YOU'RE LOSING ME ✦ WOLVERINE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Clara had followed the young girl outside, to the giant grounds where they had...Many, many things to do.

She hadn't learned the girl's name yet, and guessed her age to be around eleven or twelve years old. She had brown hair and matching brown skin. She followed her to a big tree, with thick branches. The girl pointed upwards, and said, "I like to people watch from the tree."

"This is a pretty good looking tree," Clara said, nodding in approval. She looked down at the girl, who looked back at her, and then at the tree.

"Do you think you could give me a boost, this time?" The girl asked. "I always have to get a running start to climb it."

Clara had to restrain herself from chuckling. But she nodded, and squatted, cupping her hands together. "Climb on," She said, and the little girl put one hand on Clara's shoulder, and a foot in her hands. Straining as she lifted the girl into the tree, she sighed in relief once the girl had climbed onto a branch.

My god I'm out of shape, Clara thought to herself, and then took a few steps back to get her own running start into climbing the tree. She impressed herself by managing to climb up on her first try, and saw the little girl was only two branches above her. She climbed up to reach the girl, and said, "You know, I honestly thought you would try something more...Troublesome."

The little girl snorted. "I couldn't even if I tried. Professor X would instantly find out."

"Professor X?" Clara asked, confused.

"Oh, I forgot. You're new here. Professor Xavier is his long name. I saw you get here with Wolverine, are you guys dating? 'Cause you were holding hands." The girl responded, tilting her head at Clara.

"Uh, I don't know?" Clara honestly replied, tilting her head at the kid. She squinted her eyes at her for a moment, and then asked, "What's up with all of the nicknames?"

"Do you not know anything about the X-Men at all?" The girl asked, and Clara shook her head. "Oh, it's like their code names or something. I don't have one, but I don't think I want one. I don't want to become an X-Man."

"Are you here to just train, then?" Clara asked, and the girl nodded. "I'm just a normal mutant, too. I can't imagine myself ever being an X-Man." She stuck her hand out to the child, and said, "I'm Clara. What's your name?"

"Cecilia," The girl responded, reaching over to shake Clara's hand. "Yeah, I'm just here to train. The idea of becoming an X-Man sounds...Like a lot of work to me. I'd rather put that work in somewhere else."

Clara leaned against the trunk, and said, "You sound like my best friend friend, Kiera. She became a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."

"She did?" Cecilia asked, perking up, and Cynthia nodded.

"She did. She went to their academy, and became an agent about..." Clara had to think about it. "Twelve years ago, I think."

The two fell into a comfortable quiet, and stared off at the grounds. The mansion really was a beautiful place, a safe haven for mutants. She could understand why Jerry loved it so much.

"Do you have any parents?" To her question, Clara shook her head in response. "I don't either."

"I had an adoptive father, once. But he's...Gone, now. He's been gone for a long time." Clara quietly replied, looking down at her lap.

"My dad's been gone for a while, too," Cecilia replied, "that's why I came here."

"Was he a mutant, too?" Clara asked, genuinely curious.

Cecilia shook her head, and Clara said, "My parents weren't either. My adoptive father wasn't either. But I made my own little family of mutants with my best friend and our kids."