A/N: I could come up with some reason why I haven't updated in so long, but there really isn't one. I'm a horrible, horrible, horrible person. If there's anyone out there still even interested in this story, I promise I'm already working on the next chapter. So it should be up pretty soon. And it should be longer than this one, too. I just wanted to get something up.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and please don't hurt me for making everyone wait so long!
Rebirth
Scott walked slowly around the grounds of Xavier's mansion, the older man rolling along at his side. He stared at everything in wonder, his heart bursting with joy. A small part of him longed to see what colors the flowers actually were, longed to see all the lush greenness of the trees and grass, but he quickly put those desires out of his head. He should be- and was- grateful just to be able to see the flowers, trees and grass. He would get used to the red tint a lot easier than the darkness.
"So what's next, Charles?"
The older man continued in silence for a few seconds.
"Well, you only have a few weeks left of the semester. I think you should finish it up. The things you've learned and will learn - and not just in the classroom - are invaluable. Especially since, someday, you might have to operate without the glasses."
"I was hoping you'd let me finish, actually. I don't want to leave my friends just yet." Scott's face burned red with embarrassment.
"You mean you don't want to leave Kim," Xavier teased, a mischievous glint in his eye as Scott's face turned an even more deeper, impossible shade of red.
"No."
"Don't be embarrassed, Scott. I'm happy you've met someone that can make you feel this way. And remember, you can still see her after you leave the school."
"I
know...it's just not going to be the same, you know?"
"I know. But you can make
it work."
"I hope so."
The two men continued walking for a few minutes, enjoying the warm breeze. Scott took a deep breath, smelling the garden scents and the intangible "summer's coming" smell.
"So...how's it going with Jean."
Xavier sighed, running one hand against his forehead.
"Not as well as I hoped, not as bad as I feared."
"Do you think she'll be able to maintain her own shields soon?"
"She has the strength and skill to do so now, she just doesn't have the desire."
"Doesn't have the desire? Wouldn't anybody want to stop the noise?"
Xavier's face scrunched up, and Scott could tell he was searching for a good way to explain his answer.
"Scott....it's not easy to explain to someone who isn't telepathic but, when the dam first breaks, it's incredibly terrifying. You feel everyone around you - their pain and fear, their anger and hatred. You hear every little vindictive, evil thought. All people can be evil, not just bad people. But you also feel the love, joy, happiness, awe. Take the best feeling you've ever had and multiply it by hundreds. Can you imagine how that must feel? And...even the bad stuff still gives you a sense of awe - not at the world, but at yourself. You've never felt so powerful, never felt so special."
Xavier sighed. "It's a hard thing to give up."
Scott stared at the older man, feeling for the first time that there must have been a time in Xavier's past when he wasn't always this wise and charitable. When he was just a man - a man with an incredible gift and even fewer people in the world to share it with than there was for Scott. Scott knew he would never learn everything about this man's past, but, even though he realized that he could no longer put Xavier up on a hero's pedestal, he still had never known a better person in the entire world. And he was that person because he wasn't perfect.
"Huh." It was a rather pathetic response to the speech Xavier had given, but he didn't appear to expect anything else.
"But I hope that you will be able to meet Jean by the time you're done with school."
"Really? That'd be great."
"She's looking forward to it, too. I've told her a lot about you. She thinks you're wonderful to help me with my goal of a school."
"Now, Charles, you're going to be doing most of the work. I'm just sticking around so I can continue to mooch off of you."
Both men laughed and continued on their stroll around the gardens.
* * *
The rest of the school year went by way too fast for Scott. And that was in part because he hadn't yet told Kim about what Hank had made and that he wasn't coming back for the next year. He just didn't know how to tell her. But soon it was after finals, the last night they would be in the dorms, and he knew he couldn't put it off any longer.
They were in his room. It was clear that talking was the last thing on Kim's mind and Scott desperately wanted to indulge her. He groaned and pushed her away.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, kissing her temple. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Oh. Okay." She cuddled into his side, throwing an arm over his stomach. "What's up?"
"Hank...uh, designed these glasses that can counteract my mutation. If I wear them, I can open my eyes and see without destroying everything. There's a red tint to everything, but still...I can see."
"Oh my God! That's so great. I'm so happy for you!"
"Are you really?" Scott sat up straighter. "I...thought..."
"Scott, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. I am. I'm scared, too, that this might change so many things for us. But this is such a wonderful thing for you. I love you too much to let those...immature feelings get in the way of your happiness."
"You do realize this means I won't be coming back to school next year, don't you?"
Kim didn't speak for a few seconds, and Scott felt her fingers grasp at his shirt. His heart ached in sympathy.
"I know." Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to hear. "But I only have a year left. And you can drive now, so you can come visit. Aaaannndd...you'll just have to be the bestest best boyfriend ever and make it up to me."
Scott barked in laughter and hugged her closer to him.
"You're something else."
"I know. You're just so lucky."
"I am."
* * *
Scott put the last of his socks in the dresser drawer and snapped the suitcase shut. Sliding it under his bed, he stood up and looked around at his red tinted bedroom at the mansion. As much as he hated leaving the school and Kim, he was overjoyed to be back full time with Xavier. It felt like he was finally home.
He left his room in search of Xavier.
Scott. I'm in my office. Please join me.
Storming down the stairs, Scott jogged the few feet to Xavier's office, knocking as he opened the door.
"Hey, how -uh, hello."
Xavier smiled at Scott from behind his desk, while an attractive young redheaded girl turned in her chair to face him. She smiled, and it lit up her face.
"Hi, Scott."
"Jean?"
She nodded, clearly uncomfortable and shy. Scott flashed her one of his patented charming smiles. That seemed to put her a little more at ease, but unfortunately Scott still felt pretty nervous.
"Yes," Xavier rolled out from behind his desk to a spot in between the two youngsters. "Scott, meet Jean Grey. Jean, Scott Summers"
Scott reached his hand out to shake hers.
"Why don't I leave you two alone for awhile. You can get to know each other without the old fuddy duddy making things weird."
Both of them chuckled as Xavier left the room, but that was the last sound either of them made for quite some time afterward. They both shifted uncomfortably in their seats, looking anywhere but at the other person.
Finally, Scott cleared his throat. "So…."
Jean looked at him and flashed him an amused smile. "I take it that you're as good at small talk as I am?"
"Oh, probably not even that good. Hey, that's one thing we have in common."
"And we're both mutants."
"See, that's more than enough for us to be able to become great friends."
"So tell me about yourself. Maybe we'll find out a third."
"What do you want to know?"
"Well….how did you end up here with Xavier?"
Her question immediately brought back both good and bad memories. It was a story he only told a handful of times, but he felt like he could tell it in his sleep. She settled back in her chair as he began telling her about Nora. She was a great audience, making the appropriate sounds and expressions.
She started straight at him pretty much the entire time he was talking. Usually something like that would unnerve him, especially since he still wasn't quite used to being able to see whether someone was looking at him. But, this time, it didn't seem so weird. In a way, it seemed right to be talking with her. Like they had been friends forever.
His voice went on autopilot, continuing with the story as he thought about why this felt so natural. A tiny sliver of guilt started to rise up in him as he relaxed, as he started to laugh more and more often, as he started to think about how pretty her smile was.
"And then, Xavier sent me to the school for the blind and…" Kim. Scott's voice failed him as the guilt came upon him full force. He had a perfect girlfriend who trusted him, and here he was about two minutes away from turning on the charming, flirtatious side of himself.
"And?"
"Uh…you know, I gotta do some stuff before dinner. Can we finish this later?"
Confusion and a little bit of hurt flitted across Jean's face, and Scott's heart constricted in guilt for that as well.
"Um, sure….uh…well, it was nice to finally meet you, Scott.
"You, too, Jean."
He practically ran out of the room, leaving the redhead sitting in the overstuffed armchair, looking tiny and alone. Slamming the door to his room open, he sat down on the bed and grabbed the phone by his bed. He dialed the familiar number and waited for someone to answer so he could talk to Kim.
