2016:

Sam woke up on the floor of a prison cell with a massive hangover. Muttering to himself, “Meh, what happened.” Laughter was heard all around him and it was like a siren going off right next to his ears. Sam activated his powers and put an ice ring around his forehead to help relieve the headache. Sam looked around his cell and saw an old black man sitting on the bed a few feet to where Sam was lying on the ground.

The man smiled, “Hey man name’s Kevin. Word is you had a rough night.” Sam looked at the old man’s facial features; he had an aged expression on his face one that showed that he has been in prison for a while. His eyes were those of a kind man and the smile on his face was one of happiness. Sam the looked around, “I don’t really remember what happened.” Kevin laughed and said, ”Yeah kid I heard that so many times, let me fill you in, apparently you were drunk as a skunk and you were pissing on the side of a federal building and some one called the cops, when they showed up you hit one then he tried to restrain you and you broke three of his ribs, his nose and his right arm.” Sam’s expression didn’t really change he was recalling some of the night before.

Sam knew what he did and why he did it; Sam found out a few months ago that his mother and father had been dead for a long time now. That was Sam’s major purpose in life and with out his purpose Sam just went on a downward spiral after that. Alcohol became his best friend, he stopped talking to everyone at the mansion for a bit then he just disappeared after that.

Sam stood up and walked to the steel bars and his face shifted from depressed to super depressed. He was in a full out prison, rows of jail cells and floors of balconies. Sam turned to Kevin “So, did they say how long I was hear?”

Kevin shrugged, “Don’t know what to tell you kid, usually you go to holding but I guess since it was assault they took you straight here.” Then something took hi by surprise, Kevin rolled out of his bed and stood up and walked closer to examine the ring around Sam’s head. “So you’re a mutant, never actually seen one before. You look normal to me.” Kevin finished it with a smile and then went to sit back down. Sam looked at Kevin long and hard, Kevin was a pretty big guy Sam guessed close to 7ft tall and despite his old age he was fairly muscular. Sam then spoke to Kevin sounding a little depressed where he was, “I am normal, just a little more gifted.” Kevin laughed a little more, ”You know kid you could probably break out of here if you wanted, from the how many guys it took to bring you in you could break out with ease.” Kevin finished talking while looking out of the window.

Sam sensed a longing of freedom in his gaze but didn’t say anything. Sam jumped up on the top bunk and tried to sleep his way out of this.

Sam woke up to Kevin, “Hey kid their here for you.” Sam sat up then jumped out of bed and walked to the prison cell’s bars. To a few cops who took him out and walked him down a few lights of stairs. Cat calls and whistles followed Sam as the officers around him held the tasers and the night sticks close to Sam so if Sam tried anything he wouldn’t be able to get far.

Sam was guided threw some rooms and was put into a detainment room as a man in a nice suit walked in. Sam didn’t raise any alarm, he looked like the Defense Attorney, so as long as Sam didn’t do anything he would be fine or so he thought.

“Bad news Sam, looks like you got two years in prison ahead of you, not really anything I can do.” Said the D.A. Sam just sat there frozen not saying anything. “Look I know this looks bad but normally you’d get a lot longer, but since you helped out the police so much in the past three years they are willing to over look this, as long as you’re here for two years and you attend A.A. meetings.” Sam got up and walked to a wall and froze it completely, and then punched threw the wall, “I can walk out anytime I want, why would I stay.” Sam asked with anger on his face. The D.A. smiled “Cause I know you’re a good person, and you wouldn’t want to be hated by everyone, you’re a hero Sam two years is going to fly by, get your self sober and then clean and when you get out we will be waiting for you with open arms.” Sam sat back down in almost out of reaction, “Fine.”

Sam found himself in his cell with Kevin an hour later, “So guy how’d it go?” Kevin asked with a curious expression on his face. Sam sighed then jumped back to his bed. “I’ll be here for two years.” Was all that Sam could say. “Then you better get out of bed, if you stay there to long you look weak and people take advantage of the weak here, and I am sure everyone already knows you’re a mutant here.” Sam rolled over to look to the wall, “They touch me they won't live long.” Sam was convinced that this was the best thing for himself right now.

It has been a few weeks in prison and Sam hadn’t really done anything to get him into trouble worse yet he hadn’t really done anything to help him get out of prison yet either. Sam was ignoring everything he was supposed to do, each floor is assigned a duty in prison, the sixth floor which Sam was on was laundry seeing as he never showed up once that month some of the other cell mates were getting a little angry of frustrated. At the end of the month they would rotate to a different area of the prison and get assigned a job their.

As the next month came Sam started to talk more than “yes” and “no” so when he was asked why he was slacking by one of the inmates he looked to him and said, “Don’t feel like it.” Sure enough this started a little friction between Sam and the other inmates. Which put Kevin in a difficult situation seeing as he was always trying to defend Sam and always ended up doing not only his job but Sam’s as well. A week into Bathroom cleaning a fight broke out and before Sam took a hit, Sam’s old cellmate jumped in front of the punch. Kevin was later that day put into the hospital wing due to a broken 2 broken ribs. Sam didn’t even so much as go and thank him.

Later that week Sam realized how alone he really was. Kevin had been in the hospital wing for a few days now and more and more people started to notice who Sam was, before he had some one with him, some one that everyone in prison respected, but now that he was gone Sam stuck out like a mutant at a mutant hating rally.

Sam sat down at lunch by himself and started to eat. Just as he started to eat the garbage they called food a group of guys walked over and said, “Hey I know you, you’re the mutant that put me in here.” Sam looked up to the guy then looked back down to his food and started to eat trying to ignore them. The guy that spoke before said, “What’s the matter mutie? You sure were happy on the outside, all depressed now?” with that he made a disgusting gurgling sound and spat huge snot filled wad in Sam’s food, “Eat that mutie.” Sam took a deep breath resisting the urge to snap a fist in the guys face, but couldn’t hold back. Sam took his plate of food and smashed it into the guy’s face, “Now you eat that.” Sam then got a fist in the back of his head from one of the guy’s friends. Within seconds a full out prison lunch riot started.

Food, trays, fists and bodies were flying around in the chaos. Sam didn’t do much after that seeing as how the guards were on top of him with a taser with in a few seconds of the riot, they pulled Sam out of the cafeteria and tossed him in his cell hoping he wouldn’t activate his powers in the riot. It took 5-armed guards to drop Sam off in his cell before he had time to react.

“Hey kid seems like your still having fun.” Said a raspy but cheery voice coming from the Kevin who was sitting in his bed reading a book called Angels & Demons. Sam let out a small smile but quickly pulled it away something about the old man gave a small feeling of comfort, “Thank you.” Was all that Sam said to him as he slowly got up and pulled him self on to the top bunk and he fell asleep.

Sam woke up glaring, his window was right next to his bed and sure enough of all the cells in the prison he was put on the side the sun rises to, “No sleeping in for me.” Sam said muttering aloud. “Sorry kid they get us up here bright and early regardless if the sun is up or not.” Said Kevin as he got out of bed and stood up. “I see your finally talking now.” Said Kevin with a big goofy smile on his face. “I guess.” Said Sam grumpily. Sam rolled over and looked at his wall to get up a few seconds later. “Well kid it’s a good thing to A.A. starts today for you, and I’ll be there two, been going there for 15 years now.” Kevin said with a happy look on his face. Sam jumped out of bed so not looking forward to this day.

Alcohol Anonymous was worse than Sam thought. There were a total of 12 people in his group and every one was sitting in a circle. Sam sat across to Kevin and next to two guys that looked like they were bums that were found off the street. Kevin started the sharing, “Hey everybody my names Kevin and I have been alcohol free for 15 years now and I am loving every minute of it.” In unison almost every one in the group except for Sam said, “Hey Kevin.” Sam sighed and looked at the ceiling running his fingers threw his hair Sam hated talking about himself. One after another the people started talking up until it was Sam’s turn. Everyone got quit and then Kevin spoke, “This is Sam, he’s my cellmate and a mutant and a good person, so Sam would you like to share?” Kevin spoke with an anxious look on his face, one that was full of hope. Everyone remained quit for a few second then Sam shifted and spoke, “Pass.” Kevin looked down and shook his head in disappointment. The guy next to Sam started to share his story. It’s been 2 months and a meeting everyday would help a normal person but Sam wasn’t a normal person. Every time it was Sam’s turn to share all he said was “Pass”.

Prison was hell on earth for Sam every day it seemed to rain and everyday seemed to get longer and longer. Every day it was the same old same old. Sam basically became numb inside food had no taste never before Sam had never been so miserable in his life.

(2017)
It was twelve on a Saturday and Sam and Kevin were doing clean up duty outside in the fenced in court yard. Sam picked up some weights and put them away in their designated location and then walked over to the 15-foot chain linked fence. Their were three guards looking around making sue their wasn’t any riots. Sam grabbed on to the chain-linked fence and took a deep breath he could get out of this hellhole so easily if he wanted to. “Don’t do it kid.” Said Kevin from behind Sam, “It’s not worth it.” Sam spoke the most he spoke in a whole year, “I could get out of here so easily, and this prison can’t hold me. I spent a year in here and I just don’t feel like being here anymore.” Kevin just let out a small angry laugh, “You serious kid, you got a year left and your gonna walk out now? Your nothing but a coward and a quitter.” Sam let go of the fence and turned and grabbed Kevin by the shirt collar and lifted him off the ground a little, “What did you say to me, you do you think you are? You think you know me?”

“Obviously I don’t you don’t speak, you don’t even react when people throw a fist at you. That ain’t human kid. You get phone calls every day, yet you haven’t called anyone in a whole year aren’t their people worried about you?” Kevin was slowly put down as Sam loosened his grip. Sam walked away in a huff thinking about what Kevin said.

The next day at A.A. everyone in the circle spoke and then it was Sam’s turn. Sam just looked around and then before he said something some of the people got up as if they were about to leave that’s when Kevin spoke, “Now hold on everyone, it’s Sam’s turn. Sam you got something to say today?” Kevin knew what was going to happen; he knew his words got threw to Sam.

Sam took a depth breath, “Yeah…Yeah I do have something to say today” everyone was shocked as they sat down this was the most he spoke he spoke in prison, “Hey… My name’s Sam and I drink.” Sam took a deep breath as Kevin smiled and started to clap, one after another the people in the group joined in. Sam let out a small smile only for a second and then he said, “That’s all I got today.” Kevin smiled, “Well that’s good for today Sam the first words are always the hardest to say here. You got another year here so I am sure you’ll have a break through.” Sam looked up to Kevin, “Yeah, I guess I do.” with that the group was adjourned.

Walking back to their cell Kevin patted Sam on the back, “Congrats kid, I am proud of you, baby steps it’s all it takes. Maybe you should try getting in touch with some one you haven’t seen in a while, when my daughter shows up I always feel better bout my self. Just knowing I have some one on the outside to talk to.” Sam thought about it for a second, there was one person he could call but he wasn’t sure if she would be interested in seeing him, he dropped off of her radar when he found out his parents were dead.

"Neena, you do realize that jumping from jumping from tree to tree is hard to do for someone who is younger and not blind. Right?"

"Mmmhm."

"Then why did you feel the need to attempt it?"

"Because I've never done it before." Neena grinned in the DocProf's general direction, as he wrapped a loose cast around her sprained wrist. The older man simply shook his head, and began fitting a sling for her arm. After working with the forty-plus-year-old teacher, the elderly medic decided it was vital to his sanity to ignore her insanity.

An accopella version of the Pink Panther began playing as her phone came alive. She flipped it open with her free hand and answered cheerily, "Nehanda Jenkins, present but not accounted for."

"Neena?"

The DocProf paused as he felt his patient stiffen, and saw her silly expression disappear.

"Sam." Her voice remained even as she identified a voice she hadn't heard from in over a year.

"Sam."

Sam didn’t really know what to say. It has been a year since she heard from him, and to be honest he didn’t know how she would react, “Hey Neena, long time no see.” Sam added a small laugh to his comment, “Sorry it’s been so long, how are you?” Sam tried to hold off the fact that he was in prison for assaulting a cop. Sam waited anxiously for Neena to respond to him.

“Hey Neena, long time no see.”

"That's one way of putting it."

"Sorry it’s been so long, how are you?”

"A bit confused actually," Neena replied levelly. "Confused about why a member of our team didn't feel it important enough to tell us he was leaving. Or why he decided to get himself arrested. And why he decided to wait a year before calling."

She sighed. "You know, you could have come to me when you were having problems Sam. Surely they couldn't have been that bad."

"A bit confused actually," Neena replied levelly. "Confused about why a member of our team didn't feel it important enough to tell us he was leaving. Or why he decided to get himself arrested. And why he decided to wait a year before calling."

These words felt like jabbing knifes in his sides he wanted to tell her and every one what happened, he did but Sam hadn’t always been the best at expressing his feelings like this, he usually kept it bottled up until it reached a boiling point. In this case him assaulting a cop.

"You know, you could have come to me when you were having problems Sam. Surely they couldn't have been that bad."

Sam didn’t really put any emotion it this, he still felt a bit numb inside, “Well…” Sam hesitated now fighting the pain that was coming like a reoccurring nightmare, “ well I got a lead on my parents were and sure enough when I got there I found out my parents were dead, and I kinda went on my down ward spiral from there.” Sam let out a small sigh as he looked around the corner to see his cell mate Kevin talking to his daughter in the visiting room. Sam continued to be silent until he saw the thumbs up sign from Kevin and that’s when Sam said, “I know I should have called but, I was ashamed of myself and I didn’t know how you and the team would react.” Sam stood there frozen in that moment.

“Well… well I got a lead on my parents were and sure enough when I got there I found out my parents were dead, and I kinda went on my down ward spiral from there.”

Neena frowned into the silence, not even noticing that the DocProf had moved away.

Finally, he spoke up again. “I know I should have called but, I was ashamed of myself and I didn’t know how you and the team would react.”

"C'mon, m'friend. You've known me for nearly ten years. If no one else understood, I would."

"C'mon, m'friend. You've known me for nearly ten years. If no one else understood, I would."

Sam took a deep breath before he said anything but then out of the corner of his eye he saw Kevin hugging his daughter good bye and something in the pit of Sam’s stomach gave off a warm feeling, “I’m sorry again Neena, I wasn’t really in the right state of mind when I left, I was depressed, angry lonely and well kind of became an alcoholic then and there.” He paused and took a deeper breath feeling good to get the monkey off of his back he then let out a small smile, “On a lighter note I am getting out in a few months, and if you guys will have me back I’ll make it up to guys, I Promise.” He then sighed away from the phone hoping Neena would accept his offer to make up for the lack of a friend and teammate he had been over the last year.

“I’m sorry again Neena, I wasn’t really in the right state of mind when I left, I was depressed, angry lonely and well kind of became an alcoholic then and there.”

Neena sighed, and rubbed at her eyes. She felt a measure of guilt; she'd smelled alcohol on his breath more than once, and should have asked sooner. She should have known something was wrong with her friend.

“On a lighter note I am getting out in a few months, and if you guys will have me back I’ll make it up to guys, I Promise.”

Neena paused before answering that. "You know I have to ask the others." It wasn't coming back to the team that might be an issue; it was trust. Rebuilding lost trust could be a daunting task. She wasn't really quite sure of her own feelings at the moment, so she certainly couldn't speak for the team.

"Well, are they letting you have visitors?"

"You know I have to ask the others."

Sam felt his stomach lurch, he had a feeling that it was going to be a problem the X-Men are a symbol one that can’t be tainted by his situation. Sam looked to Kevin and then turned his back on him. Sam felt like a failure, he couldn’t expect the rest of the team to accept him he was now a criminal.

"Well, are they letting you have visitors?"

Sam sounded a little disappointed at this point, “Yeah, visitors are allowed, can’t say I had any though.” Sam fought his voice from making it seem he was a little down, thinking to himself I have been here for a year and no one has even stopped to see me what kind of monster was I before I came in here? From here on out I am going to get clean.

Sam turned to Kevin and smiled with thumbs up, regardless if the X-Men wouldn’t accept him he was going to stay sober. Kevin shot the look back and smiled and then disappeared. Now concentrating on his talk with Neena Sam said, ”Well stop in any time, I’ll be glad to see a friendly face, not to many around here.” Sam then looked as the guard was giving the wrap up signal, “Neena, it was good talking to you again…” Pausing and taking a deep breath, “ But the guard is giving me the wrap it up sign.” Sam waited for a few seconds then hung up the phone and went back to his cell to sleep.

“Yeah, visitors are allowed, can’t say I had any though.”

Neena stuck her pinkie nail in her mouth.

”Well stop in any time, I’ll be glad to see a friendly face, not to many around here.”

She nodded reflexively, though he obviously couldn't hear her head shaking.

“Neena, it was good talking to you again… But the guard is giving me the wrap it up sign."

"All right."

It was an odd way to end a conversation; no 'Good to hear from you too' or 'See you soon'. Not even a simply 'Bye'. Strange, especially with someone you hadn't heard from in..... Had it really been a year? Was she that upset that she hadn't noticed? Things had certainly been busy, like always, during the school year. Hmm....

"Hey Doc? I need to make a quick trip into town. Can I borrow your car?"

"Neena!"

"What? What'd I say?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, Neena accepted the guiding hand down from the bus and through the processing center for visitors at the State Penitentiary. She took a seat to wait, taking in the world around her by senses other than her unseeing eyes. She tapped a small box, about the size and shape of a notepad, against her guiding staff.

Sam woke up two days after the conversation with Neena about his future once he got out for some reason he hadn’t been to motivated to do much at all since. Maybe it was because the one place he felt at home was slowly slipping away from his grasp. Sam heard a banging on his cell bars, ”Sam, get out of the cell you got a visitor, and Kevin you better get started on the cleaning.” A sudden thrill filled Sam’s mind hoping that it was someone he wanted to visit. Sam sat up almost instantly and jumped from his bed to the cell doors, which was now open. Running down the hall Sam yelled to Kevin, “Hey I’ll be back later.”

Sam walked onto the room and his heart skipped a beat. Sam walked into the room and he smiled, he new that familiar scent from all his years at the mansion, it felt like home. Sam walked closer to Neena and then stooped abruptly hoping she wasn’t here to give him bad news.

“Neena?” Sam walked over to the table and sat opposite to her as he waited for her to say something Sam studied her to try and remember what she looked like before a year ago and how she looks now. He smiled as he noticed not much has changed she still carried her self like the friend he used to know. Sam sighed slightly as he gazed at her guiding stick and then to her blank white eyes.