Riley sat across from the table. She couldn't believe that Logan had let her come along. Granted Remy was out of town but still this was like uncharted territory for anyone least of all a student. As the ball game went to a commercial, Logan stood up.
"I'll be right back Sparky." Logan said gruffly as he left without an explanation.
Riley took a sip of her drink. She knew Scott would blow a casket if he knew she was drinking but he just didn't understand that in her family one started drinking around the age of twelve. It was a rite of passage or something.
Riley thought it was cool that Logan actually understood that. But what she didn't understand was what she was doing here. Though, at the moment she didn't care. Riley had been having a horrible day until Logan practically pounded her door down with; "Grab your coat." as his only explanation.
So now here she sat in this dingy bar watching the ball game with Logan, a glass of Whiskey set in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye Riley saw a man watching her.
He had to be at least 6 feet tall and well over 200 pounds. And he was giving her the evil eye. Riley had no clue what the guys problem was but as he stood up and came over, Riley figured she was about to find out.
Setting her glass back down on the table she stood up as well and waited to see where this was going to go.
You been jawin' at me from across the bar,
Like I messed with your woman or Istoled your car.
What's your problem? I don't even know your name.
You got a chip on your shoulder 'bout two-foot wide,
If you're lookin' for trouble, son, step it outside.
An' if you want me to play, I'll get in the game.
"Well?" Riley asked, with an eyebrow raised as she waited for the guy to speak.
"You a Cubs fan?" He grumbled.
"Ah guess." Riley replied. "Though Ah like the Rangers better."
Obviously she'd said the wrong thing as the vein in the man's forehead started to pulse. But it wasn't her fault Kitty was totally trying to convert her into a diehard Cubs fan.
"I think it's time for you to leave Girly."
Riley who'd been in an ok mood up to this point glared at him. Had he just called her Girly? Oh it was on.
"Game's not over, and last Ah checked this was a free country. So buh bye." Riley told him as she went to go sit back down.
As Riley was walking away the man grabbed her arm and she was yanked backwards.
"We're not done here Girly." He said angrily.
Riley let out a sigh as she rolled her eyes. The man was totally drunk and looking for a fight she guessed. Unfortunately he wanted to fight her. Having had a bad enough day as it was Riley tried to yank her arm away.
"Let Go!" She ordered as the grip tightened like a vise.
An' I'll be singin
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Step up to the plate, Hoss: do your thing."
My whole day's been goin' south.
When Riley discovered there was no way she was going to be able to break free she became angry. She'd broken up with Sam after he accused her of messing around with Bobby, She'd been late to school because someone had borrowed her car and then forgotten to fill it up so she had gotten detention, the brotherhood had picked on her more than usual, and to top it all off she was wearing her fat jeans!
Sure she'd only gained a couple of pounds and it wasn't noticeable but this morning when she hadn't been able to button her regular jeans had just been horrible. Riley had felt rather blessed that no one had barged into her room at that moment. She would have been so embarrassed.
Last thing I need is you runnin' your mouth.
One more strike an', buddy, you struck out.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing."
"I guess I'm gonna have to teach ya a lesson Little Girl." He slurred, causing Riley to groan.
"Anger Management…Anger Management. Gotta Stay Calm…Gotta Stay Calm." Riley repeated softly but quickly. The young southerner was sick of getting talks from the staff about her fighting. She really didn't want another counseling session with Psyche-Out.
Least Remy and Logan went easy on her and understood the frustration she had penned up inside. It wasn't like she was a bully or anything. Riley just wasn't about to let people mess with her, or her friends.
Well, I didn't come here in the best of moods,
An' you ain'thelpin' matters with your attitude.
Get yourself a whiskey, an' put it on my check.
Riley looked at the guy.
"Look Buddy, Why don't ya back off and watch the Damn game. Ah didn't come here for a fight." She warned.
The man just laughed and pushed her up against the wall. He got real close, which made her uncomfortable but she wasn't about to show it.
With his free hand the man caressed her face. Having had enough and now with her temper being lit Riley let out a small feral sounding growl that would have made Logan proud, Riley then swiftly kneed the man in the groin.
"Ah told ya to let go!" Riley told him with a glare. She watched as the man cursed up a storm as he stayed doubled over. Regaining some of his composure he straightened up and looked at her, giving her a look that most likely would have scared Magneto.
"You..." He yelled angrily, his hands balled up into fists.
"Language!" Riley snapped, giving him the response she received a lot from Logan and Remy.
Well after that, if you still wanna go,
We can stand face to face an' toe to toe,
An' if your buddy wants a piece of me too, tell him he's on deck.
Riley could see another man coming over and figured it was his friend.
"Wait your turn!" Riley told him angrily as the man she'd been dealing with finally took a swing at her.
Riley swiftly dodged it and returned it with her own, which landed squarely on his jaw.
"Get her Jim. Don't let her beat ya!" The man's friend yelled, his other friends sending out encouragement.
"Shut up Dave!" Jim yelled angrily as he charged Riley.
Riley just simply stepped out of the way, and watched as Jim Ran into the wall. The drunk turned and staggered as he tried to gain his balance.
"Riley… Two, Drunken idiot…Zip." She said with a roll of her eyes. Being next to her table again she grabbed her whiskey and took a drink.
"Ya done yet? Cause Ah'm like totally kickin' your Ass." she asked with a bored tone.
"Ah almost feel embarrassed for ya." Riley added. "Almost."
An' I'll be singin'
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Step up to the plate, Hoss: do your thing."
My whole day's been goin' south.
Jim charged at her again and this time Riley wasn't able to step away. Jim tackled Riley, taking her to the dirty bar floor. This time throwing a punch that connected with her temple. Riley lay there stunned for a second before she executed a maneuver Logan had showed her once. Riley shifted her weight, throwing her leg out towards Jims. She then grabbed towards his elbow and pulled, rolling with him. Finally free, Riley hopped up, only to be grabbed by Dave.
"Merde!" Riley cursed as she turned towards the new threat.
Last thing I need is you runnin' your mouth.
One more strike an', buddy, you struck out.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing."
Riley held her own for a while as chaos blasted through the bar. Everyone had joined into the fight, throwing punches at whoever was near. Riley had leapt up onto the pool table and was canvassing the closest path to the front door.
"Ah've so been watchin'to many stupid movies with Bobby and the guys." Riley muttered as an idea came to her. Who would have thought that having watched the Dukes of Hazard Movie just might actually come in handy?
Not seeing a path but seeing Dave and Jim come at her Riley leapt off of the table, flying through the air till her body connected with theirs. Sending both men, herself, and a few others to the ground.
I don't need this confrontation.
Better rethink your situation.
Ain'tno minor thing to me:
Welcome to the major league.
Riley went to get back up but she was yanked back down as the fight continued on the dirty bar floor which was now sticky with beer and other things which now littered the ground. Riley was fighting back with all her might, but knew that the two men over powered her.
"Crap!" Riley cursed as Dave sat on her, holding her squirming body down.
"Get off me ya perverti malade!"(1) Riley screamed with anger, his weight across her chest hurt and because of it Riley was having trouble breathing. The way Dave was on her gave her no room to try and get him off of her. Though she had to admit least she'd knocked Jim out. That gave her a bit of satisfaction as she lay in this predicament. But that was all since Right now she was mentally cursing the stupid movie!
Singin'
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Step up to the plate, Hoss: do your thing."
My whole day's been goin' south.
Logan had finished his call and was just walking back towards the bar when his hearing picked up yelling, shattering glass and a lot more.
"Crap!" He cursed, Then letting loose with a string of colorful obscenities as he hurried back into the bar. He'd left the kid in there. He was going to be getting an earful when he got back. Logan could just feel it.
Once inside he heard an angry scream, that rose above the rest. It wasn't Riley's but after pushing and knocking his way through the mob, Logan finally found his charge. Riley was sitting on the floor, a triumphant look on her face as she straddled a man on the ground. A fork was sticking out of the man's thigh.
The young southerner was giving it to him good. Logan had never been prouder. While beating the living day lights out of the man, she was screaming at him in French while switching back over to English every once in a while. While Logan didn't speak the language fluently he knew enough that she was throwing words in there that only he would use. Logan made a note to talk to her about that.
Last thing I need is you runnin' your mouth.
One more strike an', buddy, you struck out.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
"Hey, batter batter, hey, batter, batter: swing.
Logan gave a sigh as he bent over to pick the young girl up, grabbing her by the waist and then slinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's hold. Logan heard her yell something about fat jeans but ignored it, deciding he didn't want to go into that territory. Plus the girl was kicking so hard to free herself; he doubted she knew it was him at the moment.
"Calm down Sparky!" Logan growled as he pushed his way back to the door.
Once outside and once Riley had finally stopped struggling he set her on the ground. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of her. Riley had a nasty cut on her left temple, multiple bruises starting to form on her arms along with multiple scrapes, a ripped t-shirt, and to top it off holes in the knees of her spotted blood soaked jeans.
"wanna explain?" Logan asked.
Riley gave a sigh, as she was now calming down and could actually think straight.
"This drunk started it. He wouldn't leave me alone, and then his idiot friends started cheering him on so he went to hit me." Riley looked at Logan.
"And… it all kinda snowballed from there." Riley told him, watching the man with caution. She knew what was coming and hated it. It was always the same thing only it was sometimes told slightly different depending on who was telling it.
Logan just listened before giving her a nod and then going back into the bar, leaving a confused Riley in the parking lot.
"Step up to the plate, Hoss: do your thing."
Won'tchado your thing?
What's he say.
Once inside Logan saw that the fight had begun to end so he grabbed the nearest body and threw it up against the wall.
"Where are the Jack ass's who were pickin' on the girl?" He growled as he tightened his hold around the man's throat.
The man pointed to two men across the room who were sitting at a table. Logan smirked when he saw the man with the fork in his thigh. The idiot had left it in, which was sensible but not when there was a pissed off Wolverine around.
Logan stalked over there and came to a stop, towering over the two men. He grabbed them both and pulled them to their feet.
"Didn't your mama's ever teach ya not to pick on girls?" He growled.
One of them nodded profusely, not wanting to be hurt. Everyone knew of and Had "The Fear of Logan."
The man with the fork in his leg though didn't seem to agree so Logan dropped the other man and with his free hand reached down and gave the fork a twist. The man howled so loudly that Logan almost felt bad….Almost.
"Ya ever gonna mess her again? Let alone any girl?" He growled into Dave's ear.
"No!! No!!" Dave howled.
"Good!" Logan growled as he dropped the drunk.
He gave both men a scathing glare before he turned to leave the bar. On his way out her looked up at the T.V. and caught the score of the Ball Game and then slammed the door shut as he returned to Riley.
"Let's go!" He said getting into the truck.
Riley got in as well but still looked at Logan.
"Thanks Logan." Riley told the older man.
"For what?" He asked.
"For puttin' the fear of Logan in them." Riley replied.
Logan just grinned.
"Thank me after we survive the lectures we're gonna be gettin'." He said with a smirk.
"Bring It on." Riley told him confidently.
Logan nodded. "I like your spirit kid."
Riley leaned back against the seat. "So there's a game on tomorrow night, wanna watch it with me?" she asked innocently.
Logan laughed. "Riles, If I ever had a daughter, I imagine she might have been something like you... which is perhaps why I've never reproduced." Logan said as he drove.
Riley looked over to Logan and gave him a smile.
"Well, Ah think ya'd be a good dad." She told him, meaning it with every fiber of her being. Riley loved Logan with all her heart, he was the closest thing she'd ever really had to a dad and never wanted to lose that.
"What do ya say that Scott passes out when he sees the blood?" Riley asked changing the subject as she put on a devious smile.
Logan looked at Riley and smiled back.
"Yep, there's no way the world needs two of you running around." He thought as he continued to drive them home, turning up onto the road which led to the mansion.
"You're on." Logan told her, knowing they still had one more fight to fight. But Logan also knew they'd be ok. Especially since Remy wasn't home yet.
As the truck came to a stop the two got out and headed inside.
"Oh, Scott." Riley called out.
Bring it on, Hoss
Translations & other acknowledgements:
(1) sick pervert
Also I own nothing!!! I give credit to X-Men Evolution, Dukes of Hazard, Miss Congeniality and whatever else that might be linked to something. I'd Also like to Thank Red Witch because I borrowed Psych-Out from her. So please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student who has no money.
