Chapter 2
It was a few minutes before any of them made an attempt to help Lillian up. Jean's hands were at her temples and Xavier could barely think. Hank was the first to reach out a hand and help the trembling girl stand. Remy broke the silence.
"Dis is not da place to sort things out. Let's go in the war room." The girl smiled up at him gratefully and Rogue took her other arm and carefully helped her walk. They reached the war room and took seats. Rogue sat next to Lillian ad patted her arm every so often with her gloved hand.
"Here, drink this." Ororo handed her a cup of steaming hot tea which the girl drank eagerly.
"Thank you."
"Now, tell us child, why did you come here?" Lillian gulped down a mouthful of tea and brushed her hair back from her face, making blue energy waves run across her fingers.
"I…didn't know where to go. I didn't have anyone...and…and..."
"And what, child?"
"Things keep happening to me," Lillian blurted out. "I feel things moving through me when I speak. I can hear insects moving in the walls. I can see things that aren't there. I hurt people with what comes out of my hands." Most of the X-Men looked confused at how many different mutations she listed in one breath. Xavier regained composure of himself and rested his chin on his hands.
"Did it get out of control?" He asked slowly. "Did you hurt someone?"
"I hurt everyone!"
"Lillian…."Xavier decided not to press for details, When she was ready she would tell. But what were these strange feelings he had? What did it all mean? Was she lying? But one look at her face, Xavier couldn't feel anything but pity for her.
"Well, we can discuss this later," he continued. "Jean can start running some tests in the lab and we can talk some more. Right now, what you need is some rest. Ororo will show you to a room and you can stay as long as you like." Lillian stood up and looked around.
"Which one is…."
"I'm Ororo." Storm put her hand on the girl's shoulder and led her to the floor. They walked silently down the hallway, stopping once to get some sheets and blankets and clean towels.
"How old are you, Lillian?" Ororo asked. "If you don't mind my asking."
"I was seventeen last month. "
"Oh so you're only a little older than Jubilee. That's good. And believe me, she's not hard to get along with." Ororo opened the door to a small, but pretty room. "I think you'll be comfortable here."
"Thank you."
"Well, goodnight."
"Night." Lillian shut the door and pulled the shades down on the windows. She sat on the bed and hugged the pillow to her chest. She left the light on, curled up in a ball, and fell asleep.
Logan pushed open the door and crept quietly down the hallway. Once he got past Rogue's room he didn't have to worry because his was the only room in the corridor, besides a few empty ones. He threw his stuff on his bed and pulled of his shirt. He went into the bathroom and rinsed his face off. As he was stepping out, he sniffed the air. Quickly, he retreated into the shadows and walked slowly down the hallway. He noticed a door that was a little bit open. He heard a noise inside and pushed open the door, drawing out his claws and clutching hold of someone's throat. He flicked on the light.
"Who are you?" he snarled releasing her throat but still holding his claws out, even as the blood drained from his face and his heart seemed to stop. The girl coughed. He could barely see her face through her masses of dark and silver hair.
"I-I'm staying here," she trembled.
"Says who?"
"It's alright, Logan," Rogue said from the doorway. "She's some girl who's having a bit of trouble with her new mutant powers and the professor wants her ta stay here with us."
"Oh." Logan drew back his claws. "Well, if Chuck says so."
"What did ya say yer name was?" Rogue asked putting some sheets and blankets on the bed.
"Lillian."
"I'm Rogue. And this brute here is Logan. Don't worry, he's nicer than he looks. Deep down he's a real softie."
"Right,' Logan scoffed. "I sit at home watching soap operas and weeping all day."
"Is this enough blankets for ya, gal?"
"Yes." Lillian sat down on the bed. "Though once I fall asleep my powers will probably start acting up and they'll blow up."
"Ya blow up as many sheets as ya like, gal. We're used to stuff like that around here." Rouge checked her watch. "Its gittin' late. We better leave the poor gal alone."
"Right. Uhh…." Logan looked over at the girl. "Uh sorry about…well you know…"
"It's okay."
"Goodnight, gal."
"Goodnight."
Charles Xavier didn't hear the cried until midnight. Stabbing, piercing shrieks that ate away at his brain waves.
"No!" he screamed. "No! She must be destroyed!" He woke up, sweating and his paralyzed legs were drenched in pain. He could still hear the cries in his mind.
"So what's she like?" Jubilee asked eagerly as Ororo set out an extra plate at the table. "Is she pretty? I couldn't tell, she was so dirty. Where do you think she's been sleeping?"
"I honestly don't know, child. And I don't think you should ask her."
"Morning," Logan grumbled.
"Oh, Logan, you're actually joining us today?"
"I guess," he muttered grabbing a waffle. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"At least physically," Storm replied dryly.
"Did you meet her?" Jubilee grinned at him.
"Who?"
"You know who!"
"Yeah, he met her," Rogue said, ruffling Jubilee's hair. "Scared the pants off of her too."
"What happened?" Jubilee asked, wide-eyed.
"Seems Wolvie thought Lillian was some kinda intruder and nearly sliced her apart." Logan shrugged.
"Well what was I supposed to do? What if it had been an intruder?" Logan sipped his coffee nonchalantly, trying to ignore the sharp pains flowing around in his stomach.
"An intruder who just happens to get past all our security? The cameras? The psychic probes? Not to mention the actual security guards?" Rogue laughed.
"She made it to the front door, didn't she? " The room fell silent and Logan raised his cup to his lips. "And I don't think I'm the only one wondering how."
"Professor?" Jean stuck her ruby head in the doorway of Xavier's bedroom. "I was wondering when you wanted me to start running tests on Lillian."
"The sooner the better." Charles rubbed at his forehead and sat hunched over in his wheelchair.
"What's wrong?" Jean could feel his worry.
"I don't know." Xavier said, after a long pause. "Its this girl. She's different."
"I know." Jean sat down on his bed. "She's…well, there's something about her. When I first saw her, my head hurt and all my senses seemed to…just stop, I guess. And I couldn't see anything but flashing lights."
"Its more than that. I can't read her. Its like she's not even human."
"Do you know what her powers are?"
"No! Its like she has no specific gift! Last night I could feel her in my head. Telepaths are often the most hated mutants and the most dangerous to themselves. But when I went to check on her this morning, her blankets had all changed color and her fingertips were on fire."
" The poor girl," Jean said softly. "It's hard enough to control one power, let alone many."
"Yes." Xavier put a hand on Jean's shoulder. "Please run the tests right away. I really need to know what we're dealing with."
"Alright, professor." Jean stood up
and left Charles in his confused thoughts.
"Look at dat star, love," Remy said pointing. Rogue raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah, real nice." She felt bad at not making a better attempt to share in the whole romantic moment. She supposed this was the sort of ideal setting. Stars, moon, and the whole lot. But didn't the whole romantic moment thing actually constitute touching?
"I gotta tell you, chere, I've never been so happy in my life." Oh great. Now she felt really guilty. "And I don't want it to ever end."
"Me neither."
"That's why…I've made some decisions...about my life...our life…"
"What do you mean?"
"I wanna marry you." Rogue shot out from under his arm.
"What?"
"I want to marry you."
"Um. Since when?" Remy shrugged.
"Since now?"
"Are you insane?" He smirked.
"Yeah probably. But dat's why ya love me right?"
"I don't want to love you! I don't want to love anyone!"
"What?"
"I'm sick of this! Of feeling like this! Of being unable to touch you!"
"Chere, I've told you a million times, it don't matter to me whether you can touch me or not. "
"Well it matters to me! And you think you can deal with it now but you just wait a few years and see how happy you are!"
"I'll be happy as long as I'm wit you."
"Well I don't want to hold you back anymore. Just go! You're free from me! Go have a whole relationship!"
"I don't know why you're doing this." Remy picked up his coat and walked off. Rogue sat down and buried her face in her hands.
Jean had deliberately waited to go to the war room until Logan had already gone to bed. Yet somehow, there he was, stretched out on one of the chairs. She still hadn't opened the door yet, but she figured she'd have to face him sooner or later.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I came to look up some files on cerebro."
"Oh." Jean sat down at a computer and opened the database for her mutant research files.
"Any luck?"
"What?"
"With the girl. Any luck?"
"Uh no. Well I haven't looked at the results from today's tests yet so maybe after that I'll find something."
"Hopefully." Logan followed her hands with his eyes.
"Professor Xavier hasn't been in the best of shape lately. I'm worried."
"Yeah." Jean smiled at all the tings he wasn't saying, but she could still hear.
"I'm sorry about the other night." Jean nodded her head, but she preferred not to think about the pain she felt in having to refuse him yet again.
"I love you, Jean, You're all I'll ever need."
"I'm with Scott, Logan. Forever. You have to accept that."
"I'd rather die."
"It's okay, Logan. I'm not angry at all."
"You sure?"
"I never stay angry at you for long," She laughed and he relaxed.
"Its my charm," he replied rolling his eyes.
"No, it's the hair," she brought a hand to face and was incredibly grateful that Scott, wherever he was, was not a telepath.
Xavier sensed Jean and Logan in the room and did not want to break up what he was sure was an important moment. He went into his room and accessed the data from Jean's experiments. He had only scanned them for a few minutes when he screamed.
"This is impossible!"