X-Men-First Class: Rise or Fall

Chapter One Hundred Ninety Five

Author's Word: Hi, fam. For everyone like the Bostonians dealing with traumatic weather, I would love to send you an enchanted carriage that will pick you up and fly you to an exotic warm paradise. For now, I offer you this. Please enjoy and review!

As if an atomic blast had gone off in her general vicinity, Maya lowered herself into the nearest kitchen chair while keeping a collected grip on her bowl of popcorn.

The silence caused a creased brow on Sean. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah." Reanimating, Maya shook out her head, causing a bounce effect from her recently conditioned brown strands. "I just- wow. So you're actually transferring to the school I transferred from? That is… okay," she touched her forehead, "I need to process."

"I think it's crazy, too," Sean concurred. "But Kayla's going to be on maternity leave and Charles and Erik are on mutant crisis clean-up."

"I know." Maya sighed heavily. "It still feels like we're on different planets. I hate that I'm away from the team like this."

"Hey, don't worry about any of that," Sean said firmly. "We're all spread out right now and at the moment, you have to be there for your mom and—" He turned away from the receiver with a glare at the incoming pair. "Would you two get lost?"

"After we refill on sodas." Frank opened the refrigerator door.

"And chips." Scott scanned through one cabinet.

Rolling his eyes far back, Sean returned to the mouth piece. "Hang on, Maya. The cattle are grazing."

"Sounds like it," she responded with a smile in her voice.

Tipping in on the very edges of his toes, equally small fingers managed to rip the package of sour cream and onion out of Scott's hands.

"Hey!" The twelve-year-old shot after the hastily retreating tot. "Travis!"

"Oh boy." Bottled colas in hand, Frank moved to keep up with them, receiving several flashes of typical nights with his biological family.

Sean exhaled with irritation. "And the race is on."

With a giggle, Trav proclaimed, "You can't catch me!"

Scott picked up pace. "You better hope I don't!"

Sticking the top of the potato chip bag in his mouth, Trav leapt onto the clearest space on a side wall and scaled up it.

"Trav," Frank called up at him, "get down and knock it off or I'm gonna go get your mom."

At the all too lively commotion, Alex made his way into the living room. "What is going—" He then zeroed in on the trouble. "Trav, down. Right now." The child promptly scrambled from the wall and into the young man's waiting arms. Alex removed the bag from his mouth. "You gone rabid or something?"

"Just doing what he does best," Scott frowned. "Being a pain. He swiped those from us."

Alex glanced towards Frank, who nodded then handed the bag over to Scott. "Munch up, Eye Screamers."

Scott looked at his brother gratefully but the same could not be said for how he regarded Trav.

With Scott and Frank returning to the TV, the instructor carried Trav into Alex's own room.

Between the lack of good humor between the two and Trav's protruded lips, Leon had no need to ask questions. He gathered the papers in front of him and walked out wordlessly.

Sitting on the side of his bed, Alex stood Trav before him. "Why were you being bad?"

"I'm a rabbit like Bounty."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You lost me, kid."

Trav clarified, "You said I'm a rabbit."

Remembering, Alex explained, "No, I said rabid. Rab-id."

"Ohh." Trav then wondered, "What is raaab-id?"

"A sickness that makes animals go nuts," Alex then tacked on pointedly, "and don't try to change the subject. Why were you bugging Scott and Frank?"

"I didn't mean to, Uncle Alex," came the angelic reply. "But they're no fun and they don't let me do anything with them."

"Well, being mean won't make them change their minds. And it's not nice to touch things without asking, is it?" Alex watched him shake his head. "Give me your hand." Trav whimpered and hid both behind his back. "You want me to take you downstairs to Daddy?"

Now the six-year-old extended his right hand without delay. Taking hold of the bitty appendage, Alex smacked the back of it three times. Due to the child's age and size, he only used the weight of three fingers.

Letting off a moan, Trav released a few tears.

"Stop." Alex picked him up to hold on his lap. "You can't cry and be pirate captain in the tub tonight."

"'Kay." Trav wiped at his eyes.

Unable to resist, Alex offered a small peck to the hardly afflicted hand.

II

Marveling at the red oak crib, Kayla remarked, "You and your father did a fantastic job."

Cody smiled proudly at her side. "I didn't think we'd ever be done after all this mess. Dad says we'll have the rocking chair ready by tomorrow."

"Which reminds me," Stepping over into the closet briefly, Kayla came out with the custom quilt, "I got my own little project finished- miraculously."

"That looks great, Ma." Cody helped his mother add the piece of bedding made up of various white, yellow, and green fabrics. "Oh Ma, you forgot pink."

Expression tensing a bit, Kayla managed to return to a glowing state to face her son again. "We still have plenty of time for that. Don't worry."

Entering the spare first floor bedroom, Logan put forth, "Look what I managed to dig up."

An enormous grin developing on his face, Cody ran to inspect what his father held out. "Your battle bag."

"I don't believe it." Kayla came over with an equally pleased countenance, smoothing a hand over the brown-green material. "After all this time, not even a hole."

"Yep," Logan bobbed his head, "when they said these things could survive nuclear disaster they weren't messin' around."

Cody traced his finger over the blackened word across the lower pouch. "Wolverine- this is too cool!"

"Glad you think so." Logan helped his son's slender arms into the straps. "It's yours now."

Cody gazed up at him in awe. "You mean it?"

Logan got down to one knee to meet the boy's brown eyes. "This Westchester school's goin' to be whole new territory for you. When you go in, you're probably goin' to feel different from the rest of them kids. And it ain't because you're inferior. You're special; one-of-a-kind, cannot be imitated."

Kayla sent fingers through Cody's hair as she added, "You're everything. Everything that matters."

Resting his hand on her round stomach, Cody shared a quiet nod with Logan.

II

Though initially content to play with her favorite bear, the allure of the words coming out of the older girl's mouth proved too distracting. Crawling over closer, Kiki attempted to read over Erik's shoulder but found it difficult.

Noticing, the metal wielder maneuvered the small toddler to settle in between himself and Becky. "I think someone is interested."

Becky looked up from the current page. "But she won't be able to understand, Papa."

"Oh you'd be surprised what she knows. Here," Erik flipped through the children's Torah, "let's try Exodus instead of Numbers for a bit." He looked to Kiki. "Would you like to follow along?"

Kiki nodded and let Erik take her hand to point to each individual word while Becky read out loud.

"Though Moses remained afraid and uncertain, he obeyed God's command. Together, he and Aaron went to deliver God's message. Pharaoh, let my people go free."

When they arrived at the portion about the staff transforming into a snake, the level of intrigue in Kiki's eyes increased.

IIIIIII

Making a show of placing her hand over a rapidly beating heart when she walked into the kitchen, Raven said theatrically, "Sound the bells. A male intruder has infiltrated the maiden floor."

Continuously chewing, Alex mentioned, "Also the floor with the best baked goods. By the way, do Charles and Hank know this is the maiden floor?"

"Yes," Raven replied without thought, joining him at the table to take a peanut butter cookie from his plate. "So, in mere hours we'll be college sophomores. Even better, I'll be a coed with an actual major."

"Yep," Alex nodded, "welcome to the world of old guys with PhDs in every color who liked to remind you forty to fifty times a week that you very likely don't have what it takes."

"All the more delicious incentive for proving them wrong and being an example to my children." Raven reached for another cookie. "By the way, thanks for helping out with them so much."

"No problem. Got to live up to this uncle thing after all." Alex finished his glass of milk and went to the sink to rinse it. "I'll see you tomorrow, twin."

"Ah, the strenuous rigors of class at eleven AM." Raven smiled after him. "Night, twin."

IIIIIII

Seemingly jerked away from his dream state by an array of echoing thoughts, Joey's eyes shot open and he popped up. Relaxing within the safety of his bedroom, he felt relieved at Cody still asleep in his own bed and Trav, who lay peacefully next to him. Quietly easing off the mattress, Joey hastened from their room, careful not to bump Bounty's crate on the way.

Arriving in the bathroom, the short blonde switched on the faucet, making use of mostly hat water. Applying two overflowing palms worth of soap from the squirt bottle, Joey blended in the lather until it covered the majority of both arms. He then started washing it all off again, using his fingernails to catch any potential stray dirt.

Reacting to the faucet that seemed to run continuously, Erik pushed open the cracked bathroom door. Both eyebrows raised on the man at the child's intensive scrubbing in addition to the overflowing sink.

"Joey." The boy in question looked up with a startle, clearly having been too preoccupied with his cleansing to notice the elder mutant. Erik used his powers to turn off the sink. "It's a bit late to be throwing yourself a personal pool party."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Erik," Joey blinked twice, "I was just trying to wash my hands and I guess I kind of spaced out."

"I gathered that." Erik took hold of a nearby towel to finish wiping off the child's thoroughly drenched arms. "Well, cleanliness is next to Godliness after all."

Joey smiled a little. "Right."

"I'm going to mop up in here. You," Erik kissed his head before placing the towel back on the rack, "get back to bed."

"Okay," Joey nodded. "Night, Uncle Erik."

Erik watched him go then went about seeking out a mop.

IIIIIII

Bottled excitement seemed to burst in overflow within Hope Park with the numerous hand-painted signs and advertisements. While volunteers within the families worked the food stands, the young baseball players flocked together to sale bumper stickers, pins, and other small trinkets.

"It's wild out here," Scott commented.

Allen said, "Everybody's really revved up about fall ball."

"I know," Scott said. "I can't wait, either."
"We can't wait to see you and Becky around school." Gary then winked. "Though you'll probably be too busy carrying her books."

Scott batted a hand towards their captain while hiding a blush. "Knock it off, Gary."

A pair of teenage males approached the brownie table Cordelia and Angel stationed. "These look amazing."

"They're ten cents each and it all goes to support our guys." Cordelia pointed out the colorful stack of squares. "These are strawberry cheesecake."

Angel indicated hers. "And these are double fudge."

"I'll take a whole stack," the boy in front, tall with dark blonde hair, said with a coy smile, "as long as I get to eat 'em off you."

Entirely taken aback, Angel could only respond with a sharp, "What?"

Victor stepped away from speaking with Coach Dan and his palm slapped down on the center of the table in such a way that it caused a jump in the gathering of teens. "You boys lost or somethin'? I'll show you the way out. I'll even let you pick whether you want to get tossed over or under the fence."

The blonde and his friends dispersed without so much as a mumbled reply.

Cordelia crossed her arms. "Pigs."

Angel only focused attention on their next incoming customer.

IIIIIII

"Can't believe we're having lunch after only being here for one class," Alex said, joining the other two at the circular outdoor table.

"Speak for yourself," Jam protested. "I started class at nine."

"You also live here," Leon pointed out.

Jam countered, "You used to and you'd still come waltzing in two minutes later."

"I was gathering information for the bar-hop schedule." Leon absorbed the looks they shot him. "Kidding. Joking- jest."

Jam brought up, "I may actually be off atonement with my parents for that whole thing."

"I was the one who punched the cop," Leon pointed out.

"And went Irish," Alex mentioned.

Leon smirked slightly. "Mine stands out in my memory more." He faced Jam again. "Anyway, I'm the reason we ended up down at that station."

"And I'm the reason my dad went nuts," Jam said. "And my mom later. There are times I just want to cut loose, like anybody not born brown, and if I'm anywhere near trouble my parents are convinced all hell will break loose."
"Yeah." Alex then quickly added, "Our dad doesn't think the world is safe period. He's seen things. Lots of things."

Leon shrugged one shoulder and inserted a French fry into his mouth. "Not like they're entirely off base."

Alex and Jam looked to each other, having to quietly concur.

IIIIIII

The moment his presentation ended, Charles could only offer brief smiles to any who addressed him. He finally managed to exit the Princeton University auditorium and honed in on the other two X-Men at last.

"Charles, you were sensational," Hank commended.

Erik, however, could not miss his brother's distracted countenance. "What is it?" He received his answer when a familiar face in a cream colored leisure suit happened upon them. "Cortez."

"Aren't you a big surprise?" Estevan addressed Charles. "Considering your age, I didn't expect you to be such an eloquent speaker, but you more than radiated."

Hank raised the question on all their minds. "What are you doing here? Where's Max?"

"Happy, whether or not you choose to believe that that. As for myself, keeping track of our important affairs of course," Estevan stated. "My organization is a little more than the non-stop anarchists you believe us to be."

Charles spoke with, "I'm happy to see that my words had a positive reaction from you. Perhaps you'll soon see that this is the best way to go about furthering our cause."

"Ah, optimism." Estevan touched a hand to the center of his own chest. "I was fool enough to believe in such a folly myself once. I only hope you don't receive quite the wake-up call I did." He tipped his hat their way. "Good day, gentlemen." Turning, Estevan started off through the crowd.

Narrowing his eyes, Charles ventured into the departing psyche. He then had to suck in a sharp breath.

Erik frowned at his discomfort. "Charles?"

Hank put a hand to his brother-in-law's shoulder while the Professor proved unable to knit his words together.

IIIIIII

When the various paints spread out over the patio table started spilling over a bit too much, Becky entertained numerous visions of a few of the adults being far from happy at the sight.

"Hold on. I'll get more napkins. You stay with Joey," she said to Kiki, getting up then looked over at the blonde. "Remember not to leave the yard, Joey."

"I know," he called after the hurrying girl.

Focused on his picture, Trav asked, "Do you think we'll get to do painting in school?"

"I'm not sure," Joey said. "I hope so."

"Daddy says I'm going to get to learn about all sorts of new things." He then wondered, "Have you ever been to a bigger school, Joey? Becca says she has."

Swapping out a thinner brush for a thick one, Joey nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"What was it like?" Trav wondered.

Dirty boy! Stinky! Dirty demon!

Joey squinted, staring hard at the swirls of color on his paper. "I don't remember, Trav."

"Joey, Joey," Kiki waved her paper at him, "come see my picture."

Joey quickly hurried up to go around the table to her.

Not finding anything in the first floor kitchen, Becky went in search of napkins in the rear supply closet.

"I'm still not a hundred percent sold on this whole thing, Fox."

"We're all having trouble with this," Kayla's voice reminded.

Their voices caused Becky to cease movement just before she passed their bedroom door.

"Cody can keep the lid on his powers easier than the rest," Logan spoke again, "but you know how these schools here in the states can be."

Kayla brought up, "The Westchester school district no longer practices segregation."

"I know that," Logan responded, "but you've seen the news. These activists are still out here tryin' to put an end to it. This country promises the world but it's still so damn backwards with this color bull."

Finally walking by their door, Becky offered a small wave at the couple. The Howletts ceased speaking and returned the child's gesture.

Out of their sight again, Becky arrived outside the closet door, only to droop outside of it. She sat on the floor just outside the door with her hands going to support her steadily drooping countenance.

IIIIIII

"It is no big deal," Angel returned two of the leftover sandwiches from the event to the second floor refrigerator, "believe me, there's nothing these little preps can say that I haven't heard ten times worse."

"Hey," touching her shoulder, Victor made her turn around to look up at him, "I don't care. Not one of 'em has the right to come at you that way. You let me know if it happens again, understand?"

Nodding, Angel stepped forward to hug him. "Appreciate you, Daddy Cat."

Victor stroked at her hair then looked on as she left the kitchen.

Passing the crestfallen girl coming her way in the hall, Angel stopped immediately. "What's wrong, Becky?"

The head of curls gazed up. "I heard the Howletts talking earlier. They're worried about the new schools."

"I think everybody is," Angel said. "But I've done the new school thing a couple times now. It won't be that hard to hide our powers."

Becky stared at her with glazed green eyes. "That's not why Kayla and Logan are worried. They were talking about Cody and segregation."

Understanding all too well now, Angel came back with, "That stuff is mostly bad down south. People keep their mouths shut a little better here."

Becky recalled, "At my old school, they made fun of my hair all the time. They said I came from a brillo pad head… they were right."

Angel grasped the younger girl's hands and held them. "When I was little, people used to call me half-monkey, graham cracker, anything dumb they came up with. But black kids weren't any different. They made cheap shots about how I thought I was so much; just putting words in my mouth."

Becky wanted to know, "Why do they treat us like that?"

Angel answered honestly, "Babe, if you ever find out let me know. But I really do think it comes down to jealousy. We're original; something dazzling that few people have seen. That's what Adrienne told me when I first started modeling."

Becky appeared surprised by this. "She did?"

Angel nodded. "And you know, regardless of what anybody says," she took her into a small hug, "there's nothing wrong with us. Except being too beautiful."

Smiling, Becky leaned on the older girl's arm.

IIIIIII

Done getting Brian's fresh diaper in place, Emma looked up in time to catch her older son in the doorway. "Oh hi, darling." Joey walked in closer and Emma carried the baby over towards him. "I feel like I hardly see you with you living upstairs with the men."

Joey climbed on the bed, playing with one of Brian's hands when Emma laid him down. "Mum… am I ever going to be normal?"

Knowing that could mean a wealth of things, Emma inquired, "What do you mean?"

"I mean like Trav," Joey clarified. "He's younger than me but he does so great in school. And he's excited to start the new one. But me… I keep feeling behind everyone else. Scared all the time."

Sending an arm around him, Emma pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "You and Trav have had very different experiences, though they may seem similar. You have far harsher memories to fight against. I also believe little Trav has a different way of processing things than you do. But that doesn't make you some sort of abnormality. And you're not required to be a pristine scholar. You only need to apply your best effort to your studies."

"So," Joey sent innocent blue eyes up at her, "is a D or two okay if it's my best?"

"Watch it," Emma cautioned, flicking his nose in play, "before your father comes home to hear you speaking about such witchcraft."

IIIIIII

Entering the den that acted as Erik's sleeping quarters, Frank found both Headmasters standing there with all too somber expressions in place.

"So," the boy started off casually, "did you guys decide you want me to go to Princeton or something? Because Hank's been pushing Harvard."

"No, no," Charles reassured with a chuckle. "We actually," he considered something, "Harvard? You're far more suited for Oxf—"

"Charles," Erik cut in pointedly.

"Right." The Professor cleared his throat. "We've been talking, Frank, and with your outstanding academic record we believe you would benefit from starting high school a year early."

Not expecting this, the boy's eyes swelled. "Are you serious?"

Erik nodded. "If it's something you want to pursue, we can arrange for you to take the placement test tomorrow afternoon."

"Well… yeah, sure," Frank agreed with a small smile. "Thanks. Wait until I tell Sean."

"Frank." Erik's voice prevented his hasty getaway and he promptly turned back. "You do realize there are responsibilities to be had going into high school, not merely newfound privileges?"

"I kind of figured you'd say that, but oh well," Frank shrugged. "I'll do it, anyway." He headed out with that.

IIIIIII

When the chords sounding behind him yanked him away from the written content before him, the irritated brown eyes looked back.

"Is there any way you can live out your Apollo fantasies elsewhere?" Leon asked of him. "It's only my first day of classes and I have two reading assignments."

Sean paused fingers long enough to say, "Let the music inspire you," before returning focus to his guitar.

"The sound of a sorrowful cat counts as music now?" At Sean's intensified playing, Leon brought up, "I was in here first."

Sean looked across at him with lips upturned. "I was in the X-Men first."

Many words in mind, Leon decided to let them remain unsaid- for now. He gathered his study materials and took his leave of the living room.

IIIIIII

Tiredly maneuvering through the hall, Erik experienced a twinge of deja vu at the running water. He made his way over to the bathroom in time to catch the young one departing from it.

"Uncle Erik."

The man did the miss the way the small one flung his hands behind his back. "Joey, what?..." Taking him by the shoulder, Erik brought them back into the bathroom and switched on the light. Forcing Joey's hands in front of him again, Erik's mouth opened at the small sores all over them. "How did you?..." He took Joey's head between his hands to lock his eyes. "Were you cutting? Did you cut yourself?"

Joey shook his head hard. "No! Uncle Erik, I swear I didn't. I was just washing my hands and they started bleeding."

Examining the appendages further, Erik determined, "You've washed them so hard they've cracked. Come with me." He hoisted the boy up to carry.

When they reached the kitchen, Erik sat him in a chair while he retrieved something out of one of the first-aid kits. Returning with the cream, he took a seat near him and started applying the cream.

"I was just trying to make sure I was clean," Joey attempted to explain.

Erik looked at him while rubbing the cream into the slightly damaged palms. "From where are these notions coming? You take a bath every night."

"I had to be sure…"

"Joey," a distinct but caring firmness carried through Erik's voice, "tell me what's the matter. I want the truth."

Managing to gather his words, Joey began, "At my old school, kids always said I smelled bad and that I was dirty. I wanted to make sure it didn't happen at the new school now."

Grasping the situation, Erik went from rubbing to massaging the hands. "I understand. However, what you need to understand is that you must tell me these things that trouble you, young man. "

Joey glanced away towards the stove. "I thought you'd think it was stupid."

"Charles Joseph Xavier, look at me," Erik ordered and Joey immediately placed his eyes back on him. "When I was boy, I was frequently bullied."

Disbelief made up Joey's expression. "You?"

"Yes," Erik confirmed. "Mostly for being too small or too shy. My father often had to come to my rescue."

"I can't believe anybody would pick on you." Joey tilted his head for a better view of the man. "You were small?"

"And far too skinny." Erik moved Joey over to sit on his lap. "Though I know you and the other children are under the belief that I was somehow born tall and strong."

Joey smiled his way. "So you don't think I'm being dumb or wussy?"
"No," Erik patted him on the bottom, "and I don't want to hear of you referring to yourself that way. I need you to be honest with me. It wounds me to see you keep things bottled up in such a way that you end up hurt." Erik raised one of Joey's hands to caress against his own cheek. "Your parents feel the same way."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Erik." Joey studied his other hand. "I didn't think I was washing that hard. I'll talk to you next time."

"Yes, you will." Erik kissed him at the temple. "Now, I think we could both benefit from a bit of warm milk."

As his uncle stood him up, Joey asked hopefully, "With cocoa?"

The man granted, "Just a sprinkle," and went to collect two mugs.

IIIIIII

Supported against her own gold colored car with Westchester High School in her main line of sight, Cordelia reacted to a sudden screeching nearing her. Repositioning her yellow rimmed sunglasses to prop up on her head, she watched the crimson Ferrari settle into a parking spot and somehow not knock into the two cars between it on the street.

Eyeing the approaching driver, she remarked, "Nice."

"Me?" Fabian came upon her. "Or the car?"

"You pick." She then mentioned, "Heard your dad was at my brother-in-law's Princeton engagement yesterday. Figured you wouldn't be too far away."

"A son's work is never done. But now that we know why I'm here, what are you doing in the vicinity of…" He looked the building up and down. "The lowbrow education system."

"Actually, this place is pretty high-ranked. Right now I'm just waiting on my friend to finish his test. But pretty soon," Cordelia looked up again, "this'll be my school."

Fabian regarded her with disbelief. "You're going to walk amongst the sapien-sort? Was a mutant convent deemed too harsh?"

Cordelia attempted to look away from him. "Don't you have an elsewhere to be?"

Fabian replied, "Very many."

As he started back to his vehicle, the girl commented, "It is a very smart car."

"A little birthday present from my father last year."

"What did you want for this year?"

Fabian only shared another gaze with her before getting behind his steering wheel and flooring away again.

IIIIIII

Hurrying into his son's room, Charles' petitioned, "Joey."

Peering away from feeding Bounty, Joey stood up from the crate. "Daddy."

"I had to leave early this morning." Charles lifted him into a hug, lowering to sit on the nearest bed with him. "I spoke with your uncle. Are you alright?"

Joey nodded then emphasized, "I wasn't cutting myself, Dad, honest."

"I know," Charles assured. "I'm only sorry I've been so preoccupied that I couldn't tell what was going on."

"I didn't really want to tell anybody," Joey admitted. "I wish I could be as tough as Alex was when he started school."

Charles joined cheeks with him. "You've no need to put up a show of bravado, certainly not with me. I'm here to help you sort through the things that cause you fear of pain. Regardless of how distracted I become, that will never change."

Joey reached up to hug him around the neck. "I love you, Dad."

Charles sent soothing fingers through the blonde hair. "I love you, too, my little one."

IIIIIII

"Thanks for making dinner, gorge," Raven said, arriving at the dining room table with her children. "I really needed the study time. I can't believe school's already thrown a quiz at me."

"It's no big deal," Angel dismissed. "Frank helped."

"Hey love bug, how did your test go?" Raven asked him.

"Pretty okay I guess," the teenager replied.

Sean ruffled Frank's hair. "Glad I won't be the only X-Guy walking around that place."

Soon the entire household gathered at the table with Hank coming in a few minutes behind.

"Ah, there you are, Henry," Charles acknowledged.

"I'm sorry I'm late but I heard back," he wore a smile as he took his place by Raven, "and I got it."

"Wonderful," Charles grinned.

"That's excellent," came from Erik.

Raven leaned over to hug him. "Congratulations, baby. I knew you had it in the bag."

"What's going on?" Becky wondered.

Hank informed them all, "I got a position at the high school."

Cordelia pointed at herself. "Our high school?"

At Hank's nod, Frank asked, "You're going to be teaching science?"

"Physical education and nutrition actually."

"Not only that," Charles spoke, "but Victor will be performing security at the elementary school."

The younger children reacted favorably.

Scott said, "Coach, the other Jaguars will love this."

"Can't wait to catch you in that guard get-up," Logan smirked.

Victor sent a lazy swipe out at his brother.

"Wish you were coming to our school," Angel said then promptly tacked on, "We love you, Hank."

"My self-esteem is intact," the scientist stated.

"Wait a minute," Sean spoke over the chatter. "I get why Victor's going with the little kids, but we don't need Hank where we are. I can protect us."

"Lots of luck," Leon remarked lowly.

Sean glared over at him. "And you can shut up."

"Sean," Charles reproached while Erik did the same with, "Leon." The Professor then went on with, "It would give us greater peace of mind to know that one of our own instructors are there if you should need anything. This has nothing to do with us doubting your capabilities."

"Guess this whole thing won't be completely weird," Cordelia said positively.

"Nah," Cody shook his head, "what's weird is if I don't have somebody in my family hangin' around my school."