Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or the X-men. Please do not use my original characters without permission. I will grant it to you if you just ask.
Author: Truest Tears
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Paths
Chapter 3: Strange New Friends
If I opened my eyes I would see that I was in a type of lab, and if I kept them closed and dozed off again a large, menacing blue monster would tip-toe into the room on padded feet and adjust the machinery around me.
I snapped my eyes open and sat up, at the same time biting back a cry at the sharp pain that raced through my neck. I should have "seen" that coming.
I lay back down and noticed that I had a neck-brace on, and that parts of my spine were bruised.
As I adjusted my memory, seeking tidbits of information of just exactly what had happened I remembered Kitty, and the spike, and then I remembered being pulled out of the way, and my neck snapping.
And the stranger.
I closed my eyes. There would be a lot of pain. Something was going to happen. Perhaps nothing that I could do would ever change the inevitable.
But then again, hadn't it been inevitable that I die?
I was saved by a freak of destiny.
I had "seen" my death, as clear as day. I had almost experienced it, and then that stranger had jumped in and snatched me out of fate's grasp.
Before I could further contemplate my gift, what it had shown me and the contradictory actions that had just taken place my stomach rumbled suddenly, reminding me that I had probably been unconscious for a while, and that it was only natural that I eat.
This time I got up very slowly and cautiously, swinging my legs over the side of the bed as gently as possible, with one hand supporting my neck and shoulder and the other grasping the metal railing at the side of the bed.
I got up, still carefully, and inched my way, tottering rather unsteadily, towards the door.
I "saw" that the big, blue, furry monster was about to enter at any moment.
It was at that time that all caution I had been exercising vanished, and I shrieked as the doorknob turned.
The door was pushed open suddenly as the monster popped his head in and exclaimed "Oh my stars and garters—is everything alright?"
I managed to shake my head, and then nod it. He appeared to be harmless. He was of menacing size, with huge paws and thick hair covering his entire body, but I noticed that he wore a lab coat and spectacles.
"Oh, well, I'm glad to see that you are awake, my dear. I must express the uttermost gratitude to you for saving Katherine's life."
I nodded. "Thank you, but who saved mine?"
"That was Remy LeBeau. He is a resident of this…school. A type of teacher."
I couldn't help but feel that this was more than a "school." A single glance around me showed that the machines and charts that adorned the room were of much more advanced technology than any college or university could afford, unless it specialized in science.
"What kind of school is this?"
Immediately after asking the question, I "saw" the hesitant answer.
"Yes, for mutants," I stated before he could answer.
He frowned. "How did you know?"
"I have the power to, well, kind of have visions of what is going to happen. Mostly they are very small, some are just little feelings, and others span out to events that will happen hours after I have them."
"That certainly explains how you were able to save Kitty. But tell me, did you not see that the spike was going to hit you, or did you also see that Remy would interfere?"
I opened my mouth to answer, then closed it. It was so difficult to explain.
"No…I didn't see him. I thought I was going to die."
"Well, you are still here," he said sympathetically. "Now come, you must be starving. I apologize for Remy's…rather brutal rescue. He managed to pull some muscles quite severely in your neck and shoulder, which is why for the time being you will be supplied with a brace. It should be off in a few weeks. From there we can start a few training programs to gradually exercise the muscles and tendons until they are again strong and ready for use."
While he was talking he had passed me a white linen robe and had headed out the door.
"Wait, you said training programs?"
"Yes, to help the muscles. They will include such exercises as yoga, pilates, some vigorous massages and stretching—"
"Yes, but what I meant was, if I'm going to be in your programs then you expect me to stay here?"
I again "saw" the answer.
"So you want to recruit me?"
"Oh, um, well of course, this would be entirely your decision, and only once you were a hundred percent certain that it was what you wanted. But you see, this, being a school for mutants, dedicates itself to seeing to the needs of mutants, and to protecting them. Such are the dangers of the world to mutants, such as yourself, that it could well be safer if you were to reside here."
"I understand," I said simply.
We had been walking down a long hall, and finally we entered a kitchen.
It was a spacious room with a table set up on one side, and cupboards, a six-burner stove, a fridge, a microwave and an assortment of appliances and foods on the other side.
There was also a window that allowed a nice view of trimmed lawns and a pool, with a small forest as a background.
"I'm afraid to say that this is mostly a fend-for-yourself type of kitchen. The last cook resigned, and lunch has not been made yet, but there are quite a few things around here…I hope you can cook."
I smiled slightly at that. "I think I can manage," I said.
"Alright then, ma'am, I shall leave you then. Soon another mutant, a woman named Ororo, will show you around the place. By the way, I did not inquire as to your name?"
"Addie," I said simply, not bothering to add a surname. "And you are?"
"Hank. Henry McCoy. Here I am also known as the Beast, for…obvious reasons." He gestured at the mounds of bright blue hair and his massive structure and I nodded.
"Well, thank you for your time. It's been nice meeting you."
As Hank retreated I looked around the kitchen.
Yes, I could certainly cook.
The first person to notice the lovely smells wafting around the mansion was a middle-aged man, incredibly muscled with at least two day's beard and sideburns, who walked in with a cautious prowl, obviously attracted to the odors of fried bacon, cheese and egg omelet, blueberry muffins already in the oven and a fruit juice cocktail.
I hadn't mentioned it to Hank, but I worked as a cook in Bohemian Spice, a rather expensive but completely worth it restaurant down-town.
I had studied cooking after finishing school, as well as having cooked my way through life.
It was also good that I could use my "sight" to see how a meal was going to turn out.
I quickly dished a hefty amount of food onto two plates, then put it on the kitchen table.
"Have a seat," said, calmly reaching into the oven to check on the muffins, and pouring a glass of juice out into a tall glass with ice-cubes.
He raised an eyebrow, but sat. I put down a knife and fork, and, like any hungry man that needed to eat like a bear just to maintain his sugar level, he dug in.
"Seeing" the questions that he was about to ask me, quickly said "My name's Addie, I can see the future, so to say and I know that the food is 'great.'"
He looked at me in surprise and I smiled.
"I know, it's a nosy gift to have. Quite unnerving, but you get used to it. Here, the muffins are ready."
I put three beside his plate, and wondered when he would find his voice.
He narrowed his eyes, as though really thinking what to say, then gave me a slight grin.
"Welcome to the X-men, Addie."
I had known right away that this man would be my friend, and that when the terrible time came that I would have to experience that pain, he would be there. He would be a friend when I needed one.
That's all I needed to "see" to know that Logan was one person I never needed to push away.
We would never have more than a father-daughter relationship, but he would never hurt me.
But, inevitably, the mysteriously handsome Remy LeBeau would.
A.N: Okay, if this still holds your interest please just leave a little review with your thoughts and ideas.
A special thanks goes to telegb and giveGodtheglory for their nice reviews. Thanks guys!
P.S. yes, I know the chapters are short! (In response to a comment by my sister.) Humph, I'm not a typing machine you know. But don't worry, as time goes by they will get longer.