More Than Meets the Eye

"The hell she is," Hank snarled, stepping in front of her protectively. "And who the hell are you anyway?"

"Hank, this is Doctor Edwin Curtis, Faith's former attending from Bellwood. Dr. Curtis, our school physician, Dr. Henry McCoy, formerly US Ambassador to the UN. I'm sure you've heard of him," Xavier said mildly.

"I don't care if he's Jesus Christ Almighty, I want Faith returned to my care now!" In two strides the stocky man crossed the distance between them, reaching past Hank to roughly grasp Faith's arm. "Let's go."

He yelped as one large blue hand seized his wrist. "Let her go, now," Hank growled dangerously.

Xavier cleared his throat. "I think we should all calm down and have a seat so that we can discuss this."

Curtis gave up his grip on Faith, and Hank released him with a slight push backwards. He wrapped one arm around her small shoulders, noting that she was still trembling, her blue eyes wide with fear.

"There's nothing to discuss," Curtis snapped. "You had no right to remove her!"

"Dr. Curtis, I agreed to have Faith brought here to assuage your fears that she had come to some harm, not so that you could throw a tantrum and cause upheaval in my school. If you cannot sit and discuss this clamly, I will have to ask you to leave, immediately," Xavier said, his words mild, but his tone one which obviously brooked no argument.

Hank led Faith to another seat on the opposite side of the office, and took up position standing behind her, scowling at the gray-haired doctor.

"Obviously, Dr. Curtis, you were not informed that Faith was misdiagnosed, and what you had believed was schizophrenia was in fact only her mutant telepathic powers asserting themselves," Xavier began.

"Oh, don't give me any of that mutancy crap," he snarled. "She's nothing but a delusional mental case who needs to be put back on her meds and institutionalized."

"I assure you, Dr. Curtis, Faith is a mutant, and I can show you the DNA profile to back it up," Hank said through clenched teeth.

"She's a delusional schizophrenic," Curtis insisted stubbornly.

Hank opened his mouth to answer but Xavier held up a hand. "Your director disagreed, Dr. Curtis, and fully authorized releasing Faith into my care, and that of my school physician. Her case will be reviewed periodically, but as she is already quickly learning to gain control over her powers, I have no doubt that by the time we meet for our first review, it will be clear that Faith is a capable young mutant in command of her powers."

"My director is an idiot," Curtis snapped. "I have final say on Faith's case, and I demand she be returned. You had no right to remove her."

Xavier reached for a yellow file folder on his desk, one Hank was certain he had never seen before. "Since you seem unwilling to be reasonable, Dr. Curtis, then I will settle this matter now." He handed the file over. "As you can see, everything is in order, and I was well within my rights to remove her."

The older doctor's eyes narrowed as he read the contents, his head snapping up to look at Xavier, then over at Faith. Finally he closed it.

"I can have that overturned in an instant." he declared.

"You are welcome to try," Xavier said mildly. "Until such time, Faith will remain here."

Curtis stood with a huff, flinging the file folder onto Xavier's large mahogany desk. "And Dr. Curtis," Xavier began, his voice deceptively calm, "I must admit I am somewhat at a loos as to why you insist upon ignoring Faith's mutation. It does make one wonder if you had some reason to conceal her status as a mutant. Rest assured, I will be looking into the matter, and if I should find more mutants being held under your care at Bellwood, it will not prove advantageous to your career."

Hank watched as the other man's nostrils flared, two red spots appearing high on his cheeks. "Are you threatening me?" he snarled.

Xavier raised one eyebrow. "I do not threaten, Dr. Curtis. I trust you can find your own way out."

With much bluster, the doctor finally turned and strode from the room. As the door closed, Hank forced himself to relax his grip on Faith's shoulder.

"I do apologize for that, Faith," Xavier said quickly. "I was hoping once he saw you were safe and well, he would calm down. Obviously, that was not the case."

"Something tells me Faith's welfare wasn't at the top of his list of priorities," Hank answered.

"I can't go back there," Faith whispered. "I just can't."

Xavier reached out and laid one hand against the younger woman's cheek, a rare gesture of affection, Hank noted. "Nor will you have to," he said kindly. "This is your home now, and no one will take you from it without your consent."

"Thank you," she answered quietly.

"He seemed rather stubborn about admitting Faith was a mutant," Hank said warily. "You don't think..."

"Dr. Curtis's name has come up in certain circles before," Xavier said. "He is of the opinion that mutants can and should be psychosocially conditioned to ignore their mutancies. Nonsense, of course, but I suspect he might be using Bellwood as a shield behind which he can conduct his experiments."

Hank rolled his eyes as he shook his head. "How can people justify treating mutants like lab rats?" he said dourly.

Xavier smiled wryly. "If you can figure that out, my friend, you will have conquered one of the mysteries of the world." He patted Faith's hand again. "For now, why don't you go lie down, Faith? It looks like this might have been little much for you."

"I'm okay," she said quietly.

"We were just going to get a bite to eat, and then I'll see that she gets back to her room," Hank said. "The Professor is right, Faith. You need some rest."

"We will discuss this more tomorrow, Faith," Xavier added.

She nodded, offering a weak smile as she let Hank help her out of the chair.

She was quiet as they left the office, but as he steered them down the hall toward the kitchen, she suddenly stopped. Hank turned at the pressure on his arm.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

Faith bit her lip, thinking. "Is there - is there somewhere quiet around here we could go for a few minutes?"

Hank frowned. "You really should get something to eat."

"Please Hank? Just for a few minutes? I just need some fresh air."

He looked down into the slightly desperate blue eyes. "I suppose a brief walk in the garden wouldn't hurt," he conceded, changing direction for the large French doors leading out into the mansion's spacious yard.

He led her through the various paths, away from the children who were enjoying their freedom from classes by playing some game which required a great deal of yelling and squealing.

They had barely moved out of the range of the sounds when Faith suddenly turned, burying her face in his shoulder as she clutched the front of his jacket. Caught off-guard, Hank stood stunned for a moment before wrapping his arms around the trembling girl, his hands rubbing her back as he murmured the nonsensical reassurances that came natural to most doctors.

The scent of vanilla and something flowery filled his nose, his fingertips brushed against silky strands of her hair, and suddenly Hank was all too aware of how long it had been since he had held a beautiful woman in his arms. Stop it, he chided himself firmly. She's practically a child compared to you.

She finally pulled away. "I-I'm sorry Hank. I just-"

He used the pad of his thumb to wipe away one tear streaking down her cheek. "It's okay," he assured her. He urged her down to sit on a nearby bench. "Why do I get the feeling there's a lot about Bellwood you're not telling me?"

"I can't go back," she repeated. "I just can't."

"You won't have to," he said seriously. "I won't let that happen. No one here will."

She smiled up at him, though she was shaking her head. "I have never met a group of people like you, all of you. To do so much for... a stranger. Someone who just walked in here one day. How can you be sure I'm not nuts? That I don't belong in Bellwood, even if I am a mutant?"

He brushed several stray strands of hair away from her face, ignoring the tightening in his stomach when she smiled. "I've learned to trust my instincts," he said quietly. "And my instincts tell me that you are a young woman who has spent much of her life misunderstood." He watched as she looked down, embarrassed. "They also tell me that Dr. Curtis is a first-class ass who can't see past his own messiah complex to diagnose the common cold."

She laughed, and Hank chuckled with her, glad to see her recovering from her scare.

Faith leaned back on the bench, turning her face toward a gentle breeze. "So, where are we, anyway?" she asked, wrapping her arms around herself. Her thin sweater was little protection against the cool spring night.

"In the garden. The far east corner, to be specific," Hank answered. "The children tend not to venture this far back, so it is usually quiet and peaceful." He shrugged out of hid suit jacket, reaching to drape it over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said, tugging the edges around her. "This is nice. Probably the first time I haven't been completely overwhelmed by all the people since I arrived here." She closed her eyes, breathing in the cool evening air. "That many empathic voices all that time gets very tiring after a while."

"If you'd like, I can leave you alone for a bit," Hank suggested, albeit reluctantly. "Come find you in half an hour or so?"

She shook her head. "No, it's okay. Your mind isn't like everyone else's. It's easier to be around. Like the Professor. And Logan."

He frowned in thought. "What do you mean?" he asked. He had been good friends with Jean, but she had always been so uncomfortable with her powers, it was difficult to urge her to talk about them. Faith might prove an opportunity to ask questions he had always held.

She furrowed her brows as she tried to answer. "It's hard to explain," she finally said. "Most people, when I'm around them, it's... cluttered. Their thoughts and emotions. It's like having a dozen conversations going on right beside you." She shifted. "With you, the Professor, even Logan, it's... quieter. More subdued." She tilted her head. "I'm sorry, am I making you uncomfortable? I forget that not everyone wants to know what I hear from their minds."

"No, it's fine," he assured her. "I find it fascinating." He glanced up at the quickly darkening sky and his wristwatch. "But if you're feeling better, we really should get you something to eat before the mad rush for dinner begins."

She sighed. "I guess I can't hide out here forever," she conceded.

"You never did answer my question," Hank noted as he helped her stand.

"Hmm? What question?"

"Did something happen at Bellwood that you aren't telling me?" he asked again, fixing his jacket more securely around her shoulders.

She shifted uncomfortably, biting her lip. Hank had seen the look on the faces of others when they were torn between wanting a confidante and keeping a secret. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. Finally she offered a sad smile.

"You're right," she answered. "I didn't answer your question." Before he could speak again she stepped away, out of his grasp. "We should probably be getting back. It's getting cold out here."

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