Worried

Bobby sat in an arm chair glowering. Dawn had been here for three months and still wouldn’t open up to anyone, except maybe Jubilee but Jubilee was as close mouthed as his cousin. It had been the Professor that had told him that Dawn was in fact a mutant. He had been excited to start her in the Danger room but as of yet she hadn’t allowed him to get her in there.

Of course she had run a few simulations with Jubilee and Wolverine, but he hadn’t gotten to see them.

That was another thing that peeved him, Wolverine probably knew more about his previously missing cousin than he did.

Dawn had almost immediately made friends with Jubilee, stating that like drew like, and because of the girls close friendship Wolverine had immediately made up his mind that the new girl was under his wing just as Jubilee was.

Dawn wouldn’t talk to anyone about her adopted family. He had no idea if they were good people or not. All he did know is that the family had bought her from her foster family. If the couple hadn’t already been killed by their own drug addictions he would have killed them.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even see Scott standing right in front of him.

Scott cleared his throat. “Um, Bobby?”

Bobby looked up at his friend and leader. “Oh, sorry just lost in thought.”

Scott gave him a tiny smile. “Yeah I figured. Worrying about Dawn again?”

Bobby scowled. “YES! I mean why won’t she open up to me? I’m her family for Pete’s sake!”

Scott placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “The kid has obviously been through a lot Bobby. Jubilee and Wolverine are probably more in tune with what she had to deal with and she doesn’t want to weigh you down. You ARE her blood family Bobby but she didn’t grow up in the suburbs like you, or even here! We may not know much about her past but we all can see it wasn’t sunshine and roses.”

Bobby continued to scowl at his friend. “But Scott the Professor can’t even scan her mind. ”

Scott looked shocked. “What why not?”

Bobby huffed. “Because of her powers or something her mental shielding is super tough, like Jubilee and Remy.”

Scott thought for a moment. “Well I guess it makes sense, her energy stars are similar to their powers. Did you know Jubilee was able to teach her how to change their colors?”

Bobby groaned. “Damn it I haven’t even seen her powers, she won’t even go to the Danger Room with me, it’s always Jubes and Logan.”

Scott patted his friend’s back. “I saw the tapes of her work outs, she’s good, very good. Honestly she would make a great X-Man.”

Bobby huffed again. “Hasn’t she had it hard enough? Besides, for all I know she could turn tail and leave or turn against us!”

At that moment Wolverine walked into the room. “The kid’s life WAS hard and she wants to keeps her secrets. She ain’t a threat, at least not to us. She’s a loyal little thing, especially when it comes to you icicle. So just drop it.”

Logan knew the guy was just worried about his kid cousin but he also knew that the kid needed her space. He could smell her unease here but also her determination to try to make her long lost cousin happy. He knew what Bobby didn’t, the kid was only staying here to please her cousin.

Just then Dawn walked in. “Oh bad time?”

Bobby’s head popped up. “NO,no, not at all.”

Dawn smirked. “So you were talking about me then? Figures.”

Bobby couldn’t make his mouth work to deny the words and Dawn giggled.

Logan smirked. “Tha popsicle is jus’ worried ‘bout you kid.”

Dawn frowned slightly. “Bobby I love you, you’re my cousin, but I don’t want to talk about it, period. I lived, I learned, and I didn’t even need to get “Huggies.”

Bobby laughed and relaxed a bit. “I’m sorry Dawnie, I just missed so much and here you are almost grown up and I…”

Dawn growled in mock anger. “I am not a child Bobby, and I HATE being called Dawnie.”

Bobby stuck his tongue out. “Well family never listens to what someone wants to be called!”

Dawn smiled and hugged her cousin. He didn’t feel the slight tension in her body but Logan read it and its meaning loud and clear: Dawn was running away, and soon.

Bobby, oblivious to what the future holds, grinned wide. “Never forget that I love you kiddo, whether you’re a kid or not.”

Dawn looked up at her cousin and smiled. “I love you too Bobby.”

Bobby smirked. “So ya gonna let me see your moves in the Danger Room now?”

Dawn grinned. “Yep, last one there is a rotten egg!”

Logan and Scott both grinned as the cousin raced down the hall.