UKTara: Thanks! I hope you like Chapter Two just as much.
Snoob: Lol. I figured that because of my month-long absence that I better do some catching up. Lol.
Blix: Well I'm glad you feel that way because there will be a fight. grins
Chapter Two
Over the Threshold
Rogue pulled onto her street. Her palms were clammy, her throat dry, and her heart racing like a Stallion. She licked her lips and swallowed as she steered the vehicle up the driveway of the cozy, two-story southern house. Her hands quivering, she turned the key in the ignition, shutting the car off. She glanced nervously at Wolverine.
"Ah'm not sure how they all will react. Just…follow my lead." She climbed out of the blue car, gulping at the sight of the rose bushes adorning the side of the house. Her mother loved gardening.
Logan and Bobby came on either side of her, silent supporters. John trailed closely behind; sneering at the well cared for yard and white picket fence. Rogue led them up the porch steps. She knocked tentatively on the door and then felt foolish doing so. This was, after all, her home for the first seventeen and a half years of her life. She dug her hand into a flowerpot, retrieving the spare key.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside, peering back as the three men wandered in after her. It was ten o'clock at night. Most likely her parents were zonked out in front of the TV in their bedroom. Tiptoeing, she led the others up the stairs and into her old room.
Opening the door, she gasped. It was exactly as she left it. Even the note she had left behind was still sitting on her bed. The only difference was that the once crisp paper was wrinkled and tear-stained.
Mama, she thought, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving without saying goodbye to her mother.
The three men couldn't help but scan the room: curious to learn more about the mysterious woman they lived with. Logan even went as far as to peer into her closet, noting her style in clothes had changed drastically. The space was crowded with not-quite-preppy mini-skirts, tank tops, and sandals. His eyes fell on a black denim skirt short enough to fit on a Barbie; and couldn't help but wonder what the girl would look like wearing it. All she wore now were jeans, long shirts, gloves, and scarves. How she must crave slipping into something else during the hot summer season.
Rogue cleared her throat, biting on her lip awkwardly. "What should we do?"
"What do ya want," a sharp voice bellowed from the doorway.
Rogue whirled around and jolted at the sight of a middle-aged man holding a rifle to her head. "Daddy? Daddy, put the gun down."
The scrawny man lowered the weapon, eyeing her with mixed emotions. "Marie?"
"Yeah, Daddy, it's me." Rogue stepped hesitantly closer, tears springing to her eyes when her dad recoiled. Rogue stopped halfway to him. "Ah…ah can't explain everythin', but Ah needed a place to hide out for awhile."
"Hide out? What the Hell kinda trouble are ya in, girl? And who the hell are these people?" Jim D'Ancanto glared at the others in the room, landing last on Logan.
"Ah've been at a school. This is Bobby and John. They're students." She nodded towards Wolverine. "And this is Professor Logan."
"What the hell, girl? You disappear more than a year ago and then show up out of the blue with these people because yer runnin' from the cops?"
"We're not runnin' from the cops! We're just…"
"Leaving. Now get out."
"Daddy…"
"Ah said get out! Ah have no daughter."
Her tears ran down her cheeks. His words slammed into her gut, piercing her heart. She knew she shouldn't have returned. She wasn't wanted here.
Logan sprang forth, angry. "Listen, bub, she's your daughter whether you like it or not. And she came here looking for help. And trust me, you're her last resort."
Mr. D'Ancanto glowered at the larger man. "It's unusual for a teacher to be "hidin' out" with his students. What exactly are you professor of?"
"Martial Arts," Logan snarled. Get the picture, bub? Mess with me or Marie and I'll kick your ass.
Her father fixed his loathing eyes on her. "Ya must have quite the relationship with yer teacher," he snidely accused.
Logan jabbed a finger into Jim's chest. "Hey, asshole, that's uncalled for."
"Honey, what's…sweet mother of Jesus," a woman exclaimed, rushing into the room. "Marie! Marie, baby, where have you been?"
Rogue choked back a sob at seeing her mother. "Mama," she cried, desperate to run into her mother's arms, but feared that she would jerk away from her touch. "Mama, Ah've been at a school. A school for people like me. We're just lookin' for two of our team mem-…two of the teachers. They're in Jackson."
Jim grimaced. "People like you? You mean mutants?" He looked from Bobby to John to Logan; and then wrinkled his nose at Marie before, muttering: "Damn freaks."
Marie's mother stared at him, heartbroken. And then smiled grimly at her daughter. "Are ya hungry?"
"Damn it, woman, we ain't gonna feed'em," Jim yelled. "Go on back ta bed. Ah'll handle this."
Marie's mother glanced between her and Jim before slinking off, disappearing into the dark hallway.
Jim sneered. "Now ya'll can leave. Now."
"Daddy, please," Rogue begged. "We only need ta stay for an hour or so."
"Forget it you mutant whore!"
Wolverine lunged, tackling the startled father, smashing him into the ground. He heard Rogue screaming for him to stop, but he was too blinded with rage. He snapped out his claws, pressing the warm metal against one of the pulsing veins in Jim's neck. "I could kill you right now, bub. And you've certainly given me a reason, too."
"Logan, no," Rogue scolded.
Logan ignored her. "Now listen carefully to me, dick. We only want to stay for an hour's tops. And once we leave you'll never hear from us again. But if you try anything or say anything like that again…you'll really piss me off. Got it?"
Jim nodded weakly. "Yeah. Ah gotcha."
Logan climbed off of him, glaring daggers into Marie's father as he clumsily staggered to his feet. "Now, where the hell is the kitchen," Logan ordered. He knew the kids were hungry and no one was going to stand in his way from feeding them.
Who would've ever thought? Wolverine. Hunting for food for "his" kids. If the situation were different, he might have laughed at the thought.
End Chapter Two