Mara lay on the table, oblivious to the fighting that shook the medlab around her as she trembled and wept in terror. The thought of a baby being inside of her scared her to death, and she moaned as she remembered the movement. Images of her past, mainly those of two little girls and the attack on her own family, rose up before her eyes and drove her to deeper levels of fear.
"Get it out," she whimpered. "Get it out, get it out..."
-It's Jubal's.- Jean's inner voice was full of shock.
Mara's body jerked, and she continued to cry.
"W-what?" she said. "But no...we never! No, no, no! Get it out, please!"
-No, you didn't,- said Jean softly, projecting comfort. -Do you remember seeing a young man with glowing green eyes while you were at the club?-
"I...I," Mara babbled, still panicked but feeling the terror slowly being pushed back. "No...I mean, yeah, he was there, but I didn't do anything with him either!"
-No. He's a reality warper. That means that he can make things happen that wouldn't normally.- Jean's projection of comfort and calm grew stronger as dead silence suddenly replaced the snarling mayhem in the medlab.
"Then he can take it back!" whimpered Mara. "He can make it go away. Do you know where he is?"
-No, he can't,- said Jean gently. -Mara, do you understand that this is your son? And Jubal's?-
"I don't want a son!" yelled Mara. "I don't want a baby! I don't want one, I want it out!"
-You realize that he'll die if we take him out?-
"I don't want one," Mara shook her head, dissolving again. "I don't...I don't..."
She trailed off into a miserable silence, suddenly remembering Jubal laying on the very bed she was now trapped upon. She remembered his ghastly face, the scars on his wrists, the shallow breathing. Then she remembered the depressed young man lying on his bed with 'Heaven's Dead' ready to blow the speakers apart and the young, joyful teenager who'd been with her at the concert. She remembered the vision of what he could one day be flashing across his face for her to wonder at and wish for.
"Tell him," she whispered, voice catching in her throat as she stared at the ceiling. "Tell him... I'll do what he wants. Whatever...whatever it is. I'll do it... Tell him."
-Tell who, Mara?- asked Jean.
"Him..." said Mara in a broken whisper. "Jubes."
There was the whisper of the sliding doors and she suddenly found herself free to move as Jean came to stand beside her garbed in a strange yellow and blue leotard and headpiece.
Mara glanced at the outfit, but didn't remark, instead returning her gaze to the ceiling and curling up as best she could.
"Please tell him," she murmured, blinking tears. "Please, please tell him to tell me what to do, please."
"He's sleeping," said Jean gently. "But I know that he doesn't believe in killing. Anything other than insects and computor game sprites."
Mara burst into tears again when she heard Jean's words, hugging herself tighter and starting to shake with fear again.
"What's this 'bout killin'?" asked Ruh's husky voice as the glowing woman flashed into sight.
"Mara, may I tell Ruh?" asked the red-haired woman softly, laying a hand on her arm.
"Don't care," Mara gasped between gut-wrenching sobs as she rocked herself slightly. "I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care..." she was cut off as the telepath projected more comfort, but continued to shudder and cry.
"A reality-warper lost control of his gift at Hell the other night," said Jean. "Five people wound up with green hair. Two women became pregnant."
The AI growled and muttered several non-curses under her breath. "How far along is she?"
"He's about the size of a five month's gestation baby," said Jean, rubbing Mara's back and blocking the horrific images of two little blond girls and exploding cars from her mind. "And Jubal is his father."
Ruh gasped. "Jubes? Jubes an old man?" She trailed off with a string of words in another language, then growled again. "Go get 'im, Jeany. He needs t' know."
Mara blinked and stared at Hank, who was laying sprawled on the floor on his back a few feet away from her bed, and numbly wondered if he and Creed had killed each other; then her mind went fuzzy and unfocused as her good hand absently touched her belly. She felt Jean's hand tighten gently on her arm, then felt a thread of wordless, joyful thoughts zip through her mind and knew that the red-head was showing her something.
"What's that?" she asked dully, quirking one eyebrow as Creed groaned and stirred slightly.
"The baby's reaction to your hand." Jean took her own hand away from the water girl's arm. "I'll be right back, okay?"
Mara nodded, then gulped and snatched her hand away, continuing to shiver as she covered her eyes and tried to contain her whimpers.
"It ain't that bad, kid," said Ruh, her voice trembling slightly. "Y' kin give 'im up after he's out if y' don't want 'im."
"I'll do what Jubal wants," Mara said quietly, lip quivering as she attempted to remake herself into her usual hard, uncaring self.
"At least y' kin choose." Ruh walked over and kicked Creed in the ribs, then sat on him with a sigh. "Y' sure took yer time gettin' here."
Mara shook her head, but didn't move otherwise as she slowly calmed, her mind going blank as she listened to the men snoring in front of her.
"Juggernaut's here now," commented Ruh after a few moments. "Joined the team a few days after you 'n me beat the snot outta 'im."
"I didn't know you people played football," said Mara absently. "Must have a hard time finding other teams to play."
Ruh snorted. "It ain't that kinda team, kid." Then she sighed and ran a hand over her buzzed hair, her face sharpening in its focus so that Mara could plainly see the painful thinness of her features. "I would 'a gave anythin' t' be able t' carry a baby 'n have it live."
"It's not fair," Mara choked as tears threatened her again. "I don't want him. Why couldn't the stupid kid just leave me alone? All I want is to be in the water, not with a baby!"
"I would 'a gave anythin' t' be a mother," said Ruh again, her eyes gazing into the past. "But the metal on my bones killed 'em. 'N then 'Ro carried Jabez, but I'm dead, so she's 'Ro 'n Nate's. Maybe it's just as well. Jubes was all the kid God ever gave me, 'n look how bad I screwed him up."
"He's alright. It was your death that really screwed him up," said Mara bitterly. "I like him. I didn't want this...but I like him, and he tries. Well, sometimes. But I saw it, in his face. I saw what he is, and that's why he has to decide what happens with the kid."
"I just hope this don't knock 'im fer another loop." Ruh sighed. "He's scared 'a that kinda thing. One 'a the girls decided t' take a shine t' 'im a few years ago, 'n 'e bolted. Left the school completely. I had ta go 'n find 'im 'n drag 'im back. 'E's fine so long as it's just 'is friends, but the first sign 'a anythin' more 'n..." She shook her head, thin face grim. "'E's ben hurt bad."
Mara understood the unspoken warning and scowled at her. "Do you think I wanted this? Do you think this was my idea? I'm sorry if it hurts him, but if it does he can just say to end it, that would help me."
"'N that's what would hurt 'im the worst," said Ruh. "I'm sorry too, kid. If I could leave the school I'd go find that brainless Morlock 'n ..." She winked out of sight as the medlab doors slid open again.
Mara watched as another bed rose out of the floor, then blinked as Juggernaut gently lay Jubal on it and walked away. She shook from head to toe, but forced herself to calm down as she slowly lifted her eyes to his face, only making it to his mouth before she lost her nerve.
"Mara?" He propped himself shakily on one elbow and looked at her in concern. "Did Hank find out what's wrong?"
-She didn't tell him.- Mara almost wet herself. -She didn't tell him, what do I say?-
"I...I'm fine," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm fine. Hank... He found something else."
Jubal's forehead furrowed. Then he tried to push himself up, only to fall back and grab his head with a curse.
"Don't, you'll hurt yourself," whimpered Mara. "Jubal...remember when we were in Hell, and there was a guy with glowing eyes next to us in the pit?"
"Yeah," he gasped, burying his face in his arms. "You yelled somethin' at 'im. &#$, my head..."
Mara blinked at the curse, remembering the embarrassment Creed had shown on the stairs, then smirked for a second before it fell away again.
"He was a Morlock with the power t' change reality or somethin'," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He...he lost control at the concert, and he changed people. He made me pregnant, with your kid."
She saw Jubal freeze and sucked in her breath, bracing herself for an explosion.
He was still for a moment. Then he once more struggled to push himself up and succeeded, but then hit the floor with an alarming thud as he slid off his bed.
"Jubal!" gasped Mara, then looked around, trembling. "Jean, help!"
There was no reply except for a groan from the floor as Jubal rolled over and once more struggled to get up. Jaw clenched, he took a deep breath and sat for a moment, then got his knees under himself with a Herculean effort.
"Stop!" Mara begged. "Please... Come on, Jubal, you're going to kill yourself!"
He looked up at her, blue eyes dark with determination, then struggled to his feet and managed to walk the four steps between their beds before stumbling.
Mara's good arm shot out and she grunted as she caught him, keeping her place on her own bed by hooking her good leg over the edge as she pulled him the rest of the way and supported him. Then she gritted her teeth and waited for him to unleash his anger.
Instead she felt him gently shoving her over and slumping down beside her.
"Don't...don't cry," he gasped, one hand groping for her arm. "I'll...help you...take care of it." Then he groaned and scrunched his face up, his whole body trembling with weakness.
"You have to promise to stay around," said Mara shakily, stunned that he wasn't angry with her. She reached up and took his hand. "You gotta promise, then you gotta rest. But don't leave me alone with it. Please, please don't!"
He nodded, then winced as his breath caught and he started to cough.
"Jean," Mara moaned, her grip tightening ever so slightly as tears ran down her cheeks again. "Someone, help him!"
Her pleas went unanswered and she trembled and turned her head, then gasped as Jubal's coughing jarred her broken arm.
"Oh." She bit back her groan, then remembered the oxygen mask that still hung around her neck. Letting go of his hand for a moment she tugged it off, then pressed it over his face.
"Breath," she said, still gasping from the pain in her arm.
He gasped and lifted one knee as he coughed again, then groaned and squeezed her hand apologetically.
"Just breath," she replied, trying to move over to give him a little more room. "Try."
He took a deep breath, then another, and she felt him relax. Then he sighed and she realized that he was asleep.
She didn't know what to do for a moment, then felt her own exhaustion creep up as she pulled his arm around her, hoping that he wouldn't be frightened by it if he woke first.
She sighed at the feeling of safety. Then her eyelids fluttered and drooped as she too succumbed to sleep.
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She snapped awake with a start as someone cried out in pain and lifted her head from Jubal's chest to see that Hank and Creed were gone from the floor. Instead the medlab was now full of beds. As she watched in surprise the huge green boy that she'd seen when she first came lay a bloodied, battered Creed on the bed next to hers, then winced and leaned against it, his face creased in sadness.
The agonized cry was repeated, and Mara recognized Betsy's voice.
"He's not gonna be happy when he wakes up 'n finds Sturmjäger's gone," said Ruh hoarsely from somewhere behind her.
"No," said the green boy, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Sammy's not gonna be happy about Mr. Marko, either."
"What's goin' on?" demanded Mara, scowling slightly, then set lay her head back down as dizziness hit her.
An unseen hand smoothed her back.
"The Brotherhood attacked," said Ruh gruffly. "How ya feelin'?"
"I'm fine." Mara sniffed, shaking her head and recoiling from the hand. "What's the Brotherhood? What'd they attack you for?"
"The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants," said Charles wearily from behind her as Betsy's cries became full-blooded screams. "They attacked us because they wished to destroy us."
"Yeah, what he said." Ruh sighed.
"Why the #$+& do they want to destroy a school for mutants like them?" said Mara, glaring fixedly past Jubal's chin. "What's the point?"
"They do not care about the school," said Charles as Betsy's cries became muted. "They wish to destroy the X-Men."
"The X-Men?" repeated Mara, scoffing. "Why the..." She stopped as she remembered the odd-looking suit Jean had come to the medlab in, then tried to remember the few reports she'd seen about the super-heroes back in the bars and started mentally matching names to faces she'd met at the mansion.
"Wait...you're not saying you're the X-Men?" Her mouth fell open.
Yes, we are the X-Men." Charles sighed, and she turned to look at him only to see him crumple against Ruh.
The glowing AI growled and looked around, then hefted him into her arms and carried him to the last empty bed, making a wide detour around Cable on her way back.
"I'll be there shortly," called Hank, his voice choked and painful.
"What happened?" Mara looked around. "I mean, why's Betsy freaking out? No one died, did they?"
"Marilyn's dead," said Ruh heavily. "Cain 'n TJ 'n Brownie're gone... But Bets is carryin' on because the twins're comin' early."
"She's havin' the babies?" Mara repeated, horrified as she recalled the screams. She couldn't help second-guessing the agreement with Jubal to bear their own child. The thought of the amount of pain Betsy had obviously been in scared her spitless. "That was havin' a baby!"
"That's havin' a baby after some #$+&! roughs ya up 'n nearly kills ya," growled Ruh, loosing ghostly claws and then winking out of sight.
"Mara?" came Donnie's voice, and she heard bare feet approaching her bed. "Are you guys okay?"
"D... Nerves." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I'm fine. Jubal's passed out. You ok?"
"I will be after I go back in the water." He put a hand on her back and she felt it shake. "Goldie's mom's gone..."
"You should go back to the pool then," she muttered, pretending like she hadn't heard the reports of death. She turned and looked toward Cable again and saw that he was holding Jabez and Goldie in one arm and a fish-like boy in the other as he stood protectively next to Storm's bed. Then she glanced at Donnie and winced as she saw the bloody bruises that wrapped around his torso and right shoulder "What happened to ya?"
"Black Tom grabbed me." He winced and put a hand over the worst bruise on his shoulder, as though he were trying to hide it from her.
"They're girls!" called Jean from somewhere in the direction Mara's head was pointed, her voice breaking with joy and relief. "They've got wings!"
Mara shuddered internally, then glared at Donnie.
"You should go take care of those, they look nasty. What'd the $#&+head do to you?" she said. Then she tried to see Jean. "N' how's was-pregnant?"
"Dr. McCoy 'n Mrs. Summers might need my help," said Donnie, turning to look too. "Mrs. Summers looks pretty happy, so Mrs. Worthington must be okay." He looked toward the green boy then and frowned. "Will, are you okay?"
"I think I need to sit down," said Will, lowering himself to the floor. "My head hurts."
"You'll be okay in a few minutes," said Donnie encouragingly.
"I know, but right now it feels like his tentacle's still jammed through my ear and wiggling in my brain," groaned Will, lowering his head to his hands.
"Cubs," said Creed suddenly. "Cubs...alright?"
"Dan got bashed up against the house pretty hard," said Donnie. "Dr. McCoy's working on him. Roach slipped out of Black Tom's grip and bounced off the mammoth guy, but he's alright. Munkee's got a broken arm, Chris is okay except for bruises, and Baton Rouge is just a little banged up, but we had to put her in a cell because she was setting everything on fire."
Creed nodded weakly without opening his eyes. "Bunyip?"
"He bit Black Tom and got thrown into the trees," said Donnie.
"'E's alright, then." The big blond man seemed to doze for a few minutes, then creased his face up and growled. "What about Cain 'n TJ?"
Donnie winced. "They got sucked into the portal with the Brotherhood." He bit his lip. "So did Sturmjäger."
Mara saw Creed's face go blank with shock for a moment, then crease in sorrow. "Goldie?"
"The babies are all safe," said Donnie, wiping his eyes on the back of one hand and smearing blood across his face.
"Thank God," rumbled Creed, then fell silent but for the rasp of his breathing.
"Go to the freakin' pool, Nerves, you'll bleed out," muttered Mara, grimacing at the report and feeling her throat tighten even though she didn't know many of the mentioned lost.
"I'm only bruised," said Donnie absently, turning his head to look beyond Storm's bed. "Mr. Wagner just woke up...I think he's gonna be okay. But Mr. Drake's still down." He winced as a 'bamf' sound was followed by a faint wisp of brimstone and Mara started to gag. "He's going to look for Stitch."
"Crap, not Stitch!" gasped Mara, her hand tightening around Jubal's unconsciously as she tried not to throw up.
Donnie put a hand on her back and she scowled as she felt that the shaking she'd noticed earlier was worse.
"#$+&, man, you're gonna fall over!" she snapped, turning to look at him. "You need t' help yourself too!"
"This is just reaction." He looked at her thoughtfully, then started again as the bamf sound was repeated.
"She's feral!" gasped Kurt as Will and Donnie hurried to help him with the snarling, struggling teen in his arms. "I have to go back for Scott, she attacked him."
"Reaction me..." Mara was cut off as she stared at the fire-eyed Stitch, who reminded her uncannily of Logan when she'd lost it in the battle with Cain. The only difference was that the girl was without the wild hair that had characterized the older woman. As she watched Will grabbed the small teen and held her gently but firmly to his chest as she tried her best to bite him.
"Easy," he rumbled as Kurt vanished again with another blast of brimstone. "Come on, Stitch, calm down."
Mara blinked as he lay his cheek against the girl's head and kept up the gentle rumble of words, then her mouth twitched at one corner. She watched as Jean walked to Storm's bed and leaned over the woman, then turned and put her arms around a brown-haired boy who got up from the floor to lay his head on her shoulder.
"She's going to be okay," the red head said softly, looking up at Cable, who still held the three children in his arms.
"I know, Mom," rumbled the white-haired man gruffly. "She's just tired."
"Here, give me Goldie and take her to bed." Jean let go of the boy and took the baby, then watched as the boy held out his arms for the little fish kid.
"I'll take him, Nate," he said gruffly.
Cable handed over the children in question, then turned to look at Storm as she rose from the bed and floated out of the room ahead of him.
Will sighed, then smiled uncertainly down at Stitch. "Are you back?"
"Yeah," she said softly, her arms going around his chest. "Where's Jubes? I wanna see him."
The huge green boy turned obediently and carried her toward Mara and Jubal's bed.
Mara grimaced slightly and closed her eyes as they approached, wishing she was sleeping as soundly as the boy who was holding her.
-Mara, do you want to go to the pool?- asked Jean softly.
"Is that a question or an order?" said the water girl softly, shrinking inside of herself.
-A question,- said the telepath. -It's pretty loud in here right now.-
"No," Mara said shortly. Then she shook her head and growled at herself. "Yeah...no. I...sure.
-Would you be willing to be carried by someone else? I'm afraid I can't leave.- Jean rubbed Goldie's back as the baby suddenly let out an angry wail.
"Who?" Mara's eyes flashed.
The red head pointed to the teenager beside her. -This is my son Christopher. He can carry you the same way I do.-
"Fine," said Mara huffily, then carefully moved Jubal's hand off of her, still longing to stay with him but trying to convince herself that she couldn't be comforted by him or anybody else. That was the way to avoid the complications of relationships, that was the way to avoid dependency.
Then she flinched as he gave a startled, breathless cry, one hand searching for her as the other went to his chest as the coughing started again.
"Dangit!" said Stitch, letting go of Will and jumping down to put her arms around him. "Shh, Jubes, I'm here. Stitchie's here."
"Mara!" he gasped, blinking feverishly.
"Jean, he's rattling." The black-haired girl looked up tearfully.
"Mara..." Jubal's face screwed up in pain.
"Hey, hey, I'm here too," said Mara, shivering as she grabbed his hand again. "I'm here, stop freaking out!"
Jean strode over rapidly and gently shoved Stitch aside, her face going grim as she lay a hand on the coughing teen's chest. Jubal stilled, though his face was still twisted into a grimace. "Hank was afraid of this. I should have realized he wouldn't stay still."
"What's amiss?" Hank came to stand beside her, pulling off a bloodstained scrub shirt and throwing it aside.
"Jubal overtired himself. It sounds like pneumonia," said Jean, moving out of the blue doctor's way.
"What I would not give for a pint of our good Warren's blood," sighed Hank, pulling his stethoscope from around his neck and gently pushing up Jubal's pajama top to listen to his chest.
Mara frowned as she saw how thin her friend was under his clothes and the scars that marked the skin of his chest, then quickly looked away and squeezed his hand as his grip tightened ever so slightly as well.
Hank growled, then murmured softly as the sound caused Jubal to flinch and start coughing again. "Jean, can you make him let go of Miss River? I must needs set the life-sign monitors and other equipment up over the bed, and there's naught room for but one in it."
"Yes," said Jean softly, glancing at Mara for permission.
"Whatever," she said, releasing Jubal's hand and biting the inside of her cheek as she rolled her eyes and huffed slightly. "I wanted to go to the pool anyway."
"Is he gonna be okay?" Stitch's expression was heartbreaking.
"I hope so," said Hank gruffly. "Could you please wait outside? I'm afraid that there are far too many people in this room at the moment."
"Yeah." Stitch accepted the hug that he gave her, then turned to Mara. "Me 'n Will kin take ya ta the pool."
Mara glanced at the pleading in the girl's eyes, then turned her eyes to the ceiling and grunted again. "Whatever."
She heard the green boy walk around the table, then grimaced as he gently scooped her into his arms and turned to carry her toward the door. It was as if she'd been incased by warm, smooth rock that had no give, but no roughness either. It was an odd feeling, but she could tell by the way that Will held her that she was free to get away whenever she wanted to. She knew she'd fall on her butt if she tried it, but knowing that the option was there was comforting.
"Sheesh, what are you? A rock boy?" she scowled, attempting to drive away that feeling of comfort.
Will looked down at her as the doors swished open in front of him and they left the minor confusion of the medlab. "I'm Young Hulk. William Banner."
"You don't go all insane like your old man, do you?" she said, slightly surprised. He looked and acted far too gentle to be anything related to the snarling 'monster' she'd once seen tearing up a helicopter and watched countless times on different pub's televisions.
"Dad hasn't lost it in years," he said mildly, his soft green eyes shying away from hers. "But I've got anger management issues. That's why I'm here."
"Don't worry," Stitch chipped in. "He only gets mad at bad guys."
"Oh, well that's great," said Mara , her scowl softening slightly into surprise and confusion.
The elevator chimed softly and Will carried her inside, then turned to face the front. "The house is in pretty bad shape, and I think that part of the pool room got caved in. But there shouldn't be too much stuff in the water. If there is do you want me to find a bathtub?"
"You worry too freakin' much, darlin'," growled Stitch from somewhere down under Mara's feet.
Will's face took on the expression of a kicked puppy. "Sorry."
"Hey." The girl's face suddenly appeared over his shoulder and she put her arms around his neck. "Everythin's gonna be alright, bub. Don't cry."
"I'm not," he said huskily, staring straight ahead as he walked out of the elevator.
"The pool's fine as long as it's got water," said Mara, turning her face away from him. She didn't want to see anybody cry right now, let alone Young Hulk. "I live in the ocean, which is not the cleanest place in the world."
"Yeah, but wood and glass splinters could cut up your gills," he said, his voice still rough.
Mara frowned as she saw just how damaged the mansion was. It looked as though the place had been torpedoed, with open sky showing through massive rents in the walls and ceilings.
"Hate to tell you, so can sharks. And they're worse. They follow you around." She shook her head at the wreckage. It wasn't anything to do with her.
"I'm not gonna put you in if the water's too bad," he said firmly. "There are other places with good water."
"Hey!" said a voice with a heavy Spanish accent. "Howcome you got the new girl?"
"Back off, Roach!" Stitch gave a blood-curdling snarl.
"Or what, chica? You gonna bite me?" The voice carried a smirk. "Or you gonna get lover-boy to squash me, hmm?"
Mara looked over to see the yellow-skinned boy that Creed had snarled at before. She glanced at the plain uniform he wore and glared.
"#&+$ off," she growled. "I'm not in the mood to put up with a slimy #&+$ like you."
He attempted what was obviously supposed to be a sexy smirk. "How you gonna know till you... AIIIIII!"
Mara blinked as Stitch took a flying leap off Will's shoulders and hit the guy head-on, then winced at his terrified yells.
"Woah!" Will grabbed the fifteen year old by the back of her brown and tan uniform and held her away from himself by one arm as she snarled at her erstwhile prey. "Roach, run!"
"I'm gone!" The guy scrambled to his feet and bolted.
"Crap," said Mara, staring at Stitch, who was showing no signs of sickness whatsoever from biting her toxic schoolmate. "Never mind you, Green Rock, I don't wanna get on her bad side!"
The tiny teen froze at her words, then turned and looked at her for a moment, dark eyes wide.
Then she flipped up so that she was astride Will's arm and gave a rueful grin. "Hulk said 'e had anger management issues. Never said whose anger." She sighed. "I'd never hurt ya, Mara."
Mara stared at her for a moment, then had the awful feeling that the girl knew what was inside of her.
"Yeah?" she snapped, glaring at her. "N' why not?"
"Jubes'd kill me." Stitch gave a Wolverine smirk and drew her legs up to crouch on Will's arm, then leapt forward and vanished into the rubble.
Mara fumed after her, then crossed her arms over her chest and glowered. "Let's get this $#& show on the road."
"'Kay." Will put his other arm back beneath her and started forward, but then stopped as Stitch reappeared.
"Pool's empty," she said, trotting back the other way.
Will sighed and turned to follow.
"Where are we going?" snapped Mara. "If you try to put me in a bathtub... Young Maniac or not I'll rip your ears off!"
"You couldn't," he said absently. "Black Tom tried, and he's stronger than you."
"Don't tell me what I #&&# can and can't do," Mara spat. "Where the #$+& are you taking me!"
"Don't cuss at Willie," growled Stitch from below her. "You'll make 'im cry. We're takin' ya t' the pond."
"N' what are you gonna do about it?" sneered Mara, though the growl had startled her pretty badly. She fumed for a moment, then processed what the girl had said. "Wait, pond? That's got the fish, right?"
"Yeah, there's fish in it. And bugs 'n leeches," grumbled Stitch. "You'd better not be this mean to Jubes. He can't take it."
"Look, I've known you for what, a few hours?" snapped Mara. "Jubal a little longer. Whoever said I was your friend? All of my friends are back in the ocean, they're not up here pretending to be super heroes. They swim and eat and mind their own business, and they don't assume I'm a part of their clan because I've been unconscious in their home for a few days."
"Put her down." Stitch's voice was pure Logan.
"What?" Will stopped and looked over Mara.
"She doesn't want us or like us. Proly doesn't need us either. Put her down 'n let's go look for Bunyip."
Will gave Mara a troubled look. "But she can't..."
"PUT HER DOWN BEFORE I FORGET THE STUPID #$&'s PREGNANT!" roared Stitch with enough force to nearly make Mara wet herself.
"No. Stitch..."
"I can make it on my own," said Mara, voice cold as ice as her chest heaved with anger and disguised fear.
He started to argue, but then seemed to remember something and gently set her down on the rubble-strewn grass, his eyes looking as though he was sending something to its death. "But, Stitch. Bunyip's crazy right now. If he finds her he could hurt her."
"I don't care if she doesn't." The tiny teen turned and jogged toward the trees.
Will swallowed and hovered over Mara protectively, then lowered his head and started to cry.
"Just go," said Mara, looking away from him as she balled her fist. "I'm not helpless, and I sure as heck don't need a bodyguard."
There was a sudden rush of air, and Cable stood and frowned down at her. "What's going on here?"
"I don't need to be baby-sat, that's what!" said Mara loudly, feeling unexplainably angry with Will and Cable for just being there. "N' I never asked to be carried around like a piece of wood. I bet if I'd been allowed I could have made my #&$+ leg work by now!"
The white-haired man gave her an inscrutable look, then the next thing she knew she was hitting the sun-warmed surface of a small body of water with a splash that knocked the wind out of her.
She sank beneath the surface, her mind and emotions in a turmoil, then closed her eyes for a moment and turned her attention toward the fish that lurked beneath the water weeds.