Different Kinds of Family


A/N:
I don’t own it, so don’t sue!

Summary: Magneto is captured and in the meantime Cerebro gets a reading from another powerful mutant. The X-Men go to rescue both of them.

Rating: PG-13 … u never know…

X-Cave

The hatch of the SR-74 Blackbird opened with a muffled BANG. The tailgate lowered itself, exposing a few stairs on top of the ramp which were the common way to step out of the X-Jet. Well, the common way, if not someone like Bobby “Iceman” Drake was on board.

Shouting “Uuuhhh Hoouuu!!” Bobby extended both arms to create an ice track in form of a rollercoaster which ended right in the middle of the hall, “Time to play, fellas!” he shouted and jumped onto the slippy track, quickly drifting off.

Europe stepped out of the Blackbird, she followed Bobby’s joyride just briefly.

Soon she looked up from the line of frozen matter and left her green eyes wander around in the X-Cave. It’s been a long time since she had been here for the last time. The scent of exhaust and cold steel flooded her nose, she saw the hard protective walls of Titanium-steel with the lights reflection resting on them.

Bobby arrived near the welcoming-troop, jumping off the ice track and reaching the ground just between Jean Grey and professor X.

“I hope you enjoyed the flight.” The professor addressed Logan and Europe

Scott “Cyclops” Summers and Bobby had been sent this morning to pick up Logan and Europe from Japan. So the two of them had spent almost the entire day in a plane. On the way back, Bobby (who was well known for his little escapades which usually ended in a severe punishment or middle-serious catastrophes), had been goofing around so much that Logan had threatened him to keep him busy in the danger room until pigs’d fly. Since Bobby was not ecstatic about that accepting that offer, he calmed himself which made him now a little….antsy.

The professor looked suspiciously at him “That landing was unusual smooth for your flying-style, Bobby. I assume, Logan advised you on your way back?” the older man folded his hands

Bobby wanted to reply, but Logan was faster, he jerked up a thumb in Bobby’s direction “You didn’t expect me te advise popsicle ove’ ther’ after a vacation time of’six months, did ya, Charles?”

Bobby arched his brows and leaning over to Cyclops “I really do have a rep, eh?” he asked half wondering. Cyclops chuckled lightly “I better don’t answer that! C’mon Let’s move!” Europe and Bobby followed him out of the X-Cave.

Just as the three were about to pass the door, the professor called for Europe. “I would like to talk to you in the planning room, Europe. Please follow me!” Scott patted her back in an apologetic manner “X-Men - can’t take no rest!” the girl turned around to see a somehow encouraging smile on Scott’s face before he disappeared around the corner.

She walked over to professor Xavier who looked up to Logan. They stood there for a few seconds until Logan finally noticed that the professor’s glare was, so to speak “three is a crowd”
“Alright…” Logan grumbled “I’m ‘onna check on my motorcycle” with what he went off.

Planning room

The professor and Europe soon arrived at the planning room. He gestured her to sit down and so she did. He lay back in the chair and held with both hands the leans. “So, Europe… Maybe you can guess what I have called you here for.”

She nodded, sure there weren’t too many things he could want to talk about. “Does this return to us mean, that you are rejoining the X-Men?” he asked with a calm voice.

Europe couldn’t help notice that he hadn’t changed at all. His voice was as tranquil as ever, there was not one single event that had made him loose his temper, this was quite astonishing, considering that people like Kurt or Evan were around 24/7.

Professor Xavier was the living proof of a balanced spirit. It was his way of people, the way he treated each one of his students or any mutants. He wouldn’t treat them as outcasts but as gifted, he would care about them as if they were his own children. By this means he would soon gain the trust and loyalty of all new students.

But meanwhile, no one would know anything about him. To the kids he would always be “the dude who called the shots”, their professor X.

From this point of view, the professor and Logan had something in common, both were fighting for a personal reason. She knew what Logan’s reason was, but what was the professor’s motivation? What was he really fighting for?

Her decision to rejoin the team, to fight once more side by side with folks like Cyclops or Iceman was easy… now. In her own past, she had learned enough to understand that even if you didn’t see a sense in your own life, you can at least do some good for other people who aren’t strong enough to help themselves. Altruistic was her new way.

“Very well then” the professor said. “Welcome back to the team” She smiled, it was nice to hear it. “If you don’t mind I would like to run some more tests on you. While you have been away, there could have been some… “ Europe’s eyes rose to meet his. “…modifications concerning your powers” The girl was puzzled, but she agreed. “So, is there anything else you wish to talk about?” he questioned her and from his tone she could guess it was not the weather.
::Now we’re talkin:: “If you’re referring to Dr. Hoffman, then I suppose there is...” She uttered. The professor nodded lightly. “I was hoping you would bring it up. This might be a very delicate subject to you.”

Europe sighed weakly and looked down, this was indeed weirder than she had imagined, but she wanted to talk about it. “I’ve given serious thoughts about forgetting that subject.” her eyes met his again but this time, she did not look away “but now, I think we should really track that old lady down. After all, she was my doc and I’ve never spoken to her since I she left Arizona” she stroke some hair out of her face and pinned it behind her ear “Plus I owe somebody and I kinda… like to settle the score”

The professor remarked the light blush on the girl’s face, she seemed to be very touched by this subject… “I assume, the person you are talking about is Logan” he pinned it down. “By now you feel related to him, don’t you?”

Europe smiled weakly at that thought “I don’t know” she shrugged “It’s just that he really helped me through a rough time and got me back to my old shape- even higher. I just feel like, settling the score, is all” she continued “He.. he just helped me out of there, without expecting a reward for it… He’s like…” her lips curled “he’s like you, professor”

The professor interrupted her “Europe” “Huh?” Professor Xavier rolled back from his desk. “I must confess you something.” “Uh-oh”, she replied puzzled, absolutely clueless what the founder of the X-Men had to say.

Maybe it had to do something with Pietro? Did the professor try to tell her that he knew as well, that it was because of him that she had left? “Was there no more privacy in the world?” she thought lightly annoyed. Europe closed her eyes and prayed that this talk about her relation to Magneto’s son wouldn’t be too embarrassing.

Finally the professor spoke up “Since we… I was not sure, if you would come back, I decided, to tell Logan. I thought maybe it would give him a clue of where he could start his search. I was not supposed to talk about this and I am sorry. But you must understand that Logan asked me to help him and hence I cannot refuse to tell him all that I know.”
He had stopped. Europe lightly relaxed “is that all?” -obviously relieved.

The professor arched a brow, eyeing her suspiciously “I must admit that I had expected quite a different reaction.” Europe smirked a little “There’ll be enough of that when Logan finally gets his fingers on turned him into the walking pocket knife.”

Even Charles Xavier couldn’t help but smirk at that comment, even if it wasn’t funny “Now there is no doubt that you have spent a lot of time with Logan. You may go now”

She slid off the chair. Just as she was about to close the door behind her, she turned around and her head peeked into the room. “You know…. There may as well be others we will help with this”

After the girl had left, he rolled over to the window and looked outside. The students had his attention now, they were playing baseball, unnecessary to say that they, were using their power, despite any objections from Hank.

He wondered how this story would turn out, Europe had a point: there may be indeed others who had undergone illegal experiments. If the treatment had been successful like Logan’s, then there may be even more aggressive mutants out there, frustrated mutants more or less powerful and dangerous to themselves and their environment.

Xavier left his eyes wander from one student to the other, they were so carefree. Even though each one of them had experienced fear and trouble because of their mutation, they seemed happy, seemed free.