This is a short story sequel to "The Gypsy and the Devil." I'm setting this up as part of an arc to the next long sequel. Thanks a ton to everyone who've reviewed! Hope this arc entertains you with some angst and some fluffiness – not too much of either I hope...
If you see a way I can improve my story craft. Please let me know. Or, if I just entertain you with my imagination, I'd love to hear you say so. :-)
(btw - you really need to read "The Gypsy and the Devil" for this to make any kind of sense...)
"If all non military planes are grounded, then what is that??" Jemaine demanded as she pointed to the horizon. Sixteen hours on the road had worn her to a frayed knot. She, in turn, had worn the rest of them to frayed knots. That long on the wrong side of the road was was just plain crazy! She just hoped the journey's end would be worth the ride there.
Joe glanced up and squinted, his hand shielding his eyes as he leaned out his driver's window. "I'm not sure..." he studied it as it got closer. "It doesn't have any military markings...but it's not like any civilian airplane I've ever seen." They were coming up the drive to Xavier's front gates.
Lumi watched with wizen eyes as the Blackbird struggled with her damaged systems to descend safely. She turned to Jemaine who stared with shock as she recognized the image. "A crow...with a broken wing..." she whispered to the young seer.
Jemaine turned a hopeful expression to the old seer. "Carrying a pearl in it's beak??" She smiled hopefully as Lumi nodded.
"You renovating?" Stephan asked, stunned at the wreckage and debris littering the hallways of the school as they were led around by a young man with an easy going nature and an exotic beauty Stephan couldn't keep his eyes off.
Bobby looked around with his typical good humor. "Well...we are now." He answered showing them into a sitting room in one of the least damaged areas of the school.
Jemaine sat disquietly as she stared around her. They had been seen to an elegant sitting room while their two hosts departed, momentarily. Deja vu played at her mind.
Lumi patted her hand reassuringly. "It's not deja vu, it's foresight, Jemaine." She smiled at the young woman's malcontent expression. "It is nothing to be afraid of girl. The more you learn to work with this gift instead of fighting against it, the more you will see how it can help you...and those you love." Silently, Lumi's thoughts reached out to her niece again, only to be thwarted. A gentle, but firm mind rebuffed her each and every time she tried.
Jemaine tried to look reassured, then gave up. Knowing that the Lumi could see right through her. This wasn't fair. She didn't want this. She didn't ask for this. Rachel was a good choice for this – not her.
Smiling at her thoughts, Lumi answered. "Rachel does not have the gift, Jemaine. It is passed from mother to daughter. Rawnie did not inherit the gift, so she could not pass it on. Your mother has it. Now, so do you."
"What if I don't want it?" Jemaine asked stubbornly, crossing her arms.
Lumi shrugged. "It is your birthright. Deny it. Resist it. Fight it. Makes no difference. The gift is part of what you are. You might as well try to stop being Margali Szardos' daughter."
Just when Joe thought he was going to have to start taking this place apart to find Rachel, they were joined by the head master of this school, accompanied again by Bobby and Storm. Professor Xavier greeted his guests with his typical, reserved, kind smile and introductions were exchanged. He spared a special look for the old woman who had been so insistent on touching her niece's mind.
"Where is Rachel?" Joe had run out of patience a few hundred miles ago. He just wanted to take her and get her home. Somewhere safe away from this craziness.
The professor nodded, "She is being treated right now. The injuries she sustained were not life threatening, but they will require her to stay on bed rest for some time." He smiled his condolence at Joe's ire. "She is still very weak."
"Injuries?? Weak from what?!" Joe was not the kind of man to beat around the bushes – never was. "I want to know exactly what happened and I want to know now."
Just then, Rogue peeked into the room of anxious adults. "Professor..." she whispered.
Xavier motioned her to come in. "Yes, Rogue. Please, come in." He smiled at the once frightened, confused girl who had found a home among them.
She was uncomfortable under such scrutiny. "Rachel is being moved to one of the guest rooms." She half whispered to the professor.
"What about Kurt? Is he..." Jemaine struggled for the words. "Is he...all right? I mean..." Her stare went back and forth between the two of them. "Can we see them?" Her mind kept replaying the grainy video image of her kind natured brother as a single minded assassin.
"Rachel is still unconscious. Kurt...is recovering." Xavier nodded. He had been impressed with the acrobat's abilities and bravery. Still, he knew Kurt had hidden scars that would take time to mend; Xavier hoped the expectant couple would chose to remain here while they both healed and prepared for the birth of their child. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but it had been far too long since there had been a baby in his home. "He is with Rachel now and you are free to visit her as soon as she is made comfortable." He conditioned. He didn't bring up the fact that she was still unconscious because he was holding her in a comatose state while her injuries were treated. Waking up in any kind of examination room, would have probably vaulted her right into hysteria. So, for the time being, he just willed her to sleep peacefully.
Kurt was dreading this. He dreaded this more than facing the man he'd tried to assassinate. He took a deep breath as he perched in a straight back chair next to Rachel's bed.
He looked back at the bed; his pregnant wife was, blessedly, still sleeping. Her hair, freshly washed and combed, flowed across her pillow. And, no longer covered in the grime and blood of Alkali Lake, her honey gold color was coming back to her again. But, her body still bore all the ills of her detainment.
He remembered a teenage girl who had taken shelter with their circus after running away from her abusive father. Though Kurt had only been nine years old at the time, he would never forget seeing her horribly battered face that first night she had showed up as the tents were breaking down, begging for a job with them. Any job. Kurt had never seen anyone so terribly beaten before. It was an image he couldn't get out of his head as he held his wife hand.
As soon as they had set down, Rachel was carried to the infirmary beneath the school. The levels below ground were like nothing Kurt had ever seen or even dreamed of. Her immediate needs seen to, she was then taken up the the upper levels, where the school was housed, and made comfortable in one of the guest rooms. Thankfully, she had remained comatose through the whole ordeal after passing out at Alkali Lake.
While this was taking place, Ororo and Bobby met the anxious members of Kurt and Rachel's family and stalled for time, but they would only be put off for so long. They were all waiting outside the door at that very moment.
"It ain't gonna get any better, the longer you wait."
Looking up, Kurt was pulled out of his thoughts as he sighed at Logan. "I know." He replied, leaning over to stroke his wife's hair.
Logan shifted his shoulder against the wall he was using as a prop. "You scared?" he asked a little incredulously.
Kurt couldn't help but chuckle. "Nein." He shook his head.
"Then what's the problem?" Logan shrugged, crossing his strong arms.
"I'm ashamed." The former circus performer admitted, quietly. "Just look at her..." He rubbed a thick thumb over Rachel slender fingers. "I swore to her uncle that I would protect her. That I would die before I would let harm come to her." He let his gaze meet the older, more worldly man's eyes for a moment.
Logan frowned. It was amazing to Kurt that a man who seemed to carry a permanent scowl on his face could actually appear even more irritated. "She wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you. She and that baby'd be dead at the bottom of a lake right now." Returning to his normal callous attitude, he shrugged again. "We sure as Hell weren't looking for her."
"Lets hope her uncle sees it that way." Kurt replied grimly. Carefully laying her hand down, Kurt stood up from his chair and went to the door. Taking another breath to steel himself, he turned the knob.
When he saw Joe's expression...Kurt knew things were not going to go well...