❄ Living in the Marvel Universe ❄ BFFs Only

Alex chuckled. "It's fine, Nitera. I understand." He looked at Hank. "So what happened to the big, blue, furry you?"

Hank chuckled slightly. "I... I keep him under control now."

"Oohh..." Alex turned back to Scott as he told Hank and Nitera, "This is my brother Scott."

"Hi, Scott. I'm Hank McCoy and this is my wife, Nitera. We're both teachers here," Hank told him.

Alex sighed at Scott who ignored Hank. "Where's the Professor?"

Charles was actually in class, teaching of course. He held a book in one hand as he rotated around the room, reading aloud while he held Bethany in his lap. He asked a question, going to go over it now until he saw Hank, Nitera, and surprisingly Alex with who he assumed to be his brother. "That's going to be your assignment for tomorrow,"he said, closing his book. "Top marks, everyone, class dismissed."

"Alex," Charles chuckled, holding out his hand and shaking his old friend's hand. "Its so good to see you."

"Ah, you too," Alex told him with a smile. "Who's the kid?" he wondered, talking about Bethany who was fast asleep on her Daddy's lap.

"Ah, this is Bethany. She's the youngest of my and...Amelia's children," Charles said, kissing her head. "Nitera, mind getting Bethany for me?"

"Sure." Nitera walked over and picked the little one up. "Really good to see you again, Alex, and to meet you, Scott." She then took Bethany to her room.

"You look well. Its been a while," Charles told Alex after the girls left.

"Not too bad yourself," Alex commented before he patted his brother's shoulder. "This is my brother, Scott."

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

"It doesn't exactly feel like a gift," Scott remarked.

"It never does, not at first." Charles agreed. The 4 of them then took a walk - or for the professor, a ride - through the vast backyard where Celina had just shot an arrow into the bulls-eye.

"The first step in understanding one's power is learning the extent of it," Charles explained as he rolled the wheels on his wheelchair. "Only then, can we begin the process of teaching you how to control it. If you do decide to stay, I can promise you that by the time you are done here you'll be able to back into the world and play a stable productive partner. Why don't you take your bandages off and we can have a look at what we're dealing with here. Alex, would you line him up. Face him in the right direction if you will. There's a target, right across the water. When you open your eyes, try to hit that."

When the disabled professor saw Scott hesitate and squint his eyes harder, he said, "You can open your eyes, Scott. There's nothing to be afraid of. Its quite..." He was cut off when Scott did open his eyes, and boy, was that powerful!
Celina jumped back, watching the beam cut a whole tree in half.

Charles just chuckled, pretty impressed. "My grandfather planted that tree when he was just 5 years old. I used to swing from the branches of itself. I think that was probably my favorite tree."

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