IMMORTALS

**A/N: **I was in the mood for some X-Men fanfiction. I couldn't find any good one's involving Logan (*cough* half-naked Hugh Jackman *cough*), and most of the time I do, they're either about a feral girl or some deadly thief/murderer/ex-spy chick with a horrible past. I'm just tired of seeing the same summary of many different authors with basically the characters sounding more and more similar to one another, so I decided to do something different about this. Also, I want to point out the timeline of this story because recently the movies have been mixed up (I bet a lot of you noticed that). The first X-Men movie will be taken in the year 2010 (besides, Hugh Jackman is more muscled up than he was in the first movie) because things would make a little more sense to me.

Now I hope you all will enjoy this story. I will try to interlace the many X-Men movies together as best as I can because FOX can't seem to do shit right when it comes to the X-Men movies and leaving the audience a bit confused and what the hell is going on with the timelines. Thank you and enjoy the first chapter of my story!

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_Sands stretched far and wide, like a sea that moved too slow as the winds changed its shape. Tiny grains sinking easily between toes and fingers, the minerals both within grasp and always disappearing from the palm of an open hand._

_We were the sands._

_Always here, the winds shaping and changing us as it carried us away, but we always remained true to our instincts. We would always weave through the Finger's of Life, but we went on as time continued to move forward..._

**:]IMMORTALS[:**

Class was, not to my surprise, preoccupied with something else entirely from today's subject.

However, unlike most teachers, I too was also preoccupied with the same subject that had all the students in the school in quite a buzz.

New arrivals brought back by the X-Men.

Practically the entire school heard of the Blackbird's entrance when it appeared last night, and it wasn't long when word came that two of the professors-slash-mutant defenders had brought back with them a pair of mutants that had ran into trouble against an unsavory party. So it wasn't much of a surprise when the next morning, the entire school was quite in the middle of a gossip storm of who their new guests in Xavier's School are.

The white chalk scribbling on the black board ceased, and I turned to face the rest of my chatter-box of a class that had yet to realize their teacher was directing her attention on them.

"Alright you lot," I called to them, making them all startle as they looked forward. "You can talk about your latest gossip when you're not in class, so please pay attention."

Some of them looked like they wanted to continue chattering.

"Or I could just go ahead and assign you all a three page essay about the Spanish Inquisition!" I gave a dismissive wave at them as I purposely looked away with them, pretending to pull out the stack of papers for them to use.

This time, all of them came to protest quickly. I allowed myself a smile as I returned back to my spot in front of the black board.

"Good choice," I said before picking up a text book. "Now, can anyone answer me why the—"

"Ah, Ms. Caine?" came a small voice.

Everyone and myself looked towards the door where I saw one of my third period students standing just outside. Adena Cho was carrying her text books in her arms while looking between me and my class with a hint of guilt. Adena wasn't one for visiting me outside of study hall and lunch break. Sensing that there was something else, I gestured for the young teen to enter the class... and tagging along Adena was a new face. Immediately, all eyes were on the pale-faced girl who timidly followed after the other girl leading her inside a classroom full of nosy children that stared shamelessly at the back of her head.

_'Probably been one of the two picked up.'_

I observed the petite female as she came closer. Her beautiful features almost obscured by her long and dark hair, her attire made up of clothes people only wore during colder climates... completely eclipsing anything that was suppose to show skin. She seemed shaken from the way her dark eyes darted left and right, as if she was expecting something to rush out and attack her.

She was quiet (but most of them always were, the new faces). That was mostly the case to runaways and young mutants seeking refuge against the dangers of the world. Majority of the students had been outted, hurt, and chased away because the rest of the world deemed them a danger to society.

"Hello," I greeted the girl who stood an arm's length away from Adena. "Who's this?"

"This is Rogue," Adena introduced as she offered the pale girl a smile. "She came in just last night from Canada where Mr. Summers and Ms. Munroe had picked her up."

"Rogue," I mouthed the world as I turned to the still silent teen. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Rogue."

Rogue looked shyly from beneath her dark lashes before dropping them to the floor, becoming more shy as the seconds ticked on by.

"The Professor was hoping you could spare a seat for her..." the Asian girl informed as she looked back to the rest of the class, all of whom were still staring at Rogue.

Feeling a but sympathetic to the shy Rogue, I directed a small glare at the group sitting on their rows of desks. "Did I hear someone suggest making _six_ pages of an essay?"

They immediately ducked down and noisily flipped through their text books. Looking back to Rogue, I ducked my head a little to make some eye contact, and the moment her eyes meet mine, I offered a small smile to show that she was in no danger. That she was safe from whatever harm would come to her.

"Why don't you take a seat, we're in the beginnings of going over the Italian Renaissance."

After Adena excused herself and Rogue was situated on an empty desk (all the while giving the teens a look that they are not to pester the poor girl), class resumed as if it had not been interrupted.

**==(X)==**

I was running a bit late.

The hallways that swarmed with children did not help, although they could probably be the perfect excuse as to why I was late.

Rolling up the sleeves of my white buttoned shirt for the hundredth time, I scanned my clothes for any crumbs of food left over from when I had been eating earlier. The tight blue jeans seemed alright, and there was only a few but not noticeable wrinkles on on the blouse, my black flats did not count, so all in all, I was good to go.

Reaching the main office, I paused outside of the door. I didn't have to strain my ears to know what was going on inside, given with how loud the volume up was in there.

Apparently, while I had been eating with Adena, Rogue, and a few other students that pestered me questions about the Romantic Period, the second mutant that had arrived last night had awoken. And from what I could sense, he was not a very happy individual.

_'Like a trapped rat,'_ a voice in my head droned. _'An animal forced into a corner.'_

I could almost smell it in the air. The suspicion, the defensiveness... and a small tinge of fear. But most of all, I could feel there was a rage brewing beneath the skin of this mutant just ready to explode.

With that, I quickly force the door open—only to gasp.

While there were many occupants in the room, I was more focused on the sight of Scott Summers being nearly lifted off the ground by the stranger; the stranger who was built like power, the stranger who held a face of barely restraint fury, the stranger whose hazel orbs shined nearly gold when they flickered towards me.

A stranger that reminded me of endless sands that would always weave through my fingers.

"Lillian," someone drew me back from my staring. "You're late."

I blinked back into focus, noticing that Scott was released from the other man's clutches. The mutant, on the other hand, had no problem with returning his open staring as he eyed me up and down with the burning eyes of his.

_'Just like an animal...'_

I shushed the voice inside my head and entered the room while closing the door behind me so that curious onlookers wouldn't have to witness two adults about to break into a fight (the children didn't need bad influence than what they already find on television and/or the internet). Jean and Ororo were easy to spot since they were standing on the side almost near the Professor's desk, who was sitting behind his grand oak desk. Seeing the relieved looks they sent my way, I was probably being silently thanked that I came in on time to stop an argument from escalating.

"Who the hell are you?"

I turned back to the bigger male with my eyebrows raised while my features melted into an expression that said I was unimpressed.

"That's lovely. Is that how you greet everyone you come across?" I said with nonchalance.

The other man snorted. "See if you remain calm if you woke in some place that looks like a lab with someone about to stab needles in yer sleep."

I nodded. "Fair point. I also bet I'd had to, oh I don't know, choke a poor woman while in the process of escaping."

I had not missed the bruises around Jean's neck. I could imagine how terrified the poor woman was when she was taken by surprise by the brute.

"Hey..." the other man began with a growl rumbling under his throat, looking ready to start another fight as he took a step towards me, but the Professor stepped in.

"Lillian, please." the older man admonished me.

A small huff escaped me as I turned away from the bigger man and towards Scott. My eyes scanned over him with concern, but he nodded his head to affirm that yes, he was alright thank you. Satisfied that he wasn't entirely ruffled up from the other man's rough manhandling, I looked back to the Professor as he called for introductions since I had been late in hearing the new mutant's name. The bigger male was still glaring holes at me; now I wouldn't waste time and breathe getting into a fight with this one, but I wasn't going to back down so easily with those eyes staring intensely into my own.

I wasn't some submissive woman to be cowed by someone who used his height and strength to make himself an imposing figure.

"Logan, I would like to introduce you Ms. Lillian Caine," Xavier said as he wheeled between the brute and the rest of the X-Men. "Lillian, this is Logan."

"Pleasure," I sarcastically quipped.

"Nice to meet you too, sweetheart." the other glowered.

**==(X)==**

"You should probably put some ointment on," I said as I brushed my fingers against Jean's neck. "It's already turning a nasty purple."

"What I need is a scarf. I got to go back to class and I can tell that all the kids are going to go crazy when they sees these." I red-head muttered as we walked towards her and Scott's shared room.

"Ointment first."

"Of course, _mother_."

Playfully shouldering her, Jean let out a small but shaky laugh. Her meeting with Logan had truly left her rattled since the woman was used to being in control in what she deemed was a completely safe environment. I knew Jean could handle herself just fine, but she was still only human. Parting ways, I took another direction towards the lounging area where most of the students would take break from their studies to socialize and have some fun.

Rogue was there, I quickly noticed.

And, unfortunately, so was Logan. The two mutants sitting on a sofa while quietly talking to on another. Rogue, whose posture had been previously tense and nervous of her surroundings, looked safe and secure when in the presence of the bigger male. While Logan still held distrust and wariness, his body seemed to stay close to the younger teen as a form of shielding her from potential threats.

Those two had faced what a lot of the students and teachers had been put up against when they had been living out somewhere in the world, and they only had each other to rely on when amongst complete strangers. While I don't like people like Logan who used their physical prowess to enforce the message that they were stronger and they could take on anything, I actually understood.

When someone had seen nothing but the worse of people, they could only use their own violence to combat against the bad things.

That didn't mean I wanted to meet the man again so soon after our first meeting. Before I could think about backing out and pretending I was just passing through another hallway, I halted when someone called after me.

"Ms. Caine!"

Rogue stood up from her place on the sofa which made Logan look up to face me. I focused more on the approaching teenager rather than her surly companion.

"Yes?"

"I, uh," she shyly looked at the floor. "Um, do you think I can..."

Seeing where this was going, I decided to help her. After all this was the purpose of Xavier's school: to help mutants and give them a chance what most of the world could not offer.

"The Administrative Office is upstairs, we can have you registered and you can start attending classes next week." I began as I led her towards the stairs leading to the second floor.

While I went on with the multiple courses that Rogue could take during her education, I was acutely aware that Logan was not far behind us. His eyes were burning against my back that I felt small tingles climbing up and down my spine.

We finally arrived where one of the students volunteering in the Administrative Office led Rogue where she could have a few papers signed, go over which schedule she was comfortable with, pick out classes, and all that went with Xavier's school.

I watched the shy Rogue as she sat next to another person of her age group. He was an empath, and it made so much sense for him to be there when helping new students. He kept a careful distance, kept his voice low, and he was very patient when going over the signing forms.

Her discomfort was slowly easing away as time went on. She was smiling a little more, she was slowly gaining back her voice, and most importantly, she was building herself a better future.

Feeling that my work was done, I pushed away from the door frame I was leaning on and began my walk down the hall. However, I didn't get far.

"This whole thing sounds a little too good to be true."

I stopped and tilted my head to peek over my shoulders towards Logan. He had his hands stuffed in his dark sweatpants, his back a little hunched with his head slightly lowered. His posture looked like that of relaxation, but I knew better.

Nobody poked a stick at a lazing tiger and expect it not to attack.

"This school, and yer X-Men." Logan added as he strode towards me. The closer he came the more he raised his head. "Sounds like bullshit."

I shrugged. "If you have opinions against the school then get in line. You're not the first to say something about a safe haven for mutants and you certainly won't be the last."

Not wanting to listen in on this old argument I turned and walked away. Much to my exasperation, Logan followed me as we walked through the halls.

"Yeah, I heard of a lot of safe havens before, and you know what happened in those places?"

Yes, I did know what happened in those places. I remembered places like Siberia, Israel, Canada, and even somewhere in the U.S., there had been groups inviting unsuspecting mutants with the promise of safety. Those people then had all mutants beaten, arrested, and shipped off to who-knows-where. I could remember passing by store with television broadcasting images of attack dogs ripping into a wailing woman, the police pulling out their batons and beating a teenager to the ground, and guns pressed against the back of a man's head with a soldier's finger at the trigger.

It was like seeing a modern version of Nazi's dehumanizing the Jews.

It took years of arguments against the Senate for the Government actually getting off their asses to do something about the groups of people committing the heinous acts. They were mutants, but they were people who were citizens of the United States of America, and they made up one-third of the population. So while the groups had been disbanded in the U.S., it still continued on in other countries.

_The copper smell so strong that the tongue could practically taste the air. Bodies mutilated and scattered, limbs tangled and lost in the muck and blood. There was still screams in the distance, gunshots echoing like firecrackers in the Fourth of July. The sky glowed red from the large fires that reached for the dark sky._

_They were afraid. They all should be afraid. They thought they were powerful because of their guns, their training, and their numbers... but they weren't entirely stupid. They knew a predator when they saw one._

"Hey."

I flinched from the feel of a warm and large hand touching my shoulder, the images of the mind erasing itself to reveal a wooden hallways with lovely decor. I pulled myself away from the hand and found Logan had been standing a little too close from where I had been. The man raised both hands in a manner that he wasn't armed, his hardened features having suddenly softened when he eyed me.

"I shouldn't have said that, darlin'." he muttered.

I didn't like his eyes. His eyes that were once burning with wrath and wariness had ebbed away, and the way he covered his subliminal fangs when they had been bared at my direction... An irrational hint of anger slowly made it's way up, and before I could even stop myself, it let itself out.

"There's nothing keeping you here. You can leave if you like! No one is stopping you." I snapped at him. "Just make sure not to hurt yourself on the way out the door."

"Whoa there, darlin'! Just—Hey!"

I didn't want to hear anymore from the words of the idiot that liked to bring up the bad things. Did he not know that he wasn't the only one who saw the worst in humanity? Did he really think there wasn't others in this school that had horrible experiences than the last student?

_'Fucking mongrel.'_

A voice began to laugh in my head.


End file.
