BNW: 3/?
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3:00 – XAVIER INSTITUTE
"If he said no, it's no."
"Wolverine, c'mon...."
"Whining won't get you anywhere with me an' you know it. Your grades are slipping. If I was the Professor, I'd say no too."
"Only in math. I hate math and it hates me." she countered stubbornly.
"Math doesn't like anybody, Marie. Changes nothing. You got a tutoring session scheduled with Jean tonight an' that's where you're gonna be. You'll get to see the new guy soon enough."
"But..."
"But? I'll drag your butt into the danger room and kick it from one end to the other if you keep this up. The answer is no."
"Okay, okay.... If I promise to really try in my session tonight, can I still be the first to see him? Of the kids anyway."
"I'll talk to Jean when we get back. If she says you did good..... we'll see."
Rogue grinned, turned and practically bounced up the main stairs. Logan groaned under his breath and rolled his eyes, but he also smiled slightly. He knew he should be discouraging her budding teenage crush but he found himself constantly indulging her instead.
{Hell, I'll probably never have kids of my own. Of course fate's gonna drop a stubborn, independent teenager on my head as revenge for what I probably put my folks through. I should just relax and enjoy it.}
Running a hand over his face he moved off, headed for the elevator, an hour or two of private training and meditation and a quick shower before he had to leave to pick up the newest member of their team at a private airstrip.
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5:00 P.M.: INSTITUTE MEDICAL FACILITIES
"Is everything ready, Jean?"
"As ready as it can be, Charles. There was so little information in his file, all I can do is prepare for anything and everything and hope there are no problems I haven't anticipated."
"I understand your concern, but the secrecy was necessary. It's what allows this man to do his job. He's the ultimate example of the element of surprise and if that were compromised even in the slightest it could mean his life."
"I know. I've done the best I can. I just pray it's enough."
"Logan and the others should be leaving soon to collect Mr. Fawkes. I need to speak with them before they go."
"Alright. I'll be ready and waiting with the reversal formula when they get back."
"Good. It will work quickly?"
"It won't be instantaneous, but he'll be seeing almost normally within a few hours and his vision will be as perfect as it ever was by morning. Not that I know how well he could see before...."
"Jean."
"I'm going to be caring for this man, Charles. I'm allowed some amount of frustration and anxiety about not having his full medical history, aren't I?"
"Of course you are. This will be a difficult few weeks for all of us Jean, but it will be hardest on him. Try to remember that, hmm?"
She nodded solemnly and watched her friend and mentor roll slowly out into the corridor, a little ashamed that he'd had to remind her who would be going through the toughest transition over the next several days. Silently, she returned her attention to the checklist in her hand and began shifting, crossing out and adding items, determined to make Darien Fawkes' time at the school as stress-free as possible.
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"A package retrieval tomorrow morning? Yeah. No problem, Charles. I'll push back my first class an hour, that's all. Will you let the kids know?"
"Absolutely. Thank you, Logan. It's vital that this shipment be brought safely back to Jean. Our guest's life depends on it."
"I understand. I'll get it home in one piece."
"And our guest as well, I trust?"
"Funny. Very funny. You got a twisted sense of humor, Xavier." Logan commented wryly as he powered up the enormous ebony jet and prepared it for flight. "Where's Cyke, damn it? He's gonna make us late for the rendezvous."
Scott Summers jogged up the boarding ramp a few seconds later, still tugging his jacket on.
"I'm right here, and I've told you before, either call me Scott or Cyclops. I don't appreciate nicknames."
"Why else would I use them?"
Scott's lips thinned and he looked as if would gladly escalate the verbal argument into hand to hand combat, but a third passenger stepped out of the shadows at the back of the plane and intervened.
"Scott, relax. We're on a schedule here, remember? You and Logan trying to kill each other isn't part of the agenda."
Summers gazed at the stunning black woman for several tense seconds, then walked away to belt himself into a seat.
"Thank you, Ororo."
"My pleasure, Charles, but I don't mind breaking up their little spats. If they can't behave, I'll stretch my power a bit. Perhaps a nice summer shower when we land will cool them down."
"Perhaps it will at that."
Logan grunted and Scott huffed loudly, but neither man spoke to the other.
"Much better, gentlemen." She praised them, sliding her hair behind her ears as she buckled herself in. As soon as Charles had made his way back down to the hangar floor, Logan sealed the plane and the trio took off.
Half an hour later, they landed at the airstrip to find the other plane already waiting for them. The three disembarked and cautiously made their way toward the men unloading the stretcher which held the purpose for their journey.
"My God. He looks so young.... so vulnerable." Storm exclaimed quietly on seeing Darien's face for the first time. "How can he possibly be all Charles told us he is?"
"We'll find that out when he's not under sedation anymore. We all look sweet and innocent when we're asleep." Logan replied.
"Except you. You never look like anything less than the predator you are." Scott said darkly. Wolverine snarled and turned on him, but a crash of thunder and a sudden gathering of dark clouds over their heads forestalled any action the older man might have taken.
"We have a job to do." Storm reminded them sternly. "This man's safety is now in our hands. Take that responsibility seriously."
Scott had the grace to look guilty and apologetic, though he spared a glare for his opponent. Logan merely grinned, moved to the foot of the stretcher and waited for the other man to take up his position at the head. As one they lifted the unconscious man and began walking with him toward the plane, Storm remaining on watch for anyone intent on robbing them of their precious cargo. Once the stretcher was safely inside, Storm skimmed and signed the papers the delivery men showed her then returned to the jet. Kneeling beside Darien, she touched his face tenderly and spoke gently to him, then more firmly to Wolverine.
"Your journey is almost over. Just one more short flight and you'll be able to truly rest. Take us home quickly, Logan."
"You see something out there I need to worry about?"
"No. I'm simply listening to a sudden protective instinct. I'll feel better when I know he's under Jean's care."
"Strap yourself in, then, and we'll get gone."
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TBC........
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3:00 – XAVIER INSTITUTE
"If he said no, it's no."
"Wolverine, c'mon...."
"Whining won't get you anywhere with me an' you know it. Your grades are slipping. If I was the Professor, I'd say no too."
"Only in math. I hate math and it hates me." she countered stubbornly.
"Math doesn't like anybody, Marie. Changes nothing. You got a tutoring session scheduled with Jean tonight an' that's where you're gonna be. You'll get to see the new guy soon enough."
"But..."
"But? I'll drag your butt into the danger room and kick it from one end to the other if you keep this up. The answer is no."
"Okay, okay.... If I promise to really try in my session tonight, can I still be the first to see him? Of the kids anyway."
"I'll talk to Jean when we get back. If she says you did good..... we'll see."
Rogue grinned, turned and practically bounced up the main stairs. Logan groaned under his breath and rolled his eyes, but he also smiled slightly. He knew he should be discouraging her budding teenage crush but he found himself constantly indulging her instead.
{Hell, I'll probably never have kids of my own. Of course fate's gonna drop a stubborn, independent teenager on my head as revenge for what I probably put my folks through. I should just relax and enjoy it.}
Running a hand over his face he moved off, headed for the elevator, an hour or two of private training and meditation and a quick shower before he had to leave to pick up the newest member of their team at a private airstrip.
-----------------------
5:00 P.M.: INSTITUTE MEDICAL FACILITIES
"Is everything ready, Jean?"
"As ready as it can be, Charles. There was so little information in his file, all I can do is prepare for anything and everything and hope there are no problems I haven't anticipated."
"I understand your concern, but the secrecy was necessary. It's what allows this man to do his job. He's the ultimate example of the element of surprise and if that were compromised even in the slightest it could mean his life."
"I know. I've done the best I can. I just pray it's enough."
"Logan and the others should be leaving soon to collect Mr. Fawkes. I need to speak with them before they go."
"Alright. I'll be ready and waiting with the reversal formula when they get back."
"Good. It will work quickly?"
"It won't be instantaneous, but he'll be seeing almost normally within a few hours and his vision will be as perfect as it ever was by morning. Not that I know how well he could see before...."
"Jean."
"I'm going to be caring for this man, Charles. I'm allowed some amount of frustration and anxiety about not having his full medical history, aren't I?"
"Of course you are. This will be a difficult few weeks for all of us Jean, but it will be hardest on him. Try to remember that, hmm?"
She nodded solemnly and watched her friend and mentor roll slowly out into the corridor, a little ashamed that he'd had to remind her who would be going through the toughest transition over the next several days. Silently, she returned her attention to the checklist in her hand and began shifting, crossing out and adding items, determined to make Darien Fawkes' time at the school as stress-free as possible.
----------------------
"A package retrieval tomorrow morning? Yeah. No problem, Charles. I'll push back my first class an hour, that's all. Will you let the kids know?"
"Absolutely. Thank you, Logan. It's vital that this shipment be brought safely back to Jean. Our guest's life depends on it."
"I understand. I'll get it home in one piece."
"And our guest as well, I trust?"
"Funny. Very funny. You got a twisted sense of humor, Xavier." Logan commented wryly as he powered up the enormous ebony jet and prepared it for flight. "Where's Cyke, damn it? He's gonna make us late for the rendezvous."
Scott Summers jogged up the boarding ramp a few seconds later, still tugging his jacket on.
"I'm right here, and I've told you before, either call me Scott or Cyclops. I don't appreciate nicknames."
"Why else would I use them?"
Scott's lips thinned and he looked as if would gladly escalate the verbal argument into hand to hand combat, but a third passenger stepped out of the shadows at the back of the plane and intervened.
"Scott, relax. We're on a schedule here, remember? You and Logan trying to kill each other isn't part of the agenda."
Summers gazed at the stunning black woman for several tense seconds, then walked away to belt himself into a seat.
"Thank you, Ororo."
"My pleasure, Charles, but I don't mind breaking up their little spats. If they can't behave, I'll stretch my power a bit. Perhaps a nice summer shower when we land will cool them down."
"Perhaps it will at that."
Logan grunted and Scott huffed loudly, but neither man spoke to the other.
"Much better, gentlemen." She praised them, sliding her hair behind her ears as she buckled herself in. As soon as Charles had made his way back down to the hangar floor, Logan sealed the plane and the trio took off.
Half an hour later, they landed at the airstrip to find the other plane already waiting for them. The three disembarked and cautiously made their way toward the men unloading the stretcher which held the purpose for their journey.
"My God. He looks so young.... so vulnerable." Storm exclaimed quietly on seeing Darien's face for the first time. "How can he possibly be all Charles told us he is?"
"We'll find that out when he's not under sedation anymore. We all look sweet and innocent when we're asleep." Logan replied.
"Except you. You never look like anything less than the predator you are." Scott said darkly. Wolverine snarled and turned on him, but a crash of thunder and a sudden gathering of dark clouds over their heads forestalled any action the older man might have taken.
"We have a job to do." Storm reminded them sternly. "This man's safety is now in our hands. Take that responsibility seriously."
Scott had the grace to look guilty and apologetic, though he spared a glare for his opponent. Logan merely grinned, moved to the foot of the stretcher and waited for the other man to take up his position at the head. As one they lifted the unconscious man and began walking with him toward the plane, Storm remaining on watch for anyone intent on robbing them of their precious cargo. Once the stretcher was safely inside, Storm skimmed and signed the papers the delivery men showed her then returned to the jet. Kneeling beside Darien, she touched his face tenderly and spoke gently to him, then more firmly to Wolverine.
"Your journey is almost over. Just one more short flight and you'll be able to truly rest. Take us home quickly, Logan."
"You see something out there I need to worry about?"
"No. I'm simply listening to a sudden protective instinct. I'll feel better when I know he's under Jean's care."
"Strap yourself in, then, and we'll get gone."
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TBC........