Still only have one review. *sniffle* Oh well. I will keep on updating! Man, sorry for the chapter title; I am sooo horrible at coming up with those. They are evil! Rawr! Ahem, yes, well. Next chapter up for the reading! Enjoy! Oh yeah, and in case I didn't already mention this, please tell me how I am doing on Kurt's accent. I hate it when people over do it, that's why I don't write in Rogue's. But on the suggestion of a friend I wrote Kurt's in, trying to be reasonable. So please tell me if it's too much or anything. Thanks!
Chapter Four-"A Pasta Dinner with Nightmare for Dessert"
Regina slept all night, waking to find Kitty's now quite cold food beside her bed. She ate it anyway, and with zest, because at least it was food she had to chew. All that day she alternated resting and walking around her room, determined to get all her strength back. She had always been a quick healer.
No one came to visit because they were all at school. This left her a lot of time to think about things. Mostly she worried about school, and all the other kids she would meet, and the kindness of Professor X, but also about Logan, the man from her nightmare. She knew now it was just a dream; she had no reason to be afraid of him. But still… She recalled the dream again, thinking of the mutant and his fury, of the pain, and the fear of going back there… At this thought she shuddered, and again renewed her vow to herself that she would never think of that place again. It was gone; she was starting a new life now, a better one. With resolution, she again set to walking around her room, getting more and more secure every time.
That evening, by the time that dinner was coming around, Regina was sure she could manage walking downstairs… or wherever the dining room was, since she had still only seen her bedroom and the infirmary. The Professor had come in about an hour after the students had returned from school and she had lost no time in convincing him she was ready. This time he believed her, and said she could come to dinner.
Now the Professor had to officially announce her arrival. He mentally told the students to meet in the dining room early; he had an announcement. The students were buzzing, ecstatic to finally hear about the mystery mutant everyone had refused to tell them about.
So, a little before the usual dinnertime, the X-men assembled: Cyclops, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Spike, Rogue, Storm, Jean Grey, Beast, and Wolverine. Once they were all there, Professor X addressed them.
"I am sure by now that you all know what I am announcing tonight," he started. Several nods came from those seated at the table before him. He continued, "Our institute has acquired a new student. Her name is Regina. I ask you now to not pester her with questions, she is only just recovered. I'm sure you have a lot you want to know, but in time you will find out." That is all he would say. The mutants all started talking, except for Scott, Kitty, and Kurt, nor Logan, who just looked down. Everyone got their food, right on time, but still there was no sign of Regina. The young mutants chattered on excitedly.
Back in the hallways Regina was struggling to find her way. The Professor had to use his mind to guide her, but she needed to rest twice along the way. Eventually she made it. She peeked around the open door of the dining room. She cautiously moved to stand full in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back, looking around diffidently. The other mutants looked up at her and everything went silent.
The other students just stared at her, taking her in, being quite surprised. Her appearance was quite startling. Her black eye had turned to a yellowy-green and the swelling was almost down, but this made it look almost more grotesque. The scar from the stitches still showed up lucidly, and there was a thin, livid red line across the front of her neck where the gangster had pressed the knife so hard. More random trivial bruises showed up purple on her face, neck, and arms. Regina squirmed slightly, being very uncomfortable and shy. A tall, attractive red-head took it upon herself to be the first to break the awkward silence.
"Hi! My name's Jean Grey," she introduced herself with a smile, if somewhat uncertain, as she still hadn't fully gotten over the shock yet. Regina nodded hello. Looking around at the table she saw there were two seats open, one in between a tall boy with red sunglasses and Kitty, who smiled at her, and another on the end next to Logan. He looked up and caught her eye briefly, looking down again as soon as he saw the old look of anxiety creep into her face. She swiftly made her way to the seat next to Kitty.
As she sat, the others followed Jean Grey's lead and introduced themselves. The tall boy next to her introduced him self as Scott Summers, there was Kitty to her right, and next to her a very pretty yet gothic girl called simply Rogue. Next to her was another bizarre blue creature, not at all resembling Kurt, who's name was Professor Hank McCoy. The Professor was at the head of the table to Scott's left. Across from Scott was a dark-skinned woman with white hair and an entrancing voice named Ororo, then Jean, and then an African American with a curious haircut named Evan. After him were Kurt and then Logan.
Regina received all introductions with a friendly nod, though her head was swimming. Maybe she wasn't ready to be up and about… No, she assured herself, you're fine, you were totally ready to come down here. She had, however, already forgotten the names of half the people sitting around the table. She was never good with names.
Scott tried to start up a friendly conversation with the exceedingly quiet mutant by asking, "So, where are you from?" Regina frowned and looked down at her plate, which had food on it (still warm!). Scott looked at the Professor questioningly, wondering what it was that he said wrong. Professor just shook his head slightly.
Rogue tried Scott's effort again, "So, uh, Regina… how old are you?" Logan looked up in surprise as Regina answered softly, "Fourteen." She was only fourteen? How could a face so care-worn belong to that of a fourteen year old?
Liking Rogue at once because of her unique style and intriguing accent, Regina kept up the conversation by asking her, "How old are you?" After she asked, she looked down again in embarrassment, thinking she had been too impertinent. She didn't want to answer personal questions, why should they?
But Rogue replied easily, "I'm fifteen," glad to finally hear the reserved girl say something. "But only just."
"Your accent is really cool," Regina continued, emboldened slightly by her reply, "Where are you from?"
Rogue answered, "I spent most of my life down in Tennessee." Regina nodded earnestly, honestly very interested. The rest of the meal was spent in small talk with the new mutant, everyone really liking Regina, though it was difficult getting her to say anything, and she liking them. The Professor was quite pleased to see everyone getting along so well, for once. Logan was the only one that didn't speak a word the whole time, and left early with a grunt of thanks. Regina watched his back as he walked away, still not sure what to think of the stranger, for a stranger to her he still was.
However, to the consternation of the other students, most of the conversation was about them, so that Regina learned volumes about them, but their curiosity about her was far from satisfied.
After dinner was over, Regina was feeling a lot better, her strength renewed by the food, and her anxieties about the other mutants were gone, leaving her mind much more at ease. As everyone left the dining room to go about whatever they had to do before the night was out, Regina stood in the hallway looking both ways.
The mansion was huge, even the small portion she had seen of it. She was greatly intrigued by it, and wanted to have a look around, but still wasn't sure how long her renewed strength would last, nor if she could find her way back to her room alone. Fortunately, Kurt walked up next to her and said friendlily, "Hey, do you vant a tour of zeh mansion?" in his charming accent. Regina was pleasantly surprised at this offer and agreed enthusiastically.
"All right!" Kurt exclaimed elatedly, "Hang on tight!" Before Regina could take back her consent, she was teleported to another part of the seemingly boundless mansion.
Before she knew what was happening, Kurt had teleported them both outside, to a basketball court.
"This is our basketball court," he said proudly.
"I kind of guessed that," Regina replied. Kurt laughed and teleported to a cliff not far from the mansion, saying, "This is all Xavier property too." Then, in a more secretive tone, "When ve use zeh X-jet that is vhere it comes out!"
"Out of a waterfall?" Regina asked. Then, upon thinking, she added incredulously, "Wait, you have a jet?" Kurt nodded and said, "Yeah! Let me show you!" and promptly 'ported to the hangar for the X-jet. Regina stood in disbelief, staring at the huge, modern piece of machinery, blinking several times.
Kurt laughed at her amazement and said, "That's not all!" He then 'ported her to all the other wings of the house and the garage, showing her the X-van.
"And now," Kurt said, "saving the best for last…"-here he teleported-"Cerebro!"
Now Regina stared in wonder at Professor Xavier's supercomputer. In its explanation, all Kurt said was, "This is the Professor's computer," and, just before porting, "He used it to find you!" Then they were in the Danger Room. To Regina's eyes, it seemed fairly plain, but also brought back a horrible memory she was using all her mind power to keep from resurfacing.
"What is this?" she asked.
"This is really zeh best room in the Institute! It's called zeh Danger Room! This is vhere ve learn how to use our powers to, uh, fight evil, and stuff like that."
Regina was quite impressed. It had been getting no earlier, however, and she still needed a lot more rest before starting school the next day, so Kurt 'ported her to her room, where the two friends said good-night. As soon as she went into her room she was surprised to see a pair of plain black pajamas sitting folded on the bed. Wow! How nice! she thought. Putting them on she crawled into bed and was instantly asleep. Then, the dream came back again.
Alone, all alone. So cold. Trembling, can't stop shaking. Such fear, mind clouded, blind, numb with it. The room was white, harsh lights blared down at her mercilessly. She could feel the cold bite of the metal chair of which she was clasped to by cold steel bands. Sweat beads gathered on her face, though she was cold, so very cold. She couldn't see them, but she knew they were there, watching her, always watching her. Her heart was beating like a hummingbird, her blood pounding deafeningly in her ears, couldn't catch her breath.
In the Institute, Regina had broken into a cold sweat, and was tossing and turning in her bed, emitting short moans now and again. Being asleep she didn't know this, but everyone in the mansion's hair was standing on end, as if by static. The lights in the Institute began flickering on and off, waking everyone. Professor X, Logan, Mr. McCoy, and Ororo headed up to the kids' rooms where they were all standing in the hallway; all except Regina. Her most dreaded part of the recurring nightmare was coming, and she couldn't stop it, because it was real.
Pain, nothing but pain, searing, gnawing, fiery hot pain! Light flashed before her eyes, something was burning, burning her body, tearing her flesh everywhere, she could feel it. Her head was being ripped apart, her chest was exploding, though she couldn't breath, couldn't take in any air She was dying, she couldn't hold on much longer, wanted to let go, anything to rid herself of the horrendous pain. Her ears were filled with screams, horrific, nightmarish banshee wails, terrifying her to realize they were her own. Then everything stopped. The white fire was gone, and she felt nothing. Everything was numb. She couldn't hear or feel a thing. Then, everything went black.
Here Regina woke, as she usually did, jerking upright in bed, shaking and sweating, gasping for air. She took deeper breaths, trying to calm herself. You have a new life now, that one is gone, gone for good!, she tried to reassure herself. Then she jumped as she looked up to see the Professor, Ororo, and Kitty standing in her room, staring at her.
"Are you all right?" the Professor asked concernedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Regina assured them breathlessly, just wanting them to go away right then. "It was just a nightmare." Had she been screaming in her sleep or something? She didn't know.
"Sorry to have woken you," she apologized.
"Oh, that's quite all right, just so long as you're okay," the Professor said. Regina nodded. He still didn't look completely convinced but he headed to the door, choosing not to leave as he entered, through the wall.
Regina watched the three mutants leave. After they were gone she took her head in her hands and thought desperately, Why oh why do these dreams have to start back now?