Alright, guys. I'll admit I didn't fall in love with Havok the first time I saw XFC. It wasn't until I really began to watch it over and over again that I realized that I really liked him. I always thought he was drop dead gorgeous, of course. But then I realized that I liked HIM, too. So here's my first XFC FF! Wish me luck!

Lettie Morgan was working the late shift at Engalls, the bookstore/coffee shop just down the block from her apartment. It was a cold, rainy, October night in Maine and not many people were venturing out into the torrential downpour outside. Lettie sighed as she placed a book back in its proper place. What's the point in being a freak if her 'powers' couldn't even stop the rain?

While Lettie was an extraordinarily normal girl in most aspects, a 19 year old girl living with her single mother in a rather shoddy apartment, insecure about her weight, awkward but loved, and juggling a part time job while attending cosmetology school, there was one aspect in which she was very abnormal. Lettie Morgan was a mutant.

For as long as she could remember, Lettie had known. She kept it hidden from all but her mother, but deep down, Lettie had a horrible insecurity that everyone knew. The young girl could manhandle water. It obeyed her and did as she wished, on most occasions. It came in handy often, whether the many times her mother had started a fire in their miniscule kitchen, or the time she had been dancing and knocked the fish bowl off the table. She had managed to keep the fish wet enough that he sustained no injury or trauma (as far as she could tell. I mean, he is a fish after all). She had once held her breath underwater for 17 minutes before she freaked out and swam up, but she could have made it longer. It seemed the only water she couldn't control was the stuff falling from the sky, and believe you me, she tried.

Lettie heard the door chime at the front of the store for the first time in hours.

"Welcome to Engalls!" She called out as she moved to the front of the store, her Irish accent obvious in her voice. She hadn't lived in Ireland in four years, but her accent was still very prevalent. "I'm just here in the back, but f you need anything, feel free to let me know." She had finally found where the customers, two men drenched to the core, were standing, still by the front door. Her smile faltered, only for a second, as she took in the customers. There was something off about these two. "Can I help you lads with anything?"

"Actually," The man on the left spoke with a British accent. "I would love a coffee. Erik? Coffee?"

"That would be grand." The other man spoke. He looked like the tougher, colder man of the two. German, Lettie assumed.

"Of course. I'll have it ready soon." Lettie went off to the coffee bar, and the strange men followed her. "I can bring your coffees to you, if you want to browse while it brews."

"We'll wait here, love." The one not named Erik told her. Greeeaaattt. She has the pot on the coffee maker, praying it to brew quickly.

"Charles, let's get this over with..." Erik muttered. Lettie instantly tense. Get what over with? She looked around for a weapon and placed a firm grip on the tin milk canister. If they were going to kidnap or mug or murder her, she wasn't going without a fight.

Charles, the 'warm' one, chuckled. "We're not going to harm you in any way, love. We just need to talk to you."

Lettie never released her grip on the canister. "About?"

"We're like you, Lettie." Charles spoke encouragingly.

"How the fuck do you know my name? Like me how?"

"We're different. We can do things others cant. For instance-"

Suddenly, Charles' voice was in her head. *I'm a telepath. I can read your mind, your thoughts, memories, as well as project my own into your mind*

"Holy shit." Lettie whispered. She'd never met someone else with a mutation.

"Yes, it's quite astonishing." Charles smiled warmly. Just as Lettie had begun to wonder about Erik's mutation, Charles spoke again. "Erik can m-" but he was interrupted by Erik himself.

"I think I'd rather just show her if you don't mind, Charles." Charles gestured his consent and Lettie felt the milk canister being lifted from her hand.

"You're telekinetic?" She whispered.

"Metal bender." Erik corrected as the still floating canister crumpled before her eyes, then uncrumpled back to its previous condition.

"Cool." Lettie whispered in awe. "I'm assuming you know my mutation already? And, not that I'm not thoroughly impressed, but why are you here?"

"Let's start with your mutation first. Why don't you show up?" Charles encouraged.

Lettie shot the stranger a look. She didn't show people her mutation. Then again, she didn't often hold conversations with two strange men, alone in the shop at Nine at Night. Nor had she ever talked to other mutants before. And they had shown her theirs...

"Alright. But first..." Lettie turned and poured three cups of the now brewed coffee. She brought over the sugar and creamer. While she and Charles fixed their drinks to perfection, Erik quickly chugged the entire cup, black. Taken back a smidgen, Lettie placed the pot on a warmer in front of the men. "Help yourselves." Erik poured him a second cup while Charles still sipped on his first.

Lettie took a sip and placed hers on the table. She blocked out any distractions and focused on absorbing the water off of the two strange mens person and belongings. She could feel water droplets forming onto her cupped hands. She managed to absorb some of the water into herself, but most of the water remained in her hands. The harder and harder she focused, the more intense the strong pull in her abdomen became.

When the pull had become painfully strong, she huffed in frustration and opened her eyes, looking at her hands. Most of the water that had previously been on the two men fell from her hands and crashed to the floor. Giving up, she dropped her hands in defeat.

"I'm better at producing water. But that tires me quicker." She admitted.

"My dear, that was magnificent!" Look at us! You'd never guess we'd just left that rain out there!" Charles beamed.

"Now, why are you here?" Lettie asked, seemingly unaffected by Charles' praise.

"Right. Well, simply put, there are others out there. Others like us. And not all of them are good. There's a war coming, and I fear that every mutant with have to pick a side before we see the end of this war." Charles said softly.

"And you want me on your side." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Charles nodded. "So, if I agreed to fight for 'your side', what would that mean?"

"We're gathering several mutants at a remote CIA Headquarters, called Division X. Gathering to train, strengthen powers, learn to control powers."

"And I don't suppose this Division X is in Maine, is it?"

"No, you're correct. The Division is in Richmond, Virginia." Erik answered.

"Let me just clarify what you're saying. The two of you waltz up into my fucking place of work, tell me there are other 'mutants' like me out there, inform me that there's a damn war coming, then expect me to just run off to bloody Richmond, Virginia with you wankers to train for this 'war'? Are you out of your fucking minds?! What about my mom, huh? What about my job? And school? I may not have the nicest house or the easiest life, but my life is damn cozy and I enjoy it Why should I come with you two strangers?!" Lettie had sat calmly through the talk, but she had snapped when she thought about the fact that these guys wanted her to just leave her mom behind to go fight in their war. Erik had sat quietly through most of this conversation, but now he spoke up.

"We're not kidnapping you. You don't have to go. But you will be able to see your mom again. We won't stop you. And as for why... because it's the right thing to do. We mutants shouldn't have to hide anymore! Someday, hopefully, we'll be accepted! Don't you want to say that you were a part of the fight for the right for us mutants to live normal lives? For some with hidden mutations, it's alright. But what about the others? The ones that have visible mutations? Should they not have a chance at a normal life?"

Lettie sat, thinking this over. "If I agree to go and then decide later that I want to leave?"

"We won't stop you." Charles promised. Lettie studied his face for a considerable amount of time. She saw no lie in his eyes, no harm in his voice.

"Can we stop by my house? I need to at least leave my ma a note."

I've gotten quite a few chapters written out. I wasn't planning on posting until I'd finished the complete story, but I'm such an impatient person. I couldn't wait! I'm going to start typing out the next chapter tonight, but I'm dead tired. I'll definitely have it out by Wednesday, though. I've never done this before, but I may try and set up a schedule. Post on certain days every week. It's just so hard because I work different days every week and some days I get off at 5 pm and some days I don't get off until 1 AM. So... I'll think about it. I hope you've enjoyed the little bit of the story you've seen. And yes, it's going to stay 3rd POV the entire time.

x

moe.