A/N: But guys…
Takepon: She doesn't own anything that has to do with this story except the plot and Melissa.
Matt: And she made Pietro OOC.
Dai: Very much so in my opinion. And Zack's.
Okay… Fine… Enjoy!!
"… But I have to come now! They're on to me as it is and I wasn't safe to begin with. I just want to feel safe at home," said the teen girl into the payphone. It was dark, and the bus station was almost deserted except for those catching the one am bus to Chicago.
"… I understand your concerns, but is this really a good time?" asked the calm male voice on the other end.
"If I wait too much longer I won't have another time…" she whispered, her voice a calm panic as she glanced over her shoulder.
"……Alright. I'll be waiting for you to arrive," he said as the girl nodded and hung up.
'Here goes nothing… They won't follow me very quickly, especially when they don't know where I'm going.' The thought of her mother and stepfather not following her was so comforting she almost let her guard down. 'Here to Chicago, Chicago to Harrisburg. From there I go straight to Bayville. I should have enough for a taxi to the Institute. I'm glad I remembered Dad saying something about it before.' One lone tear trailed down her slightly tan cheek from her bottomless deep ocean blue eyes. Her rich chestnut brown hair was tucked under a dark blue hat, with a few stray pieces peeking out. She hefted her gym bag higher onto her shoulder as she made her way to the bus that would start her journey to freedom and safety.
### The Next Day at the Xavier Institute ###
"See you when school starts!" Kitty called to some of the girls as they got into the many taxis that would take them to the airport to go home for the summer. Evan, Kurt, Scott, Jean, and Rogue were saying goodbye to friends as well. The six had agreed to stay at the Institute in case something happened over the summer and the professor needed more than Orroro, Hank, and Logan.
"So vhat are ve going to do over ze summer?" Kurt asked when all the other kids had left.
"Good question. Maybe Auntie O will let go to the beach for a while or something," Even suggested.
"I'm going back inside. It's hot out here," Kitty said as Rogue opened the door.
"I agree, let's go." Jean followed the other two girls inside. Scott's gaze followed her as she left. He headed for his car.
"I'm going for a ride," he said. "You two want to tag along?"
"No thanks," Kurt said. "I'll hang out here for ze day." Evan agreed.
"How about taking a swim?" Kurt shrugged as they headed inside.
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"Orroro, Hank, Logan. There will be another young woman joining us here soon," Professor said as the three stepped into his office.
"Any idea on how controllable she is?" Logan asked. Professor Xavier nodded.
"Very under control. She's had a hard time so her people skills may be… less than Rogue's were when we found her. She should be arriving in a few days," he explained. The three nodded as they left. 'I just hope she makes it here safely…'
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"Harrisburg! All off for Harrisburg!" the driver said into the loud speaker of the bus. 'One day before I get there… Happy belated birthday to, myself. Well, girl you're sixteen, sweet sixteen, and the world is finally looking up again.' She disembarked and made her way through the crowds to the other bus. New York. That was all that was on the big sign.
"Wow, New York state here I come…" she breathed. After boarding the bus and taking a seat in the back, sure it smelled a bit but people didn't bother you back there. The almost empty bus started with a lurch causing her to hit her head on the seat in front of her. "Damn, fuck, shit!" she swore silently to herself as she rubbed the red mark. "So much for not getting hurt on this trip… Although I shouldn't complain at all…" 'So far I have only seen one of their guys in the Chicago Depot… He didn't see me, thank you Dad… I know you're looking out for me…' the young teen thought as she glanced out the window of the bus. Dirt covered it as if she wasn't allowed to see the outside world. 'Just like with Mom and Ronald…'
"Can't let that disease spread and kill the world!" "You are such a disgrace to me! You little wretched brat! Go to your room and don't come out! I don't want to see you, do you hear me, girl! I don't want to see your ugly face again!"
The girl jolted awake and wiped at her wet face. The tears had fallen making dirty smudges on her cheeks. Memories never the more painful than when they were made, stopped playing in her mind as she looked around. Peering hard through the grim on the window she guessed they were somewhere near the Pennsylvania- New York border.
"Next stop, Bayville," the driver said in over the loud speaker. 'Guess not…' she thought cynically. She pulled her bag to her as she gazed around the bus. Three other passengers… all seemed oblivious to the world.
'If only I could live with a blind innocence… No use crying over it anymore… Dad wanted me to come here when I was old enough… Well, here I am Dad… I wonder what the others will be like… I wonder if I'll be the only one there because it's summer… Oh calm down girl…' She checked in her bag and noticed that she had sixty dollars to her name. "Well, if that's not enough than I don't know what is… Hope I don't have to sit outside because of the early hour…" she mumbled.
Getting off the bus at the station, she glanced around. No one was wearing a cowboy hat, or cowboy boots. Nor was there a single sign of CoH. 'Thank you, upstairs… That is such a wonderful gift…' Hailing the first taxi she could she set out to finish her journey.
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"Come on, Nightcrawler. Kurt, come on! I wanna hit the beach and get a good spot before the idiots take all the good ones! One where there aren't a lot of people to find out about you!" Evan was getting fed up with his friend.
"Evan, the sun hasn't really come up yet… Vhat good would going to the beach be if the vater is freezing?" he asked covering his head with a pillow.
"Making sure you don't get found out," Evan said again. Kurt moaned in response. Evan grabbed the blue tail sticking out from under the sheet and gave it a small yank. "Get up man!"
"Ouch!" Kurt yelped, rubbing the sore spot. "Alright. I'm up and I'll get dressed, too. Geez… Vhat difference vill a couple of hours make?" he grumbled digging through his things. Evan rolled his eyes as he made his way to his room to change.
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"Thank you," the young girl said as she paid the grouchy cab driver. As he drove off leaving her at the gates to the Xavier Institute, she sighed and looked up at them. Big and iron, they loomed above her, looking almost foreboding. They swung open silently allowing her entrance.
"Ah, Melissa. I knew it was you. I see you made it here safely," the professor said from the doors to the huge manor. Melissa smiled as she shook his hand.
"I don't know how I could ever thank you Professor Xavier, you've saved my life," she said gratefully. He smiled as he led her into the house.
"It's nothing really Melissa. Helping young mutants is what my institute is about. I think there may be a couple of the other students up at the moment. Perhaps when they come down I'll have them show you to your room," he said as she set her bag down and looked around the library he had led her to.
"I'm sorry if this caused any problems Professor," Melissa said looking down. "I heard them talking about trying to disown me and well, I thought that if they disowned me there wouldn't be anytime for me to get here before I was hunted down like some kind of animal." She sat down quietly, looking emotionally worn beyond her years.
"It's alright, Melissa. I believe I hear Evan and Kurt now," he said, heading to the door and calling them in.
"Iz something ze matter, Professor?" Kurt asked with a yawn. Melissa stood up by her chair silently.
"No, there's nothing wrong, Kurt. I wanted you to meet a new student, Melissa Moonwolf," he said as Melissa walked over to them.
"Pleasure," she said as she shook their hands, a small smile on her face. Kurt was, of sorts, pale with indigo hair, and dark eyes. His hair hung down around his face framing it with a kind of boyish charm. Although when she shook his hand, it had three fingers and fur, contrary to his appearance. Evan was dark, obviously of African decent. He had blond hair and black eyes.
"Before you two run off would you mind showing Melissa to the empty room near yours?" he asked. The two teen boys agreed as Melissa hefted her bag up again and followed them out.
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"Do you want me to take that for you?" Kurt asked her as she readjusted her bag for the third time.
"It's fine. Thank you for asking though," she smiled weakly.
"Well, this is the room," Evan said opening the door for her. Her deep-ocean-blue eyes had to have gone seven times larger. "Everything ok?"
"This is much more than I had anticipated… Are you sure it's alright for me to have this room?" she asked softly, as if ashamed of herself.
"Of course eet'z alright!" Kurt told her cheerfully. "All the other rooms are basically the same anyway." She set her bag down and walked over to the balcony to look out. "Hey, Evan," Kurt whispered to him.
"What?" he asked looking at his friend.
"Vhy don't ve ask her to come along vith us?" Kurt suggested. "You can't say she doesn't look like she could use a break like that…" Evan thought a moment before agreeing. "Melissa?" She turned back to the two boys in her doorway.
"Yes?"
"We're heading to the beach for the day. Wanna come with?"
She stares for a moment before answering, "If it's no trouble, then I would be honored."
"Cool, we'll meet you down in the main hall, where you came in, in a few minutes then so you can change. Then we'll grab some breakfast and head out," Kurt smiled as they left closing her door. Melissa opened a drawer and found that clothes were already unpacked from previous shipments.
"All I got to do is find the right drawer…" Three tries later she found her suit and was changed into a pair of jean shorts, suit, and a thin jacket. "Hope they don't flip about the tattoo…" she breathed as she jogged down the hall to the stairs and came down more slowly.
"Hey," Evan said. "Come on the kitchen's this way." Melissa followed them as they led the way.
"This place is so huge…" she said looking around.
"It iz a little intimidating at first but you get used to it fast," Kurt said. "I'll give you a tour when ve get back if you like."
"Only if it's no trouble," she told him. They ate in a mild hurry and took the basket from Orroro, Evan calling back an extra thanks for making another lunch for Melissa on short notice. They piled in the X-van; Kurt driving, Melissa next to him, Evan leaning into the front seat to talk to them, and were off.
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"So, Melissa. Where are you from?" Evan asked, smiling.
"Out west. I was born in Great Falls, Montana. Mom moved us to the Dakota borders a few years back. What about you guys?" she said turning the focus away from her.
"New York. Loved it, but Auntie O thought I should come here to learn control for my powers," he explained.
"Yeah, but you cause enough trouble with your skateboard," Kurt muttered. Evan glared at him as Melissa rolled her eyes. "I'm from Germany," Melissa's attention swung back to Kurt at the mere sound of the word.
"Really? I'm part German. My grandparents on my mother's side came over from there," she said, surprising herself by revealing the information.
"What part?" Kurt asked. Melissa shrugged.
"Never wanted to talk about it. I know very little about my mom's side," she said. Evan nodded.
"My dad's side doesn't have much history that stands out so you don't hear much from them," he grinned, "but my mom's side came from Africa. Auntie O was worshiped because of her powers there. Pretty cool to hear about in my opinion." Melissa smiled as Kurt parked the car.
"Wow…" Melissa breathed.
"I guess it's your first time at the ocean?" Evan asked as she nodded.
"Never left the west ranching area till now," she said as she helped carry things down to the sand.
"See, there isn't really anybody here, Evan. You're so up tight sometimes," Kurt went on to mutter in German about the rude way his was awoken.
"Well, with your fur we can't have you being found out. Professor X won't be happy if you were careless," Evan retorted.
"I may be totally off topic here but, what else do you guys do around here?" she asked, shrugging off her jacket.
"It's our first summer here as well as yours," Kurt told her trying to sneak some food from the basket before she kicked it closed on his hand. "Hang out around the town I guess. It's a small town, not much happens around here except when the Brotherhood stirs up trouble, which isn't that often." Evan snorted as he started to tune the radio.
"What music do you listen to Melissa?" he asked as they caught blips of songs.
"A little of this, a dash of that, a hint from here, a piece from there," she said hastily as she slipped off her sneakers. Evan rolled his eyes as he set it to a mix station.
"Not to be rude or anything," Kurt said as Melissa sat down on the beach blanket, "but do you swim? I mean since you were in the ranching area and all…"
"Just because I've never been to the ocean doesn't mean I can't swim," she retorted, mild offense in her voice. "Can I swim? Heh, does a wild bronco buck a cowboy?" she muttered. "Geez, what Native American can't swim?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude, as I said," Kurt apologized. Melissa muttered that it was okay, as she pulled her knees to her chest and stared at the water. "Melissa, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have asked that. Please don't be mad at me," Kurt said sitting down beside her.
"It's alright Kurt," Melissa said turning her head to face him. "Between us, that's not the worst thing ever said to me. And on top of that, I couldn't be that mad at you anyway, it was just a question." Kurt nodded as Evan called to them from the water and Kurt raced off to join his friend.
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"Come on Melissa! You haven't been in the water yet today!" Evan said as he stretched out by the radio. Kurt agreed and sat down by her, making sure to shake himself a bit to get her wet.
"You don't need a tan Melissa, your skin is that way already," Kurt told her.
"For your information, Kurt," Melissa said wiping the water off her face, "I've been resting from my trip. I'll get in the water before we leave. I promise."
"What's going on over there?" Evan asked. The other two followed his gaze and saw a group of people talking, obviously getting ready to look for something. Melissa's eyes widen in recognition and fear as she looked at them. 'CoH… No! They followed me here! No! If they find me, they'll find the institute! They'll hurt the professor and Kurt and Evan! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I won't let them find me!' Melissa thought with finality.
"Come on, Kurt! Let's go swim!" she said with a shrug as she discarded her shorts and headed for the water. Kurt and Evan looked at each other and shrugged before Kurt took after her.
"Melissa, if you don't mind me asking, what did you mean earlier by 'between us that wasn't the worst thing ever said to you'?" Kurt asked as they swam through the waves. Melissa paused, then looked back at him worry and fear very obvious in her eyes.
"Not yet, Kurt, not yet. I'm… I'm not ready to admit to my past…" she said as she looked away.
"Admit to it? Was it that bad? Did you do something you shouldn't have? Something illegal?" Kurt prompted. Melissa shook her head quickly.
"Nothing illegal. And whether I should have or not isn't your concern," she told him. "I'm not ready to open that wound again, Kurt. It still hurts…"
"Speaking figuratively, the wound may look like it's healing but it could be poisoned. Tell me now, and I could help you heal the wound before it spreads and consumes you. Time will heal it, but not completely, not when it appears to have been this bad," Kurt said.
"I can't…" she said tears going down her cheeks but because of the waves, Kurt couldn't tell.
"Then whenever you are ready…"
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"Hey boy!" Evan opened his eyes to see a tall white man standing over him. "You seen a tan girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes?" he asked gruffly. A breeze tousled his brown hair that matched his eyes.
"What's it to ya?" Evan answered. 'Melissa looks like that…That would explain why she took off to the water so fast if they were after her…' The man scowled at him. "Well?"
"She's a runaway. Now have you seen her?" he asked, obviously annoyed that Evan was avoiding answering him.
"Can't say that I have," Evan said as the man scowled all the harder.
"You're certain? She's dangerous. A little on the nutty side if you know what I mean. She ran away and without her medication she can become violent," the man said. 'What a lie!' Evan thought. 'This guy must be an idiot if he thinks I'd believe that! Melissa insane? Professor X wouldn't let 'er in the institute if she was as crazy as he's implying!'
"I told you I haven't seen her! I'm sure you'll find her before she does any real harm to anyone," Evan drawled as he closed his eyes again.
"Thanks a lot for the help kid," the man muttered, as he started to walk off.
"My pleasure! See ya round!" Evan called after him. Sure it was rude, but the guy wasn't all that friendly himself. Awhile later he was awoken from his unscheduled nap by laughing as Melissa and Kurt plopped down on the blanket. "What time is it?" he mumbled.
"Around two according to your watch," Melissa said moving his arm to look at his watch. "What did that guy want?"
"They're looking for a runaway. I haven't seen her so the guy went off to ask other people," Evan said giving her a look. Melissa shrugged her brown shoulders and pulled her hair from around her face into a loose ponytail.
"Is that a tattoo?" Kurt asked as Melissa exposed the art. She nodded with a smile and turned so he could get a better look at it.
"You like it? My dad…. My dad took me to get it…." She said almost brokenly, "when I was ten… sort of a birthday gift. When we found out about my… ya'know…. Gifts." Evan glanced at the design and nodded.
"Wish I got a gift like that when we found out about mine," he said.
"We were obviously raised on different principals."
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"Where are Kurt and Evan?" Kitty asked as she sat at the table eating her breakfast and reading a magazine.
"They went to the beach with the new student," Orroro told her as she watered the plants.
"There's a new guy? Is he hot?" Kitty asked excitedly as Rogue entered.
"Who are ya'll talking about?" she asked grabbing an apple.
"There's a new guy!" Kitty squealed.
"There is no new guy there is a new girl," Orroro corrected Kitty. "She arrived this morning and accompanied Kurt and Evan to the beach."
"Why did the professor tell us?" Scott asked from the doorway with Jean next to him.
"There are some things best left unsaid till later," Hank explained as he entered. "Now, have all of you done at least some training today? Evan and Kurt will have to make up for today if the stay gone too long." All four teens gave varying groans as they headed to suit up and get in some training.
"Do you think it was wise to not tell them about the girl?" Hank asked Orroro.
"Melissa seems to be a very nice girl, yet she puts herself so inferior to others. She kept saying to Evan, Kurt, and me 'only if its no trouble' and other things along those lines. As if, she were held inferior to someone very close to her," she told him.
"We shall see. Charles always has the interest of everyone in his heart." Orroro agreed with Hank, but silently hoped Melissa would be more open soon.
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Melissa sat quietly under a tree writing a letter to her family on the reservation.
"Hello… You're new around here. What's your name?" Melissa looked up to see a boy with silver-white hair smirking over her.
"Hello to you to. My name's Melissa and you are?" she asked as she closed her notebook.
"Pietro. Where're you from? And why move to no where Bayville?"
"Everywhere is a no where, depending on your point of view. If you'll excuse me, Pietro, I should be heading home."
"Why go now? We were having such a nice time getting to know each other," he said barely using his hyper-speech.
"I really need to be going Pietro… Maybe I'll see you around?" she was sounding a little uncertain. She turned and jogged off. Pietro scowled and used his powers to get in front of her. "Aah…" She tried to back away but he caught her arm. Fear, no, pure terror appeared in her eyes as she struggled to get away.
"Hey! I'm not going to hurt you! Calm down!" Her struggling increased till he finally had to release her and she fell. Images of a girl being beaten flew around them as Melissa's face was near white and she whimpered suppressing tears. Pietro understood why she was so upset about him just grabbing her.
"Melissa… It's okay, don't worry… I'm not going to hurt you…" he said gently kneeling beside her.
"That's what he said!" she seethed backing away. "I'm different… That's all that seems to be needed to turn me into a punching bag…"
"So you're a mutant?" he asked as she hesitantly agreed. "I am too. There is no way I'm going to hurt you just because you're a mutant…" he said standing and offering a hand to her as well. She stared at it, then at Pietro and stood on her own. "I do kinda know what you went through… My father wasn't exactly supportive or anything…"
"My father never did anything… Ronald did… Because I am my father's daughter… Because I'm a-" she broke down totally; falling to her knees sobbing hard as memories poured over her.
Pietro was at a loss at how to help her for a moment. He'd never dealt with emotional outbursts like this, for something worth them. Besides after his father locked up Wanda… but that was him having the problems. "Melissa… Come on Melissa. He's not here now and if I have anything to say about it, he won't hurt you again…" They seemed to be good words, she looked up at him.
Was it okay to believe again? Was this another sign from her dad that there was no reason to fear? No reason to try anything desperate again? The scars would be there, but hopefully no need to re-open them… "I don't know why I'm telling you this… I don't know you… I really should go home…" Melissa stood with Pietro's help. "Will I be able to see you again?" There was no way to hide the hope that was in her voice.
"Name the time and place, and I shall be there," Pietro smiled to her, surprising himself by agreeing but the look of happy relief on her face was worth it to him.
"Here, tomorrow. Say around one?"
"Sounds good to me. I'll see you then." With a smile he was gone in a flash with a bit of wind. She sighed and picked up her notebook and pencils before heading towards the Institute again.
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Melissa was in her room once again working on her letter. With over five years of information to catch up on, the letter definitely going to be a large one. She was just getting to meeting Pietro when the smell of sulfur assaulted her nose. "You know, when you use a door you can know if someone was, uh, decent for visitors."
"Vhat? How did you know I was here?" Kurt asked her in shock.
"You're talking to a Native American here, Kurt. How would I not know?" she asked continuing with her letter.
"Okay then. Tell me how you knew," Kurt said, teleporting next to her.
"Your smoke. There is a faint poof sound when you do it, but not really."
"You're in a good mood. I take it you had a good day, no?"
"My day was fine! Yours?"
"Boring."
"Pity…" She was concentrating hard on what to say next.
"Vhat are you doing?"
"Writing to Jeffery…" she said absently.
"Jeffery?" Kurt's voice held a form of curiosity and jealousy.
"He's my cousin. After my father died, my mother and Ronald banned me from talking with that side of my family." She closed her notebook and grabbed a picture and showed it to Kurt. "That's Jeffery, Aunt Alice, Sabriell, Jessi, and that's Bobby. He lived outside the Reservation in the city, but came in to visit us during the summer because older brother was learning Rodeo tricks from one of the guys there. Thus, he'd come in and we'd hang out and play around."
"Did you live on the Reservation?"
"Only during the summer. During the school year, we lived in Great Falls. That was all before Dad died though," she said pointing to the man holding a younger Melissa in the air as Bobby and Jeffery were laughing so hard part of them couldn't be seen.
"I can't imagine not being able to talk to people who you were so close too… You wanna talk about it more? I don't want to rush you, but someone sharing the burden with you in person to talk to, it may help…" he told her.
"My father, died in a car crash five years ago. My mother married Ronald soon after. I know he had something to do with my father's death because he's an anti-mutant activist. He, Ronald, was emotionally abusive for about two years, give or take a bit… But then they found out I was a mutant. Then he beat me. Trying to beat the 'disease' out of me… Great life I've had huh? Abused the last five years, with no real way out. I couldn't lead them to the reservation… They'd find Jeff, and he… he doesn't need it.. One Moonwolf broken is already one too many…" She pulled in a ragged breath. "The tribe views us as gifted by the Gods…. He grew up with help.. I didn't which is why I could take it for that long…" she knew she was lying. She had only been able to take it for four years before she tried to stop it all, but that was different…
"You've had too deal with a lot of pain Melissa.. I'm sorry…"
"Don't be. With out it, I wouldn't be as strong as I will be once I'm over the fear of using some of my powers…" Tears formed in her eyes, Kurt hesitated a moment before wiping them away. She let out a soft sob at the touch, before she threw her arms around Kurt's neck and sobbed silently.
Comfort.
Five years without it left her clinging desperately to memories of it. That and Kurt who was trying his best to comfort her. And mentally she clung to Pietro; he had offered comfort to her as well.
Comfort. They were able to give all the comfort she needed and all she'd lost.
~* Owarii Chapter One *~