"You alright Dani?" Warren asks as we walk through the garden.
I brought myself back down to earth and blinked. "Um...yeah, sorry. Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Well...a lot of things actually."
"Like...?"
"Why that man was sent to kill me...who could be behind it..."
"You know, I don't know Dani. I wish I did, but I don't."
I sighed. Somehow I would have to find out sooner or later.
"Let's just hope it doesn't happen again."
We walked on, enjoying the nice spring air. Birds chirped near, and chatted endlessly amongst themselves. Sometimes I wish I wasn't telepathic.
Why is she walking with him?
She very well deserves something better.
He proposed and she said no!
"Shut up." I mumbled.
"What?" Warren looked hurt.
"Uh-No! Not you..."
He looked at me strangely. "Are you feeling alright today? You seem kind of distracted."
"I guess I am. Sorry." I muttered. Something wasn't right today. I was feeling really uneasy.
"You seem on edge. Is there something worrying you?"
"Yeah, but I have no idea what it is."
Warren frowned. "Well, I don't think there's anything to worry about."
"Hopefully." I mutter and lean myself against the trunk of a tree.
"You don't sound so sure." Warren paced over and stopped in front of me.
I looked towards the sky. "For a few days now, I've had the strangest feeling something bad is going to happen. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but I'm afraid-"
Warren put a finger to my lips to keep me from speaking. "Dani, there's nothing to worry about. Nothing is going to happen. Can you for at least a minute forget about the bad things in the world and pay attention to all the good things?"
His question was rhetorical of course. He lifted his finger off my lips and I sighed.
"Sorry." I muttered.
He smiled. "Can you smile for me? Please?"
I gave him my cheesiest smile.
He rolled his eyes. "You are such a dork."
"Hey!" I slapped his arm. I think it hurt me more than him though.
"Hey lovebirds! What's going on?"
Kitty appeared and stepped out from behind a tree. I glared at her.
She just smiled. "Ororo wants to see us."
"OK. Business first, fun later." Ororo smirked at a new recruit, Adam, who was levitating a pencil in the air. It fell to the table and he folded his arms across his chest.
"Alright. First thing's first. I called you all down here with some interesting news." Everyone perked up a bit. "I just received some news from New Zeland. They are having troubles with keeping control of the mutants there."
"So, what are we going to do?" Adam asked.
"We, are going to travel to New Zeland and help them."
A groan chorused around us.
"Why?"
"You didn't let me finish. I didn't say exactly who's going."
"Then who's going?" Logan asked.
"Me, you Logan-" Logan mumbled incoherently under his breath. "-Warren, Kitty, Bobby, Lacey and Adam."
I raised my eyebrows. "Why aren't I going Ororo?"
"I need someone to stay and watch over the students. And keep a watchful eye in the city. OK?"
"But Ororo-"
"Sorry Dani."
Warren gave me an apologetic look.
"How long will you be gone?" I asked as everyone started to get up off the table.
"I'd say around a week and a half. You can handle it that long right?"
I pursed my lips unsure. "Um...yeah. I-I guess."
Everyone left the room except Warren and Kitty.
"I'm sorry you can't go. I don't know why she's not telling anyone of us." Kitty said, trying to ease my discomfort.
I started walking away. "No, it's OK, I'll be fine. I mean, it's only for a week and a half right?"
Warren and Kitty nodded.
"Plus, you'll have all the students with you. That won't be too bad right?"
"Yeah....right." I agreed.
We rounded the corner to the elevator and loaded it. Once we were to the base floor, Kitty squeezed my hand reassuringly.
"I wonder what New Zeland's going to be like. I've never been!"
"Sounds fun. Get me a souvenir OK?"
"Gotcha." Kitty said.
Kitty rounded the corner to go up the stairs to the girl's dorms. I waved to her and turned to Warren.
He was staring at the floor and shifting his feet slightly.
"What?" He asked.
"You don't think I can handle it can you?"
He frowned. "It's not that...it's just..." His facial expression changed drastically. "It's just....I'll be gone....and you'll be here.....alone."
"Warren I'll be fine. It's not like some crazy person is going to try and come in-"
"It's not that Dani. I don't want to be away from you. It seems like a week and a half will be torture."
I sighed and hugged him. "It's only for a little while. Trust me, you won't be missing much."
"You are so clueless sometimes." He shook his head. I pulled away and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean I'm clueless? I'm pretty smart if you ask me." I said.
He cracked a smile and started laughing.
"What? What did I do?" I asked between his guffaws.
"It's just....Oh Daniella, I love you." He wrapped me in another hug as he was still laughing slightly.
"I...love you to." I said. He started chuckling again. "Warren Worthington what is so funny?" I asked as I pulled away and he started laughing again.
I waited impatiently until he was finished.
"I'm sorry. It's just funny how...never mind."
"Funny how what?" I asked and folded my arms across my chest.
"Never mind. Come on, I'm hungry." He took my hand with me still questioning in my head why he was laughing.
When we entered the kitchen a bunch of the students were sitting at the table sharing a few jokes.
"Morning Mr. Worthington!" A boy who looked about twelve said.
"Morning Marc." He said and opened the fridge.
"Mr. Worthington?" I asked.
"Shut up. If it were up to me you'd be Mrs. Worthington."
As he said this, the students behind us started oohing and one of them whistled. I blushed furiously and smacked Warren's arm as I went to go sit down on the couch in front of the fireplace.
Warming up by the fire, Warren sat down next to me and handed me a cup full of hot chocolate. I sipped it gratefully and then settled it in my lap. Once the students left, it was really quiet. The only thing I could hear was our faint breathing and heartbeats.
"You know, it's not a bad idea." Warren said breaking the silence.
"What's not a bad idea?" I sipped some more of the hot chocolate.
"Daniella Worthington. It fits perfectly in my opinion."
I nearly choked on the hot chocolate. Some of it splashed in my lap and I tried rubbing it off. "Warren, I told you, not now." I got up off the couch and placed the hot chocolate onto the kitchen counter.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw him follow me. I grabbed a few paper towels to wipe off my shirt, when he grabbed my hand.
"Dani will you look at me please?"
I looked up, to see him closer then I thought.
"Why not?" He asked.
I sighed and looked down. "Warren...I told you. I'm not prepared for that kind of commitment."
I heard him sigh. "When will you be?"
I set the napkin on the counter. "I don't know. I told you I would tell you when I am. But I'm just not. OK?"
He sighed again and walked over to the couch, slumped down, and didn't say anything. Sometimes I wished I could just get away from it all. Like a bird, ready to leave the nest and live an adventure of it's own. Well actually....
I left the table and approached the back door which was covered in frost from the chilly morning air. Opening it, I felt the ripping sensation of my skin pulling apart as my feathers expanded and passed through.
"Dani? Where are you going?"
"Out." I said. I gave him a small smile and closed the door. I launched myself off the deck and breathed in a sigh of relief as the air seemed to wash away all my worries. This was what I lived for. No chains could hold me down, nothing could stop me from being myself. The glassy blue water of the ocean reflected the sun's rays, welcoming a new day. Seagulls chirped near bye, and I could see dolphins in the distant ocean. The air began to feel warmer the more I flew. I flew over the city, around the forest, and back again.
Sometimes I wish I was a bird so I could just fly away. Of course I was half bird. But if I just flew away from my problems, that wouldn't solve anything either. But for now, I was at peace.
"I don't know what to do Ororo." I said as I fiddled with the glass of orange juice in front of me.
"I don't know either. Warren's just probably upset."
For the last few days, Warren had been less talkative then usual. Usually I would catch him with a weird expression on his face, when he saw me, his attitude changed drastically.
"I didn't do anything wrong did I? I mean, I don't want him to feel like I tried hurting his feelings."
"No you didn't Dani. If a guy can't respect you enough to wait, then maybe he's not for you."
I pursed my lips and thought about it. It seemed like my answer wasn't getting through to Warren. Maybe I would have to convince him other wise. Or maybe I could buck up and say yes. If I did marry him now, I could still probably explore the world. I could just bring Warren with me....or maybe that would be too complicated.
"Ugh." I groaned and lowered my head until it touched the counter.
"Someone having issues?"
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I knew it was Kitty.
"You have no idea." I said and lifted my head up off the counter.
"What's wrong?"
"Kitty, have you ever had guy troubles?"
She hesitated, then said, "Yes."
"What happened?"
"Oh well....you know....I dated this guy and he didn't take our relationship seriously. He blew me off for his friends, we didn't really spend time together. So we broke up, naturally."
"Did you like him a lot?"
She nodded.
I sighed.