Morning Run

Posted on Fri Aug 7th, 2026 @ 12:26pm by Hayden Davis & Drew Williams
Edited on on Fri Aug 7th, 2026 @ 2:15pm

2,361 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 8: Shadows Over Avalon
Location: Athletic Field
Timeline: March 21, 1992 - Morning

Drew walked up to the athletic field to find Hayden already doing laps. He waited for her to come around to where he was to give his thigh a few more moments to heal from his collision with the chain link enclosure around the basketball ball court. He watched Hayden maintain strong pace and nodded with some admiration. Her long distance pace had improved over the last year. He stepped onto the track and easily paced her on her left as she passed him on the sideline. He remained quiet as they ran together.

Hayden was about halfway through her routine when Drew got to the track. Her footsteps settled into an easy rhythm against the rubberized track, her breathing steady despite the miles already behind her. She noticed Drew fall into stride beside her but made no move to slow down, offering only a brief smile before returning her attention to the path ahead. "Morning, Drew." 

She let the silence linger, content to enjoy the cool morning air as they ran side by side. If he'd come out here for a run, great. If he'd come to talk, he'd get around to it eventually. After all, he was the one who joined her run.

Drew nodded his head. "Good morning to you as well, Hayden." He didn't say anything more. He just kept pace with her as she ran. During his previous stay at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, he would pace her for a few laps, then move to the outer most lane and kick in his speed run rings around her. He did it in part to show off sometimes, but he no longer felt the need to prove his speed to anyone outside the danger room unless he felt it absolutely necessary. This wasn't one of those times.

Drew was content to keep pace with her step by step. He did notice that she was running a bit faster than the previous year and she exerted more control over her breathing in long distance runs. "You've improved over the last year. You ever think about trying out for the US Olympic track and field team?"

Hayden chuckled a little as she continued running, her blonde ponytail bouncing and swaying. "Heck no. But thanks, though. I feel like I've gotten a little faster." She paused, realigning her breathing before continuing. "But then, there was Genosha and Club Blood... it's like all we do is run."

Mention of Genosha made Drew stumble for a moment. That mission had been FUBAR from the getgo. He had ended up in a coma by the end of the mission. He'd almost died. If it hadn't been for Jennifer's powers reigniting the bioelectric reaction in his brain, he'd probably still been in a coma...or dead. "Can we not talk about Genosha. I wouldn't mind hearing about what happened with Club Blood after the run. Jennifer was reluctant to tell me much about what happened." He didn’t mention that Jennifer had told him that the Master Vampire had kissed her.

"Yeah, no problem," she said. "It was a beast. But Club Blood and Coney Island...yeah I can tell you all about that afterwards." She huffed out a few more steps as they rounded the far edge of the track.

"I bet Jennifer didn't tell you much," she continued between breaths. "We had a couple of people get bit and she was one of 'em. They were made part of the in-crowd of vamps at Club Blood." She slowed to more of a jog to better accommodate conversational breathing. "I used to think vampires were nothing but a bunch of stories. Not anymore. I like to read different culture's mythologies and stories throughout their histories. I know...."

Drew took note of Hayden's slow down. Running and in depth conversations were generally considered mutually exclusive for the most part. He ran next to her silently for a moment to let her catch her breath a little. He was breathing normally at this pace. He sometimes forgot that he could run farther and at a pace that none of the others could maintain. "Let's just run at your pace. We can talk more on the walk back to the school." He shut up after that and just ran with Hayden. He just enjoyed the cool morning air and the sound of feet striking the track.

Hayden nodded and resumed her running pace. They made several more laps around the track before she began her slowdown lap at an easy jog. When they reached the bench were her bag was, she took a drink from her water bottle and set it back down. Then she automatically went into the same static stretch routine she had developed since coming to Xavier's.

When she finished, she picked up her towel and dabbed her face before tossing it over her left shoulder. She then put her water bottle in the webbing of the backpack and slung it over her right shoulder.

She turned in the direction of the school. "C'mon slow poke," she said laughing.

Drew's eyes widened and he let out a chuff. He shook his head with a grin. "Okay lickity split. Remind me again. Who is it that ran ten laps around the track in the time it took you to run one." He raised a hand to underneath his chin and tapped an index finger against his cheek twice. "Let me think. Oh that's right." He patted his chest with both hands, a grin plastered across his face. "This guy."

Drew finally laughed and gestured to the path leading back to the mansion a quarter of a mile away. "We could race back if you like? I might even be willing to let you have a 30 second headstart." He knew he could win even if he gave her a 45 second headstart.

"Oh gosh no. I'm not that off in the head," she said, laughing. "I know better than to accept that challenge, even with a fifteen minute head start."

Once she settled in to decent walking speed, she continued what she had started earlier. "There was a lot going on before we even got up to Club Blood. Like I said, she was one of the ones that got bit. And when we finally got inside the club...it looked like the vampires were all over each other. It was hard to see with all of the flashing lights. When the blood started coming from the ceiling, though that's when everything changed. I don't ever want to go through that again."

Hayden shivered at the memory of blood falling like rain on them. "We all dealt with different things on that mission. And I'm sure that there are some who are still working through it."

Drew listened attentively to Hayden. He was still trying to get his mind around the fact that vampires actually existed. Then again, the X-Men had fought a horde of demons from another dimension. It was a lot to process and it wasn't any easier because Jennifer had nearly been turned into a vampire herself. "Everyone is extremely lucky. Were the vampires like in legend, sumlight, crosses, stakes and stuff?"

"Well, I learned really fast that most of it is just that, legend," said Hayden, shrugging. "It was pretty cool though to meet this Blade character. The other vampires called him Daywalker. That dude has some moves." As they continued their walk, Hayden changed the subject, "If I remember right, you need to eat afterwards. I'm sure there's plenty of carbs hidden around the kitchen. At least...I know where my cookie stash is."

Drew nodded. "Good memory. I am a little hungry. I was thinking biscuits and gravy, maybe some bacon." He glanced at Hayden. "You should eat something a little more substantial tha cookies though. I don't mind making extra if you want some."

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks though," said Hayden, as they continued walking. "You enjoy your biscuits and gravy. I have some PowerBars in my backpack. My mom and sent them in my last care package and then I started getting them in Salem Center. Took me a while to find them, but it's been worth it. Do you ever get any care packages? I mean, I know your folks are gone, but like, aunts and uncles or cousins?"

Drew's expression became melancholy as he shook his head. "Angela and I have only a great aunt, our grandfather's sister. Let's just say it's a very one sided relationship. She tried to have us both diagnosed as mentally incompetent after she pulled us out of here last year. She has no interest in us. Just our part of the inheritance from grandfather's estate, which we told the our lawyer to let he have most of it. We still retain some stocks, but the dividends from that just buy more shares until Angela and I are 25."

He looked at the mansion as it came into view. "This place is home for us...for me now." He glanced at Hayden. "Do you mind me asking? What was it like for you when you first arrived here?"

"Eh, it was a rough start," she said. "New place, new bed, new people...but I like to think I'm pretty outgoing. It just took a while to get used to. High School wasn't kind to me. But this place is much better."

Drew nodded. "I remember the first time I arrived too. I didn't leave my room for three days except for meals and midnight snacks in the kitchen. First time I even talked to anyone other than Professor Xavier or Angela was at Thanksgiving dinner. I felt really alone and insecure. It wasn't an easy time for me. I am thankful that nobody held my self isolation against me or tried to make me a spectacle for my first time eating in the grand ball room.""

It had been a good morning for Hayden. She'd had a good run. She was talking about family. She was reminiscing. She was happy. And there was no way she was going to let someone her equal ruin it for her.

"Aww," she said. "I'm sorry to hear that your choice to isolate yourself in your room for three days and not speak to anyone other than the Headmaster and your sister hurt your feelings. If you're still that bitter about it after all this time, I'd recommend talking to someone. Like Alaric, you know."

She paused. "Oh, idea! When we get back, I can talk to Jean for you and see if she can schedule a counseling session. I think that would help a lot. In the meantime, I'll take you up on that race."

Hayden recreated a wave like she had used to launch Connor, and ride on herself, over a year in the Danger Room. But since then, she'd developed it into something more akin to a slip and slide.

"Try to keep up, Old Spice!" She yelled. "Cowabungaaaaa!" And off she sped, surfing the skies, zigging and zagging and heading for the mansion.

Drew watched as Hayden shot away on a wave of water she had conjured. He didn't give chase. He saw no point. If Hayden wished not to acknowledge or address what had happened at dinner the night before with Cain Cross, then so be it. He continued his walk at the same pace as before.

Hayden landed on the front porch of the mansion and wiped her brow. Drew was nowhere in sight. Wait...he was in sight, just a lot farther away than what she expected. She waved at him, but didn't call out due to the distance. It was then that she realized she should've put something down on that bet. Like, her favorite candy bar and soda. Or a warm pizza from Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn. Yeah, that would've been a better option.

Drew saw Hayden waving at him. He stopped, stood for a moment, then crouched into a sprinters start position. He took of in a slight arc around the wet ground and came to a stop next to Hayden two and a half seconds later, covering about 20% more of the distance in just under a quarter of the time. He had to give Hayden props for learning to be more versatile with her powers since the last time they had they had been on the track together. "I didn't know who could use your power like that. I would have only offered you a 15 second head start." He glanced at the wet ground. "It also makes it more hazardous for pursuing opponents. That could come in handy sometime."

She shrugged as she opened the door. "It started with Connor in the Danger Room a long time ago. Then I tweaked it a little after spending some time with Bobby," she said. "Made it my own. But I never thought about it tripping up somebody that might be chasing me." She thought about that for a second. "I'll try to keep that in mind. Thanks." Her redirection seemed to have paid off, but she wasn't going to put money on it.

Drew glanced at his watch and looked back up to Hayden nodded at her. "Have a good Saturday Hayden. I need to shower, change and eat. All within the next hour before meeting Casey at the garage. He's giving me a lift into New York City so I can clear Angela’s and my things out of the college dorms and pick up my goat to bring back here. So catch you later."

"Okay," she said. "Have fun. Um, goat? You know, if you guys are planning on milking this thing, we should get a camcorder. We can show it at Orientation then." She giggled and waved. "Later, Drew."

Drew opened his mouth to explain that goat meant his 1968 Pontiac GTO and not an animal. He reconsidered as it would take too long to explain. It would just be easier to show people once he got back. He then jogged off to the kitchen to fix breakfast.

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