Chapter Five

Gen nodded and put her hands in her lap, a little bit nervous about going downstairs and meeting everyone else. She lowered her head, and put some of her golden hair behind her ears, and smiled back to Jean. "You look nice, Jean."

"Why, Thank You Gen… As do you." Jean smiled, pushing her into the dining room.

Gen looked around to see many people she had yet to meet, but they were all staring at her as she entered. She smiled nervously and looked to each one, staring into their eyes, trying to see if there was even a hint of hatred. Her soul was relaxed a little bit, seeing no hatred, no anger… Just acceptance, and love.

Jean placed her right next to the Professor and went over to sit between Scott and Logan. The Professor smiled at her, and then looked back to the group. "Settle down, settle down!" His voice echoed across the room, catching everyone's attention. "We have a new student here," Gen blushed a little bit, hiding her face under her golden strands. "Her name is Gen, I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to her before you leave here tonight. You all know how it's like to be new… So, please be the good students I know you all are, and…" He smiled widely. "Just behave." He laughed, reaching for his glass of wine.

Gen laughed, as did some of the other students and dinner began. She looked over the table to see a plate of roasted ham and turkey, along with other things. Gen looked around, she wasn't that hungry but she knew she had to eat something.

"Hey…" A boy smiled to her, his bright green eyes staring into hers.

"Hi…" She answered.

The boy was sitting next to her, admiring her beauty and her smile. He was captivated by it, almost in a trance. He smiled and took her hand softly, and put it to his lips. He never took his eyes off of hers. "I am Kevin… Nice to meet you, M' Lady." He smiled, releasing her hand.

Gen blushed again. "Very nice to meet you, Kevin." She smiled, taking a bite out of the ham on her plate. It was juicy; like something she had never tasted before. She hadn't had a meal like this, in months. The food in her stomach made her feel a little better. She looked over to Kevin to see him still looking at her. She smiled and lowered her head, staying silent.

"So…" Kevin said. "How do you like Mutant High, so far?"

Gen looked up with a wide smile on her face. "Its… It's pretty good, so far. Everyone seems really nice, unlike the world out there." She laughed slightly.

"Yeah, well… Like the Professor said, we all know what it feels like."

Gen smiled. "Yeah, I guess so."

The night continued like a fairy tale. Smiles and laughter, echoing through the room 'til the clock struck twelve. Gen looked over to the grandfather clock and yawned, covering her mouth with her slim fingers. She looked to Jean, who was also smiling and holding Scott's hand tightly.

"Well, Goodnight, M' Lady." Kevin stood and bowed in front of her.

"Goodnight, Kevin." She looked up into his eyes, she just couldn't look away.

She closed her eyes as he leaned in and gave her a small kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well, Gen. I hope to see you tomorrow… Sweet dreams." He waved, walking out of the dining room with a crowd of students.

The only people that were left were Jean, the Professor, and Gen. Jean walked behind Gen and stood with her hands on the back of the wheelchair as Professor Xavier turned to face her. "I hope you had a good time tonight, Gen."

"I did… It was fun, very fun." She paused. "Thank you… For helping me, and everything." She smiled. "You have no idea, how much I appreciate it."

Professor Xavier smiled, and looked into her eyes. "Good and there is no need to thank me, Gen. Everyone is welcome here, everyone." He winked. Gen giggled and leaned back into the wheelchair. Her smiles faded as she watched the Professor get closer to her with a worried look. "Gen," he said, putting his warm hand on hers. "I know… I know that you are afraid to go back to sleep." He said, rolling closer to her. "But you don't need to be afraid anymore. Alright?"

Gen gulped and let out her breath slowly. She nodded, "alright." She looked down as Professor Xavier rolled around them and headed for the door. "I…" She called, but hesitated.

"What is it, Gen?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, never mind Professor… You're right. I don't need to be afraid anymore." She gave a fake smile and watched him leave the room with a smile on his cheeks. She breathed slowly as Jean pushed her out of the dining room, staying silent. Gen closed her eyes, and took another deep breath. She could hear his voice still echo in her head, his words… But her soul never seemed at ease, she never forgot what had happened.

Jean stopped and pushed Gen's bedroom door open for her and stood in front of her. "Can you walk, Gen? Or do you still need this wheelchair?" She whispered, seeing many students walk through the halls and enter their rooms to go to bed.

Gen looked up to her and gave another fake smile. "I can walk… Thank you, Jean." She said, pushing herself up from the seat slowly. Her body was still weak and painful, but she could deal with it like she did everything else. She sat on the bed and looked to Jean. "Goodnight, Jean."

"Goodnight, Gen." Jean paused, her hand on the knob of the door. She turned and looked to her. "Gen, um…" She stepped towards her. "If you ever need help, in… In your dreams. Just call for me or the Professor, understand?"
Gen looked to her, her face exhausted. "Yes, I understand. Thanks, Jean."

Jean smiled and walked back over to the door, opening it slowly. "You're welcome, Gen. Goodnight." Jean slowly closed the door, leaving Gen alone in her bedroom.

She threw off her shoes and put them next to the bed, along with her jeans laying them on the chair across from her. She slipped off her bra and placed it with her jeans and slipped underneath the cool sheets of her bed. She sighed heavily and laid her head on the pillow, and looked up to the white ceiling above her.

She tried to focus on having sweet dreams, on having good dreams but even with all her hope, she knew it would never work. It hadn't before, so why should it start working now? She didn't want to close her eyes, but she could barely keep them open. She turned to her side, and slid her arm underneath the pillow, slowly letting her eyelids fall.

The scent of brimstone flew through her nostrils as she opened her eyes and saw that she was laying on the floor of Hell. It was like her dream from before, except without the Professor.

Fire raged around her, her bright blue eyes reflecting the flames. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes. "It's not real. It's just a dream." She told herself. "It's just a dream." She whispered as the flames got closer and closer. "No… No!" She screamed.

"Gen?" A voice came; a familiar soft voice.

Gen slowly opened her eyes, no longer seeing the fire, but seeing her sister. "Angel?" A tear ran down her cheek as they embraced tightly. "God, I missed you!"

"It's okay, Gen. I missed you, too."

"No, no it's not!" Gen wept. "I'm weak! I couldn't control it. I could of hurt you!"

Angel stayed silent, like her body was still; frozen. Gen backed away, looking into Angel's eyes. Angel gave an evil smile and slapped Gen across the face. "I'll slit your goddamn throats!" Her voice deepened as her eyes darkened, and she slapped Gen again, over and over again. "I'll kill you, you worthless bitch-freak!" She yelled, throwing her hands around Gen's neck and trying to strangle her. Angel's body quickly turned into Joe's. "I'll kill you!" He yelled, throwing her to the ground and started to kick her.

Gen was surprised when he stopped. She threw herself up, slowly backing away.

"You bitch!" His voice was now different. Tears ran down Gen's cheeks as she watched him transform again. "Gen…" This time, it was Mr. Watson. She looked into his eyes. "Oh, Gen." He teased and then grabbed her up and threw her back to the floor. "You almost killed me, Gen. You should die! You should be dead!"

Gen pushed herself up from the floor once again, seeing people surround her, all the same faces: Angel's, Joe's, and Mr. Watson's… Even, her mother's. "Dead! Dead! Dead!" They all started to chant, closing in on her. "Dead! Dead! Dead! Dead!"

Gen screamed, throwing her hands to the sky. Her hands were engulfed with black flames with a flash.

"Dead! Dead! Dead!"

She screamed again, this time her whole body lighting up with the dark and deadly fire. "Get away from me!" She yelled, throwing her hands to the crowd, watching them scream and burn away in the fire.

"Dead! Dead! Dead!" Some of them still chanted, flesh melting off of their bones.

The fire grew bigger and bigger, until all that was left was the ash of the bones and Gen.

"You killed us! You killed us!" Their voiced still ran passed her. "You killed us!" Gen dropped to her knees, sweat pouring down her chest and back. "You killed us!" The voices chanted once more, before darkness reigned.

The fire quickly died out, and Gen was left with the pain, the sorrow, and death. She looked to her hands, and they were soaked in blood. She looked past them to see a body before her, scorched and bloody. She gasped, seeing it was Angel's.

"You killed me!" Her voice ran through her ears, again. "YOU KILLED ME, GEN!"

Gen screamed as the tears ran down. "No!" She yelled. "Jean! Help me, Jean?" Gen called out for help. "JEAN! Help me!" She yelled, putting her palms to her cheeks.

Jean could hear voices, so many of them chanting 'dead' and 'you killed us.' She didn't know what it was about until she heard someone cry out for her. She jumped out of her bed, and raced into Gen's room. She could feel something was wrong when she first stepped from her bedroom.

"Jean!" She called, again. "Help me!"

Jean burst through Gen's door and seeing her shake on the bed in a cold sweat. Her breathing was short and shallow, and her pulse weak and rapid. Kids started to gather at the doorway and Jean looked back. "Get the Professor, now!" She yelled, rushing over to Gen's side. Jean pat her cheek. "Wake up, Gen. Wake up!" It wasn't working, and her condition was only getting worse. "GEN!" She yelled.

"JEAN!"

Jean gulped. "Wake up!" She slapped Gen; still nothing. Jean closed her eyes. "Stay with me, Gen." She said, putting her fingers to Gen's temple.

She immediately saw her on the ground crying and frightened. "Gen." She whispered with worried eyes. "Gen?" She said, stepping closer to her. She was just about to touch her when she was thrown a few feet away by an invisible force and hit the ground hard. Jean growled and pushed herself up, holding her sore shoulder. "Gen?" She looked to her, a light now shining down on the weeping girl. She stepped towards her, but stopped seeing another form of Gen right in front of her. "Gen? What are you doing?"

She smiled and pointed towards her own self, crying. "Look at her, isn't she weak? Look at how pathetic she is, worthless…"She yelled, flames gathering in her palms. "Weaknesses must get destroyed!" She screamed, sending a fireball towards Jean.

Jean's eyes widened and threw her hands up, stopping the ball of fire in place.

Gen laughed, "stupid bitch!" She yelled, overriding the strength of Jean's power and making the fireball strike her.

Jean screamed in pain and fell to the floor, holding her scorched arm. She looked over to the crying Gen. "Gen!" She called. "I know you're strong! Come back with me! Come back with me! Gen! Gen!"

She looked up, seeing her other half and Jean. "Jean!" She reached out for her as Jean did the same.

Jean woke up, wincing in pain from her arm. But nothing was there, the mind made the pain real. She looked down to Gen, who was screaming and thrashing around. Jean put her hands on her cheeks. "Gen! It's okay! You're awake… It wasn't real. It wasn't real!"

Gen looked up into Jean's emerald eyes, still breathing heavily and her heart jumping out of her chest. "I'm sorry!" She cried as Jean wrapped her arms around her.

"Shh… Shh… It's alright. It was just a dream. You're okay."

Professor Xavier rolled through the crowding students at the doorway and looked to Jean, rocking back and forth holding Gen. He sighed heavily as Jean looked back. "A nightmare?" He asked.

Jean nodded and closed her eyes, stroking Gen's hair.

"Thought so…"