A Laying On Of Hands: Part One

by Cascade

The sound of a phone ringing woke Charles Xavier from his deep sleep violently. He glanced at the LCD on the clock. 7:00 in the morning, the red numbers told him... and on a Saturday too. He groggily lifted the receiver.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other end cleared it's throat. "Yes. Is this Xavier's School for the Gifted?" a male voice asked.

"Yes."

"Good. The name is Edwin Hawkes. I have a son that is very gifted and I heard that your school was the most exclusive in New England, and I would like to get him enrolled."

"Just one question first, If you don't mind Mr. Hawkes. Why did you feel it necessary to call so early on a weekend?"

"I thought I should call before I head out to work today. I figured 5:00 was to early to call on weekdays, and 11:00 to late."

"Well thank you. Your thought is appreciated. Now as for your son, what kind of gifts does he have."

"Intellectual ones. He's a bright one. Creative too. His instructors at Morgan Academy in New York believe him to be one of the best poets to pass through their institution."

Realization dawned for the professor. He recognized the name of the prestigious private school. This boy was not a mutant, just a privileged boy with rich parents.

"I'm sorry sir. I don't think we're what your looking for. We're by invitation only."

The voice on the other end of the line turned indignant. "But you must see him first! I'll come by on my lunch break with him. You'll see, I'm sure he will be able to fit in nicely with the other students!"

If only you knew... Xavier thought. "Sir, really that's not..."

"I'm sorry. I must be getting off to work. I'll see you at 1:00." The receiver clicked into disconnection.

Xavier slumped back into the pillow on his bed and sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?" he sighed.

Charles Xavier had briefed all of his students on the arrival, so they all knew to lay low when 1:00 rolled around. No need to let the man know what he doesn't need to know, he thought to himself.

At precisely 1:00 a large car rolled into the school's driveway. A chauffeur stepped out and opened the car's door. A large man stepped out in a expensive suit, followed by a tailored looking young boy. Xavier caught a flash of unidentified mutant power somewhere. It would be too perfect if the boy were... No, he was normal, as was the father and the chauffeur.

There was someone else... or maybe he was mistaken... it happened.

Mr. Hawkes introduced his young son, Douglas. The elder Hawkes was a pompous fool. The younger was brainwashed. He believed in every inflated trait his father gave him. There was no way a boy this used to class and order could ever write poetry. Xavier sighed to himself and patiently waited for the father to finish his speech. He scanned for the mutant presence he had detected before. It was still there! He tried to locate it.

"Excuse me, Douglas, but do you have any siblings?" Xavier interrupted.

"Yes, sir." the boy replied, not seeing the stern look that his father gave him. "I have a sister, Dana, and a brother, Marcus."

"Where are they now?"

"Dana's in the car. Marcus is in Germany... on business."

The father coughed.

"I don't think this is of any relevance. We're here about Douglas!" Hawkes fumed.

Xavier ignored him and rolled his wheelchair out to the car and opened the rear car door.

"Excuse me. Professor, sir! I would ask that you not..." Hawkes followed him down the walk.

The car's tinted windows made the interior of the car very dark and gloomy. A lone interior light shone down on a tattered notebook where a pencil was stopped halfway down, mid-sentence. The owner of the pencil and notebook was a plain looking girl who was staring at Xavier in surprise and alarm.

"Dana?" Xavier asked quietly

The girl nodded.

"Leave my daughter alone!"

Xavier sighed and reached out to Jean Summers, who was watching the proceedings from a third floor window. #Jean, can you do something about this?#

#Right away, Professor!# came the reply.

Hawkes and his son froze in mid step.

"Now then, Dana, do you mind if I ask you why you stayed in the car?"

"Father doesn't like me to get in the way. I might have one of my fits and embarrass him."

"You're smarter than your brother, you know."

She shook her head. "Father doesn't think I can got to school, not even a public one. He hires a tutor for me. He says I'm unruly. But I do read a lot on my own, and I write some."

"Is that the poetry your brother get's credit for?"

"Yes, sir." She bowed her head. "But I'm not supposed to tell.

Father said I was just helping the family. He said that it was the only way I could contribute."

"What are your fits like?"

"I don't think they're fits, so to speak. That's what father calls them. He says I should stay away from people so I'm not mistaken for a mutant. The first one I got when I was 12. Mother was sick then. The doctors said she had terminal cancer, but I thought I could make her better. I held her hand and felt all this... energy, and then I felt it leaving me, going into her. I felt her getting better. But I wasn't strong enough. I passed out before I was done. I woke up at home three days later and asked father if I could go see her. Father said no, that I'd made my self sick the last time I went, and that I couldn't go again. I asked him if she had gotten better. He said for a while she had but it was getting worse again. I told him to let me go, that I could make her well again. But he said I'd just embarrass him, he said..." She dissolved into sobs.

Xavier had found his mutant.

It had taken a silver tongue and some heavy telepathic suggestions, but Xavier had managed to get Hawkes to leave with his son and without his daughter.

He sat Dana down on a couch in the living room and called Jean to help him. Jean was down in a moment, followed by Scott.

"Dana, this is Jean Summers, and her husband Scott. They're students of mine."

Dana sniffled and wiped the tears away from her red eyes. Years of etiquette drilled into her kicked in. She stood and did a small curtsy before extending her hand.

"Pleased to meet you."

Jean took the offered hand. "Likewise, Dana."

"Professor, can I speak to you?" Scott asked.

Xavier nodded. "Jean, if you would acquaint Dana with our school?"

"Certainly."

"Dana, have you ever heard of people called mutants?"

Dana nodded her head, confused.

"O.K." Jean repositioned herself on the couch next to Dana. "What do you think about them?"

"I don't know. I've never met one."

"I'm a mutant, Dana. You've met me. What do you think?"

Dana gasped. "No! Not you. You're beautiful. Father says mutants are all misshapen and strange. He says they're evil. That they want to destroy the rest of us. That they have special powers. He wants them all captured."

"And what do you think?"

"Well, you haven't displayed any evil or destructive tendancies so far," she said timidly.

Jean smiled. "You're one too."

"No. I don't have any powers."

"I believe you have the ability to heal people through touch."

"You mean I don't just imagine that?"

Dana gasped and a smile crossed her face. She finally had something special, something of her very own that her father and little brother couldn't take or talk away. Then she stopped, suddenly serious and worried."But what will father think. He'll disown me! He won't want a mutant in the family. That's why he kept me in the house all the time. He didn't wan't people to think I was one. You won't tell him, will you Mrs.Summers?"

"Eventually he'll probably figure it out for himself," Dana looked concerned. "but I don't think that its necissary at the moment, no."

Jean smiled warmly at her. To Jean's pleasure Dana returned the smile.

You're going to be O.K. kid, Jean thought.

"Dana, I'd like you to meet the other students." Xavier gestured to the group assembled before her. Handshakes and introductions were shared.

The professor was somewhat concerned about her possible reaction to Beast, because he most closely fit her Father's description of the outward appearance of a mutant. She showed no hesitation or aversion to him, however. Her manners would simply not allow her to.

After the introductions, Jean and Scott took her on a tour of the grounds, ending in her quarters.

"I'm sure you're used to a more spacious and extravagant room..." Scott began.

"Mr. Summers, please, this room is lovely. My old room may have been bigger, but it was a prison. I'd sleep in a closet if it meant that I could be out in the world again."

Scott nodded, pleased with her attitude. After all the wise-guys and tough-guys he'd had to live with, she was a welcome change. "Please, call me Scott." He smiled.

Dana nodded in acknowledgement.

"Well, your things are inside." Jean motioned to the small bag Dana had hurredly packed. "I'm sure you'll be able to go back home in a few days to get the rest of your belongings."

"Do you think you can manage to meet the professor and myself in the living room at around 8:00 tomorrow morning?" Scott asked. "We'd like to get started on your training as soon as possible."

"This is a big school... Do you have a map? I don't think I can find it again without one!"

Scott laughed. "That's alright. How about I come by here at 8:00?

I'll help you find your way back to the living room."

"Don't worry, Dana. You'll learn the layout of this place in no time." Jean smiled and gave Dana's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

[next part]

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