CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE —
( Nineteen eighty-three )

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        Lydia Xavier sat in one of the spare classrooms downstairs of the mansion with a girl, trying to help her to control her abilities.

"Lydia, I don't know what to do anymore," Sophia Drake said as she fiddled with her hands. "I almost hurt my roommate the other day and I don't want to do that again."

"Sophia, it's okay," Lydia smiled lightly, grabbing onto the girls hands. "You will learn to control them. It will take time, but you will be able to do it."

Sophia sighed. "It just seems so hard."

"I know it does. Trust me, I've been in your position before," Lydia smiled. "Give it another go."

Sophia nodded and held her hand out above the pot of dirt. She concentrated on making it grow, but when it wouldn't, her face and hand began to tense up before she dropped it at her side.

"I can't do it. It's hopeless," Sophia huffed.

"When I learnt how to control my powers, I didn't do it by forcing myself to make it happen," she explained as she made a little ball of green magic roll around her fingers. "You have to use your heart instead of your head. That's the beauty in it."

"How do I use my heart?" Sophia asked.

"Okay, so hold your hand out above the pot again and close your eyes." Sophia did as instructed. "Now, think of your happiest memories and the joy they made you feel. Once you do so, feel the dirt beneath your fingers. Relax your shoulders and arm and focus on making something beautiful come out of the dirt."

Sophia took a few deep breaths as she wiggled her fingers above the dirt, her mind flashing with her happiest thoughts which were with her parents and in the garden outside of the mansion. Soon enough, a stem emerged, followed by a beautiful pink flower sprouting out. Lydia smiled both proudly and in amazement as Sophia opened up her eyes.

"It worked," she whispered under her breath before her eyes grew wide. "It worked!"

Lydia chuckled as she nodded her head. "I told you you would be able to do it! Now ooft—"

Sophia had attacked Lydia into a hug, knocking the air out of her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed.

Lydia chuckled as she wrapped her arms around the almost taller girl. "You can do that and so much more when you put your heart into it and not your head." Lydia then suddenly froze when she noticed a familiar presence outside of the door and down the corridor. The grin on her face widened as she saw who it was. "Now why don't you go and show Jean what you did."

Sophia instantly let go and her face brightened. "She's going to be so happy, holy hell!" She grabbed onto the pot plant and ran out of the room.

After Lydia cleaned the bit of dirt off of the desk, she hurried out of the room and towards Alex Summers. "Alex!" As soon as he heard her, he turned around with his arms spread out and a grin on his face. Lydia squealed as she jumped into his arms and he spun her around. "Oh god, it's been so long!"

"Ooh, I've missed you so much, Lyds," Alex laughed as he placed her back down. He then looked her up and down. "Damn, you have aged well."

"Could say the same with you," Lydia responded with a soft laugh.

"Lyds? As in Lydia Xavier," a brunette boy with his eyes wrapped up asked from besides Alex.

"The one and only," Lydia smiled at him even though he couldn't see it.

"Holy shit," Scott mumbled.

"Yes, holy shit indeed, Scott," Lydia laughed.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" He asked.

"I'm telepathic," Lydia tapped her head.

"You already know him but I'll introduce you anyway," Alex laughed. "Lydia, meet my younger brother, Scott Summers. Scott, listen to one of my closest friends, Lydia Xavier."

"Listen. Ha, funny," Scott sarcastically said. "But you've never mentioned being close friends with the Enchantress before."

"Yeah, I was ten when I met your older brother," Lydia patted his back. "He reminds me a bit like you."

Alex smiled at her. "You've gotten hot over the years! How old are you now?"

"Thirty," Lydia responded with a laugh. "God, I'm getting old."

"Not as old as me. I'm nearing forty," Alex smiled.

"Alex Summers!" They all turned around and saw Hank pretty much skipping down the stairs.

"Hank McCoy!" Alex laughed as they shook hands. "Woah! What happened to the big, blue, furry you?"

"I keep him under control now," Hank smiled.

"Mommy!" A voice called out, and Lydia looked down the corridor and watched as Avery began to run towards her. Lydia smiled and bent down to pick up the now five year-old girl, and placed her on her hip.

"Hi darling. What have you been up to?" Lydia asked her.

"I scared one of the older kids by collapsing onto the floor and flattening my whole body," She smiled.

Lydia laughed and shook her head. "That's naughty."

"But insanely funny," Alex piped up, then pointed at Lydia. "So, Mommy." He then pointed at Avery. "And child."

"Slow down, she's adopted," Lydia told him. "Alex, this is Avery. Avery, honey, this is mummy's friend, Alex."

Avery waved. "Hi, Alex!"

"Hi, Avery," he grinned back and then high-fived the girl. Alex then patted Scott's arm. "Everyone, this is my brother, Scott."

"Hey, Scott. I'm Hank McCoy. I'm one of the teachers here," Hank smiled.

Scott nodded but didn't say anything. "Where's the professor?" Alex asked.

"Follow me." Lydia turned around and made her way upstairs towards one of the classrooms where she knew Charles would be.

Alex watched Lydia with raised eyebrows. "You must be totally jacked if you can easily pick up a five year-old child and walk around with her on your hip."

Lydia lightly laughed and turned to look at him. "I use my powers to aid me in holding her. Trust me, I'm still totally weak."

They saw a door open down the end of the corridor and noticed Charles circling around on his powered wheelchair as he read a book out to the children who looked half asleep. "Charlie!" Lydia called out.

Charles turned his attention towards her and noticed that Lydia was not alone. Charles smiled as he saw Alex and someone else beside him. "That's going to be your assignment for tomorrow. Top marks, everyone. Class dismissed," Charles ordered.

The entire room was filled with the sound of chairs scrapping on the floor as all of the students hurried to get out of the room. Lydia placed Avery onto the ground as Charles smiled at Alex. "Alex! It's good to see you!"

Alex and Charles shook hands. "Ah, you too."

"You look well. It's been a while," Charles smiled.

"It has," Alex agreed. "Not too bad yourself."

"Always been a flatterer," Lydia said, causing Alex to playfully roll his eyes.

"Uncle Charles!" Avery grinned. Charles smiled back at her and took the book off his lap, just in time for his niece to leap onto him and plant herself onto his lap.

"Hi, darling. Still up to trouble?" He asked her.

"Apparently. Mommy says I have been," she relied.

"Is that so?" He playfully looked at Lydia.

Lydia crossed her arms with raised eyebrows. "Hey, she doesn't get her troublemaking side from me," she said.

Alex scoffed. "Yeah, right." Lydia lightly shoved him. Alex pulled Scott into his side. "This is my brother, Scott," Alex introduced.

"Hello, Scott," Charles greeted warmly. "Welcome to the school for the gifted."

"Yeah," Scott scoffed, his mouth turning into a frown. "It doesn't exactly feel like a gift."

"It never does at first," Charles said softly.

Lydia then realised that Scott reminded her a lot like Alex. He held the same cool boy attitude that Alex use to hold, and was extremely unaware of the beauty his powers possessed.

"So, lets go check out your abilities," Lydia smiled as she clapped her hands.

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They all made their way outside so that they could test Scott's mutation as it was far too dangerous to do that indoors. They found a nice open area where Jean Grey was practicing her telekinesis mutation in a game of archery besides Sophia Drake, who had seated herself on the floor and was practicing making flowers grow from the ground.

"The first step in understanding one's power is learning the extent of it. Only then can we begin the process of teaching you how to control it," Charles stopped his wheelchair in front of the lake. "If you do decide to stay, I can promise you that by the time you're done here, you'll be able to go back into the world and play a stable and productive part in it. Why don't you take your bandages off and we can have a look at what we're dealing with here?"

Scott began to undo the clips at the back of his head. "Hey, hey, hey." Lydia hurried so that she was behind Scott. "You were about to shoot something completely off target." She directed Scott's body so that he was facing the archery target that Jean was using.

Scott took the mask off but kept his eyes screwed shut. "When you open your eyes, try to hit the target across the lake," Charles directed. Lydia held her hand in front of Avery and Charles and used her green magic as a shield as Scott began to take several deep breaths. "You can open your eyes, Scott. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's quite...."

Charles was cut off by Scott's eyes snapping wide open. Two large red beams shot out of his eyes and into the water, then completely smashed the target. It proceeded to run up the large tree in the distance before Scott closed his eyes again.

There was a large red line running up the large tree and the grass in front of it was completely destroyed.

Lydia stopped her magic and laughed lightly. "Woah, the mutant gene is strong in the family, I see," she said. "High five." She held her hand up to Scott and then realised that he had his eyes shut again. She grabbed onto Scott's wrist and made his hand slap hers.

Lydia looked back over at the tree and realised what tree it was. "Our grandfather planted that tree when he was five years old..." Charles sighed.

"Charles and I use to swing from the branches," Lydia smiled at the memory. They watched as the tree split into two and fell apart.

"I think that was probably my favourite tree...."

"Does that mean I'm expelled?" Scott asked.

"On the contrary. You're enrolled," Charles said.

Alex laughed proudly and slapped Scott on the back. "Come on, Scott. Let's go and call mom and dad to let them know."

"Yeah, yeah." Scott walked off with Alex back towards the house as Alex's voice boomed loudly at how proud he was of his brother.

AUTHORS NOTE