Out of the Darkness

A/N Thanks to Lady Mage, I couldn't have done this one with out your input...SQUEAK

I don't own him, but I am beginning to join the can I chain him in my basement set….Marvel owns him, much to my regret at this point.

Where was Victor Creed from the end of X one to the end of X Three?

He pulled himself up out of the river. That had been a long assed swim. Waking up at the bottom of Long Island Sound hadn't been fun either. He shook himself off, taking off the furs and shaking them out. That was going to have to be replaced, shit. It had taken him months of hunting and tanning to get it just right, too. He threw the cape over his arm, the wet leather pants and shirt didn't look to bad, and he wanted to avoid attention. He shook out his wet hair, growling when it wanted to fall forward over his face. He pushed it back. He looked up and down the deserted wharf he had pulled himself up on. He didn't see any sign of Toad. Well that was a damned lightning bolt that hit him. If he survived he would show up, just like a bad penny.

Shaking his paws as he walked, trying to get all the damned water out, he shook his head trying to get the water out of his ears. He was walking hunched over, cold, wet and miserable when he heard them. Children tormenting something, he couldn't tell what, but they were having fun. He hoped to hell it wasn't a damned cat, at this point he would gut them all. He stood in the shadows of an alley, watching. It was a woman, not a child, not a young girl, but a full grown woman. They were jumping just out of her reach, and he couldn't understand why she didn't just grab them and smack some sense into them, and then he saw it, laying on the ground, where some child had thrown it, a white cane, the collapsible type, that the blind use.

He stepped out of the dark and into the halo of a streetlight. The kids jumped when they saw him, and ran away. He still hadn't made a sound. He watched her reaching, trying to find something to grab onto, he thought about walking away, leaving her there, but there was something, something that made him want to help. He padded quietly to where the cane was lying on the ground and then stepped close to her, deliberately scuffing his feet so she could hear him.

"I believe this is yours." He said quietly, staying out of reach of her hands, but putting the end of the cane in one. She gripped the handle, wrapping the strap securely around her wrist before he let go of the end, she dropped it to the ground and taped until she found the curb, and stepped up out of the street.

"Thank you." She said coolly.

"This isn't a good neighborhood to be walking in at night." He said walking alongside her. He didn't know what it was, but this woman touched something in his wet bedraggled chest. She walked with determination, the cane tapping the sidewalk in front of her. He could hear his leathers squeaking as he walked, as they started to dry. Shit he was going to have to find some clothes; these were going to be toast when he got them off.

He looked over at the woman walking along next to him, her brown hair twisted into a bun held in place with what looked like a pencil, she was wearing a long prim skirt, grey wool it smelled like, a plain white blouse buttoned up to her neck and a grey jacket that matched the skirt. She was wearing plain sensible shoes, and it looked like socks, not hose. Where had she come from, another century?

They reached the end of the block, and luckily a cab was dropping off a fare as they got there. Victor tried to hail him but he turned off the light. Vic ran up and grabbed the door handle. He glared into the window, and the driver turned the light back on. He reached into a pocket and pulled out some waterlogged cash. He threw it at the driver, and then opened the door for her.

"I got you a cab. You need to get out of here. This is no place for a lady." Why had he said that last?

"Thank you, but I will be fine."

"I insist." She slipped into the cab and gave him an address in White Plains. He knew she thought he couldn't hear her, and watched as the cab drove away. He walked a couple more blocks and found another cab and gave the driver the same address. He needed to lay low, and White Plains seemed as good a place as any. He kept telling himself that, even as the cab pulled up outside the modest two story house. He didn't see any lights on in the house, but he saw movement inside one of the upstairs windows.

He got out of the cab, and paid the driver. The man drove away, not even looking back at his waterlogged passenger. He slipped into the bushes along the sidewalk in front of the house and pulled his waterlogged shirt over his head. The breeze was cool on his skin but helped dry his fur quickly, allowing him to warm up faster. He left the pants on, for modesty if nothing else, and then slipped up onto the roof of the porch. He looked in the window where he had seen movement, and saw her lying down, in bed. He could smell her, smell the house, there were no other scents, she lived alone.

He climbed down. He didn't know why he gave a damn, but he did. For now he needed to find someplace safe to sleep. He headed out away from the residential areas and found an old abandoned warehouse. It hadn't seen any traffic but rats in weeks and seemed safe enough for the night. Tomorrow he would find an ATM and get some cash from one of his accounts and get some clothes, and check out this damned town. Clothes, he would need clothes. He laid the cape across a beam, it would dry, it would never be what it was, but it would dry. His shirt crossed another beam. He would need at least it to be able to buy some clothes tomorrow. He stripped out of the wet leather pants and hung them as well.

Naked he stretched and tried to find a comfortable place to sleep, it was going to be a long night, and after what he had been through on the top of that damned statue, his body needed rest. Maybe that was why the damned schoolmarm got his attention or…and he sat up, it was her lack of fear, she hadn't been afraid, angry but not afraid. He knew it wasn't stupidity, or rash bravery, but something else, something that earned respect. He lay back down, thinking about it. The woman had guts, true guts. He closed his eyes.

XXXXXXXXX

She lay there trying to sleep. Erin's party had been a bad idea all the way around. First everyone thought that because she was blind, she was deaf and stupid, and she had gotten sick of it. She thought she would be able to get a cab, but of course not, and tried to walk toward the sounds of traffic. Then those kids had come out of nowhere, snatched her cane, pushed her down into the street and teased and taunted her. She had been so angry she hadn't had the chance to be afraid. The sudden silence had startled her, and then his soft voice. She could tell he was tall, and soaking wet. She didn't know what he was wearing but it had taken every bit of her control not to laugh herself silly at the squeaking noise.

His voice had been soft; he had guided her gently, without touching, without invading her space. He had allowed her to find her own way down the sidewalk; she remembered listening to him sprint ahead to catch the cab, and how the increase in the noise from his soggy clothing reminded her of a dog's chew toy.

She had managed to hide the smile as she walked up to where he was standing. He hadn't even been breathing hard, after the sprint. He had helped her into the cab, actually almost forced her into it, and she hadn't found out until she reached her own front steps that he had paid for it too. The driver wouldn't accept anything from her, and drove off quickly after she got out. She had made her way up the steps and into the front door. She hadn't even bothered doing anything but locking the door and climbing the stairs. She had slipped out of her clothes and pulled on a nightshirt.

Now she was lying here, trying to remember the sound of his voice. She heard a slight sound outside her window, but thought it must be the tree branch. She was going to have to get that tree trimmed. It didn't matter to her if her eyes were open or closed…it was all the same view. She played over the sound of his voice in her mind, trying different words, creating an audible image in her mind. He had been the first person almost since she had lost her sight to just treat her as a person, not an invalid. She knew she would never hear him again, so she wanted to remember what it was like, to hear someone who wasn't afraid of her because she was different.

Sleep was a long time in coming, and the birds chirping woke her early. She heard the downstairs door open, and noise in the kitchen. It had to be Maryanne, her best friend and next door neighbor, and sometime nurse. They had been friends since not long before she had lost her sight, and had been through a lot together. She climbed out of bed and was sitting on the side when she heard the familiar knock on her door.

"Hey, you decent, Ashe?"

"Decent as I ever am, Mar." She heard the door open and her friend walk across the hardwood floors.

"So what do you want to wear today? You have those manuscripts to take to the post office, and I know you are going to walk, and not let me drive you."

"Hey a girl has to get exercise somehow."

"So how was the party last night? I saw you come in about three."

"Erin was such a pain in the ass, the music was too loud, the drinks were bad, and to top it all off, no one, and I mean no one treated me like a person, more like, oh I don't know, an invalid or something."

"Bummer, I was hoping you might actually have fun for a change." She felt Maryanne put something on the bed next to her. "Jeans, shirt, bra and underwear on top, I will go start the shower."

"Thanks. You are worth a million bucks." She picked up the clothes and carried them to the bathroom with her. At home at least she didn't have to use the cane, she knew exactly where everything was.

"Yea, well wish you would pay me for it." They both laughed.

She stepped into the streaming water, letting her long brown hair down, and letting it get soaked, it smelled of smoke and alcohol from the party last night and she wanted it out of there. The shampoo dispenser was on the wall, conditioner next to it. She didn't care how long it took; she was getting all evidence of that party off her body. Thirty minutes later she stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel from the spot Maryanne always put it. She dried her hair with the towel and slipped on the underwear. The bra was next, Maryanne helping her fasten it and get adjusted. She sometimes wished she were smaller in that department, and then she wouldn't have to worry about a bra.

The jeans were a loose cut, baggy and comfortable, and the shirt was a baggy old sweatshirt she had worn in college. Maryanne had her shoes just outside the bathroom door and she slipped into them.

"Ok ready to face another day of darkness." She quipped. She heard Maryanne's intake of breath. She knew how much Mar hated her joking about the blindness. She reached out and picked up the collapsible cane. She headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mar had breakfast ready and the two sat down and ate.

Mar didn't have to do these things, for her, and Ashley knew why she did, guilt. She hated her best friend feeling that way, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She had tried fighting at first; pushing her away in anger, but found it was easiest to let her assuage her guilt in these little things she liked to do, instead of losing her one friend. Maryanne had been with her, when it had happened, and somehow still felt like she could have done something to stop it. She shook her head.

"You ok?"

"I'm fine, just thinking about what I have to do today."

"Well, lets see, you have to take the manuscripts to the post office and mail them off, get your coffee, flirt with officer Frank, and then come back and finish that children's book you are editing by the deadline of TOMORROW. I'd say you are booked."

"Don't remind me…that author is a pain, and NO clue how that is going to look in Braille, how can that be a children's book anyway? She finished up breakfast and walked back to the entry way. Mar had packaged up the manuscripts for her yesterday. She picked up the package, and once again wished Tilly was ready. Her companion would make things much easier, but she was in the final stages of training, and not ready to be sent home yet. Three more weeks, and her baby would be home.

She snapped the cane out and headed out the front door. She knew Mar would clean up the kitchen, and then go back to her house next door. She also had her father she took care of, and helping Ashley out gave her a bit of a break from his demands. She turned left out of her walk and followed the sidewalk. She made this walk three to four times a week, to mail completed manuscripts back to her employer. Sometimes, like these, it was dry technical materials, hard to sit and read, but she did it, because somewhere, someone needed those tech manuals to be in Braille.

It was exactly fifty steps to the corner, ten across the intersection, and another three hundred to the door of the coffee shop/post office where she mailed her books. She reached out, but someone was there to open the door for her.

"Thank you." She said as the person stood back. She could feel their presence, and a faint scent of cologne, musky, with a hit of evergreen. She liked it. She slipped into the open door and heard John from behind the counter.

"Hey Ashe, more to ship, huh?"

"Yep. Big parcel today." She put the package down on the counter. He would weigh it and then charge her account the postage. She waited, and about two minutes later she felt the warm cup next to her hand. Coffee, the manna of the gods, She picked up the cup and headed toward her table, cane in front making sure she didn't trip over anyone. She smelled that cologne again.

"Sorry." She heard that voice and her heart stopped.

"No, I am sorry; I didn't know anyone was sitting here."

"I guess you made it home ok?" He asked. She heard a chair scrape and then realized he was standing, waiting for her to sit down. She reached out with a hand and felt the back of the chair, and eased herself down into it.

"Yes, I did. I don't recognize your voice. Are you from around here?"

"No, I am in New York on a contract, and hate living in the city. I drove down here this morning looking for a place to rent. I like green things around me." He laughed a deep throaty laugh.

She sipped her coffee, not really sure where she should go from here. She had been thinking about him off and on all night, and now here he was. "I am Ashley, Ashley Case."

"Victor, Victor Creed." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Well I guess, I might run into you again." She said as she finished her coffee. She stood up, and reached for her cup, but his hand was there first. It was huge.

"I got that." He said. She let him take the cup, and she headed for the door. She heard the cup go into the waste bin and then she smelled him close again. He opened the door for her, and she walked out.

"I'll catch you later." He said as he turned left and walked away. She waited until his footsteps faded before turning right and walking back toward her house. This was just too much of a coincidence.

She stopped at the turn to the house, listening for anything suspicious before going up to the porch. She didn't know why, but she felt like she was being watched. She went inside and into her study. On the desk where she had left it yesterday was the damned manuscript that had been giving her so much trouble. She needed to concentrate, so she tried to put the strange man out of her mind.

XXXXXXXXXX

He stood on the sidewalk across the street from her house, he actually had a legitimate reason for being there, he was waiting on a real estate agent to come and show him the house for rent. Just because it was across the street from hers didn't mean he was going to rent it. Who was he trying to fool? He watched her hunched over a desk, running her hands over a page. Reading he guessed. Suddenly a large white SUV pulled up, and the agent got out. She gushed over him in his suit and tie, and wanted to know if he was single or married. He half listened to her chatter, answering her questions when appropriate, but he was looking over the house, his own way. He could defend this place if he had to, but it would be a pain in the ass. He shouldn't rent it, and then he saw the master bedroom. It had a perfect view, right into her bedroom, and he knew he was going to take the house.

He signed the damned lease, paid first and last months rent, and took the door key from the woman. She went on about how the neighbors were nice here, and he finally escorted her back to her car. Glad to be rid of her, he walked to the SUV he had bought this morning and opened the back. Inside were several bags from stores in the area, mostly clothing, but some other things he didn't want anyone seeing, and took them into the house.

He was actually going to have to furnish this place. Normally he wouldn't bother, but something told him he was going to be entertaining, and not the way he was used to. He went back out, locking the door behind him and drove to the nearest furniture store. He purchased living room and dining room furniture first, and a large bed for himself. The other rooms he would furnish later, but those would be what he needed most. He paid double for quick delivery and set up and then drove to the grocery store to stock the kitchen. At least the damned house came with the appliances so all he had to do was buy groceries.

As he pulled into the driveway of the house, he noticed a blonde watching him from the house next door to Ashley's. He just shrugged and carried the bags into the house. The delivery trucks should be there soon, and he wanted to get settled tonight. He had a few calls to make, arrangements to make, and he needed to try to find out what happened to Erik. He didn't know what happened to any of them. That needed to be his first order of business. Instead he was looking out his kitchen window watching the blonde run up his girl's steps.

"What the fuck am I thinking?" He said out loud. Shit this was worse than he thought. Just because he felt protective after last night, didn't mean he was going soft on some frail. He picked up the new cell phone he had bought and dialed a number. It rang six times and then went to voice mail.

"It's Vic. Call me back on this number."

Well now it was a waiting game. He needed to find something to do. The delivery truck pulled up out front and he spent the rest of the afternoon supervising the unloading. He had picked up sheets and bedding for the bed and decided a good night's sleep in a real bed might be just what he needed to get his head on straight. He was putting things away in his new dresser when he heard the doorbell downstairs.

He could see two people standing just outside the door from the top of the stairs. He slowly walked down until he could get a good scent. He took a sniff; one of them was Ashley, shit. He walked to the door and opened it.

"Hi, I am Maryanne and this is Ashley, we live in the two houses across the street."

"Victor." He watched Ashley start.

"Well, I see you found a house." She said, with a bite in her voice.

'Yea…you want to come in?"

He could tell the blonde, Maryanne was fuming over something.

"No, just welcome to the neighborhood." Ashley said, turning sharply, and tripping over one of the boxes left on the porch by the delivery men. He reached out quickly and caught her before she fell.

"Sorry." She said, blushing. He could see tears in her eyes.

"What the hell are you sorry for, my porch is a mess?" He snapped. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with the woman.

Maryanne's jaw dropped. Ashley just laughed. "Ok you have a point there, Mister Creed. Maybe you should clean it up before it becomes a public nuisance."

"I have a better idea. How about you stay on your side of the street and leave me the hell alone." They were both laughing so hard the words were hardly coming out. He didn't know where it came from, or why she made him laugh. Maryanne just threw her hands up and started to storm off.

"Wait. Come inside. I don't have much yet, but I have a fresh pot of tea in the fridge."

He stepped back from the door, and they both stepped inside, Ashley allowing her cane to guide her. He led them into the dining room and went to pour glasses of tea. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but well he did need to lay low for a while, and perhaps a nice suburban area, with quiet streets was a good place to hide.

The three of them sat and chatted, and then the two women stood to leave.

"It's been nice meeting you, Victor." Maryanne said. He noticed her watching Ashley.

"You too, Maryanne, Ashley it was nice meeting you again." He took her hand and shook it. She smiled, and a little knot in his chest seemed to let go. There was no way in hell anyone was going to believe this.

The two women left, he watched as they crossed the street, and both went into her house. Somehow, she had become his, and before long she would admit it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They came in the front door. Ashe was shocked, still. She had met him last night in New York, now he was living across the street. What the hell was going on?

"OH my GOD." Mar said as she flopped down on the seat with the squeaky spring on the couch.

"What?"

"Ok, how the hell do you know him, and why the HELL didn't you tell me. He's fucking gorgeous."

"What?"

"Victor."

"He helped me out last night coming home from Erin's party, and I don't know how he LOOKS, shit Mar."

"He was at Erin's party?"

"No, after I left these kids, well they decided I would be an easy target. He scared them off and helped me get a cab."

"What was he doing there?"

"I don't know, and I am not happy about all of this either. I am tempted to call my dad about it."

"Oh yea, like that's a good idea. Last time you called your dad, you ended up blind." She heard Mary's intake of breath as she said it. "I am sorry Ashe."

"No, that wasn't the last time, I call him every Christmas." She laughed.

"I know I just…well I don't think you need to involve your dad over this."

"Well, does he look like some sicko stalker or something?"

"NO, I wish sicko stalkers looked like that, shit."

"Oh, God, that's bad."

"Why, he couldn't keep his eyes off of you."

"A lot of good that will do me, I can't SEE him."

"Ok, let's see if I can paint you a picture...rugged face, really cute cleft in his chin, kinda like that Kurt Douglas guy, LONG and I mean LONG blonde hair, looks naturally curly too, had it tied back in a pony tail. Tall, and I mean TALL. That boy is as broad as a barn, and solid muscle even under that expensive suit."

"Suit?"

"Yea, dark charcoal grey with a white shirt and black tie, looked like he had some kind of business meeting this morning or something. And a nice SUV, the guy has money to spend that is for sure."

"Whatever, He said this morning at coffee that he was working on a contract in New York but hated living in the city."

"This MORNING; you saw him this morning."

"No I didn't SEE him this morning, he was at the coffee shop when I went to mail the manuscripts, and he said hi, that he was glad I made it home ok."

"Well, all I have to say, is watch out. He is going to be the target of every single woman in this neighborhood, so if you want him better act quick."

"Yea, right…the blind girl, what's he going to do, have pity on me? Shit, if you want him go for him yourself I have work to do."

She heard Maryanne's shocked silence. "Ouch."

"Sorry, Mar, I just am not in the mood for this, ok."

"Well, you might want to get in the mood for it, because I think that man likes you, and not in a poor blind girl way. So stop with the pity party and start acting like a human being, instead of some injured animal. He didn't ONCE treat you as anything other than just a person visiting his house, not ONCE."

"What color are his eyes?" She asked quietly.

"Black."

She smiled, and heard Mar laugh. She knew there were rainbows on the walls. She sometimes forgot to control it, and she knew it would cheer Maryanne up to see them.

"Let's just hope he doesn't see this until after he asks you out at least once." Maryanne laughed.

Ashe locked the door behind her, the rainbows safely tucked away back inside her mind. She remembered something her father had said the first time she had done it, that she was lucky she couldn't see, because if she could and she could focus it, she could create one hell of a powerful laser.