1963-06-24 - Another Invitation


Xavier closes his eyes and there is nothing. He opens his eyes and a thousand tiny pillars of light, candles in an abyss of black sit out before him. He focuses upon what looks to be an outline of America, then New York, then Manhattan. He walks towards the pillars, and tilts his head. There, the one that blinks and hops to and fro. The one that bamfs.

*

HELLS KITCHEN
2:33 AM

The Professor's boots click then clack upon the tiled floor as he walks slowly towards the altar. The magnificent stained glass of this building is dark, but still viewable because of the city lights. He pulls one hand out of the khakis he wears and reaches up to touch his temple.

Searching, he closes his eyes, and hopes he can find this hurting man before it is too late.

*

The lasat couple of days have been a little better. The tension between his shoulderblades have lessened and he's less twitchy and skittish, thanks to the blind man and his introductions to the Priest at the Church. Now, instead of hiding in the nave and belltower like Quasimodo and stealing food (yet leaving some money), Kurt has been given an actual bed to sleep in and has been given free reign of the living quarters. The money he offered was put in the Donations box for Charity.

It's been a start.

By day, he helps out as best he can, perhaps dusting some hard-to-reach areas or other chores, but he still hasn't gone outside. Sometimes, at night he'll join the gargoyles and peer over the city, observing, but staying distant. Despite the fact that he is starting to feel the tightness of his fear loosen, when he tries to sleep, his nightmares return.

He's a child again, hiding from the Gestapo, watching his friends and family get taken from him until he's taken. Until he's chosen. Until he's hurt. It means sleep is infrequent and unenjoyable…and not very healing.

*

Xavier runs his hand along the pew as the young man remains hidden. He's not eager to disturb him, but he does want to see if he can be any benefit. After a long moment of silence, the Professor speaks. "Kurt Wagner, my name is Charles Xavier. I have come to see if I can be of any assistance to you."

He looks over his shoulder, up at the altar, with a raised eyebrow, but says no more.

*

Nightcrawler gives a start at the voice that speaks, a voice incongruous to his nightmares. A British voice. That helps. The English are his friends…English and Americans, or so he thought until he arrived here.

Sitting up, suddenly awake, he looks about to see if the man who spoke is there. Quickly pulling on his jeans, he then pads slowly to the Sanctuary, keeping to the shadows. It's hard to hide slightly glowing eyes, however.

It's a Church. All are Welcome. It's a little strange to get visitors in the middle of the night, however, and the Priest doesn't seem to have been awakened. "Who are you?" is asked as he steps closer to the other, his English holding a definite German accent. "How did you…" talk to him from there? Get there faster than him? There are a few unspoken questions in there. "Are you Charles Xavier?" The name was given, after all.

*

"I am," Charles responds with a nod. "I am a mutant, such as yourself. Reading minds and feeling the pain of others is my gift. I was able to see you; to feel what you are going through. I wanted to offer my help to you."

"I realize you may have found a home here, and after what you have gone through I understand if you would like to stay. On the other hand, I run a school for people like us. A sanctuary where you wouldn't have to run anymore and could stay as long as you like."

*

Nightcrawler scrubs a hand through his hair and over his face as he's still sort of waking up. "I still do not like that word," is pointed out with a sleepy smile, but it is spoken of as a gift and that helps soften it some. He tilts his head as he steps a little closer, "A school. The angel-man talked of a school." He looks down at himself and his grin grows a little wider, "I am a little old, ja?"

The smile doesn't last for very long, "Hiding here or somewhere else is still hiding. I don't -want- to hide, but I don't want to be killed either." There's a brief flashback in his mind then:

A train car packed so tight that no one can move, the stink of fear and excrement, the wailing of those being brought to their deaths even if they survive the trip. Of a site, smoke from burning bodies rising up from the ground. Of a lab more like a torture chamber. Of pain.

"They tried already," he manages with a shaky breath.

*

The German makes a good point about hiding, Charles has to admit. "Alternatively, hiding here is mostly hiding by yourself. Hiding there would be with people like you. And I'd not call it hiding, per se. I think of it as relaxing. Many students of mine, and some have been older than you, use the opportunity to learn about their powers, or about themselves without the worry of what others might think of them."

"Kurt, I know that you have been through some awful experiences. Should you choose to come to my school I would like to help you cope with your feelings so that together we can prevent what happened to you from happening in the future."

*

"Like the Angel-man?" Kurt asks, since he was the only one who mentioned the school. Wait, not the only one. "There was a woman, too. Pretty. Yellow hair. She also spoke German. Is she there?" He might need to give her a piece of his mind for scaring him so much! He steps a little closer to better see the other man, "I was born like this. Were you not?" Until very recently, he's the only one like him that he's known.

This is a lot to take in.

"You are a…a Psychologe? I'm sorry, I don't know the English. I have heard of them," his own medical experiences pretty much nonexistant after D-Day.

*

"I believe the man you speak of is named Warren; an associate of mine. As far as the woman, I am not certain who you are referring to. Who that could be, Xavier wasn't certain, and won't pry into Kurt's mind without permission.

"Yes, one of my degrees is in psychology. Although I am not licensed to be a psychiatrist. In any event, it is one of the reasons I believe I can help you."

"

*

Nightcrawler shifts on his feet, his tail curving up to scratch at an itch on his back. "Der Priester hier," he gives a shake of his head, "He is very nice. But I don't want him to be hurt because of me," which is just more hiding. "I still have not found the Soldier I came here to find. I think he is not a Soldier now," of course. A finger then lifts to scratch at his nose, "What is it you want in return for this? I do not like doctors." But it would be nice to stop the nightmares.

*

"I do not wish anything from you, Mr. Wagner. Helping mutants is my life's work, and it is what I am devoted to. I would like to see a world where mutants and humans can live together in peace and tranquility, working together for the common good."

Charles shrugs his shoulders, again looking to the stained glass. "You may wish to come and see it. If it is not someplace you would like to stay, you would not have to. I will not badger you, Mr. Wagner. Your wishes are your own. I come here only to offer my help."

*

It's odd and seemingly un-American to offer something like this without compensation. However, Xavier is British, so that may have something to do with it in Kurt's mind. "I would like to see that too," is offered quietly. He follows the older man's gaze to the stained glass and also looks at it for a moment.

"How did you know I was here?" is asked, completely without malice. As for the offer of help, he lets out a breath, "I think," he starts slowly, "Maybe I will come see this place. Is it very far from here?" Getting there might also be interesting and challenging, but he can travel at night.

*

"Well, I have a car," Xavier says with a smile. "The grounds are approximately 30 minutes north of here in Westchester County. If you would prefer to visit on your own and separate, I would understand. I am certain you have been on the wrong end of lies in your past."

"As far as how I found you, I use a device I have named Cerebro. It amplifies my abilities and allows me to search out others who might need help. That is how I find most of my students."

*

Golden eyes widen, "You mean leave now?" In the middle of the night? Kurt takes a step back, wariness kicking in again. "I think…ah, it may be rude for me to leave in the middle of the night without saying goodbye to Herr Pfarrer Tolbert. He has been very kind." Also, Kurt may be a bit of a Nomad, but getting into a strange car with a strange person is just common sense.

He looks at the other for another moment, "Do you have to do this much? To talk to other," he actually uses the word, "mutants?" It sits strange right now. He does, however, suddenly flash a grin, "I don't want you to sell me something. Do you feel like you have to sell this to me?"

*

"I imagine waiting for a time that might be more convenient for you would be a good plan," Charles says with a grin. "As far as selling, not really. Most of the students I visit tend to fall in love with the school."

"To answer your question, I have been aggressively recruiting students to prepare for next school year. Additionally, more and more of us are born each day and our numbers continue to expand."

*

"I could call you, ja? Or I could get there myself," if and when he decides to go. Kurt glances back to the altar for a moment before he returns the grin, "But I am not a student. I will tell you the truth," and he even takes a step closer and leans in, "I have never been to school. I can read and write and the mathe as I need." He doesn't really need to do algebra, but he's able to handle himself in the Real World. "I like the sound of your place," the smile falters a little, "Help with the dreams would be good," and it returns, "But I don't want to sit in classes."

*

Nightcrawler just has the classic Hollywood/Television image of children in a classroom with a teacher at the Blackboard.

*

Xavier shakes his head. "I wouldn't expect you to want to, Mr. Wagner. You'll make the decisions for yourself as to what you'd like to learn." Charles digs into his pocket and produces a business card, which he hands towards Kurt. "By all means, call me at anytime."

*

Nightcrawler reaches out to take the card in his three-fingered hand. "Danke." He looks at the card for a moment before he tucks it into the pocket of his jeans. "I am sorry that I don't go back with you now. You came out here and it is very late," he's not unaware of that fact and it certainly does color how he sees the invitation. "But I will call you. Maybe soon. I just," he looks back to the Altar and the crucifix there, "I will call. I promise."

*

Xavier nods, "It was nice to meet you Kurt. We will talk soon. Have a good rest of your evening." He nods towards the left, "This is truly a beautiful place." Another nod and Charles makes for the door.

*

Xavier nods, "It was nice to meet you Kurt. We will talk soon. Have a good rest of your evening." He nods towards the left, "This is truly a beautiful place." Another nod and Charles makes for the door.

*

"Ja, it is," Kurt agrees, and it's not just because of the decor. There is a peaceful spirit about the Church, a welcoming and non-judgemental air to it that only enhances the mission of the place. He will probably come back, should he choose to live elsewhere, to worship. "Have a good evening, Herr Xavier. Danke for finding me."

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