I was on the softest bed I had ever slept in, in my entire life, and I could feel John's heat right in front of me one are underneath me, the other thrown protectively across my waist. I took this time to reflect on my short time I had been...wherever this was. Since coming here I had been even more afraid then I ever had been, but since meeting John I had never felt more safe and...connected to another person as I did him. I could almost feel my body getting stronger the longer I kept in contact with him. My powers were weakened by cold, I knew that, and judging by his other name and his body temperature I figured he had to have something to do with heat, if he was a mutant too, so it made sense. My powers were reacting to him, creating a symbiotic relationship with him.

I snuggled deeper into his warmth not wanting to think any further on it, not wanting to think about what would happen...if it ever stopped or was taken away...what could happen to me without his heat to regulate my body temperature.

I heard John give a deep and throaty chuckle as I nuzzled into his chest just bellow the hollow in his throat.

"You know you're going to have to get up sooner or later." John breathed softly in my ear

" time is it?" I asked in a sleepy mumble not actually caring

"Almost three pm you've slept all of yesterday and today, even got me out of classes." John answered sounding smug

I pulled away only enough to look him in the face silently asking him how.

"Whenever I tried to pull away you wouldn't let go and when they tried to make you the plants outside the window and in the halls started freaking out so they decided it would be best to stop before someone got hurt." John answered casually

"Did anyone get hurt?" I asked quietly no longer looking at him

I could feel him staring at me as he answered calmly "Nah, but you freaked a couple of people out. Though Cyclops was gonna piss himself."

I cringed slightly at that...I didn't want them to fear me because people didn't like being afraid and it made them angry when someone made them afraid.

"Don't worry about it. You're not the only one." John reassured me

I looked back up at him trying my best not to hope, trying my best to squash that pesky emotion that wouldn't let me be.

John moved away slightly and immediately I started to miss his warmth pressed against me, the cooler air made me shiver, he reached behind him to a side table and grabbed what looked like a small silver liter with a shark carved and painted on the lid so that the mouth lined up with the opening. He flicked it open, clicked it and pressed on the button to make a small flame appear and then it moved, dancing in his other palm. He made it grow a little bigger and then it transformed, a horse dancing across the plain of his hand, a lion stalking his thumb, a rabbit scratching it's ear, then back into a ball. The heat of it drew me like a moth to a flame and I reached for it before he could put it out or take it away.

I touched it drawing in the heat and then John's concentration must have broke in his panic because then the flame was gone and he was grasping my hand that had been in the flame and turning it over and over looking for any sign of being burned, but I knew there was none.

"How? But I saw you stick your hand in? How are you not burned?" John asked confusion and surprise obvious in his voice as he stared down at my hand

"My powers. I'm basically like a living plant, at least that's what this one guy I met on the streets thought, I can manipulate them, grow them, become them and the one thing plants need the most is..." I was cut off in my explanation

"The sun." John muttered eyebrows furrowed

"Exactly. I don't really need to eat food, not much anyway, I just need sunlight, heat, and water." I continued

"So what? You're basically fire proof?" John asked curious now

"Yeah, that's where my name comes from." I answered

"Vesta right?" John confirmed

"Yeah." I nodded

"So what's it mean?" He asked

"It was given to me by the same guy who helped me figure out my powers, some old professor who's powers blew his teaching job. He was a Greek mythology professor and Vesta was the keeper of the sacred flame or whatever. He gave it to me after I stuck my hand to close to the barrel fire one night, but didn't get burned." I answered staring into his chest lost in the memories of being on the streets

We fell into silence then just taking in each other's presence until there was a knock on the door.

"What?" John called to whoever was knocking

A boy's head stuck in "The professor wants to see you, both of you."

The door opened further to reveal more of the guy, he was our age a little taller than John with sandy colored hair and blue eyes that were hard and cold as ice. He was kinda pale and had this look about him like he'd never wanted for anything and always played by the rules. I didn't like him.

John gently nudged me to get up and we both got out of the bed and followed the guy out of the room and down the hall.

"Any idea what he wants Bobby?" John asked the guy his arm curving around me and tucking me into his side

Bobby just looked at us without saying anything and that made me nervous and shuffle around even if he wasn't staring at me. I figured whatever they wanted to talk to us about it had to do with me, my powers, my past...it set me on edge and I didn't like it.

We stopped in front of a large ornate wooden door and after a nod Bobby left us there.

"Come in." An older gentleman's voice called

John opened the door and we walked in together, I recognized two of the people from yesterday as Cyclops, Scott, and Jean, the manipulative woman, but the other's were unknown to me. There was a woman with mocha skin and bright white hair, a gruff looking man with weirdly shaped hair and mutton chops, and behind the large desk there was a bald elderly man, the one who had called us in I assume.

"You would be correct Miss Sampson. My name is Charles Xavier and you have met Miss Grey and Mister Summers, but let me introduce you to Ororo Monroe, also known as Storm and Logan, also known as Wolverine. The other day I sent them to rescue you and bring you in for medical attention which you were gravely needing." The older gentleman said a slight British accent in his voice

I didn't say anything yet, I needed to find out what this place was and what they wanted me for first before I gave them any more information about myself.

"I see you've taken a shine to our dear Pyro." Xavier hinted trying to get me to speak

"He...helps." I said weakly

"Yes, I suppose he does. It must be terrible, someone with your abilities being so far north, always feeling cold no matter where you are or how close you get to fire or people." Xavier said sympathetically

"On that topic what are your abilities? If I may ask?" Cyclops asked clipped

"Miss Sampson here is a living plant, able to manipulate them, nurture them, even become one with them, but at a terrible price to herself. In appearance she is a girl, but in essence she is a plant in need of sunlight, warmth, and more water than the average person. She is no longer able to digest and metabolize more than small quantities of food. Most unfortunately she cannot hide what she is when everywhere she goes plants gravitate towards her as though she is the sun come to Earth. Am I right?" Xavier explained inclining his head at Cyclops then me

I nodded and with everyone focused on me I tried my best to subtly move behind John, though I don't think I succeeded.

They then seemed to go back to their conversation seeming to cut me and John out of it until I couldn't take it anymore.

"What are you going to do with me?" I asked my voice soft, but carrying over their conversation

"My dear we are not what you have heard of and feared." Xavier reassured me

"Then what is this place?" I asked meeting his eyes

"We are a school for people like us. A safe place I assure you." Xavier answered spreading his arms out at "us" then leaning forwards

I wasn't so sure of this, after all I had seen on the streets, I didn't really believe in a safe place, not for me, not for a mutant.

"I doubt that sir." I replied lowly