Title: Memories
Author: CurlyJo
Feedback to CCinMD1@aol.com
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel Comics, and are used for entertainment purposes. I'm not making any money from this so suing me wouldn't get you anything but a Wal-Mart smock and some squished pennies.
Archiving: Luba's Fonts of Wisdom. Anyone else please ask. I'll say yes, I just want to know where it is.
Thanks to Luba Kmetyk, Alan, Lyssie, and Alystraea
#-----# are thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rahne Sinclair stood looking down at the new grave. The young woman pulled her heavy winter coat closer around herself. It was a cold, overcast day. Just a few days earlier, she would have been able to grow fur to keep herself warm. But that ability was lost to her now, as was her foster mother. Moira's funeral had been just the day before. The Kinross clan chieftain had been buried at the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Rahne's friend Dani had stayed close to her since Rahne had arrived in Westchester after Moira's death. Most of the X-Men that had attended Moira's funeral had seemed unsure what to say to the young Scots woman. #What do you say to someone who's been orphaned twice? # Rahne thought bitterly. She sighed. #I shouldn't be so bitter. Mum's in Heaven now. # The young woman sat down on the ground next to the grave. #We had a lot of good times. Mum lasted a lot longer than most people thought she would. She wasn't giving in! # Rahne thought with a smile. She sniffled. #What am I going to do now? She was the only family that I had. # Rahne thought.
Rahne looked out over the stormy, gray ocean and smiled a bit. #I remember when Mum took me to the seaside. #
* * * * * * *
Rahne had never been to the seaside before. She had grown up near the ocean -- Ullapool was a fishing town after all - but she had been taught that that's not what the ocean was there for. Rahne told her foster mother, "Reverend Craig said that going to the seaside was frivolous."
"Hmph, did he now? Well, as well as swimming being good exercise, and a little sunshine being good for ye, ye know what?" Moira asked. Rahne shook her head. "Well," Moira told the girl, with a mischievous smile, "It's also a lot of fun!" Rahne reluctantly put on her bathing suit and a T-shirt over it. The modest young girl thought that the bathing suit that her foster mother had bought her was far too daring. Rahne wasn't used to showing that much skin. Moira and Rahne ran in and out of the very cold water for a while. They giggled as they both decided it was a just little too cold. They got fish and chips for lunch, another new experience for Rahne.
"Reverend Craig said that fish and chips are bad for you and a waste of money." Rahne said.
Moira thought a moment. "Well, they aren't good for you. It's really too much grease and salt, but every now and then it won't hurt you. You do need to learn to try new things. How about we go to the amusement pier later? And I don't want to hear that it's frivolous or that it's too much money. It's fun, and it's my money to spend on what I want. And I'm having fun spending it on us."
Rahne smiled a bit. She really was having fun, it was just hard to loosen up after her strict upbringing. After their lunch, the two walked on the beach a while before heading to the amusement pier. They went in the fun house and laughed at the distorted mirrors. Moira had even managed to talk Rahne into getting on the big wooden roller coaster. Rahne had screamed on the roller coaster, but had been too scared to put her arms up. Rahne had been so tired at the end of the day that she fell asleep on Moira's hovercraft. Jamie Madrox, Moira's lab assistant, had had to help carry her inside.
* * * * * * *
Rahne looked out at the ocean again and sighed. #I wish I could have gotten Mum away from her work for a short holiday recently.# Rahne sniffled and wiped away a tear. She fingered the small gold cross on a chain around her neck. #I remember when Mum gave me this. It was our first Christmas together. #
* * * * * * *
Christmas morning, Rahne and Moira sat next to the tall Christmas tree in the living room on Muir Island. They had already exchanged gifts with Jamie, and he'd gone off to give them some time alone. Rahne had made Moira's gift: a cross-stitched picture of an angel. Christmas was one holiday that Reverend Craig had celebrated. They would sing a few Christmas carols and he would give her a present. It was usually something sensible like socks. Christmas with Moira and her new friends was more fun. Dani had given her a pair of fur lined moccasin slippers before Rahne left for Muir Island. On Muir, Rahne had helped Moira and Jamie decorate for Christmas. Jamie and Rahne got a little silly about it; even Moira's lab had tinsel everywhere. Now Rahne and Moira were opening the presents they had given each other. Moira opened the cross-stitch picture. "Rahne!" Moira gasped, "This is beautiful! It must have taken you months."
Rahne smiled shyly. "T'wasn't that difficult." Sam had helped her pick it out. It had taken her a few months to stitch the picture, but she wanted to give Moira something pretty. Rahne didn't have the money to buy anything.
Moira laid the picture down and smiled eagerly at Rahne. "Well, go on, then. Open yours."
Rahne turned the small box over and over in her hands. It was too small to be socks. She had no idea what it could be. Rahne slowly pried open one side of the wrapping paper, then the other. She glanced up to see Moira about to fall out of her chair in anticipation. Moira had had three very large cups of coffee already. For some reason Rahne couldn't figure, Jamie wasn't drinking any. Rahne tore the paper off the rest of the way. It was a small velvet jewelry box. As Rahne slowly opened it, her face lit up with a look of delight. Inside was a gold cross necklace with a small emerald in the center. "This is for me?" She asked Moira. Moira nodded. "Oh, it's beautiful." Rahne said softly. Reverend Craig had believed that wearing jewelry was sinful, but Rahne was slowly learning that not everything Reverend Craig said was true.
"Would ye like me to help ye put it on?" Moira asked. Rahne nodded. Moira moved around behind Rahne to fasten the necklace. "There." she said, That should do it." Moira sat back down across from Rahne. "So, are ye happy with your gift?"
Rahne raised one hand to touch her necklace and smiled. "Yes, ma'am. Thank ye."
* * * * * * *
The young Scot sighed wistfully. #Holidays were always such fun. Like last Halloween with Excalibur on Muir Island. # Rahne chuckled.
* * * * * * *
Kitty was trying to explain Halloween to Douglock. The more she tried to explain the holiday to the techno-organic boy, the more she confused herself.
"So children dress up in costumes and go begging for candy to confuse evil spirits?" Douglock asked Kitty with a very confused look on his face. "And what's this Great Pumpkin?" *
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Kitty glared over at Meggan, Rahne and Kurt. Her teammates were trying not to laugh at the whole situation, and almost succeeding. "If you three would like to help, it would be greatly appreciated." Kitty told them icily.
"Sorry, Katzchen." Kurt said, still trying not to laugh, "I'd help you, but I wouldn't be able to explain it myself."
"I canna help ye." the young werewoman added, "We had the same situation a few years ago when Sam an' Dani tried to explain it to me."
"Hmm, you would think that with the strange bunch of us in Excalibur, we could figure out Halloween." Meggan mused.
Now Rahne looked confused. "What d'ye mean?"
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Well, let's see. We've got one 'ghost', one 'goblin', one fairy, one 'witch', one werewolf..."
"Um, two werewolves, sort of." Meggan interrupted. Everyone just stared at her for a moment. "My powers used to go a bit funny around the full moon. I'd kind of go crazy." Meggan explained. "It only did that for a while, but since I didn't know much about my powers, I just thought I was a werewolf."
Kitty just looked at Meggan a moment longer, then shrugged. "Okay," she continued, "two werewolves, and one dragon. What the heck, since Sean's visiting Moira, we can add one Banshee to the list."
"Got a couple more for you," Pete Wisdom added, as he came into the room rather quickly. "One spook being chased by a mad doctor."
Kurt snickered. "The Ghost and the Spook." the blue-furred mutant muttered under his breath.
Kitty glanced at Kurt, then raised one eyebrow at Pete. "What now?"
"Hey, can't a man have a smoke now an' then?" Pete asked in an offended tone. "I was just down there havin' a talk with Cassidy, and lit up a cig, when that bloody harridan sets up a fuss and chases me out of the room."
"Aye, an' how many times have I told ye not to smoke inside?" the 'mad' doctor in question asked from the doorway behind him. Pete jumped. Sean was behind Moira shaking his head and trying not to laugh. "An' especially not in my lab!" Moira continued, "It's a nasty habit an' it'll kill ye. If I don't first."
"Oh, I'm wounded. Really." Pete grinned at Moira. "Eh, you know you love me." Moira grumbled at him and glared.
Sean wandered over to the others, rolling his eyes. "So, how are things going with everybody?" the Irishman asked the diverse group.
Rahne smiled and shrugged. "Same old weirdness."
Sean smiled back at her. "Weirdness is as normal as it gets for us, I think. If that makes any kind of sense." He glanced back at the two bickering behind him. "Are they always like this?"
Kurt sighed. "Ach, most of the time. I think we'd worry if they didn't fight." The leader of Excalibur smiled, "It's what passes for normal around here, I guess."
Kitty looked thoughtful for a minute. "Did it ever occur to any of you that all the assorted X-folks are like a big dysfunctional family?" she said, "You've got the ones that can't get along, the practical jokers, the brainy ones, the big brother types, all kinds of people like that."
"Hmm, I can see that. I can think of a few people like that." Meggan said with a grin. "Who on our team fits what type, do you think?"
Rahne shook her head at Pete and Moira, who were still bickering. "Well, we know who the ones who canna get along are. Kitty and Brian are probably the brainy ones."
"Kurt and Rahne are the practical jokers. Around here at least." Kitty said. Rahne grinned.
Sean looked from Kitty to Rahne doubtfully. "Rahne as a practical joker?" he asked.
Rahne looked innocent. "I learned some interesting things from Guido and Jamie."
"Sure," Kitty said, raising one eyebrow, "Like putting ant stickers on the toilet seats, or putting glow-in-the-dark worms in my bed?"
"What? I thought they were funny! The ant one dinna even get anybody." Rahne protested, still attempting to sound innocent. Sean just shook his head in disbelief. "Seriously," she continued, "Why do you think we all act so much like a family? Dysfunctional or not?"
"Hmm, maybe it's because there are so many of us with no other family but each other." Kitty mused, "My parents pretty much abandoned me at the school. Rahne's an orphan, and so are Meggan and Piotr."
"So, instead of the family most people are born with, we get to choose ours." Rahne said slowly. She looked at her mother, who was on the other side of the room trying to ignore Pete. After a moment she smiled widely, "I like it. I couldn't have a better family than all of ye." That was met with a chorus of 'Awww's' and hugs from her teammates. Her family.
* * * * * * *
Rahne looked down at the ground and played with the grass. It had been lonely on Muir Island after Brian and Meggan had gotten married, and Kurt, Kitty and Piotr had gone back to the X-Men. Guido was back out in space being Lila Cheney's main bodyguard. Jamie was somewhere in the States, still working with Forge. Wisdom had been out in San Francisco with X-Force until he'd been murdered. Even Douglock had gone off on his own. #It was lonely, but at least Mum and I had each other. Now she's gone and I haven't any family.# Rahne looked up to the gray, cloudy sky, tears streaming down her face. #Now what am I going to do?#
"Rahne? Rahney, are you out here?" a voice called. Rahne looked up. Dani was walking towards her. "Hey, furtop, what are you doing out here in the cold?" the Cheyenne asked, "Everybody's worried about you. Kurt and Sean were wondering where you were, so I said I'd come find you." Dani looked down at the grave for a moment, then back at Rahne. She hugged Rahne. "You going to be okay?" Dani asked softly.
Rahne just clung to her friend for a minute, then pulled back. She thought of the good times that she and Moira had had, and of all of the friends she still had that would stay by her while she was still coping with this. The young woman looked out over the ocean, then back up at Dani with a small smile. "I think I will be." she said softly.
Dani smiled back. "C'mon, then. Let's get back inside. It's freezing out here."
Dani and Rahne walked away from the cliffside grave, Rahne taking one last look back. "I love ye, Mum" she said softly. As she turned back around, the wind picked up and the sun broke through the clouds. For just a brief moment, Rahne thought she could smell Moira's perfume. She could almost hear her mother's voice on the breeze say, "I love ye, too."
"...You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20 NIV
*The Great Pumpkin belongs to United Feature Syndicate.
Author: CurlyJo
Feedback to CCinMD1@aol.com
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Marvel Comics, and are used for entertainment purposes. I'm not making any money from this so suing me wouldn't get you anything but a Wal-Mart smock and some squished pennies.
Archiving: Luba's Fonts of Wisdom. Anyone else please ask. I'll say yes, I just want to know where it is.
Thanks to Luba Kmetyk, Alan, Lyssie, and Alystraea
#-----# are thoughts.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rahne Sinclair stood looking down at the new grave. The young woman pulled her heavy winter coat closer around herself. It was a cold, overcast day. Just a few days earlier, she would have been able to grow fur to keep herself warm. But that ability was lost to her now, as was her foster mother. Moira's funeral had been just the day before. The Kinross clan chieftain had been buried at the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Rahne's friend Dani had stayed close to her since Rahne had arrived in Westchester after Moira's death. Most of the X-Men that had attended Moira's funeral had seemed unsure what to say to the young Scots woman. #What do you say to someone who's been orphaned twice? # Rahne thought bitterly. She sighed. #I shouldn't be so bitter. Mum's in Heaven now. # The young woman sat down on the ground next to the grave. #We had a lot of good times. Mum lasted a lot longer than most people thought she would. She wasn't giving in! # Rahne thought with a smile. She sniffled. #What am I going to do now? She was the only family that I had. # Rahne thought.
Rahne looked out over the stormy, gray ocean and smiled a bit. #I remember when Mum took me to the seaside. #
* * * * * * *
Rahne had never been to the seaside before. She had grown up near the ocean -- Ullapool was a fishing town after all - but she had been taught that that's not what the ocean was there for. Rahne told her foster mother, "Reverend Craig said that going to the seaside was frivolous."
"Hmph, did he now? Well, as well as swimming being good exercise, and a little sunshine being good for ye, ye know what?" Moira asked. Rahne shook her head. "Well," Moira told the girl, with a mischievous smile, "It's also a lot of fun!" Rahne reluctantly put on her bathing suit and a T-shirt over it. The modest young girl thought that the bathing suit that her foster mother had bought her was far too daring. Rahne wasn't used to showing that much skin. Moira and Rahne ran in and out of the very cold water for a while. They giggled as they both decided it was a just little too cold. They got fish and chips for lunch, another new experience for Rahne.
"Reverend Craig said that fish and chips are bad for you and a waste of money." Rahne said.
Moira thought a moment. "Well, they aren't good for you. It's really too much grease and salt, but every now and then it won't hurt you. You do need to learn to try new things. How about we go to the amusement pier later? And I don't want to hear that it's frivolous or that it's too much money. It's fun, and it's my money to spend on what I want. And I'm having fun spending it on us."
Rahne smiled a bit. She really was having fun, it was just hard to loosen up after her strict upbringing. After their lunch, the two walked on the beach a while before heading to the amusement pier. They went in the fun house and laughed at the distorted mirrors. Moira had even managed to talk Rahne into getting on the big wooden roller coaster. Rahne had screamed on the roller coaster, but had been too scared to put her arms up. Rahne had been so tired at the end of the day that she fell asleep on Moira's hovercraft. Jamie Madrox, Moira's lab assistant, had had to help carry her inside.
* * * * * * *
Rahne looked out at the ocean again and sighed. #I wish I could have gotten Mum away from her work for a short holiday recently.# Rahne sniffled and wiped away a tear. She fingered the small gold cross on a chain around her neck. #I remember when Mum gave me this. It was our first Christmas together. #
* * * * * * *
Christmas morning, Rahne and Moira sat next to the tall Christmas tree in the living room on Muir Island. They had already exchanged gifts with Jamie, and he'd gone off to give them some time alone. Rahne had made Moira's gift: a cross-stitched picture of an angel. Christmas was one holiday that Reverend Craig had celebrated. They would sing a few Christmas carols and he would give her a present. It was usually something sensible like socks. Christmas with Moira and her new friends was more fun. Dani had given her a pair of fur lined moccasin slippers before Rahne left for Muir Island. On Muir, Rahne had helped Moira and Jamie decorate for Christmas. Jamie and Rahne got a little silly about it; even Moira's lab had tinsel everywhere. Now Rahne and Moira were opening the presents they had given each other. Moira opened the cross-stitch picture. "Rahne!" Moira gasped, "This is beautiful! It must have taken you months."
Rahne smiled shyly. "T'wasn't that difficult." Sam had helped her pick it out. It had taken her a few months to stitch the picture, but she wanted to give Moira something pretty. Rahne didn't have the money to buy anything.
Moira laid the picture down and smiled eagerly at Rahne. "Well, go on, then. Open yours."
Rahne turned the small box over and over in her hands. It was too small to be socks. She had no idea what it could be. Rahne slowly pried open one side of the wrapping paper, then the other. She glanced up to see Moira about to fall out of her chair in anticipation. Moira had had three very large cups of coffee already. For some reason Rahne couldn't figure, Jamie wasn't drinking any. Rahne tore the paper off the rest of the way. It was a small velvet jewelry box. As Rahne slowly opened it, her face lit up with a look of delight. Inside was a gold cross necklace with a small emerald in the center. "This is for me?" She asked Moira. Moira nodded. "Oh, it's beautiful." Rahne said softly. Reverend Craig had believed that wearing jewelry was sinful, but Rahne was slowly learning that not everything Reverend Craig said was true.
"Would ye like me to help ye put it on?" Moira asked. Rahne nodded. Moira moved around behind Rahne to fasten the necklace. "There." she said, That should do it." Moira sat back down across from Rahne. "So, are ye happy with your gift?"
Rahne raised one hand to touch her necklace and smiled. "Yes, ma'am. Thank ye."
* * * * * * *
The young Scot sighed wistfully. #Holidays were always such fun. Like last Halloween with Excalibur on Muir Island. # Rahne chuckled.
* * * * * * *
Kitty was trying to explain Halloween to Douglock. The more she tried to explain the holiday to the techno-organic boy, the more she confused herself.
"So children dress up in costumes and go begging for candy to confuse evil spirits?" Douglock asked Kitty with a very confused look on his face. "And what's this Great Pumpkin?" *
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Kitty glared over at Meggan, Rahne and Kurt. Her teammates were trying not to laugh at the whole situation, and almost succeeding. "If you three would like to help, it would be greatly appreciated." Kitty told them icily.
"Sorry, Katzchen." Kurt said, still trying not to laugh, "I'd help you, but I wouldn't be able to explain it myself."
"I canna help ye." the young werewoman added, "We had the same situation a few years ago when Sam an' Dani tried to explain it to me."
"Hmm, you would think that with the strange bunch of us in Excalibur, we could figure out Halloween." Meggan mused.
Now Rahne looked confused. "What d'ye mean?"
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Well, let's see. We've got one 'ghost', one 'goblin', one fairy, one 'witch', one werewolf..."
"Um, two werewolves, sort of." Meggan interrupted. Everyone just stared at her for a moment. "My powers used to go a bit funny around the full moon. I'd kind of go crazy." Meggan explained. "It only did that for a while, but since I didn't know much about my powers, I just thought I was a werewolf."
Kitty just looked at Meggan a moment longer, then shrugged. "Okay," she continued, "two werewolves, and one dragon. What the heck, since Sean's visiting Moira, we can add one Banshee to the list."
"Got a couple more for you," Pete Wisdom added, as he came into the room rather quickly. "One spook being chased by a mad doctor."
Kurt snickered. "The Ghost and the Spook." the blue-furred mutant muttered under his breath.
Kitty glanced at Kurt, then raised one eyebrow at Pete. "What now?"
"Hey, can't a man have a smoke now an' then?" Pete asked in an offended tone. "I was just down there havin' a talk with Cassidy, and lit up a cig, when that bloody harridan sets up a fuss and chases me out of the room."
"Aye, an' how many times have I told ye not to smoke inside?" the 'mad' doctor in question asked from the doorway behind him. Pete jumped. Sean was behind Moira shaking his head and trying not to laugh. "An' especially not in my lab!" Moira continued, "It's a nasty habit an' it'll kill ye. If I don't first."
"Oh, I'm wounded. Really." Pete grinned at Moira. "Eh, you know you love me." Moira grumbled at him and glared.
Sean wandered over to the others, rolling his eyes. "So, how are things going with everybody?" the Irishman asked the diverse group.
Rahne smiled and shrugged. "Same old weirdness."
Sean smiled back at her. "Weirdness is as normal as it gets for us, I think. If that makes any kind of sense." He glanced back at the two bickering behind him. "Are they always like this?"
Kurt sighed. "Ach, most of the time. I think we'd worry if they didn't fight." The leader of Excalibur smiled, "It's what passes for normal around here, I guess."
Kitty looked thoughtful for a minute. "Did it ever occur to any of you that all the assorted X-folks are like a big dysfunctional family?" she said, "You've got the ones that can't get along, the practical jokers, the brainy ones, the big brother types, all kinds of people like that."
"Hmm, I can see that. I can think of a few people like that." Meggan said with a grin. "Who on our team fits what type, do you think?"
Rahne shook her head at Pete and Moira, who were still bickering. "Well, we know who the ones who canna get along are. Kitty and Brian are probably the brainy ones."
"Kurt and Rahne are the practical jokers. Around here at least." Kitty said. Rahne grinned.
Sean looked from Kitty to Rahne doubtfully. "Rahne as a practical joker?" he asked.
Rahne looked innocent. "I learned some interesting things from Guido and Jamie."
"Sure," Kitty said, raising one eyebrow, "Like putting ant stickers on the toilet seats, or putting glow-in-the-dark worms in my bed?"
"What? I thought they were funny! The ant one dinna even get anybody." Rahne protested, still attempting to sound innocent. Sean just shook his head in disbelief. "Seriously," she continued, "Why do you think we all act so much like a family? Dysfunctional or not?"
"Hmm, maybe it's because there are so many of us with no other family but each other." Kitty mused, "My parents pretty much abandoned me at the school. Rahne's an orphan, and so are Meggan and Piotr."
"So, instead of the family most people are born with, we get to choose ours." Rahne said slowly. She looked at her mother, who was on the other side of the room trying to ignore Pete. After a moment she smiled widely, "I like it. I couldn't have a better family than all of ye." That was met with a chorus of 'Awww's' and hugs from her teammates. Her family.
* * * * * * *
Rahne looked down at the ground and played with the grass. It had been lonely on Muir Island after Brian and Meggan had gotten married, and Kurt, Kitty and Piotr had gone back to the X-Men. Guido was back out in space being Lila Cheney's main bodyguard. Jamie was somewhere in the States, still working with Forge. Wisdom had been out in San Francisco with X-Force until he'd been murdered. Even Douglock had gone off on his own. #It was lonely, but at least Mum and I had each other. Now she's gone and I haven't any family.# Rahne looked up to the gray, cloudy sky, tears streaming down her face. #Now what am I going to do?#
"Rahne? Rahney, are you out here?" a voice called. Rahne looked up. Dani was walking towards her. "Hey, furtop, what are you doing out here in the cold?" the Cheyenne asked, "Everybody's worried about you. Kurt and Sean were wondering where you were, so I said I'd come find you." Dani looked down at the grave for a moment, then back at Rahne. She hugged Rahne. "You going to be okay?" Dani asked softly.
Rahne just clung to her friend for a minute, then pulled back. She thought of the good times that she and Moira had had, and of all of the friends she still had that would stay by her while she was still coping with this. The young woman looked out over the ocean, then back up at Dani with a small smile. "I think I will be." she said softly.
Dani smiled back. "C'mon, then. Let's get back inside. It's freezing out here."
Dani and Rahne walked away from the cliffside grave, Rahne taking one last look back. "I love ye, Mum" she said softly. As she turned back around, the wind picked up and the sun broke through the clouds. For just a brief moment, Rahne thought she could smell Moira's perfume. She could almost hear her mother's voice on the breeze say, "I love ye, too."
"...You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20 NIV
*The Great Pumpkin belongs to United Feature Syndicate.