Title: Understanding
By: Ragni Mithrim
Summary: The second in my ''She's just a Kid..right?" universe in which Rachel and Logan are a couple. This time, Rachel and Scott's conflict comes to a head after a game of poker. Can things out between the two Summers be smoothed out before things reach a watershed?
Rated: T+
Warnings: AU, language, slight Scott bashing.
Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one. They are Marvel's. All I lay claims to is the more detailed part of Rachel's past. The being a hound, and the whole alt. future bit isn't mine.
Pretty much if it's recognizeable I have no rights.
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Rachel sat at the kitchen table, staring at the man across from her. Grinning she glanced briefly at her cards. Royal Flush, she doubted she could lose.
"Check." she started, looking demurely at her chips. Remy and Logan rolled their eyes, amused at her flirting. Scott, Hank and Alex weren't so amused.
Remy opened the pot at 50 dollars, and Logan met and rose. Hank threw in his 70, Scott and Alex following suit. Rachel locked eyes with Logan again and raised his seventy to 100. As they got rid of cards-or not- they bet once again, Hank dropping out.
"I fear my friends, I am out." Hank motioned to his meager pile of chips. Everyone nodded, and Logan asked him to get more beer from the fridge.
"Logan I don't think you should be drinking in front of-"
"I'm twenty-two Cyke. Can it." she rolled her eyes. "I'm not a kid, so just stuff it!''
Logan suppressed a groan, he was going to have to get Ray and Scott to talk sooner or later. Actually, the sooner they talked, the fewer fights they'd get into and Rachel would stop getting so upset. Not that he minded per say, he loved holding her, he just hated seeing her hurting like she did.
As they showed their cards, Logan actually swore at her and glared at Remy, who'd finally been 'forgiven'. "I didn' do it! Don' look at dis po' boy. Not m' deal!" he pointed over at Alex who had huge owl eyes.
"I didn't do it! I just dealt the cards! I don't know how to cheat!" Alex exclaimed, trying to prove his innocence and Rachel started laughing.
"C'mon Alex, he's pulling your leg. He knows you suck at cheating. We both noticed a while ago, but since it wasn't helping you, we agreed to keep quiet." Alex flushed and excused himself to go help Hank with the nourishments he had promised.
Scott looked between Rachel and Logan, wondering if there was something going on he should know about, but he just couldn't tell. Gambit was still flirting with her, so she wasn't off-limits to the best of Scott's knowledge.
"Whoever's foot that is, get it off of mine before I blast it off." Scott growled, feeling someone trying to play Footsie with him. He just prayed it wasn't Rachel.
"Desolee Scotty. T'ought dat was Rachel's foot." Remy grinned at her as she blushed. She always blushed when he said her name like he did. It was 'Ra-chel' with the 'ch' more like 'sh'.
"Is dis y' foot chere?" he asked as he nudged Logan's.
"Ya got two seconds Cajun." he growled, but with a hint of teasing in his eyes. He knew what Remy was doing, he was saving their assess. You see Rachel and Logan had been playing Footsie (a scary thought when you think of Logan) and Logan's foot missed hers and got Scott's instead.
"Oh, dis y' foot chere?" he asked as he finally got hers.
"Yup. What are you going to do with it?" she teased, flirting right back with him. Scott groaned and Logan chuckled.
Thankfully Hank and Alex returned and they continued to play til Alex fell asleep. As Scott and Hank hauled him upstairs, Rachel did a quick clean up. Logan and Remy sat there, trying to figure out how much they owed one another when Ray came back in and plopped her figures down as well.
"You each owe me three hundred dollars. Remy I know you're good for the money, but Logan..I don't know if you can pay me back." She teased, knowing Logan was not one in need of money.
"Well I can think of somethin' ta pay ya back with Darlin'." he stated, as he grabbed her about the waist and pulled her to him. As their lips met in a soul searing kiss, Remy silently got up to keep watch for Scott. He had, after all, forgotten his watch.
As they broke apart she grinned. "Make that 250." she amended as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Hey Rachel? Can y' grab m' glasses f' m'?" Remy called, in hopes of warning them that Scott was headed their way.
"Sure thing Pendant!" she called as she broke away from Logan. "Sorry."
Logan shrugged and wondered when they were going to tell Scott they were together. It had been about two months, and still no one figured it out. Not that they were blatant about it, but still someone-other than Remy- should have noticed how much time they were spending together.
"No prob kiddo. Ya should probably be headin' ta bed anyway. Cyke's got ya scheduled for four am tomorrow.." Logan informed as Rachel groaned and shook her head.
"Do you think Xavier'd mind if I just poked around a bit and fixed that obsession with getting up early? 'I'm sorry Professor. I was just trying to talk to him, I honestly don't know how it happened!'" she looked innocent and angelic and Logan didn't buy it for a minute.
"Nope. Ya ain't goin' out with me and Gumbo. That's final." he growled as Scott entered the room. She pouted and waved her hand.
"In the immortal words of your little side kick, 'Whatever Wolvie.'" she flicked her wrist at Logan and rolled her eyes. It was all Remy could do not to laugh.
"Wolverine, Gambit, no going out. You three have four am Danger Room." Scott glanced at the clock. "That leaves four hours for sleep. I suggest you head up now." he commanded in his most leaderly voice.
They all groaned, but headed up anyway. As Scott cleared out first with Remy close behind, Rachel did a quick sweep and finding it all clear, leaned against Logan. She gave a soft sigh and smiled gently as he slid an arm around her waist.
"Ya know we gotta tell him sometime."
"Yeah, I know....I'd rather it be after he stops seeing me as some kid who needs protecting." she let Logan lead her up the stairs and toward her room. "You staying tonight?" she asked as they drew closer.
Logan shrugged and told her it was up to her. "I..I want you to stay, but it would just be like we have been...I'm sorry." she blushed and opened her door. Logan gave her one of his rare smiles and shook his head.
"I don't need sex kiddo." She grimaced.
"'Kiddo'? Make me feel like I'm ten why dontcha?" she teased, gently pulling him into her room. Shutting the door behind her, they never saw the tell-tale glint of red that meant Scott was around and pissed.
#
Someone was banging on her door and Rachel felt ready to commit homicide. "Who ever the flonq it is, I'm giving you ten seconds to stop that and LEAVE!" she yelled as she pulled her pillow over her head. The warm body next to her tightened its grip and growled softly into her shoulder.
The door flung open and a guilty looking Cajun entered after a pissed Scott.
"What the hell do you think you're doing with my daughter Wolverine?!" he cried, as they both started, but didn't move.
"Shut the flonq up Scotty!" she groaned from under her pillow. "Logan and I have done nothing," she peered out from under the pillow. "He was keeping the nightmares away. That's it."
Logan growled in agreement and glared at Scott, then at Remy who really was innocent in all respects.
"Cyke, get out. It ain't even three yet."
"Get your hands off of my daughter." he insisted, as Rachel sat bolt upright, showing that she was wearing her pjs.
"Your daughter? YOUR DAUGHTER??" she spat out, jaw setting, left eye glowing with the Phoenix Force. "You do not know what you are talking about. My father is dead. My family is dead. They have been since I was eleven. Do not try to play the part. It's been filled, and it can never be recast. Now get the hell out of my room before I make you!" she ordered, giving Scott the look that is the Summers' Glare. Though it was scarier when she did it, Remy decided as he backed out of the room.
"Desolee Pendant." he stated as he rushed out, not looking back down the hall for fear of seeing a squashed Scotty.
Scott stood defiantly, and the glowing grew brighter and slowly engulfed her. "Scott." she warned, as he took a step towards them.
"Slim!" Logan exclaimed, fearing not only for Ray's well being, but Scott's as well. "Ray, darlin', yer glowin' again." he tried to reach for her, but she brushed him off as she stood to confront Scott.
"You are making a mistake Rachel. I don't want a confrontation." Scott stated, causing Rachel to laugh.
"No Confrontation? What the hell do you think this is, eh? Come on Fearless," she spat out, picking both of them up. Exiting her balcony she placed them on the school grounds.
"You and me, right here, right now. I win you leave me the hell alone. You win, I'll answer any questions. Deal?" she asked, sensing others drawing near. Scott hesitated, he didn't want to fight with her. Despite what Rachel thought, he saw her as his daughter..he couldn't fight her it would be like fighting Alex...
er, Bad example
Cable....
No..damn do I fight with all my family members?
"Well?"
"Fine. No powers." Scott said, as a few joined them out on the dew cover lawn, early morning sun light just peaking over the horizon.
"I don't need my powers."
As they squared off, Logan and Remy reached the front lawn, Logan yelling at Xavier as they went.
Scott would make the first swing, but Rachel drew first blood. Scott's fist flew towards her head and she sidestepped it with ease, back handing him as he past her.
"Come on. Is that all you've got Oh Fearless Leader?" she mocked, knowing in the back of her mind she shouldn't be doing this..buuttt,
Scott whipped around and growled, ducking a roundhouse kick, knocking her legs out from under her in the process. As she hit the ground with a hard 'thud', everyone-which pretty much included the entire mansion at this point-winced and it took all Remy had to keep Logan back.
"Dis dere fight, homme. Don' get involved."
The fight went on for some time, Scott finally pinning Rachel as the sky was streaked with purples and pinks and yellows. the sun was almost over the horizon now and everyone-not utterly in shock over this little turn of events- yawned at the lack of sleep.
"Okay okay I give! Get off!" she yelled as she tried to buck Scott off of her back. He had her arm pinned painfully and she really didn't like the taste of dirt.
Scott slid off of her and offered her a hand up. She didn't take it. Stalking past everyone-even Logan- Rachel's jaw was clenched painfully as she fought back the tears that tried to overwhelm her.
As Logan watched Rachel stalk off, he turned to Scott and growled. "Nice Cyke. Real nice."
"What? She started it!''
"Oh and you finished it?"
"Yeah." Scott insisted, feeling someone approach him. A quick glance showed it was Hank with Alex right behind. "Maybe now she'll get it out of her head she has to prove herself."
"Wrong. That wasn't her fighting. That was the God damned Phoenix Force. The gir-Woman who left here, was Rachel. You weren't fighting her. If anything this just re-enforces that stupidity in her head that says she don't belong here. Great Cyke. Brilliant." Logan stalked off, growling to himself, wanting to go see Ray, but knowing if he tried, she'd just yell and get upset.
#
After Hank finished stitching up Scott's split lip, and examining the wonderful array of bruises he got, he allowed their leader to go upstairs.
"No Danger Room. I don't like that bump on your head. If yo-"
"I know Blue. Headache gets worse, Nausea, dizziness, etc. come back down here and call you...Been there, done that." Scott brushed off as he walked through the doors into the hall.
He had royally screwed things up with Rachel, he knew that. He also had no clue how to fix it. Hell, he had no clue about her period! What her favorite color was, her favorite food, he knew next to nothing! He couldn't go to Logan, he'd just get growled at. Remy maybe? no he's probably asleep or with 'Ro.
Might as well go talk to her. he thought ruefully as he entered the elevator and waited. Exiting, he swung through the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. He wasn't exactly 'human' til he had his morning caffeine. He downed his first cup in one go.
I wonder if Rachel would want something.. he pondered making another cup, when he realized that she was one of the few who didn't drink coffee. What did 'Ro make her two nights ago? Hot Chocolate? maybe..
With some plan in mind, Scott set to make a mug of hot chocolate. Gathering both his coffee and the mug of hot cocoa, he exited the kitchen and headed for the main stair case.
Mounting the stairs to the second floor, a cup of coffee in one hand, hot chocolate in another Scott tried to think of something to say. And he had nothing. Him, Scott Summers, Mr.'I've got a lecture for everything', had nothing to say. Damn he must be losing his touch.
As he approached Rachel's room, he heard the distinct sound of a shuffling body and drawers being opened, emptied and closed.
Oh shit..
Knocking on the door as best he could, Scott heard the shuffling stopped.
"Please go away." a shaky voice called. Damn, was she crying? Shit.
"Rachel, please open the door..we need to talk."
"Bugger off Scott!" she yelled, but Scott remained persistent.
"Rachel.."
"What?" she cried as she opened her door. Her right cheek was bruised pretty badly, but her nose had stopped bleeding. "What the hell do you want?"
"Hot chocolate?" he offered weakly, holding out the mug. As she looked at it, something inside her chest clutched painfully. A spoonful of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. Just like when she was a kid...
"I hope you like it..that's how-"
"Granddad used to make it for you when you were younger." she finished, biting her lip and leaving her door, moving back to the bed. Scott took the still open door as an invitation in.
"Look, Rachel I-"
"I was out of line. I know. I'm sorry...I'll be gone in an hour, I promise." she whispered as she zipped her duffel bag. "Just..let me say bye to Logan okay?"
Knitting his brows together, Scott set the mugs down on her desk and walked over to her. As she looked away from him, he turned her to face him. "Rachel?"
"I'll leave...I know that's why you came here..to tell me to get. I just can't leave Logan without saying anything alright?" she insisted, pulling away from Scott and over to her window.
"Rachel, I wasn't going to ask you to leave...I came to apologize. I know I shouldn't have been trying to act like your father..I can't be him...I realized I know next to nothing about you, and I've been trying too hard to make you talk to me...I'm sorry." Scott stated in hushed tones, watching her profile in the morning light, hoping for some tell-tale sign that she might talk to him.
"Only Logan knows....I...I just found you guys..I can't lose you again..If you knew what I did, who-what I was...I'd lose everyone again. I can't deal with that. Call me a chicken, call me weak, I can't bear that pain again...It would be worse, knowing everyone was alive and I could see you, but..the thought of being hated..." she shook her head, holding herself tightly, rocking a little.
"Ray, you won't lose us...we've all got pasts." Scott insisted, almost pleading with her.
"What about Remy, huh? He was tricked into leading the Marauder down the tunnels. He saved a child, and almost died for it. You guys left him to die on the ice! I willingly killed a hell of a lot of mutants single handedly. How the hell can I believe that you'd leave him to die because he was taken advantage of by a cruel, sadistic, son of a bitch, but not drop me like I'm on fire?! How, Scott? HOW!?" she insisted, turning to face him, eyes pleading.
"Single-?..Rachel..Just tell me. I have no right to judge." Scott assured, hoping to sooth her enough to trust him.
"You really want to know? Close the door, sit down and get comfy. It'll take a while." Scott took her desk chair and spun it around, sitting on it backwards. She slowly started pacing, much like a caged animal.
"It was my eleventh birthday...that past election Senator Kelly was assassinated and it was blamed on a mutant. The man who was elected-and I use that term loosely- started the Sentinels...started Nimrod," Rachel shuddered, wanting nothing more than to just fight back the flash backs...."We were.."
Rachel stopped pacing, eyes wrenched shut tightly. "I'm sorry Scott...I-I-I can't...I can't talk about this..I'm sorry..It hurts too much.." she whispered, sensing Logan drawing near, his pace suddenly quickening.
Scott moved from her chair to walk over to her. He may be over stepping but she looked like she needed something to anchor her in the here and now. But before he got the chance, the door opened and shut quickly and Logan rushed over to her.
"Ray..?"
"I'm sorry." she whispered, ignoring Logan and focusing on Scott. He nodded slowly, and taking the mugs, left.
Logan's arms tightened around her protectively as he just noticed the bruise and the faint trace of blood. ''Rach?" he asked softly, cursing himself the moment the name left his lips. She flinched away from him, shaking her head, muttering about how she didn't deserve that name.
"Ray just tell me." Logan asked as gently as he could. He had to know, he..If he knew then he could help..and he hated not being able to help.
"You-you used to call me Rach. Not 'Kiddo' or 'Squirt', but 'Rach'. I can't tell you how many times..Dad and Mom would fight..I don't know about what, I still don't understand but..I'd get so upset and run off into the woods. Everyone thought I'd get myself lost and/or hurt..but you always took me out there whenever someone had to watch me. It was always between you, Bobby and Uncle Alex...when he was around that is. Odd that they'd leave me with one of you three, being the few bachelors around, instead of Stormy or hell, even Remy." she shook her head, amused by that.
"But Stormy was busy with her own team, and Remy was juggling being an X-Man and the co-leader of the Guilds..heh, guess you three were the most readily available. Anyway, you'd always find me..your 'den' ended up becoming my hidey-hole...It was after the first fight. Or at least the first one I knew about..It was about me, I know that much, but.." Rachel paused shaking her head, trying to clear away the confusion.
"I was...four I think, but I still knew enough to get out..I still can't stand people fighting. That's why I always leave when Scott starts on Remy, or someone...I just can't..." she shivered, more than a bit upset. Logan walked over to where she had stopped pacing and wrapped his arms around her once more.
"Ya don't have ta-"
"Yeah I do..I used my wonderful TK to open the doors and I just walked out of the mansion..Now that I think about it, I guess I should be a little concerned that no one noticed I was gone until dinner..which was about six hours after I left." She grinned, and rolled her eyes. Logan chuckled, wondering how the hell they could have possibly missed her.
"I guess I followed an old thread of yours..psi-thread, I mean. I wasn't a full 'path yet, just really sensitive. So I was following an old...telepathic signature I guess, of yours and it led me out to what I suppose was your 'den' when you got a wee bit feral.
"It was Summer so it was pretty nice out..but there was a storm to come, Storm knew that. So when dinner rolled around and no one could find me, she got worried. She wouldn't be able to hold the storm back, and if I was out there in the middle of it, well...lets just say the first to be buried would be a four year old who had yet to see action." Rachel broke Logan's embrace and took his hand to led him to her bed. Sitting down she pulled him close and they both leaned against her headboard.
"You had just got back from Canada..Hadn't seen me since I was still in dipers, but you decided to go out in the storm to try and find me while the 'paths scanned. You found me first by the way." She grinned up at him, entwining her fingers with his.
"It had started getting pretty bad. I mean, when it first started raining I was out playing but the minute I heard thunder I ran into the cave..I never liked thunder and lightning, despite Stormy promising nothing would happen to me. she wouldn't let it. But I just didn't like it. You found me, soaking wet, in the farthest corner of the cave. God, when I saw you I screamed my little head off. Your sillouet from the lightning made you look like some sort of monster..
"Anyway you came closer and got down to my level, an impressive feat I might add since I was under four foot when I was four. You told me that Mom and Dad had sent you to find me and take me back. And in my four year old speak, I told you that I was perfectly capable of getting back to the mansion, I just didn't want to. Not with Mommy and Daddy fighting like they were.
"Well, you were a bit shocked that I wasn't simply lost. Then there was another crash of thunder and I yelped in fright. Next thing I knew I was in your arms and you were telling me that it was alright..Nothing could hurt me, you wouldn't let it. You kept saying, 'It's okay Rach, nothin'll happen ta ya...No one and no thing will ever hurt ya. I won't let it.'
"Then you took me towards the mouth of the cave and showed me how beautiful the lightning was. I mean at first I kept my head buried in your shoulder, but eventually you got me to look." A small smile rested on Rachel's lips, more than content to stay with happy memories.
"From then on I'd only let you call me 'Rach'..and I knew I had pissed you off, or you were in a bad way when you growled and called me 'Rachel' or 'kid' or something like that. I think even then, so young, I had feelings for you...I don't know. I just remember that after that day, I knew if I ever saw you again, even if no one told you, you'd know and never call me 'Rach' again...I didn't deserve it, I don't.." Rachel shook her head and buried her face in his shoulder, not wanting to look at him.
"Rach.." he growled out softly, just testing how it sounded. She tensed, as if she was waiting for some shoe to drop. "Hey, look at me kiddo."
He tilted her head to look at him. All she saw in Logan's eyes was understanding. "How-?"
"I've done worse, believe me I have." Logan replied, cradling her face gently in his calloused hand.
''How will I ever be able to tell Scott? Or any of them? Logan they'll never-"
"They will. Believe me they will, even if it takes me packin' us up and leavin'. I won't sit here and let them..It won't be another Antarctica..I'll drag the Cajun with us. I ain't gonna let you sit here and go through that..I promise." Logan whispered gently in her ear. It was all Rachel could do from just squeezing Logan til he turned blue.
"Thank you Logan." she whispered back, her lips searching for his.
As they met, someone came banging on their door.
"Flonq!" she yelled, turning to glare at the offending object. "Go away!"
Logan raised an eyebrow. That would make the third time she used 'flonq', "Rach, you ever met ya brother?"
"Cable? Yeah, why?"
"No reason."
The fist was once again on her door and she was about ready to just open the door and let loose on whoever had the unfortunate job of doing this. Logan, sensing this, grabbed her arm and gently led her off of the bed and to the door. No need for her to blow her lid twice in one day.
"What?" she barked as the door opened to reveal Remy, who looked like he had just ran over Rachel's kitten. "Remy..I-"
"'S'okay chere..Le profesur wants t' see y'..both o' y'. Fair warnin' all de X-Men gonna be dere..Je suis desolee."
"No prob Cajun. Tell 'em we'll be down as soon as we can." Logan assured, and watched as the Cajun headed back downstairs.
"They want to know...I-I can't tell them Logan..I can't." Rachel whispered, shaking her head trying to get away from Logan and the door. "I just..they can't..I.."
She trailed off and stared out the window. The sun was up fully now, somewhere still in the early morning but not ungodly so. Slowly memories grasped at her and held on tight.
"Rach?" Logan set a hand on her shoulder and watched as she went completely lose and fell against him. "Rachel?! Shit!"
Logan picked her up, noting how her eyes were just staring at nothing, a single tear spilling over. Opening the door Logan rushed out into the hall and down the stairs. As he drew closer to the Professor's office, he hollered for someone to open the door. Students flooded the hall, as he and the out of it Rachel reached Xavier's door.
Thankfully Remy opened it and closed it the moment Logan was in.
"Logan!?" Scott exclaimed, standing up the moment he saw that Rachel suffered from the same trances Jean did. "Put her on the couch. Storm, Gambit off."
Logan didn't question just did as ordered and sat down, holding her. Though silent she remained, another tear made its way down her face. "Rach?" Logan whispered, his fingers gently stroking her short hair.
"Just leave her Logan...she'll come around eventually.." Scott whispered, looking to Xavier to shoo everyone out. Nodding everyone left, and at Scott's request, Xavier himself as well.
Time passed slowly, with Logan still on the sofa, holding Rachel to him, while Scott slowly paced back and forth. Occasionally Rachel would whimper and tears would fall fresh, but she just wouldn't come back.
Slowly she started to come around and Scott instructed Logan on how to get her back.
"Just talk to her..anything really. Let her know you're there for her."
Logan nodded and whispered things that Scott couldn't catch. He watched with a small, sad smile as green eyes refocused and blinked rapidly.
"Logan?"
"Yeah Rach...I'm right here."
"Scott?" she turned to look at him, and in that moment, though Scott may have not understood anything about her, or Rachel and Logan's relationship...he understood the need for them to be together.
"yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
"Me too."