"Storm?" Scott looked hesitantly around the garden gate. "Storm?"

Storm smiled slightly. She had avoided Scott when she left the Professors study. She needed time to reflect on her experience.

"Over here, Scott." She said.

Scott was relieved to hear the humor in her voice and he followed it towards the back of the garden.

He stopped short when he saw her, sitting on one of the stone benches, demurely soaking in the smell of the gardens flowered boarders.

"It seemed real, didn't it?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest, still clutching his copy of Plato's Republic.

"It did indeed." Storm confesses, looking at him for the first time. "Every moment of it."

"I thought that I had read Plato's Republic." He smiled. "But really, I guess I wrote the book I'd most like to have read." He smirked at himself, almost embarrassed. "Scott's Republic." He joked.

And now it was Storms turn to smile.

"I experienced an entire days worth of events." She said. "Encountered the other X-Men, most of whom – in one form or another – told me what I wanted to hear."

Scott sat down quickly on the opposite side of her bench, still giving her his undivided attention.

"Can you believe the time displacement?" Scott asked. "Two seconds in the real world to live out a whole day of a fantasy?" He shook his head. "I still don't get it. I remember a whole day. I feel older."

Storm smiled again. She felt younger for having had the same experience.

"I can see where the Professor wanted to use Jared's abilities for mental health and rehabilitation." Storm shrugged slightly. "But I don't think that healthy people need that kind of experience."

"Probably not." Scott agreed. "I figure it's going to be a prime example in the Diversity Among Mutations lectures next week."

Storm nodded. "I hadn't thought of that." She smiled. "And I'm speaking at those lectures."

Storm sat back and considered telling Scott more about her experience. "Did you find yourself … Doing anything out of character?" She asked at last.

"Yes." He said quickly. "And no." He added just as fast. "I mean …" Be bit his lip slightly and considered his words. "I don't really believe in any one doctrine." He explained. "I believe in the best of all of them." He watched to see if she was following him. "And when I read – or thought I read the book … It was perfect, you know? It was MY doctrine – one I believed in wholly and fully. And it came right out of a book."

"So," Storm concluded. "You believed everything you read."

Scott nodded. "But it's not really out of character because it was my character that wrote it."

Storm could see his point. "So, you think our minds made allowances for the fact that it wasn't real? Even when we didn't know?"

"Sure." Scott replied. "That's what fantasies are, right? – I mean, that's what separates them from ideas or possibilities, isn't it?"

"I suppose so." Storm decided, eyeing the young man. "You know, you do seem older." Storm decided.

And Scott blushed slightly. "I just read a really great book of philosophy." He smiled. "And then I read most of this one – and it's good too." He shook his book at her and she had to laugh at him as he was standing up to leave.

"Jean and I have dinner plans." Scott supplied, looking at his watch.

Storm turned slowly to face him. "Scott .. there isn't … a new Gothic club in town, is there?"

Scott looked confused. "I don't think so. But it's not really my scene. Rogue might know." He shrugged. "We're going to that little Italian place with the tables outside."

Storm nodded. "On 4th street." She smiled. "Great pasta."

Scott nodded. :"Yeah, that's the place."

"Have a good time." She smiled and waved as Scott wandered away.

Storm turned back to her lush and radiant garden. She stood up and stretched, then began wandering the border toward the gate.

Briefly, she stopped and drew a deep breath near the passionflowers. Their thick and musky scent immediately relaxed her and she found herself totally at ease.

"You know." She told the flowers. "I met someone today."

She smiled coyly. "Oh, don't worry. No one could ever take me away from you." She cooed to the plant.

"But he's taking me to dinner tonight." She smiled. "And he's taught me something very important already."

Storm used her powers, and a change in pressure came over her garden as water began to condense, misting her plants.

The plants seemed to reach toward the heavens, as though they were well used to it.

"He taught me that we bring meaning to our own lives." She smiled. "That we are indeed the rare and lucky of the world to have found a man like Charles Xavier – who helps us to achieve that inner understanding."

She smiled. "And, you know …" She cast a glance around the garden before continuing in a whisper. "Bald men can be sexy!' She confided with a blush. "Just like tall, swarthy Europeans."

She seemed to consider something else. "And you now, Jared taught me something more than that too." She added. "The truth is – when it comes to love and companionship …" She paused. "I have enough to bide my time …" She smiled slowly at the realization. " The truth is … I can wait."

The mist began to clear and the whole garden glistened in the sunshine.

Storm sighed appreciatively. "Thank you." She whispered to the flowers. "For keeping all my secrets." She said playfully.

And the flowers, enraptured in her attention, stretched and rose towards her, as though she were the sun.