FYI:

~Personal Thoughts~

~"Inner Voices"~

ESP

%The Written Word%

[Flashback]

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

* Com Link or Telephone *

*Sound Effects (usually just Kurt's bamfing)

{Background noise--music, crowds, etc.}

SPANKY

We'd visited the institute the weekend before so now I was swamped with packing up everything I owned. ~God I feel like I'm going on survivor. I can only take my most valuable possessions with me.~ I gazed at the open trunk that contained my various clothes. Most of it was t-shirts, jeans, and hoodies. There was the occasional sweater that I found to be nearly as comfy as a sweatshirt and had passed the bar.

"Lyss, why don't you take your dress." Mom was pulling my prom dress outta the back of my closet and I groaned.

"Mom, I'm not going to need that. Besides if I decide to got to the prom at Bayville, I'll get it over spring break."

"What about Homecoming? Or the Sadie Hopkins dance?"

"Mother…It's just wrong for a football player to wear a dress to homecoming. That's why I didn't go last year."

"And that's why Mark ended up skipping and spending the whole night out searching for you."

"Hey, that's not my fault. Trust me, I've tried telling him what to do. He doesn't listen."

"You two are more alike then you'd like to admit."

"That's why we're best friends." My mom sighed realizing defeat and left. I stared at the dress for several minutes then carefully placed it into the bottom of the trunk. I draped it over the album of pictures from my parents' wedding that I'd swiped when Mom wasn't looking. ~She won't ever notice it's gone. She's left in the attic for the past five years.~ My guitar was in it's case leaning against the end of the bed, where my cat was sleeping contentedly. "I'm gonna miss you, Midnight." She looked up and blinked her eyes sleepily as she stood up, turned a few times, then went back to sleeping.

"Hey gurlfriend." I looked up at Kelly and gave her a half-smile. "We're really going to miss you. You sure you wanna go to some prep school?"

"Yeah, it's prolly best this way."

"Want some help?"

"Sure…those books need packed." She groaned as she stared at my huge book collection.

"You're taking all of 'em?"

I laughed. "No, just the hard backs, all my Michael Crichtons, Carol Higgins Clarks, and Steven Kings."

"Your crazy. I don't understand how you can read this stuff."

"They're great. Why don't you take one? Seriously, you loved the movie, why don't you actually read Jurassic Park?"

"I'll borrow it from the library."

"Translation--I'll never read it." We exchanged smiles as we both went back to packing various stuff into boxes.

"So you're leaving tomorrow."

"Uh huh."

"You'll be back over Thanksgiving, right? Maybe the guys'll make it to states again and we can go watch 'em."

"Okay." She pulled down one of the books and began laughing. "What's so funny?"

"I wondered why you dragged me to that movie, Timeline. Now I know."

"Hey, you and Mark both liked it so there."

"He would like anything that you did. The other day I actually saw him trying to read one of this guy's books."

"Mark reading? You're kidding."

"Nope."

"I feel bad leaving you guys in a lurch in the middle of the season."

"Don't, Coach gave everyone the day off from practice so we could 'come to terms with our loss'."

"You make it sound as if I'm dead!" She smiled as she tossed the last of the books I requested into the box and turned to look around the barren room. Just about everything that had made it my room was now packed into one box or another.

"I'm really going to miss you." She threw her arms around me in a hug as she started crying.

"Yeah me too." I wasn't the weepy type. I couldn't remember the last time I cried. ~

"Okay." She pulled down one of the books and began laughing. "What's so funny?"

"I wondered why you dragged me to that movie, Timeline. Now I know."

"Hey, you and Mark both liked it so there."

"He would like anything that you did. The other day I actually saw him trying to read one of this guy's books."

"Mark reading? You're kidding."

"Nope."

"I feel bad leaving you guys in a lurch in the middle of the season."

"Don't, Coach gave everyone the day off from practice so we could 'come to terms with our loss'."

"You make it sound as if I'm dead!" She smiled as she tossed the last of the books I requested into the box and turned to look around the barren room. Just about everything that had made it my room was now packed into one box or another.

"I'm really going to miss you." She threw her arms around me in a hug as she started crying.

"Yeah me too." I wasn't the weepy type. I couldn't remember the last time I cried. ~Yeah, I can. It was when my dad quit talking to me on my twelfth birthday.~

"You'll e-mail me and IM me right?"

"Of course."

"I'm serious, don't be like your usual self and forget or something."

"I won't everyday you'll get a nice li'l voice that says 'You've got mail'."

"I better get going then."

"I'll see you around then."

"Bye."

"Bye." Neither of us moved. It was like one of those dumb sappy love stories where I almost expected one of us to start 'you hang up first', 'no you hang up first'. She eventually let me out of her bear hug and left. That's when the tears started falling. I eventually cried myself to sleep that night.

"Ally, Mark's here to help you load the truck."

"Right-o Mom." I carried one of the lighter boxes into the living room and greeted Mark who was standing awkwardly in the dining room. "Hey big guy."

"Hey there short stuff." I frowned. Ever since I was li'l I'd wanted to be tall so the worst thing you could say to me was short. Of course he was doing it just to get me riled up. "So where's this monstrous trunk your mom was telling me about?"

"Back here." I led him back the hall to my now barren room and he let out a whistle.

"So there are walls in here. Couldn't tell before with all the posters."

"Shut up and grab an end." He grinned as he easily lifted one end into the air nearly pulling my arms outta their sockets.

"You gonna be able to manage this when you get there?"

"I hope so. There must be someone who'll help."

"If not you could just live outta the back of your truck." I shot him a death glare as he walked down the stairs to the parking lot backwards.

"Watch it, if I push to hard you're going for a nice li'l trip." We heaved the trunk up and slid it into the back of my truck. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed me back inside for the various other stuff. An hour later we'd toted it all down and were standing over the truck bed tying down a tarp.

"Think you've got enough stuff?"

"Nope. Still wish I could take Midnight with me, but there's kids there allergic to pets or something."

"I could take her to the farm. She'd have a grand ol' time chasing mice all day."

"She's an indoor cat, Mark. Not one of you mousers." I gave one of the bungee cords a tug to see that it held. It did so I walked over and pulled open the driver's door t' check that my cell phone was charging properly. ~Last thing I need is to get lost, or break down in the Poconos. Done that once, and that was enough for me.~ I stood back up and nearly knocked into him.

"Geez watch it, Frederick. You're going to give me a heart attack yet." He smiled as he placed a hand under my chin and tilted my face up.

"There's one thing I wanted to do before you left. Might never get the chance again."

"It's not like I'm falling off the face of the earth. I'll be back on breaks and I'll be writing nearly everyday via e-mail." He shook his head at my naivete. He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips. I gasped at this change as he pulled back.

"It wasn't that bad was it?"

"No…I…you surprised me." He smiled before kissing me again. This time I found myself falling into it as the kiss deepened. We pulled back when we heard applause from the porch above. "Mootthhheeeerrr." Mark laughed as he jumped into his own truck and prepared to peel out.

"Don't forget a weekly phone call as well." I rolled my eyes at him as he disappeared down the quarter mile drive.

"You know it took you two long enough."

"You could have at least kept from clapping."

"Heat of the moment thing. Ready to go?" There was a touch of sadness in her voice. She was going to ride along with me in the truck so that I wasn't alone for four hours straight.

"I guess." For someone who was in her late forties, my mom didn't act it. If anything she was like Kelly, hyperactive, positive, rambunctious, and more often than not, right on when it came to guys. For someone who could understand the guys in my life so easily, she had had enough troubles figuring out her own. She'd been married and divorced four times. My dad had been lucky number three, but the guy that followed, was a real ass hole. Turned out that after they were married for eight years, he was into child porn. As you can guess, he got dumped right quick.

I got behind the steering wheel and pumped up the music as my mom got into the passenger seat. She frowned as Avril Levigne came on singing 'Naked'. "What?"

"Change it." I grumbled and fumbled with the radio as we moved down the drive. The next station that came up was classical and quickly got changed. Evanescence came up next with 'Going Under' and I received yet another reproachful glare. Again I flicked the radio station as I got onto the main highway. I groaned as Britney Spears came over the waves with her scratchy voice. The final station to come through on a clear signal was country. My mom smiled and I shrugged. ~Anything's better than Britney.~

We'd been driving for several hours before this process was repeated. Of course this time I argued and won the point that this was a chance for my mom to learn an appreciation for punk and rock. For the most part we were silent only doing tiny bits of small talk about traffic, weather, the Mets, upcoming football, such is life.

I was grateful that my mom appreciated my athletic side. She had always thought I was going to be a boy and had even picked the Jonathon Edward Williams. My grandfather Williams had a conniption at the thought of his grandson having the initials JEW. My parents hadn't even considered a girl's name so I was named after my mom's best friend at the time and was given my great grandmother's name Nicole for a middle name. ~I'm not going to find someone like Mom any where else. God I'm going to miss her. I'm definitely coming back every break though. Gotta knock some sense into Mark, harass Kelly some, and keep Mom from going depressed due to loneliness.~

Ever since I'd started high school Mom had become ever more intune to the fact that I would eventually be going to college and growing up and away from her. It didn't help that I kept saying I wanted to go to some huge college where I could blend in and then move back to D.C. or New York City. Now I was going to a private school where I could only visit her on breaks.

I glanced at her but she was lost in thought as she stared out the window at the Poconos as we flew through. My mouth twitched up in a half smile. "You know we could take a detour to the city for a ball game. Subway series this weekend."

"That would be nice, but you'll have plenty of time for things like that with your new friends. Why waste an afternoon with your old mom."

"Cause I love you mother dearest of mine." She gave me a weak smile. I always called her that when I knew she wasn't really paying attention. The drawn out title seemed to usually bring her back to reality. The rest of the drive to Bayville went in utter silence except for the occasional argument when stations fizzed out.

"Welcome to Bayville." I read the sign as I sped past it at a good seventy miles per hour. Now that I was here I was almost regretting my decision. ~I should just turn around and face this alone. No, not alone. Mom and Mark and Kelly would be there for me.~

"You're doing the right thing."

"Thanks, Mom. I'm just really confused right now. Everything just changed on me at once. I'm different now…Mark's screwing with my head…even you, you're different too." She looked at me confused which I caught outta the corner of my eye. "I mean, with you just buying the shop, you've been really busy lately."

"You don't think I've abandoned you do you?"

"Aww…Mom. Of course not. You've had it rough, and you're an awesome mother. Some kids have got two parents who can't even tell you what homeroom they're in. But you, you're at nearly every game, talk to all my teachers, know the guidance counselor's extension by heart…you're a super mom, literally." She smiled as I pulled onto the country lane that would lead to the Xavier Institute. If it wouldn't have been for mom driving us up her the weekend before, I'd never have found the place.

Several miles down the road I came across the iron gates of the Institute and punched the intercom. "Err…hello. This is Allison."

"Like hey, just a minute. We're like totally expecting you." I raised an eyebrow at the girl's eager voice on the other end as I shot Mom a strange look.

"At least they seem happy to have you."

"A li'l too happy if you ask me." She smiled as the gate opened allowing me to drive my Chevy in. I parked it at the front steps to the main door where Logan was standing waiting. "Wow, this place offers valet parking?" The corner of his mouth twitched as if he was fighting a smile. ~He'll be one to crack.~ I had a way of making even the toughest teachers back at school crack down and claim me as teacher's pet. It was a good skill to have when you needed a teacher to cover your back on a plan.

I tossed him the keys and shook my finger mockingly. "Scratch this baby of mine and you're a dead man walking." Another twitch at the corner of his mouth as I walked up the front steps with my mom. Professor Xavier was there in the front foyer with Miss Frost ready to greet us.

"I'm glad you decided to come back." He had his chin rested on his hands as if he was deep in thought. I glanced around looking at the elegance of the place and finding it hard to believe that a dozen teens lived here. Of course I'd already briefly met most of them. One of the girls, Jubilee, I think had told me that two of them were in New Orleans though, but they'd eventually be back. From what I'd heard the missing ones were Rogue, a real bad ass who seemed to have everyone here licked, and Remy, one of those real suave macho types.

"Come on you're a psychic, you knew all along I'd be back." I shot him a winning smile which he returned. I heard laughter coming from down a side hall and curiosity got the best of me. While Mom talked to the two adults I drifted away and peered down the hall. I couldn't see anything except for several arched doorways leading off. The laughter came from one of the open ones.

I glanced back and saw that no one was paying me any attention so I walked down the hall to inspect. I stopped in the doorway to see a bunch of guys wrestling over a game controller.

"Come on man, it's my turn."

"No way, you played the last game Icepick."

"Guthrie…"

"Drake…" The two guys had each other in headlocks as the yanked at the controller. A younger boy walked past took the controller and sat down on the couch and started the next game with a tanned boy. The two of 'em stopped in shock and glanced at the younger boy.

"You're dead, Jamie."

"If something happens to me, you'll have Rogue to mess with when she gets back." ~There's that Rogue name again. Guess she really is the local bad ass.~ I smirked at the boy with longer blonde hair as he released the other boy who had shorter brown hair.

I gazed at the blonde boy remembering Mark who'd I'd last seen only four and a half short hours ago and already missed. He noticed my presence and smiled. "Howdy."

"Hey ya all." This caused him to smile even more. He came rushing over to my side and took me by the arm and led me towards the couch where the other three guys were sitting.

"Say that again."

"Um…hey ya all."

"Thank you God! Another southerner."

"Um…not really. I've lived in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Not all that far south."

"Don't matter, you talk like it. You eat grits?"

"Yeah, you don't ever live south of the Mason-Dixon Line longer than a week and not."

"Then you're a southerner." His reasoning caught me off guard as I let my gaze fall on the other boys.

The brown haired boy nudged the tanned one in the ribs with an elbow and smirked. "Guess what we'll be eating now for a while."

"You guys like shit and shingles?" My question caused all of them to wrinkle their noses and look at me like I was completely nuts. "It's dried beef gravy on toast. Really good. I'll make it sometime."

"Yeah, sure whatever you say." The brown haired kid looked at me disbelievingly.

"I'm game." The younger boy, prolly around thirteen or fourteen, looked like the dare devil type who would've eaten worms if you told him to.

"Sorry, but I draw the line at food called shit." The tan boy I figured was Hispanic or from South America somewheres.

"What about you?" I spoke to the blonde who only smiled.

"I've heard of worse things."

"Kid, there you are. You ready to say goodbye and get settled in?" I turned to see Logan and yanked my arm back from the blond boy's grasp.

"You bet." I followed him outta the room waving back over my shoulder at the four guys. ~I think I've found my niche.~

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

So what do you think so far? Good or bad? Drop or keep? You tell me.

Thank you Ladie-giggles and Nie Starwhistler for the reviews.