Mourning After
by Red Monster
Disclaimer and such: All characters are property of Marvel Comics. Non-profit, dirt-poor, don't sue. This is a follow-up to Who's the Boss? by Samy Merchi, which I encourage you to read, as it's an excellent story, albeit not child-friendly. Just so you know, I don't do accents, so don't be surprised when you don't find them.thoughts emphasis
This is dedicated to everyone who's ever lived to regret living in the moment.
Part 1
Theresa Cassidy and Roberto DaCosta walked through the front door of X-Force's home in very close proximity to each other. Not surprising, considering that the former was helping the latter hold his broken arm against his chest to keep it from flopping around, for lack of a splint."Anyone here?" Theresa shouted into the empty air. Roberto winced at the volume of the voice shouting so close to his ear.
"Not in my ear, Theresa! My arm is already broken, I don't need a fractured eardrum as well."
"Hah. I know how you got that broken arm, don't whine to me about your poor little ears," Theresa quipped dryly. However, their time for witty banter was cut short when Dani Moonstar ran into the room.
"Roberto! Thank God you're safe." She noticed his arm. "Wait a minute, what happened?"
"Bobby was too proud to tell you over the phone, but his arm got broken when we were fighting with the FOH. He'll be okay, see, it's just a simple fracture," Theresa lied. It was just a simple fracture, but it did not come from fighting the FOH.
"I'm glad you didn't get hurt too badly. Come on, let's get you to a doctor. God, first it's Jesse, then you," said Dani.
"What happened to Jesse, Dani?" Roberto asked, just as James Proudstar walked into the room.
"Deadpool came over and shot Jesse in the knee. I wish I'd been there to see it," he said.
"What was Deadpool here about, other than shooting Jesse in the knee?" Theresa asked.
James looked at her and swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn't know whether he should be glad she was okay, or kick himself for not being able to get over her. The more he had to see her, the more it hurt him...
"According to Domino, he teleported over and asked if he could move in with 'his chick.' Meaning you, of course. She wouldn't let him, fortunately," James said.
"That lunatic, what business does he think he has, showing his face here after what he did to you?" Theresa growled through clenched teeth. The last time she'd seen Deadpool, he'd assaulted James without provocation and then asked Theresa to help him get his head straight. She was not amused.
"Guys, I'm taking 'Berto to the hospital. Theresa, are you okay?" Dani asked.
"I'm fine, Dani, no need to take me. Thank you, though."
As Dani and Roberto left through the front door, James couldn't help but wonder, Why does Bobby smell like he's been tied up to Theresa all night, while she smells like she just had a shower?
Two days later, Dani was sorting laundry, and she felt something suspicious in the pocket of a pair of pants. She took the object out, and found it was a small brown prescription pill container. The label said, Trivora, 4 caplets. Trivora is an oral contraceptive, it's used to prevent pregnancy. So why is this such a small prescription? Dani remembered that Theresa had been wearing that pair of pants the day before. What in the hell?! Where is she?
Dani found Theresa in the computer room, replying to an email from her father. "Terry, what's this?" she asked, holding up the bottle of Trivora.
Theresa's eyes widened to twice their normal diameter when she saw the bottle. "Oh, Dani, thank God you found this. I can't afford to have these go through the wash!" she sighed and took the bottle from Dani.
"Terry, why are you taking 4 pills of Trivora? If you're going on the pill, you're supposed to take one of those every day. This won't last you very long."
Theresa's stomach started to twist and fight to escape from her abdominal cavity. WHAT DO I TELL HER?!!! If she finds out what happened...no. That can't happen. "It's emergency contraception, Dani. After you and Bobby left for the hospital, Jimmy and I...well, you know. We were just so happy to see each other, and we forgot to use a condom. So I got these," she said.
"You had sex with Jimmy?"
"I just told you, yes."
"Then can you explain to me why James has been acting so weird around you lately? He looks like he's not really happy to see you."
Theresa sighed and put on a resigned look. "We've been trying not to let you guys find out about this, but Jimmy and I are actually dating. We started a few weeks ago, and we weren't ready to tell anyone just yet. So it's made us a little uncomfortable to be together in front of you all."
"You two have been dating?"
"Yes, Dani, I just told you that."
"Okaaaay..." Dani said uneasily, and turned to leave the room.
Theresa slumped in her chair and let out a long breath. She had barely touched James Proudstar in the past few weeks. A few days before, she and Roberto had gone out running together and checked into a hotel after she collapsed from exhaustion. They then proceeded to drink very large quantities of alcohol and fornicate repeatedly. Their method of birth control was a combination of condom use, withdrawal, and uncertainty. Theresa thought it best to get the morning after pills, just in case. Roberto, being already committed to Dani, warned Theresa not to tell anyone of their affair. He broke his own arm to boost his cover story of fighting with the FOH. Theresa made a mental note to keep her pills in a safe place until she'd taken them all.
"Jimmy, I need to talk to you," Theresa said to James when she found him reading in his bedroom later that afternoon.
She knows I'm trying to get over her. And she doesn't want me to succeed. "Yes, Terry?" he said, putting his book aside.
"If anyone asks, we've been dating for a few weeks, we had sex on the afternoon that Bobby and I came home while Dani took him to the hospital, and we forgot to use a condom. Okay?"
"No, Terry. We have not been dating, we did not have sex, and I know enough to use condoms. Now, what's going on?" he asked. Shut up, Jimmy. The more you know, the more you care, and you'll never get over her that way.
"No, I can't tell you that. I just really need your help on this. Please do this for me?" she asked with that scared look in her eyes.
Shut up, Jimmy. "Tell me what's going on. Are you pregnant? I'm not going to lie for you unless I know the truth." Say it, Proudstar. You're hopeless.
"I'm not pregnant, Jimmy. Just, please cover for me on this. I'll never ask a favor from you again if you just do this one for me. It's really important, honestly it is," she pleaded.
"Okay, Terry. I'll lie for you. But don't ever ask me to do it again," he sighed.
"Oh, thank you, Jimmy-darlin'!" she bent down and kissed him on the forehead. "You don't know how much good you're doing." She then left the room and left James alone.
She kissed me. I'm so screwed.
"Why is it that we didn't get around to doing this until you hurt yourself?" Dani asked Roberto through the steam of the shower.
"Because I have been a fool up until now," said Roberto, with his good arm curled around Dani's soaking-wet, bare back.
"A DaCosta admits to being a fool?" They kissed. "Has Hell frozen over?" They kissed again.
"The difference between a DaCosta and an ordinary man, in that respect, is a DaCosta knows when to admit to making a mistake," Roberto began, between kissing Dani on the lips, cheeks, jaw line, and neck, in that order. "And an ordinary man repeats his mistakes rather than admitting to them."
"That's very big of you, 'Berto," Dani murmured into the back of his neck. "What say we continue this in the bedroom?"
"It would be a challenge with this injury," Roberto referred to the cast on his arm.
"Yes, it would."
"And a DaCosta never runs away from a challenge."
"No, he doesn't." Dani turned off the water and reached for a towel big enough to go around the both of them. "You're mine, DaCosta."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
In the next room, Domino was happily trouncing Jesse at a game of chess. She was soon distracted, however, by some very conspicuous noises emanating from Dani's bedroom. This was not good. She was about to put Jesse in check, and couldn't concentrate on the game.
"What is going on in there?" Jesse asked.
"I think we all know what's going on in there," grumbled Domino. "Hey, you two! Keep it down for a minute!" she threw a shoe at the wall. The moaning and tossing soon quieted down, and Domino made her move. "There. How does it feel to be in check?"
In the weight room, James spotted Sam while the latter squatted 600 pounds.
"18...19...come on, Sam, you can do it...20!" said James. Then, the noises started back up again after a brief period of quiet. Sam couldn't hear it, but James could.
"Jimmy, what's the matter?" asked Sam when James started frowning at the ceiling again.
"That better not be Terry up there," said James. He climbed to the top of the exercise apparatus and pushed his ear against the ceiling. Let it go, Jimmy. You should be trying to get over her, not worrying about who's under her. He soon distinguished a young male voice moaning in Portugese and pronouncing Dani's name at intervals, followed by a female voice that didn't sound the least bit Irish. "Okay, it's just Roberto and Dani going at it up there."
"Those two are doin' it, huh? Well this is just great. We're down here pumping iron while Broken Arm Boy is getting nooky from a woman 5 inches taller than himself," said Sam.
"Oh well, at least it isn't Terry. Or Tabitha, for that matter," James added. "Call me possessive, but if Terry were involved with another guy, I wouldn't want to know about it."
"I know what you mean, Jimmy. Terry and Tabitha, however..." Sam began.
"Ooooh. Now that I could give my blessing," James said with a growing smile.
"But don't tell my momma I said that. I'm not sure how she'd feel," Sam said gravely.
"I won't tell her, Sam. I promise."
Part 2
"Theresa, a word," said Roberto when he ran into Theresa the next day. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a storage closet."Bobby, what's the matter?"
"I hear you've been dating Jimmy."
"Who told you this?"
"Danielle found some pills in your pants while she was doing the laundry and you told her you'd slept with James. Would you like to explain this?" Roberto hissed.
"Well, what else would you have had in mind? Would you rather I tell her we got drunk and fucked each other's brains out and I needed those pills because you didn't always have a condom on?!"
"I'd rather you not leave a bottle of morning-after pills where someone could find them. How conspicuous do you want to be?!"
"I'm sorry, but I just forgot to take the bloody bottle out of my pocket before I tossed my pants in the laundry basket! You wanna stand there and tell me I left it in there deliberately?!" Theresa whispered angrily.
"Did you really have to get those pills at all, Theresa? *oof*!" Roberto was cut short when Theresa grabbed his collar and slammed him into the wall of the closet.
"Would you prefer that I pop out your baby nine months from now, you stupid prick?!" she snarled.
"I suppose that's a fair point," Roberto croaked as he regained his breath.
"Was there supposed to be a point to this little meeting, or did you just want to berate me for using birth control?"
"Yes, there is a point. Dani isn't going to challenge your story, because she believes I'm telling the truth. But play your cards carefully, because this ruse isn't going to stand on its own," warned Roberto.
"Sure, Roberto, I'll be on my best behavior. You know something? You're telling one lie, I'm telling two lies, and I'm having Jimmy back up my second lie, all to protect you. We're keeping secrets and telling lies all so that Dani won't find out that you've cheated on her a second time. Give me one good reason why I should go to so much trouble for you, huh?" Theresa challenged him.
"Your credibility is also at stake here."
"Bobby, don't give me that. You all don't respect me as it is. What have I got to lose?" she said bitterly, and left the closet.
Roberto felt a nagging itch tugging at his stomach. He was scared to death that Dani would stop believing his story, or that Theresa would tell someone the truth. He was also scared that someone might have heard them talking in the storage closet together. He'd be going through Hell for who knows how long if any of that happened.
"Dom, have you heard the news about Terry and Jimmy yet?" Dani asked Domino while the two sat down to lunch together in the kitchen.
"What news? That they're always trying to avoid eye contact?" Domino asked.
"No, they're going out. I can hardly believe it myself. They've even slept together already, they say."
"Danielle, that's not possible. Those two aren't acting like they're romantically involved, they're acting like they want to stay away from each other."
Dani hesitated a moment, caught between what sounded believable and what she wanted to believe. Still, she wasn't ready to give up quite that easily. "Sure, they want to stay away from each other. They can keep a secret better that way."
"No," decided the older woman after a moment of hesitation of her own. "I'm not Nate, I can't read minds per se, but there's no way those two are keeping a secret that good. Looks more like they're covering up something ugly."
"Like what?" Dani said. Theresa, you brazen little whore.
"That, I honestly can't tell you. We'll need to have a talk with at least one of them. Do you know where they are?"
"Theresa went out to lunch with Sam and Jesse." Smart move, that one. It means I can't kill her for at least another hour. "James is around here somewhere. I think I saw him duck into his room to read a book before I came down here."
"Okay. Let's eat, and then we'll go talk to him," Domino suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea." I hope we don't run into Roberto. Who knows what I'll do with him.
"Hi, James," came a strident voice from the other side of the door as it unexpectedly opened.
"Hi, Dani. Domino," James said nervously. "What can I do for you?" They know. Someone shoot me now.
"James, we'd like to know," Domino began, "How long have you and Theresa been together?"
"About a month," he squirmed. Theresa, this is the last time I do a favor for you.
"A month," nodded Domino. "So why didn't you tell us?"
"Well, we weren't really sure how you all would react. I mean, we did go through a long period of ups and downs, and after getting through all that, we were sort of afraid you guys might discourage us, and say it would never work, and all that." Absolutely the last time.
"But of course you didn't let passion hold you back, did you?" Dani asked. "I mean, there was that time a few days ago when Theresa came home with Roberto and you two ran off and had unprotected sex, right? So, I guess you really do have something good going on, if you're so enthusiastic together."
Okay, this is where I draw the line. "Actually, Dani, Terry must have misremembered that afternoon. I did put on a condom, but when I pulled out, it had torn, so I took Terry over to Planned Parenthood and she got some morning-after pills. So, no worries on that front."
"You know, James, you're very creative," said Domino. "And a good liar. Unfortunately, your story is just so preposterous that we can't believe it, no matter how well you tell it. What's really going on?"
James put his book aside and groaned. Busted. No, wait, Terry's busted, I didn't do anything. "I honestly don't know what's going on. Terry came in and asked me to tell this lie for her, but she wouldn't tell me the real story. But, she wouldn't let it go until I agreed, so I told her I'd cover for her."
"I can't believe this," Dani said, turning around to face the wall. "How could they do this?"
"Dani, what are you talking about? Who's 'they'?" asked James.
"Theresa and Roberto! They weren't attacked by the FOH, they went out and did it!" Dani spat.
"Hold on, now, Dani. That sounds likely enough, but you don't want to jump to conclusions just yet. They could be using this as a cover for any number of things," Domino said.
"I think Dani's right," James began. "When they first came home, I caught a sniff of them both. Theresa smelled like she'd just taken a shower, but Roberto didn't. He smelled like he'd been up close to Theresa for several hours. Without clothes."
Dani turned around and punched a hole in the drywall. She then issued forth a volley of curses and epithets triggered by the pain in her fist, which she eventually pulled out of the wall. "I don't know which one of them to kill first!"
"Instead of killing them, why don't you hear them out first?" said Domino.
"Do you really think so, Dom?" Dani asked with narrowed eyes.
"No," Dom admitted. "If Roberto were my boyfriend, he'd be vapor by now. Theresa wouldn't be much better off."
"Okay, listen," said James. "Dani, you're pissed off at Bobby for cheating on you, and Theresa for messing around with your man, correct? I'm pretty unhappy at being dragged into this. Bobby's around here somewhere, and Theresa's out at lunch. When she gets home, we'll confront them both about this. Sound good?"
Dani was about to interject, but Domino cut her off. "Yes, James, that's a good idea. Dani, you stay out of the room unless I bring you in. I understand your anger, but we can't afford to have this degenerate into a violent shouting match. You can stay close enough that you can hear what's being said."
"Fine," Dani muttered through clenched teeth.
"Good. I'm not going to let this matter tear the team apart. As insane as you kids are, you do good things as a team, and you shouldn't throw that away." Dom, this is what you get when you let yourself get attached to a bunch of maladjusted kids.
Part 3
Domino and James set aside the kitchen for their surprise meeting, and parked Dani in the game room, just beside the kitchen, so she could hear what was said. When Theresa, Sam and Jesse got home from lunch, Domino and James brought Theresa and Roberto into the kitchen, and asked the others to leave them alone for an hour. James motioned for Theresa and Roberto to sit down at the table. Theresa did so, looking rather confused and nervous, but Roberto resisted."Why don't you tell us what's going on first?" he demanded.
Domino cocked an eyebrow at Roberto. "DaCosta, sit down. You'll find out what's going on very soon."
Roberto, looking affronted, took a seat beside Theresa, and looked up at Domino. However, it was James that spoke up first.
"Despite your best efforts to cover it up, we know something's not right around here, but you two seem to know the story. So, would you inform us?" he asked.
Jimmy, don't do this to me. I thought I could trust you, thought Theresa.
"We don't know what you're talking about," said Roberto. "How long do you plan to detain us here?"
"For as long as it takes to wring the truth out of you two," said Domino. "For instance, Roberto, you spoke up immediately, and used the pronoun 'we,' rather than pausing to collect your thoughts and referring only to yourself. You don't think I can see through that?"
Oh, God, he's going to sell me out now, isn't he? Theresa braced for the worst.
"I have no secrets to keep," Roberto began. "And I do not see why you'd suspect Theresa would be hiding anything from you either. I have spent little time with her since we came home after our bout with the FOH, but in that little time she has not acted the least bit suspicious."
He didn't sell me out!
"Look, guys, the sooner you tell us what's going on, the less it's going to hurt. When you came home from your 'bout with the FOH,' I was able to smell each of you," said James. "Roberto, you'd been tied up to Theresa all night without clothes. Theresa, you'd just had a shower. Exactly what did the FOH do with you?"
"Jimmy, you must have misinterpreted what you smelled on us. As soon as we got free of the FOH and defeated them, we came right back home," said Theresa.
Nice move, Terry. Call the boy's powers into question, thought Domino. "Look, Theresa, as well as you and James have told your story of being a couple for the past month, I just can't believe it after seeing the way you've both been behaving. So why else would you need morning-after pills?"
"Jimmy, you didn't go back on your word, did you?!" Theresa cried.
"Sorry, Terry. I'm not going to tell a lie when I don't know the truth. And, she saw right through me."
"What Theresa does outside this team is none of our business, but she and I have done nothing together that you have not already been informed of," said Roberto. "We went jogging together, and were attacked and detained by the FOH. How else could my arm have been broken?"
James grasped his left arm and pressed his thumb into his radius. A loud *pop* filled all their ears for a quick moment. James' face squinched itself up for a few seconds while he took a few shocked breaths. "Like that, maybe?" he said, looking at Roberto with a lopsided smile.
The punk just busted his own arm! What do these kids smoke when I'm not around?! Domino faced the wall for a second so her young charges couldn't see her grit her teeth.
"Jimmy, why did you just do that to yourself?!" Theresa cried out, standing up from her seat.
"Because DaCosta's question needed an answer," said James. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt that much. It'll heal."
"You're nuts, boy..." Theresa muttered as she sat back down.
"So, when do you two plan to explain yourselves to us? We can stand here and wait for days, though we'll all be a lot better off if you tell us sooner.
"I honestly don't remember it all that well," Theresa said sullenly.
Now, why did you have to say that? I was prepared to stonewall for at least a few more minutes, thought Roberto. "I suppose you already have figured out what we did that day, you just want us to admit it," he said.
"We have our assumptions, but we're not going to make any decisions until we know the truth," Domino said.
"You mean you're not going to pass judgment until we admit to what you've already decided," said Theresa.
"You're the one who's decided we're going to pass judgment, not us, Theresa. Now stop putting words in our mouths, okay?" said Domino.
Pause.
"Are you going to tell Dani?" Roberto asked.
"It's up to you to tell her, whatever it is," said Domino.
"Very well, then," Roberto began. "Theresa and I went out running together four days ago. It was a contest, to see who could keep going longer. When we'd run nearly thirty miles, she collapsed in Oakland. I checked us into a hotel room so she could recover, and both of us could rest. While in the hotel, I ordered some food and beverage from room service. I had several glasses of champagne, and Theresa had a great deal more alcohol." He paused. "Being drunk, we stopped thinking clearly, and had sex several times," he mumbled. "The next morning, I broke my arm to make it look like we'd been in a fight with the FOH. There you have it."
"Roberto, you sonuvabitch, how could you do this to me AGAIN?!!" Dani shrieked from the other side of the wall.
"She was listening the whole time?" Roberto said with the veins on his neck rapidly swelling. "You had me believe she couldn't hear us!"
"I didn't say she wasn't in the next room with her ear to the wall," said Domino. "I told you it was up to you to tell her, and you did."
"You told me it would never happen again, and I believed you! I should've dumped you after the first time!" Dani continued, while kicking the wall.
Domino stood up and left the room. After a moment her voice was heard much more softly from the other room, punctuated by Dani's sobbing.
"I'd better go in there and talk to her," said Roberto, about to go into the other room.
"Uh-uh, DaCosta, you've got some questions to answer in here," came James' voice through clenched teeth. Roberto turned around to see the Apache scowling red-faced at him, while squeezing a stainless steel table knife to a small blob of abstract art in his good hand.
"What?" Roberto asked haughtily with narrowed eyes.
"Would you like to explain why you took advantage of Terry?" asked James, standing up.
"No, Jimmy, don't do this--" Theresa tried to intervene, but James stepped right past her.
"And what makes you think I took advantage of her, Proudstar?" asked Roberto.
James turned Roberto around with his good arm and pinned him against the wall in a split second. "You got her drunk and then you fucked her! Is this how you treat all women?!"
Roberto powered up and threw James into the table and chairs. Theresa winced and stood back. "I did not make her drink all that alcohol, and I was also drunk, myself! No one took advantage of anyone!"
James stood up from the rubble and pushed Roberto back against the wall. "She's an alcoholic, DaCosta!"
Roberto's eyes widened to the size of saucers and looked at Theresa, who by this time had her face hidden in her hands. "Theresa, I'm sorry, I didn't know." He looked back at James. "Honestly, Proudstar, I had no idea."
"Of course. As far as you knew, she wanted to be drunk enough to sleep with you," James growled.
"I'm telling you, James, I didn't know she had a drinking problem! Theresa, why didn't you tell me?"
Theresa took her tear-streaked face out of her hands and took a deep breath to keep her voice steady. "Have you ever noticed the way you treat me, Roberto? As far as you're concerned, I'm no more the leader of this team than Artie and Leech. The last thing I needed you to know was that I can't drink like a normal person!"
"Don't think I haven't noticed that, either, DaCosta. I've seen you blow her off when she's trying to lead this team, and getting her drunk so you could fuck her really takes the cake," said James.
"Okay, I'll admit it! I'm a disrespectful, arrogant pig!" Roberto started. "But I didn't know she had a drinking problem! If I knew, it wouldn't have happened!"
"Why do I not believe that?" asked James. "What other purpose did you have in mind when you poured her a glass, huh? To celebrate your athletic feat?"
"Are you going to let go of me any time soon, James, or are you more content with accusing me of deliberately taking advantage of Theresa and her addiction?" Roberto shouted.
"I'll let you two duke it out in private," Theresa said, walking out.
"Wait! Theresa, don't leave me alone with him! He listens to you!" Roberto said.
"Yes, he does, which is more than I can say about you!" Theresa shouted at him, turned around, and walked out.
Theresa marched off to her bedroom and turned on the light to find Dani sitting in her chair next to her desk.
"Dani, what are you doing in here?! This is not your room!" Theresa cried at her.
"You wanna tell me what business you had sleeping with Roberto?" Dani asked.
"Get out, Dani! I'm not in the mood for this!" Theresa shouted while pointing towards the door.
"I don't care what you're in the mood for! Where do you get off screwing around with someone else's boyfriend?!"
"Why were you lying in wait for me? Why don't you go yell at Roberto? This is the second time he's done this, only the first time for me! And did you treat Tabitha like this when she was the one in bed with your man?!" Theresa demanded.
"This isn't about Tabitha! Why don't you answer the question?"
Theresa threw her hands into the air. "Because I was drunk and wasn't thinking straight, okay?!"
"That's not gonna cut it. I know about your drinking problem, James told me about it, but I've also seen you turn down drinks, so don't you dare think I'm about to believe you had no control over your actions that night."
"Well, I'm sorry, Dani, but we just had a little too much to drink and one thing led to another. It doesn't mean I was trying to steal your man," said Theresa.
"Yeah, you just wanted him between your legs for a night. What did you really think was going to happen when you took that first drink that night?" said Dani.
"Okay, so maybe, at the back of my mind, I was hoping to sleep with him," Theresa admitted.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Do you think every taken man is up for grabs, or did you make an exception for my boyfriend?" Dani said.
"Look, Dani, why are you harping on me? Tabitha wasn't bombed off her arse when she screwed around with Roberto, and I never heard about you giving her the third degree! And what about Roberto? Even if I was looking forward to having sex with him, he had it in mind a lot more! It's the second time he's cheated on you, why do you bother with him?!"
Dani reached out and slapped Theresa across the face. "Don't you dare try to change the subject with me! This isn't about Tabitha and Roberto, this is about you! No matter what they've done in the past, it doesn't make you any less guilty!"
"Bull-shit, Dani! You forgave Tabitha, and you don't seem to notice Roberto's part in all of this, but you're taking me to task because your boyfriend can't control himself?! Give me a fucking break! You never liked me because I was never in your little New Mutants clique, so you'd rather blame me for your sex-crazed boyfriend's cheating!" Theresa railed. "Get out of my room! Now! Before I use my powers on you!"
"This isn't over yet," Dani warned as she walked out of the room.
Theresa shut the door after Dani was out of sight, and sank into a heap in the dark, closed-in security of her closet. She cupped the smacked side of her face in her hand and prayed to fall asleep from this nightmare.
Meanwhile, James and Roberto had taken their fight down to the training room in the basement to avoid destroying the kitchen any further. In the cloud of dust and smoke generated by his solar blasts, Roberto looked nervously around the room for his opponent.
Where IS he?! Come out, Proudstar, you overgrown coward! I didn't vaporize him, did I?
His thoughts were cut short when he found himself propelled across the room by the force of James Proudstar's foot connecting with his back. He hit the wall and quickly turned around to see James standing about 20 feet away, looking ready to finish him off. Roberto sent another, much harder solar blast at him, and kept it going for several minutes straight. Finally exhausted, he lowered his good arm and kept his back to the wall, waiting for the dust to clear. This time, he found James lying on his stomach a few feet back from where he'd been standing, while digging his fingers into the floor to keep himself in place.
James looked up to find Roberto no longer powered up, and took his fingers out of the floor. He was mildly singed, but fully conscious. "Geez, DaCosta, do you really have to make those things so hot?" he asked while slowly standing up.
Roberto, furious that James had so easily recovered, extended his good arm in front of him and threw all the solar energy he had at his opponent. Unfortunately, what he had left amounted to a sparkler-sized trail of flame blowing out of his fist and curving to the ground a few feet out.
"Oh," James mused. "I'm a little tired, but Rich Kid is all out of energy. This should be fun."
"I can go right outside and regenerate, Proudstar. Then you won't be so confident," Roberto said.
James was up in his face in a second, and pressed his right hand to the wall on the side of Roberto's head. "You'll have to get past me first."
"So what are you going to do to me?" Roberto asked. "Are you going to hit me now that I can't fire at you? Are you going to smash my head into the wall? And what kind of man will that make you?"
"I'm not going to hurt you, don't worry," James said. "Just as long as you stay in here, and talk to me. Try to leave to get someone else or regenerate your energy, and I will bring you pain."
"Fine. I won't leave the room. Now, may I stand somewhere other than in the path of your breath?"
James took his hand off the wall and stood back, and waited for Roberto to speak.
"Now what do you want from me?" Roberto demanded.
"I want to know where you got your license to treat women the way you do."
"What way? You think I'm disrespectful to women because I've had a few of them in my bed?" Roberto demanded.
"A few? How many is 'a few'? And how else did you think of those 'few'? Or did you think of them at all, as anything other than objects?"
"Now I see! You never got anywhere with Theresa, or any other woman, so now you're trying to make me feel bad about being successful with women! This must make you feel much better about your total ineptitude with the opposite sex."
"For your information, I've had sex several times before," James said. "There was a girl on the reservation, a few at the Massachusetts Academy, and, as much as I regret it, Risque. That may not be as many as you've shagged and bagged, but I don't want to compare myself to you, DaCosta."
"So what's the difference between you and me, other than sheer numbers? Would you have me believe I'm more sexist than you because I've slept with more women?"
"The difference is that I didn't play any tricks. I treated those women like human beings who were not put on Earth just so that I could stick my dick in them."
"You've got some nerve, Proudstar--" Roberto began, but was cut off.
"Do I, DaCosta? Do I?! Do I have some nerve to sleep with women without manipulating or drugging them? For being just as good to them the next day? Because I didn't need to get in their pants? For not cheating on anyone in the process? For doing it for no reason other than that I liked them? Is this something I should be ashamed of?"
"Is that what you really think? You think that because I've had as many women as I have, I must have manipulated or drugged them all? Sound logic, Proudstar, really," Roberto said sarcastically.
"What about Theresa? I know how you got her into bed."
"How many times have I told you already? I didn't know she was an alcoholic!"
"That's right, you didn't know that much! But you did know that you could separate her from her clothes if she had enough rum, or whatever it was that she drank. And why did you even WANT to do it, anyway? You've made it perfectly clear that you don't think very highly of Theresa, you don't respect her, you don't care about her! What did you want, other than her body?" James asked.
"Oh, I get it. You're still in love with her, and you can't stand that I got her in the sack before you did!" Roberto grinned.
James stood there and glared at Roberto for a few seconds. Then he looked down at his left arm, which was now inflamed and slightly bent. He finally spoke, but did not immediately look up. "Fine. You got me. I'm not over Terry. I'm still pathetically, hopelessly in love with her." He looked up. "But even if I should be getting over her, I'm not going to stand for seeing her used for a notch on someone's bedpost."
"That's very chivalrous of you," came Roberto's flattened voice. "Though some women might call that 'patronizing.'"
"That's a risk I'm willing to take for someone I care about," James said, and headed toward the door.
"Is that all, Proudstar? Are you finished lecturing yet?" Roberto challenged.
"Actually, one more thing. If you want to measure your masculinity, try counting the lives you've saved instead of the women you've gotten in the sack." The door swung shut behind him.
Roberto snorted. "And the one Most Likely to Turn Out Gay: James Proudstar!"
Part 4
"James! There you are. Dom's been wanting to see you," said Tabitha when she ran into James in the hallway on the way up from the training room."DaCosta and I went downstairs to beat each other up. He was still down there when I left. What's Dom want?"
"She, Sam, Jesse and me were in the game room playing Foozball and talking about what's going on, and Dom said she wanted to round up you, Dani, Terry and Bobby, but first she wants to talk to Terry alone. We're not going in the kitchen, because that's your mess to clean up."
"True, it is. Are they still in there?" James asked.
"Yeah, come on." Tabitha said. She led him back to the game room, next to the wrecked kitchen. There, Domino, Sam and Jesse stood (in Jesse's case, on crutches) around one of the game tables. Domino looked up gravely when Tabitha and James came in.
"James, are you okay?" she asked.
"DaCosta and I were just settling our score in the training room, but he didn't do anything to me worse than what I did to myself. I'll live," said James. "I did, however, get him to use up all his solar energy!" he smirked.
"Sneaky. Good job," Jesse put in.
"Is Bobby okay, Jimmy?" asked Sam.
"Unfortunately. Last I checked, he was just a little indignant. He's probably on his way up the roof right now to soak up some rays and recharge."
"Okay then," Sam responded. "Have you seen Terry? We all looked all over the place and can't find her."
"Has time been passing at different rates on each floor of this house?" James asked incredulously.
"No, James. After Dani calmed down and went back to her room, and we came up here to find the kitchen empty and trashed, Sam, Tabitha, Jesse and I went around looking for you and Bobby and Theresa. Sam said he heard you and Bobby growling at each other downstairs, but we couldn't find Theresa anywhere. Do you think she might have left?"
"No, I have a feeling she's still in here somewhere. Did you check her room?" James asked.
Domino gave him a very annoyed look. "Of course I checked her room, James. These three also went in there, and it was empty."
"How about we have a look one more time?" James suggested.
"Well, I suppose it can't do any harm," Domino said, and then turned to Sam, Jesse, and Tabitha. "You three carry on, have fun without me."
Domino and James returned to Theresa's bedroom to find the same still, quiet room as before. James continued inside. "Dom, do you notice anything in here? Do you feel like there's someone else nearby?" he asked, looking intensely around the room.
"Yeah, I do, but only now that you mention it," Domino said, unimpressed.
James opened up Theresa's closet door, stepped inside the closet, and leaned down. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" came his gentle, surprised voice from behind the closet's sliding door. He stood back up and walked out with Theresa beside him, led out by his hand on her upper back.
"You've been in there the whole time?" Dom said upon seeing the tired-looking, red-eyed Theresa stumble out beside James.
"Yes. Is it over yet?" Theresa asked.
"I'm sorry, but no. It won't be over without some more trouble on your part." Dom noticed the reddish, slightly raised handprint on Theresa's left cheek. "What's this?"
"What? Oh, that's from Dani. I came in here after leaving Jimmy alone with Bobby in the kitchen, and she was here waiting for me. We had a few words, and she apparently had to smack me."
"Dani came in here after she left the game room," Domino mused aloud. "She told me she was going to her room. I'm sorry, Theresa. This shouldn't have happened."
"Well, she didn't hurt me that badly. Not that I was going to let her," Theresa said. "Still, I don't see why she's so enraged at me, of all people. It's not like I'm the only person involved in all of this."
"That's true, and I want this to end just as much as you do. So I want to talk to you alone for a few minutes to figure out a way through this," Domino said with her arm around Theresa's shoulder.
"Okay, I guess you're right," the younger woman sighed, and then spotted James' distressing-looking wound. "Jimmy, your arm is looking really bad."
"What this? Yeah, I suppose it is. I guess that's what I get for breaking my own arm to make a point."
"Look, James, come down to the infirmary and let me put that arm in a splint, put some ice on it. Theresa's right, it looks like it's about to have a little monster jump out of it," Domino advised.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Let's go," James said and turned out of the room with Domino.
"Good. Theresa, I'll be with you in a little while," she said while headed through the door. "And, James, don't ever do this to yourself again!" came her increasingly distant voice from the other side of the door. "You can let your limbs turn black and fall off from gangrene if you want to break them on purpose!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Later that afternoon, Domino and Theresa convened in the mess that was X-Force's kitchen. Theresa sat on an empty space on the counter, while Domino stood next to her. A haze of displaced chairs and an overturned table surrounded them.
"First of all, you mind telling me what happened in here?" Domino asked, surveying the destruction.
"I wasn't there for the whole thing," Theresa began. "After you left to calm down Dani, James started on Roberto for getting me drunk and taking advantage of me, so they started arguing and pushing each other around. I had a few words with them, and then I left them alone in here. I guess they took their fight downstairs before it got too bad. Nothing's burned out of the wall or smashed to smithereens in here, just tossed around and broken in half."
"Okay, then, it'll be James and Roberto's job to clean this up," Domino said.
"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about, Domino? The kitchen being trashed?" Theresa asked.
"No. I want to talk to you about the fact that you kids are turning into each other's enemies. You have any ideas of how to deal with this situation?"
"I have the idea that we're all sick of being called 'kids' by you and Cable and everyone else who thinks we need a parent figure," Theresa replied.
Domino gritted her teeth and started to count to 10. "Okay," she finally said. "You young adults whom I respect but am a little confused by right now are turning into each other's enemies. Do you have a solution in mind?"
"Yes. Everyone needs to be heard out. I think we should give everyone a chance to tell their side of the story to everyone else, and let each other know exactly what's bothering them. Then we may be able to come to some sort of agreement."
"Yeah, that's sort of what I thought you'd say," Domino said.
"What else did you have in mind? Would you rather throw a couple of us off the team to end the conflict, or flip a coin to see who goes through the paddywhack machine? What?" Theresa snapped.
"No, I think your first idea is very good, in fact it's what I had in mind. Just thought I'd go over it with you, to see if you had anything to add. After all, you're supposedly the deputy leader, that ought to mean something," Domino said.
"I definitely want you to be present, Domino. You're a neutral party."
"Absolutely. Why don't we bring everyone down to the infirmary? That way, if a fight breaks out, the first aid supplies are right there," she smirked.
Theresa gave a brief half-smile and rolled her eyes. "Fine, the infirmary it is."
"Good," Domino pronounced. "James is already down there, holding some ice on his broken arm. I'll find Dani and bring her down, you go find Roberto. But, please don't get into a compromising position with him again?"
"Very funny, Dom, really."
After Domino found Dani sulking in the bathroom and contemplating vandalism, and Theresa found Roberto on the roof, replenishing his supply of solar energy, all were gathered in the infirmary, sitting at least three feet away from each other in a jagged rectangle shape. Domino silently walked through the rectangle, first lengthwise, then crosswise. When she saw all four were looking at her, she stopped in the middle between James and Roberto.
"I know you four aren't very happy with each other right now. Your teammates aren't really amused, either. Sam, Tab and Jesse have asked to be left out of this argument unless their input is absolutely necessary, which I hope it isn't. You all might not be thinking too much about it right now, but I am loathe to let this team be torn apart by the anger between the four of you. The others are much more disturbed at the way you're reacting than the incident you're reacting to. I find myself agreeing with them. While the matter you're warring over is...disconcerting, it does not need to destroy your friendships. If it does destroy your friendships, it does not need to destroy your relationships as teammates. Remember why you all are together in the first place; if you're no longer able to work together while subduing a Sentinel or other opponent, if you can't save each other's lives in battle, because of what went down after some pills turned up in a pair of pants, then I don't want to be on the same team as you. Maybe some of you should look into asking the X-Men if there's any room on their teams. Or Excalibur, for that matter. I hear you get along pretty well with them. But I'd rather save that for a last resort. As refreshing as it may be to kill each other, it's much more constructive to hear each other out, and then decide how you're going to approach each other in the future. My, what an unusual tactic for the X-types to use to resolve a conflict: verbal negotiation!" Domino paused briefly to revel in the uniqueness of the moment. "Now, you can't interrupt each other, and if anyone gets violent, I have my guns and will use them. Who's first?"
The four young mutants sat there with folded arms, bitterly averted eyes, and tight lips. Finally, Roberto raised his head.
"Okay, I'll go first." He peered out at his teammates, who in turn glared at him in anticipation. He turned his eyes back to the floor, and took in a deep breath. "I can't say I never intended to sleep with Theresa. While it was not something I was consciously planning, I'd be lying if I said the possibility never entered my mind before that afternoon." He looked up to find his teammates still glaring at him. "Theresa, I owe you an apology for the trouble you've been through since our affair, particularly the lying I've had you do. Dani...there is no excuse for my behavior. I hope you'll still have me, because I love you very much."
Dani looked toward the ceiling. Theresa let out a little exhausted sigh. James changed his glare from contemptuous to merely unimpressed.
"Roberto can't claim all the responsibility," came Theresa's voice. "I knew what was going to happen, or I should have. And I went ahead with it, because I wanted it. I wasn't planning it all along, either, but a part of me that sang out loud and clear wanted it to happen. So, whatever happens to him, should happen to me. Of course, that goes the other way, too."
"I commend your honesty, both of you," said Domino. "It doesn't excuse what you've done, but at least you're willing to take responsibility for it. James, Dani, do either of you have anything to say?"
"DaCosta's already heard everything I have to say about this," said James.
"I must admit that I originally wanted to shift most of the blame for this on Theresa. Not that I'm going to let you off the hook, Terry, but you're certainly not the one who brought this whole thing on. What I'd really like to know is how you two decided you had a right to do this. Roberto, am I really so worthless to you that you wouldn't learn your lesson the first time?" Dani asked.
"Dani, you mean the world to me. Please, let's work this out," Roberto started.
"No. How did you think I'd feel about this? Or did you think at all?" Dani asked.
"I wasn't thinking, Dani. But, I'd never do anything to hurt you."
"This is humiliating, 'Berto. I should have dumped you after you slept with Tabitha, but apparently, once isn't enough for me. Twice is enough. It's over. We're through."
"No! It doesn't have to end here!" Roberto raised his voice, grabbing Dani by the arm. "I can't lose you, Dani. I'll do anything to make it up to you, if you just don't give up on me."
"Do you have a hearing problem, Bobby? She said it's over, let go of her," Theresa said.
"I'd be stupid to stay with you after this. Just accept it, and keep this in mind for your next relationship," Dani said.
Roberto opened up his hand around her arm, and stood frozen in that position as Dani turned around to walk out.
"Danielle, hold on a minute," Domino said. "How is this going to affect the team?"
"I'm still an X-Forcer, if that's what you want to know. I'll save the life of anyone on this team, at any time, and I won't bring this incident up all the time. But, neither Roberto nor Theresa can consider me a friend. I respect them too much to not hold them accountable for their actions."
Domino sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that, but, okay."
"Can I go now?" Dani asked.
"Yes," Domino said.
Dani walked out and shut the door behind her.
"I can't believe this. How could I let her go?" Roberto thought aloud.
"Roberto, you slept with another woman, and she forgave you. You did it again, and she decided she'd had enough. You didn't 'let' her go, you screwed up and she refused to put up with it anymore. It was never within your power to make her stay," Domino said.
"I swore this wouldn't happen," Roberto went on.
"You should've sworn that you wouldn't let yourself astray. That would've meant something to her," James said.
"Shut up, Proudstar. I've heard enough from you," Roberto wrinkled his nose.
"Alright, is there anything else you three want to say to each other?" Domino asked.
"Just one thing for Theresa," Roberto said. He walked over to where she was sitting, and whispered something in her ear that made her eyes pop open. James heard it, too, and tensed up to sock Roberto, but Theresa stopped him, while Roberto made his way out of the infirmary.
"Jimmy, sit down," she said firmly. He dropped back into his seat grudgingly. "Domino, can I talk to Jimmy alone, please?" asked Theresa.
"Are you sure?" Domino checked.
"I promise, we won't hurt each other," Theresa said.
"Okay, but if I hear anything being smashed, crushed, split, or tossed, I'm coming down, and bringing Tabitha," Domino said.
"I understand," said Theresa. Domino nodded and went out the same way as Dani and Roberto.
"Jimmy, Bobby told me--" Theresa began, but James cut her off.
"I know what he told you," he growled.
"--he told me you said you still loved me. Is this something you're ashamed of?" she finished.
He realized what she'd just asked him, and felt sharp stinging rays of guilt poke at his insides. "No, no, of course not," he said, and squatted down beside her.
"Then why are you so angry about Bobby telling me this?"
"I thought there was no hope left for us. So, then it wouldn't help for DaCosta to bring that up again. Why, what does it mean to you?" he asked.
"It means a lot to hear that a man in my life still loves me, Jimmy," she softly said.
James started at Theresa, wondering what to make of her words, for a few moments. Finally, he exhaled quickly, and let his shoulders slump. "So what does this mean for us?" he asked.
"Let me explain," she began. "In that long time when I was neither here not there with you, it wasn't because I wanted to hurt you. Part of it was...I just couldn't appreciate what a good man I was letting go," she whispered the last part. "The other part was, I wanted to protect you from me. I was so damaged--still am, really--that I didn't want to think of what kind of relationship I'd make. I was afraid to expose you to that. But, I'd never hurt you, at least not on purpose."
"You never had to worry about that," James said after a moment of pregnant silence. "I knew what I was getting into, and it didn't scare me."
"Okay. Well, I would like to give it a try with you, if you'll still have me," Theresa said.
James' jaw went slack for a second, until he realized how shocked he looked, and composed himself. "Do you mean you want a relationship that goes beyond the platonic?"
"Yes, Jimmy."
"I would like that very much," he said as calmly as possible, even though he was inwardly barely able to contain himself.
Theresa smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "Wow. Sure took us long enough, didn't it?"
James briefly considered telling her to speak for herself, but decided it was best to let that one side. "Yeah. I thought this would never happen."
"Y'know, this is an odd time to be starting this up, seeing what I did just a few days ago," Theresa pointed out.
"True. But, I'm not going to hold a grudge. I've had my fill of that matter by now."
"Good," she nodded. "But you know, Roberto just lost a relationship, and we just started one. This is gonna be rough on him. Should we tell just yet?"
"Hmm. It would be a very bitter pill for DaCosta to swallow, indeed...but as much as I hate the little prick, we won't put him through that just yet. Let's wait a few weeks before we tell the others, or at least a few days." He swung from the rafters some more.
Meanwhile, the day was winding down not nearly so happily for some other members of X-Force. Sam found Dani sitting on the roof, staring up at the sun, with her back turned to him. He walked towards her, and the sound of his feet against the gravelly surface gave his presence away. She didn't turn around when she heard him coming, but wasn't startled when he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Hi, Sam," she breathed.
"Do you mind telling me what happened?" he asked gently.
"It's over between me and Roberto. I broke it off."
"Oh, God," said Sam.
"What? You did the same thing with Tabitha, only sooner," she said, slightly defensively.
"I know, and I'm not saying you did the wrong thing, just...this has got to be rough on him."
"Yeah, well, if he didn't know before what happens when you cheat on your lover, he knows now."
"I'm sorry, Dani."
"It's not your fault."
"I know, but I'm sorry you had to go through this. How're you feeling right now?"
"Awful," her voice cracked. "I still love him, Sam, but I can't take this anymore. I can't risk letting this happen again."
"For what it's worth, I don't think he did what he did because he thought any less of you."
"I know. Still, I can't just gloss this over, for either of them. What they did wasn't right."
"You're right, but listen to me, Dani; even if you never forgive him, you can't afford to let this eat you up. You've gotta get on with your life, and not let this leave a scar."
"I will get on with my life, Sam, but right now I think I'm entitled to a little misery, okay?"
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. And in the meantime, I'll be here, to help you get through it."
"Thanks, I appreciate that."
~finis~