━━ OLD FRIENDS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

THREE MONTHS LATER

THE CLINK OF MUGS AND roasted smell of coffee surrounds me like a fog.

The busy London streets are abuzz with noise. The honk of horns and the ring of bicycles. The chatter of old friends and the laughter of small children. It all mixes together to create a perfect symphony of life.

I sit on the patio of the little cafe, a coffee in my hand. It's barely been drunk, as I'm too distracted by the sounds of the world around me. I lean back in my chair, my hair pulled back into a half up half down. It's grown out a bit, and I'll need to cut it soon.

It's been a couple months since I left the White House, walking away from the life I'd created at the manor house, with my fellow mutants. Since then, I've been travelling. The first place I went to was a hospital, to help with my injuries. My foot still isn't fully healed, and the doctors said it might never be. I walk with a limp now. While not that noticeable, it affects how long I'm able to stand. Every once in a while, the muscles will tense up, and the world will focus in on the pain.

Next, I went to Canada, hoping to find answers on where Logan went, but I've found nothing. The world seems to have forgotten the incident with the President and Bolivar Trask, who was arrested a couple weeks back for selling government secrets.

Even my own memory is fuzzy, thinking back on the time I spent at the manor, those few weeks with Logan. Even now, I think back on it, trying to remember why Logan showed up, and why we helped him. I know it had something to do with saving mutantkind, but why?

I shake my head and return back to watching the streets. I take a sip of my now cold coffee, letting the rich liquid tickle my throat. Despite the warm weather, I'm in a long cardigan, hiding the scars that run up my arms.

It's funny how some things never change.

Either way, for some strange reason, my heart is no longer as heavy as it once was. I don't know if it's because the world is saved again from the destruction mutant kind can bring upon it, or rather just that I've finally found a sense of freedom.

The little girl that wanted nothing more than to fly away has now achieved her dreams. She hasn't grown wings, but she's far away from harm now. The man who hurt her is dead, the people she loved are finally at peace, and now I am able to go wherever I want.

The world is in the palm of my hands, and I've never felt so alive.

"Leena." I jolt upright as the whispering voice calls from all around me. Quickly, I peer around, craning my neck to see who's calling my name. Immediately, alarms blare inside my head, and my eyes narrow, searching every face that is in my vicinity.

But no one's looking at me.

"Leena." There it is again, and this time closer, more concrete. Strangely, a prickle of familiarity spikes in my gut. But why?

"Who's there?' I whisper, only loud enough for someone close to me to hear. Several customers look at me strangely, but none of them are threatening.

"Leena, I'm here." The voice is right beside me now, and I look sharply to the empty seat at my table. That voice... I know that voice. It sounds like...

A shimmering image plays out right before my eyes. It's near translucent, like a napkin dipped in water, like the skeleton of a leaf. My mouth drops open as the shape of a man comes into view, sitting right across from me. It's a man I know well, a man I thought was lost, it's...

"Darwin." I breathe out. "What?" I look around, wondering if anyone can see the smiling man in front of me, but no one so much as glances in my direction anymore.

I turn back around. "Darwin?" I whisper again. "Is it really you?" the ghostly image comes more into view, and suddenly there he is, exactly as he was the day at the facility, sitting with legs crossed and a sheepish smile on his face. Darwin grins.

"Good to see you, Leena."

"How?" I ask, spluttering on my words. "I mean... you... you died! I saw Shaw kill you."

Darwin laughs loudly. "I know." seeing the massive amount of confusion on my face, Darwin's smile disappears slightly, and he says seriously. "I technically did die, but instead of my body shutting down, I sort of... became death?"

"What?" I question plainly, leaning forward, still in slight disbelief that Darwin is in front of me.

"My mutation allows me to adapt to anything, right?" he says. "So I can't really actually die... my body can adapt me into something above death, something that could come back to life."

I'm shaking my head, a smile spreading across my face like wildfire. "I can't... I can't believe it. When did you return to this form?"

"Well, I'm not really fully in this form yet." he concedes. "As it turns out, coming back from death is hard for the body to handle." he laughs, and so do I. I'm still shaking my head, unable to believe he's back.

"It's..." my tone grows a little more serious. "It's so good to see you."

Darwin grins. "It's good to see you too." he looks at my face. "Damn, you're not that scared little kid anymore, are you?" I chuckle, leaning back, arms crossed.

"No," I say through a grin. "No, I'm not." I look down to my lap. "No, things have changed. A lot has changed, actually."

"So I noticed." Darwin says. "You're alone now. No Erik or Charles." I shake my head, agreeing with his statement, blowing out a breath.

"Yeah..." I say. "We kinda all... went our separate ways." Darwin cocks his head to one side. After a moment, I lean forward again, peering at him. "Why..." I pause, wondering how best to ask this. "Why did you never come back? Back to the manor?"

Darwin shakes his head, eyes up to the bright blue sky. "A part of me wanted to. But when I heard the X-Men were now at school, I don't know... I guess I didn't want to be a teacher at that point. I needed to heal, I'm still healing, and... I couldn't help you guys out then." when he sees I've gone still, Darwin's brows furrow. "Does that make sense?"

I nod slowly, and I bring my gaze back to his face. "Yes. It makes complete sense." we're left in silence for a long time, but it's alright, because I think both of us need it.

The sounds of the city wash over us both. Every once in a while I glance at Darwin, who sits with his head tilted back and his eyes closed, a content look on his face. I smile and I do the same.

That is how we stay for a long time

Two people, broken and bruised and battered from what life has thrown at us.

Yet still alive. Still healing.

And that's all that truly matters. 

THE END. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE...

Yes I brought Darwin back, so what? Honestly his death in First Class was probably the worst thing about the film (I mean come on, a guy who can literally adapt to anything is killed by kinetic energy? No thank you). This has been a scene I've wanted to write for a while, and I'm so happy to finally share it with you all!

Thank you for reading!