Rebirth and Awakenings
Chapter 5
As soon as his vision was restored, Professor Xavier began to tutor Scott in preparation for his return to high school in the fall. While Professor Xavier called the Institute a "school," he only taught the students how to control their powers and the ethics of using them. He left the regular education of the children to the local school system. Scott, however, needed some academic assistance before he would be ready to join Ororo at the high school. They had three months to play catch up.
The first thing Professor Xavier did was administer a volley of tests to see exactly how far behind Scott was. He didn't expect the news to be good. Scott should be in the eleventh grade, but had lost a year of schooling from being in a coma and almost two years from living on the streets.
However, the results of the tests were far more encouraging. Scott read at grade level and had a remarkable aptitude for mathematics. So, the Professor set up an ambitious study schedule for Scott. They studied math for two hours a day and also covered English composition, literature, and basic science principles. Scott read the freshman and sophomore World History texts used by the public high school on his own.
The results were amazing. Scott cruised through the math texts, leaving him more than prepared to begin Algebra III in the fall. He grasped the finer points of English composition, acquired a decent grounding in science, and easily passed the world history exam. And he did it all in three months.
Even Warren was impressed.
* * *
The rest of the summer passed quickly and without further incidents. Scott's nerves had slowly steadied and he was beginning to come out of his shell. Not only was he beginning to talk more, he also sang! Never when he thought anyone was around of course, but still, it was possible to hear him singing around the house or the grounds. Both the Professor and Hank agreed he had not only a fine voice, but a truly enviable talent of staying in tune. The boy was certainly full of surprises.
As far as Scott was concerned, life at the mansion was pretty good. While they lived in a mansion, the students weren't waited on. They were expected to keep their rooms neat, make their beds and change their own linen. There was a laundry service for the sheets and towels but Mrs. Hanscomb supervised the rest of the laundry, which was done according to a duty roster. They also set and cleared the table after meals, and kept the house tidy. There was a regular cleaning service for the rest and a gardening service for the grounds. Scott didn't mind the odd chores they were assigned. He would have done anything asked of him. For the first time since his parents deaths, he felt he had finally landed somewhere. That he landed somewhere where the people seemed to genuinely care about him was almost unsettling, after years of abuse and emotional neglect. They had even thrown him a birthday party with cake and balloons, for crying out loud!
At the center of all this was the Professor. Austere and sometimes aloof, he could also connect with his students with surprising insight. Telepath he might be, but he used his powers with sympathy and understanding. Telepathy didn't automatically give you those characteristics; but in Charles Xavier's case, his powers were truly a gift.
Then there was Ororo. By now, she and Scott were fast friends. This wasn't a huge surprise, really; there was only a year between them and their backgrounds were similar. Ororo had told Scott her story in bits and pieces over the summer and he had woven it back into a tale very like his own.
They had both lost their parents young -- Ororo had been eight when her parents were killed in an earthquake in Egypt. Because neither the American or Kenyan authorities could locate any living relatives, she had been placed in a Cairo orphanage for "temporary shelter" -- and promptly forgotten. She remained there for four years until one day when she dressed in boys clothes and walked out the door.
Ororo trekked back to Kenya, where she had spent her early childhood, through Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, before settling on the plains in the south. By then, her powers over the weather had developed and she was practically worshiped as a goddess. Eighteen months later, the Professor found her, explained to Ororo what she really was, and offered her a chance to come to the Institute. She accepted and had been at the Institute for two years.
She also served as a reminder to Scott that he wasn't the only one with issues regarding his powers; Ororo had a shakier control over hers than at first glance. When she was angry or upset, the skies above the Institute showed it.
After Ororo, his next favorite person living at the mansion that summer was Hank. While the man was undoubtedly a genius, he also had a great sense of fun and happily joined in any game or mischief, and was often the instigator of both. Scott had also discovered what Hank's mutation actually was -- he turned into a huge blue creature. The "control" came from a substance of his own creation. Professor Xavier had his doubts regarding its constant use, but Hank couldn't bear to give up his human persona this early. Scott didn't blame him.
Scott also found himself slowly liking Warren more. At first, he had held Warren in contempt for his wealthy, pampered background, but those feelings soon were dissipated as he slowly learned more. Warren's secure, privileged world had been shattered by his mutation -- big white wings and the resulting ability to fly. For a while, Warren had successfully hid them, but he was eventually found out. His parents had been happy to turn him over to Professor Xavier; Warren rarely saw them or heard from them. Like Scott, he knew what it felt like to be abandoned.
And on a personal level, Warren could be fun. He had a lot of charm (when he chose to use it) and surprising insight into what made people tick. Like Scott, he might occasionally show bitterness with his lot in life, but, also like Scott, he decided to put that bitterness behind him -- most of the time.
And then, there was Jean -- who by now Scott adored. Everyone was aware of it, even Jean. But Scott was under no illusions that his feelings were returned. Jean treated him with the same affection she treated Ororo, Warren, and Hank, but nothing more. And if she seemed to welcome his company, well, she was just being nice. Of course, Scott had no way of knowing that Jean had increased her visits to the Institute since he arrived.
One person who did know that, and wasn't happy about it, was Dr. Robert Blaine. In fact, Scott Summers was rapidly becoming a thorn in his side. While the students at the Institute had always made it plain by look and by word, that they considered Robert an interloper, Scott's presence only magnified the problem, as far as Robert was concerned.
The biggest problem was Scott was always *there*. There was no chance for privacy. Jean would only laugh -- which is what Robert hated the most. She was so at ease with Scott, she didn't notice what an annoyance the kid had become.
It didn't occur to Robert that Jean didn't find Scott an annoyance at all.
* * *
At the beginning of the school year, Professor Xavier enrolled Scott in high school in the eleventh grade. He created a transcript for Scott, from a public high school in Washington that no one would ever bother check with, along with all the other requisite paperwork. Scott had to laugh when he saw it; Professor Xavier had credited him with two years of high school English, Algebra I and II, two years of World History, two years of PE, two years of Auto mechanics, Earth Science and Biology. Scott felt the auto mechanics was a nice touch after living in a garage and learning the work for three months, and said so.
Still, Scott admitted to feeling some nerves as he sat in the counselor's office of the high school, going over the curriculum and the electives. This was all so alien to him now. Could he really go back to school, like nothing had ever happened? Professor Xavier apparently thought so, but Scott wasn't entirely convinced.
Scott turned his attention back to the counselor, Anna McRae. "Well, Scott," she said in a friendly tone. "All the records from your old school seem to be in order. We have you signed up for 11th grade Language Arts, Algebra III with Trigonometry, U.S. History, Chemistry, elementary Spanish, and PE. As for your last elective, Professor Xavier tells me you enjoy music and have a good singing voice. We can put you down for music. Would you like to try out for the school chorus?"
Behind his new glasses (Hank had been able to fit a pair with more standard looking frames), Scott gave the Professor a dirty look. Just as well they couldn't see it. "Okay," he heard himself saying.
He was going to be singing in the choir. He was going to high school like any other ordinary suburban teenager. After everything he had been through in his short life, Scott felt this turn of events to be totally surreal.
* * *
Scott got through his morning classes and gratefully met Ororo at lunchtime. If the boy with red glasses and the girl with long white hair were getting a lot of notice, they paid no attention.
"How's it going?" Ororo asked.
"Not bad," Scott said. "I've had to explain the glasses to every teacher and show the Professor's letter to them. But it's working out better than I thought it would."
"Hey, Ororo, who's your friend?" A pretty blond girl came to sit with them.
"Hello, Tracy. This Scott Summers, he's a new student at the Institute. This is Tracy Hamilton, one of my friends."
"Hi," Scott greeted her and smiled. Ororo bit back a smile of her own. The kid had a killer smile and hadn't a clue. She didn't want to think what that smile was going to do to the female population of the school. It looked like her senior year was going to be more interesting than she thought.
* * *
Three weeks later, Scott was sitting in the principal's office, waiting for Professor Xavier to arrive. His shirt was torn and splattered with blood (his and Wayne Wendinck's). 'So much for fitting back in,' Scott thought disgustedly. 'I'm going to be tossed now, for sure.' He only hoped and prayed that Professor Xavier wouldn't do the same and expel him from the Institute as well.
He looked up when the Professor entered the room and immediately looked down again. He'd let the Professor down. He'd let Jean down. He'd let them all down.
"What happened, Scott?" the Professor asked quietly.
"I got into a fight," Scott answered succinctly. He looked the Professor in the eye. "I was at fault," he admitted. "I threw the first punch."
"Why?"
"He ... he was saying things about Ororo," Scott confessed. "I told him to take it back and he wouldn't, so I hit him."
Just then, Principal Gordon's office opened. "Good morning, Charles." Principal Gordon said. "I am sorry to have to make you drive in from the Institute. Please come in." She waited for them to get settled. "What do you have to say for yourself, young man?"
"I'm sorry," Scott said. "I shouldn't have done it."
"Are you saying that because you're sorry, or because you were caught?"
Scott thought that over. "Both," he admitted.
"Well, Charles, at least he's honest," Principal Gordon stated wryly.
"Who did Scott hit?" the Professor asked.
"Wayne Wendinck. He got the worst of it. His parents have already complained."
"With your permission Elizabeth -- Scott, would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes, please?" After Scott left, he turned his attention back to the principal. "Wayne Wendinck? He's a senior and on the football team, isn't he? Are you telling me that Scott overwhelmed someone who's three inches taller and fifty pounds heavier than himself?"
"This is nothing to be proud of, Charles," Elizabeth Gordon said reprovingly. " I'm sorry, I'm going to have to suspend him."
"For how long?"
"A week. Wayne has been suspended as well. Perhaps they'll both learn something from this. You can take Scott home with you. And if he behaves himself the rest of the year, we won't think of this again. But he has to learn he can't beat people up, whatever the provocation."
"Oh, I'll see to it he learns that," Professor Xavier assured her as he left the office.
* * *
The drive back to the Institute was thankfully short. Scott bit his lip, waiting for the Professor to tell him to pack and leave. He wondered if he could get back to the garage in DC. Would Mr. Reynolds even take him back? Unshed tears pricked Scott's eyes. He'd blown it again.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Scott," Professor Xavier said severely.
"Yes, sir."
"Don't think being suspended means you won't be working for a week. We'll be studying together again; I won't allow you to fall behind. And you'll have all your homework to makeup when you get back to school."
It was Scott's turn to be surprised -- and relieved. "You're not going to kick me out?"
The Professor was stunned. "Why do you think I would do that?" Professor Xavier asked. "This is your *home*, Scott. I don't abandon my children just because they have problems. In that case, I wouldn't have any students at all. But I do think it would be a good idea if we channeled some of that energy of yours."
"What do you mean?" Scott asked.
"I was thinking martial arts lessons might be of help," the Professor said thoughtfully. "It will teach you to focus and control your emotions."
Scott found himself smiling. "And I'll learn to beat the crap out of someone properly," he said sotto voce.
Professor Xavier pretended he hadn't heard that.
* * *
When Scott returned to school after his week's suspension, he was surprised to discover he now had something of a reputation. He'd beaten up a *senior* -- no one was going to mess with him. And the Professor followed through with his plan to enroll Scott in a martial arts class and Scott was soon learning karate. He had an aptitude for it and rapidly rose through the class rankings.
As the Professor had hoped, the karate lessons helped Scott adjust to school as well, giving him the control needed to ignore the taunts from the football team. His grades were good, although chemistry was touch and go, and he got all the way to the Christmas break without further incident.
* * *