The Element of Change {Xmen first class}

Ch. 8 "Meditation is Good for the Mind"

A/N: Only one chapter after this until the big fight against Sebastian Shaw, and then a couple of more after that until the end of "The Element of Change." You know, this is the most recent story that I've started and it'll be the first I actually finished. Funny how that goes, huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review.

Lei walked down the hallways of the Xavier mansion, deep in thought and set on a mission to talk to Charles. He'd criticized them about remaining serious during their group training this morning and had ended up offending the majority of the team. After Lei had made the breakfast, Charles had left barely anytime for the team to relax before throwing them into training. Everyone knew that he was nervous and just trying to prepare them in their fight against Shaw, but having a little fun every once in a while wasn't bad. Besides Erik, Moira, and Lei, the others were barely out of their teens; Hank being the only one that was even drinking age. So Lei was going to go talk to him. Besides, how could he be strict on their training, when he himself hadn't been training with his mutation at all? Even Erik, who had been using his powers for years, had been submitted to the conditioning.

"It's odd how two men so different in character can come together and become friends," Lei thought, smiling to Erik as he passed her down the hallway. Erik was the cold, brooding bad boy with a secret kindness that he hid with anger, for fear of being hurt again. While Charles was the baby faced, blue eyed Englishmen who had a secret pain that he hid with his charming smile and kind manner. Two sides of the same coin, so different, yet one couldn't exist without the other.

Lei knocked on the closed door of Charles' office and the talking inside ceased. "Charles?" She asked, cracking the door open and peaking inside. Charles' blue eyes drifted from the person sitting across from him and to the door. "I need to talk to you."

Moira, who was sitting across from him, turned to see who was at the door and then back to the telepath.

"I'll see you later, Charles," she said, standing up and walking out of the office. Lei watched her go before turning back around and sitting in the chair Moira was previously occupying.

There was silence. Lei folded her hands in her lap and gazed back at Charles. "Did you want to talk to me?" He asked, arching his left eyebrow. Lei shifted in her seat to a more relaxed position and took a long time to answer him.

"Yes," she said finally. "You need to be easier on the students." Charles began to protest, but she held up her hand to stop him. "I know that you're worried about Shaw, but they're just kids, and they like to have fun every once in a while. What's the phrase? All work and no play?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow.  "We're trying our best. You have to realize that."

Her friend's eyes softened. "I know. You're right," he admitted reluctantly.

Lei smiled and stood up from her chair. "Of course I am," she said cockily, placing a hand on her hip and standing over Charles' desk. He looked up at her.

"Come on," she proclaimed, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him out of the door.

"Where are we going?" He asked, tumbling after her as they raced down the hallway.

Lei turned around, her hair falling into her eyes as she looked back at him. "You've been teaching all of us, Charles. But who is teaching you?"

The two mutants ran down the hallway hand in hand, oblivious to the odd glances everyone was giving them, specifically from Erik and Raven. Lei threw the doors open to the gardens outside, but didn't slow down to wait for her eyes to adjust.

"I don't need-" Charles started, throwing his arm up to block it from the blearing sun. Before he could finish, Lei let go of his arm and stopped suddenly, resulting in Charles almost falling into her.