2
"So, what are your thoughts?" Xavier asked, settled back in his chair, watched Peter take a seat opposite him, get out one of his bands to fiddle with, "Can you help her?"
"I sure hope so, Prof. Kid's got a lot of problems" Peter sighed, thought about how best to put this. He'd barely spent a half-hour with the girl, but in that time he'd more than once had to control his own emotions, listening to the story she told.
As soon as he'd picked her up from the study, he'd instantly seen that if Felicity was made to sit still any longer she'd probably end up doing something destructive and hazardous. Taken her down to the track around the estate and gone for a gentle jog with her whilst they talked. He had to reign in his own speed pretty hard for it – she was nowhere near as fast as him, though still able to go double the speed of sound for short distances. With training Peter felt sure she could ramp her top speed up to exceed his. She was nine years old, after all – with him turning forty in a few years, she should be able to beat him on the flat before long. For now though, she was way too much of a mess for any kind of focus. If anybody had heard them talking, all they would have heard was a sound like two angry wasps, both chattering far too fast for anyone to understand them. It was good, he had to admit, for someone to follow his train of thought at his own pace, but even so he knew how hard it was to live like that with nobody but a fellow speedster understanding you at all.
"From the manner of her arrival, I gather that home-life has not been so kind to her" Xavier said, "Did you speak about it?"
Peter paused, gathered his thoughts, knotted his fingers tightly together, leaning forward and meeting Xavier's eyes with his own.
"Do you remember what I was like, when I came here?" he said, "Or when you first met me, maybe?"
"Vividly. You were a total pain in the arse"
"Yeah, well take that, now take away the supportive family I had, the loving Mom, the two Mutant sisters, and add in eight older siblings who just thought I was crazy" he said, "That's pretty much what Flick's been through since she was six"
"That's awfully young for such a powerful mutation to arise"
"Pressure, dude. She's got eight brothers to stand up to and every one of them is a jerk of the highest order. Adapt and survive" a look of disgusted fury crossed his face that shocked Xavier – though he knew Peter was protective toward his young students, he'd never seen him look so angry over one of them, "Mommy Dearest drinks, that's why she didn't bring her. Dad tramped off with a younger model right after Flick came into the world. Kid's got nothing and nobody"
"Poor girl," Xavier said softly, Peter frowned, shook his head
"Don't pity her, dude," he said firmly, "Just keep her here. I'll work with her, do the best I can"
"Thank you, Peter" the Professor smiled, "And where is the young lady now?"
Peter got to his feet, gave Xavier a pitying look though he smiled back at him all the same
"Really?" he grinned, "You haven't learned from me at all, have you? Kid's down in the dining hall. She was starving. Little Roadrunners gotta eat, y'know"
Having given Felicity the tour himself – a task that took all of three minutes – Peter had helped her settle down in her own room and made sure she knew where he was if she needed anything. The little girl seemed so grateful to have someone who understood her that it was a wrench to even leave her. Despite being old enough to be her father, Peter had treated her as an equal, and she had been so happy with him that he'd almost suggested she sleep in with him and Angie, put a spare bed down for her so they were there when she needed them. Decided against it in the interests of starting to help her build independence, but left his door open a crack anyway.
She'd been up before him – a task nobody had yet accomplished – flitting around the corridor looking for her way downstairs and in a state of panic at being lost by the time Peter had emerged for his morning run. Felicity bowled into him hard enough to knock him off balance, just about catching a large, delicate vase before it fell and shattered and laughing kindly at her.
"Hey! Look where you're going, Flickster!" he chuckled at her, went to ruffle her hair and was surprised when she shrank away from his touch. "What's up, kid? Are you okay?"
From her position flattened against the opposite wall, Peter could see she was trembling, thankful that she hadn't yet learned to co-ordinate the vibrations of her body, or she would have had the pictures down off the wall. She looked terrified, hiding her face from him as if expecting a blow. Peter prickled again with anger.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Flick" he said quietly, held a hand out to her, but didn't come any closer, "Have people done that? When you knocked stuff over?"
The girl nodded. Eyed his outstretched hand suspiciously. Didn't move.
"Who?" he asked. Hoped his anger didn't show in his voice, "What did they do?"
"Momma, and my brothers sometimes" she said in a tiny, shaking voice, "When I run into stuff or hurt people or can't keep still. They slap my legs. It hurts"
Peter bit down hard on the fury that rose up in him, nodded his understanding. Took a few deep breaths before he was able to smile at her again and beckon her.
"Nobody here will ever do that, kid, I promise. Nobody, and especially not me. Come here – I was going for a run, you wanna join me?"
"Would you mind?" she whispered, gazed up at him. Her eyes looked red, Peter suspected she hadn't slept very much at all. He grinned, shook his head.
"I'd love the company. C'mon little rocket, let's see what you can do"
What she could do turned out to be impressive. For a little girl of nine, she had incredible strength – Peter supposed that must come along with the speeding package, just to be able to generate the force needed – and he had been impressed by her stamina as they tore through the crisp morning air together. She'd tired first, however, hands resting on her knees and calling after him to come back, which he had done gladly. Escorted her back for breakfast and was introducing her to the delights of the Friday morning pastry trolley when Hank had entered, gave them both a friendly smile.
"Just the two I was looking for" he smiled, "Hello Miss Noonan, I'm Dr McCoy, you can call me Hank. When you've finished breakfast I'd like to take you for an examination, is that okay?"
Felicity looked again, petrified, until Peter had put a comforting arm around her shoulders, tipped her chin up with a finger to look at her.
"It's okay, he's real gentle" he told her, "I hate Doctors too, but Hank's nice"
"I need to take some baseline observations, so that I can track any future deviations and help you maintain the best possible health" Hank smiled. Felicity looked deeply confused. Peter shook his head and gave the doctor a look
"Dude, she's nine" he said, addressed the girl again, "He means he wants to see how you are now so that if you get sick, he'll know what to work towards"
"Thank you for translating" Hank said drily, "Will you be coming with?"
"I think I'd better – you'll need my translation services again"
"Why? Doesn't she –"
"Flickster, tell Dr McCoy what we've been doing this morning" he said, watched Hank's eyes widen and his jaw drop as the girl said
"WewentforarunandIalmostkeptupwithPeterbutthenIgottiredsowecamebackandIhadadanishwithjellyandIlikePeterhe'sreallynicehedidn'tevenshoutatmewhenIranintohimearlier"
Peter raised an eyebrow at the doctor, held out a hand in a gesture of 'see what I mean?' and grinned
"So what'll it be, Beast-man? A bad headache, or the Quicksilver Interpreting Service?"
"I think…." Hank said eventually, shaking his head to clear it, "You'd better come along."
