Disclaimer: I do not own Snow Patrol
But one night she dreamt of a man, more of a shadow, with a husky. He was leaning over a headstone and was crying. She stood there for a long moment until he got up and twisted around him, as if he heard someone. He was looking beyond her even though Heidi was literately standing in front of him. His face was dark so she couldn't see anything. All she could see was that he had shaggy brown hair and a five o'clock shadow on his chiseled face. For a moment, she thought he looked like Bucky. She walks past him to see the headstone. Heidi gasps and her hand clamps against her mouth.
Heidi Barnes
1988-2050
The Embodiment of Devotion
Heidi jerks wide away and gasps for air. Sweat covered her body. Bucky stirs next to her. "What is it?" he moans sleepily. Her breathing calms as she realizes she was only dreaming. "Nothing. Just a bad dream." She lies back down and snuggles closer to him. His metal arm wraps around her waist and his hand rests on her belly. "Everything is okay," he mumbles.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Heidi never went back to sleep. She couldn't shake off the image of a man crying over her grave. Who was he? What did it mean? The next day, she asked Natasha for a favor. "I need you to help me find someone." "Whatever you need," Nat says confidently. When told who she was looking for Natasha disappeared for three days before calling Heidi. "I found what you're looking for." "Where?" "New York." "Come get me. I'll come up with some political excuse to leave." "You sure about this?" Natasha asks. "There's something I need to find out, but I don't want to worry Buck. He's got enough to worry about as it is." "Okay." Within hours, Natasha and Heidi were able to sneak out of the compound together under the impression that she's meeting with a political friend in New York.
(Set the Fire to the Third Bar-Snow Patrol)
Natasha drives them to what looks like a university. They pass a large sign that reads Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The main gates open up and Natasha drives up to the front doors. "What is this place?" "A contact of mine is a teacher here. He said he can help us," the redhead explains. Heidi looked around her and noticed something about the wandering students in the building. She just passed by a girl who went through the wall. She gasps. "They're-" "Gifted, is what we like to say," a male voice calls out to the two women. Heidi turns and realizes that the man was covered in blue fur. "Thanks for meeting with us Hank," Natasha remarks and gives the man a firm handshake. His hand could easily crush her head. His demeanor, on the other hand, was entirely the opposite. "I'm glad we can be of help." The man turns to Heidi. "Mrs. Barnes, it's a pleasure to meet you in person." "Heidi, this is Dr. Hank McCoy," Nat introduces. Heidi smiles and gives him a handshake too. "The pleasure is mine Dr. McCoy. So tell me about this place." The three adults walked down the hall together as Hank explains. "Xavier's School is for youngsters with special…talents, if you will, and don't feel comfortable in a normal school setting. This is the place where they'll feel safe but also have social interaction with other youngsters like themselves while getting an education." "Where do you find these kids?" "We have ways but most of them come on their own." Heidi smiles. "Perhaps some day, your child would like to attend here," Hank suggests with a sheepish smile. Heidi nods. "Perhaps...some day...This is nice. I've never heard of this place before so you're good at being hidden," she adds in. "We try to be, for the kids' safety." "I'm sure we make it easier for you guys…with the attention on us." Hank smirks to himself. "I suppose you're right. How are you feeling?" "I'm doing well…I suppose. Natasha said you can help me."
"Well, I know of someone who can help. Follow me." Hank leads the two women to what looks like a dorm hall. He stops at a door and knocks gently. "Come in," a soft voice responds. Hank opens the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything Ruth, but, you have a visitor." "Yes, bring Heidi in. I've been expecting her," a girl with long dark hair remarks. She was sitting on a chair in front of an empty one, as if she really was waiting for her. Heidi notices that she's blindfolded by a simple white cloth but the girl seemed alert with her head turned to them directly. "You were expecting me?" she asks. "Of course, if I wasn't the kind of person you were looking for then I wouldn't be…am I right?" the girl, Ruth, says with a playful smile. "I guess you're right." "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be close by if you need anything Ruth," Hank remarks before closing the door.