Chapter Twenty-Two:
Mary was lost in a dream.
It was dark, long after sunset, yet the sky was alight with flame.
She stood a distance away from the fire, but she knew what was burning.
And she knew who had been the cause of the flame.
A giant bird of fire rose up.
At its heart, the shape of a soaring human figure shone fiercely red.
The winged creature flew down, rejoining the fire below...
Then, the vision stopped...just as quickly as it had begun..
Nothing more was shown to her...only that lingering, haunting voice...
...you have a world of work ahead of you...
***
Mary blinked as she opened her eyes against the bright lights in the ceiling. Her head was pounding, and protested as she tried to sit up. Before she was able to struggle upright, a face appeared by her bed. She could only stare for a moment, as the mutant looked down at her, his face covered in thick blue hair smiling pleasantly.
"Good morning, miss," the mutant said softly, "How are you feeling?"
Xavier's, Mary thought quickly, I'm at the school for mutants.
"I'm..." she said, then coughed before continuing, "My head hurts..."
The mutant nodded, "I imagine so. That spell you had was quite intense."
"Am I still at the school?" she asked.
"Yes," the mutant replied, "You're in the medical bay. I'm Dr. Henry McCoy...I've been told your name is Mary. Right?"
He grinned again as Mary nodded, his eyes beaming warmly at her coherent questions. Mary then realized he was wearing a long white overcoat and white medical scrubs. She looked away quickly, not wanted to be rude by staring, gaped-mouthed at the doctor.
"How long have I been here?" she asked, looking worried and embarrassed at the inconvenience she may have caused her new hosts.
Dr. McCoy smiled sympathetically, "Only since last night. It's just about three o'clock in the afternoon now, if my watch is right...which it usually is..."
He threw her an amused wink before he continued.
"Actually," he said, "I've been napping down here myself. I woke up a little while ago and was working in the office when I heard you stirring."
"Oh," she said, "I'm sorry if I've been a bother..."
"Not at all," McCoy replied, "It's my job, after all, to make sure you're all safe and healthy. And I do have a few questions for you, but that can wait until after you've had some more rest and maybe a bite to eat."
Mary suddenly sat up and glanced around quickly, "My Nana...my grandmother, I mean. I have to call her and let her know I'm alright...she'll be worried sick..."
"The Professor contacted her this morning," McCoy ensured her, "And as soon as you feel well enough to walk, I'll show you where the phone is."
The man's voice had a constantly cheerful and confident tone, which Mary instantly liked. His manner was the perfect combination of casual and professional, somehow looking serious and amused at the same time. He patted her hand reassuringly, and she noticed his arms were also covered with the same dark blue hair, which did not have the texture of fur but of regular human hair.
"I think I'm ok to stand up," she said and, with McCoy's assistance, rose steadily to her feet. McCoy looked pleased but scrutinized her carefully as she walked, looking for any sign of wavering or shakiness to her steps.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed after a moment, which made Mary start in surprise, "But the instant you begin to feel weak again, young lady, I want you to sit down immediately."
"Yes, sir," she said with a touch of sarcasm that made McCoy chuckle.
"Well," he said, "The phone is in the office there. I think I'll call up to the Professor to let him know you're awake. Hmm...though he is telepathic...I wonder if he already knows...I'll have to ask him about that..."
Dr. McCoy spoke ponderingly to himself as he wandered to the other side of the lab and Mary grinned. Then, a darkness touched her face as the memory of the vision came back to her. She clenched her fists to keep her hands from shaking.
"Dr. McCoy..." she called quickly, and he turned around, "Could you...I need to talk to Professor Xavier...If you could let him know, whenever he gets a chance..."
"Of course," he replied, "I'm sure he'll want to see you right away anyway..."
"Thanks," she said and went to call her grandmother in private.
A short while later, Mary still sat alone in Dr. McCoy's office, after she had finished speaking with her grandmother. She leaned her chin on one palm and stared at the floor, deep in thought.
She knew what she had seen, she was positive (at least fairly positive) that she had been watching this school burn. But she was not sure if she should tell Xavier the exact details of the vision. What if she was wrong, and she caused a panic here for nothing? What if she was right, and she said nothing and a real tragedy occurred? And why had everything before and after the moment the school was on fire been so uncertain...so unclear...?
Mary sighed with frustration and rubbed one temple with her fingertips. The pain in her head had become a little less than a dull ache, for which she was grateful, but still made it difficult to think clearly.
There was a quiet tapping on the office door and she turned to see Xavier just outside the room. Mary grinned but once again felt a little embarrassed at what had happened the night before. She truly did hope the Professor would help her learn to better manage her visions. She could not be collapsing everywhere around the mansion every time she saw something.
"Hi," Mary said.
"Hello, Mary, how are you feeling?" Xavier asked, and Mary chuckled.
"I'm ok," she replied grinning, "I'm gonna get asked that a lot today, aren't I?"
"Probably," the Professor said with a laugh, "But, don't worry, I'll spread the word to the others that you're well."
"Great, thanks," Mary said, and then paused with a frown. She had so much to ask him, and had no idea where to begin. Thankfully, Xavier began first. He moved his wheelchair up to where she was sitting and folded his hands thoughtfully.
"I suppose we witnessed one of your visions last night, correct?"
Mary nodded, "Yeah, loads of fun, aren't they?"
Xavier waited for her to continue, a practiced patience.
"There not always that bad," she said, "Usually I just get dizzy for a second and then just know what's going to happen next. It's only when I really see something...when I go somewhere else...that I get really sick."
"And last night," Xavier said, "You saw something?"
Mary hesitated, glancing between the Professor and the floor.
"Yeah..." she began, "I did...um...I saw...
Mary paused, and frowned.
The cup... she thought quickly and glanced at the top of the file cabinet near the door. There was a coffee mug on the top, and Mary stared at it for a few moments before the Professor's voice drew her back.
"Mary?" he said with concern and she shook her head and looked back at him.
"I'm...sorry..." she said, "What was I saying?"
Xavier spoke calmly, "We were discussing your vision last night. Is it making you uncomfortable?"
Mary shook her head, "No...no...I'm sorry...Right...what I saw...it was...I don't really know how to describe it but it was..."
The cup... the words rang in her head, and she again glanced at the coffee mug. Xavier watched her with growing apprehension as her eyes seemed to become dreamy and distant.
"Mary," he repeated, more forcefully than before, and the girl once again met his gaze.
"I'm sorry," she said, "What was I saying?"
"Mary, are you sure you're alright?" Xavier asked, calling for Henry McCoy telepathically for assistance.
Henry, please come into the office. I think Mary is slipping off again.
"The vision!" Mary said loudly, "I was telling you about the vision...it's important...you won't like it but I have to tell you..."
The cup...the cup...the cup... Mary thought over and over, staring at the mug intensely.
Xavier tried once again to reach her mind but, as during her attack the previous night, it was as if she was not there. He could hear Henry's heavy footsteps approaching the room and moved his chair away from the door. Mary's eyes were wide, staring at apparently nothing, a terrifying absence of presence in her face.
The cup, she thought one last time, The cup's going to break...the pieces will fall all over the floor, little white shards of glass, because he's moving fast and doesn't realize yet how strong he is...when he opens the door...
Xavier gasped in shock as Mary leapt from her chair. She moved quickly towards the door, towards the filing cabinet, and reached out with one arm as the office door swung open with a crash.
Henry appeared in the open doorway, and had slammed the door accidentally against the cabinet where his empty coffee mug was sitting. It wobbled, and then fell towards the floor.
But, it never hit the ground. It did not break, or crack, or shatter, because it landed safely in Mary's outstretched hand.
"Professor, what..." Henry began, but paused as Xavier raised a halting hand.
Xavier stared at the girl silently, watching as Mary examined the mug in her hand with strange wonder. She was running her fingers along the white ceramic surface, cradling it almost protectively.
"Mary…" Xavier said again, and watched as the life seemed to run back into the girl's body. She jumped, startled by his voice, and looked around with surprise.
"What…what's going on?" she asked. One minute she had been sitting in the chair near the desk, the next she was crouching on the floor with the two men staring at her in with slightly panicked expressions. Mary looked down and sighed, recognizing their confusion all too well.
"It happened again, didn't it?" She asked, getting quickly to her feet. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and turned away from the others.
Xavier and Henry exchanged glances, as Mary laughed unpleasantly and sat back down in the desk chair, placing the intact mug unceremoniously aside.
"It won't stop…it just won't stop…" Mary said and then began to sob. Xavier moved his chair next to hers and placed one hand on her shoulder. She lifted her head to look at the Professor, her face desperate and utterly exhausted.
"What can you do?" she asked through her tears, "What can anyone possibly do to help me? There's nothing I can do to stop it. It's just like the future…it can't be stopped and it can't be changed. There is no hope for anything better. All there is…is suffering. Mine and everyone else's…"
There are ways we can help you… Xavier said to her, in her mind, Just because we can't see what you see, doesn't mean we can't see you. The future is only what we make it.
Mary inhaled sharply as Xavier's thoughts rang through her mind and the Professor looked at her with unwavering conviction. Mary breathed slowly, gaining some composure before looking again at Xavier.
"I saw the mansion burning, Professor," she said firmly, "You wanted to know what I saw last night…I saw the mansion burning. That's your future…and it can't be changed…"
Xavier did not react initially, but glanced over at the ceramic mug Mary had so quickly forgotten.
"What happened just now?" he asked, and she shrugged.
"I saw the cup break…" she said, "When Dr. McCoy came into the room…he hit the cabinet and broke the cup…"
"I see…" the Professor replied, "Are you sure that's what happened?"
"Well, yeah…" she said almost angrily, "That's what I saw, wasn't it? The cup broke and…"
Before she could finish, Mary sat up quickly, leaning back in the desk chair, closing her eyes. Henry moved forward, expecting another attack to hit her, but she shook her head.
"I'm fine…" she said, "But…"
Mary opened her eyes and turned her head toward Xavier.
"Professor…I think you should go upstairs…"
Xavier frowned, "Why…?"
The intercom on the doctor's desk interrupted him, and Rogue's voice filled the room. She spoke calmly, Xavier could tell she was a little nervous.
"Professor?" she called, "Are you still down there?"
"Yes," he replied, "I'm here. What's going on?"
"There's a man here to see you," she said, "He says it's urgent. He's come the whole way from England."
Xavier took a moment before responding. England? He sensed through the house and realized quickly who their guest was. But why were they here now…after all these years?
"I'm on my way…have him wait in my office," he replied and the intercom buzzed off.
Henry was by Mary's side, lifting her chin with one hand and clicking a small light on and off into her eyes. Mary sat patiently as the worried doctor worked, the chaos that had briefly existed within her gone as quickly as it had arrived.
Xavier moved his chair around the desk, picking up the white mug and pausing by Mary's side one more time. The girl looked sad and apologetic, and also very tired.
"I'm sorry, Professor," she said, "I didn't want to tell you, but I had to. You don't know how many times I've tried to stop things from happening…but I never can. I don't even know why the school is burning…I can't see why it happened or how it happened…just that is will happen…
"Perhaps," Xavier said slowly, "You can't see the path…because you can change it…"
He handed her the ceramic mug, and Mary took it with dumb shock. She looked quickly up at the cabinet, then at the floor, then at the mug, and finally returned her gaze to the Professor. She had seen this mug break, she had seen the pieces scattered on the floor, and yet, here it was, in her grasp and completely intact.
"But…it broke," she said softly, "It always breaks…every time…"
"There is hope, Mary Sloane," he said firmly, "Your hand stopped this from breaking. Your hand…don't let yourself be lead into the future by anything else."
Mary stared at the Professor in quiet wonder. She had changed the future…was that really possible…?
"If you'll excuse me," Xavier said, "I believe I have a guest to attend to."
"Professor?" Mary said with glassy tears in her eyes, "Thank you."
With one last reassuring smile, Xavier spoke the words he had said before to many mutants.
"Welcome to the School for the Gifted."