Chapter 9: Leave or Stay

          Mrs. Fleming was waiting on the green when the X-Jet landed.  She hugged Hamilton the second he stepped foot on the ground.  Afterward him, Jake, Kitty, and Kurt heeded to Will and Scout's room.  Kitty grabbed Jake's hand and pulled her through the door, as Kurt popped him and Ham in.  They walked in to find all six in the middle of a poker game.

"I'm out."  Will said.

"Me too." Rogue added.

"Anyone else?"  Ryder asked.

Scout looked at his cards and glanced at Bella, Gambit, and Ryder.  He sighed.  "I'm out, too."

Ryder and Gambit looked at Bella.

"Either of you two want to fold, go ahead."  Bella said.

Both shook their heads.  They put their cards down.  Ryder and Gambit groaned.

"Again!?"  Ryder exclaimed.

"The girl is good."  Gambit said.

"Yeah, appearances are deceiving, huh?"  Ryder said.

"Got that right."  Gambit answered.  He looked up to see the group behind them.  "They back."

Will and Scout got up and hugged Jake.

"Wow, I never knew you cared so much."  Jake said over Will's shoulder.

"Of course, we care.  Just not in his way."  Scout said, looking at Ham, who punched his arm in reply.

"You okay?"  Gambit asked Jake.

"Yeah, a little jumpy, but I'm good."

Gambit then turned to Ham,  "Xavier, wants to talk to you in your dad's office."

"Huh?"  Will asked.

"Professor X can read minds as well as communicate with us in our heads."  Rogue explained.

"Oh."

"So another hand?"  Gambit asked Bella.

"Your on."

Five minutes later, Hamilton opened the door to his father's office.  Ryder's parents were there, along with Hamilton's, Finn, Xavier, and Logan.  Hamilton, Ryder, and Jake walked in and sat down.

"Ryder, Xavier wants to know if you really want to go."  His mother said.

Ryder looked at Xavier and then to his mother.  "Yes, I do."

"We can take you with us when we leave tomorrow."  Xavier said.

"Okay, is there anything else, cause I would like to start packing."

"No, that's all."

Ryder left with his parents in tow.

All eyes turned to Hamilton.

"I'm not sure what I want to do.  But I want to stay with Jake."

"Hamilton, you need to be trained.  With you r powers someone could get hurt."  Jake answered.

"With your permission," Finn said looking at Dean Fleming.  "I could help."

"That would be a good idea."  Xavier said.

Dean Fleming smiled.  "If you're up to it, sure."

Hamilton smiled.  "Thank you."

"But I think we need to talk about you two."  Dean Fleming added.

Xavier and Logan left.

"What you said early before you passed out, is it true?"  Dean Fleming asked Hamilton.

Hamm grabbed Jake's hand.  "Yes, it is."

Jake swallowed.  'This is it,' she thought.

"Mr. Pratt, do you feel the same way?"

She squeezed Ham's hand, "yes, I do."

'This is it, start packing your bags,' she thought. 

"Well, I'm happy my son is in love, but…"

"Excuse me, sir, um, I'm not who you think I am."  Jake knew she couldn't let this go on any longer.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jacquelyn Pratt."

Dean Fleming's mouth dropped.  The room was silent for five minutes. 

"I've made mistakes in the past, but I love Ham.  And if that means that to be with him I'll be kicked out, fine."

Hamilton stared at her.  "Dad?"

"We cannot let this get out to the press, it could ruin the school's reputation; and your lives.  If you two could keep this a secret this long, then could you keep it a secret for a while longer?  That is until I figure out what to do about this."

Jake nodded her head.

"So she can stay as a he and now we're officially gay?"  Hamilton asked.  "I'll do it."

"Good.  Finn, any objections?"

"No, just a suggestion."

"What?"

"If Hamilton is going to work with me it might be safer, if he didn't live in the dorms.  He and Jake could stay in the old pool house."

"Pool house?"  Jake asked.

"Five years ago, we tried to build an in-ground pool, but we had plumbing problems and the water kept draining into the lake.  The pool house is that cabin out next to the gym."

"Oh."  He and Jake said.  "Okay."

"It will need to be renovated, so when it's done you two can move in."  Finn said.

"Thank you, dad."

Dean Fleming smiled.  The entire time, Mrs. Fleming hadn't spoken now she hugged Hamilton.  She pulled away and hugged Jake.  As she pulled away, she spoke.  "I don't care if my son is a mutant in love with a girl who dresses as a boy, I will always love you."

"Thanks, mom."  Ham said rolling his eyes.

That night the X-Men and the gang went down to the diner.  Will and Scout were closing that night, so they had the diner to themselves.  Sean who had missed out on the whole adventure was brought up to date.

"So your dad is giving you two your own place?"  Bella asked.

"Yup, we went by today.  It's huge, so we were wondering if Will and Scout might want to join us.  How about it, guys?"  Jake asked.

"I don't know, living with Rawley Academy's first gay couple?"  Scout said, and received a slap to the back of his head by Jake.

"Of course we'll join you."  Will said, we'll just have to buy a roll of duct tape for Scout's mouth."

Kitty giggled.

"That's not funny."  Scout said.

"No, it's hilarious."  Sean said.

Scout got up and started getting everyone's orders; Bella helped him.

She pulled him toward the kitchen.  "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"About us, well th-there could be an us."

"An us?"

"My dad isn't your dad.  He went to Rawley, but he dropped out."

"Oh, so we could be together, does Sean know?"

"Yes and I'm still with him.  Maybe sometime in the future."  Bell helped Scout with a tray.

"Dinner is served."  Scout said, handing a plate to Scott. The door opened and in walked Ryder.  "Um, sorry, I'm late.  I was packing."  He said as he took a seat next to Rogue.

"Why?"  Will asked.

"He's decided to come with us."  Kitty said.

Scout raised an eyebrow at Rogue.  In return, Jake slapped him again.

"Hey."

"You gotta learn to mind your own business."  Kitty said.

"You know we've been trying to teach him that for a while."  Sean said.  "I don't think it's sinking in."

"Ha-ha, Mr. Townie."  Scout retorted.

"So when are you leaving?"  Bella asked changing the subject.

"Tomorrow morning."  Rogue replied.

"Nervous?"  Kitty asked.

"A little."

"You'll be fine, kid."  Logan said.

"Thanks, I think."

"Sure, you don't want to join us?"  Scott asked Hamilton.

"No, thanks.  Maybe I'll come and visit during winter or summer break."

The next morning, Xavier and his students said their good-byes.

"You can come and visit anytime."  Xavier told Hamilton.

"Well, I promised Logan, I'd visit during the break."

"Good, what about you, Bobby?"

"I'll think about it."  Finn replied.

"Good," Xavier followed the others onto the X-Jet.

Finn, Ham, and Jake watched the plane rise above the trees and head south.