Devil's Son - Ressurection part 1

Logan hadn't been this happy in all the time he could remember. His relationship was progressing nicely and she put no pressure on him to further it to quickly. Not that it wasn't pretty serious already, they were taking some time away from the mansion sharing an apartment in the city. Well actually it was more of penthouse, Betsy had expensive tastes.

He whistled to himself as he unlocked the door to their new home, he had spent the day just sitting down at a local bar while Betsy took care of some errands about town. Betsy said she would be back in time for dinner, Logan was contemplating cooking up the steaks in the fridge as he reached for the light switch.

"Would ya mind keeping the lights off old man" came the tired and weary voice from the shadows where Logan's lazyboy was located. Logan froze, he hadn't heard that voice for almost a year and a half, his nose picked up the smell of whiskey, tobbacco and sweat. The voice belonged to a familiar yet shadowy figure, his almost 300 pound frame collapsed in the chair. Cain lay there dressed in a black and white pinstripe suit with his blood red dress shirt unbuttoned and his standard diamond covered watch and necklace, stray strands of his brownish red hair falling into his face looked like dried blood streaks. His face was cloaked in darkness as he lifted a bottle to his lips and took a large gulp and readjusted the sunglasses on his face.

"Sorry I opened a bottle of hooch while I waited, I'll pay ya back it's the good shit" Cain spoke from the darkness. Logan could not believe that this kid was here, Logan had called the number he had been given and got no response for months before finally giving up. And here Cain was sitting in Logan's chair drinking Logan's whiskey like nothing ever happened.

"What the hell ya doin' here kid and what have ya been up to" Logan managed to find his voice. Cain leaned forward from the shadows. "Well that is pretty much what I'm here to tell you about" Cain responded pulling off his delicate sunglasses with a massive clawed hand to reveal instead of his regular ice cold greys a distrubing pair of endlessly black ones.

"What the fuck happened to ya, kid" Logan was rarely shocked by anything. "Well about a month or so after I left, I was busted by a couple jakes in what turned into a pretty nasty business exchange with these asians" Logan knew exactly what Cain considered a business exchange, fancy words just made selling drugs sound less illegal. The one that had him laughing was that he called Remy a asset relocation specialist.
"But these weren't no regular pigs, they were all prepared to throw down with a mutant and after some serious bustin' I ain't proud to say but I got taken down" Cain was really ashamed admitting that he got taken by a couple of police officers, especially in front of Logan.

"Next thing I know I'm locked down 24-7, underground in a adamantium sensory deprevation chamber in some compound in the middle of some asian jungle" Cain's voice seemed absent of all emotion, he told of his troubles as if it happened to a stranger. "They played around with me like a fucking animal, I was awake when they took out my eyes did whatever to me" with his new eyes you couldn't tell what his gaze was focused on, Logan found it very unsettling.
"As far as I can figure from the notes and what not I found they replaced my eyes with some kind of organic crystals that amplifies psionic energy, I got some notes and stuff, plus some other tweaks here and there." Cain emphasized the here and there with quick slashes across his owwn cheek but the wounds resealed almost instantly. He paused momentarily and wiped the blood, more smearing it across his face.

Cain continued to relate his memories of his days trapped in that hole, being trapped inside his own head after hours of sitting in a pitch black, soundless cell. Sometimes he was bound to the wall and sometimes he was left to curl up in the darkness. They had ravaged his body and raped his mind. They took him from the cell and played with his being in excruiating painful ways. He laughed at the scientists misfortune, they had not planned for him to become so powerful so quickly. They had planned to put mental blocks and controls in before he went postal but they never had the chance. The power though came with a heavy price.

"I have no control over my psionic powers now, If I lose emotional or mental control for a moment the voices fill my head, on the way here some kid bumped into me and I got mad and then suddenly every voice in New York is inside my head" Cain still had not shown any sign of pain, "I need ya to take me to Chuck and have him lock me up someplace safe so I don't hurt anybody no more" for the first time since Logan had started talking to him Cain showed something beyond the stone cold mask. Cain was desperate, he was probably begging someone for the first time in his life. If the situation weren't so serious Logan probably would have laughed at how pathetic he sounded.

Logan was pulled out of his thoughts by Cain speaking again, "Hey old man, Betts is on her way down the hall" Cain said in a low voice that was filled with weariness. Logan sniffed the air, and sure enough Betts' scent was right outside the door. Both men turned to face the door as they heard the key enter the lock, moments later Betsy Braddock strolled into the room with her face buried in a fashion magazine.

"Hey luv, how was your day?" she questioned not looking up from her magazine, Cain motioned to Logan to be quiet. Cain rose from his chair and approached Betsy from behind as she emptied some items from a grocery bag on to the table. Cain spoke when he was just inches from her, "Great, now that your here" he whispered right in her ear. Betsy spun around quickly to face the owner of the voice that was definately not Logan, Logan's voice didn't sound so silky. Betsy stared wide eyed at her long lost friend who towered over with a devilish grin on his face. She was shocked not only to see him, but that he had managed to shield himself from her mental probe that she always performed before entering her apartment.

"Cain?" Betsy stared at his face, he looked so different. Not just the eyes but his whole presence was different now. Before even though he was a menacing looking man standing six and a half feet, weighting in at around three hundred pounds plus another hundred pounds of adamantium with wickedly feral features but still managed to be strikingly handsome, he was never terrifying to her. Now he sent shivers down her spine as she gazed into the blackness that were his eyes.

"The one and only...Betts whats wrong?" Cain thought she would be happy to see him, but her scent was radiating fear. Betsy quickly squashed her fear, Cain would never hurt her willingly. "Nothing, nothing at all" she said as she wrapped her arms around his trunk like torso and squeezed as hard as she could. "Where have you been and what happened to you?" she admonished him, he missed how she used to treat him like a child, anyone else tried it got gutted though.

"I was just informing Logan as to the situation, so have a seat and I'll recap" Cain said gesturing towards the couch Logan occupied. "First I want to say I'm very happy you two are still together, you two deserve to have someone and be happy" Cain said with a smile but it was somewhat eerie because his eyes did not share the smile.

Cain retold his tale for Betsy who in a rare show of emotion cryed for his suffering, Cain was honored that she thought that much of him. He was pretty sure that a perversion of nature such as himself deserved no sympathy but her caring made him feel happy in spite of his self loathing.

"So will ya take me to Xavier?" Cain questioned, "Of course we will take you to Charles, but we are not locking you up, we will get you help" Betsy stated from her position in Logan's lap. "Kid, alot of people aren't gonna be happy ya came back, I don't think Chuck will mind but he always was opened minded" Logan said from underneath Betsy. "Yeah, I know thats why I asked you to take me there, by the way how's Remy?" Cain said trying to dodge anything to do with the events surrounding his departure. "Remy's fine, him and Rogue are gettin' on pretty good, he'll be happy to see you what with most of my time spent in the city he's out of luck for a drinking buddy" Logan remarked while chewing on his unlit cigar.

"I missed the goofy bastard, but one thing before we go.....How is she?" Cain may not have used her name but both of them knew who he meant. Clarice. "Oh, well....she was pretty torn up after you left, she tried to find you even but she eventually said she got over it, well at least she says she did." Logan admitted. "Is she with anybody?" Cain voice betrayed his emotion, he desperately hoped that maybe he could at least make peace with her if not get her back.

"Nope, your in luck kid, she hasn't even gone out with anybody since uh...what happened happened" Logan stumbled at the end, he was never one for tact. Cain just nodded his head and gathered up a duffel bag from the side of the chair and placed a black 30's gangster style fedora on his head as gallantly as possible and told them he would like to leave as soon as possible.

They quickly went to pack an overnight bag while Cain waited and indulged in a cigarette, Logan and Betsy came back rather quickly if anything involving clothing and Betsy can be considered in terms like quickly. Then all three proceeded to Betsy's Mercedes and they were off to the mansion.

At the mansion...

Cain was lucky, most of the mansions' residents were out on some mission when they arrived. Xavier was the only one to meet them upon arrival. They had talked, mostly Cain ranted like Mike Tyson. Xavier had agreed to let him live in a cell in the mansion. Cain had actually had to insist on that, they wanted to give him a room. He suggested a nice 5x8 with adamantium walls and psionic dampeners, they met somewhere in between.

He found himself inside a large living area, really a large jail cell but he wasn't complaining. He had unpacked his katana that Betsy had given him when he left and set up his prayer rug along with a beautiful black orchid. Xavier commented on its odd colour, Cain just said that it was very hard to come by. He was unpacking his clothes when Xavier found a book amongst his belongings. It was a weathered copy of "the art of war" with notes and pictures spilling out from between the pages. Xavier asked what it was and Cain snatched it from his grasp saying only that it was personal and to leave it at that. Charles respected his wishes and left with a promises of a meeting tommorrow.

Cain sat in the dim artificial light, on the ground before him lay his life. His diary and bible. The book sat open, all the pictures and notes arranged in a long practiced order. X-Rays and medical files, poems and rantings. Photos of the few friends he had made all over the world, a ace of spades with a bullet hole in it and other odss and ends. Everything that he was or thought he was.

He probably would have stared at these memories all night, if the door didn't open. But it did, and in it's wake stood the cajun. "Ello mon ami, Remy come to welcome ya back" he stood in the doorway nonchalantly holding a bottle of liquor. He glided across the floor to the couch positioned against the wall. "Remy and his ami get reaqquainted" he cocked his head, his red on black eyes danced with laughter.

Cain's mood got better, he folded up the papers and photos and stuck them all back between the pages of the old book. Then he sat down beside Gambit on the couch and grabbed the bottle from his hand. Cognac, "Remy" Martin, Louis XIIII to be exact. It was a old joke for Remy, it being a classic didn't mean it was funny.

They sat in silence for a while, Cain liked that about Remy. He didn't need to be entertained or talked to constantly, they could just sit in silence and enjoy it. Then Remy ruined it. "So, has de petite been to see ya yet?" it was an ridiculous question Cain thought. "Of course she hasn't, I said some pretty shitty things and I'm hoping that she doesn't come see me" Cain retorted. "Why?"

"Why what?" Cain returned, he knew what he was talking about but decided if they were going to talk about this it wasn't going to be the easy way. "Why do ya hope de petite not want to come see you?" Remy was smiling like an idiot as far as Cain was concerned, most women would be melting in his hands by now. Cain was fairly sure that he was least still a man so Remy wasn't going to get away with charming him.

"Because I still love her, and I can't bear seeing her if she hates me" Cain mumbled around the mouth of the bottle. Remy probably could have made him repeat it louder but he had respect for the man. "Well homme, Clarice might not hate ya" Remy drawled, in that I know something you don't know voice.

Cain's interest was peaked, but he didn't let the thief know. "I can't even have a relationship with her now, I'm a danger to everyone including myself every time I step out of this room" Cain was not going to let the cajun get his hopes up. "So let's just talk about something else alright."

They talked about recent events around the mansion, nothing to do with Clarice of course. No matter how badly it was eating at Cain. After Cain had told him the unedited version of what happened to him they turned to the cards. Remy and Cain soon remembered why they never played cards together, they both were massive cheaters. So they just did card tricks for each other and then ended up throwing cards in a hat. Remy was really way too good at that, even when he was drunk so Cain kicked him out saying he was going to go to bed. Cain instead turned on some music, some delta blues, and sat down.

He sat in the dark playing with the deck of cards Remy left behind. He repeatedly shuffled them over and over trying to release all his nervous energy. Then he got very nervous, the air carried a new scent in under the door. She was outside in the hall, and she wasn't going anywhere.

Cain sat waiting, he really couldn't think of anything else to do. He didn't want to go and invite her in, he was scared shitless of her right now. Cain had never been afraid of anything in his life before but Clarice had him hiding in the shadows praying to long forgotten gods for mercy. He realized that he was being ridiculous, and eventually he would have to talk to her.

So he rose and walked to the door. He had been given the ability to leave the cell whenever he felt like it but didn't think he would because it wasn't safe. He stood looking at the door praying for her to walk away, but he could smell her standing just outside. So he opened the door.

There she stood. Her purple hair tied up in a ponytail, dressed in a pair of pale pink cotton pajamas. She looked angelic, so young and innocent. Cain couldn't read her body language, and he was without his telepathy so he couldn't know what she was going to do.

Clarice stood staring at him, she had thought for hours about what to say to him. Right know she was drawing a blank. She wanted to beat the shit out of him, she wanted him to say he still loved her, she wanted to run away. She didn't know what to do.

Cain stared into her eyes, he was lost. The haunting tunes of Muddy Waters filled his ears, all he focus on was the music and her eyes. Then she spoke.

"You fucking bastard, how dare you come back here" she screamed as she layed a well placed kick to his stomach. Cain fell backwards in suprise, she pounced on him and began to beat him senseless. Cain didn't try and stop her, he could definately overpower her but he needed her rage to sooth his guilt. Plus any damage she did would be healed almost immediately, she was in more danger of hurting her fists on his adamantium skeleton.

She screamed and cried as she beat on his chest, Cain had finally had enough and enveloped her wrists in his giant grip. Cain layed there with her straddled across his stomach, he didn't know what to say to her other then "I love you."

"What did you say?" Clarice managed in between sobs. "I said I love you and could you please get off me" Cain hoped he had as charming a smile as Remy. "You think you can just tell me you love me and everything will be alright again?, you are sooo wrong" Clarice got to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. Cain didn't know how to respond.

"I have no idea what else to say, I never stopped thinking about you" Cain decided that he would do whatever it took to get her back. "What can I say to or do to make it up to you, you were the only reason I decided to keep going everyday."

"I don't think you can make it up, you can't just expect me to fall back into your arms" Clarice told him as she turned away from his all to appealing scruffy, wild appearance. Cain moved swiftly, he slid up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Why not? I thought you liked being in my arms" Cain whispered in her ear. Clarice whirled around and slapped him.

"Get your hands off me, you bastard" Clarice was fuming, how dare he treat her like this she thought. She wanted to punish him for all the nights she spent crying herself to sleep, and just when she thought she was over him he comes waltzing back into her life. But when she saw his eyes, those once brilliant greys turned into onyx pits of despair she could only think of holding him. She wanted to ease the pain for him, but why should she, he wasn't there to ease her pain. He was the cause of her pain, he was also looking damn sexy right now. No, stop thinking like that she scolded herself we want to stay angry, we can't let him hurt us again her brain said. But her body craved his touch, no one had ever touched her like Cain had.

Cain could smell her desire, but he could also tell there was alot of anger. She had a right to be angry, but he just wanted her to know how badly he needed her. He had never needed anyone before but she kept him sane and he felt loved when he was with her. If she only knew how he felt, but he just couldn't seem to articulate his emotions well enough to make her understand. Then he had an idea.

"Come for a walk with me please, hopefully I can show you how sorry I am and how badly I need you" Cain pleaded. Clarice contemplated this, what could he possibly show her. "Alright, but where are we going?" Clarice didn't know why she was agreeing, yes she did her body told her while her brain urged her to run away. "Just for a little walk around the grounds" Cain returned with a knowing smile, apparently he had just as charming a smile as Gambit from her reaction.

Cain quickly grabbed a sweater for her since it was late, they walked together across the lawn trying to keep a safe distance between them. Clarice could understand what they were doing, Cain was just strolling along in silence. They eventually entered the woods, Cain just kept walking.

She just kept following him through the forest until they came to a small clearing by a creek. The scene was breathtaking, the moonlight dancing on the water, the shadows swirling around them and a gentle breeze blowing through the trees. This was it Cain thought.

He sat down and motioned for Clarice to join him by the water. She approached carefully and sat down shooting a glance in his direction only to discover that he was sitting there with his eyes closed in deep concentration. *I want to show you something* echoed through her head, *I thought you couldn't control your telepathy now* she returned more than a little nervous. She had been told that Cain was barely in control and having him in her head was probably not a good idea.

*I can it just requires way to much concentration to be particle for anything but something like this* he returned, his psionic voice was wavering with strain. *Now just relax* Cain told her, suddenly she was inside his head. It was not a pretty place, it looked like a none stop nightmare. It was a barren plane, fire ravaged the landscape and howls of pain echoed from far off. Blood rained down from the sky and grotesque monsters could be seen in the distance. Cain appeared at her side, *follow me* was all he said.

They treked across the landscape, heading towards a bright light in the distance. They passed images of Cain being curcified or beaten, buildings constructed of bone and flesh. They were slowly making their way to the light, as they approached Clarice could make out two figures.

Clarice finally realized what they were, it was her and Cain. Cain was about to fall into a pit that contained a creature vaguely resembling the sarlacc from star wars only more fearsome and twisted. The creature already had a spiked tentacle around Cain's waist and was pulling him down, while there was Clarice dressed as an angel. She was trying to pull Cain out of the abyss, but suddenly she dropped him and turned her back.

Cain was slowly pulled down, his image wrapping as he got closer to the pit. His features turned darker and more evil, he became one of his own nightmares. Clarice could feel the emotions coming from him, his fear and his love for Clarice. His loneliness and his hopelessness. Without thinking she dove for Cain and grabbed his hand pulling him to safety.

Just as suddenly as she had found herself in Cain's mind she found herself back in the real world. Only know she had her arms wrapped around Cain, she could still feel his emotions and thoughts. She understood now what it all meant, she was a piece of his soul. His saving grace, his anchor in what he thought of as a cold world. He ached when he was apart from her for even the shortest time. She kept him sane, she reminded him that life was worth living and he loved her more than anything for that.

Clarice melted into his embrace, their lips locking in a passionate kiss. Cain was touch starved, his lips were insistent and bruising but Clarice didn't care. They probed each others mouths with their tounges until they finally had to break apart for air. She curled up in his lap, he wrapped her in his muscular arms and began to cry.

She kissed away his tears as thet fell down his cheeks, he stared down at the ground. His auburn locks obscuring his face, Clarice placed her finger under his chin and forced his eyes to meet hers. "We are going to be together forever, you don't have to worry about anything anymore" she spoke softly to comfort him. It was almost laughable, this tiny elfin girl saying she was going to protect him. Cain Isaac, self proclaimed baddest man on the planet. But she was right, she was the strong one. He was a mental and emotional wreck, while she was the rock in the relationship.

Cain gathered her up in his arms and carried her back to the mansion, he dropped her off at her room much to her disappointment. He said he would love to stay but emotional situations would cause him to lose control and he was wiped from his useage of it already tonight. He promised that he would see her tommorrow and he kissed her goodnight.

When he finally returned to his room/cell he was dead tired. He stripped down and crawled into bed, moments later he was asleep expecting pleasent dreams of Clarice instead of the usual nightmares.
He was wrong, moments after drifting off his mind conjured up the same nightmare he had had every night since his escape.

Cain's nightmare...

///I have been shown the path///
Images of horrific torture flash over and over
///I must follow where it leads///
Scientists taking out his eyes with no pain killers
///Like Parsifal, I must confront the unreason that threatens me///
Trapped in a soundless, sightless prison with only his own thoughts as company
///I must go alone into the dark tower and face the dragon within///
Pain like no other, his blood boils and his brain catchs fire
///I have only one fear, What if I am not strong enough to defeat it?///
Madness consumes his fragile mind
///What then? Somewhere not far away the dragon hauls its terrible weight through the corridors of the tower///
He is losing control
///I am borne up on a wave of terror and the world explodes///
The screams and pleas echo in his head
///There is nothing to hold on to, No anchor///
He realizes they are his own
///And I cannot even pray, For I have no God///
Bound and staked, left for dead
///What wounds are these?///
Struggling for freedom
///I am Attis on the pine///
Screaming for mercy
///Christ on the cedar///
Begging for forgiveness for his unknown transgressions
///Odin on the world-ash///
They give him the choice
///Hung from the windy tree for nine whole nights wounded by the spear///
Service or Pain
///I must see my reflection to prove I still exist///
He promises his servitude
///Outside I hear the dragon coming closer///
They ask for blood
///I stand revealed in the mirror and stare into old familiar eyes///
He promises blood
///But they have changed///
Who's?
///No longer able to tell where the dragon ended///
Whoever's
///And I begin///
Clarice............

Cain awakes in a cold sweat, his heart racing and his bed torn to shreds by his claws. He realizes that he was tearing at his own flesh while he dreamt, he lay bathed in his own lifes blood. He could smell his own fear blanketing the room but could not remember the dream.

to be continued....

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