Disclaimer…I don't own Evo…The people who do wouldn't do all the nasty things I've done to their characters…I also don't own anything 'borrowed' from the Marvel universe…because…well I don't.
Muahahahahaha! I'm back…I have done little more than sit at my computer while my stories have come forth like the Alien…eww…any one got some glass cleaner?
This is for Ish, Star-of-Chaos, Pixie-Flyer, Animee Addicted, That One Person, AthenaAlpha, bad-girl4, PrplPenguin56, Samm16, Treacle-Antlers, BlackTom, Pyewackt of Vatiaila and all of those who read and never review…I know you're out there…
Aftermath and Regeneration
One
A light wind sang through the trees surrounding the Xavier Institute, birds sang and the sun shone gently. It was a picture perfect late spring day. From the direction of the large main house a shadow detached itself and moved deep into the trees lush shade. At first this pilgrimage had been a ritual, but over the course of the year the visits grew less frequent. Now the shadow only made its way to the glade at the centre of the woods when she felt a need for peace and tranquility. Or for special occasions.
Today's outing had been spurred by both. It had been one year today. Three hundred and sixty five days-and every last one of them felt like a dream to the mutant known only as Rogue. It was as if the events of the last winter and spring had happened to another girl. She really hadn't decided to go 'undercover' to thwart Magneto. She hadn't accidentally absorbed the whole of Carol Danvers gaining the other girl's super strength, invulnerability and ability to fly. She hadn't helped her friend Bender die when he had been horribly injured.
But one thing seemed farthest away to Rogue now than any other-Cypher. The mutant hacker who had asked for Rogue's help in freeing the Acolytes from Magneto's iron rule and stranger yet had become one of Rogue's closest friends. A survivor at any cost Cypher had given her life to save Rogue. Sometimes it boggled the mind.
"Chère? You out here?"
Rogue turned and faced the most surreal development in her life since her friend's unfortunate demise-her boyfriend Remy Lebeau. He too had lost a friend and team-mate with Cypher's fall and their mutual grief had cut through all of the very valid reasons Rogue had had for not pursuing a relationship. Although at first she had been very reluctant to give in and trust the charming thief-they had been helped along by their friends.
Rogue still hadn't thought of a suitable way to get even with St. John for locking her and Remy in the Danger Room until they had worked things out-or the New Mutants for helping him do it for that matter. The real art of revenge was keeping everyone in suspense, and John still had his guts in a twist when ever Rogue looked at him. Sometimes that was more than enough for her.
Even though Rogue's powers kept them from touching, Remy had been insistent and slowly they had been working through things; like his fear of commitment, her distrust and Wolverine's sincere wish to gut the Cajun for even thinking about Rogue. Warm arms wrapped around her from behind and Rogue fought her instinct to back away, Remy's breath was warm on her neck, "What you doin' out here beb?"
"It's been a year Rem," Rogue sighed and fingered the tattered piece of paper she had stuck in her pocket before heading outside-Asli's final letter-the one that Lance had delivered to Rogue personally the day of the hacker's funeral.
The tension that appeared in Remy's arms told Rogue that he was thinking; the mention of Asli's had that effect on those who had known her. "It has chère. We come a long way since then hein?"
"Some farther than others," Rogue smirked and turned to face him, "It's gotten easier but I still miss her."
"Den Remy thinks you got lucky having de Ragin' Cajun as your own personal worry stone," he hugged her close and kept his voice light-but Rogue wasn't fooled; "Mebbe you need to rub Remy a bit…dat always makes him happy…"
Spinning Rogue pulled away from Remy rolling her eyes, "Sure Swamp Rat, I know it'd make you happy but I don't hear you offering to make me happy."
"You want Remy to rub you?" a dangerous gleam lit his black and red eyes as he reached a hand out to tickle Rogue's stomach.
Using all of the grace she had gained from her martial arts training Rogue danced away from him and headed back towards the Mansion. Her green eyes were shining as Remy caught up to her and trapped her gloved hand in his-their fingers intertwined; the sadness of the day was temporarily forgotten.
**************************
"Piotr?" Kitty Pryde lifted a hesitant hand to the door and knocked, "Illyana's play starts at seven…we've gotta like get going."
There was no answer and Kitty had to sigh-they had gone through this routine twelve times in the last year. Normally, everyone at the Institute let Piotr hide himself away on the anniversary of Asli's death but there had been no way to schedule a school play around his moods. The world could not stop just because Piotr Rasputin hadn't gotten over Asli's death. As much as Kitty remembered the 'favour' the hacker had asked of her, there were days when it was difficult loving a man who loved a ghost.
Loosing her patience Kitty pushed the door open and walked in, "Piotr you can come back and be a hermit but your sister is counting on you to be there tonight."
The changes brought in him over the last year plucked at Kitty's heart strings-normally quiet by nature there were weeks at a time when the only people he would talk to where Rogue or Illyana. That of course was when Piotr wasn't locked in the studio he had built himself on the Xavier property, painting dark, violent pieces of art that were selling well in New York City. His dark hair was shaggy and uncut and he often sported the shadow of a beard because he no longer thought of simple things like shaving.
It saddened the X-Woman to know that if it wasn't for the support of Rogue, Remy, John, Illyana and herself; Piotr's grief would have eaten him alive. Knowing that was the last thing Asli would have wanted was the only thing that kept Kitty hanging in. That and her own stubborn refusal to let go of the sensitive, artistic young man she had fallen for. Kitty had let go without a fight once before and she'd be damned if she'd do it again.
On soft feet she moved to the bed and sat lightly beside Piotr-who was curled on his side re-reading Asli's last letter to him. The rational jealous urge to pluck it from his hands and shred it to bits surged through Kitty and in an attempt to stop herself she ran her hand over Piotr's dark head. Her action seemed to spur him as Piotr shoved the note under his pillow and rolled his large frame off of the bed, "I was almost ready Katya…"
He didn't need to finish the sentence; it was quite obvious that he had been half-way through dressing when the siren song of his depression had called him back. Piotr's lower half was clothed in the perfectly tailored black dress pants that Remy had talked him into buying 'to look good for de femmes', while his tight white undershirt was the only thing clinging to his muscular upper body.
Kitty sucked in a breath; some times one forgot just how muscular Piotr was-he was such a gentle person-but in his state of undress it was perfectly clear. The tiny black spade tattoo that all of the former Acolytes had gotten on their right shoulder was the only break in the expanse of lightly tanned skin. Ripping her eyes away with regret Kitty got off the bed and moved to the door, "No problem, I'll wait for you downstairs. Rogue and Remy are coming with us…Illyana would be disappointed if her idol didn't come see her as the lead in the Wizard of Oz."
"Thank you for understanding Katya."
Kitty nodded and clenched her teeth and forced a smile-she really didn't understand. Why was it after everything they'd been through together Piotr couldn't love her as much as he loved the memory of Asli Fraser?
**************************
Her hips swayed as she walked and she knew they were watching her move-she didn't need to tap into her empathy to know that. Her feline grace ensured that no matter where she went men would stand up and pay attention. Purposely, she strode through the reception room and past the milky face of the assistant who tried to stop her, "Miss? I'm afraid…"
"No," her voice was a dark purr like razor blades covered in velvet as she measured the lackey with her cold grey eyes and evil smile on her seductive lips, "Not yet you aren't."
A blush appeared on the young man's face as he tried to summon coherent sentences, "But…You can't go in there…the doctor…"
"Is expecting me." She turned away and strutted to the double door that led to the main office throwing it wide.
The room was spacious enough, decorated in the sparse modern style that most decorators favoured-it told you nothing of the man who owned it. He sat at the large chrome and glass desk watching her entrance with distracted amusement, "Its okay Barclay…she has an appointment."
Silently, Barclay shut the doors and left the odd couple alone. The man at the desk rose and smiled coldly at the woman-his dark eyes revealing nothing, "So nice to see you again Malice, I understand by your little visit that you found what I was looking for."
"Of course Nathaniel," Malice smiled just as coldly but keeping the edge of flirtatiousness in her voice as she lifted the briefcase in her hand, "Would you like to see what I've done for you?"
His eyes didn't even flicker over the dark pants, crisp white shirt or the tight black corset she wore-it disappointed Malice that no matter what she did she could not get a reaction out of Dr. Nathaniel Essex. But that didn't stop her from trying. Neither did his constant reminders of her debt to him-that was a fact she was well aware of. "Bring them here." Essex's voice didn't leave room to argue.
Setting the case down Malice opened it handing him the file folders she had gathered, "First we have Phillipa Sontag also known as 'Arclight'-she can send shockwaves through anything she hits…quite destructive when she wants to be. Michael Baer or 'Blockbuster' has intense strength and is nearly invulnerable…a human wall but not very bright. Prizm no other name, he channels and amplifies energy into light…a little sociopathic…but that's a good thing. Kim Il Sung, the 'Scrambler'-he can cause other mutants abilities to malfunction or burn out. He's useless as a fighter but he'll help get us in. Vertigo-again no other name causes dizziness and nausea with a field her body produces. Kodiak Noatak… 'Harpoon'…he throws energy spears that disturb the central nervous system…"
"And the ones I asked you to recruit?" Essex shuffled through the files as if he were looking at a menu not a roster of mutant killers for hire.
Malice rolled her eyes and pulled the last two files out, "Janos Quested or 'Riptide' is a complete psychopath…"
"Coming from you that's quite a recommendation."
"Quite." Malice ground her teeth-it wouldn't do to show just how much she hated Quested-Essex would bring it back to haunt her, "He's still playing with his shuriken. I had to cover up for him when we had our 'talk'."
When she stopped Essex was still watching her, like a snake watches a mongoose waiting for her next move. Malice internally rolled her eyes and dropped the last file, "I had Greycrow recruit Victor Creed for obvious reasons…the report I got was that as long as there was killing we could count on Sabertooth."
"Excellent," Essex stood and gave Malice his own approximation of a warm smile, "Contact them all. I want my Marauders ready to move in two weeks."
"Done." Picking up her case but leaving the files Malice started to leave Essex's office.
"Oh and Malice," she turned when he called her back; his face was as neutral as ever-it made her all the more suspicious of his motives, "Try to play nice with Riptide and Sabertooth…I wouldn't want to have to take my 'gift' back because you couldn't cooperate."
It took all of her control to bring an accepting look to her face, "Of course Dr. Essex…"
"No," his voice sent shivers up her spine, "Use my real name."
"I will obey you…" Malice choked on the word 'obey'; "Sinister."
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
I don't own the song 'In the Air Tonight' it belongs to Phil Collins...but I prefer the Holly McNarland cover…
Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am
Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies
And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well I remember, I remember, don't worry, how could I ever forget
It's the first time and the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence, oh no you don't fool me
Because the hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows
It's no stranger to you and me
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air, I can feel it coming in the air
I've been waiting for this moment all my life, my life
I can feel it coming in the air, I can feel it coming in the air
I've been waiting for this moment all my li... fe
I've been waiting for this moment all my life, my life