Take The Time

C~5: Built-Up Dust

The car pulls up to the jet as we all step out. "I've never been to Paris," states Peter with a grin. Knocking his arm, I nod. "Hear, the weather is beautiful this time of year," I remark as the two of us chuckle.

"Well, you two can watch Paris on the tv because you're not coming," Hank states walking up the steps and disappearing into the jet. I throw my arms out. "What?! You need me!" I call. Charles shakes his head, and Erik turns to us, holding his hand up. "I appreciate you coming to break me out, but maybe you should leave it to us from here on out."

"Leave it to them?" I start pointing at Charles as I march up. "Who do you think came up and facilitated the plan to break you out? Me...the guy sends me to boarding school for years and then comes begging for my help." I rant.

"I did not beg-"

"Triston!" calls Logan from his place on the steps; he takes off his sunglasses, shaking his head. "They're right. You can't come." he finishes. Out of everyone, I thought at least Logan would see the value I hold, right? Crossing my arms, I send a glare towards Charles as Erik walks over to me. "I just wanted to say thank you, no human has even shown really graduate toward Mutants."

Grinning, I shake my head, pondering on the past. "When I was little, he used to talk about your exploration on your hunt for Mutants. So many amazing abilities I was so excited for when I would find out what mine was." I dream.

"...What did Charles do?"

I meet Erik's eyes, never have I told the tale to anyone because no one would ever believe. "We were celebrating my tenth birthday, the whole morning he was hugging and loving like a father. Then Hank ran the test...the next thing I know, I'm on the next flight to a boarding school."

Unable to say anything more, we shake hands, and they board the plane leaving Peter and me with a car, some money, and a faith in us that we'll return the car and go our separate ways before returning to our everyday lives. Tapping the car, I get in on the drive's side, muttering under my breath.

Peter gets in and props his feet up on the dashboard. "You know they're expecting us to never talk to each other again," he states, biting my lip. I turn on the engine. "As if I'm listening to him, kicks me out of the house so he can attempt to fill it with students who have the one thing I don't have."

"How big is your house?" he asks, sitting up straight. Taking the second, I think, I haven't seen my own house in six years...and Charles or Hank isn't home to stop me. Smirking, I glance at Peter. "Wanna check it out?"

"Really?"

"I haven't been there in years, and no one can stop us." I grin, turning onto the road. It wasn't even that far from the airstrip, and in my head, I couldn't believe I fucking remembered how to get home...Home? Was it ever really a home if it's so easy to be cut off from it. I watch rounding the corner as the sign moves past, all overgrown with vines and hedges unkept.

Staring up at the house, it's clear the greenery is really out of check, but it's like stepping into a painting leading to the past. Pulling around, Peter is the first one out as I lock the car biting my lip. "Wow!" he calls, and in a blur, he's gone before repeating at the front door, "The outside is huge!!!"

"You're so fast," I whisper, walking up the steps, taking a breath, I open the door stepping into the main hall. A bright light bathes the room from the windows that angelically shown above. "God, nothing has changed."

Peter rushes off with quite the bounce in his step as I tentatively toe across the floor, I see one door open, an office. Opening the door all the way, I peer around, everything neat, everything in Charles's vision. Moving around the wall, I study at the picture frame that litter it, photo's of the x-men, his first-class, Raven...I've always wanted to meet her.

How can a girl not know her aunt, let alone her aunt not knowing about her? But the one thing I notice, or rather don't see, is me...Nothing of me, as if I wasn't apart of his life at all. Looking on his desk, I see his notes stacked like he was rereading them. Shaking my head, I take my papers of the study of mutation and place them on top.

A knock brings me back to reality as Peter walks in, putting his goggles on his forehead; he held a stiff slip of paper in. "Um, I was looking through some stuff and found this," he states. Slowly I grab the piece and peer at the photo with clouded eyes.

It was my eighth birthday; I was sitting on Charles's lap blowing out the candle while Hank was cheering off to the side. "Where did you fin-" I start but choke up. Peter rocks on his heels, rubbing the back of his neck. "Found it in a drawer upstairs...you were cute as a kid."

My eyes snap over to him, an eyebrow raised. "Are you implying something about me now?" I tease, Peter opens his mouth for words, but I shake my head with a smirk "Just messing with you." I trail off as I peer behind him. Heading back out into the hall, I notice the keypad. "Wonder if he changed the password-"

After clicking a few buttons, the wall parts open to a silver elevator, Peter speeds out next to me as I stare, a bit shocked "At this means he remembers my birthday." I say, getting in and pressing a button. "The passwords your birthday?" Peter ask.

"By now to Charles Xavier, it's just numbers." I shrug as the steel doors open to the blue hall, in which at the end lay the X that haunted me so. Taking a breath, we begin down the tunnel. Peering into one of the rooms, I see the lab. "Nothing has changed."

Peter taps on my shoulder, turning me back to the X-shaped door. "What's in there."

Charles would kill us if we went in there. "Wanna see?" I question, making Peter violently nod. As we approach, the door opens to the spherical room, a platform leading out to a control panel. "This is Cerebro!" I motion, my voice echoing.

Peter marvels at the sight rushing over to the control panel. "What does it do?"

"It's for Charles." I start walking over. "It can amplify how far his powers can reach. With this, he reaches out to the minds of the world." I explain. Peter chuckles out of amazement and looks over the controls. "Man does this thing boost a single." he muses and turns to me. "Have you ever tried it?"

My eyes widen as I cross my arms. "You crazy?"

"Well, haven't you ever tried?"

Shaking my head, he picks up the helmet tossing it from hand to hand. "Hey! you break that we really will be in trouble." I threaten, taking the helmet as Peter falls back onto the controls making dials and switches move.

Suddenly I see a beach with a wreck.

Gasping, I drop the helmet to the floor as Peter rushes behind me, catching me from stumbling. "Woah! Woah! Woah!!!! What happened?" he shouts. Looking up at the panels, we both see security footage of the day in Cuba.

"I-I you change the frequency." I start standing, looking at the controls. "And Cerebro fed the feed into my head; it works both ways," I reveal. Gulping, I look back towards the helmet. Is that what it feels like, to see something you know you're not supposed to see or allowed to look at?

"I don't want to be in here anymore." I request backing up. Peter nods, taking my arm. "Okay...You sure you're okay?" he asks as the doors close on the fabled room; giving it one last look, I nod, "Fine."