December 2003
Scott and Logan both returned from extended absences and Emma was retrieved from Paris. Several new students arrived: Monet 'M' St. Croix, Manuel 'Empath' de la Rocha, Shinobi Shaw, Miles 'Leech' Blaire and Clarice 'Blink' Ferguson. Various families visited for various reasons, including the Guthries, the Madroxes, Angelo's mother and Lorna's parents. A semi-formal dance was held after Christmas, which resulted in various crushes and relationships progressing. Piotr held a New Year's celebration in the traditional Russian way, with vodka and was not exactly discreet about it. Pete was made a student counsellor.
Using information obtained by Doug through his hacking and language skills, Pete enlisted Betsy's brother Brian to go with him to Paris, where Emma Frost was being held in a mental hospital connected to Sebastian Shaw. She was already in the process of freeing herself, with the assistance of Manuel de la Rocha, another patient being trained as a mindbreaker, and Shaw's own disenchanted son, Shinobi. Both boys were brought back to the school despite staff misgivings. Manuel spent much of his first weeks in a coma, the result of the tampering he had received.
The Angelo-Paige-Jono relationship became more complicated with Angelo professing his feelings for Paige and then being caught kissing her by Jono. In the resulting fight, Angelo suffered flashbacks and inadvertently hit Paige. He was convinced not to leave, but the incident left him in a depressed state for several weeks. His roomates, concerned and frustrated, threw him out of the room until he could got some help. Eventually Alison took the three of them (and Bobby) to Mexico to sort things out. It was there they discovered Leech, a mutant child being hidden in a cave by the local children who had helped him escape from a travelling freak show. Alison arranged to have him made her ward and brought him back to the school. Sarah later identified the child (now called Miles Blaire) as one of the Morlocks, although Miles himself had no memory of her or the sewers.
Alex had an accident with his powers, catching Lorna in the explosion and causing her third-degree burns. Racked with guilt, he ran away from the school on Christmas Eve. Betsy began experiencing periods of lost time and uncharacteristic behaviour including taking a katana from Logan and wrenching a bone out of Sarah's back and causing her injury. She told Scott about these strange incidents and asked Moira to help her get in touch with Essex for answers.
Timeline
Dec 3 - Angelo and Paige are caught kissing by Jono. During the fight that ensues, Angelo has a break and reacts as if he was back in the barrio.
Dec 4 - Logan is brought back to the school. Cain organizes the first repairs of the school with the students. During a training accident, Marie senses something dark in Piotr's past.
Dec 6 - Something Wicked: A purple haired woman with a sword is glimpsed on campus. Logan discovers a katana missing. A CNN crew is allowed access to the mansion for a television special on mutant schools. Various students and teachers who don't want to be on television join Hank in the basement for card games.
Dec 7 - A concerned Moira asks Angelo's roomates, Alex and Shiro, to drag him down to see her about his depression. They take her rather literally and throw him out. Angelo spends the night on the rec room couch. Haroun posts from Marrakesh, having left the school.
Dec 8 - Something Wicked: Betsy encounters Sarah in the halls and uncharacteristically yanks a bone out of her shoulder; later Rahne cleans up the wound and Sarah tells her what happened. Moira talks to Marie-Ange and realises her dreams are prophetic. Alex tells Shiro about his powers accident in Hawaii and finds out in turn Shiro has killed too. Marie chooses a college.
Dec 9 - Scott returns from his FOH-related mission. Kwannon: Betsy confesses to Scott that she is losing time and doing things she can't remember. Angelo moves into a new room and makes an appointment to see Charles. Doug asks Marie out and she accepts as a friend. Can has his first therapy session with Moira and he smashes her desk. Doug helps track down Emma by investigating psychic inhibitor drug orders.
Dec 10 - Sarah sees Charles and arrangements are made for her to train with Logan instead of Grey Crow. Pete and Brian Braddock find Emma making her own escape from Shaw's asylum in Paris, with some help.
Dec 11 - Pete and Emma return to the school. Shinobi Shaw and Manuel de la Rocha arrive with them. The grounding of the kidnapping students ends.
Dec 12 - Alison kidnaps Paige, Jono, Angelo and Bobby to Mexico for a vacation. Angelo and Paige's relationship begins. Marie goes to LA to see Angelo's mother and talk about a visit to NY and they have to drive back when riots erupt. Pete discovers he's been made the new student counsellor.
Dec 14 - Emma begins recruiting her New Hellions starting with Sarah. She also discusses the Hellfire Club with Shinobi and he pledges himself to the White Court.
Dec 15 - Jono passes out whilst talking to a group of children in Mexico. It turns out to be due to Leech and Alison begins moves to bring him back to the school.
Dec 17 - Hank goes to Mexico to help with the Leech adoption. Pete recruits Jake to track down the freakshow that had Leech.
Dec 18 - Alex blows up and Lorna is caught in the crossfire, causing Emma to sound the evacuation alarm. The group returns from Mexico and Angelo discovers Marie brought his mother back to NY. Leech is now known as Miles Blaire. Two former CIA agents activate a secret project to send a possible assassin to Xavier's.
Dec 19 - Sarah sees Miles/Leech for the first time since the Morlock Massacre. Miles doesn't remember her or the Morlocks.
Dec 20 - Shinobi and Sarah play strip poker. Lorna's parents arrive to visit their injured daughter. Bobby rejoins the school community.
Dec 21 - Monet St Croix arrives.
Dec 22 - Jamie's parents visit for Christmas. Manuel wakes from his coma.
Dec 23 - Alison smuggles the Guthrie clan to Salem Centre to visit Paige and Sam. Emma reads about Shaw Industries winning a contract to build a detention facility for super-powered criminals called the Vault. Alex is released from medlab.
Dec 24 - Clarice Ferguson arrives. Alex runs away. Lorna begins regaining consciousness. Monet gets teleported home by Gateway for Christmas.
Dec 25 - Monet returns in a less-than-sober state.
Dec 26 - Christmas semi-formal and PCIF concert. Piotr meets Warren's parents. Sarah goes back to the tunnels for a visit.
Dec 27 - Jono, Sarah and Shinobi escape to the city for some R&R. Bobby hints to Angelo about having feelings for Alison.
Dec 29 - Moira gives Cain a physical in the Danger Room and discovers he's unstoppable.
Dec 31 - Piotr has a New Year's party (with vodka) in his room.
