mrs. Millin."
"I've got all the time in the world" Theresa interrupted "and stop calling me Mrs. Millington for Christ's sake, Theresa will do."
"Okay Theresa" Xavier continued "I will try, but I warn you some of what I'm about to say you may have difficulty understanding but I assure you now that it is all true and you are in no danger."
One eyebrow rose imperiously at that statement but otherwise Theresa remind silent.
"This is house is much more than bricks and mortar, it is also a school and a home for a group of very special people who were born different from the rest of humanity." A tighten of the jaw but she still said nothing so he continued.
"They are known as mutants, the next evolution of the human race, no one is quite sure how the mutation was first triggered but around puberty some people started to alter, sometimes the mutation is just physical then there are others who develop unique gifts and powerful abilities sometimes it is a combination of the two" Theresa remembered the red-on-black eyes and a shiver snaked down her back.
"As these differences grew more frequent and more profound the rest of humanity, as it usually does when faced with something it didn't understand, started to discriminate and shun mutants, as the bigotry increased problems began to occur. The more powerful mutants fought back some committed dreadful crimes, which in turn forced some governments to criminalize mutants. They passed laws forcing us to register out abilities, some were arrested without charge mutants were being drove underground, things were getting desperate but then suddenly you came along and things began to change."
A large fist of dread was beginning to form in Theresa's stomach "what do you mean I came along, I changed what?" not waiting for an answer she turned to look at the others in the room "you believe this bull shit don't you, well you're all stark raving mad do you know that? I've never seen any of you before in my life and I have no idea what your talking about" her voice raised another notch at their solemn faces "but I'll be damned if your going to suck me into your little world of illusion."
She glared at Xavier slamming both shaking hands on his desk she leaned slightly towards him "there is no such laws and you know it" she hissed at him "yes people sometimes are born handicapped but they don't have 'special powers' and there certainly is nothing called a mutant."
With that she spun on her heels and darted for the door, Logan sided stepped blocking her exit "oh, no, don't you start again" she spat at him "get out of my way!"
"You are quite correct in one sense Theresa" Xavier called from behind her "you have never heard of mutants before, but that you see is because in you universe they do not exist"
Theresa turned to stare at him he'd moved from behind his desk and now sat in the middle of the room with Jean behind him, "in my what?" she whispered incredulously.
"You are not just in a different country but in another universe another dimension really" he explained calmly and matter-of-factly "we went through a portal, a tear in time to your universe at the point when you crashed and brought you back, but I do assure you there is such a thing as mutants in our world Theresa and if you will try and stay calm me I will prove it to you."
............
