"Well, enough about me. What's your name?" She was being so casual, as if the fact that she was a fellow mutant wasn't much to Kurt. But it was. He didn't know why though. There were dozens of mutants at the acadamy, why was one all the way out here so unique.

"You aven't going to tell me about jou being a mutant?"

She puckered her lips and pretended to go into deep thought. "Nope."

"Ok… Anyway, mine name is Kurt Vagner." Luckily Paige already had knowledge of translating accents and knew he ment Wagner, but she thought it was somewhat funny and didn't correct him. "How long have I been here?"

"About six days."

DINGDONG

"Oh crap," Paige sighed. "Wait here. This is probably very important." She lept from the room and ran downstairs. Kurt didn't even realise he was on the second floor as he followed her downstairs. When she opened up the door a large muscular man walked up to her.

"Where the hell you been all week?" he asked her. His grammer was atrocious to her, but he frightened her way to much for her to say anything.

"Home. I had to stay, we talk about this last month remember?"

He obviously didn't care as he slapped her face. "I ain't stupid. Don't try to make it seem like I am. You be ready for work Friday morning. Got it?" She nodded. "Good. I'm out."

As he left Paige slung back her head in releif. "Ass," she whispered. Kurt was scared for her. She was fourteen and working for some idiot. But then, he got to thinking. It was the middle of February, didn't she have school? How could she have time for that? He was pretty sure that it was Wednesday the next day too.

"Paige?"

She looked up at him. "Kurt" she said sternly. "I told you to stay upstairs. Do you know what would have happened if Jare had seen you? God, I'd have been screwed."

"So that was your boss?"

"Yeah. The guys a freek. But, in the end, no permanent damage is ever made. Let's get you back up-AGGHHHH!" She began to scream and gripped onto her head. "Stop it!"

"Paige?" he wondered if she was talking to him.

"Leave me alone!"



He eventually realised that the situation probably had nothing to do with him. Something was going on, deeper than he had knowledge of.

She ran to the bathroom as if she knew what was going to happen next. She grabbed her dark black hair away from her face as she prepared for the worst.

Kurt didin't know what to expect, but what he did see scared him. She began to cough, harder and harder until she was coughing up blood. He didn't know what to do. She soon stopped.

"Vat vas that?" Kurt asked. Something so guesome to him appeared like a casual annoyance to her.

"I-I-I'm fine. It's been happening a lot lately, but I get over it pretty quickly."

"How long exactly?"

"Five days ago."

"Vasn't that the day after I got here?"

"Yeah. But I'm sure it's just a silly coincidence.

"Vat's with the screaming?"

"Kinda." She took a moment to come to the best way she could explain it. "Complicated. I just hear someone, dunno who, talking to me in my head. They aren't yelling, but it's so loud. I can't take it. Pretty lucky today though, I usually pass out. I suppose I should see a doctor, but I haven't got a health plan."

"Vat are you going to do?"

"Well I'm to young to vote on the issue. But if I wasn't I'd go for Obama-"

"Neine. About the actual problem, the screaming, the coughing."

She laughed at this. "Kurt, doctor's can't do anything about the screaming, and the coughing is obviously a result of the voice. So, in my view, there's two options. A-Go see a psch or B-Figure out the mutant behind this. Because, I'm either crazy or a mutant is at hand. Plus I don't believe in pschiatrist, it's against my religion, and the only local church of my religion is in Charlotte. I'm screwed."

"Maybe someone at the lab can help you. You know, in New York."

"Psh. I have work soon. I can't miss it."

"Your kidding. You live a very good house so I know you aren't in need of the money." He followed her as she went upstairs. "Whatever it is, I know the Professor can take care of it."



"No he can't. Let's just say, I have to go to work for something other than money technically. In fact, I don't even get paid. I do it to pay off debts."

"So? You can work it off later."

"No." She stopped and turned around. "I can't. If I don't go then I will be in a whole lot of trouble. And, if they can't find me, then they'll go after the next best thing. My mother."

Kurt took a moment to think, "vhere is she anyways?"

"Out, she doesn't come back for like, a week."

"Come on it'll be perfect. It's only about Monday, you can go to vurk on Friday. And, you get to practice your powers. It's a vin vin situation. No problem."

She chuckled. "You don't know how it is Kurt. I'm probably the only mutant in this community, ifsthey knew someone left for the Xavier school, then they will freak. Plus, how do you know I'm telling the truth about being a mutant?" She proceded up the stairs. "How do you know I'm not lying?"

"Vell are you?"

"No, but that isn't the point."

"The point is that you are a mutant. But, I can't convince Professor Xavier to let you train until ve all know vhat you power is. Come on. Give it a chance. Show me vat you can do."

They ended in her room. "Okay." She grabbed an armfull of books and laid them out onto the bed. "Pick one." He did so, he picked War and Peace and wondered what a girl so young was doing with such a large, difficult novel, he couldn't even understand.

"What's the title?" He told her. "Pick a page." He picked one and told her. "Line?" He picked on and she recited, "her gave her lessons in algebra and geometry till she was twenty, and arranged her life so." She finished. "I have the ability to remember anything. Also, I can copy just about any physical movement a human can do."

"Vow. That is certainly impressive."

"Still Kurt, I don't know if I can go."

"C'mon. I can ask the professor to send someone who will definitely convince you to come.