Chapter Thirty Five

"The School for the Gifted is actually a school for mutants?" Steve asked in surprise as they made their way to the school in question.

"It's a place where they go to learn how to control their abilities," she explained with a shrug, "There's still a lot of people out there who are prejudice against mutants, because they're different and sometimes can't control their powers. But, a lot of them have learned how to live amongst humans, and some even thrive off of it."

She'd done a lot of research on mutants back when she first started training with Natasha. A lot of it was based on the fact that her powers were similar to theirs, in a way. Though, she was beginning to realize that the major differences were that her powers were varied and based off of emotion. The angrier she felt, the more powerful they were and the better chances she had of losing control. That was why she had learned meditation was the best technique in keeping them under control.

What fascinated her the most about mutants, though, was that people just assumed they started showing up only fifty years ago. She'd quickly learned that that wasn't the case. They had been around far longer than most people realized, even back in the days of Ancient Egypt. There was some speculation that the stories authors came up with were based off of real life events that happened, involving mutants.

"I can sort of see why you think you might have a connection with them," he quipped, glancing at her thoughtfully as they pulled to a stop for a small break. It was still a three hour drive from Manhattan, and any chance for a break to stretch their legs was favorable, "Do you really think you can learn about your people through them?"

"I've learned that sometimes the impossible, is possible," she replied, smirking when he threw her an incredulous look, "After Loki's attack, and finding out that Asgard is real, we shouldn't just make assumptions."

Steve's shoulders sagged as the overwhelming possibility that some things just couldn't be explained were becoming a reality. Try as he might, she had a valid point. She knew it wasn't easy to accept that. But, the world was constantly changing. Learning to cope with that change was important, especially in this day and age.

"I'm surprised that Tony let you go, given how… overprotective he seems to be," he suddenly put in.

That was enough to send a shiver through Ada. She understood why Tony was so overprotective. Though their relationship had always been strange to most people, more strained than anything else, she realized that was his way of making sure she stayed safe. She would always find a way to defy him, though. Tony couldn't seem to figure out that nothing was going to change her mind once it was made up.

"I think the only reason he let me go was because you agreed to take me," she admitted, earning a look of surprise seconds later when they set off on the road, again, "I am grateful for everything he's done for me, but, there are times when I wish he'd realize I'm not helpless."

"You know, I'd be grateful having a father who looked after me," Steve said thoughtfully.

Ada looked at him in surprise before remembering that he'd never really had a father figure in his life, as far as she was aware. She looked away after feeling slightly embarrassed for bringing it up, knowing that there was a lot she took for granted these days.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," she murmured, mentally smacking herself for saying anything at all.

"Don't be," he reassured her with a warm smile. "I never really knew my father… Bucky was always the one who looked after me, even when my mom was alive."

She couldn't hide the small smile that followed as she recalled from Coulson that Bucky had been Steve's best friend, and partner during the war. She realized with a start how lucky he was to have a good friend like that. One who was willing to back him up even during the hardest times. She used to love hearing the stories about the Howling Commandos when Coulson had the time to share them. And he didn't seem to mind sharing them either. If anything, he was happy that someone had been interested in their history.

The rest of their trip had gone by in a similar manner. Talking was the best way to pass time. Plus, it gave them a chance to get to know one another better. It only just dawned on Ada that this was the first time since that night in the cafe that they were able to talk like this. She knew that they had begun on a rocky start while aboard the Hellicarrier. Things hadn't gotten much better during the fight, but Steve seemed to finally see her in a new light when he saw what she was capable of.

Finally, they reached the destination in question. Manchester, New York. Ada peered over her shoulder to see that this place was heavily wooded compared to what she was used to seeing in New York. Then again, she was beginning to realize that the state was bigger than just the spiraling city she had lived in for nearly a year, now.

The mansion itself was guarded by heavy iron gates. She could see the sign that was posted as private property on one side. But, on the other where the gates were connected to cement block was a sign that read, 'Xavier's School for the Gifted'.

"This is it," she murmured after they reached the gates. She glanced at Steve warily, knowing that this was likely out of his elements. Yet, he seemed more curious than wary as he studied the gates cautiously, "Are you sure you want to go in? There's no telling what we'll find behind those gates," she added.

"I promised Tony that I would keep you safe, and, I plan on keeping that promise," he replied without hesitation.

Ada rose an eyebrow in surprise. She wasn't expecting that response, especially since she knew that Steve and Tony hadn't necessarily hit it off right away. In fact, she suspected that Tony had been jealous of Steve. It was difficult to explain, but, she knew that Howard Stark had constantly praised Captain America in front of Tony when he was just a kid. To find out that his father's idol was alive must have been hard on him.

"He isn't nearly as obnoxious as people make him out to be," she remarked as she pushed the gate open, already aware that Xavier probably knew they were there.

Steve almost smirked at that, but, he didn't say anything as they walked along the path that led to open fields and gardens. The sight was an impressive one. Ada had to admit, she found herself gaping when she noticed that the place was beautifully landscaped, with large trees, a variety of gardens, ponds and lakes that seemed to spread out before them. What really took her by surprise, though, were the students who were also outside enjoying the sunny weather. Some of them had stopped upon seeing the visitors, a few glaring at them suspiciously.

She couldn't blame them for feeling so suspicious. After everything they had likely been through, it was a wonder they trusted outsiders at all. She didn't bother making eye contact, knowing that wouldn't help matters.

The last thing I want is to fight any of you, she tried reassuring them silently. She always believed in giving people a chance if she didn't know anything about them. Especially when she knew they were just trying to survive in this world.

"Why do I get the feeling they're not happy we're here?" Steve's question brought her back to reality.

"Probably because they're not overly fond of seeing trespassers on our property." They stopped at the sound of a man's voice, and, Ada looked towards the entrance of the mansion to see someone approaching them. Dressed in a leather jacket and gray jeans, wearing what looked like a strange pair of sunglasses, he was intimidating at best, "Do you wanna explain to me what you're doing, here? This school isn't open to the public."

"I was hoping that I could speak with Professor Xavier," Ada explained, keeping her voice curt and professional as the man eyed them both suspiciously. Though, she noticed that his gaze was more fixated on Steve, "He does live here, I presume."

The man seemed to hesitate. Ada winced at the way he studied her carefully. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, she knew he could likely see right through her. She didn't want to pose a threat, not with so much at stake. He finally gave a nod, as if debating with himself silently.

"Alright; you don't seem like a threat," he gave in after relaxing just a bit, "We can never be too careful, what with how the public sees us."

"I'm sorry, about that," she apologized, shooting Steve a warning look as they were led towards the mansion, "I know we should have called, but, visiting was kind of a last minute decision."

Her shoulders sagged in relief when they finally reached the mansion. The mansion itself was huge, with different wings on either side. The stairs leading up to the mansion were occupied by yet more students who were either talking, or studying. Ada noticed with a start that none of them seemed to take notice of her or Steve's presence.

"How many students are attending this school?" Steve asked curiously, speaking out for the first time since the man in question arrived.

"Enough to keep us on our toes," the man replied over his shoulder, "Most of them were either dropped off or found their own way here. A few had parents who wanted a better life for them. This also acts like a sanctuary for them."

Ada nodded in understanding, suddenly feeling her stomach twist with pity as she imagined what it must be like, to feel afraid of stepping into the outside world. It couldn't be easy, living that kind of life. Then again, she realized that she would have likely lived that way had Tony never adopted her.

Once they were inside the mansion, itself, Ada found herself gawking at the sight that lay before her. The staircase split into two sets, leading to a foyer at the top where students were also hanging out or heading to and from classes. A beautiful looking woman with dark skin, brown hair and a white streak going through it stopped at the edge of the staircase upon their arrival.

"Hi, you must be the visitors Charles told us about," she greeted them with a welcoming smile, catching them both by surprise. "Word spreads fast, around here."

"I've noticed," Ada replied with a smile of her own.

She was grateful at least some of them were friendly, and the woman seemed happy to have visitors. It was better than leaving them with a bad first impression. Besides, Ada wasn't in any hurry to fight anyone after everything that had happened. She knew these people weren't a threat. They were so much more than that.

"I hope Scott didn't give you too hard of a time; he's not overly fond of strangers," she added, shooting the man in sunglasses a playful look. Scott just crossed his arms, and Ada could have sworn he'd rolled his eyes at that, "My name is Ororo, by the way."

"Ada Stark," Ada introduced herself with a handshake as the woman reached them.

Ororo hardly looked surprised with her introduction, though she noticed Scott stiffen beside her after realizing who he was talking to.

"Steve Rogers," Steve introduced himself after realizing she was expecting some kind of response.

"Captain America and a Stark," Scott remarked, tilting his head to one side, "I never thought I'd see the day where this was happening."

Ada almost smirked when she noticed Steve's cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. He did his best at hiding his sheer embarrassment. Not that Ada couldn't blame him. She never once thought of it that way, until Scott decided to bring it up.

"Ignore him," Ororo warned them, "Come, the Professor is waiting in his office."

Neither needed to be told twice as Ororo led the way. Ada suddenly felt self-conscious when she noticed a few of the students lingering in the hallway were watching the new arrivals warily. Whether it was out of suspicion or curiosity, she knew they likely were asking questions regarding their sudden arrival.

She knew the odds of Professor Xavier holding information on her people were slim. But, he might have an idea, and that was better than nothing. Ada wanted to know more about her people, and their history. More than anything, though, she wanted to know more about her mother. She tried contacting Nadia through her necklace, but, she remained silent as always since they brought Loki to the Hellicarrier.

Once they reached the Xavier's office, Ada found her shoulders tensing up. She never realized until than how nervous she was at meeting him in person. Ororo had been warm and welcoming, whereas Scott was entirely suspicious of their presence. He never fully relaxed around them, and she could see him watching them every now and then, as if expecting a random attack. She swallowed back the lump forming in her throat, hoping she didn't look like a nervous wreck.

"Ah, you must be Miss Ada Stark, and, Captain Rogers," a new voice greeted them in the same manner as Ororo. Ada blinked in surprise as she noticed the man in question was sitting in a wheelchair. His head was bald, and he wore a suit that seemed fitting for his role as both Professor and Principal of the school, "I was wondering when I would get the chance to meet you in particular, though."

She blinked once more when Xavier's gaze reached her. For a moment, Ada wondered if he'd known long before the decision was made that they would meet. Then she pushed the thought aside. Something told her that she didn't want to know how he had known of her planned visit.

"Professor, it's an honor to meet you in person," she greeted him with a nod, glancing at Steve when she noticed how overwhelmed he was with all of these new faces, "I'm sorry for our sudden arrival, but I didn't know if you were taking calls or not."

"We would not have allowed entry if we knew you posed a threat, Miss Stark," Xavier reassured her, gesturing for them to take a seat, "Now, you informed Scott that you were here to receive information, but on what, I wonder?"

"Well, I was hoping you would have some information on my people," she admitted, suddenly feeling sheepish for thinking he might know something at all, "I was informed by an associate of mine that I come from a race known as the Aliquid."

She watched as Xavier's face faltered at the mention of the Aliquid. After hearing what Natasha had told her, she couldn't shake off the feeling that others had done their own research on them. She knew that not much was known about them, and that was why SHIELD had been studying the ancient beings that were hunted down.

"I'm afraid there isn't much I know about the Aliquid," he sighed, leaning back against his chair as he studied her thoughtfully, "About the only knowledge I have on them is that they were thought to be extinct… until now."

She grimaced when Steve looked at her in disbelief. She had watched countless people die in her dreams. All because they were Nadia's memories. She tried burying those mental images, but, it was difficult knowing that her people had suffered for so long.

"Do you know why the Black Knights were so hellbent on hunting them down?" she asked curiously.

Xavier only shook his head, "As I said before, little is known about them, or the people you call the Black Knights. I can only assume that you have already met them?"

Ada chewed the bottom of her lip, wincing as she remembered the way Emmett had betrayed her. Worst still was seeing the cold look Nathan had given her before disappearing with his son. Had she known sooner who his father was working for, she never would have agreed to dating him.

"I have," she replied, "It was a fallout."

From what she had gathered, Xavier was capable of reading minds. She had no doubt that he already knew what had happened, especially from the way he too grimaced. It wasn't something she particularly liked talking about, given the circumstances.

"Ah, I can see why you would feel that way," he finally nodded in understanding, "And, I can only presume that your friend here knows what your associates told you?"

"Bits and pieces of what I was already told," Steve replied with a shrug, looking more than wary at being put on the spotlight. "You never mentioned anything about meeting the Black Knights, though."

So much for keeping him out of the loop, she thought with a roll of her eyes.

"I dated his son," she explained, her voice suddenly bitter as Steve blinked in surprise, "Turned out the bastard was working for the Black Knights, and looking for the right opportunity."

Steve's brows furrowed with concern after realizing what happened nearly four years ago. It was at that time she decided to focus on her training rather than her love life. After all, she had more important things to worry about than dating anyone. As far as she was concerned, men all thought the same way, with one head.

"I apologize for not having more information on your people, Miss Stark," Xavier put in after awkward silence filled the room.

"No, don't apologize," she reassured him. "I'm just grateful you trusted us enough to let us in."

"Trust is a rather complicated term, isn't it?" he suddenly asked, leaning forward as their eyes met. Once again, Ada suddenly found herself feeling self-conscious as she wondered if he could read her every thoughts, "A SHIELD agent and the Super Soldier, working together… it seems almost fitting."

"We're not actually, together," Steve tried brushing him off.

Though, the smirk that followed said it all. Ada looked away as she suddenly wished a hole would open up and swallow her. The last thing she wanted was to even consider themselves compatible. After all, Steve had only just woken up from the ice and lost everything. She'd heard about his crush on Peggy Carter through a the grape vine, and she had a feeling that dating someone was the last thing on his mind.

"Even so, your journey must have been a long one, given where you were," Xavier put in after clasping his hands together, "On any normal occasion, we would not allow visitors to stay, but, we have rooms to accommodate your visit."

Ada stared at Xavier in disbelief when she realized what he was implying. To hear such hospitality from someone who could have easily kicked them out was almost unheard of. She exchanged a wary look with Steve, knowing that he had a point. It had taken them longer than expected to reach the mansion. A rest before they set off again would feel more than welcoming.

"Thank you, sir," she nodded her thanks, suddenly aware that he was taking a huge risk by letting them stay, "I think I'll accept that offer."

Steve's response was a nod of his own, and while he had been quiet throughout their conversation, she could see a million questions within his eyes. Despite that, though, he kept quiet as Xavier gestured for Ororo to show them their rooms. She was relieved to leave it at that. Despite her best intentions at finding out more about her people, she knew that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Xavier had taken her by surprise with his kindness, and she hoped that she could return the favor after their sudden arrival. After all, it was the least she could do.

…

It was late by the time they retired to the room they were offered by Professor Xavier. After dinner with a few curious students who had asked questions upon questions, Ada was more than ready to hit the bed and sleep off her exhaustion. She hadn't expected so many questions, or students who were so familiar with her. It had been embarrassing, especially with Steve watching the whole time while a few asked him what it was like being Captain America.

"I never realized you were so popular," he remarked with a chuckle, shaking his head in amusement when they reached their room.

The fact that they were sharing a room was awkward enough. Ada was just thankful they had separate beds to sleep in, otherwise she would have problems. Besides, neither of them were planning to start a relationship with one another. The best thing to do was try and ignore the situation at hand. Steve seemed perfectly fine with that notion, especially when he saw how awkward things were already.

"The media always tries to make things worse than they already are," she sighed in frustration, "I've never liked having my picture taken by them, but, I know it can't be avoided forever."

Dealing with the paparazzi was just one of the many things she had to cope with when it came to being Tony Stark's adopted daughter. Her first encounter with the press hadn't ended in a high note. In fact, she'd nearly punched one of the reporters when they jumped her while she was shopping with Pepper.

Shaking her head at the thought, Ada was more than relieved to drop the subject and get some rest.

AN: So, the next couple of chapters might seem random and out of place. When I originally wrote this, I never intended to write more than a couple of chapters revolving around the X-Men (even though I love them); I also want to clarify things; is it Manchester the mansion is located in, or, some other city? Had someone yelling at me in the previous story that it was the wrong location, so, I want to make sure that I'm right. Anywho, thanks Softballpup12 for reviewing!

Softballpup12 - XD Thank you! Yeah; I've always seen Tony as being a great father, despite what others would say. And, I'll see what I can do about the smaller chapters. Maybe I'll post them as filler chapters, and delve into Ada and Steve's relationship further :) Thanks again for reviewing, I'm glad you're enjoying this so much :D