Visceral

Chapter One

-Author's note: Chao, Willow here, um, not much to say bout this one, the idea just hit me and I've finally finished it. Hope you like Hazel and the story. Read and review if you can.

Logan sniffed the air and announced quietly "She's here". "The new, um, staff?" asked Hank, "I sort of missed the meeting.", and he had. In fact he had been in this very room when the meeting was being held. "You need to get out of the lab more" said Logan, pulling out his cigarettes and, at Hank McCoy's disapproving look, putting them away again.

Giving a long suffering sigh, the Wolverine told the Beast "well, the Professor didn't say much about her, though he seemed to be under the impression that you knew her". "Did he say her name?" questioned Hank "Um, it was something like Hazed Bit-" cutting across him, Hank asked "Hazel Birch, by any chance?".

"Yeah, I think that was it" replied Logan, "where do you know her from?" Smiling as if at a fond memory, Hank replied "Junior High, I was a junior when she was a freshman, but even so, she was friends with my friends." Did you know her well?" asked Logan, "not as well as I'd have liked to." said Hank, she's probably the only reason I didn't become one of the stupid football jocks like Jean's ex-boyfriend Duncan.

As they were talking, a small figure was drawing closer, a girl with a single white streak in her hair walked with her. Reaching the lab, the white haired girl who was in fact Rogue opened the door and, after giving the girl a hug, shoved said girl inside the door. Startled, the two men looked up to see the newcomer, one in a wary kind of way, the other in recognition. "Hank?" the girl asked, sounding just a bit surprised, "hey Hazel" he replied, his voice constricted, afraid she of how she would react to his bluer, fuzzier form. Drawing closer to him she murmured quietly "You're the color of your jersey" and promptly embraced him in a hug.

Instead of pulling away as he knew he should, Hank instead held her close for a moment more with a murmured "missed you", the beast within him began to rise "mine" it said in his mind, and Hank leaned on his desk in support. Never before had the Beast used such vocabulary, usually it just snarled.

Cocking her head to the side, Hazel tentatively asked "I know this sounds strange, but you wouldn't happen to have a split personality would you?". Smiling forlornly he said "beast, he's the embodiment of my, erm, primal side, he was a side effect of an experiment, the same one that caused me to look like this." then he added, "how did you know?".

"My mutation" she replied, casually. Attempting to sound just as casual he asked "which would be?" smiling, she said "guess". "Telepath?" he asked, not sounding sure. "Empath" she said, "but close". Taking the chance to look around, she said "Nice lab, I wonder whose it could be?". Chuckling, he rolled his and said "thanks"

Observing the two, Wolverine decided to break up the love fest. "so, Hazel…" he began, trailing off. "Pleasure to meet you Logan" she said, shaking his hand "and," she said, "before you ask, again, no I'm not a telepath, Rogue does however talk quite a bit about you." Smiling at that, then smirking, Wolverine said "so, can you tell me more about how you know our resident beast?"

"Well" replied Hazel offhandedly, "I could, but it seems that if Hank hasn't told you, I really shouldn't". Seeing Logan's smirk dissolve from his face, Hazel added conspiratorially in a whisper "doesn't mean I won't".

Hank smiled down as one of his oldest and one of his best friends conversed. Sighing, knowing that he would soon regret the introduction of the two considering the mischief that might come from the quick blooming friendship. Sighing again at Hazel's promise to tell of his high school days.

At last, their conversation ended and Logan looked up at him in a way that on anyone else would be considered wolfish, though, in his case it was more similar to the manner in which a very smug wolverine looked.

Hazel moved herself closer to Hank and they linked arms. "Going to show me around?" she asked, smiling up at him once again. "Why of course Ms. Birch" he replied. Slapping his arm she muttered "Don't call me that" before re-linking arms with him and grinning. They made their way along at an amiable pace, Logan trailing along after them.

"So" said Hazel "you have an aptly named Danger Room, a jet, a lab, an infirmary, and a giant mansion, but where are the children? Or the Professor and the infamous Storm I've heard so much about?" Looking bemused at his now slightly out of breath friend, Beast replied with a single statement "look at the time". Having caught back her breath, Hazel replied with an equally short exclamation "Oh, the kitchen"

Making their way to the kitchen, Logan caught up and cut into their conversation. Soon, laughter rang through the hallway. As they neared their destination, the sound of children's voices began and grew louder until it was a clamorous din. Her smile wider now, Hazel entered the room slightly before Hank seeing as the door would not encompass both of them at the same time. For an instant, the commotion dimmed, but then, as they saw the figure of someone new, it rose in volume.

"BAMF" was all she heard as another blue male teleported in front of her. "Gutentaug, I am Kurt Vagner, but in the Munich Circus I vas ze Amazing Nightcrawler" he exclaimed "Pleasure to meet you" Hazel replied, an amused smile on her face. Soon most of the younger children, especially the ones with more visible mutations, were clambering up to her.

A smile still present on her face, she allowed them to greet her in their varying manners and languages. At last, Hank leaned forward and drew her out of the crowd, having seen the strain of their varying emotions on her figure. Smiling up again at him she said "thanks, I still don't do all that well in crowds."

Chuckling, Beast murmured down to her, "and yet you still brave the crowds in your love of children". Her musical laughter joined his chuckling and the children who watched had smiles spread across their faces. Seeing the well hidden, though visible tiredness on her face, Wolverine decided it was best to mention it.

"Hank" he said, his voice low as always, "I think she'll be needing her sleep now". Nodding in acknowledgement to Logan and looking to see the tiredness on Hazel's face, he said to her "Logan is right, I'll show you to your bedroom now"

Stubbornness on her face and mischief in her eyes, Hazel responded "but I don't want to go to bed" with a well executed pout. Laughing a full blown laugh, Hank simply lifted her into his arms and began walking out of the kitchen. Instead of protesting she simply gave a laugh herself and waved her goodbye to everyone.

In no time, Hank had arrived at Hazel's new room and had deposited her on her new, extremely comfortable bed. Lifting herself from the mattress, she caught Hank as he was leaving the room and gave him a kiss on the cheek goodnight.

Hank McCoy, one time Senator, full time X-Man and, and wonderful friend left the room of one of his oldest friends with an extremely large smile on his face. Walking down the hall towards his own room, he passed Logan.

Seeing his friend's expression, Logan had called jokingly to him "wipe that look off your face until you've actually gotten laid." Hank had just shaken his head good naturedly, and Logan admitted to himself that he hadn't seen his friend so happy in a long, long time. He also knew that that girl was going to cause a whole hell of a lot of trouble around the mansion. Honestly, couldn't wait to see. And as an afterthought he that Hank probably wouldn't mind watching her do so either. Course, Hank probably wouldn't mind what she was doing as long as he was near her.

Blue fuzzy dudes rock, the German accent is optional.


End file.
