Dull Reflections

Two

     Ava gazed out the window of the Jag, it was kind of nice to be chauffeured. The trees waved by, sunlight drifted through them casting shadows on her face. "So where exactly is this house of yours?" She glanced over at the man who had called himself 'Charles Xavier' if that really is his name.
"Yes that really is my name." He responded. "My house is in America."
"You mean you want me to get on a transatlantic flight, with two strangers, who just show up out of nowhere." She pushed herself up in the back seat on the palms of her hands. Her hazel eyes seemed to darken with the words. "Not to mention that you're forming some kind of 'Team'.... What the hell does that even mean."
"There is a man like us that needs to be stopped." Charles said solemnly. "There is no way one of us could stop him alone." Ava saw his eyes glance towards his friend in the driver's seat. "That's why, we need each other, to stop the unmeasurable amount of death this man would leave in his wake."
Ava felt her breath catch in her throat at the graveness of his words. Was there really a man with powers that was bent on destruction? And if there was, could he really not be stopped by the two men who had rescued her so easily. "God my side hurts." Maybe if she changed the subject she could get her mind off of such a heavy thought.
"What?" Charles seemed genuinely shocked.
"So you didn't notice that Mr.Mind Reader." She snapped pulling at the left  side of her black tee shirt.
"Honestly no." He said quietly, "That wasn't your most powerful thought."
She lifted her shirt partially to look at the injury. It was a large dark purple bruise that seemed to wrap from her navel around to her lower back. "Well when you live a life like mine you don't focus on the pain." Her dark brown hair fell across her face as she prodded at the injury. She gritted her teeth as she sucked in the air sharply.
"We need to get you to a hospital!" Charles exclaimed. Now that her injury was at the forefront he could sense just how much it hurt her.
"Oh shut up." She spat covering herself back up. "You think this is the first time I've had a broken rib?" She balled her fists and turned to face the window. "So are you paying for this flight? Cause if you aren't looks like you'll be stuck here in England."
"I already have." Charles said turning himself to face the front of the car.
"At least your friend knows how to leave me alone." She said gesturing towards Erik. He had said nothing during the hour long drive. "So I take it we're leaving from Manchester. Unless you really want to drive the whole way to Heathrow."
     "Yes, we'll be there in a few minutes actually." Charles chirped.
Are you always this excited? She closed her eyes and let her body relax into the seat. How long had it been since she had relaxed, she wasn't sure.

     The three pulled into the parking lot. The airway was surrounded by a completely clear field. There wasn't a tree for at least a mile. Cars drove in and out of the semicircular drive. Several flags of different countries waved in the breeze near what could only be the entrance.
As soon as the car pulled into a space and came to a stop, Charles stepped out. Ava heard the car engine click and she and Erik exited in silence.
     Ava looked up as a large plane took off into the crystal blue sky. This was a moment, a defining moment. A moment in time when one chooses their own destiny. She had nothing left for her in England, what did she have to lose? No matter how strange the circumstances had been, surely where she was going could not be much worse.
"Well let's go." Charles had broke the silence and had begun trudging towards the door.
Erik started to walk after his friend when he noticed Ava was still staring at the sky. "Come on." He said abruptly as his hand pulled on her shoulder.
"What?" She turned to see Charles stepping into the building. "Oh." Instantly she headed towards the airport. She was hiding it better than most, but she was favoring her left side. She pulled at the aluminum framed door, it stuck slightly from the suction, but she pulled it loose.
     The airport was a kaleidoscope of colors. She took them all in. Ladies and gentleman in colorful shirts and bright patterns walked by carrying harvest gold and avocado green luggage. Ava suddenly felt very underdressed in her black cotton shirt and gray twill slacks. I look like a slob. The flight attendants are dressed better than me.
     "Don't worry too much about that." Charles had appeared from seemingly nowhere extending a bright plaid green jacket towards her.
      "Thanks." She said quietly taking the jacket. She threw it on hastily and ran her fingers through her slightly wavy hair trying to look a little more presentable.
     "If it's any consolation you look lovely." Charles said as he looked at her disgruntled face.
     "Flatterer." She huffed. "So when's the flight?"
     "Thirty minutes from now." Charles handed each her and his companion a boarding pass. With the words 'Gate 3' and 'PHL' printed on them. "Philadelphia." Charles stated answering Ava's unasked question.
"So your house is in Philadelphia?" She said, trying to puzzle out why this British man had a house in America anyway.
"West Chester actually."
"I thought you said your house was in America?"
"West Chester, New York."
     She felt the words click into place in her brain. The confusion lifted slightly when she realized they were still heading to his house. Not some random trip to Philadelphia. "I'm going to the ladies room." Her tone was curt. Charles and Erik watched her walk to the clearly marked room. Her hips swaying slightly. Charles found himself staring.
"You just can't help yourself can you." Erik said adjusting his fedora.
     "What she's cute. Besides it can't hurt to look can it."

Ava stared at her face in the mirror. She pulled lightly at the skin on her right cheekbone. She was going to have a black eye. And the busted lower lip was a great touch. She looked like hell warmed over.
     "You alright honey?" A thick southern United States accent poured into her ear. Ava shifted her eyes to look at the woman's reflection. She had blonde hair and light green eyes. She was wearing a white pillbox hat and a matching coat.
     "Yes, thank you." Ava said turning to face the woman.
     "Here honey." She said retrieving a tube of lipstick from her bright blue clutch. "And this." A compact of concealer. She placed them on the counter. "I know what it's like sugar." A look of sympathy coming over her face as she watched Ava covering her injuries.
     "Oh it's not like that." Realizing the woman was inferring some kind of domestic violence.
"Mmhmm." The blonde woman uttered. She pulled the white cotton glove off her right hand and brushed a stray hair off her forehead. She adjusted her hat in the mirror. "I had a boyfriend like that once. Believe me it's not worth it to stick around."
"Well I'm headed to America." Ava said quietly handing the make up back to the woman.
"Oh good sugar. You get away from that man." She looked up and down at Ava. "Don't you have a purse honey?"
"No just a boarding pass." Ava watched the woman put the make up back into the clutch and pulling the glove back on. "Thanks for the make up." She said quietly walking for the door.
"Oh no problem honey. Good luck." The woman twirled the end of her side ponytail as she primped in the mirror.

     Erik stretched his legs out in front of him as he and Charles waited on a bench for Ava. To his surprise when he saw her again she was surprisingly fresh faced. Maybe it didn't hurt to look, Erik mused.
     "Hello again." She said approaching her newest acquaintances. "Shall we make our way to Gate 3."
Charles grinned as he took a look at Ava. His eyes then drifted to her worn white Keds. Raven is going to have to take you shopping. "Well then let's go." He said holding his arm out in a gentlemanly offer. Ava didn't notice, or didn't care. He wasn't sure, he didn't want to be too intrusive after all.