Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men

Episode 3: Ariana, Jonah and Apple Fritters

The girl with the pale face quickly put a finger to her lips, eyes widening as Alexis screamed. Alexis stepped back, voice faltering as she saw that it was, in fact, a real person. Looking from the girl's crystal clear eyes to the locks on the door, Alexis became curious about her. She couldn't stop herself as she unlocked the door and pushed it open.

She was small and thin, with an almost porcelain-like complexion. Her fair blond curls hung loosely around her face, framing her sharp cheekbones and tiny nose. She almost looked like a china doll, shivering in her hospital gown, blinking in the sudden light from the hallway. "Where am I?" she asked. "What is this place?"

"This is the infirmary," Alexis answered hesitantly. "I've never seen you before, who are you?"

"Where is this infirmary located?" the girl said, ignoring Alexis' question.

"Um, the institute?" Alexis watched the girl as she stepped into the hall and looked around. "Xavier's institute?"

"I don't... remember..." She said. "Xavier? I know that name."

"Who are you?" Alexis repeated.

The girl seemed lost, standing in the center of the hallway under the blinding light. She looked like a ghost, hands held to her chest in a motion of fear and confusion. "My name is... Ariana." She whispered. "I don't know this place. Can you help me?"

Alexis nodded. "Maybe you're hungry. Wait here, I'll be right back."

...

Jonah looked at Ben across the table. "Yeh alright?" he asked, spooning a lump of cereal into his mouth. "Look a little down, friend."

Ben shrugged. "I guess it's nothing."

"Don't look like it's nothin'." Jonah pointed at Ben. "You've been like that for a good two weeks now. Mopin', wanderin' around. What's wrong with yeh?"

"There's this friend I have," Ben started. "Well, he's my friend's cousin."

"Okay..." Jonah urged him along, knowing how this game worked. Jasmine pulled the 'I have this friend' thing all the time.

"And my friend's cousin wants to talk to this girl," he said. "But he doesn't know how. I mean, doesn't want to. Or, I don't know."

"Well, why doesn't he just talk to her?" Jonah suggested, playing along.

"I don't know, it's not me," Ben said defensively.

"Right," Jonah smiled and nodded. "O' course. It ain't you. Well, if ah knew this friend's cousin, and ah was talkin' to him, ah would tell him that girls ain't that scary. Ah mean, they're kinda nice once yeh open up to 'em."

"They are?" Ben asked uncertainly.

"Yeah," he said. "So tell your friend's cousin there ain't nothin' to be scared of."

"Right," he said. "So... I'll go call him right now."

"You do that," Jonah gave him a thumbs up and smiled at him. "Tell me what he says, okay?"

"Alright," Ben waved as he got up and walked out of the kitchen. He was nearly run over as Alexis ran in. "Watch it!"

"Sorry Benny," she squealed. "'Scuse me, Joey?"

"Yeah half-pint?" Jonah said, looking up at her.

"Do we have anything like granola bars or something?"

"Ah don't know, let me look," he said, standing and walking to the cabinet. "Ah think we have... ow."

"What is it?" Ben watched from the doorway. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Jonah said, putting a hand on his forehead. "Yeah, ah just saw..." He leaned against the counter, hand over his eyes, and slid to the floor.

"Jonah," Ben rushed over. "What's wrong?"

"Ah don't know," he said, looking at Ben and shaking his head. "It's almost like ahm fading back and forth..."

"Between what?" Alexis asked.

"Between here and..." he paused, pulling off his hat and looking at it. "...home."

"Come on," Ben said, helping him to his feet. "Let me get you to the infirmary."

"Um, I'll take him," Alexis said. "I have to go up there anyway."

"Sure," Ben said, steering Jonah out of the kitchen. "Can you walk?"

"Ahm fine." Jonah nodded, holding his hat protectively, like a security blanket.

...

"I brought you apple fritters," Twitch handed them to Dani as a peace offering. "I'm sorry, Dan."

"Don't 'I'm sorry' me," she said angrily. "You were an hour late! You didn't even call."

"I had to take Johnny to the doctor's," he said.

"Johnny, that's your sick friend, right?" she said. "How is he?"

"His father just died, he's doing horrible," Twitch said miserably. "He even hates beating me at scrabble now."

"Jake," she said, smiling. "You're sweet. I forgive you."

"You do?"

"Yeah," she said. "Thanks for the fritters."

"No problem," he said. "I made them. Um, if there's like, fur in them, that was my cat, he gets on the counters."

"It's okay," she said. "Um... Jake?"

"What?"

"Are you going to kiss me eventually?"

Twitch froze up, letting out a squeaking sound. "Ahm..."

"Is that a no?" she said. "I don't know what I look like, but I know I am not ugly."

"No," he said. "No, you're beautiful, you are, but... It's not you, it's me."

"Of course," she said. "It's not me. As usual. That's what they all say. I thought you were different, Jake."

"But Dani..."

"Just take me home." She folded her arms over her chest, obviously upset.

"Sure Dan," Twitch said sadly.

...

"You must be having some sort of mental attack," Hank said softly, trying to calm Jonah down.

"Ah already told all of yall, ah am not crazy!" Jonah cried. "Why doesn't anyone believe me?"

"I don't know how to explain this to you, Jonah," Hank said. "There is no possible way that you are from 1885. There really is no way. Do you understand?"

"Well, there must be a way," Jonah said angrily. "Because ah know what ah remember, and ah know ah remember 1885!"

"I am going to let you calm down," Dr. McCoy stood up and started to leave the room. "Alright? Get some rest. I promise, I'm trying to help you... whatever the truth may be."

...

"Ariana?" Alexis walked back into the previously locked room. "I brought you some food. Are you okay?"

She was sitting on the bed as she looked at her new friend and nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"How old are you?"

"Um..." Ariana looked uncertain. "I feel seven, but... I know I can't be anymore. I think..."

"You look around sixteen," Alexis tried to help.

"Oh," she said. "How long have I been here...?"

"I don't know," Alexis said quietly. "I've only been here a year myself. I'm sorry Ariana. I could call the doctor..."

"Don't," she said suddenly. "Lock the door when you leave."

"Why?"

"No one can know I'm awake," Ariana said. "For some reason, I think if I'm awake, something bad is going to happen, something ELSE is going to wake up. I'm sorry, but you have to lock me back in. There's someone I'm not supposed to meet."

"Calm down," Alexis said. "You need help. Let me help you."

"I can't," she said. "I can't wake up."

"Try," Alexis pleaded. "I'll go get the professor--"

"Alexis?" The Professor rolled in, followed by Doctor McCoy. "Please leave. Now."

"Oooo no," Ariana moaned, hiding her face in her hands.

"What are you going to do to her?" Alexis demanded.

"Please go, this is none of your concern," Dr. McCoy steered the small girl out of the room.

"Ariana," Alexis cried. "What's he going to do?!"

"I'm sorry my dear," the Professor touched Ariana's forehead.

Ariana grabbed the Professor's wrist. "It's too late," she said, in a voice so completely different than the soft voice she had used before. Her blue eyes darkened to red. "You're too late, old man."

Xavier pulled away. "Where did it awaken?"

"You'll see, in time," the unnatural voice said. "It's closer than you think." Ariana gasped as her eyes turned blue again. "Uhn..."

"Ariana," Xavier said. "Where is it?"

"I... don't know..." she shook her head. "But it's out now."

"Then I pray we won't find it too late," Xavier said, rolling out. "Henry, take care of the girl."

"What's going on?" Alexis said softly, clutching at Hank's arm.

"I hope it's nothing you need to worry about," Hank said, patting her head and going into Ariana's room. Alexis watched until the door was closed.

"I hope so to," she whispered, running off.

NEXT: Time