In The Shadows | Loki

XAVIER'S ATTEMPT AT HUMOR

"This is it?" I glance towards Steve.
        "What, the mansion isn't enough for you?" I ask, turning and handing the cabbie a few twenties. HE thanks me after I tell him to keep the change, and drives off. Steve had asked to come with me a few hours after I had gotten the call. I wasn't sure why, but I think it was partially because he wanted to see more of the modern world, and mutants were a pretty big part of the modern world.
        "Ophelia!" I turn, a smile creeping onto my face at the familiar sight.
        "Storm." I smile, walking forward and quickly embracing her in a hug. "It's so good to see you again."
        "You too." She says with a small laugh. She glances over my shoulder. "So this is your friend Steve." I nod, and she steps around, offering her hand. Steve shakes it. "It's nice to meet you Steve. I'm Ororo Munroe. You can call me Storm."
        "Ma'am." He replies, and she raises her eyebrows, glancing at me.
        "A gentleman." She says, surprise in her voice. "This is such a nice change from Logan." I straighten.
        "Logan's here?" I ask, and she lets out a small laugh and nods.
        "Come on. Everyone's been waiting to see you. You really should come back to visit more often." Storm says, and Steve and I follow her inside. We step through the front doors, and it's pretty clear it's a day off for all of the students. When they see us, it's kind of funny. They smile at Storm, who they see first, then blink in surprise at Steve, and then shock when they see me. It didn't matter if they knew me already, or they didn't.
        We walk straight up to Charles' office, Storm only flashing me a grin before she opens the door. "Okay, you told me my powers would never come in handy, and the first thing I see when I turn on the news is you using my laser eyes to knock out a whole bunch of aliens. Now, how useless are my powers?" Scott asks.
        "Still pretty useless." I reply, shooting him a smile. He lets out a long sigh.
        "Thanks kid. Keep knocking down his ego for me." A voice says from behind me. Steve and I both turn.
        "Logan." I smile, moving towards the scruffy looking man. Steve stays next to Storm as I give Logan a hug. He only resists for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around me.
        "Heard you were coming. Figured I'd stick around long enough to see you."
        "Aw, thanks." I let go of him, glancing around the room. Steve looks extremely uncomfortable.
        "Captain Rogers, I'm going to have a student show you to your room. We'll make introductions later. Now, we need to talk to Ophelia." Xavier says. Steve sends him a thankful look just as a student knocks on the door.
        "You wanted me Professor?" They ask. I smile when I see which student it is. "Ophelia?"
        "Hey Bobby." I say with a small wave. He grins at me, and then turns back to Xavier.
        "Bobby, if you wouldn't mind showing Captain Rogers to his room, it would be much appreciated." Bobby nods, and Steve sends Xavier another thankful smile. It's only once they leave that I turn to Xavier.
        "Really? Bobby? Was that your idea of an inside joke professor?" He chuckles.
        "You caught onto it at least."
        "What?" Scott asks, confused. I roll my eyes as Xavier chuckles again.
        "Steve's Captain America. He's been frozen for the past seventy years. Sending the Iceman to show him to his room is Xavier's attempt at humor."
        "Steve is Captain America?" I hear Jean whisper.
        "Freshly thawed, straight from the forties." I reply. I watch Jean mouth the word "wow," her eyes a little wide. Scott crosses his arms, giving her a look, and she just shrugs, a small smile on her face. "So, quick question."
        "Of course." Xavier replies.
        "Did anyone go into my room while I was gone?" I ask, and I see Storm roll her eyes. I hear someone clear their throat behind me. "Other than Logan, I mean?" Xavier just shakes his head. "Alright then, down to business."
        "Rogue." Xavier nods in agreement. "Yes. I think you can get through to her in a way we cannot." He moves his wheelchair behind his desk.
        "She kills people with skin on skin contact." Xavier nods.
        "I found the kid in a bar." Logan pipes up. "Like you. I don't think she had a home left."
        "Thanks for the comparison Logan." I sigh, leaning against Xavier's desk. "So what do you want me to do? Sit down and talk with her? Train her?"
        "Little bit of both if you don't mind." Storm replies. I nod, agreeing. "But, before that, we do want to talk to you about something."
        "About?"
        "New York." I turn just in time to see Beast enter from the other room. I smile and walk over, quickly hugging him. "Hi Ophelia."
        "What do you want to know?" I ask.
        "Hulk?" Beast asks quickly, beating the others to the punch.
        "Haven't shown any signs of losing it like Dr. Banner yet." I reply. "Bruce was worried about it, but nothing's happened. To be fair to the odds, Tony has been trying to make me lose it."
        "Stark?" Beast asks. I narrow my eyes, giving him a long look.
        "You'd get along with both of them." I nod. "Though I'm nervous with the two of them in a room, so I don't want to see all three."
        "I'm not that bad." Beast tries to defend.
        "You aren't, but Stark?" I counter, and he hesitates but nods. "Anything else?"
        "What happened after you got stabbed?" Jean speaks up. "On the news, we saw you get thrown off one of the alien ships." I frown.
        "I didn't think there were any shots of that." I say carefully.

        "Technically, there wasn't." Xavier says. "One shot of you piloting one of their ships, and the next of you hurtling through the air and through the window of Stark Tower."
        "Right." I reply after a moment. "That. I was about three minutes away from death. Bleeding out, actually.
        "Bleeding out?" I hear Logan ask. "I thought you had my healing. How the hell were you bleeding out?"
        "You have to remember that the healing I got from you isn't nearly as fast as yours. I was healing, yes, just not as quickly as I was bleeding out." I remind him. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for...." I trail off, hesitating.
        "If it wasn't for...?
        "Really?" I hear Xavier say suddenly. I give him a look. "Sorry."
        "I know." I reply. "I wasn't expecting it either." Xavier just nods, and I don't miss the confused looks. "You know the guy that led the aliens into New York?"
        "Loki, right?" Storm asks. I nod.
        "Yeah, he kind of saved my life that day. Used magic to heal me." I explain. "Thor thinks it was a life debt thing, but I'm not sure. I spent a lot of time with the guy." I let out a long breath, running a hand through my hair. "But yeah. I'm living in Stark Tower now, away from SHIELD headquarters. Honestly, there isn't much left to spill."
        "Well then," Xavier motions to Logan, "if you'll take Ophelia to Rogue's room." Logan just grunts in response, and I turn.
        "I'll see you all at dinner." I say, following Logan out of the room. I knew my few days here were going to be nothing less than eventful. Every visit was.