Empathy is a Pain
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men and unless I become a Billionaire and buy them I sadly never will.
This is my first attempt at a fan fiction and I plan to blame any mistakes on my muse a goat named Houdini who lives at my boyfriends brothers house and who I am currently trying to convince my parents to let me take home. When I want to separate one section from the last section by a period of time I will write --GOAT--. Please review.
--GOAT--
It was almost lunchtime and Emp, or Em as she was also known, sat in an alley surrounded by stray dogs and cats. Each animal was holding a gift of some sort for Em to use. The cats brought money in the form of single bills, while the dogs brought wallets that contained money and identification. Em had been on her own ever since her parents had found out she was a mutant and kicked her out of their house almost a year ago. Em had had to leave behind all her friends, family and most important her pets when she ran away. Em had never gotten around with people very well so the loss of her friends hadn't mattered but the loss of her pets had hurt her greatly. People just lied and cheated and stabbed you in the back. She proffered animals, they never hurt you emotionally and when they hurt you physically they apologized to you sincerely not the fake apologies people gave you. Taking a few bills from each wallet she had the dogs return them to the people they had taken them from. Gathering all the money from the cats she tucked it into a hidden pocket in her knapsack and fell fast asleep knowing that the animals that lived in the alley were protecting her.
--GOAT--
Waking up at about 10:00pm Em stretched and saying goodbye to the animals in this alleyway made her way to the closest bar. The best way to get around was to use her powers on some drunk and have them drive her to the next town them knock them unconscious and run off into an alleyway to hide for a day or two until she was ready to move on again. Cleaning herself up Em walked into the bar looking like a model off of the cover of a fashion magazine. She sat down at the bar and sent out gentle feeling waves. There was a hot looking guy beside her but he didn't look like the drunken kind. He had black unruly hair and was smoking on a large cigar anytime anyone tried to talk to him the where met with a glare and growl. He obviously wanted to be left alone.
Wolverine was sitting at the bar drinking a beer and trying to get people to leave him alone without showing them his claws. He had come here to have a quiet drink but got there to find the place crowded with college students. When he asked the bartender what was up he had found out that it was the last night of exams for most of the students from the colleges in the surrounding area and it was a tradition for everyone to go to the bar to celebrate the end of the school year. Looking up he saw a beautiful brunette sit down beside him and order a shot of tequila. The brunette was tiny and didn't look nearly old enough to drink. "You ordering that for a friend or something? Cause a tiny thing like you couldn't possibly be old enough to drink that."
In response Em pulled out a couple of large bills and pushed them towards the bartender. "Give this guy a glass and leave the bottle." Not one to argue with money the bartender complied. Raising he glass to the handsome stranger Em swallowed her shot and putting down her glass poured herself another.
Wolverine shrugged and drinking his shot smiled as the girl refilled his glass and raising her own glass hit it against the edge of his and downed hers in one quick gulp. Wolverine followed suit and smiled as the girl refilled both cups again and after hitting glasses they both finished their shots in one swallow.
--GOAT--
Em woke the next morning to find herself on the back of a moving bike. Tensing she tried to open her eyes and look around but the pain in her head prevented her from doing much more then that. The last thing she remembered was stumbling out of the bar cursing the Jamaican Rum that she had finished the evening with. It had managed to penetrate the layer of codfish oil that had kept the rest of the alcohol she drank that night out of her system. Em had stopped drinking for a few hours and her system had cleared itself out. Forgetting this she had ordered a shot of Jamaican Rum and had promptly got extremely drunk. She was know on the back of a fast moving bicycle with the handsome stranger she had met last night and a splitting headache.
Wolverine felt the girl stiffen and sped up a bit. He had recognized her as a mutant and was hoping to convince her to stay at the institute. E had had his doubts at first but when they had went to get their coats and she had picked up a dirty bag filled with rags and a coat that didn't look any better he had realized she was a street urchin trying to get a date with someone who looked like they where somewhat well to do in the hopes that they would become a sugar daddy of sorts. The fact she had tried to work her act on him made him sick. The girl couldn't be older then 16 or 17 and he looked like he was in his early 40's. Shaking his head slightly Wolverine turned into the driveway of the Institute and pulling up to the door he climbed carefully off the bike. The girl slid off and landed on her butt on the driveway with an 'oomph'. Laughing he helped her to her feet and held her steady until her head stopped spinning.
"Thanks" Em muttered trying to stay still so that the ground would stop spinning.
"Where are we?" She asked confused.
Wolverine picked up both his and her bags and holding her under her elbow supported her slightly as he led her up the stairs and into the institute.
