2nd Installment of the Prequel ("Die For You"): The events that unfold in this chapter occur after, "WHAT YOU DO TO ME" and precede "I Want You So Bad". All of the conflicts I promised in the last chapter definitely come to a head in this one. How this 'tension' evolved will be made clear in future installments. ~Sidicious
3 Days Earlier
Downtown Worthington Clinic 11:58am
Despite the frost chill intertwined shotgun on the tails of the late fall wind, mutants seeking the opportunity for a life of pretense at 'Normalcy' / 'Conformity' arrived in apprehensive droves, snaking around the foundation of an entire city block eagerly awaiting the chance to be called.
What they least expected was to be greeted by a troupe of mutant protestors, hoisting up Anti-Cure posters, synthesized boisterous anarchic threats & angry demands: all the while training their disgusted gazes upon the lengthy line of mutants awaiting their chance to be shepherded inside.
Bobby 'Iceman' Drake frantically pushed aside the already aggravated protestors until he stood in front of a police barracade and tried to steady his gaze on the mutant line across the street.
"You gonna take the cure so you can go back home to mommy & daddy?"
The familiar voice startled the already edgy Iceman, who turned his gaze on the provocating almond orbs of his former friend, John 'Pyro' Allerdyce eagerly studying Iceman's face for the slightest hint of annoyance.
The last Iceman had seen John was 2 years ago at Alkaline lake aboard the stealth plane before Pyro & Justice had elected to 'desert' the X-Men League & Xavier Academy for more ambitious Mutant ONLY prospects under the leadership and tutolage of the notorious Magneto & the lethal, Mystique.
Iceman quickly made eye contact not to disappoint his former still very angry with humans friend, Pyro. "I'm looking for someone."
As Iceman quickly averted his gaze attentively on the mutant line, John instantly caught the slightest bit of worry gleam off Bobby's gaze and a knowing smirk appearedon his always frustrated angry but fine olive features etched with a bit of haughtiness.
John "Your girlfriend. I might have known. She's pathetic. She was always weak."
Iceman's right fist frosted over with a ferverent anger- the exact incitation John had been searching for.
Lighting a match, the flames immediately shone brilliantly as a small fireball threatened upon expansion.
John, "Hey anytime you're ready Iceman."
Bobby glared, uncapping the filter on his mouth. "Y'know what's really pathetic John? Justice came to Xavier Academy to escape the infamy of being suspected as a juvenile murderer. Its nice to know that her only friend in the world (glances pointedly at John, whose fine olive features instantly began to seethe with murderous intent) is ensuring her permanent criminal record."
Without a second's thought, John vaulted forward and Bobby felt Allerdyce's fist make bone cracking contact with his jaw.
"You SHUTUP! Stop speaking of things you don't have the faintest comprehension of! You don't have any idea what Taryn had to go through living with the stigma of being falsely accused in her mother's murder when the real psycho is still out there!"
Bobby clasped the puce bruise on his jaw & his eyes lit up as though confirming something he believed all along.
"So its true. All the years I've known you, John. She's your weak spot."
On The Opposite Side of The Street...
Rogue strode forward and finally turned the corner toward the main entrance of Downtown Worthington clinic. Her chestnut brown orbs remained confident & steady in her decision as her medium length rich auburn hair haoled her face - a shock of plantinum white adding to the tone.
Only Logan had witnessed her leaving - not Bobby.
She wanted him to feel this - fear & loss - at the thought of never 'having' each other & seeing him suddenly quite taken with Xavier Academy's newest arrival, Kitty Pryde, was the final nail on the coffin.
"I know why you'd take their poision." the familiar stoic voice of Taryn 'Justice' Fitzpatrick ripped her from her immersive reverie and back to the external world of anarchic world of protestors.
"Oh my God...Taryn." Rogue breathed in disbelief on the naturally neon-blue wavy haired mutant with striking features, her dark piercing orbs that held a haunting but formidable quality.
Taryn had never variated in her taste for remaking over bought clothes into punk ensembles.
In the 2 years since Alkaline lake, Taryn had grown even more striking.
"Just to reach out - have his touch on you. Not to have to worry about pulling back at the right moment. You'd have to kill the very essence of your evolution just to feel alive and wanted in those few moments of ecstasy & peace (studied Rogue, her dark orbs actually flashed with shards of empathy). In your case, it almost seems worth it."
Rogue sighed, "Taryn, I never wanted to be like this. I'm still a human being."
Taryn narrowed her gaze knowingly upon Rogue. "Being a mutant is not a disease Rogue. What makes it sick is that those who are in power, deem it to be a deviance. Make us feel like we're the ones who are wrong. Who are the 'other'."
The line inches forward & Taryn walks beside her.
Ok, so the girl had a point - a major one.
Rogue pursed her lips. "The kind of power I have makes me sick. I can suck the very essence of life from someone if I hold on long enough."
Taryn "Mutants evolve Rogue. You could have other abilities you just haven't become aware of yet. You could use this power to suck the real deviation out of predators & murderers."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "You mean like you Taryn?"
Low blow - she was still feeling sore over Kitty. It was no excuse though.
Taryn's dark orbs suddenly blackened - a quick warning to the onset of splitting into two superpower mutants. Rogue's cheeks flushed - she was instantly apologetic for stating what she let slip.
Rogue nervously stumbled over her words. "I'm...I'm sorry. I know you didn't kill your mom, Taryn. I don't know what (freaking Kitty Pryde) made me say that."
Although Taryn's blackened orbs transmuted back to their normal dark piercing quality, Rogue could tell she had hit a sore nerve for the implication.
Taryn (containing a mutanteous rage), "You think that just because I dropped out of Xavier Academy that I don't know what a Freudian slip is? You said exactly what you meant to. (an epiphanous look of daunting comprehension surfaced on her exquisite features) This is about John & I joining Magneto."
Rogue, "John & you joined the very thing that was willing to sacrifice me in order to eliminate human beings at Liberty Island. And you know what's really compelling Taryn? How you & John always go at it but would rather die than let someone else have a crack at the other first. You two are so afraid you might feel something other than rage at the human world than to...
Very suddenly a purple shield electrified Justice's right arm & she easily lifted Rogue 4ft by her throat, her feet dangling off the ground.
Taryn's dark orbs narrowed heatedly upon Rogue, shaking with anger - recalling vividly the last time this conversation was broached.
"You don't know Allerdyce & I the way you think you do."
A police officer sensing danger, immediately approached Taryn from behind. Although he spoke clearly, a touch of fear encompassed his voice. "Miss will you please put the other mutant down. Or I will have no choice but to use unnecessary force upon you."
The corners of Taryn's mouth cracked with bittersweet amusement and dropped Rogue to the ground.
Turning to the police officer, Taryn wore a dangerous expression on her striking face.
"What kind of force isn't necessary. (a flash of a dark memory imprisoned now liberated at this - she was only 11 at the time) Oh yeah, I remember..."
ACROSS THE STREET...
"Admit it John. Taryn & you are infamous for being unable to vocalize or act upon the reality of your true relationship to each other."
Bobby 'Iceman' Drake pressed on & despite Pyro's glowering expression of pure loathing, his almond orbs stormed over with unresolved conflict & confusion.
Ah, success.
The fire manipulator's maturing fireball hovered steadily in John's right palm but the provocating tone of his voice reamnded to a pained but still biting tone & his response was laced with an ingrained effort to play it off.
John Allerdyce's almond orbs shifted briefly to the ground, "So we have a history."
Bobby smirked. "A history? That's an interesting choice of words seeing as she's the only one you'd let get remotely close to you."
A terrifying gasp of surprise & the distinct sound of a gag reflex caught their attention.
John & Bobby turned to observe Rogue being hoisted 4 feet above the ground, feet dangling. Taryn's vadar grip secured around her neck, her dark orbs glowing violet & menancing.
Bobby (panicked), "ROGUE!"
John, "Ah...I knew she wasn't far."
Soon a soldier approached Justice from behind, gun drawn. Bobby broke into a sprint, his mind reeling at the scene unfolding in front of him.
Pyro's almond orbs widened nervously as Bobby refrosted both his palms and held them up intent on blasting Taryn from behind.
Cranking his arm up, Pyro vaulted an inferno of blazing fire decimating the first floor of the Downtown Clinic. Living up to his word to unleash Magento's threat and chaotic confusion in the process.
The perfect distraction.
Glass shattered & a funnel of fire startled Bobby, Rogue and the troupe of soldiers.
Taryn glanced up & overheard Rogue whimper out. "You two are never far from each other. Are you?"
A troupe of SWAT surrrounded Pyro & forced him to kneel and immediately cuffed the decadent young fire manipulator. A SWAT member leaned forward & kicked him thrice violtely in the ribs.
John yelled briefly, cursing the stinging pain.
Taryn sprinted over as one SWAT member placed the barrel of a government rifle at the base of John's skull.
A waive of fear overwhelmed her and she suddenly felt as though all the air in her lungs evaporated.
SWAT commander, "Under legal sanction XII, any mutant who tries to terrorize the community, endanger other mutants from obtaining a normal choice & almost annihiliating an entire city block can be sentenced to immediate decimation. Any last words?"
Without warning, Taryn split into 2 super power entities and subdued each tactical member into a coma.
Before John even knew it, Taryn ripped off his cuffs with a simple gesture and they fleed.
Once they were a good distance, John ushered them inside a vacant warehouse.
John glanced outside & both ducked as a stream of police cars sped by.
John (turned to Taryn, his almond orbs glazed with concern), "Are you okay?"
Taryn's (dark orbs penetrated his), the inflection in her voice rising with adrenaline & nerves), "I was going to ask you the same thing Allerdyce."
John's (almond orbs clouded over & a pained expression captured his tone), "How come you never call me John?"
Well, almost never.
Taryn's dark orbs glistened wet & fearful - practically unheard of for her-back up at him, surprising John completely. "John, they just had the barrel of a rifle at the back of your head! That's NOT an image that's going to go away that easily."
Instinctively, John felt the need, it burned so deep it was an ache, to reach out & hold her. He instantly tensed up & trembled with conflict.
This shouldn't be hard.
But it was.
Because it was Taryn.
Instead, John opted for tracing the contours of her striking cheekbones. John (his tone clear, but shaking with a rage to hide his fear), "Did he hurt you?"
Taryn's dark orbs glistened hauntingly up at his attentive gaze - burning with tears that refused to fall. "That's not what hurts, John. I was forced to bury my mom (her normally steady voice choked out) but I cannot lose you. (her tone turned sad) I'm sorry I forgot how you detest unnecessary emotion."
Unable to stop himself nor wanting to, John gripped her left arm and pulled Taryn to him, his almond orbs glistening with renewed conflict. "Its never come easy to me - trusting people, becoming close. To care. But its different (lowered his normally angry gaze to lock with hers) when it comes to you."
A sweet smile lit up her striking features, that resonating haunted quality that always burned that penetrating dark gaze of hers lightened at this.
Taryn extended her right palm, cradling the right side of his fine olive features and John distinctly felt his pulse quicken. Gently carresing his cheeks & playing with the spiky strands of his ligthened hair. His almond orbs quite attentive, always knowing how beautiful she is.
Taryn (her steady voice was soft & genuine), "I get you John. I do. All this anger we have. I don't think it will ever go away."
John's heart was now pounding in his ear. This wasn't the first time this had almost happened between them. Last time, he had used every ounce of restraint from not hungrily kissing her.
His breathing became ragged. "You & I-our kind-need anger to survive. Rage is a great motivator."
John noticed her breathing go shallow as his body leaned into hers. Their faces were almost touching.
Taryn, "There are other motivators besides anger John."
John traced the bottom of her full lips all heated & yearning, with the tip of his left thumb. They were enticingly addictive - the way they secretly tormented him.
Taryn's left hand palms down pressed against his chest, she moved it gently until the soreness of the inflammation on his chest flared up.
John yelped out, wincing in pain and grabbed his sides breaking the strong sensual spell that had nearly enflamed them both.
Taryn forced him into a sitting position & convinced him to allow her to examine the wound.
Lifting up the rim of his shirt to reveal a smooth olive lanky but toned frame. A baseball size purple wound had manifested on his rib cage.
Taryn's dark orbs & gentle touch examined the wound upon his naked flesh.
She had never touch him this intimately before & his penetrating almond orbs took on a hazy intense quality.
Taryn glanced up & raised a eyebrow, replying in a sassy tone. "Don't think for one second that vadar grip on Rogue was a play for you to get hurt just so I can finesse you into seeing you with your shirt off."
John broke into a become alluring grin studying her serious but sassy front until she winked playfully at him, grinning impishly.
Without warning, Taryn gripped both his shoulders & pulled him in until their faces were 1/2 an inch apart.
Her dark orbs burned with a feverish yet fearful tone. "You better not even think about dying on me." Taryn warned & pressed her full heated lips sweetly but briefly to his mouth and leaned back as though waiting for confirmation. "You understand?"
John's smile deepened at the mere thought of Taryn's lips making brief contact with his kept him going for the war that would commence in 2 days time.
But it would never prepare him for what lie ahead.
Because God help him- he never wanted anyone so bad..
**Thanks for reading - hope you enjoyed it. Now as I mentioned before, I apologize if I'm not familiar with the X-Men universe (what I know I remember from the tv series and the X films). I created Taryn for this world and for Pyro. The next installment will be coming shortly...(**Please note the only reason these prequels are being published faster is because I wrote them ages ago.)