The opening of classes had come and gone, and as the second day of classes grind to a close, Lance found himself walking down one of the corridors on the ground floor of the mansion. The corridor, however, did not lead to any of his classrooms. On the contrary, that corridor is in the exact opposite direction he is taking now. This particular corridor led to one of the nicer places that Shin had shown him during the quick tour of the mansion, when he first arrived, a few weeks back... the Library.

In the short time he had been a resident of the mansion, Lance never had the opportunity or proper reason to visit the library until now.

Three of his five subjects for the fall term had already given out assignments and advance readings and his chemistry teacher had already given out a research assignment. Sure, all of the above can be quickly and easily accomplished through the internet. But some inexplicable force had led him to where he is now... in front of the oaken door of the mansion’s library.

Lance slowly turned the door knob and pushed on the door. Despite its apparent weight, the door did not make a single squeak as it slowly swung open. Lance took a step across the threshold onto the carpet-lined floor. He quietly entered the room with the reverence of someone walking into a sanctuary. In fact, Lance HAD found a sanctuary for himself. As the door gently closed behind him, the noise from the outside suddenly ceased and was replaced by sweet, serene silence.

The teen slowly walked deeper into the library, the ceiling rising way above him. If he was to hazard a guess, the library was big enough to occupy two floors of that wing of the mansion.

Row upon row of bookshelves filled with reading materials on various subject matters, lined the interior of the large room. Chairs and tables for the users were spread throughout the room, giving them the privacy they needed to do their work undisturbed.

The afternoon sun was streaming through the large glass windows lining one side of the library. A thin curtain filtered most of the light and heat from the outside providing the room just the right amount of illumination and warmth.

Perfect... Lance's inner voice was in agreement with him.

Lance did not notice anyone in the front desk as he entered, so he took it upon himself to roam the forest of bookshelves looking for the references he needs to finish his assignment.

Lance had searched through five rows of bookshelves and was making his way towards the sixth, when rounding the end of the shelf, he encountered something out of the ordinary for a library. Several books lay scattered on the floor between the sixth and seventh shelf and an A-frame ladder stood blocking his path.

Plunk……Splat….Squish. The sounds still haunted Kealey as she strode quickly down the hall, hairdryer in hand. She was trying not to be irritated…trying really hard not to be irritated with the water manipulating thirteen year old who’d single-handedly soaked a quarter of the biography section in the library.

True, the non-fiction books weren’t Kealey’s favorite, but that didn’t mean they’d deserved to be doused when one of the girl’s friends had come up behind her and covered her eyes with a “BOO” that had echoed through the huge library with their voice enhancing powers activated.

She’d left the ladder leaning against the bookshelf and she’d gone to get reinforcements…namely her hairdryer. The books were going to have to be dried out by hand if she didn’t want them to end up damaged.

Back into the library the blond librarian moved, sighing a bit at the mess she had to clean up. Around the corner of the shelves she moved, only to see another student standing there.

”Sorry…this section is closed until I can clean up the mess. Is there something else I can help you with?” she smiled when she said it. It wasn’t this boy’s fault, she bent and picked up two dripping books. ”I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Kealey.” she said, loading the dripping tomes onto the cart she'd grabbed earlier.

OOC - Hope the direction I took things is okay I'd kind of had this in my head all day, so I tried to make it work. Lemme know if it doesn't, and I'll change.

(It’s fine, Kealey. My bad for editing the post at the last minute.)


”Sorry…this section is closed until I can clean up the mess.”

Lance was startled by the feminine voice behind him. He nearly tripped over himself in his hurry to face the source of the voice. The teen involuntarily gulped when he beheld the speaker. A beautiful blond woman, a little older than he was, stood no more than three feet away from him. Butterflies suddenly started fluttering in his stomach.

Relax... his inner voice started. Breathe... slowly...

Focusing his attention on the woman, Lance noticed that she was holding something... a hairdryer. Now that was really weird. What would someone do with a hairdryer inside a library? It was then that he noticed the squishy feeling of the carpet beneath his shoes.

”Is there something else I can help you with?”

Silence...

The woman’s question went unanswered as his eyes simply followed her as she bent down and picked-up two books that were obviously quite wet.

Hey, bozo! his inner voice suddenly exploded in his mind. The nice lady asked you a question. Now answer her nicely and for heaven’s sake, quit staring like an idiot!

”Uh... Chemistry,” Lance answered. ”I was... uh, looking for Chemistry books for an assignment.”

”I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Kealey.”

”Lance... Lance Sandejas,” he replied. ”Pleased to meet you... Kealey, right?”

Lance bent down, picked two soggy books and placed them in the cart with the others, ”Let me help you with these.”

Kealey understood the feelings that flashed through the teen when he turned to face her all too well. He was tense, and Kealey felt her irritation fade in reaction to the unintentional flattery. She wanted to smile, and did so for a moment as she bent to pick up the books, but carefully smoothed her face when she rose again. The last thing she wanted was for the boy to think she was teasing him.

They hadn’t met, and the student’s name was Lance. His last name sounded Spanish, and Kealey resisted the urge to stay it out loud. It seemed like it would have such a nice ring to it. She settled for, ”That’s a lovely name Lance. It’s nice to meet you.” as she nodded her head in response to her counteroffer of her own name.

He was looking for books on Chemistry, and Kealey nodded her head, ”You were almost in the right spot. Non-fiction books are on this floor. You’re in the biography section right now, next is the history, then the science non-fiction. It’s about two shelves down in that direction.” she said, the Irish lilt of her voice carrying the words as she pointed.

Back she went to work, only to find herself surprised when Lance offered to help. Kelaey couldn’t do anything but look gratefully at the younger man, ”I appreciate it. I’ve got my work cut out for me with all of these if they’re not going to be ruined. I think some of the pages are already starting to warp…”

”That’s a lovely name Lance. It’s nice to meet you.”

”Th... Thank you.” Lance replied with an uncertain smile. He was unsure on how to properly respond to the compliment. This was the first time that his name was complimented like that. Sure, his family often repeated the selfsame comment. But hearing it from a total stranger got the teen all tongue-tied.

”You were almost in the right spot. Non-fiction books are on this floor. You’re in the biography section right now, next is the history, then the science non-fiction. It’s about two shelves down in that direction.” she said, the Irish lilt of her voice carrying the words as she pointed.

Lance looked towards the direction that Kealey was pointing to. Two shelves that way... he mentally noted.

”I appreciate it. I’ve got my work cut out for me with all of these if they’re not going to be ruined. I think some of the pages are already starting to warp…”

Lance was happy that his offer of assistance was accepted by Kealey. He placed his binder on a nearby shelf and proceeded to pick-up more of the soggy books, loading them all into the cart.

”If you don’t mind my asking, Kealey. Why are you doing this alone?” Lance asked out of curiosity. “What I mean is, isn’t there any one else in this library to help you?”

Of course there is someone to help her... That is what you are already doing, right? his inner voice answered his questions with a sarcastic tone.

” You’re welcome…” Kealey said with a responding smile. Lance was apparently a little shy, and her compliment had made him a bit uneasy. She didn’t know what else to do, thus was the burden of her power. If she told Lance she sympathized, he’d probably be embarrassed and things would be worse…keeping it quiet simply meant she had to deal with the emotions as they came and not get distracted enough that that she started to reciprocate.

Back to the books. Kealey picked up a biography on Jean-Francois Chamollion and placed it on the cart with the others, setting the hairdryer on top of them.

Lance helped her for a moment, and Kealey shrugged her shoulders when he asked why she didn’t have any help in the library.

”The school year only started a month ago. I was trying to let things settle down a little bit before I hired a lot of help. I handled everything myself over the summer, but I’ve gotten a little….busier in recent months.”

It wasn’t a surprise, X-Men duties, school starting up, and spending time with Shin were time consuming activities…albeit incredibly enjoyable. ”I suppose I need to get around to putting up a request for help.”

The last book came up from the floor, and Kealey looked at the large stack on the cart.

”Then maybe I wouldn’t feel so buried.”

”I suppose I need to get around to putting up a request for help. Then maybe I wouldn’t feel so buried.”

Of course there is someone to help her... That is what you are already doing, right? his inner voice answered his questions with a sarcastic tone.

YOWZAH! Despite the oft times his inner voice was there to ridicule his actions, there were times that it came up with the most brilliant of ideas... and this is one of those times. And Lance couldn’t be more thankful or happier for it.

A sheepish smile slowly made its way to his lips as the idea began taking shape. He wasn’t sure if Kealey would agree to the idea, he was a new student to the school in the first place. But he had to try, at least.

”Uh... I can help...” Lance said, just as Kealey picked-up the last soggy book and added it to the large pile. ”If you’ll have me, that is.” he quickly added.

Lance was thinking about something, and Kealey paid attention. If the blond had been asked to guess, she probably could have done pretty well at getting a handle on the idea forming in Lance’s mind. Kealey thought about it too…she was awful busy with the Library and the designing, and school was getting ready to start. It would be nice to have someone lighten the load a little bit.

The books were all up off the ground now, and Kealey turned back to Lance, pushing the hair that had escaped her curly ponytail back behind her ear. Hands went on hips and she studied the kid. Sure it was just the library, and it didn’t seem like a job that would require too much responsibility. It was Kealey’s though…and things that were hers were near and dear to her heart.

He looked like a nice, clean-cut kid, and his emotions so far had been nothing but flattering and polite. That didn’t mean he’d get off easy though.

There was the question. Kealey studied Lance for a moment more.

”Come with me back to the desk so I can plug this in without electrocuting myself and we’ll see.”

Kealey turned, pushing the cart in front of herself and looking over her shoulder, ”You like libraries then? What’s your favorite book or series?”

”Come with me back to the desk so I can plug this in without electrocuting myself and we’ll see.”

Lance was actually smiling at Kealey’s invitation. The fact that she did not turn down his offer outright left an impression that she is considering or will consider his offer. And for the moment, that was enough for him.

As his possible new boss turned and started pushing the cart laden with soggy books, Lance quickly grabbed the binder he had left atop one of the nearby shelves.

”You like libraries then? What’s your favorite book or series?”

Lance wanted to answer with an enthusiastic “most definitely” but decided at the last minute to give a more normal answer. ”Yes. I like the library primarily because of the solitude it offers. I find the place perfect for thinking... and of course studying or doing research.” he added with a smile.

The second question, however, was a lot more trickier to answer. ”Well, for fiction... almost any science fiction or fantasy book is good by me. But if you want specifics, then the works of Tolkien and Eddings. And for non-fiction... academic reference books, as of the moment, since I will most probably spend a great deal of my time in their company.” Lance added sheepishly.

He quickened his steps and assisted Kealey in pushing the cart.

Lance liked libraries because of the solitude and Kealey smiled slightly. ”Just because a library is quiet, doesn’t mean its deserted. Many of these places are open all the time…” she paused, ”More people go in and out of libraries than most other places in the world.”

She paused, hoping she hadn’t given the wrong idea, ”Not that I can’t understand how nice the silence is. I eat it up whenever I can.” Only, this library was never quiet. The library was in close enough proximity to everything else in the Mansion that Kealey could still feel all sorts of emotions.

Her other question was answered as well, and Kealey smiled as he pointed out the fact that he liked science fiction and fantasy. They were popular genres these days, and everyone seemed to have at least some interest. Lance, however, was also a fan of non-fiction, and seemed to think that he’d be spending a lot of time in the library whether he was helping out or not.

They’d made it to the circulation desk by this point, and Kealey sat down in her wheelie chair, fumbling with the plug until the sound of the dryer broke the silence of the library.

Kealey winced slightly at the sound, but started on the first biography. She tilted her head up at Lance and studied him again for a moment, ”This is going to sound rude…” she said over the sound, ”If you work in here…can I expect problems like this?” she gestured at the damp books.

”This is going to sound rude… If you work in here… can I expect problems like this?”

Upon hearing the word “rude”, Lance steeled himself to be asked something really personal, his mind going into overdrive in anticipation of the question. When Kealey finally asked him, his mind froze, then laughed, for a few seconds. The question wasn’t really rude at all. In fact, it was very sensible... Kealey wanted help not additional headaches in the library.


”I’ll try my best to prevent incidents like this from happening,” was his honest answer. Accidents can happen anywhere, including libraries. And perhaps in this library more than anywhere else. Humans, some say, are accident prone but humans with mutations take the matter into a whole new level. “Although, realistically speaking, accidents will happen. The library is, after all, being extensively used by persons with differing mutations... Lance added, throwing a quick glance to the stack of wet books. ”If the number of untoward incidents can be completely removed or at least kept to a minimum, then it will allow me to focus my attention on more important activities here in the library, rather than cleaning-up the mess left behind by a couple of kids that went overboard with their playfulness.” Lance concluded his answer with a small smile. That was a bold gamble on his part. Lance’s ending statement assumed that he will be taken in by Kealey as her new assistant.

Nice plan... his inner voice sarcastically complimented him. But what if she found your answer too assuming? What if she is turned off by it? What then, genius?

Kealey grinned as Lance explained how he would work damage control. It wasn’t exactly what Kealey had been getting at with her question, but his answer was more than satisfactory in a few different levels and eliminated the need for some of the other questions she’d been going to ask.

Yes, it would have been nice to live in a perfect utopia where absolutely nothing ever went wrong and accidents never happened. People would have lived in harmony, there would have been no fighting, and there wouldn’t have ever been a need for the X-Men. Surely these books would never have gotten so wet. Unfortunately, that was not the case. They lived in the real world, and Kealey knew that. She also knew she was still curious about the real answer she’d been seeking when she’d ask her question of Lance.

”Good answer.” she said, flipping through the pages of her current project and making sure they were all dry before setting it to the side and grabbing another.

”Now. Tell me what complications you’re going to have from your mutation, and how you’re going to deal with them in a way that won’t affect your work.” she said more bluntly and to the point.

The blond waited for an answer and hoped she wasn’t coming across at all as rude. She needed to know, though. Her own powers caused her problems all the time, and she constantly wrote herself notes so she wouldn’t forget what she was doing in an unintentional fit of emotional pique. ”I’m not trying to be rude or nosey, but understanding your weaknesses…even in something as simple as a library job…can help a lot in the grand scheme of things.”

She waited patiently, fanning through more pages and blow-drying. This was an important question.

”Good answer.”

Lance was trying to suppress the urge to beam at the compliment. Although it seemed such a childish reaction, he couldn’t help himself. There was something about the way Kealey throws her compliment that really rubs him the right way. His mind was still in cloud nine when Kealey popped her next question.

”Now. Tell me what complications you’re going to have from your mutation, and how you’re going to deal with them in a way that won’t affect your work... I’m not trying to be rude or nosey, but understanding your weaknesses… even in something as simple as a library job… can help a lot in the grand scheme of things.”

It took about a second or two for his mind to register that... What? his inner voice bristled. If it was another that asked that question, Lance would have walked-out of the conversation immediately. But it was Kealey who had asked it... Don’t be too trusting, kid. She might seem nice and all, just like the apple eaten by Snow White... crispy, delicious and poisoned. Appearances can be deceiving.

Lance ignored the monologue going on inside his mind. The question was, to him, a test of trust. How much was he willing to trust his would be boss? And there seem to be no other measure of trust, to a mutant at least, than to talk to someone about his limitations.

Lance took a moment to mentally review what he was about to say and how to say it. “First off, I don’t want to use my powers in such a wonderful place as this library,” Lance started, looking around the place for emphasis. ”Unless this place experience student riots, every now and then... I make for an effective riot dispersal unit.” he added, smiling, as an attempt to lighten the discussion a bit.

“Seriously though, the only problems I think that I might have with regards to the use, or rather abuse, of my power is that I tend to experience backlash from my power’s effect when I use it continually for an extended period of time. So, aside from pain and nausea, there might also be instances when I will be reporting to work without a voice for a day or two,” Lance answered. He no longer found it that difficult to talk about his ability, unlike the time he first arrived at the mansion. Perhaps being with others like him and being able to talk to them about their respective abilities have helped greatly in reducing the discomfort he often feels when discussing his power with others.

”The pain and nausea can be temporarily relieved by the usual dosages of paracetamol, until it disappears completely. However, the complete loss of voice might be a hindrance...” Lance stopped dead in the middle of his explanation. He suddenly realized that his last sentence had, inadvertently, opened a can of worms.

Nice going, junior... You just blew your chance to be her assistant... his inner voice reproached him for the slip-up.

”I guess, I’ll just have to make use of cue cards to help in communicating with the students. Until I learn to overcome that unfortunate drawback to my ability...” Lance added with a shrug, trying to maintain the same level of confidence he had earlier despite the sinking feeling that is now, ever so slowly, creeping in.

She’d made him uncomfortable….really uncomfortable. Kealey frowned, that hadn’t been her intention at all. She’d simply been curious to see exactly what it was Lance did, and how it would affect his ability to work in the library.

He held it together though, and earned another mark in the positive column of the mental tally Kealey was keeping. She’d offended him and he’d still managed to come across as composed and well spoken. Kealey gave him an apologetic look.

”I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable Lance, I’m sorry for that. I’m very open with my powers, and sometimes I forget that other people aren’t as comfortable. I really hope you’ll forgive me.”


It seemed like his power was good for crowd control, but made him sick if he used it too much. Kealey’s heart went out to Lance…sometimes it was so easy having a power that was constantly active. Lance kept explaining, giving her even more than she’d asked for despite his discomfort with the subject.

” Don’t worry about your voice. If there’s a problem we can always put you someplace out of the way to work until you’re better.” she said, trying to bolster confidence that was slowly starting to wane.

”I feel emotions.” Kealey blurted, then clapped a hand over her mouth in slightly shocked dismay. A moment later, she laughed and shook her head.

”Sometimes my powers still get away from me. Like I said, I feel emotions. All of them, all the time. Yours, mine, everyone in this room and the next….almost the whole mansion.” she explained with a shrug.

”Its taken a lot of practice.”

There was a silence while Kealey thought for a few moments.

”So…when could you start?”

Kealey had thrown him an apologetic look. Why? Was he that obvious?

”I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable Lance, I’m sorry for that. I’m very open with my powers, and sometimes I forget that other people aren’t as comfortable. I really hope you’ll forgive me.”

You’re way too obvious, kid... Quit displaying your emotions for everyone to see... Remember them apples... sweet, delicious and poisonous... his inner voice advised him in an accent reminiscent of Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine.

Lance forced a smile, ”No sweat... No apologies necessary,” he reassured Kealey. The fact that she interpreted his sudden discomfort as a result of his open discussion of his power with her, brought a slight comfort to the teen. He hoped that she did not consider his periods of enforced silence as a serious handicap to his would be duties in the library.

”Don’t worry about your voice. If there’s a problem we can always put you someplace out of the way to work until you’re better.”

Okay... so she did notice. But thankfully Kealey was willing to reassign him to assignments where he will not be required to talk too much, if at all. Had Lance been more observant of the way Kealey phrased her statement, he would have jumped for joy at what she was implying. But sadly, he wasn’t. Not because he was dense or anything, though there were times that he was, but more because the sinking feeling that was, ever so slowly, creeping in was making better progress despite the reassurances from Kealey.

”I feel emotions.”

Oh, okay. So Kealey’s power is to feel emotions...

She...

feels...

emotions...

Oh, hell... Lance froze. His mind reviewing, in rapid flashes, all the emotional highs and lows... well, mostly highs, that he had experienced in the time he was talking with Kealey. His heart sunk as the mental pictures slowed down until it finally stopped on that moment when he first saw Kealey. Lance felt his cheeks flushed. She had been reading him like an open book... intentionally or otherwise, he was sure that every bit of emotion that he had felt or was feeling did not escape the notice of the empath before him. He avoided Kealey eyes, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

For a few moments, the only sound that can be heard was the whirring noise of the hair-dryer’s motor. As the verbal silence between the two drew on, Lance felt more and more uncomfortable. It was Kealey who finally broke the silence...

”So…when could you start?”

The teen’s head jerked towards the direction of the empath, a smile suddenly appearing. All feelings of discomfort were suddenly washed away by that single question...

Several replies vied for his attention... ”If you can find another blow-dryer,” Lance answered, looking at the stack of damp books that are craving for attention. ”I can start now.” he added with a grin.