Storm was showing Star around her room when Rogue and Jubilee came in.
"Knock, knok!" Jubilee chattered happily as she
pushed the door open. She had a bundle of clothing tucked under one
arm. Rogue carried a covered tray.
"Hi, sugah. Remember me? We met last night," Rogue
asked as she put the tray down on a small table.
"I think so. You are Rogue?"
"Tha's right. Storm, you go on down and get your
breakfast. Jubilee an' I'll help Star settle in."
"Thank you, Rogue." Storm turned to Star, "I will be back soon, child." She left.
"I'm Jubilee. We're about the same size, so I
grabbed a couple of old outfits outta my closet. Hope you like 'em.
'Course, we'll have to hit the Mall to get you all set up." As she
talked, Jubilee spread the clothing out on the bed. Star just stared at it.
"Let her eat first, Jubilee," Rogue laughed. "C'mon
over here, gal. Let's see what the fellas fixed up for ya for
breakfast." Star sat down in a chair next to the table. Rogue took the
cover off the tray. "Well, now. You've got hotcakes and sausage here.
A big glass o' milk, and a cup o' hot chocolate. Guess they decided
you weren't old enough for coffee. 'Course, the way Gambit makes it,
its not fit to drink. Syrup's here in this little pitcher." Star
stared at the food. "Well, go on gal, dig in. You don't want 'em to
think you don't like their cookin', do ya?"
"What is that?" Star finally asked, still looking at the tray.
"What d'ya mean, honey?" Rogue asked, quietly.
"I've never seen food like this."
"Boy, Wolverine said you'd been locked up, but I didn't know he meant in a box."
"Hush, Jubilee." Rogue sat down on the arm of the
chair next to Star. "These are hot cakes. I like 'em with butter and
syrup. You put the butter on like this," she spread the butter onto
the top hot cake, "then you pour syrup over the whole thing. Then you
eat it." Star hesitantly picked up her fork, cut a piece out of the
hot cake, and took a bite. Jubilee giggled at the expression on her face.
"It's good!" Star said, after a moment.
"If you like that, you're gonna love frozen yogurt!" Jubilee declared.
"Go ahead and finish your breakfast, hon. Then you
can try on some of the clothes Jubilee brought for you." Star nodded,
eating quickly. She burned her fingers on the cup of hot chocolate,
spilling some when she quickly put the cup down. At her stricken
expression, Rogue hurriedly reassured her.
"It's okay, sugah. I should 'a warned you. Hot cakes
aren't really hot, but hot chocolate is. You 'bout finished here?"
Star nodded. "Well, then. Let's get you outta that skintight and inta
some proper clothes." Jubilee hopped up from the edge of the bed and
grabbed a handful of clothes. Star peeled off the body suit without
hesitation. Her body was well muscled, her skin unblemished and nearly
as pale as an albino's. Rogue and Jubilee helped her choose a pair of
dark leggings, a short, frilly skirt, covered with bright flowers, and
a white peasant blouse. After Star had dressed, with quite a bit of
help with the unfamiliar garments, Rogue and Jubilee stepped back to
view the results.
"Wow," Jubilee whistled. "I wish I looked that good in my old clothes."
Rogue turned Star toward the mirror on the back of the door.
"Well, what d'ya think?" Star stared at the mirror
for a long moment, then raised a hand to her cheek.
"Is that what I look like?" Jubilee started to make
a smart remark, but Rogue's glance quelled her.
"Shore is, sugah. And you look just fine." Rogue
looked her up and down once more. "Now, we gotta do somethin' 'bout shoes."
"I've never worn shoes."
"Well, that certainly limits our options, don't it? Any ideas, Jubilee?"
"Ya know, I got a pair of those moccasin boots a
while back, but I didn't like the way they felt. Made me feel like I
was barefoot, so they should be perfect. Hang on, I'll go get 'em."
Jubilee was only gone a moment, returning with a
pair of soft, black boots, trimmed in silver.
"Here you go. I sure hope they fit." Star sat down
and started to pull one boot one. Smiling, Rogue stopped her.
"Other foot, hon. That's right. See how they curve
in on one side? Same shape as your foot. That's got it. Jubilee, those
boots are the perfect touch. You done good, sugah."
"Thank you. Thank you both," Star said suddenly. "I've never been treated like this."
"Well, get used to it. That's the way we do things
around here," Jubilee said. Rogue smiled at the grown-up tone of her voice.
"C'mon, Rogue, let's go show her off!" Jubilee tugged Star toward the door.
"You feel up to it?" Rogue asked.
"I think so," Star answered, uncertainly.
"C'mon, then! I'll get the dishes later." Jubilee
pulled Star after her. Star glanced appealingly at Rogue, who laughed and followed them.
Most of the X-Men were gathered in the living room,
sprawled on chairs and divans. The focus of their attention was
Charles Xavier. When Jubilee saw him, a huge grin split her face.
"Professor!" she shouted as she dashed into the
room, engulfing him in a Jubilee sized bear hug.
"It's good to see you too, Jubilee," he said, after he had regained his breath.
"Welcome home, Professor," Rogue said from the doorway.
"Hello, Rogue." He turned his attention to Star,
standing motionless next to Rogue. "And you must be Star. The others
have been telling me about you." Star didn't move. "Come here, child.
I won't bite." Star took a tentative step forward, then looked back at
Rogue, as if for support.
"Go on, sugah. If anybody can help you, he can."
Star moved forward and cautiously accepted Professor Xavier's extended hand.
Gambit moved to stand next to Rogue in the doorway.
"She clean up real nice, Chere. 'Course, she don'
come close to matchin' up wit' you."
"Thanks, Gambit. After see'n' myself in the mirror
beside that, I needed a little ego boost."
"Why, Chere? She just a kid. Look like a scarecrow
next to you." Rogue smiled at him and he put an arm around her.
Professor Xavier was introducing Star to the X-Men.
"And this is Jean Grey."
"Wolverine tells me that you were concerned that you had injured me," Jean said to Star. "As
you can see, I am quite well."
"Where is Wolverine?" Rogue said quietly to Gambit.
"You know Wolverine, Chere. He be off doin' what ever it is Wolverine do when he go off by
hisself."
"Do you feel up to speaking with me?" the professor
asked. Star just nodded. "Come, then." Star went with him into his
study. He closed the doors behind them.
Wolverine was sitting on the bank of the small lake
which was on the land owned by Professor Xavier, watching the waves
and occasionally tossing small pebbles into the water. Star's tale of
being nothing but a lab animal had unsettled him. He knew he had to
regain his balance if he was to be of assistance in finding, and
stopping, her "Doctor". The sun was nearly overhead when he headed
back to the mansion. He was crossing the open yard in back of the
building when he heard a cry of pain, in two voices. The first was
Star, the second was ... Professor Xavier! He entered the house at a
run and was the first to reach the study. He flung the door open and
took in the scene at a glance. Professor Xavier was on the floor, his
wheelchair overturned. Star was kneeling before him, her hands to her
head. She turned to him, her silver eyes unseeing.
"Help me, Logan," he heard in his head. "I've got to
go after him." As the other X-Men crowded in the door behind him, he
stepped forward and took her hands in his.
"You got it, kid." The room faded around him. He was
surrounded by a light mist, masking everything that was not nearby. He
was aware of a swirling darkness just below them. He still held Star's
hands. She pulled one free and turned away from him, toward the
darkness. They moved down, closer and closer to the dark pool. He
looked about, desperately, for an anchor, knowing that if they fell
in, they were both lost. Finally, he thrust his claws into the surface
they were moving across. Star disappeared into the darkness and he
clung to her hand even as she pulled him deeper into it. As his hand,
then his arm, entered the darkness, he felt a searing pain, as if he
had plunged his hand into an open flame. But he held on. Then Jean was
there, helping to pull Star back up. Together, they pulled and,
slowly, she reappeared, dragging Professor Xavier with her. She thrust
Xavier at Wolverine, who reflexively caught him, releasing Star in the process.
"Jean, get them out of here!" Star cried as the dark
whirlpool grew larger, rising toward them. Star turned away, trying to
hold the dark tide back, to give them time to escape the depths of her
mind. Jean drew them up and out, Wolverine holding on to the
Professor's limp form. Abruptly, the mist was gone. Jean had returned
him to his own body.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 ]
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