Everyone were waiting by the doors of Danger Room. Bobby and Jubilee were fooling around, Ray was telling something with excitation to Roberto, the rest were watching others or talking as well. Only Amara seemed to do nothing. She was Brazilian and she had power of magma controling, and so her nickname was Magma. We bagan to talk until dr.McCoy, who come from behind, interruped us.
  "Good to see nobody's late. Excepting me, it is" he said. Few people laughed. A smile appeared also on my face, but not caused by his words, but by him himself. Training with Henry were one of the funniest, and he was the mildest instructor here. "And good to have you in the team, Fallen." here he said directly to me. I answered with a smile. I was glad to be in The Recruits. I didn't want to be excluded from trainings, but didn't dream to be right in the X-Men. Not yet, it is.
  We entered the Danger Room, where Hank with a voice command turned on already programmed simulation. In a moment we were surrounded by puddles of water, platforms, barrels and metal plates outstanding from the ground. There were also baskets with baloons filled with water.
  "Rules are only three: one - the one who will not get wet in 30 minutes wins; two - Bobby, no ice-form; three - have fun."
  So in shortcut there were 30 minutes of water fight ahead of us? Ok, it doesn't sound bad, in reverse, promising.
  It began rigidly, but in first minutes it became a real traverse. Poor Jamie lost first by falling into a large puddle, then Ray was taken down by Jubilee. Bobby, The Iceman, barricaded himself inside an igloo and was sitting on a ground appearently proud of himself.
  Larg mental bulb shined above my head. "Magma!" I called. The brunette looked in my direction, and I pointed the ice building. Amara understood immediately what's on my mind and melted it. Demotivaded Bobby, whose perfect plane became a perfectly big puddle - literally, because the melted ice created around him a pool - got soaked to the skin.
  For over a dozen of minutes we were figting obstinately. I took it as a good way to integrate with others, because everything proceeded in an atmosphere of healthy competition.
  Rahne won, but I had a third place and was happy with it. Still, it was podium. Everyone were tired, but also happy that the training was so easy.
  After getting back to my room I decided to just rest. The whole time I had a feeling that I'm in some kind of accelerated movie and I had no time to breath. On the other hand, I was glad that the first training is over.
  Dinner time was approaching, so I went to kitchen. Surely few people would rather like to eat in dinning room, but the table in kitchen was enough for me. A cup of tea and sandwitches with tomato were also enough. I curled up my legs on bar stool and stared at TV, not really paying attention to the screen. Finally Kurt and Evan entered the room, talking like regular pals. Wagner took two cans of cola and threw one to Daniels, still talking about leaving for christmtas. I sighed. On one hand I didn't want everyone to leave, on the other I looked forward to it. Evan Daniels alias Spyke was Ororo's nephew. He had his hairs dyed blond and he was addicted to skateboarding.
  Finally they finished talking and sat by the table with me, clearly wanting to start a conversation. I straightened up a bit and looked at them wondering what's going on.
  "So, hov vas ze first training?" asked Kurt.
  "I expected worse." I answered truthfully.
  "Be happy for having it with Beast, he gives easy time... Just wait for Wolverine to take grip on you" Evan gestured squeezing, which looked scary. Then he leaned slightly forward me. "Hey, is it truth, that, you know, you're..." he lowered his voice, like telling a secret "not mutant?"
  "Well, actually, it's true. But it's not a big problem for you, is it?" I asked cerefully watching his reaction. He leaned backwards in his chair and looked at me critically.
  "Then why are you here?" he said, his voice being cooler.
  "Because--"
  "Vhat kind of question is it?" Kurt interruped. "Sounds like you don't vant her to be here." I knew he doesn't mean exactly me, but everyone who would want to live here, and would have Professor's permission. However it still gave me a warm feeling.
  "It's school for mutants, not a poorhouse!" I had to admit, this comment hurted me a bit. But worse was that there were a growing quarrel that a reason to I didn't want to be. For mine and their sake Jamie entered the room. James 'Jamie' Madrox alias Multiple-Man was the youngest person at the mansion - he was 12 and his power was self-multiplication.
  "We're starting!" he yalled and then he was gone.
  "Fine" Evan muttered standing up, taking his cola and heading to the living room for Christmas' drawing gifts. Kurt also stood up, smiling at me like he wanted to say 'don't worry about him', and pointed with his head to the living room. I followed inside, sat by Jean and curled my legs up. When finally everyone gathered, Amara began to do rounds with a hat full of fate. I looked hesitantly at pulled papper. I sighed in relief seeing there were 'Rogue' wrote on it. Maybe I haven't talk to her too much, but we had similiar styles so I'll probably will be able to get her something.
  After drawing lots was over nothing interesting happened. Some students began to talk with each other about what to buy, the rest left, as I did too.
  The next day during dinner the professor announced that he have a surprise for us, and just after that a quite tall, dark-skinned boy with black hairs entered the dining room. There were a huge smile on his face.
  "Hey there, folks!" many answers began to sound around the room, and few people stood up to to greet him, which caused a little commotion.
  Finally Jonathon, better known as Forge, was invited to the table on the place of honor. Then he began to explain that he planes to stay here for the Christmas, which, I must admit, I was glad about. I don't know much about Forge, but even after the last minutes I could say he has a very possitive personality.
  I grew confident about in next few days when I had several chances to talk to him.
  As for Logan was gone for only-he-knows-what reasons, the trainings were suspended for time of the Christmas. It made studends a little happier. The eve was more and more sensable with each day, which for example created situations like me drawing back from the main hall where a mistletoe was staring at me from the lamp, or twice it even 'chased after me' in Bobby's hand. Nothing personal, it chased after all girls when in his hand.
  Finally I decided it's the high time to take care about some gift for Rogue. Thanks to Kitty I had an oportunity to look through her music CDs, then just made a short trip to the mall and come back with a Nightwish CD.
  When I was heading back to my room I noticed that Amara's doors are open, and I could see the brunette packing her stuffs.
  "Excited to go see your parents?"
  Aquilla jumped on the sound of my voice, but quickly smiled. "Yeah. I haven't seen them for so long..."
  "You ok?" I asked seeing that she seems to act under stress.
  "Y-yeah. It's just that... I hate ships. You know, seasick."
  "Sailing in the winter? Can't you just use a plane?"
  The fifteen shaked her head. I decided to don't dig it. "And what about you?"
  "I'll stay at the mansion." I smiled gently at her.
  "Why don't you ask someone to spend christmas with their family?"
  "No... I don't want to. Maybe next year."
  Guess she had no issues understanding my situation. I barely know anyone-- or rather they barely know me.
  "And what about your family...?"
  I hesitated. "Um..."
  "Sorry, I shouldn't have ask." the petite brunette smiled apologetically.
  Maybe getting along with someone for the christmas break was a good idea, if not the small detail like that even after two weeks I was still a freshmen here.
  I left her room.
  Now you could ask why is it that though I'm here mostly because of Kurt, I seem to barely pay attention to him. No, that is so untrue. But I know how-- you know how he can be sometimes. I know he needs a time to get used to me, to feel okay aroud me, and I both don't want to push him on it and I'm not in hurry myself. Anyway I don't know what you're expecting me to do, I'm new here, I'm trying to comprehend what's going on around, I fucking found myself in a cartoon and I'm so confused about everything that it makes me wanna scream on a wall.

  At 20th of December twenty or so prestents were lying under a pretty decorated christmas tree, in the air there were a scent of sweets, fireplace and perfumes, and the atmosphere was warm, calm.
  Eventually everyone sat on the sofa, armhairs and the floor, and Jamie as the youngest began to give the gifts from under the tree to their new rightfull owners. The box I got was wrapped in a green paper and tied with a gold ribbon. For now I didn't unpack it, paying my attention to the others. Most of them seemed happy about their gifts. I looked at Rogue. Compared to her regular self she was quite cheerful, and she held the CD I got her in her hands.
  Talks and spending time idly in the atmoshpere of christmas took everyone so much of a time and energy, that at 10 o'clock silence fell over the Insititut. Everyone had to take a rest.
  The next three days were full of commotion, as the studends began to leave school to their families, and already at the 23th of the December there were only me, the Professor, Scott (NOTE: Scott lost his parents in a plane crash) , dr.McCoy, Rogue and Forge.
  After saying my goodbyes to the last leaving students I went back to my room. There were only silence, and I knew that those christmas are going to be a long, long ones. Despite it the atmosphere got me more than in few last seasons.
  A box lying on my desk drew my attention. For the last days everyone were running back and forth so much that I forgot to even unpack my christmas gift. I sat by the desk and pull the gold ribbon. In the inside, there were a small box covered in maroon suede, with a paper sticiking from the inside. On the paper were words; from Jubilee. I repealed the lid and what I saw was liliac cross hanged on a chain.
  A small smile found its way to my lips.
  My mom had same looking cross.