Hail Mary: Chapter One

"And God said that he shall send his one begotten son to lead the wild into
the ways of the man.follow me."

_

Storm ridiculed herself.She had failed to show her nephew the path to enlightenment. She couldn't keep Evan convinced to stay at the Xavier Institute, to stay with the X-Men, and more importantly, to stay with his aunt,and one of his best friends.

The broken team made their way back to the mansion, mostly silent, the lot of them. Some wondered if they would ever be able to see their golden-haired friend. Some wondered if he would return. The most of them doubted it though. The silence was growing as the team exited the hanger housing the SR-77 Blackbird, the work horse of their transportation units. The silence was almost too much to bear as Scott sighed heavily. The oldest and tallest of the Recruits lept and bounded over to the white-haired weather witch, attempting to lighten her already dark and sullen mood, and lighten the outside sky as well.

"Look at it this way, Storm", he said, placing an arm on her shoulder, "Evan's happy where he is now. At least he'll be safe." . His tone showed his attempt at comforting his superior and more powerful teacher. His attempts failed however, as Storm pushed his hand from her shoulder. She increased her stride, the gap between her and the rest as she took the long flight of stairs in the emergency staircase,instead of the elevator with the main of the crew. Wolverine lagged behind with the Professor, deciding that someone should make another attempt at comforting the ebony skinned goddess.

"Go on up, Chuck.", he said with his usual gnarly voice, "I'll be up in a moment.". He turned and entered the doorway to the staircase also, looking back as Professor Xavier called to him.

"I'll speak with you later on this issue,and others.", he said, wheeling himself about. Wolverine nodded, and started up the stairs after peeling back his mask.

Now Logan, he started up the stairs after his younger confidante, not noticing that she was sitting on a landing a few flights upward. He didn't look up until he noticed her Storm's scent even more powerful than before. He turned around a railing's post, and saw her. Here she sat, curled into a ball, leaning on a wall, tears welling in her eyes. She looked at him, her expression almost pleading for someone or something to comfort her. Storm tightened her cape around her as she pulled it closer, curling up even more.

"Ororo.", Logan started. Unfortunately, he was standing in a hole now. He had nothing to say. What could he? He stood behind her on the landing, and crouched down to hold her. He did so as she stood along with him, sharing an embrace under the guise of friendship, perhaps something more.

Evan Daniels was escorted to the quarters of the sewers below that would be his private area. The taller and older Callisto, one of the eldest of the Morlocks, aided her newest apprentice in taking comfort in the considerably comfort area which was now his. Given the location, it was better than what he thought he would ever get down in a sewer. His expression showed it to be so. He smiled at his accommodations, thinking of it to be better than what he desereved.

"We have hot water running through the valves also. Clean water. It's pretty nice.", said Callisto, pointing to the levers and such., "You can flush out the cold water if you want by this lever here, and release the warmer water with this one.". Evan nodded silently, addressing her without looking at her directly.

"Thanks." , he said. He looked back up at her finally, having not done so since he first turned away from his fellow X-Men. Evan hoped to god that he wouldn't have to come to regret such a move. He was putting himself in unknown territory, and he would have to do things that he had no experience in.

'Nothings to hard for the spykeman.', he thought. His complacency was marked by his smile that etched its way across his face. He looked back up at Callisto, who looked at him strangely, wondering what had sparked his humor.

"Nothing.", he said before she could remark. He looked away, cheeks turning a rosy color. For a woman with one eye, he thought of her to be rather shapely and pretty. All this in the 10 minutes he had seen her without her trench coat. The thought of beauty sparked thoughts in his mind of the one girl he had met at BHS. He probably would never see her again until his plates were lost, or unless he went topside to retrieve schoolwork, and she stayed after. That was doubtful. Then came thoughts of the Institute. His friends. His teammates.

Evan was quick to disreguard it. He'd been reiduculed enough there. But then again, he was accepted more than he was at PS 41. Whatever. It was trivial now. He couldn't just blend in anymore. Evan became distraught, and his expression showed it.

Callisto took a seat next to him, placing a hand upon his shoulder as Evan sighed. He hung his head, looking at his plated backhands.

"Evan. You'll be fine here. We will help you.", she said. She embraced him, and Evan almost had a reminiscing moment of Storm, "You'll do much better here than you will topside. How do you think they'd look at you with your appendages?",she asked, "You're safer here. No matter how much it hurts, but at least we're real with you.". Her voice was reassuring, So much was he reminded of Storm that another smile made its way across his face. She released him after another brief hug, and stood, heading towards the main of the sewer network. "Change is coming, Evan.", Callisto said again, stopping to look at him, "We'll need someone to lead the way. Maybe it'll be you.". With that, she turned and headed away from him.

Evan began to think again, looking at his plated hands. He walked from his cot over to a makeshift mirror. His cheekbones had enlarged, reminding him of his father in New York. Callisto's comments reminded him of his times at church. The times were great and fun. The memories cherished. He remembered the first time he had his buzzcut, during these times. He remembered the day vividly. One of his favorite songs played, and a quote stood out to him.

"And god said that he shall send his one begotten son to lead the wild into the ways of the man."

Evan had by now, filled a pool of hot water for himself to relax in. He sank below, eyes closing for the moment.

"Follow me.", he thought.