A/N- I don't own X-men. Marvel does. However, Roxanne is mine, and Eloise is Pepper's cause Pepper owns herself. This chapter is long! Like, 2500+ words! Hah!
Just a heads up- I'll be posting a chapter a little early one week- on the 7th of aug instead of the 8th, 'cause I'm traveling on the 8th. After that things will be back to normal :D
End A/N
"Roxanne! Roxanne, wake up, or we're going to miss your appointment!"
I groaned and opened my eyes to stare up into the face of an angel. My aunt, Emma, who took care of me, was literally a life-sized Barbie doll with her flowing blond hair, perfect porcelain skin, and sapphire blue eyes. I've got pale skin too, but it's that sickly white you always see in hospitals and it's far from perfect.
"Okay, okay; I'm getting up." I moaned.
"I laid your clothes out for you; they're on the chair." Aunt Emma said. "Breakfast's ready, hurry and eat so we can get going."
I nodded and pulled myself out of bed. Downstairs I heard the phone ring and Aunt Emma hurried to answer; I heard her curse someone about calling the land line again before she descended the stairs. People are always trying to get a hold of her; she manages a popular clothing line but works from home to keep an eye on me. Every now and again people will forget the "No calling the house" rule and then Eloise and I have to turn the TV up loud to drown out the arguing, so most of her clients have learned to call her cell phone or the office. With all her work she always finds someone to take over when she has to take me for doctor's appointments. It makes me feel guilty that most of her and Eloise's lives get put on hold for me, but she says that she's glad to spend time with me rather than in a stuffy cubicle.
I quickly threw on the fresh t-shirt and sweats she had laid out for me. I would be changing when I got to the hospital into one of those god awful gowns so there was no need to dress up. I ran a brush through my hair and splashed some water on my face to wake myself up. When I got downstairs Eloise was already sitting at the table gobbling down her eggs. Her dirty-blonde hair was pulled into fuzzy ponytail and her glasses sat a little wonky on the bridge of her nose; anyone would think she was in a hurry, but I knew she just honestly didn't care how she looked to the world. A few stray locks of hair framed her heart-shaped face and she was constantly brushing them aside. Her skin was light like her mother but negligence to personal hygiene for long periods of time resulted in acne and an overall grimy look. I tried to avoid her eyes as I sat and started at my breakfast, but she noticed and soon chocolate brown orbs were staring me down. If you've ever met Eloise, then you'd know that it's impossible to hide your thoughts when she looks at you.
"Don't sweat about that bone marrow crap, they'll probably do a test and say you won't need it. Besides, mom promised us an extra hour of TV time, remember? Just for showing up!" Eloise said, pushing my breakfast in front of me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat; I could tell she was acting. If there's one thing Eloise hated it was shots, or even any sharp object really. I picked at the food in front of me, but my egg and four slices of toast made a sour face at me. I pushed it away, no point in eating if you'll just see it again later.
"Girls, hurry up, we leave in 15 minutes!" Aunt Emma said, bursting into the kitchen and grabbing the last of the toast of Eloise's plate, and then she headed upstairs to grab her purse.
Eloise sulked over her toast, but turned down mine when I offered it; sometimes she just likes to complain. Under her watchful eye I forced down the slice I offered her. We just sat for a while before Aunt Emma returned with keys in hand, and shepherded us out the door. She hated being late to anything, especially doctor's visits. One time, when I was little, I lost my shoes and she made Eloise carry me, we were late and they gave away our time slot to someone else so we ended up not getting in for another week.
We were putting on coats when something smacked into the window by the door. I dove away and covered my head, my heart pounding against my ribcage. I looked up to see the glass covered in deep cracks, but luckily it hadn't shattered. Aunt Emma poked her head out first before ushering my cousin and I to the car. She stopped cold halfway to the car, turned, and covered her mouth to muffle a scream of surprise when she spotted five deep cuts in the banister on the porch. She unlocked the doors to the car and I climbed in; with the doors shut I was allowed to take off the scarf that protected me from pollen. Just the slightest amount could send me into a coughing fit. Even in winter, old habits died hard and I always wore it extra snug outdoors.
Eloise sat in the back seat next to me; she was gazing longingly out the window towards a small plane that sat on a runway not far from our house. It was hers and she flew as often as she could, but not always for fun. A few winters ago we had been snowed in and I'd gotten sicker than I usually do; in the end she managed to clear the runway enough for takeoff and flew us to the hospital, the only problem was in the landing. Luckily there was a parking garage nearby that was empty and long enough for an emergency stop.
The driver's side door slammed as Aunt Emma climbed in and started the car. Something was bothering her as she looked around everywhere, eyeing the woods that surrounded the house. They weren't close enough for someone to throw something and hit the window, so I'd ruled them out for wherever the person was who had thrown it, but in between two large oaks I saw a figure disappear into the denser area. Throughout the entire car ride Aunt Emma watched the sides of the road as if expecting something to barrel out at any second and broadside us.
"Jesus Roxy," Eloise scolded, "This is ridiculous. If you need to throw up, then throw up already!"
Grinning, I shook my head, but made no eye contact. I was staring at the 17-year-old boy in the chair across from me, who was staring right back.
"It's been over ten minutes Charlie; feeling sick yet?" I taunted.
He snickered, "The question is, are you?"
Yes, I thought to myself, I feel like crap, but there was no way I was losing this bet. The first to up-chuck paid the other ten dollars. We were both having Chemotherapy via an IV, which makes you feel like you want to throw up everything you have eaten in your entire life, and then crawl into a dark hole and die.
I heard Eloise groan, and continue typing away at her laptop. She loves to write, but her handwriting is ineligible, so she types everything that she writes in her notebooks.
I felt bile start its way up my throat. I swallowed it back down; Charlie was beginning to look green, and from past experience, I only needed to wait a little bit longer.
"Roxanne!" Eloise hissed; she must have seen me swallow.
"Just another minute!" I whispered to her, "He's about to cave, you just watch!"
Speak of the devil, Charlie grabbed his sick bucket and stuck his head into it. He coughed for a few minutes and then looked up at me. "You win," he groaned, "as usual."
I opened my mouth to laugh, but quickly closed it. Eloise handed me my bucket and I repeated what Charlie just went though. "I. Hate. CHEMO!" I growled to no one in particular.
"Don't we all," Charlie said before ducking back into his bucket once more.
Half an hour later and the nurse arrived to pull the IV needle out of my arm.
"About time," I muttered as she left. I darted into the bathroom and changed quickly; I was determined to get out of here as fast as I could. When I got out, I saw Eloise with her phone glued to her ear. She was biting her lip and looking around nervously. I walked over and poked her in her side, "What is it?"
She squeaked, and turned to me. "I can't find mom." She replied, closing her cell and shoving it in her back pocket. "She's usually here ten minutes before your chemo finishes, but she's actually late."
I squeezed Eloise's shoulder. "It's probably nothing," I reassured her, "Your mom is probably just dealing with another moron who called the house phone."
Eloise laughed a little, but still looked nervous. "I hope your right."
"Where is it?" Emma hissed, pushing aside box after box in her dusty attic. She didn't know what was in half of them, just crap that she and her late husband had collected during the first few years of their marriage. Part of her told her to dump it all, but she just couldn't bring herself to get rid of it.
But she wasn't looking for some trinket that her husband thought had some sentimental value- she was looking for a small parcel that Kayla, her sister, left for her. Well, not for her, for her niece, Roxanne, who her sister had told to guard with her life. A stab of guilt stuck her in the side. They had found out about Roxanne, and to make matters worse they sent someone after her.
"Some guardian I am," she thought to herself.
Emma huffed and sat down on the floor. She brushed a few stray locks from her face and looked around the attic.
"I'm never gonna find it…" she muttered.
She looked up to the ceiling, and frowned. Sitting on top of one of the trusses above her head was what seemed to be a little brown box. She stood and reached for it, her fingers just barely brushing against it. Pushing herself up onto her tiptoes she managed to knock the box down from its perch. She caught it before it hit the ground, and turned it over.
Roxanne Howlett
"Yes!" Emma breathed, hugging the parcel close to her chest. She knew that handwriting anywhere; it was Kayla's. She bit her lip and looked down at the parcel. She knew that inside would be letters from Kayla, not only to Roxanne, but to Roxanne's father as well. How would Roxanne cope with a whole new world thrust upon her? Emma shook her head, no; she couldn't keep secrets from Roxanne anymore. Neither could Eloise, Emma had told her daughter everything a few years back, and made her swear to keep Roxanne in the dark.
Emma's watch beeped at her. Frowning, she tucked the parcel under her arm, and looked at her watch. "5:00PM," she said to herself. The gears ground in her head, and she gasped. "Roxy and El!"
She hurried down the attic ladder and pushed it back into the attic where it was stored. She quickly shut the door in the ceiling and ran down the stairs. She stopped in the living room and looked around. "Hiding place, hiding place," she muttered to herself. "The TV!" she placed the box behind the TV, and continued on her way out the door. The cold, winter wind smacked her in the face as she ran outside. As she fumbled with her keys to get into her car, she noticed something strange.
Emma walked over to the front of her car, and immediately felt sick. Five, long deep gouge marks tattooed the hood of her car, starting at the headlights, and ending just in front of the driver's seat.
Her keys fell to the ground with a soft clink. She had to get the girls to the school; the Professor would understand, even though Roxanne's mutation hadn't surfaced yet. She knew that she had to move fast;
Because he had found Roxanne and now the hunt was on.
"Mom!" Eloise shouted as soon as Aunt Emma appeared. I winced; I was sitting right next to her and got the full blast of this in my ear. "What took you so long?"
Aunt Emma glanced around, nervous. "Later," she hissed.
Eloise frowned, but didn't press her mother any further.
"Come on," Aunt Emma said, "Let's get home girls."
Eloise huffed and stood, "There'd better be something good on TV tonight," she complained, "We get an hour of TV time tonight."
I swallowed, remembering we got TV time tonight if I got the test done. Aunt Emma didn't like Eloise and I to watch that much TV because it (quote on quote) "made out brains turn into goo." I sorta hadn't gotten the test done…
"Roxanne," Aunt Emma said to me, "Did they run the test?"
I looked away, "What test?"
"The test to see if you need the bone marrow transplant."
I bit my lip, "The doctor didn't want to do it today."
Eloise looked at me straight in the eye, now realizing that I had lied to her about getting the test done. "I thought you said you got it done."
"Why didn't the doctor want to do it today?" Aunt Emma pressed.
"I told him I had a really bad headache, and that my arms were really sore from the bruises." I said quietly.
"Roxanne!" Eloise scolded.
"Why didn't you want the test done?" Aunt Emma asked me, now kneeling down so she was looking me at eye level.
"I don't want Eloise to have to go through the transplant!" I blurted.
I heard Eloise groan next to me, "Roxanne, you're getting that test done right now."
"No," Aunt Emma interjected, "Not now, I need to get you two home."
Eloise looked at her mother, confused.
"Don't argue with me," Aunt Emma told Eloise. Eloise pouted, and stood. "Come on, let's go." Aunt Emma repeated, more forcefully this time.
I stood, and shook my numb legs (I had a habit of sitting on top of them). When Aunt Emma said move, you'd better move. I followed her to the car, only pausing to wrap up warm against the cold. "Come on, come on!" Aunt Emma said, waving Eloise and I into the car. However, Eloise wouldn't move from her spot in front of the car, rooted to the spot.
"Mom," she said, "What the hell are those?"
Aunt Emma looked up, "what are you talking about?"
"The scratches in the car." Eloise said, jabbing her finger at the hood of the car.
I looked over to see what she was talking about. Sure enough, there were five long slits on the hood of the car.
"A tree hit my car," Aunt Emma said, but I could hear the lie in her voice. "Now get in the car!"
Eloise huffed and did as told. I slid in the car next to her, and turned to talk to her, but Eloise looked tired and worn down, like she was insanely worried about something. I watched her as she drove home. As we turned onto the old road that led to our house, she grew more nervous, scanning the dense woods either side of us. I looked over to the forest just in time to see a flash of something, or someone, dart deeper into the woods.
I looked from Aunt Emma to Eloise, who was too starting to look nervous.
Something was going on here, something both of them were keeping from me.
A/N- Okay, any guesses who's after Roxy? PEPPER AND WHISPER DON'T YOU GO SPOILIN' ANYTHIN' OR I'LL SCOOP YOUR INSIDES OUT WHILE LAUGHING LIKE A MANIAC! :D
Any Predictions? Comments? Any editing I missed out on? COMMENTS?
Thanks to Pepper who edited this chapter :)
Peace out!
~Madbrit
