X-Men Blurb
(Melody and Remy - After the death of Professor Xavier: Xmen, the Last Stand)
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men. Stan Lee does and he is awesome. I'm a fan girl, that's why I write this stuff. I DO however, own Melody Altmann and everything about her. No touchie!
X-Men
"Loss"
I stood alone in the makeshift graveyard that Logan and Bobby Drake had built. Before me were the three tombstones, kept in clean condition. The center one held the face of an old man, late forties with no hair. On either side of it were two smaller tombstones, bearing the names; Jean Grey and Scott Summers. I stood before the three silent rocks and lost myself to my memories.
I was seventeen when Professor Xavier found me. A punk kid with no line between right and wrong. Abandoned by my parents and shunned by my friends all because I was different. I could make it rain when the forecast called for clear skies. I could call lightning to my hands and use updrafts to fly. I was a mutant. Professor Xavier had looked passed all of that. I was just a confused kid then, with this strange gift and had no idea how to control it. I was raised on these grounds, a mentor to new kids coming in who were once just like me. I was an X-Man. I was part of a collective of people who believed in what was right and just. But no one had expected this. No one could even fathom that one of our own would take our professor.
I remembered it as if it was all new, like rubbing salt into an open wound. We had tracked Jean down to her home, the Phoenix - her alter ego - had taken control of her. Wolverine fought well and was knocked back and forth while Storm and I tried to counter her lightning with our own but to no avail. Magneto tried to get her to join forces with him while Professor Xavier was trying to save her soul. With a flick of an eyelash, a flutter of a wink, she tore the Professor apart. He was buried here on the grounds, as well as the remains of Scott Summers and Jean herself. Jean had killed Scott, Wolverine had to kill her to save her, us, and the world.
I held my hands in the back pockets of my dark blue jeans. My softly curled, long brown/red hair blew back away from my neck by a slight gust of springtime wind. I wore a long, brown hooded sweatshirt that belonged to Logan and fell to my knees. My sneakers were wet with morning dew while I mourned for my family.
There was a presence beside me. Out of the corner of my eye he stood, his brown leather jacket was dusty from the road. He wore dark blue jeans, a gray t shirt and black boots. His chestnut brown hair lay in a messy ponytail while a few strands covered his scarlet red eyes. He had a knapsack on his back and he stood there without saying a word.
"You're late." I said, shifting my jaw to fight back the tears threatening to fall. I looked straight ahead at the graves, wishing the Professor was here with me now. Here to help me deal with this.
Remy LeBeau.
He was otherwise known as Gambit. He could kinetically charge inaminate objects and make them explode. Remy was the first student that I helped. He was older than me by a couple years, but he still needed to learn control. We got too close and fell in love with each other. But he was unable to commit to the Professor's way of life due to brewing skirmishes between his father and their rivals. He had to leave.
"What happened, chere? I heard on de news dat de professor… and… I just…" He stammered.
"He's gone." I said, a tear falling slowly down my cheek. I wiped my eyes with my sweatshirt sleeve and turned to look at him. My heart skipped in my chest, like it always did. I put on a strong face, but inside I wanted to fall into his chest and cry like a child. I hadn't given myself time to mourn for their losses. I was always busying myself keeping things under control while everyone else mourned and grieved. It will be my turn soon.
"He's gone and so is Jean and Scott. They are all gone." I said. I looked back at the tombstones, Remy fell in beside me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Dey died defendin dis school. Dis school, de students and dere ideals." Remy said. I shrugged his hand off of my shoulder and took a step away from him. I turned and looked at him. A thick strand of my red hair fell over my shoulder a little.
"How would you know? " I asked him, my voice was even but I wanted to scream at him. I crossed my arms over my chest and shifted my weight onto my other foot. I waited for him to answer.
When nothing was said, I shook my head and started back toward the mansion. I walked up a long ramp to an expansive front porch where a young girl was sitting on the stone railing. Her back propped up on a pillar. She had tears in her eyes. I put my hand on hers and squeezed it gently, smiling. I saw Remy come up the stairs, as he did, I let the girl's hand go and walked into the house. He followed me as I know he would.
"Mel, please!" Remy called out. From the living room at my right, I saw Logan look toward Remy's call, then he got up and leapt over the back of the couch. He intercepted Remy and put a large hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Remy looked at Logan, I glanced at them before disappearing up the stairs and toward my room.