Chapter 4: The Normal Things in Life

He had learned a long time ago that there was only one way to handle a double life. Part of it came from reading so many Batman comic books, part of it came from Jean's advice before he made the first call to his parents, but the rest was pure common sense. It was as simple as this: keep the two lives separate. When his parents were present, when the three of them were eating dinner or sitting out on the back porch talking, he didn't speak of the Institute as anything more than a school for the unusually intelligent. And during downtime with the others — even as far Hank, his best friend, or Storm, the hottest girl he had ever laid eyes on, were concerned, he was an unwanted reject just like Scott. The first was sort of on account of his parents' uneasiness about what was "wrong" with him, and the second was — okay, okay — part of trying to sound like he didn't have any use for family ties.



But his Mode of Dealing was also necessary. He couldn't explain it, but sometimes he felt like he couldn't contain two separate lives, and if they were ever allowed to connect, he would self-destruct. Or something.



Bobby pulled the visor of his green cap a little further down over his eyes and leaned down a little further in his seat. He had less than two hours of normalcy left, and he did not want to spend them listening to his parents coo about the time he'd spent with Zelda in the last couple of days. He prayed that they would be too busy worrying that Xavier would have him jumping through hoops to think about something as normal as a new (old?) girlfriend.



"I saw you talking with Zelda Langley at the party, honey," his mother remarked from the front seat.



Scratch that. And never mind that he couldn't think of a single answer except, "Uh-huh?"



"You and her thinking of getting back together?" William Drake asked.



"Thinking about it." What was he supposed to say? I was caught off guard when she wanted to talk to me again, floored when she let me kiss her, and too busy pinching myself to smell a rat when she didn't run screaming from the room after I told her the whole story? Didn't even ask me to prove it by icing up? Just said "Wow" a bunch of times, had me assure her that I hadn't gotten hooked into some crazy conspiracy, and asked if I wanted to hang out again before I had to go back? Neither of his parents had even mentioned it, but it was hard to miss the fact that they'd invited him home the same week the other X-Men had been in Japan. They hadn't wanted him exposed to the publicity the others were getting.



Didn't they understand?



Of course they didn't. It was clear that ever since he'd first called them from the school, they had kept a safe distance between themselves and what he was doing. He would have known it even if his mom hadn't demanded, "They want you to do what? Wearing what?"



"She's quite something," Madeline Drake said now.



"Yeah." Nobody had to tell him that. He'd known it for himself ever since he'd first met her in eighth-grade social studies. Please don't ask how much she knows. Please don't. I have enough to worry about, wondering what



He sat bolt upright as if the thought hadn't occurred to him before. Oh, man. Oh, man. What would the professor say? "Bobby, I'm surprised at you. How could you have compromised us like that? I'm afraid I'm not sure if you can stay one of us if we can't even trust you with this one secret."



He couldn't stand the thought of being sent away. On top of that, he had made a promise to himself, on meeting Xavier for the first time, that he would never do anything to make this guy mad. Ever. Forget Zelda's promise that she wouldn't tell anyone. Even if she wasn't lying, and his secret was safe with her, he would never live this down. Not a chance.



Why had he even told her? To impress her, sure, but she had made it perfectly clear that she would have been interested — and stayed interested — even if he'd been the same person he was when they'd still been going out. Had he been worried that she wouldn't like him for who he was?



Whoever that was.



Maybe I just wanted to take a risk. And not the kind that I took when I ran away from home or had to fight old Magneto in D.C., either. Maybe I knew that if it didn't happen now, it would happen sooner or later. Maybe I really, really wanted there to be a later.



Nobody would hear of this. He would beg to Xavier, give him permission to mind-scan Zelda to make sure she didn't have anything up her sleeve. If it came to that. So important to keep the two lives separate. But not as important as



doing something that he didn't authorize, something that I could enjoy without for once worrying about what the others would think. Something normal. Something for me. For her, too. Giving her the truth. You want humans and mutants to get along? Watch it happen.



Who knew? Maybe he'd even be happy.



Yeah, right.



Because he hadn't authorized it.



Oh, man.



One way or another, it would be okay. It had to be.



"when you get back?"



He blinked. "Huh?"



"Are you going to stay in touch with her when you get back?"



"I hope I can." Buoyed now, he confessed, "She's probably scared that I'll forget all about her."



"Will you?" William asked, trying not to smile.



"Not a chance," Bobby said firmly.



His parents smiled at each other. He knew they thought he was happy and safe. Which, for the most part, he was. He could handle himself. As usual, they had nothing to worry about.



Which is why Madeline was doubtlessly surprised when, as they stood outside the Institute with the rain pounding against the skin of their umbrella, he flung his arms around her as if this were the last time he'd ever see either of them. He could barely understand it himself.



Then he picked up his bag and walked through the doors of the school without looking back. One life had already been swept aside to make room for another. If he looked back, the two would collide.



The kitchen was startlingly hot and steamy after standing outside in the cold rain. Henry and Ororo were making goo-goo eyes at each other across the table. It was a full minute before either of them even realized that he was there.



"Welcome back!" Ororo exclaimed. "Have fun?"



"You know it."



Henry held out his hand, which Bobby slapped. "Want some cocoa?"



"Great. Then I have to go upstairs and work on something on the computer." Well, it was true. He was already composing what he'd say to her, how he'd make sure she knew how important it was not to lose his first and last tie to the normal world.



It would be okay. It would.



Welcome home, Iceman.



Bobby stopped in his tracks, telling himself to stay cool. No pun intended.



It appears that you've given a whole new meaning to "telling stories out of school." I'm surprised at you.



There it was. Unexpectedly, he found himself retorting, It's none of your business.



The welfare of my other students is always my business.



I can explain.



I know about temptation, Robert. And about the eagerness to please. We all make mistakes. Mine was not stressing the importance of keeping to ourselves.



Which is why you sent the others advertising all over Japan?



No reply for a minute. Then, I'm not sure I'm willing to tolerate that kind of back-talk.



So I'm going to be punished now?



Much longer pause. I think not.



He sighed in relief, wondering if Henry or Ororo had noticed. Nope, they were back to staring at each other. That was it, then. No detention, no extra chores, no being sent to his room to think about what he'd done.



I apologize in advance.



Huh? For what?



It's for the best.



Professor?



I'm sure you won't find any need to question me.