DISCLAIMER: VICTOR IS NOT MINE. THE X-MEN ARE NOT MINE. JUSTIN, TOBY, LILY, AND MS. TRAVOLTA ARE MINE, TOO.

NOTE: JUSTIN IS AN ACTUAL PERSON IN MY STORY. HE IS A CLOSE FRIEND I'M USING IN THE STORY. THE SCHOOL IS REAL, TOO, ALONG WITH THE TOWN OF BAR HARBOR AND OTTER CREEK. JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW. ALSO, THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER I AM WRITING FOR . I WILL CONTINUE ADDING CHAPTERS ONCE I GET LOTS OF REVIEWS. THANK YOU TO THE TWO REVIEWERS THAT LIKE THIS STORY. I LOVED THE REVIEWS!

3

Victor woke up the next morning to wake up his son. He got out of bed and went to the living room with no shirt on. He walked up to the couch and looked at his sleeping shirtless cub. The bruise was almost gone. There was only a tint of yellow left on his stomach. It would probably hurt the rest of the day. He knew Vincent should fight back when his lunch money is taken, but he didn't want him to start any fights because Victor knew Vincent wouldn't be able to finish what he started. He wasn't strong enough. Another reason was that because of his mutations were starting come. His claws were popping in and out because of his mutations coming and he had very little control over them and he could accidentally hurt someone if they just popped out while he was fighting. Victor didn't want that to happen. This island had no mutants on it. They didn't like anyone that were. . .different. That could do things a normal human could not do. The small towns didn't like mutants at all. Some small towns didn't mind them at all. Loved them.

Victor decided to drive his son to school and decided to let him rest a while longer. School didn't start until 7:55. He went into the kitchen and looked at the mess that needed to be cleaned up. He made dinner last night through the mess and decided to clean it up in the morning. Vincent was too injured to keep on bending over with that bruise on him. Victor started picking things up and put them back where they belonged. It took twenty minutes. He then started on some breakfast of eggs and bacon. He knew his son would like that. As he made it, he smiled at the memory of when Vincent first had it.

10 Years Ago

Victor was at the stove making breakfast for him and his cub. It was a beautiful Saturday morning. He looked at the clock. 9:00 am. His cub should be waking up just about now. He heard small footsteps hammering against the stairs, going as fast as they could to get to the kitchen. Victor smiled. His son smelled breakfast. He looked behind him and saw his five year old cling to his leg, hugging him. Then he crawled up his back and wrapped his tiny arms around Victor's neck and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"Mornin', Daddy."

"Mornin', little man."

"Whatcha makin'? It smells so good!"

"Bacon and eggs."

"Bacon and eggs? How come we've never had it before?"

"I don't know. Never came to my mind."

"Oh. Is it good?"

"Yeah, it is."

Victor got done with breakfast and put it on the two plates. Vincent held on the whole time. Victor lifted the cub and put him in his chair. Victor sat down and was about to start his breakfast when he noticed his cub not eating and saw him looking at the salt, pepper, and ketchup on the table.

"What do you put on eggs?"

"Salt, pepper, or ketchup," Victor said, grabbing the ketchup and putting on his eggs.

Vincent wrinkled his nose at the ketchup covered eggs. "I think I'll stick with the salt and pepper." He grabbed them and sprinkled the salt and pepper onto the eggs and took a bite. He grinned and scarfed the rest of it, including the bacon.

Victor chuckled and ate his own eggs and bacon. His cub really loved eggs and bacon.

Present

He set up two plates at the table and went to wake up his cub. Victor shook his shoulder and Vincent blinked his eyes a few times.

"What?" he asked, very tired.

"Breakfast is on the table. It's your favorite."

"Bacon and eggs?"

Victor smiled. "Yep. Now, c'mon, get up."

Vincent sat up and winced. "It still hurts."

"It will probably for the rest of the day."

Vincent nodded and followed his father to the kitchen.

They ate breakfast in silence. Victor looked at his son and knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong, cub? Somethin's bothering you."

"That girl I like will never like me," Vincent said.

"Why?"

"Because I'm such a wimp. I ain't strong enough to fight off guys that are my height or smaller. I always get my butt kicked. Why would she ever want a guy like me? Why would any girl want a guy like me?"

"Vincent, you will get stronger. Yes, yer frail on the outside, but you ain't on the inside. You got a strong spirit. Don't let the things that are happening to you wreck your it."

Vincent nodded.

"When you finish up get dress and I'll take you to school."

Vincent nodded and finished up and headed for his room. Victor picked up their dishes and put them in the sink. He went to the fridge and took out stuff to make a sandwich. He set the bread and stuff on the counter and made a turkey sandwich for his cub to take for lunch. He was getting very fed up with those bullies picking on his boy. Hopefully, they would leave his cub alone today since he won't have any money. Victor put the sandwich in a plastic bag and put that into a paper bag. He also threw in a small water bottle and an apple. He wrapped the top of the bag some and smelled his son in the doorway of the kitchen. He went over to him and put the bag in his hands. Vincent nodded thanks, already knowing what it was. Victor put the food away and quickly changed into some clothes. He grabbed his jacket and keys and headed to the truck with his son. He started up the car and drove to the school. Victor glanced at his cub a couple times during the drive. They soon arrived at the school and Victor let his son out. Vincent closed the truck door and Victor drove off, looking at him in the review mirror.

Vincent watched his dad's truck leave and heaved a big sigh. He looked at the lunch bag in his hand and sighed again and headed inside. He hoped Williams would leave him alone. He didn't really want to come to school. Williams saw his claws. Williams probably told everyone in the school about them and they probably believed Williams. He headed inside and went to his first class. The day went a little fast for Vincent's liking. Vincent had seen Williams in class, but the football player didn't do or say anything to him. Vincent shrugged at that. Then when it was lunch time he didn't see hide or hair of Williams. Vincent had grinned at that and sat at a table that had a few kids sitting from him. He opened his lunch bag and took out the apple and water first. He ate the apple then went for the sandwich. It was the best turkey sandwich he had ever seen. Stacked with turkey, lettuce, and cheese. He grinned and took a bite of it.

He glanced at the other kids and saw them look away, as if they were. . .frightened of him. He scowled ad finished up his lunch and left the lunch room. It was still First lunch and he decided to just head to his next classes. He had his cooking class and while he was making a pumpkin dessert the other kids would glance at his hands. He tried to ignore it. He got the stuff mixed together and put it over the crust in the rectangular metal dish. He then put it into the fridge to sit for three or four hours. His teacher was staying after school for a few hours. He went up to her.

"Ms. Travolta?" he asked her.

"Yes, Vincent?"

"Since you are staying after school do you think you could grade the dessert and paper then instead of tomorrow because I wanted to bring it home for my dad," Vincent said.

"Today is his birthday, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. I didn't have enough time to make a cake and decorate it."

"Alright, come here right after school ends. I have to do some paper work first then I'll take a look at the dessert and the paper that goes with it."

Vincent nodded thanks.

He went to his second study hall and worked on his story. He sat away from everyone else.

"Hey, Vincent."

Vincent looked up from his story and saw his best friends Justin Pryde and Toby Smith. "Hey," he said as they sat down at the small table.

"Man, I got a lot to tell you guys," Toby said. He was a tall blonde shoulder length haired 16 year old with green eyes.

"The daily school gossip?" Justin asked. He had short dirty blonde hair that was curly, blue eyes, was 15, and was a little tall.

"Not really. It's Williams."

"Williams?"

"Yeah, he's tellin' people, Vin. Tellin' about your claws," he said, saying the last sentence in a whisper.

"And they're believin' him?"

Toby nodded. "You're in big trouble, Vin."

"Williams can't prove anything," Justin said. "That dickhead can go fuck a dog."

"I don't think he saw my fangs," Vincent said.

"He might have." Justin turned to Vincent. "He's gonna try and make the whole school turn against you."

"Won't be that hard," Vincent said.

"We're here for you, man," Toby said.

"Thanks guys," Vincent said. "I gotta call my dad and tell him I'm staying after school for a little while."

"Why?"

"I'm having Ms. Travolta grade my work after school instead of tomorrow, so I can bring the dessert home for dad for his birthday," Vincent said. "I didn't have time to get a cake together."

"We can give you a ride after our soccer practice. It's an hour long," Justin said.

"It shouldn't take that long for Ms. Travolta to get check over my work and paper," Vincent said.

"Meet you at the front office?" Toby asked.

"I'll be there."

At the end of the study hall Vincent made his way to his teacher's room. He entered and sat at a table, waiting for her to get down with whatever she was doing. It didn't take that long for her to finish. She got up from her desk and went over to to him. She looked at the paper and then the dessert and then the paper again. She told him she would grade it and Vincent put the cover to the pan the dessert was in. It was a great plastic cover that had a handle on it. He waved bye to his teacher and made his way to the office, but stopped short. Williams and half the football team was blocking his way. They were giving him murderous looks. He took off running to the back of the school. They chased after him. Vincent ran to the football field and saw it was empty. He didn't look back. Pain shot at his head as something hard it. He stumbled and planted face first into the ground and he dropped the dessert. It landed right side up a few feet from him. He felt the back of his head and looked at his hand. Blood covered his palm and fingers. He tried to get up but was kicked hard in the gut and he doubled over, gasping for breath.

Justin and Toby were waiting for Vincent outside in front of the doors to the main office. They were listening to their mp3 players while passed the a soccer ball to each other. They wondered where Vincent was. They heard nothing with their headphones on, but twenty minutes later Toby took off his earbuds and Justin did the same.

"I thought I just heard a scream," Toby said.

"Might have been the music you're listenin' to," Justin said.

"Maybe."

Just then they saw the other half of the football team that didn't leave with the others. They got into their cars and the two boys over heard something.

"Man, can you believe how easy it was to beat the shit out of him?" asked one of the redheaded minions.

"I know. That Creed didn't put up a fight. It was fun watching him try to fight back," said Williams.

They got into their cars and headed away from the school, not noticing that the two soccer playing boys heard them. Toby and Justin looked at each other and took off running to the football field and tucked their earbuds in their pockets on the way. They got there and saw Vincent's back to them and saw he was curled up. Justin knelt down beside Vincent and turned him on his back.

"HOLY SHIT!" he jumped back.

Vincent was covered in his blood. He was covered in black bruises and cuts. His clothes were ripped, his arms were in odd angles, his face also covered in blood and bruises, his nose was broken and blood still poured from it. His eyes were black from being punched. He was barley breathing and blood was coming dripping from his cut lips. He coughed and that added more blood to run from his mouth. He looked up and saw his friends.

"To. . .by. . .?. . .Ju. . .st. . .in. . .?. . ." he asked.

"Yeah, we're here man," Toby knelt beside him. "Williams and his posse did this."

Vincent nodded. "Tr. . .ied. . .t-to. . .f-fight. . .back. . ."

"Fucking dicks," Justin said.

"We gotta get you home. Can you walk long enough to get to my car?" Toby asked.

"I don't think we should move him," Justin said. "Let's call his dad first."

Victor was sitting in the kitchen waiting for his son. The cub called him and told him he was staying after school. He heard the phone ring searched for it. He looked all over the kitchen then into the living room. Then he heard the answering machine.

"Mr. Creed, are you there?" Justin's voice asked over the machine. "Mr. Creed!" Victor was still looking for the phone.

"Pick up the damn phone! Vincent's hurt! Hurt bad! Dammit, answer the phone!"

Victor froze as he found the phone. Vincent hurt? Bad? He answered it. "Vincent is hurt?"

"Yeah, Mr. Creed. You need to get down here!"

"What happened?" Victor grabbed his car keys from the kitchen.

"I'll explain everything once you get here. Hurry!"

Victor hung up the phone and ran out to his truck. He started it up and the truck bolted down the street and onto the main road to the school. He'd have to get Lily too. She was also a doctor and the hospital would never take a mutant in. They might take a mutant child, but Victor didn't want to risk it.

Justin and Toby were trying to stop Vincent's bleeding nose. They had a ripped Vincent's flannel and put a wrapped piece up against his nose. It was ver broken. They waited for Victor to get there. They wanted to try and make Vincent comfortable but were afraid moving him would make things worse. And it was starting to get cold. Toby looked over to where the dessert pan was. He got up and brought it over.

"This the thing you made for your dad?"

Vincent nodded. "Birth. . .day. . .ca. . .ke. . ."

"That's cool. Your dad is comin'. He's on his way."

Victor parked the truck and burst out of it, sniffing the air for Vincent's scent. His eyes widened at the smell of his cub's blood. He took off to the football field. He saw his cub's friends move out of the way. Victor stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Vincent's severely beaten body. He fell to his knees and carefully put a hand on Vincent's chest.

"Cub? Vincent, can you hear me?"

"D-Dad. . .?" Vincent looked at him.

"Yeah, it's me, cub. It's Daddy. What happened?"

Toby knelt beside Victor. "The captain of the football team. Brad Williams. He was the one who always took Vincent's lunch money. He found out Vincent is a mutant and did this to him along with half the football team."

Victor looked back at his son. He saw him turn his head and reached his hand out to a pan with a cover on it. He pushed it to him. Victor picked it up and looked at it.

"What is it?"

"Didn't. . .have. . .time. . .to. . .make. . .a. . .cake. . ." Vincent said. "Happy. . .birthday. . .Dad. . ."

Victor bit his lip so hard it started bleeding. He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand. "Thanks cub. It ain't so happy right now with you hurt. We gotta get you some help." Victor handed Toby the pan and turned back to his son. "Let's get you up."

"My. . .arms. . .hurt. . ."

"I'll be careful."

Victor lifted his son as gently and carefully as he could and cradled him in his arms as he carried him to the truck. Toby and Justin followed. Victor shifted his Vincent in his arms and opened the truck passenger door and gently put Vincent in and buckled him in and closed the door. Toby handed him the pan and Victor nodded thanks.

"You two better get home," Victor said.

Toby nodded. "Keep us updated?"

Victor nodded. They left and Victor started up the truck and headed to Lily's place that was above her shop. It now wasn't safe to go back to the house just yet. Victor kept on looking at Vincent who was still conscious. Victor got into town and parked the truck behind Lily's shop. He got out and got his son in his arms, along with the dessert pan to put in Lily's fridge, and went up the stairs to the apartment above the shop. It was closed now so she must be up there. He got to the door and banged his foot on the door.

"Lily? Lily, open up! It's Victor! I need some help!"

Victor heard footsteps and the curtain on the door's window moved back. Lily's eyes widened and she opened the door. She let him in and closed it and locked it. Lily turned back to him.

"Victor, What happened to Vincent?" she asked as Victor put the dessert in the fridge then move to the living room.

Victor pulled a cot to the middle of the living room next to the couch and set Vincent on it. He sometimes stayed over. "He got beat up by some football players at the high school. They found out that he's a mutant and did this to him."

Lily knelt beside Vincent. "You poor thing. Don't worry, I'll get you fixed up."

Vincent turned his head to her. "Lily. . .?"

"Yeah, it's me, Vinny. Rest now and I'll get some things to clean you up."

He nodded and closed his eyes, taking in a shaky breath.

Lily looked up at Victor and saw him storm off to the kitchen. She followed him and saw him gripping the table so hard his hands started turning white.

"Victor it is not your fault," Lily said. "You could have not known that this would happen."

Victor turned to her and just nodded.

"What is that dessert you brought in? It's for your birthday isn't it?"

Victor nodded. "Yeah, he didn't have time for a cake, so he made that. Didn't want it to spoil."

Lily nodded. "I'll get some bandages and cover up the cuts."

Victor sat in a chair at the entrance of the living room and watched Lily work. He knew something would happen. He should have just excused Vincent from school and packed everything and move, but he didn't. He felt responsible and guilty for what happened. His head snapped up as Vincent sighed and then passed out.

Lily looked at Victor. "I think his arms are only sprained or the bones are bruised. He's going to have to have them wrapped up for a little while, but they should be X-Rayed."

Victor nodded and saw that some of the bruises were fading a little. "He has a little of his healin' factor."

Lily nodded. "What are you going to do now that Vincent is exposed?"

"I was thinking I would move off the island. Maybe the state," Victor said. "It's only a matter of time until someone will find out I am a mutant, too. They'll be after not just my cub, but me as well."

"Where will you move?"

"I was thinkin' that Xavier's School. That's where my brother is. He won't be happy to see me. I might just call them and have them take Vincent and then I'll pack our stuff and either take a plane or drive to Westchester."

"I wonder what he will think of you having a son?"

"Me, too. This is the worst birthday of my life."

"Vincent's exhausted. That's why he passed out. When he does wake up, I'll get us some dinner. Do you want some coffee?"

Victor shook his head. "No. Thank you."

"I think I have some beer from when you were last here."

Victor shook his head.

"Alright. I'll finish up with Vincent and then I'll start on dinner."

"Yer an amazin' doctor. All the rest I've known are bastards. The ones at Xavier's school are okay. But you are the nicest one I've ever known and will be the only one I fully trust with my life and Vincent's."

Lily looked at him and smiled sadly. "A lot of people have said similar things and I can always tell that they don't mean it."

Victor moved closer to Lily. "I mean it. A lot."

"I know you do, Victor. I just wish there were more men like you. Like the way you are now. You're nice, sweet, caring, and you are a wonderful father with a handsome son. I've seen single fathers and the bonds they have are not as strong as the one you and Vincent have. Nothing like the one you have."

Victor looked away from her and sighed sadly.

"Was it something I said?"

"No, no. It's just I wish my father. . .y'know. . ."

"I understand if this makes you feel uncomfortable. I'm sorry for bringing up the father bonds." Lily started getting up.

"Wait." Victor grabbed her wrist. "Don't be sorry. I. . .I don't. . .mind. Please, don't be sorry."

Lily nodded her head. "Alright. Do you want to talk about your father. . .and you when you were a child?"

"Not really."

"Alright. I'll get you a pillow and blanket for the couch."

Victor nodded and watched her leave. She returned a few minutes later with the blanket and pillow. Victor took them from her and set them on the couch. They looked at each other and stepped closer to each other, making the space between them smaller. Victor started leaning down--

"Dad?"

Victor straightened up and growled in annoyance. Lily started giggling. He went over to Vincent. He crouched. "Yeah, cub?"

"Water. Please?"

Victor looked at Lily, asking her to get it. She nodded and went to get it and came back with a glass and a straw was in it. She handed it to Victor once he helped Vincent sit up and lean on him. Victor put the straw to his son's lips and Vincent drank it greedily like he did as a baby. After a few more sips he was finished.

"Thanks, Dad."

Victor nodded.

"I'm hungry." "That's a good sign. You'll be even more hungry when you get bad injuries when you have your healin' factor 'cause it needs the energy."

Vincent nodded, not caring at the moment.

"What do ya want to eat?"

Vincent shrugged. "Don't care."

"I'll whip up some soup," Lily said and headed into the kitchen.

"You lie here and rest some. I gotta make a phone call."

Vincent nodded and Victor headed into the kitchen. He picked up the cordless phone from it's hook on the wall. "Mind if I call Xavier's, Lily?"

"Nope. Go ahead."

OKAY, LAST CHAPTER UNTIL I GET MORE THAN TWO REVIEWS, SO PLEASE REVIEW SO YOU CAN READ MORE.