The X-Men: New Additions - Part 10

Author:  Stacy Ricco

 
    The next week was torture for Alex. She was a hundred percent, but Hank had insisted on another week of rest before returning her to active duty. Her two fingers still went numb once and awhile, but Hank didn't have to know about them. She spent most of the week in the control room with Scott discussing strategies and tactics. They had both agreed that when she did return to active duty she would be paired up with someone other than Logan. Logan wouldn't let her reach her full potential in battle and he wouldn't be at his full potential.
Alex spent her free time reading Hank's journals about the Legacy Virus. Alex had developed an interest in medical issues ever since they started using her as a guinea pig. Hank still eyed her suspiciously whenever she entered the lab. He probably was still thinking that she was going to inject herself with the virus. She woke earlier than normal on the day that Hank's week of rest was over. She got dressed and made a dash for the medlab. She didn't believe Hank would be there, but she would wait and ambush him as soon as he arrived.
"Alex?"
"Um Hank. Hi."
"What are you doing in here at this time of the day?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Ah the ever elusive state of slumber has been denied to another tonight."
"You too?"
He nodded.
Alex handed him a sheet of paper that she was holding.
"What's this?"
"Read it."
Hank took a few minutes to peruse the sheet she had handed him.
"Oh my stars and garters."
"You didn't know?"
"I never thought to analyze your blood for this kind of stuff."
"Now you know why I really don't like labs or hospitals."
"You told me that you were never sick."
"Not even a cold. None of this stuff made me sick."
"Really? Interesting."
"Hank I wouldn't kid with ya on this."
"I know. Just hard to believe none of this stuff ever made you sick. Would you mind if I took some more blood samples from you?"
"No, but only because you're a friend."
Hank got out the items necessary to draw some blood from Alex. Hank had managed to take three pints out of Alex before she started to get dizzy.
"Done?"
"Yes. I believe I have enough for now."
"So how about putting me back on active duty now?"
"So you do have ulterior motives."
"Hank, not being on active duty is making me crazy. I've almost exhausted the Professor's library and now I'm starting on your medical journals."
"Point taken. One quick exam and then well see if you're ready for active duty."
It took Hank a half an hour to complete the exam. He even tested the responsiveness of Alex's fingers and toes.
"How long has your right pinky and ring finger been like that?"
"Like what?"
He just looked at her.
"Since I woke up in the hospital."
"And perhaps you might tell me why you have failed to mention this?"
"It didn't interfere with anything except my piano playing. They've been going numb less and less since I first noticed it."
"Please keep me informed of the situation. I would like to know if it's improving or if it's getting worse."
"Yes sir. Am I cleared now?"
"Yes you are."
"Thanks Hank."
"Your welcome."
"Let me know if you need any more donations."
"I will."
    Alex left the medlab and headed to the danger room. She quickly set up a program and started her workout. She didn't go that long because she was still a little woozy from the loss of the blood. She ended the session after about an hour. She felt a little off and didn't want to push her luck. If something serious happened to her Hank would have her back on inactive duty in no time flat.
Her left eye hurt and was starting to swell. She would probably be sporting a black and blue eye for a while if she didn't heal it. She decided she wasn't going to heal it because it would be a good reminder of her clumsiness. She quickly showered and headed down to the war room. She had monitoring duties during the days this week. Although it wasn't her favorite duty, she really didn't mind it that much. It was much better than when she had cleaning duties. The other X-men seemed to really hate monitoring duty.
Most of the day had gone by without any incidents taking place. The monitors for the perimeter were quiet and the only activity seen was the X-men as they went about their daily lives. The buzzer for the front gate went off. She looked at the screen and saw a rather large limo pulled up to the gate.
"Who is it?" she asked over the intercom. The tinted window of the limo was open a crack. It was just wide enough for the person inside to speak through.
"Please open the gate," said a man's voice through the intercom.
"Who is it?"
"Who is this? I don't recognize your voice."
"Who are you?"
"Please open the gate."
"I'm sorry I cannot open the gate unless you identify yourself. Unless of course,
you want to spend the rest of the day asking each other who we are. I'm really not going anywhere." Alex heard a slight chuckle and then watched the window in the limo lower to reveal a middle-aged bald gentleman.
"This is Professor Charles Xavier and this is my home. Please open the gate."
"Oh sorry. Just a second sir," Alex said as she hit the button for the gate release.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome sir." Alex picked up the phone and dialed the number for the boathouse.
"Hello."
"Scott. It's Alex."
"Hi. What's up?"
"Scott I think you and Jean might want to come up to the main building."
"Why what's up?"
"Scott, the Professor has just arrived."
"What! We'll be right there," Scott said and Alex heard the other end hang up.
She set down the receiver and went back to her monitoring duties. Alex saw a flurry of activity on the monitors and most of the X-men were assembled at the main entrance in a matter of minutes.

    Charles Francis Xavier was glad to be home. He had been away too long. He saw the faces of his students from the limo and was very glad to see those faces again. He noticed one or two new faces in the crowd and was glad to see that new mutants were coming to the mansion. He watched Scott and Jean approach the limo with his hoverchair. He even missed that. Scott opened the door and helped him into his hoverchair.
"Hello Scott. It's good to see you again."
"Likewise sir."
"Jean it's always a pleasure to see you."
"Professor it's great to see you again. Where were you for so long?"
"Jean let's go say hello to everyone and I will tell you all about it."
"Sure Professor."
They made their way to where the rest of the X-men had assembled. There were tears of happiness and joy coming out of most eyes.
"Chuck, it's good to see you."
"And it's good to see you Logan."
"Welcome home, Professor," Storm said kissing him on the cheek.
"It's good to be home Ororo. Come let's all go inside and we'll talk over dinner.
I assume it's still at the same time?"
"Of course Professor," Jean said leading the way inside.
"Who cooked?"
"Bobby."
The Professor groaned. "Just my luck. I come home when it's Bobby's turn to cook."
"Could be worse. It could be Hank's turn," Bobby said with a grin.
"I guess you're right," Charles said as he followed his students through the door.

    Everyone but Alex showed up for dinner. Alex had volunteered to take the second watch for Bobby so that he could be upstairs for the reunion with the Professor.    
"So who answered the intercom when I was at the gate? I didn't recognize the voice."
"Oh that's Alex. She has monitoring duties during the day this week. She even volunteered to take mine tonight."
"Uh oh, speaking of which. I better take down some food or I'm going to be in the doghouse for a while. If you will all excuse me for a bit," Logan said getting up from his chair. There were a few chuckles from around the table.
Charles watched Logan go into the kitchen and return with a plate. He saw Logan pile the plate high with food and then leave the room.
"What was all that about?"
"Oh that's right you haven't met Alex yet. She's managed to ensnare Logan. It's been pretty interesting with her in the mansion."
"I'll say. I'm still getting a ton of emails from guys."
"What's this?" Charles asked intrigued. He had known Logan for quite a long time and was curious about the woman who had managed to capture Logan's attention.
"As a practical joke she posted a classified on Yahoo's Man Seeking Man board under my ID. I got flooded with emails from different guys. That was about a month ago and I'm still getting them."
"Bobby has finally met his match when it comes to practical jokes. Alex doesn't bat an eye over the jokes that Bobby plays on her, but she gets him with some real good ones. I only wish I would have thought of them. I especially like the superglue one myself," Hank said as he grinned at Bobby.
"Don't remind me. I still get nervous around my bottle of hair gel," Bobby said with a look of anguish on his face.
Everyone at the table laughed and Logan arrived in the middle of it.
"What's so funny?"
"We were just telling the Professor about some of the jokes that Alex has played on Bobby," Hank said wiping a tear from an eye.
"That's my girl," Logan said with a grin.
"Sounds like a very interesting person. I am looking forward to meeting her. Scott could ask her to meet me in my office first thing in the morning?"
"Sure Professor."
"So are you in the doghouse?" Bobby asked Logan.
"Nope. But I somehow got talked into taking her turn when she supposed to cook next."
Bobby laughed. "She got me to take her cleaning duties next week."
The women at the table laughed. Even Charles laughed. Alex was a person he was really looking forward to meeting.
Dinner lasted a lot longer than usual that night. Charles told the team what had happened to him and they told him what had been happening around the mansion. It was quite late when they left the table. Logan lit a cigar and went down to keep Alex company until she was off duty.
"Have fun?" Alex asked when she heard the door open behind her. She knew it was Logan without looking. Meph woke and looked at Logan from where he was laying in Alex's lap. He quickly laid his head back down and went back to sleep.
"Yup. Was good to see Chuck after so long."
"I bet."
"How much longer you got?"
"Another two hours. Bishop has the next watch I believe."
Logan pulled up a chair and sat down beside her.
"Chuck wants to meet you first thing tomorrow morning in his office."
"What's first thing?"
"Well for most of us it would be nine am. Though Chuck's usually in his office around seven am."
"I guess I'll pop in around seven. If he's not there I'll just catch him at nine."
They didn't talk much over the next two hours. Logan was thinking about the things that Chuck said and Alex was thinking about the upcoming meeting. Bishop arrived at exactly midnight to relieve Alex.
Alex, Logan and Meph made their way up to Logan's room. The hallways were quiet, as most of the mansion's residents had made their way to their beds. Alex tossed and turned for about an hour.
"Somethin' botherin' ya?"
"I don't know. Just nervous I guess."
"You nervous? Thought you had nerves of steel."
"I've heard a lot about the Professor since I got here and now I get to meet him tomorrow, or I should say later today."
"Don't worry. Chuck will like ya."
"I know. Guess I'm just thinking about it too much."
"Then don't think about it."
"I can't help it."
"Then I'll just have to distract you," he said with a grin. He pulled her close to him and began to kiss her.
"Oh please do."