"Well the Professor and Jean are back."
"Did she say anything about their trip?"
"No, she mumbled something when she climbed into bed, but she was pretty tired. The wedding plans have really been stressing her out. Her dreams have acted up again and again she's having problems levitating objects. The Professor said it was nothing but stress of the wedding."
"And the father-in-law; where's he?"
"He was pretty tired last night when we went to bed. He said the kids had worn him out in a game of kick ball earlier."
"Ah, so he's catching some extra z's."
Storm half stumbled out onto the back porch in her robe. Cyclops moved over to make room for Storm and Nanny pulled the paper out of the empty seat.
"Is Kurt back?" Nanny asked as Storm sat down.
"Mmmm. –yawn- Haven't checked yet. I was going to check after my shower, but Mr. Big shot is hogging the showers again."
"Seems he's been more concerned with his looks as of lately." Storm said, raising her eye brow in Nanny's direction and sipping at her tea.
"And with his smell!" Cyclops laughed. "I didn't even know he owned cologne! Now he pours it on by the pounds."
"The two of you exaggerate like there's no tomorrow." Nanny laughed and rolled her eyes. "I think he's doing all of it because he feels like he has to keep up with Laser Eyes. He's getting all of the attention with the wedding and his father, so he has to do something to be noticed." She retorted.
Cyclops was stifling a laugh when Big Shot himself slid open the sliding glass door. Storm got up and shook her head at Wolverine. Wolverine watched Storm leave, wondering what her short glare was all about and then sat down. Scott twitched in his seat like he was about to leave the two of them alone, using some lame excuse about seeing to his father. Both Nanny and Wolverine noticed and before he could make a move, Wolverine started in on questions about the wedding, when they were going to be back from their honeymoon, etc; anything so that they wouldn't be alone and left to awkward moments of silence.
Nanny left the two when Rogue wandered down in her PJ's and robe. She had to discuss when they were going to go get the necklace for Jean.
…
"Surprised pops isn't up yet. He's always one of the first ones up."
"Ya, I know, but he did say that he was pretty tired last night."
"Even Nanny is up." Wolverine pointed out. "It's 10:30."
Scott sighed. "Think I should go check on him?"
"Yep." Wolverine nodded and gulped down his coffee.
Cyclops glanced at his own watch, though Wolverine had just announced the time. "I think I'll give him until 11."
…
"I'll go get the necklace tomorrow during lunch."
"Oh, I want to come with you," Rogue begged.
"I have some other shopping I need to do. I won't be back in time for your other classes."
"Oh!" Rogue sighed and plopped herself down onto the couch.
…
"Have you done the research on magnets like I asked you to?" The Professor asked Nanny as they started their daily training.
"Sure have."
"What have you found out?"
"Well, the typical facts that you've learned about magnets: they have two polar sides, north and south, and opposites attract. Then there was some really confusing stuff about superconductors and what not."
"We won't need to worry about superconductors. Is that all?"
"So far, ya. I haven't had much time-"
"You mean you haven't taken enough time to research it."
Nanny rolled her eyes and nodded her head. Why did she feel like she was back in school!
"There is something else, pretty important in your case. You see, the earth is basically one huge magnet."
"And how does that apply to me?"
"You can repel magnetic fields and other magnets, can you not?"
"Ya, I guess so. I haven't tried yet."
"Well, this is something that will take lots and lots of discipline and training, but the sooner I introduce it to you, the faster you can begin working on it. But I don't want you working on it if either Jean or myself cannot supervise. It can be dangerous since you're just beginning to hone your powers. We'll set aside a half an hour of each lesson to practice."
"Are you going to tell me what it is?"
"Patience is a virtue." He paused, and then continued. "Since the earth is a giant magnet, you should be able to fly. Hmmm, in your case, perhaps more like hovering. The further away from the earth you wish to travel, the more energy you will need. And without evoking dangerous, rash emotions to gain such results, I suggest you only hover. It will allow for you to 'fly' across a room to dodge an attack, or get from one end of a broken bridge to the other."
"I'm not sure how many broken bridges I'll be encountering …" Nanny mumbled and smirked.
"But even before we begin to think about hovering, you will need to start to levitate. Stand right where you are, close your eyes, and concentrate."
This levitation practice took up the whole lesson. For the first hour, she would rise about an inch, wobble slightly, loose her concentration, and "land" again. She slowly rose higher and higher, but the wind would pick up and knock her off balance and she would fall again. By the end of their lesson, Nanny had a headache from trying to concentrate so hard, her wrist and bottom hurt from falling so much, and she had only managed to levitate 3 inches from the ground.
"You're getting better, catching on faster. Something that should help is if you practice repelling other objects as well. Perhaps we can set up a dart board for you and you can practice "repelling" spoons at it." The Professor smiled and wheeled himself away. Nanny lay back in the grass, the clouds covering the whole sky and the chilling breeze cutting right through her sweater.
…
Jean woke up to Scott sitting on the end of their bed, quiet- unusually quiet, starring at something he had in his hands.
"Scott?" Jean rubbed her eyes, yawned, stretched, and moved over to see what Scott had in his hands.
"I don't understand Jean." He shook his head and handed a scribbled piece of paper over to her.
'Forgive me for my sudden departure! I received a call in the middle of the night from the private eye I hired, the one who found you. He's found Alex! I shouldn't be too long. I'll bring him back here, and then we can be a family again.
Yours truly,
Dad.'
Jean yawned again and gave the note back.
"I don't understand." Scott whispered again. "He just got here. Why wouldn't he wait for me to get up, take me with him?"
Jean sat silent, not sure what to say. Scott turned to her and she collapsed into his arms.
"I don't know either Scott." Scott held Jean for a few moments, and a single tear of frustration and confusion trickled into Jean's bed-head hair. "I do have to say that I don't like it. I didn't want to tell you before, because I often over react, but I've been suspicious of him the whole time."
Scott sighed, sniffled softly, and sucked it up. "I know. So have I. He mentioned so many things though, such insignificant details that no one else could know. He'd say or do something at times that made me question, but I dismissed it as our having grown apart. This makes me even more suspicious, but, oh Jean. I still don't understand how he couldn't be my father. Who, how, why - would someone else have gotten these details?"
"Shhhh. We'll talk to the Professor about it. For now, take the note at face value and trust that he will be back." Scott patted Jean on the head and gave her a kiss on the forehead and she got up to take a shower.
…
"Kurt, are you ok?" Storm knocked on the cracked bedroom door before entering, to find Kurt sitting on his bed, starring out of his window quietly.
"How did things go," she whispered.
"I don't know what to feel." He finally said. "I want to be mad, very angry, but I must forgive. But my anger is so great, my hurt so deep." Storm sat down on the bed next to him.
"Who was it?"
After a long silent pause, Kurt whispered "mother" in German. Storm looked at him confused and a bit shocked. She laid her head on his shoulder and he grabbed her hand. Storm decided it was best not to press the issue any further and Kurt was glad that Storm could understand.