Regina: I'm sorry I haven't updated so long - life has just been so hectic. I got a new computer, except it was faulty, and then when it was in the shop to be fixed, it was stolen! But it's funny in a way - someone's out there with my broken computer! Ha ha on them!

Anyway this is chapter three of Ashes to Ashes, and Bridget finally arrives at the Institute. . . but someone isn't so pleased to meet her - you'll be surprised as to who it is!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter Three: Arrival at the Xavier Institute

"I still can't believe your parents agreed to let you come with us that easily. The look on your Mom's face when she saw us. . . would rather face Apocalypse again than take on her."

"I don't know about that, Tabby, but yeah, she was mad. Okay, everyone, get ready to land." There was a brief shudder, and then the aircraft, which Tabitha had explained was one of several belonging to the X-Men, stopped moving completely.

"All right, Bridget, here we are," said Tabitha, unbuckling her seatbelt. "The Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, in Bayville, New York."

Bridget got her first look at the place she was to call home now that she knew what she was - and partly who she was - as soon as she stepped out of the craft. Whatever she had been expecting, it was not this, not a large mansion with sweeping grounds on top of a hill overlooking a beautiful city.

"Isn't it beautiful?" asked Tabitha. "And it's where you're gonna live, too. Just like Amara."

Amara. Bridget still was not used to hearing that name, although she knew that this Amara was her biological mother, and that she, too, was a mutant whose power was connected in some way to fire, though not quite like Bridget's own power.

"Little help?" came Sam's voice from the other side of the aircraft. He appeared a few moments later, struggling with one of Bridget's bags. "I don't know how you girls can have so much stuff," he complained, and dropped the bag.

"That's just my books," Bridget said sheepishly. "I like to read."

"Oh, no!" groaned Sam, and retreated back inside, to get the next lot of Bridget's luggage.

"Don't worry, Sam," Tabitha called, "I'll get some help." She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Hey, everybody! Get out here, we've got company, and you're never gonna guess who!"

Tabitha's call seemed to have worked, because moments afterwards the front door of the mansion opened, and people began to file out.

The first was a man with brown hair, a few years younger than Tabitha and Sam. He stopped suddenly when he saw Bridget, the look on his face disbelieving. His stop was so unexpected that the man who was walking behind him bumped into him. This wouldn't have caused Bridget to gasp, but when the man was knocked forwards, he seemed to produce clones of himself, so that there were now four of him in all.

The man who had bumped into the man with the ability to clone himself appeared to be, in Bridget's eyes, of South American origin. Nothing happened to him as he walked along the grass, and Bridget was glad for this.

Walking next to the South American man was a woman with red-brown hair, which she wore in two short pigtails. Again, nothing extraordinary happened with her.

And finally, behind everyone, and towering over them all, was a giant of a man, with dark hair, and he seemed to be the oldest of them all. His face, although it had been kind and gentle from a distance, darkened with suspicion when he saw Bridget.

Bridget shivered; she had done nothing, it seemed, and yet the tall man did not seem to like her. She did not want someone like him to be mad at her.

Tabitha placed her hands on her hips in a gesture of annoyance. "Is this all there is?" she called to the group. "Where are the others?"

"Westchester!" called the woman. "There was some big emergency, but we said we'd stay and wait for you, and your - oh, my God!" The woman was now close enough to see Bridget properly, and she was not the only one to react that way.

The group were all wearing looks of shock and surprise; their eyes were wide and staring; and the South American man's mouth hung open slightly. The only one whose face showed no sign of change was the tall man, and now that he was closer, Bridget could see worry and pity in his dark eyes.

"Amara?" asked the South American man. "Is it you?"

Tabitha shook her head, a big grin on her face. "Nope, it's not Amara." She laughed.

At least someone's enjoying this, Bridget thought darkly.

"Then who is it?" asked the woman, although Bridget got the impression that she had already started to put the clues together.

"Told you you couldn't guess." Tabitha was still grinning. "This is her daughter, Bridget."

"DAUGHTER!" they all cried in unison, save the tall man.

"Yep."

"Nice to meet you," Bridget said weakly.

"But how?" asked the South America man.

"I think we all know how, 'Berto," Tabitha, "unless we need to have the talk again." The woman and the four clones laughed. Behind them, Sam probably would have too, but he was struggling, red-faced, with the second of Bridget's bags.

"Little help?" he gasped.

"Just let me get through the introductions first, Sam," Tabitha called over her shoulder, ignoring the strange sounds Sam made as he fell to the ground, and stopped moving.

"This is - or rather, these are - Jamie Maddrox," Tabitha said, referring to the four identical men. "But we call him Multiple Man, 'cause he can, well, you saw."

Bridget nodded, not saying anything.

"And this is Roberto DaCosta. He takes energy from the sun and uses it for his own purposes. So his mutant name is Sunspot." The South America man - Roberto - waved, smiling at Bridget, and so did the woman. It would have made Bridget feel more at ease, had it not been for the giant standing at the back of the group.

"The woman is Rahne Sinclaire, and she can turn herself into a wolf."

"It's great for Halloween," Rahne added, smiling. "I'm called Wolfsbane, by the way."

"Hi."

"And last - and definitely not least, is Peter Rasputin. We call him Colossus because, well, you can see why, but I call him Tin-Man because he can turn himself into metal."

Peter's expression did not change.

"Why don't you, Rahne and Bridget go inside?" suggested Roberto. "We were just about to have dinner. And don't worry about your stuff, Bridget. Us men will bring it in."

"Men?" asked Tabitha with mock annoyance. "Well, I'm sorry if us women aren't strong enough to help. Are you coming, Samantha?" She and Rahne laughed as Sam struggled to get off the ground.

Bridget was unsure of what to do until she felt a touch on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Bridget. They'll take good care of your stuff - at least, they should. Come on, you must be hungry after flying here. I know Tabitha is - I recognise that look in her eyes."

"Hey! But you're right. Let's go." She began walking towards the mansion itself, with

Rahne and Bridget following after her, and Sam slowly bring up the rear.

Bridget allowed herself one look behind her. Jamie had made more copies of himself, and as small groups, the clones were carrying her things. Roberto appeared to burst into flame, his body burning black at the centre of the flame. He picked up her bags with ease. Peter calmly picked up some luggage, obviously not needing to use his mutant powers, he was that strong.

When Peter looked at her as she walked away, Bridget's heart sank.

What had she done wrong?