Disclaimer: Nope, don't own X-Men. Or the Brotherhood. If I did, I would be distracted doing…other things. XD

A/N: Wow. Chapter 7 has only been up for four days, and I already have 10 reviews for it. You guys certainly don't waste any time, do you? –fondly glomps everybody– Keep it up! You make my day brighter! I love you all!

Alright, enough of the mushy stuff. Time to comment on my reviewers:

LadyV77: Yesh, very naughty Jinxeh. I believe Olivia will meet the others very soon, and will become formally introduced to…a special somebody. XD Mwahahahaha.

Erik's Eternal Bride: NOOO! –rescues Toad plushie from storm– MY Toad plushie! –huggles rescued plushie– I'm getting to the fluff, Sammie-Chan. Be patient. Fluffy-filled chapters are most definitely on the to-do list. Mwa. Although you are most certainly getting there faster in your story than I am in mine, but your charrie doesn't have gashes on her legs that need to heal! –sulk–

Jinxeh: HaHA! The tides have turned now, haven't they? I have my plushies and my Kurt back, AND you are Jack Sparrowless! I do believe he is being entertained well… -pokes head in 'secret lair' observes jack completely zonked out with PotC still playing on my TV- Yep. He's having fun. I may be willing to make a trade, but first you need to update your own story. –evil grin of DOOM–

Windy: Hmm. If Jinxeh doesn't have the ultra rare Johnny Depp plushie, then who does? Meh. Glad you like the plot! And you will find out future events soon enough, my friend.

Dark Angel 4523: Aww, your story isn't up yet? –pouts– Darn. I hate waiting. I am not a patient person. No sirree. Yep, Storm most definitely did all that. And I hate her guts for it. But anyway, this is actually the fastest I've added a new chapter, so I'm proud of myself. Whee.

flapjack101: WEEE! More flapjack! –munches on yummyful flapjack– Danke, meine freunde. More reviews! I luffles the flapjack! –glomp–

autumnrocks: Hello again, Amanda. You changed your screen name. Thank you. Yes, I am happy. –pat pat– But, you CALLED ME JENNY! You shall DIE FOR THAT! –pulls out evil stick of DOOM– –WHAP WHAP WHAP– NOBODY gets away with calling me Jenny. –sulk– But anyway. You reviewed again! Yay. I luffles reviews. –GLOMP– Write more! …Please!

Italia12: XD XD You check my story every day? Wow. Thank you for your devotion! –beams– I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long, but I'm writing as often as my schoolwork and Mutt will let me. They do have their limits, however annoying they may be. Keep up the reviews, and I will indeed read your own FF when I find the time!

Kate Van Helsing: XD XD Yesh indeed I left with a cliffhanger. XD You sure you want me to die? Then you won't have anybody to fix that annoying cliffhanger. Well, I fixed it now, but the story would still be unfinished. So don't kill me please! –hides under rock– BTW, I LOVE your screename. Van Helsing is one of my favorite movies, besides X-Men. –GLOMP–

DragonFeather: Wow, you seriously think I kept all the characters in character? –GLOMP– I think I said before, that getting characters OOC is my worst fear. But you've vanquished it! Thank you! –GLOMP AGAIN– Pleeshe keep up the reviews! I luffles reviews! –huggles all reviews–

And I also just might want to state, Assignment: Amy by Erik's Eternal Bride and my story are being woven together. They will fit together plot-wise, although they are focused on different characters. Her story is set a couple months into the future of this one, though, so don't be surprised. So if you see her characters in my story or my characters in hers, that's why. Just so you know!

And keep up the reviews! I love reviews! And updating your stories are even better! –shifty glance at Eternal Bride Jinxeh–

On with chapter 8!

The room was dead silent. Kerri could feel Olivia's shocked eyes staring at her as she processed the information. "…What?" she finally asked.

"You probably don't believe me, but it's been proven. I wanted to make sure that your cuts weren't infected, but when I took a sample of your blood…" she apologetically looked at Olivia. "…I discovered the mutant gene. I'm sorry, but it's true." Kerri watched her carefully, expecting her to explode.

Instead, she just looked stunned, as if she had been hit by a two-by-four. "It's been scientifically proven…" she repeated quietly, as if to explain to herself that it was true. "My god," she muttered, slumping her head against the table. "It was true…" she whispered to herself, her shocked expression stuck on her face. "I'm a mutant…"

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Kerri said, trying to cheer her up. "Mutants have very special abilities that make them unique. Despite what the government says about us, only a few use them destructively. Some of us can't use them like that, even if we tried."

Olivia wearily glanced at Kerri. "Like who?" she asked, only partly interested.

Kerri's face turned pink as she glanced at her hands. "Like me," she said. "I can heal people when I touch them, but only during the summer."

"Why only then?" Olivia asked, slowly becoming more fascinated, despite the lingering shock.

"Because I absorb my healing abilities from the light of a summer constellation, Virgo," Kerri explained. "It only works with that energy, though, so it's completely useless during the winter."

"Wow," Olivia said, surprised and interested. She didn't know a mutant could have that kind of power. "So…" she began. "Do all mutants have abilities like that?"

"Not exactly like that, but yes," Kerri nodded, turning back to the medical supplies in front of her. "But you can't control what it is. All mutants were born with their power already decided and inside them; it just doesn't show itself until your body physically matures."

"Around puberty," Olivia translated. She looked thoughtful for a minute as she let Kerri give her a checkup, then asked, "So…do you know what my ability is?"

"Not yet," Kerri answered. Olivia looked disappointed. "But it'll show itself soon enough," she added. "You're past the usual age of discovery, and you most definitely have the gene, so all we need to do is wait. And afterwards, we can give you a proper alias."

"Alias?" Olivia asked.

"Every mutant is given an alias that fits in with their powers," Kerri explained. "They can then decide whether to go by it all the time, just use it as a normal nickname, or strictly use it on missions. We're sometimes given missions to accomplish, such as to stop the bad guys, or to pick up a fellow, lost mutant," she said, explaining Olivia's question before she even asked it.

"So what's your alias?" Olivia asked instead, curious to see what kind of names they were given.

"Nebula," Kerri answered. The response came as a fascinated expression on her patient's young face. "I only use it during missions though. I prefer to use my given name, even though people sometimes like to call me Nebula anyway."

"What is your given name?"

"Kerri. Or Dr. Morgan, to the younger population of this campus," she responded, smiling and gently shaking Olivia's bandaged hand in formal introduction.

"Olivia," Olivia answered, giving her own name in response. She was still in shock from being told she was truly a mutant, but at the same time looking forward to finding out what she would be able to do. It was an odd feeling, both fearing and liking the side of her that she had only just learned about.

"Well, Olivia, now that you know that being a mutant isn't the end of the world," Kerri started, smiling as Olivia chuckled lightly. "We need to talk about your condition."

"Oh?" Olivia asked, raising her eyebrows. "What about it?"

"You do recall what you told me about what happened when you fell out of that window?"

Olivia nodded.

"You said that you cut your legs on the glass. You were right, only the actual injury is much more severe."

Olivia's expression changed from friendly and conversational to concerned as soon as she heard that. "How severe?" she asked, worried.

Kerri again looked uncomfortable. "Extremely, I'm afraid. The gashes you received are exceedingly deep, and will require stitches. You won't be able to use your legs for a good two weeks, when you can then start therapy. You won't be fully healed for at least a month, most likely more."

Olivia furrowed her brow, her brain piecing together the facts and coming to the only reasonable conclusion as she asked, "What are you saying?" She could be wrong, after all. She didn't know how they treated people who were in her position.

Kerri sighed. "I'm saying that you are going to have to stay here at the Institute until you are fully healed. If I could find the mutant gene, human hospitals can also, and who knows how they would treat you."

"So…so I wouldn't be allowed to go home?" Olivia asked, a very small twinge of panic in her voice.

"No. I'm sorry, but we can't allow you to get out of bed until your gashes at least close up. The stitches would help greatly in that, and speed up the process, but you won't be able to walk on your own for quite a while."

Olivia stared at her lap, her mouth gaping slightly. Her eyes were filling with tears, but she blinked them back furiously, determined not to cry in front of this woman, determined not to show any weaknesses. She desperately wanted to go home, to return to her normal life, more than anything. She had completely forgotten about the pain in her legs; her previous conversation with Kerri had distracted her from thinking about it. She also had no idea whatsoever that her injury was that serious. Glass can be a dangerous hazard, Olivia thought, smirking darkly at her attempted humor.

"Well," she said, wearing a fake smile. "This would be much easier if this was in July." Olivia smiled wearily at her dark humor, trying and failing miserably to bring some light into the conversation. Kerri gave a weak smile back, understanding her meaning.

"Hey, your time here won't be miserable at all, I can promise you that. The people here are the nicest people you will ever meet," Kerri said, smiling and gently squeezing Olivia's shoulder reassuringly. "Who knows, you may even decide to stay after you can walk again."

"Maybe," Olivia said. She seriously doubted that. Right now, she just wanted to return home. If the cuts on her legs weren't as serious as Dr. Morgan said they were, she would have tried to run away. Even though she had no idea what city she was in, it wouldn't take much to find a map and catch a taxi to head for her closest relative.

"Well, I've stayed down here too long, and I need to let you get your rest." Kerri placed the remaining supplies from the medical tests in their proper homes and flattened the table that served as Olivia's bed back out. "Please do remember, Olivia, to keep your mind open about mutants. You are one yourself, so know that not all of us are evil," she finished with a small smile playing on the corners of her lips, patting Olivia's arm in a friendly way. "Try and get some rest. I'll be back in a few hours to check on you." With that, she smiled comfortingly at her, then turned around and headed out of the room. The doors opened for her and closed behind her, leaving Olivia alone with nothing but her confused and wondering thoughts in the empty infirmary.

TBC

A/N: Heey! I actually finished! And earlier than I normally do, too! Please don't tell me this chapter sucked. I'm sorry that it completely lacked characters from the movie, but I'm pretty sure I'll make up for that in the next few chapters. XD Soo. Poor Olivia! She's homesick! But I'll bet you my Mortie plushie that she won't feel so homesick after she gets to know everybody. COUGH COUGH Hehe. Amazing what writing can do to make you feel better. I started writing this in a shitty mood see my LJ, and now I feel great. It's proof! X-Men is therapeutic. I'll keep that in mind. When one is depressed, one should write their X-Men FF. Mwahaha. Anyways, R/R! A boxful of chocolate covered pretzels and caramel and peanut butter filled eggs to those who do so! Along with a free plushie. Your pick of plushies! My treat, since I got them back from Jinxeh! XD XD Chappie 9 coming soon!