XAVIER'S SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS

"This place is huge," Sophie said, exasperated, as Logan parked the motorcycle into the largest garage she had ever seen. Sophie had never seen a place like Xavier's School. And she had only seen the outside so far besides the garage. It was like being a child again, when her mother had took her to a candy store for the first and last time when she was eight years old. Her mother, Josslyn had conned there too. She had stolen two bags of candy and had convinced the store clerk she had already paid for the candy. Of course the (male) store clerk had believed her, with the help of Josslyn's low cut tank top.

Logan got off Cyclop's motorcycle. So did Sophie.

"Its a good thing we got here when we did. This bike is almost out of gas," Logan mumbled, his voice sounding drowsy from driving the motorcycle all night. Logan started walking out of the garage. Sophie stayed back, her messenger bag still slung over her shoulder.

"Logan," Sophie said.

Logan turned around. His expression saying clearly wanting to enter the school. "Thanks," Sophie said, that's all she could say. Words could not describe how grateful she was to be away from her old. . . whatever she had just left. That place was certainly not a home.

"You'll be safe here," Logan said sincerly.

She believes him. Which hardly ever happens this quickly. For the last time she had trusted someone this quickly he had betrayed her secret. . . Sophie pushed the painful memory of being betrayed.

Logan and Sophie enter Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

The first thing Sophie sees is a teenage girl slightly older than her hugs Logan before walking away with a teenage boy. For a moment, Sophie felt that she was invisible. Not that she cared. She was used to it. Then a woman with pure white hair and brown skin noticed Logan's arrival. Sophie coughed.

"Logan," said the woman, now noticing Sophie's prescence. "Who's this?"

Logan placed his large hand on Sophie's shoulder.

"Storm, this is-"

"My name is Sophie Glass," Sophie cut in on Logan.

Storm looked at Sophie for a moment, as though studying her, before saying,

"Nice to meet you Sophie. You should meet the Professor."

"All right," Sophie said casually.

Logan noticed that Sophie said "All right" whenever agreeing to something. Just then another woman appeared. Sophie caught Logan smiling at the other woman.

"Jean," Storm said to the other woman. "We have another student."

"Hello," Jean greeted Sophie. Jean looked at Logan, her expression filled with curiousity as to how Logan had found Sophie.

"My name is Sophie Glass," Sophie repeated.

"The Professor is busy at the moment. But when he's ready we'll take you to see him. Okay?" Storm explained.

"All right," Sophie agreed at followed Storm and Jean to where ever they were taking her.

00000

An hour later Sophie, Logan, Storm, Jean, and Cyclops were standing in Proffessor Charles Xavier's office.

"I see you have found me a new student, Logan," Professor X said as the group walked into his office.

When she saw Professor X, Sophie thought he had the look that he could help someone like her. She was about to say for the dozenth time,

"My name is-"

"Sophie Glass," Professor X interrupted her gently.

Sophie nodded. "Yeah. How'd you-?"

"I have the gift of telepathy Miss Glass," Professor X explained. "And what is your gift?"

Sophie instinctively rubbed her knuckles, feeling the re-opened scars where her bone claws punctured through her skin.

"I wouldn't really call it a 'gift' really. . . "

"All mutations are gifts, Sophie."

"What I meant was that my 'gift', it only appears when I really need them. Like for self-defense. "

"What is your gift?" Professor X asked again.

"Bone claws," Logan said before Sophie could answer. "Like my original claws."

The air seemed strained for a full minute as Storm, Jean, Cyclops, and even Professor X gaped at Logan than at Sophie and then back at Logan. Sophie wished she could sink through the floor, to get away from their stares. Professor X clasped his hands together as he asked Sophie,

"Who is your father, Sophie?"

Sophie shrugged. "I don't know. I've never met him."

Jean glared at Logan. Sophie couldn't understand why though. What had Logan done?

"Sophie, do you mind if I run some tests on you?" Jean asked.

"Uh, sure. I guess if you want to," Sophie replied, not sure what brought this on by Jean.

"Jean is our doctor here," Professor X explained.

"All right," Sophie said as she was leaving Professor X's office with Jean.