「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(266) Come Home

Charles' POV

With due permission from Rogue, I carefully infiltrated her mind and readily maneuvered the X-Jet towards the nearest suitable landing site. The rocky grounds surely did not warrant a smooth touch down but the plane could thankfully be delivered safely nonetheless.

Upon docking onto the relatively flat terrain, Bobby hurriedly released the catches on the ramps and Storm sprinted towards the inclined entrance with the bunch of children eagerly chasing her tail.

"I will take her inside," Kurt kindly volunteered and I nodded thirstily to his gracious offer.

Vanishing with just a whiff of navy smoke that dispersed quickly into the howling winds, Kurt disappeared with Lynn and within split seconds, reappeared again. Kurt surrounded his arms firmly around Scott and I and spontaneously, the snowy landscapes transformed into the sophisticated interior of our aircraft.

As Storm bolted towards the cockpit, Scott swiftly lowered me into the seat beside Lynn's, lined against the wall of the cabin. I wrapped my arms affectionately around her, prudently drawing her limp body dearly into my embrace, and immediately noticed the anticipated scar created on the back of her neck.

"It's okay, Rogue. You can let go, honey," Storm coaxed softly, warily prying off Rogue's fingers that were still tightly clutching onto the steering yoke.

Apprehensively, the teen loosened her grip and shakily stepped away from the front row seat, returning into the arms of her boyfriend who calmly escorted her into another near the rear.

Diligently rubbing Lynn's arm, I gently caressed her bleached cheek epitomising the cold of our wintry atmosphere and pampered her comatose frame with a long, delicate kiss as the kids scampered into the area.

Mine were certainly coarse from the lack of hydration and hers were similarly chapped, not to mention the vile purple staining through the healthy rose they had originally been meant, but the same burst of fireworks ignited as our lips met.

No matter that she never even moved, the moment of intimate contact was simply magical and everything froze, essentially like it was timeless.

There was an enthralling aura that radiated romantically but unlike whimsical fairytales, it was not the loving gesture that had miraculously returned life to her body but the incessant awakening I was attempting telepathically.

"He's not real... He's not real..." Lynn chanted timidly, squeezing her eyes shut as she stirred agitatedly in my arms.

The involuntary tremble in her chin accompanying her desperate incantation was oddly reminiscent and it was only now that I realized she had already discriminated, substantially, the fabricated copy of me from actuality. It was just unfortunate that she was blessed with neither the channel to convey her knowledge nor the medium to unleash her protests under the strict influence of the nasty injection, now thankfully with its horrible effects wholly subsided.

"Lynn, it's alright. It's me," I addressed mildly, tenderly brushing her unkempt fringe from her face but her eyes sprung wide with the ultimate display of fear.

"You're not real... You're not real..." Lynn whimpered in a repeated and resolute pattern, struggling to extricate herself from my grasp so determinedly that she could ignore the acute pains propagating from the exertion of her mutilated wrist.

"Calm down, my love. It's really me," I persuaded in a sincere tone, gingerly restraining her.

"Just look into my eyes and tell me what you see," I urged kindly, staring deeply into her delightfully dark pupils encircled by gorgeous rings of excellent hazel.