AN: Just one quick question on this one. I feel like the decision for Megan to go to the school was really rushed. I mean, if you heard about a school would you just up and send your kid there an hour later? Tell me what you think. You help and feedback is always appreciated!

Chapter Two: The School for Mutants

Things happened very quickly after that. Prices were discussed. A check was written to cover my first semester. I was sent upstairs to my room to pack.

It was all very disconcerting. I still wasn't exactly sure that I wanted to go, but of course by this time I had no choice. I worked on convincing myself that it was going to be great to go to a school where everyone accepted me and didn't avoid me all the time for fear that I would just up and sick a random dog on them if I got angry.

It would also be nice to not have everyone know that I had inadvertently caused the death of another person, though I was sure that that would get out eventually. How would they all take it? I tried not to think about it.

Eventually it was time to go. It had been decided that I would go back with Professor Xavier and Miss Munroe, because my parents couldn't really afford to send me at a later date, and, anticipating their response and out of his great generosity, Xavier had already secured a seat on the plane for me.

Goodbyes were horrible, especially since this was so sudden. We hadn't even had time to talk. I knew I was going to miss Mom and Dad horribly. I had never been away from home save for a weekend camp a few years ago, and a case of severe homesickness had ruined that almost immediately.

Xavier and Miss Munroe had already gone outside to wait in the car and give us privacy. I turned to my parents, and it didn't help that they were both teary-eyed.

"You're going to do well," my mother said, trying valiantly to keep from crying. I knew she most likely wouldn't break down until after I had left. "Just promise me you'll be safe."

"I will," I promised, and hugged her.

"Keep your grades up," Dad said, then an attempt at humor: "Don't sic any rabid dogs on anyone."

I frowned; apparently he still didn't realize that I did actually feel bad about that, even though it had been my worst enemy I had killed.

He noticed my expression and moved on hurriedly, a bit sheepish. "Call often. We'll want to hear everything about the school." He stepped forward and gave me a bear hug.

"Make some friends," Mom urged as I moved toward the door.

I grinned at her. "I'll try."

Then I was moving down the sidewalk backwards and waving at them, unsure of the next time I would get to see their faces.

I reached the car, and Miss Munroe popped the trunk. I put my two suitcases in, then got into the car. As she pulled away from my house, I sat in my seat silently, still self-conscious. I just didn't know what to say to the two of them.

It was strange feeling to watch the house I had known all my life slipping away behind us, then my street, and finally the whole town I had grown up in. In was a good ten minutes before Professor Xavier turned to look at me and said quietly, "Megan, you hardly spoke during the entire time we were at your house. Are you sure this is what you want?" Miss Munroe didn't look at either of us, but I could tell that she was listening closely. She had probably been wondering the same thing.

"Yes," I answered, injecting all the sureness I could muster into the response. "I want this."

What's the real reason you want it, child?

Dang it! I had forgotten that he could read my mind and knew what I was keeping hidden. I had to speak the truth aloud now. "Well," I admitted, a blush coloring my cheeks at the thought that I had been caught, "there that, but it's also my parents. I've heard of people doing awful things to those who are close to mutants." I couldn't repress a heavy sigh. "I don't want anything to happen to my mom and dad because of me."

Xavier gave me the gentle smile that I was fast learning was his specialty. "I understand your fears, Megan, and I'm glad you care for them so much, but your parents are going to be fine."

"That's good to know," I said halfheartedly. I couldn't help but worry; after all, they were the only people who really cared about me and the only ones who I cared about.

"Trust me," came the Professor's response to my unspoken comment. "You need to focus on yourself now. You're going to enjoy your time at the school, and when you have learned to control your powers you can return."

I wasn't sure about that but decided to drop the subject for the time being.

The rest of the trip was just a blur. Before I knew it, our plane had touched down in New York, and we had picked up a car and were driving through the countryside.

Soon we turned onto a long, tree-flanked drive.

"We're almost there," Miss Munroe said, and my heart sped up.

Was I really going to like the school? Would I get homesick? Would the other students like me? Would I like them? Would to classes be too hard - or too easy?

Then there was no more time to worry. When the car rounded a corner and the campus come into view, the sight wiped every other thought from my mind.

The only word to describe it was amazing. The bulk of the school was a huge, ivy-covered redbrick mansion, but there were also some smaller outbuildings like greenhouses and a garage. Between them, I spotted a basketball court and a pool. Professor Xavier had also told me that there was a lake somewhere nearby, off in the woods, with a boathouse and stables not to far off from that.

As we got out of the car, I was suddenly shy. A group of students a little younger than me was gathered near the front doors playing some sort of game. A rubber ball zoomed back and forth in the air between the four of them without being touched, probably by telekinesis. As we approached, they turned to look at us.

"Come along, and we'll show you to your room," Professor Xavier said, wheel himself toward the door. I followed.

Once inside, I was just impressed as I was with the grounds. The walls were all paneled with dark wood, an expensive oriental carpet ran the length of the hall, and a huge spiral staircase dominated the room. I realized that someone had paid an awful lot of money to build this place and felt honored that in a way it was just for me.

Suddenly shy in the face of all this grandeur, I turned to ask the Professor where to go, but he wasn't looking at me. His eyes head a far away, distracted cast to them, and his mouth was partly open as if in surprise. I thought he might have been communicating with someone telepathically and wondered with a fierce curiosity who it was and what was going on. It must have been something pretty important to disrupt Xavier's ever-calm presence like that.

"Professor?" Miss Munroe asked in concern. Her gaze slid to me, her look saying that I probably shouldn't be seeing this, and I looked away, embarrassed.

Because of my curiosity, though, I couldn't manage that for long. A few moments later, I turned back and the Professor was normal again. He had pulled the mask of his smooth smile back down over the upset and pointed it in my direction.

"I'm sorry, but something's come up. Miss Munroe will take to your room." He glanced at her. "Then join me in my office, please."

"Right away, Professor." He nodded and rolled himself away down the hall. The woman grinned at me in sort of a strained way and said, "This way; the student's quarters are upstairs." She turned and led me toward the grand staircase.

At the top, we turned and headed to the left. I could feel nervousness rising in me as we walked down a long hallway with sturdy oak doors on either side. I knew I would have roommates, and I wondered if they would like me. What if we didn't get along? That would make living here so much harder. The other half of my mind told me to stop thinking that, though. Why set myself up? Probably the girls I was going to be staying with were great people and we would be the best of friends.

I didn't miss the distracted looks Miss Munroe was constantly throwing over her shoulder. I knew that she wanted to leave and go find out what was going on with the Professor. I didn't blame her; I was aching with curiously, too, but seeing as I was only a student, and a new one at that, I wasn't likely to find out anytime soon.

"You can go if you want," I told her, and she stopped short to turn and look at me. "Just show me where my room is, and I'll be fine from there."

A smile smoothed over her face. "I don't want to rush you," she said. "But if you're all right with that, it would be wonderful."

I nodded, and we started off again. A little ways down the hall we stopped at a door that looked no different than all of the others except for golden numbers spelling out 26 attached to it. Miss Munroe looked down at me and said, "This is it. If you need anything, just ask someone to bring you to my office, and I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," I said, but when I turned to look at her she was already halfway back down the hall. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and opened the door to my new room.