Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men Evolution or any of the characters except Ali. I made her up, as you can hopefully tell. Good Lord, I hope you can tell I made her up…
A rattling cough woke Rogue up the next morning. The groggy mutant rolled over in bed to find her friend coughing and practically choking from the lack of air. Rogue jumped out of her bed and over to Ali's, where she began to rub the girl's back to try and ease the pain of the coughs.
"Damn, Al," she said, shaking her head. "Ya're really sick."
Ali nodded in the midst of her coughing spasm. "I know," she replied hoarsely.
Rogue sighed. "Looks like you'll have to stay in bed today," she added.
"I don't want to," she moaned.
Rogue narrowed her eyes. "Ya're staying in bed," she ordered.
Ali groaned and lay back down on the pillows. "Fine," she muttered, angry that she had lost her fight with Rogue.
Rogue smiled. "Ah'll get ya some medicine and be right back." With that, the teen left Ali alone in the room.
Ali sighed and looked around. She hated being sick. Then again, everyone else in the world did, too. She turned over on her side as she was suddenly attacked with yet another coughing spasm. She moaned and fell onto her back. Rogue had better get back soon.
Just as she formed the thought, Rogue walked into the room carrying a glass of water and some aspirin. Ali took the aspirin and down the glass of water in a few seconds.
"Rest," Rogue ordered, leaving the sick mutant on her own.
Ali did nothing but that. She slept, coughed, read, and coughed all day. For dinner, she drank some tomato soup and orange juice (separately) and then went back to sleep.
The next day she was much better. She dressed in a long sleeve shirt and her black hoodie for school and headed off after taking more medicine.
School, if it were possible, was more boring than ever. Homework was piled on them constantly. Around lunchtime, though, things took a turn for the better.
Ali was trying to open her locker to pull out some lunch money when she heard a voice behind her.
"Need some help opening that, sheila?"
Ali turned around, not believing what she had heard. Standing behind her was the cocky Aussie, wearing a black sweatshirt and grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Miss me?"
Ali threw her arms around him, laughing for some reason. "John! What are you doing here?" she asked.
John shrugged. "I dropped out of school a while ago. And when Mags finally kicks the bucket, I wanna know that I can actually pay for my apartment. So I decided to come to school to graduate. Maybe with a high school education, I'll get a good job," he explained with a toothy grin.
"Is that the only reason?" Ali asked.
John nodded. "Yeah, that's about it," he replied.
Ali rolled her eyes and John laughed. "I'm just joshin' you," he replied.
"I know."
"So, do you really need help with that?" he asked, motioning towards her locker.
Ali nodded. John expertly spun the dial of the locker as Ali told him her numbers. He got the locker open on his first try.
"Show off," Ali muttered teasingly.
"Only for you."
"You're a smart aleck, too."
"I give that pleasure to everyone."
Ali rolled her eyes. "Did you already eat?" she asked.
John nodded. "I'm not eating any cafeteria food that is hazardous to the health, sheila," he replied, a tone of disgust in his voice.
Ali shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, trying to hide a small smile.
She went through the line while John waited. Then they went to the table that was going to be the most hostile towards John:
The table full of the other X-Men.
Scott jumped up when he spotted John. "What are you doing here?" he asked, gritting his teeth to stop him from saying anything that might start a fight.
John shrugged. "I'm here to get an education, if that's alright with you," he replied nonchalantly. "After all, it seems like everyone's pushing for young people to be educated in a school environment."
Scott clenched his jaw. "Why are you with Ali?" he asked through clenched teeth.
"Cause she's my friend and I wanna hang out with her. You got a problem with that?" John challenged.
"Yeah, I do."
"Scott, stop," Jean ordered, her eyes narrowed dangerously at her boyfriend. She turned to John, her gaze softening to a kind one. "You can join us if you like, John."
John grinned brightly. "Thanks," he replied. "Those Brotherhood boys have no manners at all and not as civilized as you are."
Scott bit his tongue, literally. He didn't want to say anything else that might make Jean mad. It wasn't exactly a good idea to have a telepath angry with you. So he remained silent for the remainder of the lunch hour.
Meanwhile, the other X-Men tried to talk to John the best they could, seeing that he was the enemy. But John talked with them as if nothing was wrong, making the tension in the group fall slightly.
Finally, the hour ended and the students went to their own classes. John turned out to be in Ali's chemistry class. She quickly stopped him when he began to pull out his lighter around the chemicals.
"Don't," she hissed.
"Why not?" John asked.
"You just can't," she replied.
"Don't you ever want to have any fun?" he asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes, but not by blowing up a wing of the school!"
"You can really do that with these few chemicals?"
"John!"
"Alright, I won't," he replied with a sigh of defeat.
Somehow, maybe it was the fact that Ali wouldn't speak to him if he did blow anything up, but John kept his lighter in his pocket and his craving to cause explosions under control.
The walk home was much more enjoyable than before. But that might have been because John was walking with them.
Kitty and Kurt didn't seem to mind anymore, and neither did Rogue. But Rogue never had minded. Scott had opted to drive home, and Jean only went with him to keep him company and to try and calm the rage that was now flowing through him.
They reached the gate to the Institute, but for some reason, John didn't turn to leave.
Ali gave him a quizzical look. "Aren't you going to leave?" she asked. "Not that mind, it's just…"
"I want to talk to your professor," he replied. "Maybe he can help me."
Ali's eyes widened with surprise and then she smiled. The grin reached all the way to her eyes, filling the green pools with happiness. "Okay," she replied softly. She reached out and held his hand, sensing that he was nervous. He gripped her hand firmly, but gently, and they continued on through the metal entrance of the Institute.
Logan was watching and waiting at the front door. His eyes narrowed and he growled menacingly. "What are you doing here, Acolyte?" he snarled. The stupid mutant shouldn't even be at the Institute.
John shifted his backpack nervously on his shoulder. He would never say it aloud, but Wolverine scared him, right down to his very core. For now, he settled for glaring at the mutant to disguise his feelings.
Wolverine half grinned. He could smell it: fear. The pyromaniac was afraid of him. That only made threatening him even more fun.
"I want you to get off the property right now, or I'll—" Logan was suddenly cut off the Professor.
"Logan, let me speak to the young man. I believe he's here to see me," Professor Xavier cut in.
John looked at the Professor with a hardened gaze and curtly nodded. The Professor smiled for some reason, and motioned for John to follow him.
Ali watched and waiting in the foyer for John to reappear afterwards. I hope it goes ok in there, she thought nervously.
Little did she know, but things were going quite well.
John sat down in one of the leather chairs across from Professor Xavier. He fidgeted with his hands slightly, avoiding eye contact with the telepath.
"John, may I ask why you wanted to see me?" the Professor asked kindly.
"You already know, don't you?" John asked, shifting his gaze from side to side.
The professor shook his head.
"Well," John said, "I want to come to the Institute, but Magneto's forcing me to stay with the Acolytes."
The Professor's eyes narrowed. He nodded and rolled around his desk. "I can and will help you in any way I can, John," he replied. "But you need to let me and help me help you. Are you willing to do that?"
John nodded. "I want to come here," he repeated.
The professor nodded. "Well then, John, you may stay here. I shall fix everything with Magneto. John, I'm glad you asked me for help," he said with a small smile.
John smiled back and left. He found Ali waiting nervously in the foyer. He grinned.
"Why so nervous, Ali?" he asked.
"How'd everything go?" she inquired, ignoring his question.
John's grin only broadened. "I'm staying."
Ali gave a cry of delight and flung her arms around him. John wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her around, listening to her clear, musical laughter.
Scott, meanwhile, watched from the stairs above. He frowned. He didn't like Ali together with him. And he would make sure John knew that.
***
Hello! Sorry I posted late, I've been really busy. I'm so happy! I have 30 reviews! Yay! Well, onto…Reviews!!
o scorched eggy: yeah, I know it was sappy, not like me. But hey, you need a few sappy endings sometimes. Glad I'm not sappy. Sorry, but Josh would have a field day if I was…*shudder*
damien455: I'm glad you liked the whole danger room thing. I hope you like this, too!
Karakin: I'll try to add more Kurt. Sorry I didn't this chapter, but I was already halfway through writing it when I got your review. I promise more next time. By the way, I like the suggestion…more about that next chapter too.
R&R!
~Jojo~