*Has no one told you she's not breathing.* Hello, Evanescence
The professor waited until everyone was seated. Then he began. " While you all were attending school today, Logan, Ororo and I received some interesting guests." "You mean uninvited, unwanted guest." Logan growled. The professor nodded. "I have to agree with you on those points. It seems they were looking for a mutant, a specific one. They claimed to be part of an underground organization trying to learn about us, but I doubt that's the case." The teens looked confused here. "Professor, couldn't you have read their minds? Found out what they really wanted?" Jean asked. The professor shook his head gravely. "It appears these people came here well prepared. They had a telepath in their midst, and she was not very weak. I decided not to press the matter. That is why I called you here. This mutant is on the run from them. They claim to have done nothing to her, but again, I doubt the sincerity of their words. Besides our duty to help her, there is a concern of national safety." A murmur broke out. The professor waited patiently to explain. "It appears this mutant has acquired some very important bits of information, pertaining to everything, including, this nation's security. That much I could read off these people. It is rather troubling to them to think of what would happen if she were to fall into the wrong hands." he trailed off, but it was obvious to the students his point was. Everyone was silent.
Finally Scott spoke. "We'll do what we can to find her. What information do we have on her? Appearance, mutation." The professor sighed. "We were only given her name, which also makes me wonder if these people truly wanted our help or not. The name we were given was Chameleon, which leads me to believe her mutation has something to do with reptiles." Again the room was silent. With out any true information on this mutant, the chances were slim of ever finding her. Finally, a soft sullen voice was heard in the back. "Would she have eyes like a lizard?"
All eyes turned to the now silent Jamie. Jean frowned. She could tell there was something definitely wrong with the usually bouncy Jamie who would have shouted his idea. The professor noticed it too. "I suppose Jamie. Why do you ask?" Jamie took a deep breath. "As I was walking to school this morning, I saw her. She saved me from being run over. I just. wasn't thinking." Jamie ducked his head so the others wouldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. "I gave her five dollars." He went on. "She ran when she saw my mutation. She was wearing a burlap sack" he said, trying to remember anything else about her. "Her hair was. red I think, but it was hard to tell because the sun kept getting in my eyes." The professor smiled. "Well that gives us more information than we had before. Thank you very much Jamie." There was a wave of gratitude towards Jamie, but he seemed not to notice, stuck in his own gloom. "I doubt that unusual eyes are her only mutation." Scott put in. "She couldn't infiltrate government buildings just by looking at them." Everyone looked at Scott and his glasses. "OK, fine. Forget I said that." he growled, cheeks slightly pink. "We'll keep a look out for her." "That's all I wanted" the professor said. "Thank you all."
Later that night, Jean walked up to Jamie's room. As she entered, she was surprised to see Kitty and Rogue both phasing through the wall just then too. I guess we're all worried, she reasoned. Jamie was lying face down on his bed. Kitty went over and tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned his tear-stained face towards them "What." he hiccuped. Jean came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?" she asked worried. "You weren't your chipper self today." Jamie seemed to be struggling to say something, but all that came out was an exasperated sob as he flopped onto his pillow again. Jean leaned over him. "May I look?" she said gently. Jamie gave a small nod, and Jean delved into his mind.
She saw a younger Jamie walking up the steps to his house after school. He was excited to show mommy what he had done in school. She hadn't been there that morning, so Jamie hadn't seen her all day. He would show her the special thing he could do, the one where he could make more of himself. He had just learned it that day. As Jamie turned the doorknob, he could tell something was wrong. When he opened the door, the first thing he heard was the end of a sentence. ".Found dead in a side alley by the office, her throat slit open, with a knife in her hand." Jamie's father heard him come in. He whirled around and faced his horror-stricken son. Forcing a sad smile through all the tears, he said "Jamie, there's something Daddy needs to tell you."
The police had finally decided that Jamie's mother had killed herself. But Jamie wouldn't believe it. He ran over to the policeman, pounding on his leg. "You're lying! Mommy's not dead! She wouldn't do that to us! She loves us! I love her! Mommy's not dead! SHE'S NOT DEAD!!!! SHE CAN'T BE!" In his grief, Jamie multiplied himself, much to the shock of the policeman. "Freak" he hissed as he slammed the door shut. Jamie collapsed on the floor in a heap, sobbing. His father came over and gave him a long hug. "Mommy's not really dead, is she Daddy?" Jamie asked pleading, his multiples each reflecting the pain and hope in his eyes. His father turned away from those eyes. In a choked voice he answered. "I sorry Jamie. Mommy's not coming back."
It was then that Jean snapped out of Jamie's mind, her face a mask of tears. Jamie started weeping again, reliving it through Jean, his body wracked with sobs. Rogue and Kitty looked at Jean questioning. She couldn't speak, so she just played it back to them in their minds, watching their expression change from horror to pained grief. Kitty pulled Jamie up and hugged him tight. Jean joined in, while Rogue stroked his head with a gloved hand. Together they let the tears flow, washing away the pain they had just witnessed.
The professor waited until everyone was seated. Then he began. " While you all were attending school today, Logan, Ororo and I received some interesting guests." "You mean uninvited, unwanted guest." Logan growled. The professor nodded. "I have to agree with you on those points. It seems they were looking for a mutant, a specific one. They claimed to be part of an underground organization trying to learn about us, but I doubt that's the case." The teens looked confused here. "Professor, couldn't you have read their minds? Found out what they really wanted?" Jean asked. The professor shook his head gravely. "It appears these people came here well prepared. They had a telepath in their midst, and she was not very weak. I decided not to press the matter. That is why I called you here. This mutant is on the run from them. They claim to have done nothing to her, but again, I doubt the sincerity of their words. Besides our duty to help her, there is a concern of national safety." A murmur broke out. The professor waited patiently to explain. "It appears this mutant has acquired some very important bits of information, pertaining to everything, including, this nation's security. That much I could read off these people. It is rather troubling to them to think of what would happen if she were to fall into the wrong hands." he trailed off, but it was obvious to the students his point was. Everyone was silent.
Finally Scott spoke. "We'll do what we can to find her. What information do we have on her? Appearance, mutation." The professor sighed. "We were only given her name, which also makes me wonder if these people truly wanted our help or not. The name we were given was Chameleon, which leads me to believe her mutation has something to do with reptiles." Again the room was silent. With out any true information on this mutant, the chances were slim of ever finding her. Finally, a soft sullen voice was heard in the back. "Would she have eyes like a lizard?"
All eyes turned to the now silent Jamie. Jean frowned. She could tell there was something definitely wrong with the usually bouncy Jamie who would have shouted his idea. The professor noticed it too. "I suppose Jamie. Why do you ask?" Jamie took a deep breath. "As I was walking to school this morning, I saw her. She saved me from being run over. I just. wasn't thinking." Jamie ducked his head so the others wouldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. "I gave her five dollars." He went on. "She ran when she saw my mutation. She was wearing a burlap sack" he said, trying to remember anything else about her. "Her hair was. red I think, but it was hard to tell because the sun kept getting in my eyes." The professor smiled. "Well that gives us more information than we had before. Thank you very much Jamie." There was a wave of gratitude towards Jamie, but he seemed not to notice, stuck in his own gloom. "I doubt that unusual eyes are her only mutation." Scott put in. "She couldn't infiltrate government buildings just by looking at them." Everyone looked at Scott and his glasses. "OK, fine. Forget I said that." he growled, cheeks slightly pink. "We'll keep a look out for her." "That's all I wanted" the professor said. "Thank you all."
Later that night, Jean walked up to Jamie's room. As she entered, she was surprised to see Kitty and Rogue both phasing through the wall just then too. I guess we're all worried, she reasoned. Jamie was lying face down on his bed. Kitty went over and tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned his tear-stained face towards them "What." he hiccuped. Jean came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?" she asked worried. "You weren't your chipper self today." Jamie seemed to be struggling to say something, but all that came out was an exasperated sob as he flopped onto his pillow again. Jean leaned over him. "May I look?" she said gently. Jamie gave a small nod, and Jean delved into his mind.
She saw a younger Jamie walking up the steps to his house after school. He was excited to show mommy what he had done in school. She hadn't been there that morning, so Jamie hadn't seen her all day. He would show her the special thing he could do, the one where he could make more of himself. He had just learned it that day. As Jamie turned the doorknob, he could tell something was wrong. When he opened the door, the first thing he heard was the end of a sentence. ".Found dead in a side alley by the office, her throat slit open, with a knife in her hand." Jamie's father heard him come in. He whirled around and faced his horror-stricken son. Forcing a sad smile through all the tears, he said "Jamie, there's something Daddy needs to tell you."
The police had finally decided that Jamie's mother had killed herself. But Jamie wouldn't believe it. He ran over to the policeman, pounding on his leg. "You're lying! Mommy's not dead! She wouldn't do that to us! She loves us! I love her! Mommy's not dead! SHE'S NOT DEAD!!!! SHE CAN'T BE!" In his grief, Jamie multiplied himself, much to the shock of the policeman. "Freak" he hissed as he slammed the door shut. Jamie collapsed on the floor in a heap, sobbing. His father came over and gave him a long hug. "Mommy's not really dead, is she Daddy?" Jamie asked pleading, his multiples each reflecting the pain and hope in his eyes. His father turned away from those eyes. In a choked voice he answered. "I sorry Jamie. Mommy's not coming back."
It was then that Jean snapped out of Jamie's mind, her face a mask of tears. Jamie started weeping again, reliving it through Jean, his body wracked with sobs. Rogue and Kitty looked at Jean questioning. She couldn't speak, so she just played it back to them in their minds, watching their expression change from horror to pained grief. Kitty pulled Jamie up and hugged him tight. Jean joined in, while Rogue stroked his head with a gloved hand. Together they let the tears flow, washing away the pain they had just witnessed.