Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men:Evolution or it's characters. Just my OC, Molly Callum/Creature and any original characters/background characters that may pop up from time to time.


Sleep didn't come easily to Molly that night. For once, she insisted Kitty go back to her own room, so Molly slept alone again. The nightmares weren't as bad this time, but they still disturbed Molly.

Molly got out of bed, putting on her bathrobe and ambling into the hallway. She was headed to the rec room to watch TV, but instead, she found herself sliding down to the floor in a fit, her crying turning into sobs. The stress of what had happened to Molly and it's effects was starting to bubble over. She wished it had never happened. It was times like now that she wished she didn't have this life. That she'd remained boring and normal, but that wasn't how things had ended up.

"Woah! What's with the water works?" Pietro stopped from speeding, appearing in front of her.

Molly sighed internally. Great. She didn't need this mega-pest annoying her at the moment.

"P-please go away. I don't...I don't want to talk about it," Molly wiped her face, unable to stop crying.

"Hey," Pietro sat next to her, "You look like crap and something's really wrong. I know I'm not Gambit, but I'm not just going to leave you alone in the hallway in the middle of the night crying. I may be annoying, but I'm not a total jerk."

"Uh, thanks," Molly said.

Silence.

"Guess I should tell you what happened," Molly said, not crying anymore, but her face was still red. And wet.

"It'd help," Pietro said.

"Remy and I got captured by some people kidnapping mutants. They were doing some really bad stuff, like selling organs. It was just last week. They tried to cut us open while we were still awake. Mostly. I've been having a lot of nightmares about it. It got so bad, Kitty had to stay with me. Now I'm out here crying. I just can't take it anymore," Molly admitted.

"That's really rough, but why are you getting some nightmares and bad memories get to you?" Pietro wondered.

"I _can't_ help it. It was traumatic. The whole time I've been here, I've been chased, shot at and so much other crap, but I've never been cut open to...to harvest my organs!" Molly's stomach churned,
"Come on, you gotta admit that's horrifying."

"It's horrifying, yeah, but you're really brave. We've all seen what you can do.
That's why I'm surprised. I know I get on your nerves on purpose, but, really,
you have all this courage and that's not something every girl has," Pietro smiled softly.

"Um, thanks again," Molly said, confused at his sincerity, "So, now that you know what's going on, do you have any ideas to help me get past it?" They got up from the floor.

"Not at two in the morning. Let me sleep on it. We'll talk more tomorrow," Pietro yawned.

They stared at each other.
"You're sweet, but I'm not hugging you," Molly crossed her arms with a dry look on her face.

"It's just as well," Pietro smirked, "I'd just try and get handsy anyway."

"Goodnight, Pietro," Molly rolled her eyes, going back into her room, waving him away.

"Sweet dreams...about me!" Pietro said before racing off.

The boy was incorrigible.


Molly was sitting at her computer the next day, finagaling about, writing, drawing and doing a little gaming.

"I think someone needs some snuggling," Remy bent down and brought his arms around her shoulders, burying his face into her hair, then nuzzling her neck ticklishly.

"Come on," Molly laughed, "At least let me stand up so you don't get uncomfortable." Molly stood as Remy backed away momentarily, while she forgot just how much Remy towered over her, "Not that this makes much difference."

"Ma amour," Remy growled, going back to nuzzling her neck, "You're scintillating. You're devine. Lovely." He raked his fingers through her hair, going on. "Every bit of you is like a beautiful dream. I just want to hug every curve and admire you."

"You're laying it on thick again," Molly smiled a little.

Remy hugged Molly.
"I just know it's been hard for you lately. I'm here for you. I want to make you feel better."

Remy would be put out to know it was Pietro of all people that was Molly's figurative shoulder to cry on the night before. Molly figured it was best to not mention it.

"Thank you. And you do," Molly snuggled into his chest, "You want to go out? Do something?"

"Love to," Remy answered.

Suddenly a breeze blew in and Pietro was standing there.
"Ew! Don't you two ever stop hugging and kissing?"

"What do you want, Speedy?" Remy glared.

"To talk to Molly," Pietro turned his attention to her, "So I had an idea. The Danger Room can do pretty much anything, right?"

"...Yeah," Molly hesitated, unsure of where Pietro was going with this.

"I say we recreate the mess you were in. Get your confidence back and prepare you for next time," Pietro looked excited.

"I-I don't know," Molly rubbed the back of her head, worried, "It sounds stressful."

"We'll watch you and won't let anything bad happen," Pietro said.

"It really doesn't sound like a bad idea, love," Remy said, "You need to know you can overcome things if they happen again.
I know you can do it."

"Okay, we can try it. _Just_ try it," Molly said.

"Give me a few hours and I'll make it happen," Pietro said, running off.

Some hours later, Molly found herself suited up and in the danger room. This time, in a reasonable recreation of the underground cave of horrors they'd faced before.

"I don't like this," Molly thought aloud, having taken three steps into the simulation.
She was wearing her uniform, plus a power-dampener collar to make things accurate to how they'd been before.

"We know, Petite, but you just have to try," Remy said over the loudspeaker as the X-Men and Brotherhood all curiously watched. Also all on hand in case anything went wrong. Molly absolutely losing it and panicking into a T-Rex was something no one wanted to see, but it was always a possibility.

"Alright, start it up," Molly said.