2nd

[a_q]

This was my other take of Lorna and first one to actually write her into the X2. This piece of story got several praising feedbacks, I don't think that any other of my fics has managed the same. It is one of my favorites. 3900 words, PG all the way.

It was all too much to take. First the attack at the school, then the thing with the cops (now I liked John even less than before) and finally the huge plunge towards the ground featuring the surprise saviour.

"Lorna, would you like something to eat?" Marie asked for like the thousandth time and again I just shook my head.

She was dealing with the situation by taking care that all four of us ate. Me refusing to do so irked her, but that was just too bad. I couldn't eat now. He sat only a few meters away from me! Magneto himself! I was sure there was a line of bruises in my arm where I had been pinching myself just to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. I just couldn't believe it! Magneto!

Under the disbelief and excitement there was a nervous flutter in my stomach. I had always wanted to meet him, a mutant with gift like mine, but he was Magneto after all. The man who had almost killed Marie and numerous other people on the side. I knew it was wrong to be so excited about him. It was. In the end he was a common terrorist. But he was like me! But stronger. So very much stronger.

The way he had just stopped the Blackbird from it's fall and simultaneusly reconstructed the damaged part… Whoa. I saw it with my own eyes but I still couldn't understand his technique. I mean, bending metal is simple, it was the very first thing I had learned. But it was so easy to overdo. Too much force, too little force and it all goes askew. He had mended the hole from the ground while the Blackbird was dropping down fast and the material of the Blackbird designed so he couldn't touch it. It was just amazing when you thought about it. And the magnetic cushion where the Blackbird had stopped so smoothly! There just wasn't adjective big enough to contain the feelings rushing in my head. I just…

Suddenly the new blue guy vanished from the other side of the campfire leaving behind a stench of sulphur. I startled.

"Lorna? Are you alright?"

"What? Where did he go?"

Bobby looked at me surprised. "Didn't you listen? He went closer to the other fire to hear what they're talking about. You know? This whole situation and all?"

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Sarcastic Guy."

Bobby frowned at me and Marie shot me a surprised look. John laughed. Simultaneously we shot a look at him to shut him up. He really wasn't on our good side at the moment. I rubbed my face. This was just crazy.

I had to pull myself together. "I'm sorry. I'm just… Tired I guess. I think I'll go and get myself a jacket from the Blackbird. The third panel, was it?"

Marie nodded and smiled. Thank goodness she wasn't a psychic. Our budding friendship would suffer a imminent death if she could hear my thoughts about Magneto. I stood up and walked into the Blackbird.

Marie was a sweet girl and a great friend. So my obsessive thoughts about man that had almost killed her made me feel guilty. And horrible. But I couldn't help myself. Magneto, Magneto, Magneto.

His presence so close felt like being in the heart of a magnetic hurricane. I just had to ignore it. I had to.

I found the the panel and pulled it open with a small magnetic flow and chose a jacket that somewhat fit my size. Sure, I could have just used my hands to open it but I needed the feeling that touching the magnetic force brought. It thrilled me and soothed me and made my racing thoughts slow down. Besides, the panels were pretty much the only things I could move in the Blackbird and even that took some effort. Careful material designing didn't seem to slow Magneto down one bit, but I was pretty much helpless when it came to the jet. I could feel a lot of different metal parts all over the place but I was unable to touch them. That's why I couldn't help mending the jet when the missile hit. And I didn't like the feeling.

I walked over to the back to see the spot where the hole had been. The wall was unmarred and whole, not a sign of that gaping rip that had been there only hours ago. I traced my fingers over the surface. There was a faint residue of Magneto's powers, like a fingerprint or a signature. Nothing was wrong, but the jet had been marked. Like a inside joke of some kind. Damn. He could do all those things simultaneously, effectively and with style! But how? How? The question burned my mind. I wanted to know. I wanted to learn. But I couldn't just go and ask him to teach me. Or could I? No. That just wasn't done. The Professor wouldn't appreciate such move. Neither would anybody else.

"Lorna? Hi. How it's going? Are you alright?"

I jumped away from the wall and turned around to face Ms. Grey. She looked tired. I tried to come up some kind of warm, reassuring feeling to send to her (and disguise my other thoughts). Her aura brightened up for a moment and then returned to her own distinct pattern.

I put up my best brave-little-girl smile and shoved my thoughts in the back of my mind. "I'm good. I just thought if you'd need any help fixing the jet? I'm not sure if I can help all that much but…"

"Thank you. Actually, could you check that wall for me? See if it's alright?"

I nodded and turned around, placing my hand again against the cool surface of the wall like it was the first time I was examining it. Now that I knew what to expect, the work done on the spot almost jumped out at me. The threads were knitted to fit perfectly, everything was just as it should be. I suspected that some parts of the patch the workmanship was even better than the original, unbroken material. How on earth did he do this? I turned around to find Ms. Grey still looking at me and waiting.

"It's all good as far as I can tell."

"Thank you. Have a seat Lorna. "

It wasn't much short from a command. Damn damn damn! What could be worse than a psychic teacher when your mind is full of things you don't want anybody to know? I sat down one of the seats and Ms. Grey sat across from me.

"You know that I don't read your mind but your are projecting your thoughts and I can't help hearing them. Would you like to share?"

I stared at my hands. I didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to think so loud."

"Oh, no! Think as much as you wish. I just thought if you would like to talk about it with someone so you could get some peace of mind. I don't have to be a mindreader to tell that Magneto is upsetting you. He seems to upset everybody."

I looked at her. She didn't look angry, only concerned. Nervously I twisted my hair. Bright apple green. I should dye it again soon. I twisted and twisted, trying to come up some sort of starting point to all my mixed feelings.

"It's just that… It's so amazing, you know, what he did? I don't understand it. I just… I want to know how. But I can't ask him or anything, it isn't like he would just show me all the tricks or something… His presence, it's so strong. And Marie! She would be so upset if…"

It all came out wrong. The words stumbled on each other and landed on a heap. I twisted my hair around my finger in the point where I thought I was going to rip it off my scalp. But Ms. Grey just smiled and listened until I just couldn't come up with anymore words.

"I see. You are right, Marie would be upset if you would just go and talk with Magneto. I don't recommend it either, but of course nobody won't stop you from doing it if you really want to. I'm sure that in the end nobody won't blame you for being curious. The Professor the least. But I can't say what Magneto would tell you."

I nodded. She smiled at me. "You are intelligent young woman Lorna and I trust your judgement. I'm sure you'll do as you see fit."

I didn't know what to say. I felt my face flushing and I rose up and just hugged her on the spur of the moment . "Thanks Ms. Grey."

"You're welcome. Now, would you like to help me with the hydraulics tests?"

"No, I think I'll go out to sit with Marie and Bobby for a while. And John. I would probably just mess your tests up."

"John… I think I should have a few words with him too, at some point."

I didn't say anything and Ms. Grey sighed deeply. She seemed even more tired than before. "Could you ask Ro to come up here if you see her?"

"Sure," I said and left her to get on with her tests. On my way out I saw Logan's grizzly electric patterns in the dim light. He was walking from the other side of the jet to the open floor ramp. Well. I didn't need to be an expert on magnetism to see the power pulling those two together.

I walked towards our campfire. Marie and Bobby had put the tents up and now they were spending the time talking about something in hushed tones. From their postures and the sullen look on John's face, the conversation was very private. The talk with Ms. Grey had left me feeling a whole lot better and I really didn't want to spoil my mood by spending the evening with John and the chittering wannabe pair, so I made a quick change of plans. I noticed Ms. Munroe talking with the blue man and I made a short stop to deliver Ms. Grey's message.

Then I continued my slow stroll towards the edge of the clearing. Logan had been very clear on his instructions about going into the woods again, so I sat down in the soft tuft of grass and leaned my back on big grey stone protruding from the earth. I closed my eyes from the light of the campfires and the dim electric glow of the jet. I breathed in the deep scent of the forest. I placed my hands flat against the ground and the secure feeling of the stone behind my back I concentrated to find the slow, massive heartbeat of the planet.

Magnetic currents pressed against my skin, like playful puppies, but I let them be. I just connected myself into the earth more tightly. All my previous thoughts became ridicilous and obsolete under the overwhelming presence of the earth. There was small patch of iron ore somewhere far down and using that familiar feeling I fed myself from it. I wasn't hungry for tangible food because the magnetic flows could feed me better than anything.

Also I yearned for some sort of security. Everything seemed to fall apart around us. The school, the Professor, other kids that I hoped were alright. I needed the consolation. Certainty. And there isn't anything more certain than the planet itself.

I doubt he could ever sneak up on me. Magneto's presence announced him as soon as he walked closer to me. I felt like a child getting caught from the cookie jar. I opened my eyes and released myself from the pull of the earth. Or tried to. His power and aura threw me out of balance and I basically tripped over every single thread of magnetic field around me. Even though to the naked eye I seemed to sit still and shudder from the cold, to Magneto the sight was something along the lines of me falling face flat to the ground. And he didn't miss a sight from my display. He smiled.

"Hello."

"It worries!" I bluttered out the very first thing that floated in my mind in sheer panic. I scrambled to my feet and for a brief moment I was afraid that I would really fall flat on my face.

"I'm sorry?" He seemed a bit buzzled by my reaction. I rewinded to see what I had said. Damn! I blushed. This was a nightmare.

"I mean… Hi. I'm Lorna. Dane."

"Nice to meet you, Lorna Dane. I'm Eric Lensherr," And then he held out his hand. It was unbelievable. I just brushed my hand against my pants to get rid of the dirt and then we shook hands. His handshake was firm. My hand trembled. I would have expected some sort of great magnetic feeling, but there was just a faint tug on his part and then I tugged back and that was it.

He let my hand go. "So, Lorna Dane. You master magnetic fields too, I take?"

"I'm not really mastering anything yet. But yeah, I suppose," I wanted to stare at him but I doubt that could have been a tad improper. But I did notice that his eyes were grey. And he was tall. And his infamous uniform looked spotless and fit like a glove. And… I was staring. I blushed again. This was ridiculous.

To hide my confusion I sat down to the stone and instead of gaping him mouth open I tried to act more composed and mature. I tried hard. This was my best chance to ask the questions that burned my mind but I didn't know where to start. I kept staring at my hands. C'mon, c'mon, say something you silly girl!

"Do you have a name, Lorna?"

I looked up surprised. Of course I knew what he meant, but I wasn't sure I wanted him to know. I wasn't so sure about the name yet. He looked at me, waiting. And I just said it out loud.

"Polaris."

It sounded meek and stupid to me and I was sure he was going to burst laughing. But he didn't. He just smiled, wide and warm. My heart leaped just a bit, not that I would ever admit that to anyone.

"Well, Polaris, did you like the mending on your jet?"

"Yes, it's… " I tried to come up with some sort of adjective that could hold all the possible praises. "Very nice."

Oh yes. A cliché, anyone?

"And the fingerprint too. It was just… How did you do it? I mean, with that speed and all?"

At first he didn't answer and I was certain that my question had insulted him. But I had to ask. I wanted to know. The polymer on the jet prevented me from doing anything inside it or directly to it. So how could he? Was it just a power thing or was there some sort of a trick? My choices were to figure these things out for myself or bug this man as much as possible so he would teach me something. Anything. He was the only one who could give me answers on this wacky mutant gift of mine. I waited in silence for him to make a decision. He sighed a bit and nodded.

"Very well. I'll show you the basic idea. Hold this," He floated from his pocket an iron sphere, it molecules packed so tight and close that it was a manifestation of purity. I took a magnetic flow and hold the sphere in the flows tip. It was iron, thank goodness. That is the best metal for me.

"Flatten it."

I pressed the sphere just a bit at first, then harder and round form turned in to a flat disc. He moved his finger and the middle of the disc opened like a flower. The feeling of his magnetic alterations against my flow made me shudder. It was like an intimate touch. The disc wavered with me. Magneto didn't even blink. Maybe he didn't feel it.

"Pay attention. Now, if there is only little metal to work with, you also have to use only little force for it. See?" Magneto held his hand toward the hole in the disc and with a small twich of his fingertip the hole closed. The disc was again smooth. The flow he used was so tiny, when compared to the flow that I was holding. He had the tip of a pin when I had a plank.

"And the speed comes from adding the flows."

Another move of his hand and the disc burst open like a rotten fruit. There was so many small flows packed in the discs surface that it looked like one big flow. Another move and flows thrusted the disc back to the smoothness.

"Now, try it yourself."

He let go of the disc and looked at me, waiting for my first move. I opened a hole in the middle. Now then… Small flow… I made a magnetic cushion for the disc to rest on and so I could have my flows free. I tried to draw less power than before. The flow shrank just a bit. Less… I tried and tried but I just couldn't make the flow so small as Magnetos had been.

"I can't shrink it any more."

"Yes you can. Loosen from the left side."

"But it will dissolve!"

"No it won't. You are holding it. Just try it."

Well, I had asked for a tutoring, so I should do as I'm told. I loosened the flow from the left. For a moment I was sure I had lost the flow into the thin air but it hold. It was thin!

"See?"

I nodded without moving my eyes from the disc. I had to concentrate. I bit my lip and pushed the flow against the ragged edges of the hole. Slowly the iron bend.

"Lorna?"

Ms. Grey's voice behind my back startled me so that my hold on the disc slipped and the disc went flying through the air towards Magnetos head. Without missing a beat he just stopped the disc dead still and squached it back to the sphere form. I hopped down from the stone and turned to face Ms. Grey. I blushed fiercely again, like I had been caught doing something really nasty. She looked stern and cold. "Could you come and help me, please?"

I just nodded.

"Here, have this. You can practice some more," Magneto hold in his hand the iron sphere but he didn't flow it to me. I took the few steps separating me and him and took the sphere from his hand. Our skins touched briefly and suddenly there was a magnetic current so strong that I was amazed that the whole campsite didn't bend to obey it. My mouth fell open for a moment and Magneto smiled a smug little smile to me.

"Here ends the lesson. It was nice to meet you, Lorna Dane."

"Lorna? Now, please," Ms. Greys voice sounded even more strained than before and I just flashed a brief smile to Magneto and walked away, past from Ms. Grey and towards the jet. I turned to wait for her and the quiet evening air floated her voice to me. "Leave her be."

I wasn't sure what Magneto answered to her but suddenly in the darkness Ms. Grey's aura flashed.

"Leave all the kids be. I am not warning twice," Then she turned around and walked towards where I stood. I turned too, trying to look like I wasn't listening in and walked towards the jet. I waited for her near the open floor ramp. I didn't want to face Ms. Grey. I was sure that she wasn't happy by what had happened, even if it wasn't my fault.

"Lorna…"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! He just…"

"Yes, yes, alright. Calm down please. I have a horrible headache… "

I snapped my mouth shut and waited. She rubbed her face and sighed deep. "I'm not angry at you, Lorna. I already had a disappointing conversation with John and I don't want to have one again. Like I told you, I trust your judgement. Now, I really did need your help in here… "

"Ms. Grey? Can we… Can we be quiet about this? I mean… I don't want Marie to know."

"If you wish."

I nodded and that was the end of it. I put the sphere in my pocket and went to work. I didn't get to sleep until the crack of dawn and even then my dreams were blurry and filled with metallic shine and magnetic currents.


In the morning we packed the campsite under Logans watch. John was still receiving a cold treatment from Marie and Bobby. I was taking no stance on the matter, I talked to John when needed but that was it. We haven't been friends and I didn't care to start now. I suspected that I had already hurt Marie as much as possible. Hopefully she would never find out.

Magneto and the strange Mystique woman walked into the jet without bothering to notice us and I was happy about that. I hadn't touched the sphere since the last night but I could feel it resting in my pocket. I was impressed by Magneto's tutoring but I still had this nagging feeling that I had done a wrong thing. I should have just walk away from him last night. And why on earth had I told him my name? Not even the Professor had heard it yet.

I tried not to look Magneto at all.

I sat as front as possible when we finally boarded the jet. Ms. Grey, Ms. Munroe and Logan had changed to their uniforms and I saw the hungry looks Marie and Bobby shot at the uniform locker. I didn't care for that much, I wasn't all that keen to join the X-men as Marie and Bobby seemed. John was the other one that didn't seem to care but in these circumstances I understood the attitude. Logan shot a quip about their uniforms being ordered and Marie and Bobby turned around to get back to their seats, hiding the disappointment. Then Magneto said something that finally broke my admiration to him.

"Rogue, we just love what you've done with your hair."

I saw how Marie's back went rigid like a steel bar and how she started to pull her gloves off. She crackled pure hate. Logan turned around in his seat and looked like ready to jump and cut Magneto's throat (not that he would ever manage to get that close. Even I could have stopped him with all that adamantium in his bones) but Bobby was faster and took a hold of Marie, saying something in calm tone. Marie agreed to go with him and they sat down near me, away from Magneto.

I stared at the jet floor. I felt disconnected in the jet and now Magneto's presence made me feel even more nauseating than before. That sentence had been the most vicious and same time the most childish thing I had ever heard. I couldn't understand how I had looked up on that man. I was so stupid. Shame flooded in me like a tide.

* Don't be ashamed Lorna. Now you see him more like he is, not what you want him to be. Even the idols can be idiots *

I looked up to see Ms. Grey's reassuring smile. I smiled back. She was right.

Even idols can be idiots. And then they won't be idols anymore.