This Didn't Just Happen

Bobby walked down the hallway numbly. He went into his room and threw himself on the bed. The past few hours replayed in his mind again and again….

"Bobby?"

"Dad? Hey what's going on? I…"

"What the devil is the matter with you? What is wrong with you?" His father's angry voice rumbled in his ears.

"Dad, what are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about? What do you think I'm talking about? I agreed to send you to this…school of yours and let you live there despite its obvious problems because I thought it was for the best! I thought you were supposed to be learning to control your mutation!"

"But Dad it is under control! I've…"

"CONTROL! CONTROL! YOU WERE JUST ON THE FREAKING NEWS! HOW'S THAT FOR CONTROL? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING FIGHTING WITH THAT…THAT THING ON NATIONAL TELEVISON!"

"But Dad…"

"No buts! I told you Robert that I wanted you cured of this…this thing!"

"What do you mean 'cured'! I'm a mutant!"

"Well I don't want you to be a mutant anymore!"

"Dad it doesn't work like that! It…"

"Don't talk back to me! Listen to me, it's bad enough what your mother and I have had to endure but for you to flaunt your…yourself in public! It's disgraceful!"

"What are you talking about? I was fighting to help people!" Bobby shouted trying to reason with him.

"Well maybe you should start with your own family first!"

"Dad what is going on!"

"Ever since your school…came out we've had to endure nothing but harassment! You know how your aunt gossips! She told everyone that you go to that school!"

"What? When was this?"

"A few months ago. When you and those hoodlum friends of yours decided to destroy your high school!"

"Dad that wasn't my fault! That…"

"Is precisely the reason our lives have been screwed up! Your brother can't even go to public school because of the harassment! We've had to send him away to a private school out of state! And your sister…I don't even know what to tell her! She's only eight years old! She doesn't need to deal with this! And your mother doesn't even dare to go to church anymore!"

"But it's not my fault! I can't help what I am!"

"No but you don't have to parade yourself like a jackass in front of the entire world! Why couldn't you have kept quiet about it? I should have brought you back home! Or sent you to a hospital or something!"

"Dad I'm not sick!"

"Yes you are. You are sick. Your body has a disease that's wrecking our lives! I lost my job today because of you! Somebody told my boss that I had a mutant for a son! How are we going to take care of ourselves? You tell me that? How?"

"Dad I'm sorry but…"

"Not as sorry as you are going to be Robert if you don't promise me right now to end it!"

"End what? What are you talking about?"

"We can move away to another town. Change our name so nobody knows it's us. As long as you keep it under control you can join us."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that you have a choice Robert," His father's voice growled. "You can either be part of this family or be what you are. It's your decision."

"Decision! What decision? I'm a mutant! I can't be anything else!" He shouted until his voice was hoarse.

"Let me talk to him," He could hear his mother's voice. "Bobby please listen to your father! Come to your senses!"

"Mom listen to me, I don't know what's going on here but you got to understand this is who I am. Can't you see that?"

"Bobby I love you but don't you see you're tearing this family apart?"

"He doesn't care Joyce," His father's voice cut in. "He's always been selfish! He doesn't care how he affects anyone else as long as he gets to do what he wants!"

"Dad that is not true!" Bobby protested. "I'm a mutant. I can't be anything else other than what I am."

"Fine…If that's how you feel about it…Then this is it. As much as I love you Robert I have a family to think about. I have to take care of lives that matter to me, do you understand? I can't deal with this anymore! I can't deal with you anymore."

Then the line went dead.

************************************************************************

After the phone call Bobby had gone to the lounge to watch some television. He didn't want to think. He figured zoning out in front of the TV would cancel what he was feeling. It wasn't like his father hadn't had his mood swings before. Of course he would get angry and yell and complain when something happened but after a while he settled down and things went back to normal. And it wasn't like his father used to hit him or anything, not that Bobby ever took the chance to push that envelope.

So there he was, sitting there pretending that things were all right, hoping that whatever had set his father off this time would blow over when Xavier wheeled into the room. "Hey Professor what's up?"

"Bobby could you turn off the television please? There's something I'd like to talk to you about in my office."

"Sure," He followed him into his study. "So what's going on?"

"Your parents spoke to me just now," Xavier said gently.

"What do they want?" Bobby asked. "Are they going to send me away?"

"No, no Bobby rest assured you will always have a home here," Xavier told him.

"But I don't have a home anywhere else do I?" Bobby's voice tightened. Xavier closed his eyes and looked downward. "Then why did they call you?"

"They wanted to let me know about your living arrangements," Xavier tried to put it as gently as possible. "If you'd like, I want to be appointed your legal guardian."

"They're really gonna do it aren't they?" Bobby's voice shook. "They're disowning me?"

Xavier couldn't look him in the face. "Your parents are…confused Bobby. They don't know how to deal with the pressure of having a mutant for a child."

"So the only way they can deal with it is to kick me out? Can't you…can't you just, you know… change their minds?" Bobby asked.

Xavier frowned. "I'm sorry Bobby, I can't."

"Why?" Bobby shouted. "Why not? You've done it before!"

"I've only done it for preservation for the school," Xavier explained.

"What about my preservation huh?" Bobby snapped.

"Bobby you know deep down that wouldn't really change anything," Xavier said softly. "I cannot change the feelings one has. Subconsciously they would break through any conditioning. Remember what happened to Wanda?"

"In other words my parents hate my guts!" Bobby snapped. "Fine! Who needs them anyway!" He stormed out, ignoring the professor's calls.

It didn't even seem like all that had happened only a few hours ago. A knock on the door broke him out of his reverie. It was Ray. "Hey uh…I heard about what happened. Sorry man."

"Man doesn't anything stay a secret around here very long?" Bobby groaned.

"Not with the Multiple News Network around," Ray shrugged. "Hey man I know what you're going through. My folks reacted the same way."

"Yeah well at least yours were honest right off the bat instead of trying to pretend everything was normal and cram it down your throat," Bobby grumbled. "Hey it's not like I need them anymore or anything."

"Well when you feel like it, come on downstairs," Ray said. "The main team took off to hang with the Misfits for the night and with The Professor and Logan off to talk to some guys about mutant rights there's pretty much nobody around."

"What do you mean?" Bobby sat up.

"Well the Beast and Storm went with the others and it's just you, me, Sam, Amara, Tabby, Roberto, Forge and Jamie," Ray said. "I think we got left behind mostly because well…you know. If you needed anything."

"You're right," Bobby sat up. There was a look in his eye. "I do need something. You know where the Professor keeps his spare holowatches?"

"Yeah," Ray looked at him. "Why?"

"Because I'm gonna need one in order to do a little shopping," Bobby grinned. "Tonight we are going to party!"

Next chapter: Scandals! Teenage-Drinking, and serious making out issues! Come back for all the fun!