Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, if I did you could sue me and I'd still have a lot of money. Sorry to pop your bubble. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So," John said as he walked out of the class with Rogue, Bobby, and Mikaia.

"Why?" Rogue whispered as she whirled on him.

"Because I felt needed Rogue," he answered, "and don't even start saying ya'll wanted me here, 'cuz I know you did. I'm not proud of what I did, Rogue. I just thought that maybe I could just try it out for a while. But I just didn't work out, k? Trust me; I regretted it the minute I got there."

"Trust?" Bobby spat. "Why should we trust you?"

"Ya know what? I'd love to tell you that he beat me everyday and you're all I have left, I even wish I could beg for your forgiveness," John said. "But we both know that ain't gonna happen. So I'm gonna say this: trust me if ya want, but I'll understand if ya don't." Then smirking he added, "At least not right-away."

Smiling Bobby held his hand out to John.

"Still the same cocky bastard," Bobby said as he shook his old friend's hand. "Welcome back, Pyro."

"Thanx Iceman," John said smiling.

Suddenly Mikaia started running down the hall.

"What's with her?" John asked.

Checking her watch Rogue started after Mikaia calling back, "Class!"

Bobby and John looked at each other and then took after the girls. They made it to the next class, Mechanics, in less than 4 minutes. Yet Scott still requested answers to their tardiness.

"We were talking with John, Mr. Summers," Bobby said.

"Mikaia?" Scott questioned. The girl nodded, motioning to John and then Bobby and Rogue. "Will you talk?" Mikaia shook her head as though the thought appalled her.

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Meanwhile, John was asking Rogue and Bobby about the silent girl.

"Who is she?" John asked Bobby.

"Her name's Mikaia Collin. Supposedly she's an earth manipulator. You know, controls plants, talks to animals? But I've never seen any of it," Bobby said.

"And why doesn't she talk?" he asked.

"Nobody knows, 'cept the professor," Rogue said. "She been here for two months, but she won't say a word, she's usually on her own anyway. Though Ah've noticed she walks around the gardens a lot. Why do you care so much?"

"Just wondering as to the background of my savior," John muttered.

"What?" Bobby asked pulling John form his thoughts.

"Said I was just wondering," John said a bit louder.

"Class!" Scott suddenly called. Everyone became still. "Thank you. Now on with our lesson today.."

After awhile John stopped listening and his mind wandered toward more appealing things than carburetors. Before he even realized it, class was over.

"C'mon," Rouge said pulling John from his thoughts.

"Huh? What?" he asked as he looked around him.

"John, class is over," Bobby said.

"Right, knew that," he said gathering his things.

"'Kaia? Comin'? Rouge called to the silent girl who was sitting on the garage floor writing.

The raven haired girl stood and nodded. She picked up her things and started to the door behind the others, when suddenly gravity came into play.

"SHIT!" Mikaia yelled.

"Kaia?" Rogue said.

"Did you just say..."Bobby started.

"Yes, dip-shit, she did," John said as he helped Mikaia gather her things.

"Are ya gonna start talkin' now?' Rogue asked as John and Mikaia stood up.

Mikaia looked shocked, then hurt. She turned on her heel and ran, clutching her things to her chest.

"Rogue," John started calmly, but she saw the fire in his eyes, "one day.."

John didn't finish what he started just glared at the girl and ran after Mikaia. From the slamming sounds, the earth manipulator was headed out into the gardens behind the school. John slowed as he looked for the girl through the bushes, flowers, and small trees. Then he saw he by the fountain of a woman dressed in deep blue with a bird on her shoulder, a snake in her arms, and a wolf at her feet. As he approached the girl he heard her whispering things to herself.

"*Mère de la terre, Protecteur de toutes les vies, Je cherche pour que vous pardonniez, la haine que je me sens, la douleur qui est toute trop vraie. Donnez-moi l'amour que je n'ai jamais su, laissez ma voix parler seulement vrai. Et débarrassé me de ma douleur, et les secrets qui sont mon fléau. Béni par thee, Je peux seulement espérer être. Je vous remercie, Maîtresse des bêtes, Madame de la forêt, Déesse d'Avalon. Amen," Mikaia finished her prayer.

"Mikaia?" John said softly.

She turned to face him, "Yes?"

"Are you gonna be alright?" he asked looking at her tear filled eyes.

"Yes, I'll be fine John," she said and John heard a hint of an Irish accent in her voice. Turning his eyes to the fountain he asked, "Who's that?"

"You don't know of the Goddess?" Mikaia asked. John shook his head. "She is the one who protects the earth and all that comes from if. She is the Lady of the Lake of Avalon."

"Avalon's a real place?" John asked. Mikaia smiled and nodded. "I thought it was just a fairy tale."

"Nay, Avalon is the home of many who serve the Goddess. They are all gifted with their own powers," Mikaia said touching the water from the fountain.

"Why aren't you there?" John asked.

"You must be of a great family or be hand chosen by the Head Priestess," Mikaia said frowning. "I was neither."

"Oh," was all John could manage.

"My mother came here with me when she heard of the Institute," Mikaia said. "My da didn't know until we had already left."

John nodded as the information melted into him. He was very curious as to the background of the girl.

"What about your silence?" he asked.

"A small vow that has been fulfilled today," Mikaia said, brushing it off quickly. "What of your power?"

John noticed her sudden change of subject but didn't remark as he started telling her about his power to manipulate fire. Yet as he told her he noticed her eyes sometime drifting to the statute above them and linger their before returning to his.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ *Mother of the Earth, Protector of all the Lives, I seek for you to forgive, the hate I feel, the pain that is all too real. Give me the love I never knew, let my voice speak only true. And rid me of my pain, and the secrets that are my bane. Blessed by thee, I can only hope to be. I thank you, Mistress of Beasts, Lady of the Forest, Goddess of Avalon. Amen.

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