InsaneJournal

WHO: Annie Wheaton and Charles Xavier
WHAT: Ashley asked Charles to check out the sudden, new arrival at the Sanctuary. This is the end result.
WHEN: Backdated to July 13.
WHERE: The Sanctuary
RATING: G.
STATUS: To be completed in comments.

Although Annie didn’t understand what, exactly, was going on in the strange new place she was starting to call home, she knew enough to realize there was something definitely amiss. For instance, she was certain the people who had been in the room with the man who had found her were just as alive as he was. Yet for reasons she couldn’t fathom, the man seemed wholly incapable of noticing them in any way. No amount of grunting, pointing, or growing agitated on her part had helped, either, so after a while Annie had given up trying. Instead she had taken to simply dealing with each new person as she came across them before wandering away to explore some other area of the place that she hadn’t seen yet. There were parts that weren’t easy to access - at least, not through normal means - but Annie felt no urge to force her way inside any of them. She just stuck to the areas she was allowed to visit and occupied most of her time with silently observing others she encountered.

The past few hours it had been Sally who held her attention. Annie had never really heard of a mermaid before and probably wouldn’t have been overly impressed if she had, but she definitely liked the creature swimming in the tank before her very eyes. They communicated far better than she did with the others she’d met and there was a sense of peace and acceptance that washed over her whenever she was in the area that Annie simply hadn’t felt many other places in her young life. It was strange to interact with someone who wasn’t appalled or afraid of her ability and who could show her as much without the use of words, but Annie found she rather enjoyed it.

Sitting in front of Sally’s tank with a piece of paper on the floor and a pencil in her hand, Annie was drawing designs that, to the untrained eye, appeared quite random and without any reason whatsoever. In actuality they were intricate signals, written signs that served as part of a language that had never before been put to pen, but Annie had no way of expressing that fact to anyone else. She simply kept drawing the designs, unknowingly translating the conversation taking place in her mind onto the paper spread out before her. She might have sat there for hours, or at least until Sally had given her the entire language in one way or another, had someone else not caught her attention. Slowly she stopped writing, her expression a nervous one as she glanced over her shoulder just in time to lock eyes with someone new coming her way.

New, she realized as she studied them silently, and powerful. Blinking, she continued to stare, set down the pencil in her hand, and waited for them to make the first move. Whatever that might be.

Charles had been curious when Ashley had contacted him about the young girl at the Sanctuary. All right, to be honest, he’d first been a bit distracted by the girl’s somewhat abrasive personality - after all, neither of her parents were quite so blunt, but he put it down to the impact of being raised in different eras - before he’d focused on the reason she’d contacted him. Perhaps he was, as Raven often said, becoming something of an old fart.

Still, he was intrigued by what Ashley had told him about the girl. Somehow he doubted she was simply a normal girl with developmental difficulties. While he had not been in the city too terribly long, he’d managed to get a grasp for the way things worked. He was certain there was something special about the girl, and he wanted to help her. He would have wanted to no matter what, but the idea of someone who was possibly like him, trapped in her own head, tugged at something inside of him. He wanted to do whatever he could to show her she wasn’t alone here, as he had tried to do for his friends and students back home.

Making his way down through the Sanctuary, he stopped when he reached the room with Sally’s tank and took a moment to simply watch the girl and the mermaid. He liked Sally, almost better than any of the people who lived in the building. Her mind was a lovely place, and he felt a connection to her. In his short time here, he’d met more telepathic beings than he ever had in his life and it was almost overwhelming. It didn’t quite make up for his current inability to connect with his family, but it was a comfort. Touching the girl’s mind, just to get an ideal of what he was dealing with, was like sliding against a glass wall. It wasn’t like Emma’s diamond barrier, where glinting crystal obscured the thoughts entirely. He could feel her, see into her mind, but he couldn’t get close enough to know what was there. It was almost as if she were a great distance away and he couldn’t really access her thoughts, just see them from a distance.

Still, he could communicate, and he got some sense that telepathy would be more successful than just speaking. Hello, he greeted her politely, giving her a small smile when she looked at him. I’m Professor Charles Xavier. Would you like to tell me your name, and then perhaps we could talk?

Although Annie had been, at least in some small way, expecting him to speak to her through his mind, she still had the same basic reaction to Charles that she did with most everyone else she met. Automatically her hands went to her face and she hid behind them for a few seconds, slowly peeking out between her fingers as though to access whether or not he might be a threat. Once assured he wasn’t going to harm her in some way, Annie let her hands fall to her lap and gave him a small smile.

“A-Annie.”

The word was spoken suddenly, without any verbal provocation thanks to the prodding in her mind. It had taken her months to learn to speak her own name and she was clearly pleased with herself as she managed as much this time. She wriggled a bit in place and her smile grew as she added, “F-Fishy Sally. ’alking.”

It was a difficult way to simply explain to someone that the mermaid’s name was Sally and they had been talking, but with Annie it was the best anyone could hope for. Honestly had Charles not approached her telepathically, he probably wouldn’t have received a response at all. However something about telepathic comments seemed to reach her far easier than verbal attempts ever could. But it took someone truly trusted for Annie to respond telepathically as well, which meant Charles was unfortunately going to have to attend with limited verbal replies for the time being.

Honestly, Charles hadn’t expected even that much right from the start, given what Ashley had told him, so he wasn’t entirely sure how to react when she did speak. He had figured, from his studies working toward his psychology doctorate, that it would be some time before she was willing to open up to him. The way her hands went immediately to her face when he spoke had only strengthened that assumption. So he was pleasantly surprised by the introduction and the words that followed.

Annie, he continued mentally, since that had received a good result before. That’s a very pretty name. It’s nice to meet you.

He returned her smile as he came over and sat down next to her, making sure to leave enough space so as not to make her feel uncomfortable. Some people might have been confused by her disjointed sentences but, while he couldn’t touch her thoughts, Charles was still able to glean enough from her mind to understand her meaning. He laughed softly and nodded his head.

Sally is lovely, isn’t she? he said, tilting his head toward the mermaid, who had heard the comment and was preening in her tank. Apparently his charm even worked on women who were part fish. Now, if only he could get it to work on computer science professors. Oh well, that was for another day. I quite like coming and talking to her myself. She’s a wonderfully calming presence. What have the two of you been talking about. He glanced down at the papers, then back at Sally, raising an eyebrow. This girl was extraordinary. He didn’t comment on what she had drawn though, simply waiting for her response.

"Sister," Annie answered simply, the corners of her mouth tugging downward a little at the thought of still being separated from Rachel. Sally had been able to relate, not having any of her own kind here as well, but Annie wasn't sure quite how to explain such a thing to Charles. So she decided, rather than trying to struggle through the words that simply wouldn't come, she would just show him instead.

Reaching out with her mind to do things came as easily to the girl as breathing. Yet even with all of her power, rarely did she allow her mind to connect with someone else's in a way that gave them more than a cursory glimpse. In her own way, without realizing it, Annie was trying to protect others from what she could do. From her limited perspective due to her developmental difficulties, however, she was simply making sure there were clear boundaries kept in place so as to keep herself feeling safe. When it came to Charles, though, she seemed to instinctively know that he wasn't going to try pushing for anything more than she would show him. So with a sideways glance at him, and a small smile, she pressed into his mind with her own and gave him a glimpse into the conversation she'd been having with the mermaid. Their talks of family, of the strangeness of the city, even of the people who stayed within the Sanctuary and Sally's opinion of them. It only took a few seconds and then Annie was pulling away from his mind, her own thoughts once more safely hidden behind a defensive barrier created by her own subconscious years earlier.

When she'd finished, she gave Charles another small smile. "'ice to m-meet 'ou too," she said politely, with a slight nod to accompany the returned pleasantry.

Charles supposed it would be difficult for her, not having her sister around, especially with her condition and the fact that she was alone here. He knew how hard it had been for him when Raven had left, and he’d had people he knew and trusted. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to be completely alone. Such a thing was foreign to a telepath, community and connection too deeply ingrained in him. Alone, he might have gone mad.

He felt her attempt to connect, he immediately allowed it. He could see now how things worked, and he privately promised to never try to look beyond what he showed them. This level of trust, from someone like Annie, meant a lot to him. He wanted her to trust him, to feel safe with him, and even now he felt strangely protective of her. He absorbed what she showed him, thinking back to his own discussions with the mermaid. He could certainly understand these feelings. Not wanting Annie to be the only one giving in this, he shared his own thoughts from his early days in the city, to let her know how he understood. Because he had been alone here, helpless and trapped in his own way, his body making him a prisoner in a way not entirely unlike her mind did. And, with that, there was a promise to never push for more than she was willing to give. Then she was pulling away, and he relaxed back into his own mind. He realised he hadn’t defaulted to the physical tell of his ability, his hands still down by his side, and he wondered briefly if perhaps being in a place where there were others like him, who did not shy away from reaching out and making connections, was having a positive impact on his mutation. It was a nice thought in any case.

How are you liking it here? he asked her. Aside from not having Sister here, of course. It’s a bit odd, isn’t it, how none of them can see each other. He paused, thinking back to his trip down here and how bizarre it had been to watch them all, and he grinned. Odd but rather funny too...

Although most assumed upon meeting her that her autism somehow made her unintelligent, with Annie that simply was not true in the slightest. She was quite a smart young woman, sharp on the uptake and intuitive as well. However she was also a prisoner within her own mind and therefore could never truly express any of that to people other than through small, non sequitur outbursts and rare moments of lucidity on the very best of days. She did, though, have a sense of humour that managed to show itself far more often than most realized until they took the time to notice. But for people like her sister, those who truly knew her, it was rather obvious.

It was also apparent now as Annie smiled faintly, her eyes shining with merriment as she replied, “‘ikola s-s-sits on A-A-Ashley.” Which was definitely a bit odd to see, even if Nikola always wound up sitting beside the blond by the time he’d fully sat down. It was still amusing to the girl to watch that initial moment when he started to sit all without ever realizing there was someone else there. Then again, out of all of the people she’d come across in the Sanctuary thus far, Nikola Tesla was the one she had bonded with the most. He didn’t treat her like she was stupid. So it stood to reason, out of all of the people in the Sanctuary, he was the one she was keeping the closest eye on.

Still smiling, Annie’s gaze met Charles’ as the pencil she’d been using to write with slowly floated into the air and back to the clipboard it had been attached to before she’d borrowed it. The piece of paper, meanwhile, began folding itself until it was a small enough square that she could easily put it in her pocket. Once finished, she picked up the baby doll at her side and, tucking it into the crook of her arm, rose serenely to her feet. “Big house,” she announced, glancing around the otherwise empty room, before back to Charles. She tilted her head a little to the side. “Y-Your house ‘ig too.”

Charles could tell that Annie was an intelligent young woman, simply trapped by her own ability. He wanted, more than he had with anyone else, to help her however he could. There was a kinship there, and he already knew instinctively - as though his telepathy had an edge of precognition - that she would find her way to his home before too long. They were too much alike not to gravitate toward one another. He saw in her shades of the boy he had been before he had met Raven, separated from others and never speaking aloud, making his mother nervous with what he could do. Her condition was more difficult of course, but he definitely felt connected to her.

He smiled warmly, laughing at what she said. There are two girls at my house right now, he told her, Cassandra and Stephanie, who run into each other every single morning without fail. I can set my watch by it. And when I came here today? Mr. Druitt and Mr. Watson were standing in the exact same spot. It was a bit confusing to see. Mr. Constantine was laughing but wouldn’t tell them why. He’s certainly quite the character, that one. Gruff, but oddly charming. There was a fondness to the way he said it, and he gave her another small smile. Are they treating you well? he asked her. Is there anything you need?

He watched, fascinated, as she gathered her belongings, wondering at the extend of her power. What was the limit? Was there even one to be found? He wasn’t entirely sure, beyond the way her power kept her a prisoner. Standing up, he mimicked the tilt of her head with his own almost unconsciously. Yes, he said with a sigh, my house is rather uncomfortably large at times. It was massive and lonely before Raven. But it’s filling up now. He hesitated, not wanting to seem forward, then smiled. You’re welcome there any time, Annie.

Annie knew he wasn’t trying anything he shouldn’t by inviting her to come by and visit sometime. Granted she didn’t realize that others might find his offer a bit... odd, given her autism, but the point was that Annie wasn’t even close to uncomfortable. In fact, she seemed perfectly at ease as she smiled. Her voice hesitant, and half-stumbling over various words, she offered, “I’m o-oka-a-a-y.” The comment wasn’t meant to last more than a simple offering of the feeling but Annie managed to hold onto it longer, her smile almost serene when she finally added, “House q-quiet. T-T-Too ‘uiet.”

It was perhaps the closest Annie had come to admitting there was clearly something wrong with how things were at the moment. She didn’t offer more, at least not right away. In fact she didn’t speak again until some time later, well after any proof remained. When she finally did talk again, it was merely to say, albeit rather firmly given the circumstances, “N-No ‘chool.” Her expression - one that was rather intense despite her typical inability to focus on much of anything - was fierce as she met his without flinching. Clearly she had every intention of explaining under no uncertain terms that she was not meant to attend his school. Or, perhaps, she was trying to assure him that she’d no intention of attending the school he would someday have in the future. Whatever the motivation, she had clearly said what she meant to say and saw no reason to continue if the way she suddenly focused her attention fully on Sally’s tank was any indication.

Charles gave Annie a small smile. I’m glad for that, he said, referring to the fact that she seemed to be doing well. At the next bit, he sighed and nodded. This whole situation felt terribly wrong to him, more than perhaps to most others. He was used to feeling the others in his head, even when they weren’t near him, so to have them gone completely was terribly unsettling. It was as though they were dead, or all wearing those dreadful helmets. The very thought of it was enough to make him ill at ease. Pushing the sensation aside, he focused instead on Annie. It is, he agreed. Far too quiet. But hopefully this will soon pass.

Her intensity surprised him, because it wasn’t a reaction he had anticipated from her. Charles was curious as to why she was so adamant that she wouldn’t be a student, but he got a sense that it had less to do with being taught and more to do with the environment that came with being in school. He couldn’t imagine she would do well with other students. After considering it for a moment, he tilted his head to the side and offered her another possibility. All right, he assented. No school. How about...tutoring instead. Just you and me. One on one. Only if you wanted, of course. Would you like that? He did his best to make it clear with his tone that if her answer was no, that there would be no judgment. He was asking from curiosity alone, not to try and force her to agree to anything. And anyway, he continued, you’re always welcome in my home, even if you aren’t a student. Truthfully, he just wanted her around, where he could know she was safe. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the Sanctuary, but in this instance he felt as though he had perhaps a slightly better understanding than them, even if only just barely.