Disclaimer: I don't own Thunderbirds or X-Men in any way, shape or form.

GIFTED

Yes, I'm still here. I'm sorry if seems like I've dropped off the face of the Earth but it seems like I can't stop thinking up new ideas for stories. Of course the only problem is that it takes me forever to commit them to anything other than my imagination.

I promise to try and focus on one thing at a time from now on.

Chapter 8 – Back To School.

The non-descript black car drove through the iron gates of the school they were there to see and continued up the drive to the main building.

The drive had been long and late in the night but TinTin didn't feel tired, she was hovering somewhere between fear and excitement about seeing this school and Jean and Ororo had done their best to answer all her questions but there were some they didn't, saying all would be explained when they arrived.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Who's Xavier?" asked TinTin from the backseat as she gazed out the window of the car.

Ororo looked back at her from the passenger seat. "Professor Xavier is the man who founded and runs the school. He also teaches some of the classes like physics and literature."

"Oh."

The car came to a stop on the gravel drive outside the entrance to the main building and Jean and Ororo got out of the car, the latter helping TinTin pull her rucksack out of the trunk of the car.

Bag in hand TinTin gazed up at the building and she noticed that the school was more like a huge old mansion with a number of similar large buildings apparently housing different parts of the estate scattered about the one main house outside of which they had stopped.

Together they walked up the steps, through the great oak doors and into the foyer.

The foyer was empty as they entered and the doors closed with a 'clunk' behind them that echoed around the big wood paneled halls.

"Come on, the Professor can answer your questions better than we can." With that Jean started walking in the direction of the Professor's office, stopping when she realized that TinTin was still standing there in front of the door with her bag in her hand.

Ororo stepped in and grabbed hold of one of the rucksack straps.

"Go on. I'll take care of your bag." She said kindly and took TinTin's bag from her and headed down another corridor on the other side of the foyer.

TinTin hesitated for only a moment before following Jean down the hall to the Professor's office.

They passed a few of the students en route, all of which smiled at TinTin some even saying 'hello' or 'welcome' as they went by but before long they came to a paneled wooden door like all the others they had passed along the way.

Jean knocked once though TinTin got the impression that she didn't actually need to knock but was being polite because she was there.

A faint 'come in' was heard and Jean pushed open the door allowing TinTin to enter first before silently following her into the room closing behind them.

TinTin took a moment to look around the office. Like the rest of the mansion it was wood paneled with a variety of old looking paintings and small statues lining the walls. The furniture also appeared to be very old. There was a leather topped oak desk in the middle of the room with four heavy leather chairs in a semicircle in front of it. Bookcases were dotted around the room as were one or two side tables with potted plants and flowers resting on them.

The windows in the office were enormous so there was no lack of sunlight for the plants, and they were framed by rich forest green velvet curtains held back by gold tasseled ties.

Finally her eyes came to rest on the only other figure in the room besides them.

A bald man who appeared to be in his fifties and in the strangest looking wheelchair TinTin had ever seen wheeled out from behind the desk and came to a stop in front of her.

"Hello TinTin, we've been expecting you." He said smiling kindly and indicated that she should sit down in one of the leather chairs.

TinTin sat in a chair and Jean took the chair next to her with the Professor still in front of them.

TinTin remained silent.

"My name is Charles Xavier and I created this school to help others like me learn to live with what they are."

TinTin regarded him evenly. "An….and what are they?"

Xavier smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"Have you heard of mutants?"

TinTin thought for a moment. "I heard something about mutants in the news but where I lived I didn't really focus much on what was happening in the world." This was partially true but she wasn't about to betray her friends and family to these people.

"Do you know what they are?" Xavier was still relaxed and kept the questions simple and to the point.

"Not really, why?" TinTin asked in confusion. What did all this have to do with her?

"They are people with DNA like every other ordinary human being in the world, however there is a specific gene that when reaching puberty can be turned on and that is what causes mutation to take place and is closely associated with high levels of emotional stress. Now sometimes mutation is drastic and sometimes only mild but whatever the level these mutations cause an individual to develop extraordinary powers and abilities well beyond any normal human capabilities."

As the explanation went on TinTin's confusion cleared and she realized what this man was getting at.

Xavier noticed her expression change and smiled knowingly.

"Does any of this sound familiar?"

"Are you trying to tell me that I'm a mutant?!"

"I'm trying to tell you that you are not alone in the world."

TinTin slumped back in the chair and suddenly looked very tired. In the past week she had gone from happy, to sad, to frightened, to frustrated, to confused and then some. Now all she wanted more than anything in the world was to curl up in bed in a place where she knew she was safe, her home.

But she couldn't go home. She had made her choice and now she had to live with it.

The Professor could see how tired she was and smiled in sympathy.

"I know it is a lot to take in and I know you must be tired but please believe me when I say that you are safe here and if you don't want to stay then we will gladly take you wherever you want to go. All we ask is for you to give us the chance to prove that we can help you."

Jean touched TinTin's arm to get her attention. "Give it a week. Perhaps if you lived around others in a similar situation then things might not seem so bad and if you decide to stay you can start taking classes here too."

TinTin looked from Jean to the Professor to down at her hands, which she folded nervously in her lap. It seemed to take forever but when she finally looked back up she appeared a little relieved.

"Ok. I'll stay for a week and then decide if I want to stay for good."

Both Jean and Xavier smiled before Jean stood and moved to the door while the Professor wheeled himself back behind the desk.

TinTin stood up slowly and made to follow Jean to the door when at knock at said door startled her. Jean opened it to revel a girl about TinTin's age with slightly oriental features and wearing very large hoped earrings.

"Ah, Jubilee…this is TinTin. She's hopefully going to be joining us here at the school. TinTin, this is Jubilee, she's one of our older students." The Professor announced mildly.

"Jubilee would you please show TinTin to the girls dormitory, she's going to be staying with you and Rogue." He continued and smiled at the two girls before returning his attention to the paper work on the desk.

Jubilee grinned and turned to TinTin holding out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise." TinTin replied and cautiously shook the proffered hand.

"Well now that you're set I should be getting back to work. Goodnight girls." With that Jean left the room and started back down the corridor.

"Hey, your bag is already in the dorm so lets go and get you unpacked!" TinTin who had been paying more attention to Jean leaving was pulled back to the girl in front of her just in time to be all but dragged from the office and off down another corridor.

As they walked TinTin was once again struck by the sheer size of the place as they passed doors, small lounging areas and yet more corridors as Jubilee chatted absently next to her.

"So……where are you from? Do your parents know you're here?"

"Huh?" TinTin pulled herself back to focus on Jubilee. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "I said…….where are you from and do your parents know you're here?"

"Oh! No, my parents don't know where I am."

"And……….where are you from?" Jubilee pressed as they reached the foyer where TinTin had arrived and climbed the huge staircase there.

"Nowhere." TinTin answered quietly keeping her eyes on the stairs as they climbed.

"We get a lot like that around here." Jubilee said with a hint of sadness in her normally cheerful voice.

Reaching the top of the stairs they continued on in respectful silence until finally stopping at a door near the end of a corridor, which ended at a large circular window that showed the darkened night sky outside.

Jubilee didn't bother knocking and strolled into the room ushering TinTin in after her.

The room was a reasonable size, more than enough room for three teenage girls anyway. There were two beds on one side of the room and another on the opposite wall with two wardrobes next to it. The far wall had two windows with a large chest of draws and two trunks underneath them. Unlike the rest of the mansion the room was painted in a soft yellow colour with dark oak bordering at the top and bottom of the walls. The natural floorboards were the same dark oak but a large, circular dark green rug covered a good part of the floor.

Looking around TinTin could tell that the two beds against one wall belonged to Jubilee and her roommate by the mess of the beds and the numerous posters and stickers stuck to walls around them. The lone bed on the other side of the room was clean and tidy in comparison with her rucksack propped up against it.

"Well……this is it!" Jubilee announced proudly and flopped down on her bed.

TinTin went over to her new bed and sat down and was about to attempt conversation with her new found roommate when there was a gentle knock on the door.

Jubilee propped herself up on her elbows and frowned at the door before answering.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal a girl of about the same age as TinTin wearing jeans, a tight fitting dark-red t-shirt and gloves that went up to her elbows.

TinTin frowned at the girl's odd fashion sense.

The girl's hair was also strange. Two white streaks around the girl's face interrupted the otherwise completely natural brunette hair.

Jubilee was completely unfazed. "Why'd you knock?"

The girl quietly closed the door behind her before answering. "Because it's polite and we have a guest." She nodded to indicate TinTin.

"Oh."

She walked over to TinTin who still looked a little confused and held out her hand.

"Hi. Ah'm Rogue."

TinTin shook the proffered hand.

"Hello……..my name is TinTin." She said in a quiet voice.

Rogue smiled reassuringly.

"Welcome to mutant high."

TBC.

Yes! Finally another chapter finished.

Let me know what you think and please be gentle.