XXXXXXXXX
Dr. Kavita Rao and her staff were getting ready inside of the exam room of the Worthington building. Warren Senior was standing by the window, watching the cityscape as a technician then called from the far side of the room;
"Mr. Worthington sir, he's arrived."
Worthington nodded.
"Good. Bring him in."
Kavita walked over and lightly touched his arm.
"Are you sure you want to start with him?"
"I think it's important, yes."
She went off to prepare for the procedure as two orderlies brought Warren into the room. Warren seemed a little nervous as he looked around before his eyes settled on his father.
"Hello, Warren," Kavita greeted.
Warren nodded as his father clasped him on his shoulders.
"I'm proud of you for doing this. You know that."
The blonde mutant nodded again as he shrugged off his bulky overcoat, and then pulled his shirt over his head. A harness restrained his wings. The orderlies guide him to the restraining table, now in an upright position that will allow Warren to remain standing. Kavita approached him with a needle and syringe in hand.
"The transformation can be a little jarring."
Warren nervously swallowed.
"Dad can we…can we talk about this for a second?"
"We already talked about it, son. We agreed."
Warren squirmed as Kavita swabbed his arm with alcohol.
"It'll all be over soon," Worthington assured.
"Wait, just wait a minute!" Warren suddenly yelled.
Kavita looked up, taken slightly aback by Warren's outburst. Worthington held his hands out.
"Warren, just calm down. Relax, son."
The orderlies came towards him but Warren pushed them away.
"No…I don't want to do this."
Worthington ran over and joined the orderlies in trying to hold his son still.
"Do it quickly!" He yelled to Dr. Rao.
"No! Stop!" Warren demanded.
He struggled, breaking the harness and restraints holding him back. His father and the orderlies fly away from him, and his wings extend to their full span. It was a magnificent sight, truly inspiring to behold. Everyone in the room freezes, even his father was speechless. Warren pants and looked towards him. Finally Worthington speaks;
"It's a better life, Warren. It's what you want."
Warren shook his head, looking his father right in the eye.
"No, dad. It's what you want."
Seeing the orderlies blocking the door, Warren spun around to the glass windows and charged forward.
"Warren no!" Worthington screamed.
Warren crashed through the window, falling at first, and then flying. The people on the sidewalk look up as glass fragments explode from the side of the building. They watched in awe as an angel soared over them. Some cross themselves, others merely stare, but none of them will forget this moment. They shield their eyes as the angel disappears into the sky.
Worthington and Kavita came as close as they could to the broken window and looked out but they couldn't see where Warren had flown off to as a overwhelming feeling of regret suddenly filled the older man.
XXXXXXX
"Katherine, you did a wonderful job," Xavier smiled. "I'm very proud of you."
In the halls of the institute, the Professor was speaking with Kitty, assuring her that she did a good job in helping Henry get in and out of Rao Laboratories.
"Does this mean I get to be part of the X-Men, Professor?" The young girl asked.
Xavier laughed.
"I'll have to think about that. But for now, I believe you have some schoolwork to finish."
"Okay," Kitty sighed, playfully as always.
She went to join Jubilee in the student lounge. The other girl had her arms folded over her chest, looking a little jealous.
"How did you get a mission before me?"
"Because I'm so awesome."
Jubilee rolled her eyes.
"Awesome...and annoying."
Kitty gaped at her.
"You are calling me annoying?"
"That's right! Annoying!"
The girls continued bickering with one another which Logan tried his best to ignore as he searched the school for the X-Men to start a training session for the day. He finally found Rogue sitting in the kitchen...and she had one of his beers opened up and in front of her.
"Hey. That's mine."
"What are you going to do? Gut me?" Rogue challenged while taking a sip.
Logan walked in and snatched it from her. He stared at her for a moment before looking at the bottle.
"A little early to start drinking, don't you think?" Logan questioned as he wiped off the top before drinking the rest for himself. Rogue watched him down the beer before shaking her head.
"How can you drink that? It's disgusting."
Logan placed the beer bottle on the kitchen island.
"Come on, we have a Danger Room session."
"No," Rogue shook her head. "I'm not training today."
"Why not?"
"I'm just not in the mood, alright?"
She walked past him and headed for the elevator.
"Rogue! Hold on!" Logan yelled out as he went after her.
"What Logan? What do you want from me?" She asked, clearly upset.
"Okay, what's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing…I'm just really confused right now, okay."
"About what?"
"About everything, I just need to be alone right now."
"It's the cure isn't it?" Logan asked.
No answer came to his reply. Rogue just gave him a fake smile and turned back around, heading to the elevator. Logan sighed heavily as the doors closed and Rogue was taken up to the second floor. Turning back around, Logan headed to the staircase to find Bobby sitting on the bottom stair, looking a little depressed. Raising an eyebrow, he stared down at the teenager as a bad feeling ran through him.
"Let me guess, you want to train either?"
"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not," Bobby answered, his voice quiet.
"Something wrong?"
Bobby smiled a little as he got to his feet.
"A lot of things."
He then got to his feet and headed back up the stairs. Logan watched him as Kurt and Pitor came down the hall, making their way towards him.
"Logan, have you found the others?" Kurt questioned.
Logan shook his head.
"Forget it. Rogue and Bobby don't want to train."
"Why not?"
"The cure," Logan sighed. "It's tearing this whole team apart."
Logan then left the two of them to themselves. Pitor then looked at Kurt.
"Have you been thinking about it?" The large Russian asked.
"A little," Kurt admitted. "I've wondered how it would effect my appearance."
He then held up his three-fingered hand and moved his tail around. Pitor shrugged.
"I'm sure it would cure everything."
"It would be nice, being able to look like everyone else." But then Kurt remembered the words of Mystique back when they had set up camp and he had spoken with her. "But we shouldn't have to."
"No," Pitor agreed. "You shouldn't."
Suddenly, they heard a knocking at the front door. Pitor walked over and slowly opened it to reveal a blonde teenage wearing a bulky overcoat standing before him. Meanwhile, the infirmary of the school, a lot of scientific equipment was located in the area which Hank was currently using to examine the mutant cure.
Hank stood looking through a microscope down at a slide which contained a small drop of the cure. After a few more seconds, Hank backed away and picked up a syringe, which he was about to inject into his arm to get a blood sample when he suddenly sensed someone by the entrance.
"Hello, Logan."
Logan folded his arms as he watched the other mutant work.
"Where have you been?" He asked.
"I snuck into Rao Labs."
"Really?" Logan raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat impressed.
"You're not the only one with animal instincts. Although I'm sure you've already guessed that."
Logan then noticed the test tube that was laying on the table. After seeing that it was filled with a glowing purple liquid he looked at the other mutant coldly.
"What is that?"
He didn't even have to ask. He knew what it was.
"It's nothing that may interest you," Hank responded, not even bothering to look at Logan as he just continued on with his exam.
"Why did you bring that here?" Logan snapped.
"I need to examine it to see if it truly works."
"You too huh?"
Logan walked further into the room.
"You know I'm a little sick of hearing everyone complaining about this and that of being a mutant. So you think you have a disease too?"
Hank shook his head.
"You have no idea what it's like...to be chased for simply trying to cross a street. Or having problems just…touching a woman. I'm a human being Logan, I have the right-"
"No, you're not," Logan almost laughed. "I think you of all people should know that. Do you know how hard some of the kids around here are taking this? What kind of example do you think you'll set for them if they see someone like you take it?"
"I honesty don't know. Please just leave me alone."
Suddenly, Logan went straight for the tube but Hank grabbed him and forcefully pushed him against the wall.
"Logan, don't try it-" He warned.
"If you don't throw that shit down the drainpipe, I'll make you."
Xavier and Ororo were making their way down the hall of the sub-complex when they suddenly heard the sound of glass breaking and equipment falling to the floor, coming from the infirmary. They both looked at each other for a moment before continuing their way-
BANG!
Logan and Hank crashed through the door and into the hallway, throwing punches at each other.
"Enough!" Xavier shouted.
The two pulled away from each other, both glaring at one another while taking deep breaths.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Ororo demanded.
"He tried to throw away the sample of cure I took," Hank replied, continuing to glare at Logan.
"You stole a sample of the cure?"
"I needed to know if it really worked."
"And does it?"
"On principal yes…but I can't be one hundred percent sure until it's tested on a mutant."
"And how are you going to do that?" Logan sarcastically asked.
Hank ignored the question as Ororo came over to help him up.
"Hank, I know what you've went through over the years, but surely you aren't thinking about-"
"I need to finish my exam. If I could please just have some more time...alone."
Xavier nodded.
"Very well, Henry."
Hank was about to turn away but looked one last time towards Logan.
"You're a mutant," Logan said, looking Hank right in the eye. "Try not to forget, okay?"
The two continued to stare at each other for a few more moments before Hank finally turned away and headed back inside the infirmary. Xavier and Ororo were heading back to the foyer of the mansion, Ororo shook her head as she couldn't get over Logan and Hank's behavior towards each other.
"I can't believe those two."
"Well, this cure is hard on us."
Just then, Kurt approached them with Warren Worthington III at his side.
"Professor, this young man just arrived."
"Hello," Ororo greeted.
"Hi. I'm sorry to intrude, but I heard this was a safe place for mutants."
"Yes it is," Xavier confirmed. "What is your name?"
"Warren Worthington."
"Worthington? Then your father-"
"Yeah."
Warren hung his head, disgusted.
"Because of me."
Ororo approached him closer and reached out to touch his arm, trying to comfort him.
"Not because of you, Warren. It's not your fault." She then looked back at Kurt. "Could you show Warren a room?"
"Certainly."
Warren followed Kurt down the hall as he led him to a room he could stay in. They made their way up the stairs and they soon arrived at a room. He opened the door and Warren walked inside.
"You can stay in here. I know it's a little empty-"
"It's perfect," Warren smiled.
Warren then removed his overcoat and expanded his wings. Despite himself, Kurt gasped.
"Oh my."
Warren turned back around.
"Oh, sorry."
"You're an archangel," Kurt said, now looking at the young man in wide-eyed amazement.
Warren however looked back at Kurt and raised a brow in confusion.
"Uh…what are you-"
Kurt approached him.
"Which archangel are you? Are you Michael, or Raphael? Or could you be Gabriel?"
"My name is Warren. I'm not an archangel."
"Of course you are. You have angel wings."
"It's my mutation. I'm only a mutant, not an archangel."
"Oh." Kurt now looked disappointed as Warren shifted on his feet and a uncomfortable silence followed. Kurt finally looked back up and smiled a little. "You have an amazing gift, Warren."
Warren smiled back.
"Thank you."
Kurt then left him to himself. Warren walked over and sat down on the bed, the smile still across his face. Despite being here for only a few minutes, Warren felt more welcome and more at home here more than he ever had at his father's penthouse in the city.