AN: Instead of focusing on one perspective, I'm going for more of an omniscient third person sort of...thing. IDK man perspectives aren't my strong suit.
She'd finally agreed! Kurt spent the full day before over-energized, already trying to plot out the tour and who he should introduce her to first. Wolverine and Kitty volunteered, Kitty more readily, he had to convince her to play it more casual and maybe not turn this into a surprise party of sorts. Jean had been happy enough to want to say hello, and promised to pull Kitty away if she got a little too excitable. He thought about giving them a heads up about the effect she radiated, but they were each of them used to and a part of the less ordinary. When at last he heard the doorbell, he wasn't the only one who's attention snapped to the door, grin spread wide over his face. He was gone, then reappeared behind her, though she already turned back to look at him before he could tap her shoulder.
"Still going to have to try harder, Bright Eyes." he just chuckled,
"Perhaps one of these days..." he ventured enough to lean in and steal a kiss, more accurately place one on her cheek as she had done before. He wouldn't be surprised if someone was curious enough to already be trying to spy on them from a window somewhere.
"Shall we?" he offered an arm, and she schooled the blush from her face and accepted. Instead of teleporting them back inside, he simply opened the door so they could walk the more normal way. Kitty wasted no time at all practically bounding over.
"Welcome!" she gushed instantly, making Rachel take a step back and cling more to his arm instantly, eyeing the other brunette as if she had to have been crazy.
"I'm Kitty!" she held out a hand to shake. Rachel just stared at it, before speaking carefully,
"Perhaps you'd like to get more used to me before trying for skin contact. I'm Rachel, and I do appreciate the welcome." she responded, offering a smile instead of a hand. Kitty didn't take too much offense, even backing away a few steps. Logan stayed where he was, giving a simple nod. Before Kurt could introduce them, Charles made his appearance.
"There's no need to be nervous, Rachel." his smile was as warm as it had been for any newcomer to the institute, speaking in her mind, "We all have our own gifts here." It had the stark opposite effect of reassuring her, her eyes widening and grip tightening instantly on Kurt's arm, making him wonder what had happened just then.
"Another telepath?" Kurt spoke before Charles,
"You've met one before?" she nodded, the fear in her eyes leading him to believe it had been a less than pleasant experience.
"This was a bad idea. I should go." she was already trying to spin out of his grasp and back for the door, but Kurt didn't let up on his grip so easily.
"Wait a moment-"
"I'm sorry if I startled you, but you're safe here. I assure you, I don't go rummaging through anyone's mind without their permission." Charles soothed. She was a bit doubtful, but settled a touch. After a moment her words eased the tension, though she was clearly still unhappy with the situation.
"I'm sure Kurt wouldn't bring me anywhere that would prove a danger." she decided, her declaration of faith warming his heart.
"Of course not, Kurt's too great for that!" Kitty added, Kurt's body language finally went a touch bashful, though no blush would show up on him. It drew Rachel's attention back to him, easing the last of her noticeable nerves.
"The professor here is the one who founded this school, and the one who found me and gave me a place here." taking advantage of the calm, he swept her back into the introduction, "Charles, this is Rachel." she let herself get moved back closer, giving a quick,
"I was only curious." she still sounded a touch defensive, ready to leave in an instant.
"Rachel, I don't know what you might have experienced before, but I trust Charles Xavier with my very life. I would not be the man I am today, in fact may not even be here at all, if not for him." Her eyes darted between the two, and finally she gave a nod.
"Alright." the old man gave a warm smile.
"I believe Kurt mentioned you had some kind of trouble with you memory? Of course if you're not comfortable I understand, but we have dealt with this kind of thing before here. If you'd like to at least discuss the possibilities, my office is open." he seemed more than genuine enough, and she knew there was very little point in hiding much of anything from a telepath. She could see no other way but forward, so summoned her courage to stand more confidently, and press on a smile.
"A kind offer. I should say it's at least worth hearing you out, since you have already set aside some time for me. I dare say anything else would be rude." Kurt was positively beaming between the two, glad to see them getting along better. He was sure Charles would be able to help, sure that given time she might grow more used to things around here, sure the others would grow to like her as he had.
"Hey Elf, while those two talk, could I borrow you for a second?" Logan had stepped forward. Kurt didn't really know if he ought to leave her side, especially given how nervous she had obviously been about all this, but she gave him a confident smile.
"I'll be fine." she reassured, moving towards the old man, who she knew better than to underestimate. Not that she had come here with anything nefarious in mind, she simply made note that if she had she would have likely regretted it a good deal. So she went with the professor, and Kurt loaned Logan a listening ear.
Charles Xavier wasn't the kind of man to go snooping into people's minds uninvited, but there were many times when he couldn't help but sense a person's surface emotions. He had sensed Rachel the moment she reached the property, her apprehension and hesitation a loud cry among the more usual emotions found here. Though it was normal enough for new comers to be nervous, on occasion even for them to want to run away. While she did a good job of hiding the physical tells of her emotions when she focused on it, it was impossible to truly hide her emotions from him. Not when they were so overwhelming. They barely made it to his office before she was projecting a thought his way, launching into a conversation effortlessly. He had a feeling that had less to do with any particular ability on her end and had more to do with the previous telepath she had mentioned.
"How much have you seen, then?" even in her mind she was trying to force herself to stay calm.
"It's as I said, we're talking, but I don't go digging around in other people's heads without their permission." she gave a nod and continued,
"How much do you know, then?"
"Only that you had mentioned having troubles with recalling your past." another nod, this time accompanied with her teeth chewing at her bottom lip. When she gave nothing further, he reached out again.
"I know how difficult that must be, and how hard it can be to decide what to do about it. Each of us have had our minds and our memories played with in the past, and it's never an easy thing to experience. Or to recover from. This is entirely your decision to make." he reassured.
"I've already made up my mind. The only thing now is..." she trailed off, eyes darting about the room, "just how private are my options? Is it similar to medical proceedings mental or physical? What exactly is expected in return? How professional of an environment can I expect?" keeping it to business, or thinking about it in such terms, seemed to calm her nerves considerably.
"If you decide you want to try and recover what you've lost, which it sounds like you have, then myself or Jean would be able to try and help. I won't lie. I can't promise we can get things back for certain, these things can be delicate. They can take time, and the path ahead can be difficult, even painful." her head tilted at the last word, eyes unblinking upon him.
"If you'd like to think on this-"
"I've wanted to know for too long not to go further. That, is not my concern."
"Then what is it that worries you?" obviously something did. The conflicting emotions raging inside of her betrayed the more calm exterior.
"You're the mind reader. You tell me: do I deserve to be here?" she stood more tall with the thoughts, looking him straight in the eyes this time, and he felt a chill begin to prick across his skin. He could tell that wasn't deliberate, it simply was what happened with eye or skin contact, though most others would have probably taken that as a threat right away. She continued,
"I give you permission, to peak into my mind and see for yourself. When you do I'll leave without any trouble at all." instead of delving in, Charles folded his hands on his lap.
"No matter your past, if you've come here with no ill-will, and in fact are willing to leave without trouble, as you call it, then yes."
"How can you say that so quickly?"
"Because I'm less interested in what you've done, and more interested in what you want to do." her gaze narrowed, not in anger but in confusion. She almost would think him a fool, if not for the fact that she suspected he had a good amount of power behind him should a true threat present itself. She had no desire to find out or wind up on the wrong side of that, even if he was being more friendly here in this moment.
"I see where he gets it from. And no, I have no intentions to hurt anyone here." not deliberately, anyways. Charles smiled, a perfectly disarming motion. Her next words were obvious enough not to need stating, but he let her move at her own pace.
"Still, I'm not used to this sort of thing. I'd prefer if you didn't tell him anything you learn, I'd much rather be the one to do that." he wasn't sure she meant to send the next part, but he caught it all the same. Kurt was so far the only one who hadn't treated her like a monster. Or a weapon. It was heartbreaking, how common this kind of thing was for them. For so many of them.
"I think that's a very good idea. I don't need to read your mind to tell things can't have been easy, but if you'd like assistance, or even just a listening ear, you have it." She didn't even comprehend the offer. Not fully. She was turning it over in her head, trying to find the hidden angles or agendas. Her sense told her this couldn't be genuine. This had to be some kind of trick, something even more sinister than what she had gotten involved with prior. Should she back out now? No. The weariness settled in, and she decided to try it. Decided she wouldn't care if this was some kind of a trick. It couldn't possibly be any worse than her current situation. And if it was real? Genuine? Well...then the risk was worth taking. This time she spoke out loud.
"Alright. I accept. In return, though I doubt from the looks of it you would require it, if my own assistance should prove useful then it will be available." Business, was something she was much more accustomed to. Such an arrangement needed no outline among friends, but then friends weren't something she hadn't been privy to before. So she used the language she was more accustomed to.
In the mean time Logan had pulled aside Kurt. The elf was still excitable, but also worried about if it didn't go well. Not so much worried about an outright disaster, but Rachel was always so guarded. He wasn't sure how well she would really react to this meeting now, especially given her initial reaction to finding out Charles was a telepath. He wondered about the one she mentioned meeting prior, should he ask?
"How much do you know about her?" Logan made the question casual, though it drew Kurt's full attention back down to the present.
"...There's a lot I'm still learning. But I know enough to know she needs help, even if she is reluctant to say with what." Logan was speaking more carefully than usual, there was something he wasn't saying.
"That white knight complex of yours is going to get you in trouble one of these days."
"If you're referring to the uneasy feeling that surrounds her, it's just an effect of the mutation-"
"I'm not. She smells like death, from the moment she walked in. I know your heart is in the right place, and none of us are exactly defenseless, but just be careful all the same." Kurt was a bit taken aback, he would have thought Logan of all people would have been quick to understanding. But then, he supposed it also made sense for him to be first and foremost concerned with his friends well being.
"I appreciate the concern, but I have confidence in what I'm doing." Logan accepted that with another nod.
"Alright, then I'll give her a chance." Kurts smile returned. Logan still planned on having a word with the woman when he got the chance. If she thought any of them would be easy pickings, she'd learn better very fast. And if she was plotting anything...well he was sure the professor would figure that out. But if not, just in case, his guard was up.