A/N: Hello all! Welcome to chapter 2! We thought you might like having two chapters to get a feel for this version! So from myself and VenomSpider33, we hope you like it!

Disclaimer: We don't own X-Men. We do own the OC's featured!

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

His head hurt, a sensation that wasn't exactly new for him. His head had hurt many, many times before, but what was odd about this one was that the pain wasn't being slowly erased by his healing factor. He blearily reached up to rub his eyes, only for the tightening of chains around his wrists. He looked down and saw that the chains attached to the bed.

He snarled as he remembered what happened before he lost consciousness and his golden claws emerged from his knuckles, but whoever had shackled him up had positioned him in such a way that he couldn't reach his chains with his claws.

"Not again...not again…" He muttered under his breath, as he desperately tried to reach the chains with his were just short enough that he couldn't really move his arms, and after about five minutes of trying, he gave up. Seeing the futility of it all, he leaned back against the bed, his claws receding back into his hands.

Watching all this through the cameras were Logan, Scott, Emma, Jean, and Hank McCoy. "The Adamantium chains were a bit much, don't you think?" Jean asked, and Logan shook his head.

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Jeanie, but the kid's a total unknown. Better safe than sorry." Logan answered. "Any luck getting in his head? Seeing who he is, where he came from?"

"Unfortunately no. He has surprisingly strong telepathic defenses. So strong that I don't think that we can get through them without causing some sort of residual damage." Emma explained.

"Well, if this file is any indication, I don't believe you would want to see his memories." Hank said, examining the file Kitty had taken from the Alkali Lake facility. "According to this, Sinister's had him since he was a baby. He doesn't even have a name, at leat not one Sinister bothered to record. Sinister has spent the past sixteen years raising him and molding him into the perfect killing machine."

"So he's, what, a clone? Like X-23?" Emma asked, not unaware of Logan's glare over her refusal to use Laura's name.

"Not quite. See, while young Ms. Kinney was conceived from Logan's damaged genetic template, this young man was made the old fashioned way. According to this, the boy's father gave him to Essex not long after he was born."

"And the father?" Scott asked, and Beast frowned.

"Well...Logan, you might want to sit down for this." The former Avenger warned.

"Out with it, Hank." Logan asked, and Hank sighed.

"According to this, the boy's father...is Daken." Hank answered, and everyone's eyes widened. Logan clenched his fists, walking closer to the screen as he stared at the boy. "As soon as you brought him back, I did a DNA test and compared it with yours. There's enough of a match to indicate a grandparental relation."

"Who's the mother?" Logan growled out.

"I don't know. If Essex did, he didn't put it in the file." Hank explained, and Scott put a hand on Logan's shoulder.

"Logan, I'm sorry you had to find out like this. There's no way you could've known that-"

"Don't apologize, Slim. This is just another person who's had to suffer because of me." Logan said.

"His claws?" Logan asked, and Hank consulted the file.

"It says here that it's something called...adamantine." The blue man replied, and his brow furrowed. "Adamantine...I know that term. It's the kind of metal that Hercules' weapons are made out of." At that, the eyes of Emma Frost widened.

"Wait, so are you trying to tell me that Essex got his hands on the metal of the gods?"

"It appears so. I'll see if I can track him down and get some answers later." Beast stated, as Logan stared at the screen. He let out a sigh, and turned towards the door. "Well...boy's been awake long enough. Time to go talk to my grandson."

The Boy had given up on trying to escape his chains, instead just laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling of the cell. He heard a tapping on the glass, and looked up to see Logan, Scott, and Jean standing there. "You know who we are? Scott asked, and the Boy nodded.

"I do. Scott Summers, Jean Grey...and Weapon X. The original Weapon X, anyways." He answered. "Where am I?"

"The Xavier Institute. The basement, anyway." Scott answered.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"About twelve hours or so."

"Where's the Professor?"

"He's taking a sabbatical, trying to find ways to help mutants around the world." Jean explained. "Do you have a name?" She asked.

"Weapon X. At least, that's the only thing I've ever been called." He answered. "What do you people want from me?"

"We don't want anything from you. We just want to help you. Give you a chance to have a life of your own." Scott said, and the Boy just scoffed.

"Please. The only reason I've lived this long is because Sinister thought he could use me. I'm guessing you people want to do the same thing as well."

"Why would you think that?" Jean asked, and he sighed.

"I'm a weapon. I kill things. Pretty well, in fact. It's all I know how to do. So excuse me if I have a hard time believing I should expect any different from here." He said, and silence hung in the air for a moment.

"I used to think the same way. Thought I didn't really belong here, that I was better off on my own." Logan stated. "But Jean, the Professor, even Summers over here...they all convinced me that I didn't have to be what Weapon X made me. That I had the potential for a life beyond all the killing and fighting." He explained. "I pulled you out of that place because you reminded me of myself, and I just couldn't help but think about how different my life coulda been if someone had given me a choice."

"A...choice…?" He said aloud, almost as if the word was in a completely different language. He'd never had much of a 'choice' in anything before. Much of his childhood had been filled with Sinister's experiments and training in order to become his perfect weapon. But now here stood the original Weapon X, telling him that he had now had a choice.

"You don't have to stay here at the school if you don't want to." Logan said. "If you want, I've got a place up in Alberta that I-"

"No. I...I want to stay." The Boy said. "I...I've always wanted a normal life. If...if you'll have me, I'd like to try here." He said, and Logan glanced at Scott.

"Well, Headmaster? Room for another student?"

"What kind of school would this be if it wasn't." Summers responded, and opened the cell door, as Logan went to remove the chains.

'Emma's not going to like this…' Jean said in Scott and Logan's heads.

'She'll get over it.' Logan reassured, as he unlocked the adamantium chains, allowing him to stand up and stretch his legs. "Well, c'mon, kid. Let's get you out of that thing." He said, gesturing to the bloody black bodysuit he wore.

"I think the Closet just got a new shipment in. Should have something he should be able to wear up there." Scott said, and turned to Jean. "Do you mind being his advisor?"

"Not at all. In fact, I think I've got a perfect roommate in mind for him." Jean agreed, and Scott nodded, before turning back to Logan and the Boy.

"I'm gonna need a name for the registration paperwork."

"I really don't have one." The boy admitted again.

"How about Vincent? Vince for short." Logan offered.

The boy seemed to think it over before nodding slightly; "I like that one." He said giving just a hint of a smile.

"Good now follow me kid let's get you some actual clothes." Logan said leading the way out the door.

'Logan, where did you come up with that name?' Jean asked in his head.

'Had it in my pocket for a while. It was what I wanted to name the kids father originally.' He thought back, surprising Jean, before she just chuckled to herself.

"All these years, and he still manages to surprise us...:"

Logan lead the newly dubbed Vince into the elevator, and the boy seemed to fidget in the elevator. "So...what's this place like?" He asked. "Sinister...he taught me a lot about this place. But he kept it...clinical, down to nothing but facts and statistics. What's it actually like?" He asked, and Logan pursed his lips as he thought for a moment.

"I don't know how much you know about what's goin' on out in the world, but...well, let's just say that it ain't a great time to be a mutant. Me and the other X-Men, we try to do our best, generate a little good PR, but well, fact is that we scare people, and when people get scared, they get nasty. This place...it's a place of hope. A safe place where mutants can be free to be . "let themselves." Logan explained.

"And what's an…'advisor?'" Vince asked.

"Jeannie's gonna be in charge of you here. She's gonna set you up with a roommate, get you registered for classes, just make sure you get done what you need to get done."

"Why can't you do that?" Vince asked, and Logan just laughed.

"Ha, good one, kid!" He chuckled out. "Nah, I ain't cut out for all that teachin' and advisin' crap. Besides, I'm too busy to worry about a buncha kids. I teach a self defense class when I can, but between the X-Men, the Avengers, and about a million other fires I'm constantly putting out, I ain't got time to teach a class." Logan explained. "Don't worry. Jeannie's as good as they come. She'll take good care of you."

"If you say so…" Vince accepted, as Logan lead him out of the elevator and into a hallway, leading him into a large room filled with clothes.

"Some of the kids we get, they've been kicked out of their homes, show up with nothing but the clothes on their backs. So, we give 'em any kind of clothes that they could need." The Best There Is explained, and gestured to the room. "So...have at it." He beckoned and Vince stepped in. "Oh, and don't try the whole 'escape out the window' thing. We'll get ya before ya get across the lawn." Logan half-jokingly warned, and vince closed the door behind him. Logan leaned against the wall, folding his arms and sighing as he mulled it all over.

Daken...to call the two 'estranged' was an understatement, considering how Logan had thought Daken had died in his mother's womb when she died all the way back in the 40's. Hell, Logan didn't even know he existed until about three years ago, when he'd tried to kill Logan. Since then, Daken had been a ghost, skating under the radar of groups like SHIELD. The last sort of lead Logan had gotten was a man in Berlin six months ago who looked like he'd been ripped apart by a tiger, which, considering that tigers weren't native to Germany and Logan hadn't been in Germany in the last year and a half, lead him to believe that Daken was now acting as some kinda mercenary. His son was one of his biggest regrets, one he knew would haunt him to his dying day.

But now, all of a sudden, Vince was here, the grandson he never knew existed, raised in what could only be described as Hell, for reasons the Wolverine could only assume was related to his own genetic make up. That boy now had a chance for a life of his own, and by god, Logan was going to make sure he got it. "I'm gonna do right by him, Itsu. I promise." Logan muttered.

Meanwhile, Vince was inside the Closet, looking over the selection of clothes available to him. He sighed, running his hand through his red hair. 'What the hell am I thinking?' He thought to himself, checking out a rack of shirts. The truth was, he had no idea what he was doing. The concept of 'freedom' was as alien to him as the Kree that Sinister had made him learn about.

Yesterday, he was just a weapon, trained to be deployed to do whatever Sinister wanted. He had no idea what the hell 'normal' was.

And yet, he couldn't quite bring himself to run away. At least here, for the first time in his life, he had a choice.

The kid was taking his damn time, that was for sure. Logan had even begun to nod off before the door opened, and out stepped Vince, wearing a black shirt, black pants, and black boots. "You allergic to color?" Logan asked, and Vince actually looked bashful.

"I uh…I didn't know what would look good." He admitted, and Logan just chuckled.

"Heh. Don't worry, I'll teach ya how to look good. But, for now, this is a good start." Logan said, patting the taller mutant on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's take a walk. Familiarize you with the campus.

"Okay, so where exactly do I start?" He asked confused. Logan sighed the kid really was so used to taking orders that he wasn't sure where to start.

"Just follow me, and we'll see who we meet along the way." He said leading the way out and onto the large sweeping front lawn of the school.

Vince blinked rapidly, he wasn't sure how long it had been since he had last seen real daylight. If he had to guess he would say about four months or so. As his eyes adjusted he saw several teens fly past over head.

Off to the side there were more of them, sitting around or playing games on a basketball court not too far away. Logan lead him towards them, as he continued to look around in obvious wonder.

"This is the main non training outdoor area, lotta kids like to spend their free time here. Though there aren't many here at the moment schools still about a week away." Logan said keeping a careful eye on Vince who was listening and seemed to be trying to look everywhere at once.

"Am I allowed to be out here?" He asked cautiously.

"Course you are, within the limits of curfew." Logan was a little happy when Vince actually smiled.

"It's...it's beautiful…" He muttered out, absorbing everything…

"Heads up!" A voice called out, and Vince turned to see what looked like a soccer ball hurtling towards his head. Without even thinking about it, Vince's arm snapped up, his golden claws popping out of his wrist and stabbing through the ball, instantly deflating it.

"Uh...ooops." Vince apologized, pulling the ball carcass off his claws.

"What the hell?!" The first voice said, and Vince looked up to see a dark haired boy wearing a shirt and gym shorts storming over to him, a group of other students behind him, including a boy who appeared to be entirely made out of rocks. "Dude, you just skewered our ball! The hell's your problem?!" The boy demanded.

"I saw it heading towards my head. I reacted." Vince replied matter of factly, and the other boy just sneered.

"So why didn't you, I dunno, catch it?!"

"Pipe down, Keller." Logan growled, stepping between them. " You know the rules. You play outside, you gotta be considerate of others, as foreign of a concept as that may be to you. Besides, you shoulda used your telekinesis to stop it." He scolded.

"We were doing a no-powers game!" He explained.

"I don't care if you were hosting the World Cup. This ain't your backyard." He finished, and Keller cast another glare at Vince, before storming off, the rest of his friends following him.

"Christ. No wonder Frost likes that kid so much. Both of 'em are big pains in my…" He mumbled under his breath, before turning back to Vince.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry please don't kick me out!" Vince stammered backing up a little and bowing to Logan who carefully set a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down kid, it's fine you just reacted to what you saw coming no one got hurt. We don't kick people out fer something like poppin a ball, we have plenty more." Logan said.

"Right, okay but still I am sorry I didn't mean to." He said

"I know that, come on let's go and see if Jeanie has found ya a roommate." Logan said leading the boy towards a different part of the manor. As they went Vince saw Keller and his group still glaring as the one made of rocks approached with a new ball.

He glared back his eyes narrowing slightly; "I don't think I like that guy." Vince said finally and Logan laughed

"Keller? Believe me I get ya. Kid's got a world of potential, but his ego would put Stark to shame. Between him and Emma, it's a wonder the combined smugness doesn't drown us all."

After a few minutes they walked into an office. Jean Gray sat behind a desk as various objects whizzed around her, she looked up and gave a smile that actually made Vince feel safe as she stood up.

"Good timing, Logan. I was just about to see if Vince would like to meet his new roommate." She said meeting them in the middle of the room.

"Sure thing Jeanie, I was gonna go update Laura to what's going on, kid listen to the woman do whatever she says. She won't steer you wrong." Logan said and Vince carefully nodded as the man left the room heading in the opposite direction to the two red heads.

"So, what'd you think of the campus?" Jean asked.

"It's...it's nice." He answered. "I've never seen so many people before, let alone my own age." Vince explained, opting not to share his encounter with Keller.

"This place has changed a lot over the past few years. Seems like just yesterday it was just me, Scott, Hank, Warren, and Bobby. Now, we've got over two hundred students." Jean said, smiling as she recalled the memories. "Your roommate should be here shortly. I told him you're not used to being around people, and he's more than understanding. I think you'll like him." As soon as Jean finished talking, there was a knock on the door. Well, Vince assumed it was supposed to be a knock, but instead, the door fell off it's hinges, falling onto the floor.

"Ah, dammit, not again!" A male voice groaned out, and Vince turned to see a caucasian boy around Vince's age with short brown hair and blue eyes that VInce could swear had a slight glow around them. "Uh, sorry, Professor Grey. I uh...I'm still getting the hang of my powers." The boy stated, entering the office. He bent down and grabbed the door, an oak piece that Vince assumed must have weighed about fifty pounds, and effortlessly picked it up, tenderly setting it against the frame.

"It's alright, John. You're here to learn, and doors can be fixed." She reassured. "Just remember what we discussed: just envision a dial, and just turn it down." Jean said, and the boy nodded, before noticing Vince.

"Is the guy?" He asked, and Jean nodded.

"Jonathan Paxton, meet Vince Howlett. From here on, the two of you will be roommates." Jean introduced, and John extended his hand.

"Nice to meet ya. Don't worry, I won't crush it." John greeted and, Vince stared at it for a second, before taking it.

"It's alright. I don't break easily." Vince responded, shaking his hand.

"So, what can you do?" John asked, before catching himself. "If uh, you don't mind tellin'. I know some people are kinda...sensitive about what they can do." Vince looked over at Jean, almost as if asking for permission, and she nodded. Vince clenched his hands into fist, and his golden claws emerged from his hands. John just whistled, examining the claws.

"Well damn. Those as tough as Professor Logan's?"

"Even tougher. Lighter, too." Vince explained, and John just pursed his lips.

"Neat." John responded.

"What about you? What can you do?" Vince asked.

"Well, as you probably guessed, I pack a mean punch." John said, gesturing to the door. "I can fly, too, but it's more like...controlled falling, I guess. Doctor McCoy said...uh, what was it that he said, Professor? I kinda...spaced out when he started explaining stuff."

"Hank thinks that your mutation allows your cells to store and release all kinds of energy, like the UV radiation in sunlight. Right now, it only manifests in enhanced strength and durability, but Hank theorizes that, in time, you can release it in all kinds of different ways." Jean explained, and John jerked a thumb towards her.

"What she said."

"That sounds, pretty useful, hard to fight too." Vince pointed out in a matter of fact tone.

"Yeah, I guess so never considered it that way." John shrugged as Jean smiled a little they would get along well enough given time.

"Alright, well Vince we'll get you some more clothes over the next few days. Classes start in the next few days, and it's dinner soon if you're hungry."

After he nodded in understanding accompanied by a growling from his stomach Jean turned to John; "Would you mind showing him to the Cafeteria?" She asked

"Sure, I can. Follow me." He said leading the way and Vince after a nod from Jean followed. She smiled after them, he needed a friend and John would make a good first one for him.

-X-Mansion Cafeteria-

Vince and Jonathan were in line at the cafeteria, finally arriving at a small console over a microwave like box. "So...where's the food?" Vince asked.

"This is it. Ever see Star Trek?" Jonathan asked, and Vince just looked at him confused.

"Star...Track? What's that?" He asked, and Jonathan just raised an eyebrow, before he brushed it off.

"This is some kinda of fancy food replicator. Beyond state of the art, nothing else like it on the planet. Just punch in what you want…" Jonathan began tapping a few buttons on the screen, before hitting submit. Soon, the 'microwave' hummed to life, and a stir fry dish appeared on the tray. "Voila."

"How's it do that?"

"Beats me. Apparently the school got the tech for this stuff from some alien race. The shi...Shianna…"

"The Shi'ar." Vince finished. "An alien race that the X-Men have come into contact with multiple times." He recited, almost robotically.

"Uh, yeah, them." The other boy said as Vince scrolled through the many options. Choice was still new to him, and honestly he was starting to feel just the slightest bit overwhelmed by it all.

At least though he pushed a few buttons and a very bloody steak appeared on his plate. Nodding satisfied, they looked around for seats.

Unfortunately, most of the seats were already taken, by mutants with all sorts of appearances.

"Hoo boy….I I think we might have to eat out on the grounds." John sighed.

"Don't you have people we can sit with?" Vince asked.

"Hey man, I just got here last week. I don't know anybody."

"Wait, what about that table over there? I see two seats." Vince asked pointing over to a table on the far side of the room. Glancing over John paled a little.

"I don't know about that." He said seeing the three slightly pale blonde haired blue eyed girls sitting together along with a few other people.

"Why not?" Vince asked.

"Cause, that's the Cuckoo's table. They're Professor Frost's...clones or daughters? I guess technically both. All I know is that there used be five, now there's three. Anyway, they don't usually talk to people just sitting with them and their group."

"Well, it's not like we have a lot of other options." VInce said, pointing out to the table. John just shrugged, and the two went over to the table.

"Hey, uh, mind if we sit here?" John asked, and the three blonde girls all turned to look at him in unison.

"Do we-

"-know-"

"-you?" They all said in unison.

"That's not creepy at all…." John muttered under his breath. "I'm John, this is Vince. We're both new here, and, well, this is kinda the only available seat in the place." He explained, and the three were silent, telepathically conversing with one another.

"Very well."

"The two of you-"

"May join us."

"Thanks." Vince said, and the two sat at the table.

"No-

"Problem" They said together again.

"Don't mind them, they usually talk like that. Nice to meet you I'm Sofia Mantega." Said a girl with brown hair, eyes and slightly tan skin.

"No problem believe me it takes a lot to make me think of anything as odd." Vince said as he observed a very slight pink tint appear on John's face.

'Wonder what that's about?' He thought to himself.

'Do you really have no idea?' Said three voices in his head suddenly. Vince's head snapped upward so fast that had his bones been normal he probably would have cracked his neck.

He stared across the table at the three blonde girls who all tilted their heads together. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he asked out loud in a low dangerous voice: "Is that you three?"

'Yes, it's us.' They said in his head again.

'Get. Out. Now!" He growled and all three of them saw the skin on the back of his hands roll slightly as his claws slowly emerged digging into the table. John and Sofia's eyes widened and the Cuckoo's all backed out of his head though they all stayed calm.

"Don't ever enter my head without my permission again!" Vince said and the three of them glared at him not appreciating being given orders. To their surprise, he didn't even flinch away at the glare.

The silence and tension that hung between them so thick it could be cut with a knife. John was trying to figure something to say, when a new voice cleared their throat.

"What, is going on here?" The condescending voice of Emma Frost said, standing there with her arms crossed.

"Oh crap…" John gulped out, as Emma stared down at Vince.

"Vincent, I believe your name is?" She said, and Vince just glared at her. "What seems to be the problem?"

"They were in my head. I don't like people in my head." He replied, and Emma just cast an eye at the Cuckoos.

"Girls, is what he said true?"

"Yes, but-"

"-we were simply-"

"-reading his suface thoughts." The Cuckoos responded, and Emma sighed.

"You all know that you're not supposed to even read surface thoughts. Three days detention, all of you." She scolded, and they all nodded.

"Yes mother." They said in unison, and now Emma glared at Vince.

"And now, you." The former White Queen said, Vince not even shirking away. "Contary to popular belief, I'm not completely heartless. Considering the...circumstances... of your past, I'm willing to give you a pass for today. However, let it be known that after today, I won't be cutting you any slack." She warned.

"If you say so." He replied, and Emma sighed.

"Honestly, what Logan and Scott were thinking, I'll never-" As she muttered to herself, she brought her hand up to brush some hair out of his face. However, as she did so, Vincent shot straight up, standing up straight.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It won't happen again." He said quickly and with more than a hint of panic in his voice. Emma's eyes actually widened, as she could feel the panic coming off of him.

"I...yes, well, just make sure you behave yourself going forward." She said, and turned to the Cuckoos. "Come with me, girls." She instructed, and the Cuckoos all got up at the same time. However, before they all walked away, one of them cast a look at Vince, before they all walked away in unison. Vince blinked, before he sat back down.

"Uh...sorry, about all that. I uh, don't know what came over me." He apologized.

"Hey man, don't worry about it. Way I hear it, they got a problem with boundaries. You just...y'know, reacted." John reassured.

"Plus, they're...more than a little creepy." Sofia agreed. "Mindee's my chemistry partner, and the friends I normally sit with are in class right now."

"I thought classes didn't start for another week?" John asked, and Sofia nodded.

"That's right, but the school has summer classes for those of us who live here year round. You two got here after the deadline, so I think you're spared from Professor LeBeau's dance class." Sofia joked. "I should introduce you two to them. I think you'd like them."

"Well, uh, thanks!" The blue eyed mutant thanks, and nudged Vince's shoulder. "See? We've barely been together an hour and already we're making friends."

"Uh huh. That's nice." Vince half-heartedly agreed, and John frowned, but let it be for now.

A Few Hours Later

John lead Vince into their room, a modest room with two beds, two dressers, two desks, and a bathroom. "Honestly, I was getting used to having the place to myself, but I don't mind havin' someone to share it with." John said, as Vince looked around, before sitting on the unclaimed bed. He'd had a bed back in the Alkali Lake facility, but it wasn't as...soft, as this one was.

"It's nice. This whole place is nice." The redhead said, and John sighed, looking at the window.

"So, was it your dad?" He asked, catching Vince off guard.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Who beat you. I saw how you reacted to Professor Frost. I recognize the signs. Seen 'em enough to know what they look like." John said, looking back at Vince, who looked away.

"I...never knew my father. But it's...complicated. You wouldn't understand." Vince said, but John just chuckled.

"See, I didn't know my dad either. Not really, anyway. When I was five, he went to war. Did his duty just like his dad and his dad before him. Next time he came back, he was in a coffin with a nice flag on top of it." He explained.

"Not too long after that, my mom met this guy, Paul. Real nice guy, this Paul. Ran a factory a few towns over. Takes us out to fancy dinners, buys us nice things, the works. They fell in love, get married, we move in with him. Only, turns out Paul likes to drink, and when he drinks...Paul gets mean. And he drank...all the time."

Now, the dull blue blue glow of his eyes got slightly brighter in intensity. "For nine years, that bastard beat me and my mom constantly. Knew how to hide it, too, so no one did anything about it."

"And...you couldn't leave?" Vince asked, and John shook his head.

"My mom and my dad got married right outta high school. She had no education, no money...not a lot of options for a single mom out there. So we just...accepted it." He explained. "Then, a couple of weeks ago, he starts going to town on her, and I just...I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed his arm, and i felt it just...shatter in my hands. That's how I found out I was a mutant." John recounted, looking at his hand.

"We got outta there, bounced around a few towns for a few days, before Professor Grey found us. Offered to bring me here to the Institute, set my mom up with a job in town. So yeah, let's just say I know what it's like to be in a real bad situation without a lot of options." John finished, and Vince clenched his fists.

"The...place I was raised in, the people there...they demanded nothing but perfection. And if I wasn't perfect…let's just say that the results weren't pretty." Vince explained. "When she raised her hand, it...it brought me back to that place."

"Hey man, I get it. Stuff like that, it leaves a scar on ya." John sympathized, sitting on his own bed. "I think it's important that we not let it control us though, you know?" John asked.

"Sort of, but the problem is I never really had a chance." Vince said thinking back at what could only very sarcastically be called his childhood.

"Well, who knows, maybe things'll get better. You got me as a friend if that helps." John said offering his hand.

Vince stared at it blinking before shaking it; "Thank you John I appreciate that." Vince said before noticing a pair of pajamas at the foot of his bed.

John yawned and both finally noticed the sun was setting on the school everyone else was either already inside.

"I think it's about time we turn in, tomorrow I can show you around some more." John said.

Vince nodded going to the bathroom to change into his pajamas. As he slid into easily the most comfortable bed he had ever been in, and began to drift off. Before sleep overtook him, it hadn't occurred to him how tired he was he smiled.

'Maybe this will be a good thing.' He thought as at last sleep overtook him stifling all further thought.

A/N: So we got a little emotional there at the end and we hope you liked it. Review, Fav or Follow if you like and we will catch you next time!