AN: This is a DENSE chapter y'all. Prepare yourselves.
I closed the door, turning back to survey the disaster zone that was my hotel room. Take out containers were strewn wildly, clothes, towels and pillows everywhere. Jean and Scott stood around, looking for a place to sit. Rushing over I grabbed my bags from the chairs around the table, clearing space for them, my hands still sparking.
"I'm sorry about this. I've been here by myself for awhile. I had to get away from home in a hurry and this seemed like the most isolated place I could find on the cheap," I explained. Jean and Scott nodded understandingly as they sat. I flicked off the TV set, pulling the sleeves of my sweater down farther before sitting on the end of the bed, facing them.
"Where is home?" Jean asked gently.
"New York. I live on the lower east side and work in a craft shop there. Worked I guess."
"Did something happen at work that made you run?"
"No, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back. My boss is reasonable, but disappearing for half a month probably isn't going over well."
"What happened to make you leave?" I hesitated at Scott's question, wondering how much I could tell him and how much was probably classified at this point.
"This just started. I hurt a good friend on accident and had to get out before I hurt anyone else," I answered softly, hanging my head.
"You mean Dr. Banner?" Jean offered. My head shot up and I looked at Jean in shock. Who were these people? My hands picked up in response to my panic, two tiny spheres developing.
"How do you-"
"We were contacted by a member of the Avengers two weeks ago, Clint Barton. He's an old friend of one of our members. Though by that point we had already started looking for you." Scott replied.
"What? Why? Just who are you people? Because if you're here to bring me back, I won't go. I can't. I can't hurt them again," the small spheres were golf ball sized and growing rapidly. Jean noticed the panic and got out of her seat, kneeling down next to me.
"Charlotte, calm down. I told you when we arrived that we're here to help. We don't want to take you anywhere you don't want to go." she reached down and pulled my hands in front of her, touching my forearms gently. I winced, expecting a blast and was surprised when none came.
"Does this happen every time you get upset?" she asked. I nodded.
"And I don't know how to stop it. It just keeps growing until it bursts. Which seems to always be around volleyball size." I watched on in horror as they started to envelop my palms.
"Please, you shouldn't be so close. I don't want to hurt you," I flinched away, but Jean kept a firm grasp on my forearms.
"You're not going to hurt me, I promise. Just relax as much as you can. I'm going to try and look into your mind and find out where this is coming from."
"Look into my mind? What?" I started before images started flashing through my mind.
Yellow house. Red bike. Green car. Blue sparks. Empty fields. Pain. Anger. Cold. Gasoline.
I came back to myself with a start, looking into Jean's worried brown eyes. The spheres had disappeared and sparks released sporadically.
"What the hell was that?"
"You don't recognize any of that?" she asked
"Just from dreams. But I don't recognize any of it. I don't know where they're coming from."
"They felt like memories Charlotte. Are you sure you don't remember any of that?"
"Memories? No, it couldn't be. I don't have any memories from before I was 13. I was in an accident and lost all of them. And that's definitely not from anything after." Jean nodded in understanding and she and Scott exchanged knowing looks.
"What?"
"That explains quite a bit actually." She stood and went back to her chair. "See, all three of us have an extra set of genes. The X gene. It's what allows us to do the things we do. There are a lot of us out in the world, and the man we work for tries to help as many of us as he can."
"But, I couldn't have that gene. I've never done this before. I couldn't have gone 27 years without once doing this, if it was in my DNA, could I?"
"That's the thing. From what I understand, you may have always had this ability, but it looks like it's strongly tied to your emotions and memories. Since you lost most of them when you were 13, you lost access to that your abilities. Did something happen recently to start this?"
"I was taken during an attack on the Tower. The people who took me were hurting someone I loved very much. I remember getting very angry, my vision going blue and then nothing until I woke up in the medical wing." Jean nodded.
"The trauma must have set you off, which would be why your memories are coming back."
"But if they are, they're coming back in pieces. They don't make any sense either."
"We can help you with that. Or more specifically, Professor Xavier can. He runs a school in Westchester and is much better at this than I am. If you come with us, he can help you recover your memories and control your powers." I looked at them suspiciously.
"So just come with you.? Two people I've never met before, to a place that honestly sounds like it exists in a comic book." Scott smiled.
"You got a better option at the moment?" I chuckled humorlessly, thinking of how unhappy I was here, all by myself. Nothing was getting better and it had been a long several days on my own.
"Not really. Fine. I'll come with you. Can't get much worse than this right?" I stood throwing my hands up. "Give me 10 minutes and I'll have my stuff packed. Thank God I took a shower this morning." I muttered the last bit to myself.
"No rush," Scott assured me, rising to walk around a bit. "We've got about 3 ½ hours in a car to look forward to. About as good a time as any to stretch my legs." I bustled around the room, throwing clothes into my duffle bag. After picking up a particularly stubborn sock underneath the bed, the room spun, sending me swaying.
"Charlotte? Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy. I haven't been getting much sleep." She walked over and took my shoulders, scanning me carefully.
"Are you sure? Did you get medical care after you were kidnapped?"
"Yes, of course. But I'm fine, I just haven't been sleeping." she nodded.
"Okay, but when we get to Westchester, I'd like you to come down to the medical wing. I'm the resident physician there and I'd like to make sure that you're healthy before you start any training." I sighed.
"Fine. But, I'm telling you now that I'm perfectly fine. Maybe a bit exhausted, but that's all." I zipped the bag soundly and sighed.
"Okay. Let's go."
The ride to Westchester was long and boring. The snow cleared up halfway there and the roads became less and less snow covered, though I had no doubts that the huge Escalade Jean and Scott had brought could've gotten us through a blizzard if necessary. My thoughts turned back to the two people sitting up front, talking quietly to each other, hands entwined over the center armrest. They both seemed perfectly well intentioned, though I'd been burned by good intentions before. But like Scott had said, what choice did I really have? Stay in my room and continue to mope and panic, or get up and try something, anything that could have me feeling like a person again.
We got off on the Westchester exit, passing McMansions on each side, the roads quiet and empty due to the holiday.
"I'm sorry you guys had to come get me on Christmas. You couldn't have waited a few days?" I asked. Scott turned in his seat to face me.
"It's no problem Charlotte. And yeah, we did have to get you today. As soon as we narrowed down your location, we left to come get you. We're both aware of how alone you must've felt. And we've found over the years that as soon as we get new mutants the resources they need, the better it is for everyone involved."
"You've done this before?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's kind of our thing," Jean answered, pulling into a long driveway surrounded by trees. "Technically, we work for the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters."
"Youngsters?"
"Like we said earlier, most people find out about their powers either at birth or at puberty. We're here to help them learn to control and utilize their abilities. Also we teach basic classes like math, history, etc. for kids anywhere from age 5 to 18." I sat back, trying to process all of this.
"So what you're saying is that after four degrees, I'm no more advanced than a 5 year old?" I asked. Jean parked the car and she and Scott exchanged an amused glance. Jean looked back in the rearview mirror.
"I suppose that's one way to put it. Don't worry Charlotte, we have a lot of adults who come here for help. Hell, half of the teaching staff came here as adults who'd successfully or unsuccessfully hidden their abilities for decades." She said. I sighed, unbuckling and grabbing my bag. Stepping outside I saw a huge brick building, grander and obviously older than any of the mansions we'd passed coming in.
"Whoa." I muttered. Scott stopped next to me and rocked back on his heels, smiling.
"Welcome to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters," he began walking, causing me to scramble to keep up. "Now, this is actually a great time for you to join us. Most of the kids are home for winter break until just after the new year. This should give you enough time to acclimate without all of the kids around." He led me through the halls, past a grand staircase, several classrooms and into the very depths of the building. Priceless pieces of art hung on the walls, the entire building tastefully decorated. Whoever owned this place obviously had money.
We came to an office at the end of hallway, the ornate and surely heavy, door closed. Scott stepped forward and knocked twice.
"Professor?" he asked, "We've brought Charlotte Samuels."
"Wait, I'm supposed to meet the head of the school like this? I'm not dressed properly. I've been holed up in a hotel room for a week-" I protested, cut off when the door opened.
"Miss Samuels, I assure you that you are fine. Considering the significant upheaval you've experienced in the past week, I am simply relieved to have you here safe and sound." came a deep, slightly accented voice from within. The chair behind the ornate wooden desk turned, and an older bald man smiled at me with kind eyes. I wasn't sure what it was, but I was immediately soothed.
The chair turned and when he wheeled out from behind the desk I noticed that he was in some kind of motorized wheelchair, though I couldn't hear an engine or motor, even in the near silence of the room. He approached me and extended a hand. I wrung my own, looking at the maroon gloves Jean had leant me before leaving the hotel. I reached out and shook gingerly, feeling the sparks prickle underneath my skin.
"Please, Miss Samuels, you can take off your gloves. I promise you that you will never have to hide your abilities within these halls." I gulped, pulling off the gloves and watching the sparks dance across my palm.
"Fascinating," the Professor said with awe in his voice. "Please, come in and sit. Jean, Scott, you may return to the den. I believe the others are beginning the gift swap soon." they both nodded, Jean stepping forward. "Yes Jean, once our newest guest is settled I will alert you and you can conduct a physical if you feel it still necessary." she nodded and left, closing the door behind her. The Professor turned and went back to his desk.
"Please, sit, sit." I took a seat in the plush leather chair, placing my bag near my feet. "I should have properly introduced myself, I apologise. My name is Charles Xavier, and I, quite appropriately, run this school. The only one of its kind at the moment. Here at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, we help provide young men and women with the skills and support necessary to exist peacefully among humans and control their abilities."
"Among humans? Are the students here not human?" I asked.
"In a way, they are. But according to our research, our abilities stem from a certain extra gene in our DNA. The X-Gene. We believe that the existence of the X-Gene is the next step in human evolution. So while we still consider ourselves human, we've adopted the name of mutants, as we're technically no longer on the same evolutionary level as humans."
"So you're telling me that I'm not human?" I asked incredulously, panic racing up my spine.
"Exactly," he said. Seeing my panic, he continued, "Please Miss Samuels, remain calm. This is nothing to be frightened of. The X-Gene is a part of you, but no more a part of you than your hair or eye color. With proper training and discipline, there is no reason why you should not be able to rejoin the rest of the world in time. Your ability seems to be an easy one to disguise." he reminded me, a stern look on his face. I thought of Scott and his sunglasses and sighed.
"Okay. So how come I didn't know about this before? If it's always been a part of my DNA, why haven't I been able to do this my entire life?" I wondered aloud. Professor Xavier sat back in his chair, his arms resting on his chair, hands steepled.
"That is something rather unique about your case Miss Samuels. I should tell you first that I have known about you since you were a small girl, and I may know more about your past than you do." My brows rose at that statement. Did he know about my parents? About my memories? Could he tell me what the hell happened before I was 13?
He continued, "My ability allows me to read minds, and in some cases control them. When I began this school, my goal was to find those children who were lost and alone and bring them here, where they could be supported and taught. So with the help of friends, I was able to build a machine that could amplify my abilities and help me locate fellow mutants based on the existence of the X gene within the mind.
Using this, I became aware of your presence in 1995, when you were 9 years old. You had just begun discovering your powers. You seemed perfectly capable of control and tried hard not to show anyone. As far as I could see, you were fine to stay where you were. As a principle, we try not to enroll students full time unless issues arise in their home life or their parents are comfortable sending them to us.
"I monitored you off and on, but in 1999 something terrible happened. I don't know precisely what, but something painful and traumatic, enough to erase your existence from my mind. I assumed that you had died. I wished I had done more, certain that you had been killed as a result of my negligence. But then you suddenly reappeared a few weeks ago. We've been looking for you for quite a while Miss Samuels. I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to know that you've been alive this entire time." he finished and looked at me, grief and joy warring in his eyes. What he told me seemed impossible, but it all made sense. I had no other memories to prove him otherwise. I had been found, nearly dead on the side of the road in 1999 without any recollection of my life before me.
"Is there-Is there any way to find out what happened? I have no memories prior to waking up in a hospital bed at 13. Nothing at all, except these flashes I've been getting since I was kidnapped a few weeks ago."
"It's possible that we could recover your memories, yes. I could help you with that if you would like. It's the very least I can do after what I've put you through."
"Professor, I don't think any of this was your fault, but if you're willing to help me, I would be very grateful."
"Good, then it's settled. Jean will work with you on controlling your abilities and we will work together on recovering your lost memories. You'll stay here in the mansion, it'll be the safest for you here."
"Oh, no Professor, I couldn't impose on you like that. And I can't be around people yet, I don't have any of this under control. I could hurt someone!" I protested. Professor Xavier shook his head, coming out from behind the desk.
"Miss Samuels, I assure you that you will not hurt anyone here. This is the safest place for you to be while you work on controlling your powers."
"But I can't just stay here without paying anything. I-I can pay rent." I offered, "Not very much, but I can pay per month. I can't just stay here without contributing something." The professor examined me for a moment with piercing blue eyes before smiling.
"I see. No need to pay the school anything, I assure you. We will be happy to have you. In the meantime, if you feel the need to contribute, you do have four degrees, correct?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Well we are always in need of teachers. Perhaps if you have your abilities under enough control by the time term starts up again, you can teach a few classes? In exchange for room and board of course."
"Um, well, I've never really taught anything, but I'd be happy to try."
"Excellent. I'll speak to our Dean of Students Ororo Munroe about finding some students for you. I'm sure she'll have no problem." he passed me, laying a hand on my shoulders. "Miss Samuels, we are very glad to have you. I sincerely hope that you will find your answers here. In the meantime, let's find you room shall we?" I nodded, overcome by the sincerity in his eyes. I rose and followed him out, as ready as I would ever be to face my future.
AN: The mystery of Charlotte's past is growing clearer, but her future is about to get a lot more interesting...