Change is in the air

He awoke the following morning and went about his regular routine, an early morning jog before breakfast, he was partial to bacon in the morning, usually he used this time to mentally run though things he wanted to get done that day, or if anything had been asked of him how he could best approach that request.

The one common thing that kept entering his thoughts both that morning and last night, was thoughts of Jade, sometimes flickers of moments they'd shared, but even those memories of them had a slightly different feel after last night, that little moment in the kitchen seemed to have started something rolling. He would have to talk with her again. But after her classes or at least after the first class of the day, finding out who was teaching what when was easy enough.

He busied himself pulling apart some of the lesser used door mechanisms on the lower levels, something to get his mind around, although it still seemed to have spare room for the occasional thought of a certain someone.

"I think we need to talk." He said softly but purposefully from the doorway to the study, he'd waited on the landing until the room was empty of students, feeling the need to be a little discreet, he'd spent a moment at the door watching her busy herself around the room. The feeling was much the same as last night, which he took as a good indication of his feelings.

Jade sensed James’ approach. Her back was to the doorway as she gathered up several papers on the desk into a stack. She found her heart began to beat a little faster just knowing that he was there watching her. This moment was an important one and she knew that he knew that as well. However, Jade found that instead of being scared or anxious she felt as if this was right. That did not mean there were not risks however and she knew that they needed to talk this through.

Slowly, she turned to look at him. She paused and just let the moment sit between them. It was heavy with possibility. She finally nodded and broke the silence.

“Yes, I think we do. Why don’t you come in and close the door.”

He moved into the room closing the door behind him as requested, pacing over to her stopping one desk to the side but facing her, room to move for both of them given this was a unique meeting. "Things changed last night, or they did for me anyways. By things I mean they way I feel about you or towards you somthing like that." He admitted, with a little sense of relief it had to be said, as well as a little concern that his expressions weren't coming of right But that was the thing about a new dynamic he supposed. "It felt like it might be mutual, but is it? " He asked simply, it might have come off blunt, but he'd know if this was all in his head or somthing that was worth chasing down.

Jade remained quiet as she listened to James speak. She wanted to let him completely say what he wanted or needed to say before responding. She kept her expression neutral, though inside she felt a feeling of happiness course through her at his statement. She could sense a little worry in him that perhaps she did not feel the same as he. Her expression did not change, but she slowly moved closer to him. When she was standing mere inches away from him she gently leaned up and kissed him, placing her hands delicately on the side of his face. In that moment she allowed her feelings to flow from her into his mind and body and he would know for certain that she felt exactly as he did. However, she still slowly pulled back from the kiss and looked up into his eyes with a little smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Yes, it is."

While James was expecting a reaction, this particular one while possable was a pleasent supprise. The rush of emotions and feelings that accompanied it, doubtless because of her particular capability, was another welcome addition. Some of them mirrored his own some felt totally unique.

While Jade stepped away for a moment and made a little comment, James smiled, took her left hand in his right. "I got that, that was a unique rush for sure. Id like to make a go of it, you and me in a relationship, I know it's risking what we have, but these feelings are to pronounced for me at least I reckon wed do each other more harm than good trying to ignore or pretend they were the there. That's my thoughts anyway, how about you?" He asked, spilling out his own thoughts but also curious to hear Jade's

Jade had actually been surprised at her own boldness in kissing James like that. She knew that she would not have done that with anyone other than him. She was glad when he didn't seem upset and actually took one of her hands into his own. She looked at him, her eyes meeting his own, as he spoke and she let him finish before replying.

"I agree. I've had feelings for you for a while I believe, but I just haven't realized them until recently. You and I have always had a close friendship and while this step in our relationship should feel scary, to me at least, it feels natural and almost comforting. There is no one that knows me like you do James and you and I don't have to hide who we are from each other. Good, bad, and ugly we have already seen it."

He nodded along as she explained her take on where they were and how she felt about following this new twist, delighted that it was all positive, and she had a fair point they had seen most side of the other person. "Glad we agree on that, so we see where this takes us, maybe being discreet at first but being secretive wouldn't work in this place and would just invent stress where there shouldn't be any. This is a good thing I want to enjoy what it adds to my life." He added his final thoughts to how they could approach the beginnings of heir relationship listening to her responce before adding. "How about we do dinner? I'll get some reservations and let you know?"

Jade smiles and nodded when James suggested them going out to dinner. They had been out to dinner a number of times before, but as friends. This time it would be an actual date and she was curious to know where he might pick.

“I would love that.”

A few seconds later Jade heard her uncle’s familiar voice in her head. James would recognize the almost blank stare as she concentrated on what her uncle was telling her. Finally she blinked and looked at James.

“Uncle Xavier thinks we should try using Cerebro again to try and locate Kaia. Are you free to go down with me?”

James would know that Jade preferred to have him with her whenever she used Cerebro.

He smiled at both her agreeing to dinner and then the following blank look, he knew what that was all about and waited to see if Jade had something urgent she had to attend to or if they had a little longer together. A little of both it turned out, as a trip to cerbro was on the cards, and it was fairly common for him to accompany her, something he was pleased with.

"Sure, happy too, it maintenance stuff so it can get pushed around as needed." He agreed with a positive tone, stepped forward and gave Jade a lingering kiss on the cheek, before making for the door along with her, "Besides if we've got someone who needs a safe place and I can help you know I will."

Jade closed her eyes as James leaned down and kissed her cheek. She breathed in his familiar scent and felt a wave of happiness come over her. She opened her eyes as he pulled back and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. Together they walked out of the classroom and stepped into the elevator. There was a code to get down to the sub-basement and only a handful at the school knew it. They rode the elevator down and then stepped out into the long, white hallway. At the end of it, in front of the metal doors leading into the room with Cerebro, they found her uncle waiting for them. Her uncle had been training her to use Cerebro.

“I hope I’m able to locate Kaia today,” she said with a bit of anxiety in her voice. “I’m worried about her.”

There was still a little thrill of excitement for James of going to cerebro, given access to it was tightly controlled, with good reason. Given the reason for using it were almost always serious, he tried to play that feeling down at least outwardly, although he was around the two people who could look behind the outward front he assumed they appreciate the effort.

"I'm sure you'll find her, and we can always make an appealing offer. the rest is up to her, folks make there own choices." He replied with a mix of support but also reality, trying to get the balance right was tricky at times but he kept on trying. He smiled as they neared the professor. "Morning Professor."

Jade nodded at James' words, finding some comfort in them. She greeted her uncle and then waited as he used the retina scanner to open the doors. The locking mechanism did not yet have her retina information stored as her uncle did not want her having direct and uncontrolled access to Cerebro until he felt she was completely ready. She understood and respected this and based on their earlier conversation she knew that he felt she was very nearly ready for that which gave her a surge of pride. She had worked hard since coming to the mansion and the strength and control of her powers was the result of that.

Together, the three of them entered the large, circular room. The room had been designed specifically for Cerebro, which sat at the end of a long walkway. Jade walked down and took a seat as James and her uncle came up behind her. Using Cerebro could be incredibly dangerous and Jade always felt a little nervous picking up the headpiece. She glanced over at James and saw him give her a little smile before she slipped the piece onto her head. The jolt of psychic activity always caused her to jump a little as her mind began to connect with many others. She heard her uncle talking to her and his voice sounded distant. Her mind was connecting to other mutants as it sought out Kaia. She knew her mutant signature already and was looking for it. After what seemed like an hour, but in reality had only been a few minutes, she located her. She could see the young girl was alone in what appeared to be an abandoned building. She was able to pull her mind back from Kaia's far enough to see the outside of the building and then farther back still to see a street sign.

Using Cerebro was always draining and Jade's hands shook a little as she removed the headpiece.

"Kaia is in an abandoned building located on Walnut Street."

OOC-Feel free to play Professor Xavier or any other characters you would like to. You are also welcome to bring in other created characters if you would like.

"Very good Jade, that was quite a tricky connection to make, your focus is improving nicely." Her uncle, the professor, commended warmly after her successful location of their subject. Noting her appearance he also advised. "But you must take some time to yourself, such difficult connections can take it out of you, I know all to well."

James stayed back for a moment, knowing the professor was still guiding and teaching, he reminded James of a elder back home, it always facinated and appealed to him how such a person could carry such responsibilities buy still have that personal connection to those who needed it.

He steped past as the professor turned his chair around to face the now slowly opening door. James put a hand to Jades arm, but did so gently as a sign of support, "You okay?" He asked softly

Jade still felt a little dizzy, but the feeling was slowly fading. She knew that in time, with more use of Cerebro, that she would no longer experience such feelings. She had come quite a long way since her first time using the machine. The first time she had become overwhelmed by all the psychic activity and had blacked out. James had been with her for that time and every time since she had come through those doors and put on the headpiece. He was her support in more ways than one and as she felt his hand on her arm she gave him a little smile.

"Yes, I'm alright," she assured him.

However, that smile then faded as the image of Kaia she had seen came back into her mind. "We must get to Kaia quickly. The state she was living in...I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"Abandoned buildings are generally a last resort and people who don't want to be found, I can only imagine what people are sharing that space." He commented a little solemnly, these moment when they found a mutant hiding or on the run were always a reality check. "If your looking for volunteers, you've got one here, maybe a little less experienced but I want to help." James added.

The professor stopped at the entrance to Cerebro and turned to the pair following along, looking carefully at them and with out giving much away in visual cues began. "She may need help but we must be mindful that her powers are considerable and she has been disappointed in the past, reaching her will be tricky, but I belive you two to be capable. Do you have any thoughts on how to approach Kaia?"

Jade gave James a little smile when he volunteered to go with her. She already knew he was going to go with her, but it was nice to hear him say it. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination. This girl was alone and scared and untrusting. It was going to take a gentle approach to get her to go with them, but she wasn't entirely sure even that was going to work.

She and James followed behind her uncle, but when he stopped and turned to look at them she could see his eyes looking at them rather closely. Did he already know? To be honest she wouldn't be surprised. He seemed to know things about her before even she did.

"I think she needs to be approached gently. I'm afraid of scaring her off and then having to find her again. She's too young to be out on her own like this. We will need to somehow gain enough of her trust to get her to come with us."

"If we're going to approach carefully, suiting up wouldn't be the best idea." James commented as he thought the problem through. "We could go apartment hunting, if that's an option in that area, have a bit of poke around under the guise of checking out the neighbourhood, take things from there." He suggested, James favored none official looking, informal type if he were to approach another mutant, especially someone he was not overly familiar with, given the distance they would likely have to bott have lift on the Jet most of the way but one in the city transport links become an option and possably a way to blend in more readily. "It is only a suggestion however, any other thoughts? "

Jade certainly agreed that suiting up was not going to be the best idea with Kaia. She had a feeling that Kaia would immediately flee anything that looked too official. They would need to be extremely careful with how they approached Kaia and so staying in street clothes was essential.

"No, I think your idea is a good one," Jade replied. "We can use the jet to get us just outside of the city and then go by foot and public transport. Are you ready to head out now?"

James smiled as they appeared to be on the same page as far as setting up their approach to Kaia, that was a good thing for sure. "Almost, I just want to run up stairs and grab a few things, satchel, tablet computer, met you by the jet in fifteen minutes or so?" He offered starting to run through a mental list of useful things to have with them. "If you approve, professor?" He added, the little he knew of the man he was fairly confident he would agree but out of respect he asked and would defer if necessary.

"You two seem to have clear idea and a solid approach, be mindful of both the brotherhood and Doctor Doom, other than that good luck." He said calmly and neutrally cracking a hint of a approving expression, before turning his chair and moving away.

James followed him into the lift, there was only one from this floor, making his way all the way to the first floor, as he rode a number of thoughts and feelings occurred to him, the fact that everything had changed between him and Jade yet they were working together as they always had, as side from the odd tingling and warm feeling when they were throwing ideas back and forth. He also considered that the Professor must have his suspect something yet chose to carry on. He fished a battered old satchel from under his bed, this particular had come from home to his little hideaway attempt to the school, it felt safe and familer, stuffing a few things in he hurried on to the landing and down the staircase, then into the lift down to the underground hanger. "All ready now." He said with a smile as he met Jade at the ramp and walked up seating himself in one of the passenger seats as they went though the take off cycle, he looked across at Jade and smiled, it was perhaps a little ironic that they were looking at properties at the start of something between them.

OOC-New thread