「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(199) Greatest Gift

Lynn's POV

Briskly rolling down the polished halls, I had my eyes scanned at the retina detectors and instantly recognising my identity, the majestic round doors parted at the signature 'X'.

The inner chamber was bright and expectedly adorned in her favourite lively tones with all her belongings shifted down here, basically replicating the vibrant decor once present in her dorm now still specially reserved for her awaited return.

Haphazardly manoeuvring the joystick I had yet to get accustomed to after all the years in a manual chair, I eventually found my way safely to her bedside without crashing into or toppling any of the highly advanced medical equipment. The eerie silence spiked with occasional ear-piercing beeps was made less disturbing by the buoyant surroundings but the absolute tranquility was one we could all do without.

"Good morning, Jubilee," I whispered, gently taking her hand and pecked it.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" I asked rhetorically, caressing her smooth face, appreciating the warmth that seemed to be the only trace of life remaining in her.

"Times have changed. The school, the technology, Jean and Scott," I recounted, trying to smile but somber concerns crept into my mind, relentlessly dragging me further from mirth.

"Yet, the humans fear us the same. There's something going on out there, my darling. Something terrible," I informed in a pensive tone.

"I've always had faith in him, but I'm not sure he knows how to deal with this all. He doesn't show it, though. He's learnt to hide them so well," I divulged, gazing at her unconscious frame in disappointment.

"But I'm still his wife and I know. I know that he's troubled and I know that he's hurt, though it appears a little less now that he knows he has me here. It's true that I'm finally home, yet it feels like I'm not when there's nothing I can do but sit and watch his heart being gnawed by those senses of uncertainties that seep through only in the cracks of dawn, instilling thoughts of fear that permeate his veins in an endless marathon," I confided sheepishly.

Dejectedly burying my face into my palms, a cold rush of helplessness streamed through my blood and I shuddered slightly at the understanding that whatever brewing beyond the guarded walls of this mansion meant implications so vast it dismayed even Charles. A bitter despair loomed, dimming away the brilliance of the room, but through the shadows of anguish stood a rift, gradually shedding light onto his remarkable bravery.

"It drains him and it daunts him. Yet, he never flinched or had any intention to withdraw. That's just... Him," I commented as I laughed cynically to myself, getting lost in my admiration of that charming and unbelievable valiant front Charles singlehandedly forged, a tremendous burden he so willingly lugged upon himself.

"It's the greatest gift he has, to bear our pain without breaking," I unwittingly spouted, the strange words so reminiscent they automatically spilled out from the back of mind like the unruly tear that irresistibly trickled down the side of my eye. 

"You're his greatest gift, and his primary motivation to stop himself from breaking," Scott suddenly sounded, his voice getting progressively nearer by the sentence, and instinctively I faced around, astonished to discover him slowly pacing across from the entrance with both hands behind his back.

"Scott," I acknowledged in embarrassment, hastily drying my face as I swivelled my chair around.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Scott apologized softly.

"It's alright. What brings you here?" I investigated curiously, mustering a smile as I briskly rubbed my icy palms along the polyester clothing my upper arms.