Own nothing, 'cept Fred. I've officially decided to claim him. So
keep all hands to yourself please. Anyhoo, this is a bit different from
previous chapters . . . tell me what you think.
Fred's doorbell ran and he pushed himself up off the couch, flicking the TV off as he did so. Shuffling toward the door he wondered who would come by at this time of night, who would come by at all.
What awaited took him completely by surprise. A group of Xavier's students stood outside the door, 'Colossus' at the fore. They all looked tired and were dressed in what he supposed passed for pajamas.
He ushered them quickly inside (trying not to wonder what the neighbors would think) before demanding, "What are you doing here?"
"The school was attacked," Colossus said. "We had to leave."
"So you came here?"
"We couldn't think of anywhere else to go."
Fred looked at the miserable group of children again and all anger melted away. "Stay here," he said and hurried off to the linen closet, he had a grand total of three blankets so he pulled down towels and sheets and whatever else was there. Making the way back to the front hall he wondered how long they would have to stay here. If the school had been attacked something terrible must have happened to Professor Xavier. His mind immediately set about its usual pattern of foreboding thoughts.
He passed around what he had gathered apologizing for the small number and inadequacy. Then he shepherded them all into the living room and spread them about it in clumps. Friends huddled together, watching him carefully.
He turned away quickly racking his mind for a way to help these kids. He took a head count and went to the kitchen wondering how he was going to feed 19 children.
He had little food that could be passed off as edible in the worn, yellow, linoleum kitchen. The refrigerator was bare except for a bottle of beer.
Fred rested his head against the counter; he stood there hunched over protectively. What the hell was he doing? He didn't have the resources or the personality to take care of 19 kids! Why had someone attacked the school? How long were they going to stay? Now there was a question, maybe it had just been a raid. Then he could send these bedraggled, frightened children back to a place they actually belonged. Of course there was no way to tell if whoever had attacked the school was going to leave. Suddenly he barked out a laugh, only Logan to protect the school! He'd just convinced himself earlier today that he was overreacting, that nothing was going to happen that Logan couldn't handle. He really didn't need any encouragement to trust his dour moods. The one time he'd decided he was being stupid and look what happened! The entire school ransacked by . . .Who? Who would do such a thing? Okay that wasn't really the question, there were millions of people who would, but he liked to think none of them were strong enough to.
He was pulled out of his reverie by a sharp tug on his sleeve. He looked down and found the wide eyes of a golden haired boy.
"I'm hungry," he said. And then added as an after thought, "Thank you."
Fred smiled at him. He'd figure out what to do with them somehow.
Fred's doorbell ran and he pushed himself up off the couch, flicking the TV off as he did so. Shuffling toward the door he wondered who would come by at this time of night, who would come by at all.
What awaited took him completely by surprise. A group of Xavier's students stood outside the door, 'Colossus' at the fore. They all looked tired and were dressed in what he supposed passed for pajamas.
He ushered them quickly inside (trying not to wonder what the neighbors would think) before demanding, "What are you doing here?"
"The school was attacked," Colossus said. "We had to leave."
"So you came here?"
"We couldn't think of anywhere else to go."
Fred looked at the miserable group of children again and all anger melted away. "Stay here," he said and hurried off to the linen closet, he had a grand total of three blankets so he pulled down towels and sheets and whatever else was there. Making the way back to the front hall he wondered how long they would have to stay here. If the school had been attacked something terrible must have happened to Professor Xavier. His mind immediately set about its usual pattern of foreboding thoughts.
He passed around what he had gathered apologizing for the small number and inadequacy. Then he shepherded them all into the living room and spread them about it in clumps. Friends huddled together, watching him carefully.
He turned away quickly racking his mind for a way to help these kids. He took a head count and went to the kitchen wondering how he was going to feed 19 children.
He had little food that could be passed off as edible in the worn, yellow, linoleum kitchen. The refrigerator was bare except for a bottle of beer.
Fred rested his head against the counter; he stood there hunched over protectively. What the hell was he doing? He didn't have the resources or the personality to take care of 19 kids! Why had someone attacked the school? How long were they going to stay? Now there was a question, maybe it had just been a raid. Then he could send these bedraggled, frightened children back to a place they actually belonged. Of course there was no way to tell if whoever had attacked the school was going to leave. Suddenly he barked out a laugh, only Logan to protect the school! He'd just convinced himself earlier today that he was overreacting, that nothing was going to happen that Logan couldn't handle. He really didn't need any encouragement to trust his dour moods. The one time he'd decided he was being stupid and look what happened! The entire school ransacked by . . .Who? Who would do such a thing? Okay that wasn't really the question, there were millions of people who would, but he liked to think none of them were strong enough to.
He was pulled out of his reverie by a sharp tug on his sleeve. He looked down and found the wide eyes of a golden haired boy.
"I'm hungry," he said. And then added as an after thought, "Thank you."
Fred smiled at him. He'd figure out what to do with them somehow.