Disclamer: Marvel's
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rogue and Gambit pounded up the stairs to Donnie's room. They could hear other people in the mansion stirring. Logan was already at her door. He grabbed the knob and flung it open. Donnie was kneeling on the floor, the violin in one hand the bow in the other. She was shaking.
"You okay, D?" Logan said in an urgent voice.
Her head lifted and turned. Her face was streaked with tears. Other members of the X-men and a few students were standing in the doorway. Logan moved to help her up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake anyone, really. I just didn't expect...I was...I mean, I...just listen."
She pulled the instrument back up to her chin and placed the bow on top of the strings. She pulled and it whined in protest from her shaking arm. She steadied herself and played again. The most beautiful sound filled the room. She rocked back and forth to the tempo of a slow waltz, a look of pure joy on her face. Everyone was dumbstruck. Then suddenly, she switched from the classical beat to a fast and driving Zydeco, playing faster and faster and spinning while she did. Eventually she grew dizzy and lost her balance, to be caught by Logan. She gazed up at him, the most wonderful look of joy on her face. Logan smiled back.
"Looks like ya really can play, huh, Darlin'?"
She nodded and began to cry again, clutching the violin to her chest.
"Come on, D, let's go downstairs and get you some warm milk."
She rose shakily to her feet and leaned on Logan for support, still clutching the instrument for dear life.
Donnie sat at the end of the kitchen table, staring into the milk glass. Her violin lay beside it. She could hear voices outside the door.
"She's just shakin' up Chuck, that's all. She didn't know that would happen."
"I perceived as much, Logan, thank you. Do you think she would mind if I spoke with her?"
"I don't think so, but you better ask her just to be sure."
The kitchen doors opened and Xavier walked in wearing a dressing robe and slippers.
"Do you feel like talking, Donnie?"
She looked up, startled that someone had come in, "I suppose."
"Mind if I sit?"
She shook her head.
"What happened?"
She took a deep breath and sighed. She lifted her head and looked straight at the Professor. "Rogue bought me this a couple of weeks ago while we were shopping," she said, indicating the violin. "I thought that I might have played before, so she bought it, hoping that it might jar my memory."
"And did it?"
"Well, I forgot about it for awhile, too busy to remember I had it. Well, Logan and I went out last night and he reminded me of it. So when we came back to the mansion, I pulled it out of the closet and played..." she caught her breath.
"And?"
She stood and walked to the window, where the first rays of sunshine were peaking over the horizon. "It was the most wonderful feeling I think I've ever felt, but it was also horrible, like I was dreading something."
"Is that why you screamed?"
She turned, "No. I guess I was just suprised by the sound. I hadn't expected it to sound like anything."
"But you said you had thought you had played before?"
"Yes, but I also began to think that maybe it was just a wish, or a whimsy, you know? Just something that I was hoping for."
"I see. Do you know what you were dreading?"
"No, I didn't remember anything when I played, just how to play. No memories came with it, just the exhilaration and the fear."
"If you would let your barriers down, I could look inside your mind and help you. You realize that don't you?"
"Yes I do, but I won't let them down..."
"Why not?" Xavier said, somewhat offended.
"I can remember some events, like birthdays, some holidays, things like that. I always have been, but I don't see any names or remember any faces with them. It's like a blur of color and light, with me in the middle. The one thing I really remember is the first and last guy who read my mind without my permission."
"It wouldn't be without your permission, Donnie. I would never do that."
"I know, but I have to guide you through my mind. Do you understand? It's a defense I've set up over the years, but I've forgotten the defenses I put up. I could hurt you."
"I understand. What happened to the telepath?"
"He went mad...Couldn't form a coherent sentence. Eventually, he shot himself."
Xavier stared at her in stunned silence. After a few minutes, he spoke again, "Was that intentional on your part?"
She looked directly at him, her blood red eyes staring into his crystal blue ones. Xavier suddenly felt very cold.
"Yes."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short chapter, I know, and I'm sorry, but I felt that if I had continued, I would have ruined the mood. I'm sure you all understand. I'm gonna post another chapter right after this because I'm not going to be able to post for a while and I couldn't leave you all like this, with a horrible cliff hanger. So, now for the review. Go on, go on, it's just one little button. It won't kill you!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rogue and Gambit pounded up the stairs to Donnie's room. They could hear other people in the mansion stirring. Logan was already at her door. He grabbed the knob and flung it open. Donnie was kneeling on the floor, the violin in one hand the bow in the other. She was shaking.
"You okay, D?" Logan said in an urgent voice.
Her head lifted and turned. Her face was streaked with tears. Other members of the X-men and a few students were standing in the doorway. Logan moved to help her up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake anyone, really. I just didn't expect...I was...I mean, I...just listen."
She pulled the instrument back up to her chin and placed the bow on top of the strings. She pulled and it whined in protest from her shaking arm. She steadied herself and played again. The most beautiful sound filled the room. She rocked back and forth to the tempo of a slow waltz, a look of pure joy on her face. Everyone was dumbstruck. Then suddenly, she switched from the classical beat to a fast and driving Zydeco, playing faster and faster and spinning while she did. Eventually she grew dizzy and lost her balance, to be caught by Logan. She gazed up at him, the most wonderful look of joy on her face. Logan smiled back.
"Looks like ya really can play, huh, Darlin'?"
She nodded and began to cry again, clutching the violin to her chest.
"Come on, D, let's go downstairs and get you some warm milk."
She rose shakily to her feet and leaned on Logan for support, still clutching the instrument for dear life.
Donnie sat at the end of the kitchen table, staring into the milk glass. Her violin lay beside it. She could hear voices outside the door.
"She's just shakin' up Chuck, that's all. She didn't know that would happen."
"I perceived as much, Logan, thank you. Do you think she would mind if I spoke with her?"
"I don't think so, but you better ask her just to be sure."
The kitchen doors opened and Xavier walked in wearing a dressing robe and slippers.
"Do you feel like talking, Donnie?"
She looked up, startled that someone had come in, "I suppose."
"Mind if I sit?"
She shook her head.
"What happened?"
She took a deep breath and sighed. She lifted her head and looked straight at the Professor. "Rogue bought me this a couple of weeks ago while we were shopping," she said, indicating the violin. "I thought that I might have played before, so she bought it, hoping that it might jar my memory."
"And did it?"
"Well, I forgot about it for awhile, too busy to remember I had it. Well, Logan and I went out last night and he reminded me of it. So when we came back to the mansion, I pulled it out of the closet and played..." she caught her breath.
"And?"
She stood and walked to the window, where the first rays of sunshine were peaking over the horizon. "It was the most wonderful feeling I think I've ever felt, but it was also horrible, like I was dreading something."
"Is that why you screamed?"
She turned, "No. I guess I was just suprised by the sound. I hadn't expected it to sound like anything."
"But you said you had thought you had played before?"
"Yes, but I also began to think that maybe it was just a wish, or a whimsy, you know? Just something that I was hoping for."
"I see. Do you know what you were dreading?"
"No, I didn't remember anything when I played, just how to play. No memories came with it, just the exhilaration and the fear."
"If you would let your barriers down, I could look inside your mind and help you. You realize that don't you?"
"Yes I do, but I won't let them down..."
"Why not?" Xavier said, somewhat offended.
"I can remember some events, like birthdays, some holidays, things like that. I always have been, but I don't see any names or remember any faces with them. It's like a blur of color and light, with me in the middle. The one thing I really remember is the first and last guy who read my mind without my permission."
"It wouldn't be without your permission, Donnie. I would never do that."
"I know, but I have to guide you through my mind. Do you understand? It's a defense I've set up over the years, but I've forgotten the defenses I put up. I could hurt you."
"I understand. What happened to the telepath?"
"He went mad...Couldn't form a coherent sentence. Eventually, he shot himself."
Xavier stared at her in stunned silence. After a few minutes, he spoke again, "Was that intentional on your part?"
She looked directly at him, her blood red eyes staring into his crystal blue ones. Xavier suddenly felt very cold.
"Yes."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short chapter, I know, and I'm sorry, but I felt that if I had continued, I would have ruined the mood. I'm sure you all understand. I'm gonna post another chapter right after this because I'm not going to be able to post for a while and I couldn't leave you all like this, with a horrible cliff hanger. So, now for the review. Go on, go on, it's just one little button. It won't kill you!