This is the other new fic. This one is fun for me, because I worked with writing from two characters' perspectives instead of just one. I have to make up two entirely different personalities, and I just hope this isn't shit. Please let me know guys. PLEASE.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything Fox or Marvel related. I promise.
I went to the girl, while Storm and Scott handled Magneto's goons. I managed to cut the seatbelt, and got her out of the truck, getting her as far away from it as possible. I was calm, I was cool...that is, until I saw what the man's mutation was.
He had claws. His were metal, but he had claws, and he could heal himself. He had to have been able to do that, the guy was just in a car crash, and he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. He couldn't just walk away without a scratch. He had to have healed himself.
I had those same exact abilities. Except, my claws weren't metal, they were bone, which is how I earned my nickname.
/|\
"Bones." I stopped in the hallway, when Storm called to me. I knew she was going to do that. "I'll meet you down in the garage."
"Yeah." The girl had already been handed off. I gave her to my little brother, Cory, who still didn't know about the guy. The guy was with Jean, in the labs. I had to get down to the garage, make sure none of the kids were messing with anything they weren't supposed to. If they did, well...they knew what they were getting into.
None of the kids were down there. They had other classes to get to, and besides, it was nice outside. They were probably hosting a basketball game. Maybe I'd join them. But then I remembered what I saw, and I knew I had to talk to Storm, because I remembered what happened when Professor X found me and Cory. I remember our mom, and our dad. I knew no one could find him, I knew what our mom's sister had told Professor X. She'd told him that he'd tried to keep us safe, after Mom died. I remember our dad had told me to go, and protect my little brother. I just forgot what he looked like. I remember what his voice sounded like, and maybe if I heard that guy talk, I'd recognize him. But it was a long shot.
"Zack." I didn't realize I'd zoned out. I looked up, and met Storm's concerned look. "You have to tell me what you remember." I sighed, and rubbed the heel of my palms in my eyes, trying to erase the image of my mom from my mind. I didn't want to think about her right now.
"Storm, I've told you and the rest of the X-Men everything I know-"
"You could remember more now. You were only six when it happened, and Cory was three. Something about that guy could've jogged your memory." I hesitated, as I thought about it. I removed my hands from my eyes, and looked at Storm, who looked just as worried as my mom would have. I looked away, and nodded slowly.
"All right." I paused, spotting my bike out of the corner of my eye, and went to sit on it. "Uh...I remember my mom. I remember watching her talk to my dad, and that Dad was mad at her for some reason." It was blurry, but I could picture it. Dad had had claws like mine, they were bone. He'd showed them to me, and when I got excited, he'd said I could have them one day, too. "She...there-there was blood." I closed my eyes, trying to recall, but what I recalled wasn't something I wanted to tell Storm.
I was normal then. I hadn't hit puberty. But when Dad let out his claws that last time...they were metal. "Dad's claws, they became metal. I was scared. I screamed, and Dad spotted me. He came over, let me and Cory touch them. He said...he told us not to be scared." I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. "I grabbed Cory's hand, and we backed up, because Dad was attacking someone. He was...he, he was trying to kill the man, with the coat."
"What man, Zack?" I could picture him, he had been normal. He wasn't a mutant, as far as I could tell.
"The man who took me. He took me away from the truck, when he took Cory and I away from Dad. He took us to a plane, had us brought somewhere. I can't remember where."
"Is that why your dad was trying to kill him?" I nodded.
"The man with the coat, he'd killed other people. People important to Dad. But he was important to Dad, too." I paused, trying to get my thoughts together. "Dad stopped when I got Cory down the stairs, and he worked to let the other people, the ones like him, free. We were all about to escape, but...the man, he was standing there again. The one with the coat. Dad told me he'd see me soon, and that I had to go with my brother. The other mutants helped us find our aunt after we escaped, and she brought us to Professor X." I opened my eyes up again, looking up at Storm. "That's all I remember."
I turned with the rest of the class, as some guy barged into Professor Xavier's classroom. He was confused, and the Professor greeted him kindly. "Good morning, Logan." He turned back to us. "So, I'd like your definitions of weak and strong anthropic principles on my desk on Wednesday, all right? That'll be all. Except for you, Cory." I packed up my backpack, and waited a second, as everyone else filed out. Kitty forgot her bag, though, and had to go back to get it.
"Bye, Professor."
"Goodbye, Kitty." She raced through the closed door, and Logan turned to the Professor, wide-eyed. The Professor held up our textbook. "Physics." He set it back down, and rolled away from his desk. "I'm Charles Xavier. Would you like some breakfast?"
"Where am I?" Logan asked, and the Professor answered.
"Westchester, New York. You were attacked. My people brought you here for medical attention. One of them was Cory's brother, Zachary." Professor Xavier gestured to me, but Logan looked confused.
"I don't need medical attention." I frowned. Zack could heal himself, too. Jean called it a regenerative healing ability. Zack had told me once that our dad had the same abilities, but he'd disappeared when I was three. That was when our aunt sent us to the Professor.
"Yes, of course." I stared at the Professor, still completely lost as to why I was held back. I could see how the Professor might suspect what I do: Logan had the same eyes as me. Zack had Mom's eyes, but we both had dark hair, the same shade as our dad's. Zack had claws like our dad's, too. I had...other powers. Well, Zack had other powers, too. But it was due to girls getting wet at the thought of him.
"Where's the girl?" Logan asked, and I replied now.
"Rogue? She's here, she's fine. She's in a class, like any other kid here." Logan frowned.
"Really." I nodded, and then Storm walked in.
"Ah, Logan, I'd like you to meet Ororo Munroe, also called Storm." Storm said hello, and then Scott walked in behind her. "This is Scott Summers, also called Cyclops." Scott held out a hand for Logan to shake, but he didn't react. I smirked. "They saved your life." Jean followed them in after. Zack must've been zonked. "I believe you've already met Doctor Jean Grey." She walked past Logan, and me, grabbing the handles to the Professor's chair. "You're in my school for the gifted. For mutants. You'll be safe here from Magneto." The Professor reassured Logan, but he didn't seem to know who Magneto was. I wish I didn't know who Magneto was, but unfortunately, I did.
"What's a Magneto?"
"Only the baddest mutant out there." The Professor shot me a look. I shrugged. "What? You can't deny it, Professor." The Professor ignored me, and went on explaining to Logan.
"He's a very powerful mutant, who believes that a war is brewing between mutants and the rest of humanity. I've been following his activities for some time. The man who attacked you is an associate of his called Sabretooth." Logan smirked, looking like he was trying not to laugh.
"Sabretooth?" The Professor nodded. Logan looked at Storm, and pointed at her. He was going to do a sound off. "Storm." He clicked his tongue, and looked at the Professor. "What do they call you? Wheels?" Logan chuckled. I kinda wanted to punch him. "This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He turned to walk out of the Professor's office, but Scott was standing in the way. "Cyclops, right?" Logan grabbed him by the collar, throwing him back, and then pulling him forward in a death grip. "You wanna get out of my way?"
"How about you put him down instead, huh, buddy?" Great. Zack's up. Logan slowly set Scott down, and Zack smirked as Logan glared at him. Scott patted his shoulder appreciatively. "Cory." That's my cue.
Listen to what the Professor has to say, Logan. Please. Logan looked a little wide-eyed, turning around to face me. I nodded to the Professor, and he blinked, but he listened.
"It's been almost fifteen years, hasn't it, Logan? Living from day to day, moving from place to place, with no memory of who or what you are." I frowned. He kind of reminded me of Zack and I...and it's been fifteen years since we've seen our dad.
Logan looked about ready to punch the Professor, but he didn't say anything.
"Give me a chance. I may be able to help you find some answers." Logan looked around, as if hearing voices, but then he looked at the Professor in realization.
Cory, give us adults a moment. Go and have a chat with your brother.
Uh-oh. I didn't like the sound of that.
/|\
Zack took me down to the garage, and put up the sign that banned everyone from it. He only ever put it up if he brought a girl home, if he was training, or if he was fixing up something and needed some space. This was some serious shit, if he was putting up that sign. I didn't know if I wanted to hear it.
Zack grabbed a chair, and flipped it around, sitting on it backwards. I hopped up onto the counter, and Zack hesitated before he spoke.
"This guy...he didn't buckle up, before him and that girl were attacked." I frowned. "He was thrown right out of the car, but...he healed perfectly." My eyes went wide.
"Like you." Zack nodded. "Wait, does he-"
"He has three claws in each hand, but his are metal." I was coming to realize what he was saying to me.
"Like Dad's were, right before they found us." Zack nodded again. My eyes went even wider. "You don't think he's-"
"The X-Men and I do. The Professor, too." I paused, and my grip on the counter tightened. I felt like my head was going to explode. I felt like the memories of our parents came back to me, when he said that. Like a fog was lifted.
"I think I agree with you." I got up, heading towards the door. Zack stood up, calling to me. I stopped, and turned to look at him.
"Are you gonna be alright, man?" I nodded, smiling like everything was fine. Zack always fell for it. "Okay. Get to class." I rolled my eyes.
Typical Zack: pull me aside, then yells at me for being late to class. He was always late when he was still being taught, though. That asshole.
"The metal is an alloy called adamantium, supposedly indestructible. It's been surgically grafted to his entire skeleton." Jean explained, showing us his X-ray. Storm and Scott were confused, but this was all the confirmation I needed.
"How could he have survived a procedure like that?" Storm asked, completely amazed.
"His mutation. He can regenerate his entire body, even if he was blown to bits and pieces. Right?" Jean nodded in response.
"Yes, Bones. You're right. He has uncharted regenerative capability, much like yours. It enables him to heal rapidly. This also makes his age impossible to determine. He could very well be older than you, Professor." I nodded, and got up, walking out of the room.
Zack. I knew that was going to happen. Meet me in my office. Like I was his student, all over again. I was never going to stop being the Professor's student, I knew that, but I needed to get out of there. He doesn't remember anything. He only remembers what happened to him in the past fifteen years. Let me help him. I froze. He didn't remember. He didn't remember me, or Cory, or Mom, or anything. She was dead, I knew that, I'd accepted that. I'd accepted the fact that my dad was probably dead with her. But finding out he's alive? I needed a second. Zachary, please. Goddammit.
I went up the elevator, straight to his office. I sat down in a chair across from his desk, waiting for him to show up. He could see the little pond from his office. I watched the kids run around. One of them ran across the water, like he was Jesus or something.
They all came here because they had no where else to go, because they'd been outcast. I came here when I was six, because my aunt had known all along. I felt like an outsider, in this group of outsiders, and even worse, my dad was a mutant. Most of these kids came from normal homes, normal families. I haven't been normal for one second of my life.
"Hey." I looked up, my eyes widening a bit. I recognized that voice.
That man was my dad. And he was standing right next to me, looking concerned...but he didn't know who I was. I didn't think it would affect me, but it hurt. I kinda wanted to punch him, but I knew it wasn't his fault. I had no right to be angry with him.
"You okay, kid?" I nodded. "Where's-"
"Professor Xavier will be here in a second." I got up, gesturing to the seat. "Have a seat. I'll go see what's-"
"No need for that, Zachary. Have a seat, the both of you." I shot the Professor a raised eyebrow, but he wheeled around behind his desk. I took a seat begrudgingly, watching the Professor. "Zachary was there when Storm and Cyclops found you and Rogue, Logan. He saved Rogue from your vehicle." Logan frowned, and I could feel his eyes on me. I turned, and smiled a fake smile.
"You saved Rogue?" I nodded. "Thanks."
"No problem." I shook his outstretched hand, turning back to the Professor. "What's going on, Professor?"
"Well, I thought Logan might be able to help you with your gifts. I thought you might want to learn from him." I was going to kill him. No way was Scott going to stop me, or even Storm.
"What's your mutation?" I held up my fist, and let my claws out. I had four on each hand, while he only had three. Logan frowned further. "Can you heal?"
"Not as fat as you. Bullet wounds are harder, but yeah. I can heal." He nodded.
"No, it's hard for me, too. Takes longer." The Professor cut in.
"What Zachary isn't telling you is that he also has the power of persuasion. He could make you do anything he wanted." I didn't like to use that gift. I hated using it, especially on people I cared about. Logan raised an eyebrow.
"Two mutations? Isn't that rare?"
"My dad was a mutant with extraordinary gifts. It doesn't really strike me as odd." Logan nodded. We sat in silence for a second, before a question came to mind. "Does it, uh...does it hurt for you, too?" I asked hesitantly, pulling back my claws to emphasize. He smiled sadly, meeting my eyes, making my own eyes grow wide when I saw that look on his face. That look was still haunting my dreams.
"Every time."
"Cory." I winced, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, as Bobby opened up the door. He frowned down at me, and I looked up, meeting his eyes with my own red-rimmed ones. His ice blue eyes grew concerned, and I wanted nothing more than to get frozen in that ice. "What's going on."
"It's nothing, Frostbite-" He shut the door behind him, and knelt down in front of me, cradling my face.
"Don't lie to me. You know I can tell when you're lying, I'm not as stupid as your brother." I hesitated, but unclenched my fist, showing him the dog tags. Dad had given them to me, and told me to hold on to them, because they'd keep me strong. Bobby frowned further, and met my eyes. "This has something to do with your dad?" I nodded numbly, and scooched over, so Bobby could sit down next to me. He wrapped an arm around me, and I pulled my knees back up.
"That guy the X-Men brought in last night, with the girl?" I turned to look at im, and he nodded. "His mutation is regenerative healing. And, uh...he has claws. Three of them, metal, in each hand." His eyes went slightly wide, before returning to normal. I looked away, and back at the dog tags, running them through my fingers. "Zack thinks it's him, but I don't know, because I don't remember anything." He held me tighter.
"You were only three. No one is expecting you to remember anything-"
"But I want to, Bobby! I want to know if Zack's right!" Bobby shushed me, and grabbed my face, making me look at him.
"I know you do, but you'll know. Give it a second." I didn't want to give it a second. I wanted to know, but the memories were fuzzy, and I could barely even remember what I had for breakfast this morning, let alone what happened fifteen years ago.
I wanted to remember what my mom sounded like. I wanted to remember what my dad's hugs felt like, I wanted to remember him throwing me up in the air to make me laugh. I wanted to remember sitting on the floor and watching movies with my family, with my parents on the couch, and Zack hogging the popcorn. I wanted to remember what it was like to be a family, but all I could remember was Zack waking up from nightmares, screaming for our mom and dad when Jean tried to calm him down.
"Hey." I blinked, and met Bobby's eyes again. My eyes shut instinctively as he put his lips on mine, making goosebumps rise all over my skin. I leaned into his touch, and my hands found their way around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. I pulled away when he became too cold for me to deal with, and grabbed his shirt collar, meeting his eyes again as we rested our heads on each other's. He stroked my cheek with his thumb, and pecked my lips again. I held on tighter. "You and Zack, you'll figure this out. And if that guy is who you think he is, then he'll be there, too." I nodded numbly, and swallowed back the lump forming in my throat.
I loved this about Bobby. He could make me forget about all my troubles, and make me press pause, when all I was going to do was go until I dropped. The only downside was that now I was getting turned on, because I could feel his chest through his shirt, and the way he was stroking my face was making me shudder. His mouth wasn't making the situation any better, either.
"I love you." Bobby paused, but smiled bigger, and kissed me again.
"I love you too, wonder boy."
I stirred, groaning, when I realized that I probably wasn't going to get anymore sleep.
I heard someone. Someone was struggling in their sleep, having a nightmare. I was brought back to when I was a little kid, and my dad had one of his infamous nightmares. He almost hurt my mom on a regular basis with those nightmares. I would crawl into bed with them, and Dad wouldn't go back to sleep. I always said the same thing, every night:
"Mom and I will keep the bad dreams away, Dad."
I sat up, throwing my covers off. I was drenched in sweat, of course. I got up, though, hunting down the source. I found myself in front of a normally empty room. Logan was sleeping there, and Rogue had just walked in. I heard her whispering, trying to wake him up. But then he yelled, and I rushed in, only to find that he'd stabbed her with his claws. All I could see was my mom, being stabbed by my dad after one of his nightmares. And that was exactly how she'd died.
Logan started to panic, and I rushed in, grabbing her. And then I felt like I was having my soul sucked from my body. I tried to get air, and I couldn't let go. Rogue wouldn't let me. And when she did, I passed out.
/|\
I woke up a little while later, lying in Logan's bed. Doctor Xavier was in his chair, next to my head. Cory was standing at the end, pacing back and forth.
"Zachary?" Cory stopped, and turned when the Prof said that.
"Wha happened?" I swallowed, trying to get my head together. "Is Rogue okay?"
"She's fine. But don't touch my girl again, you got me?" I laughed at Cory's order, and grabbed my head, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion, and pain.
"What the hell did she do to me?"
"Language, Zack." I sighed, nodding. I knew the Prof was smiling. "Whenever Rogue touches someone, she takes their energy, their life force. In the case of mutants, she absorbs their gifts for a short while." Poor kid. She'd be stuck with both of my gifts. "I believe she only absorbed one of your gifts, which is why she's all right." I winced slightly, when I tried to sit up.
"I feel like she almost killed me." I groaned, managing to sit up.
"If she'd held out any longer, she could have." Cory said, and he didn't seem to be joking anymore. He was scared that I could've died. I smiled.
"But I didn't. We still have to jog our dad's memory, I can't die now." Cory smirked. "Speaking of, I better give him back his bed. I'll see you in the morning, Professor."
Goodnight, Zachary. The Professor rolled out. I turned to Cory.
"What's the plan, kid? I'm sure you've got one." Cory shook his head, and walked out the door, with me right behind him.
We can't just throw this at him, Zack, he'll flip. I nodded in understanding, and Cory sighed. We'll figure it out as we go along. Right now, we both need some sleep. 'Night man. I grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. He was freaking out just as bad as I was, but I had to make sure he was okay. He was still my little brother.
"Get some sleep, bro." He met my eyes, and I could tell he'd of broken down, if something had happened. I hugged him, and he hugged me just as tight. "Don't stay up late with your boy. Seriously, go to sleep." He nodded, and I backed off, giving his shoulders another squeeze.
"I love you, Zack." I smiled at him, and shoved him lightly into the door, going back down the hall.
"Fucking nerd." I muttered, and I heard him laugh a little, before he went into his room. I paused outside my door, and banged my head on it, cursing myself for saying that to him. I should've told him that I loved him back, but that was the problem. I was too much like our dad. And that's what scared the shit out of me.