The Clarke Chronicles
by Rhona
The days after the carnival...
Xavier didn't let it drop. Serina's mind was mercilessly plagued by Xavier's questions. She constantly shut him out, only to relax and have him reenter. Finally, she gave in to her inability to sleep and moved outside to watch the sun rise.
Storm watched her friend sadly. She poured two cups of coffee and went out to join her. "Breathtaking, is it not?" She spoke softly, handing Serina the cup of coffee she had made for her. "May I join you?"
"Yes," Serina breathed, "to both." She smiled, accepting the coffee. "Thank you."
"How are you feeling?" Storm asked, sitting beside her.
"Tired," Serina replied softly. "Ororo? Can I ask your advice?"
"Sure," the woman answered readily.
"Have you ever felt like someone has been stalking you? Feel like your innermost secrets are stolen, your dreams, fantasies, everything gone in a moment's time? That's it is so bad that you fear closing your eyes even to sleep?"
Storm's eyes widened, fearing that her young friend had been brutalized and violated. She cautiously worded her reply. "Sometimes. But, sweet one, tell me who you think is doing this?"
"Xavier," Serina replied. "He won't let up. Seems to feel he has to know everything about me and there are some things that are truly none of his business."
Storm breathed a sigh of relief. "Simply tell him to stop, that you do not appreciate this and he will stop. Tell him that you will tell only what you are comfortable with."
"Yea, I'll do that. I feel that he is violating my mind," Serina replied, hearing Xavier
once again. This time Serina sent him a psychic blast that formed a barrier around her mind, preventing him from reentry. Then, she sent him a message.
~~Do not venture where you are not wanted. I have already promised that I would not hide my mutant disfigurement while at the mansion. You have no reason to do this!~~ she told him mentally. She and Storm finished watching the sunrise together without speaking.
"I need to return; Henry and I have a project to finish. Thank you for your advice. I will speak with him." Serina stated, walking back to the mansion.
She went about the day without giving another thought to her mental battle with Xavier's curiosity; as a matter of fact, she didn't see him all day. At dinner he made an announcement "I will be leaving for a few weeks. I'm going to Muir Island to do some research," he stated, not looking up from his plate.
~~Moira does not have the information you seek, Xavier,~~ Serina replied mentally to his spoken statement.
"Then perhaps you should join me," he replied aloud.
"Excuse me?" Jean asked, confused by his outburst.
"Maybe," Serina replied aloud, "but I am bias to your research. Moira has given you all the information she has. What you seek must come from the person that you seek information on," she stated, confusing everyone at the table.
"Do you honestly believe my going to Muir Island would aid you in finding out what you have no need to know?" she asked, staring directly at him.
"It would be much easier if the person would give up the information freely," he replied quietly.
"Perhaps they would, if you showed a little more patience and didn't dig in to that person's past. If you wish to discuss this further, I would rather it was done behind closed doors," she stated, leaving the table, never touching her food.
"If you wish," he replied, following her out of the room.
"These two are acting mighty strange, don't ya think?" Rogue asked, everyone at the table rather baffled at their discussion. All that is, except one.
"I believe the professor has overstepped his boundaries with her," Storm replied, starting at the new empty doorway.
What do you mean, Storm?" Henry inquired, becoming suspicious.
"I mean, the professor has been attempting to probe Serina for information."
"Information about what?" Jean wanted to know.
"Not about what, about who ," Storm replied. "He wants to know more about her, and she has things that she doesn't want anyone to know."
"We all do," Scott stated.
"Why does he push her so? He never has any of us," Jean wondered.
"I think it is because she tends to hide her mutant abilities from everyone," Beast stated, pouring himself another drink. "Like her eyes, I know. But there are sometimes reasons for hiding your powers," Rogue replied, remembering Cody. "We all know that. But Xavier seems to think that she's got one that may do her harm," Beast supplied. "He has been very concerned for her, especially since the incident with Clarke. I begged him to have patience with her, but he insists on knowing."
Xavier's office...
"What is it that you seek, Xavier?" Serina inquired sarcastically.
"You know what that is. Clarke claimed you to be dead. Why?"
"His brother was the gunman in the Switzerland university massacre," she stated.
"Your fiancee?" he gasped, realizing what happened.
"Yes. Out of fifty-eight students shot, four survived and only one is alive today," Serina replied. "Clarke has managed to kill them all off, all except me. They blew up my car, but missed me. He killed my friend instead," she added.
"I must know what happened. Clarke may not be working alone," Xavier demanded, recovering.
"He is not. I'm not sure who," she replied. She paused, trying to control her emotions as she recalled that day. "Steve and I were having a picnic on the campus lawn. We were trying to pick out a bridal bouquet." She paused, trying to hold back the tears as Rogue entered the room quietly. "I didn't see the gunman until he had opened fire on us. Steve was one of the first hit. I felt a sharp pain in my breast as we fell back. Blood was everywhere. I looked up to see him standing over met. He placed the gun to my right breast and pulled the trigger."
She paused to wipe a tear from her cheek. "I awoke in the hospital, my uncle Eric and Sam were beside my bed. I already knew Steve was dead, you see; he was shot in the head. The bullet punctured my breast while the one at close range went through my right lung." She took a drink of whatever Xavier had poured for her. It burned as it went down.
"At the hearing they found that they forgot to properly read him his rights, and they let him go. Outside the courthouse, he stated that his only regret was that he didn't kill me. He then raised a gun that he stole from an officer and tried to shoot Sam. I don't remember much but the rage. They hauled him away in fifteen different body bags. At my hearing they decided to deport me rather than incarcerate me. Eric tried to adopt me, but adopted Sam instead. I wanted to make sure she was safe, so I changed the name on the documents while the judge was out. I then went back to Scotland. Clarke was behind the attack there, and Moira brought me here. I have found that as long as Sam is out of danger, I can control it along with the rest of my powers," she finished.
There was a long silence; she thought Xavier was pondering who Sam was.
"Is Sam the same as ... " Rogue asked, knowing that Serina had talked of Sam before.
"My sister. Samantha MacPhearson, my younger twin," Serina replied, answering both of their questions. "She's exactly twenty-four hours younger than me and almost identical, with the exception that she's normal-looking."
"And Eric?" Xavier asked, curious as to Sam's whereabouts.
"You might know him as Magneto, I know him as the caring Eric as well. He
protects my sister and encouraged me to seek you out, to learn to control my powers and to be kept safe by the only one he trusts. You, Charles Xavier," Serina replied. "You must keep my secrets," she stressed. "I will lose all if something happened to her."
Xavier rustled with some papers, finding an envelope which he handed to Serina. "This arrived in today's mail. It backs your story."
Serina saw no return address. In the envelope was a letter from Magneto. She knew before she read it that it came from him. It read:
Charles,
I know that this comes as a surprise to you, but I am in need of your help. I have in my care a young woman whom I can no longer protect. Someone has attempted to take her life. I have run out of placed to hide her. Her powers are minor, but need educating. You are the only one I trust. I am taking Samantha to Ireland. Please meet me there.
Eric
The letter was dated one week before Clarke's attempt on Serina. "You will be going, then?"
"Yes," he replied
"Then it would be best if I remained," she replied. "Henry and I are close to perfecting the device we've been working on."
I will expect to be kept posted. I will leave tonight. If you need me, you know how to reach me," he stated. "I will leave you in charge in my absence. After I meet with him, I will make a stop at Muir, to see Moira. I want to find out as much as I can on Clarke. I should return in a week." He moved to leave the room. "I will inform the others as to what my plans are."
When he left, Serina turned to Rogue. "I had wished that this could be avoided," Serina stated flatly.
"Sometimes things happen for a reason," Rogue replied, leaving the room.
Serina made a point to see Xavier off on his journey. She then set herself to finishing her project with Beast. With this device, we may be able to help Bishop back to his proper time," Henry explained, passing her a wrench.
"Just as long as it doesn't fall into the wrong hands..." she grunted, tightening a bolt. "There, that should do it." She climbed out from underneath the console. "Shall we get a cup of coffee before we try it out?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure," he replied, escorting her from the room.
Remy LeBeau watched them leave, curiosity eating away at him. He had to know what the two of them had been working so hard on the past few days. He had asked her to join him for a night out. She refused, finding an evening with Henry more appealing. He made sure the corridor was empty before picking the lock on the door. He entered the room, seeing several gadgets lying about. There was one large on near the computer console, but he tripped on a cable as he approached it, striking his head on the console and hitting some buttons with his hand as he fell.
