Thank you all you reviewers. I really appreciate it, and LOVE to read them. Also in explanation, I am not sure if Gambit appears in x-men evolution (I live abroad, and the series only appears around Easter) but if he doesn't, he is in this story for the simple reason that he is one of Marrow's closest friends in the comics. (also, he did something that will become apparent in later chapters.)
Disclaimer: Don't sue, all my money is in Christmas present form currently. Wait a couple of months.

Chapter 4

During dinner that night, Sarah, Evan and professor Xavier were all absent from the table. Presumably, she was being judged; the final decisions on whether or not she was to stay were being made, while others were saying "pass the bread."

Xavier's office:

"Leave me ALONE. Don't TOUCH me! Why the hell can't you people just leave me ALONE?"

"Sarah…calm down…"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"…We are merely trying to help."

"Help with what, baldie? Do you think I'm crazy? DO YOU?"

"Understatement of the CENTURY."

"Evan, BE QUIET!"

"Well, I'll tell YOU something, pops. Survival of the fittest. I am NOT going to be manipulated THAT easily, and I'd like to see you try. Of course, you WON'T kill me, will you? That's not your style. EVERYONE knows about the famous professor Charles Francis Xavier, and how he will unite human and mutantkind. People are DYING because of you, 'sir'. You make humans hate mutants even more! Families are dying, whole colonies being eradicated. Eradicated…like mine was. You can't depend on anyone, and as that porcupine over there just showed, you can't trust anyone either."

Xavier showed no surprise at her words, and seemed even more pleased at the vehemence and passion with which she spoke. When he voiced an opinion, these feelings showed through in his pleased tone.

"Thank you, Sarah. You have a feral like intelligence, a need to survive built in. Of course, you think that you don't need anyone, but the truth is, humans are social creatures…"

"I'm not human."

"…As are mutants."

Evan, who had remained silent and still through this mini-argument suddenly spoke, as a small child might cry after unsuccessful attempts at getting his mother's attention.

"OK. Marrow...Sarah…cut all this stupid independent crap. Even if you 'don't need anybody' at least staying at Xavier's PEACEFULLY will give you food, right? Without food, you starve; it's not rocket science. And, you can't control your powers. Your bone growth is random, and that'll turn out dangerous for YOU. If you won't stay here for the greater good, stay here to LIVE. It's not a bad deal, you learn how to control your powers, get fed AND get a bonus fight every now and then. Besides, you might surprise yourself by actually liking it here."

Sarah was doing some quick thinking. Staying here, being fed well, AND a possibility of stopping the pain that racked her body, versus starving? It really didn't seem like much of a choice come to think of it…

"…Yes…yes, I'll stay."

As if fearing that a lightning bolt would strike her out of nowhere (actually, not that unusual in this house,) she got to her feet, and ran from the room.

Professor Xavier looked at Evan.

"Evan…perhaps we should add you to the regular recruiter list?"

No answer came from Evan immediately, and when he did speak, it was totally unrelated.

"Professor, what if she double crosses or betrays us? I mean, not to whine (Nightfan interrupts. Evan whine? Never…) but she DID attack me. And the way she was talking…she sounded much more like a member of the BROTHERHOOD than a member of the x-men."

"No, she will not do this. I probed her mind…I would not let anyone on the team who had beforehand malicious potential, and she KNOWS the values of loyalty. When she gives her word…it will be forever. Let's hope."

Evan stayed silent processing this information.

"Evan, go join the rest at the table. Sarah will not dine with you tonight, but you will have a danger room session after dinner, and she will join you there."

"…Thank you professor."

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Sarah's room:

Sarah sat in her room rocking back and forth on her bed, head on her knees. Scott stood by her open door, watching her closely. He looked at her face, though not being able to see anything except shades of red through his visor, he could see that she was about fifteen. Her hair was cut short and spiked back, defining the illusion that he was looking at a punk. Her forehead was currently covered in what appeared to be a helmet, but upon closer inspection turned out to be a solid plate of bone. He made a sound in his throat, drawing her attention.

"Who's there?"

Scott took a step back before stepping into the room, so that it looked as though he had been in full stride when he walked in.

"Hi," he said brightly. "I just came to drop off your uniform; the professor gave us all one when we were new. Oh, and we're having a fighting session with Wolverine at the end of the west corridor in half an hour."

She remained unmoving, so Scott crossed the room in several strides, and deposited the neatly folded bundle on her bed. Her eyes remained utterly focused and unblinking, watching his back until he had left the room entirely.

She ran her hands over the spandex material, before letting the folds flow over her body. Her filthy ripped leggings and metallica T-shirt lay abandoned in the corner next to a trenchcoat that she had been wearing when the x-men found her. A mirror was handy on the back of the door, so she swaggered over to it and looked critically at herself. This uniform that she wore was mostly blue and green, but at the neck and arms, a thin yellow band was to be seen. The top was sleeveless, and midriff baring, while the trousers were skintight. A Pair of steel toed construction boots reached up over her calves to her knees.

"Yes. I am…Marrow…of the x-men. Marrow of the x-men!" Symmetrically correct bones sprouted from her shoulders, but for once, the pain didn't bother her. The blood soon clotted, and dried into brown pools on her arms. She did not reach to pull out the ridges that protruding from her skin, in contradiction, she reached up and caressed them Deadly sharp they were, and a pale whitish-brown in color. Rough to the touch…like her personality.

She walked purposefully down the hall to the shared bathroom. The red and white tiles reflected the appearing moonlight briefly before she flicked on the light, and shut the door with a soft 'click'. Grabbing a red cloth, turning on the tap and adjusting it to a lukewarm temperature, she scrubbed harshly at the blood that lay brown and cracking on her arm, reached to pull out the bones from her shoulders, and then surprised herself by deciding against it.

As the last of the blood was washed from her body, she flipped off the light, and stood in the dark for a few seconds before opening the door and walking down the hall towards the west corridor.

Professor Xavier and Ororo walked out from behind the Ionic style pillar behind which they had been standing.

"Professor, do you think…she's safe for the rest of the students?"

Professor Xavier stood silent for a few moments before answering this, not as confident or reassuring away from Evan.

"I think…I think that every soul and heart has two sides, Ororo. The chance that she will turn on us is equal to the chance that Kitty or Kurt might turn on us. She has seen so much suffering in her short life…so much vengeance waiting to come out. The blood that she has seen…might just make her reluctant to kill herself, though she is well capable of it. She is safe…if she feels for this team."

Marrow…of the x-men!

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