Lei walked down the great halls of the Xavier Mansion, thinking over the events that had just occurred at the CIA base. They were in a safe place now, but everyone was still rattled over Darwin's death and Angel leaving them for the enemy.
She was going to go talk to Charles when she noticed one of the new recruits, Alex, held up in the library. His brows were knitted together in concentration and there was a book sitting in his lap, but it didn't look like he was paying much attention to it.
"Alex, are you okay?" She asked, stepping into the library.
The young man turned from looking out the window. "What do you want?" He asked hostility.
Lei's brows furrowed as she stepped closer. "I want to know if you're okay," she offered in a softer tone.
Alex scoffed and looked back outside the window. Lei nodded and looked down at her folded hands. She knew what this was about.
"Alex, it isn't your fault about what happened to Darwin."
He didn't look at her. The young woman sighed before sitting on the couch across from him. A thought occurred to her. "'You must never give into despair," she paused and tried to think of the next line. "'Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to you lowest instincts. In the darkest times hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.'"
Lei got up to leave but stopped and turned back to look at the young mutant. She placed her hand on Alex's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I didn't know Darwin very long, but I am sure that if he were here he would forgive you and want you to move on."
When Alex didn't respond, Lei slowly turned away. As she reached the door, she heard the teen call out for her. "Yes?" she asked, her hand resting on the doorway.
"Thank you," Alex said. Lei smiled and nodded before turning way.
"Lei?"
"Alex?" She said, stopping and turning around again.
"Who told you that?" He wondered, turning in his seat to look at her.
"My father," she answered, a sad smile ghosting across her lips. The boy nodded before turning back around and opening his book to read.
Lei smiled before going to talk to Charles about training for tomorrow.
End of chapter two.
The quote is from Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender, in other words one of the best animated shows ever.
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The Element of Change {Xmen first class}
FanfictionLei Watson was a water bender, and ever since she discovered that ability, she's wanted to do something great. But that dream died the day she was sent to live with an aunt in America, all on the notion that she would be safe there. But life isn't...
