Chapter Eight

That evening after getting home from the days events, Roxie sat outside when Tyron came out and sat beside her.

"That was some battle." Tyron said and Roxie simply nodded her head in responce.

"You okay?" Tyron asked, "You seem distracted."

"Sorry." She said simply, "I was trying to contact Eric to tell him how the battle went but he is blocking me again." She knew that Eric was no longer part of the team and that it was no longer nessesary for her to keep Eric in the loop as far as the team and its missions were concerned but she still felt obligated to. She still had feelings for him, and always would, and she knew that he worried about her being in battle even if he did not say anything. He didn't have to say anything. He never had to say anything for her to know how he felt but lately it had been harder for her to "get ahold" of Eric. He was blocking her more and more since the last time they had seen each other face to face. She knew that he had his secrets just as she had her own but she didn't understand why he was blocking her all the time. Was he doing something that she would not aprove of? Maybe but she doubtesd she would ever know for sure.

"You still keep him in the loop?" Tyron asked. He didn't see why Roxie felt she had to keep him informed of the team's wearabouts. He personally felt that Eric had left the team when they needed him most and that put a sour spin on things for Tyron.

"Yes." She said simply and she would leave it at that. Honestly, it wasn't Tyron's place to know why she kept Eric in the loop when she could "get ahold" of him. If Luke didn't hate her so much then she would have done the same for him but Luke, she feared was a lost cause. He was too far gone for her to help him now. For anyone to help him really. The one person who could have ever brought Luke back from the abyss that he had chosen to befriend, was the very reason he had taken residence in the cold dark void that Roxie tried very hard to stay out of.

Roxie got up from the bench and walked inside, with Tyron right behind her, and a moment later a telepathic message was sent out to the members of Pheolvrom.

Team Meeting in the briefing room.

"Team meeting?" Tyron asked.

"You wanted to convince me that attending the council meeting was the right thing to do right?"

"Yes but I didn't...Did you...?" Tyron asked so confused that he didn't finish his sentence.

"No I did not read your mind and you didn't have say anything. It was clearly written on your face." Roxie said with a slight smile. She knew she would have to have a meeting with her team before making any desison of any sort. Big or small. She felt that it was her job as leader to discuss with her team every move they made. She knew that if she were to make a move without consulting them, and it went sour, the team would blame her and fall apart. She leared from experience that even consulting one person and not the whole team can get her into trouble. But sometimes, on very rare occasions, consulting the whole team is not the best thing to do.

As Tyron and Roxie entered the breifing room,. Ty, Paris, Phoniex and Di, all who had puzzled faces, some more than others, were taking their seats.

"Rox," Ty asked, "What's this about?"

"Today, we came up against a new enemy." Roxie began, "And while coming up against this enemy, we came across a friend. Captian Dunn told us of a council commitey meeting tomorrow afternoon. It is a meeting to find out who will take the place of the two Kings."

"I think we should attend this meeting." Tyron said when Roxie had paused for a moment.

"Why?" Paris asked.

"As Rox said, they will be deciding who will be taking the place of the two kings. Imagine what we could do if we gained some level of power."

"We are not a team of political power. Oyur only goal is to live peacefully among the humans." Roxie said, "And even that hadn't been our goal till recently. Before we were all living under ground. Hidden away from the universe and forgotten about by time."

"I know Rox but what good are we if no one will listen?"

"What do you mean if no one will listen?" Phoenix asked.

"For people to really listen to what an individual or a group of people have to say, that group has to have some sort of clout. They have to have some level of credibility. right now, we don't ahve that. If we really want people to listen, we have to get clout and the only way that will happen is if we go to this meeting. And if we don't go then we could end up like the X-men before us, unseen and ignored."

"So you wanna go to this meeting so that people understand us?" Ty asked.

"Yes." tyron said:Maybe you don't want power Rox but I know you of all people want to be understood."

"Well we've heard Tyron's opinion but what do the rest of you think?" Roxie asked her team but the room was silent for a moment til Di spoke.

"I agree with Tyron. We should go." She said, "Even if we don't want tro gain power in this world, we should at least go to observe those who do want power."

"Yes, she's right." Ty said, "If we see those in power we can observe them to see who will benefit us and who will ultimatly end up like Trask."

Everyone in the room seemed to agree except for Paris. Rox knew that is she called upon Paris the young woman would not speak her mind so she chose a differenet form of communication.

Paris, what do you think? For a momentthe telepath did not say anything but after a moment or two Paris spoke her mind.

I don't think we should go. Perhaps its just my opinion but I've lieved isolated from humans my whole life. Would it be so bad to choice to continue that way now?

Perhaps if we still lived beneith the surface, but things are changing. We do not want to be forgotten.

Paris nodded her head and added, You willdo what is best. Your father always did best by the team. So will you.

Roxie smiled at the complement. Paris had not been a memeber of the team while the Wolverine was leader but everyone knew of his leadership skills just as everyone knew of Roxie's skill as leader.

"So are we agreed then?" Roxie asked bringing everone's attention to her once more.

The team nodded.

"Okay then," She said, "Suit up."

As the team began to leave, Tyron went up to Rox and pecked her on the cheek. Ty and Di, who waited for Tyron at the door, saw the harmless peck and their eyes grew upon seeing this sign of affection.

"Are they?" Ty asked shocked. He knew Roxie still had feelings for his brother but if she still cared for Eric whi was she with Tyron? Was she even with Tyron? After all he'd pecked her on the cheek but she'd done nothing to show her affection for him.

"Not to my knowledge." Di replied. "I mean, Rox and I talk all the time. I think she owuld have told me if she had feelings for him."

Ever since Orchird's unfotuinite death, Rox had confided in Di. She'd lost her best friend and with Eric and Luke gone, she no longer had anyone to tell secrets to. Sure there was Ty but he was younger than Rox and There were secrets that a woman could not tell anyone of the opposite sex no matter the age.

"Well clearly he has feelings for her." Tyr said begin captian obvious. Di laughed and as she did Tyron came through the door. He glnaced at Di for a moment and then asked, "What's so funny?"

Di glanced at Ty and said, "A joke Ty just told me. I'll let him tell you. I'm gonna go change."

Ty shot Di an evil glance before she turned tail and rean. They didn't want Tyron to know that they knew about his feelings for Rox but di wasn't making it easy for him.

"You can tell me on the way to get ready." Tyron said as the two walked down the ahll leaving Rox alone in the breifing room.


Roxie walked from nthe breifing toom to her room more confused than ever before. Tyron had kissed her. HE had actually pecked her on the cheek. For the first time he had showed his affection for her with out hesitation. But how did she feel about him? Did she share the same feeling that Tyron had for her? She knew she still loved Eric but could he ever be what she wanted, what she needed him to be?

A woman like her needed a man that she could count on to always stand by her side. A man that would support her every decision as a leader. A man who would let her know when she was wrong. A man that would be albe to reach into the void of the abyss and pull her out with his love for her and caring heart.

Could Eric be that?

True he had supported any desision she had made and he had pulled her out of the void when it mattered the most. He was something that she could believe in. He was something that she had thought would always be there. he had left her to search for something. Something that he still kept secret. If a man didn't stand by his woman, what good was their relationship? She knew that Eric still cared for her even though part of him didn't want him to but was caring enough? Could she be happy with him simply caring for her and not doing anything with or for her? She wanted top believe so but she was slowly realizing that this could not be.

But could Tyron do what Eric and Luke had both done? Were his feelings strong enough that should she slip into the cold harsh feeling of the void, he would be able to pull her out?

She wasn't so sure.

She and Eric had a bond that couldn't be broke. From the moment he gell inlove with her, she felt his love constantly. It was a feeling that she could not explian but rather something that simply was. She and Luke had had a sibling bound but Rox had never had any blood siblings. The closest she had before she met Luke was X-23. She was the Wolveirne's clone but had acted more as his daughter than a simple clone. Roxie and Laura had even fought over Wolverine when Laura first came to live with the lone mutant and the X-men. But because she and Luke were like brother and sister, because they had that bond, he was able to pull her out of the dark abyss that ironically Luke had fallen into.

So could Tyron pull Roxie out of the void should she ever stumble? The answer was yes but only if his love for her was real and not just some spring gling that would fade away with the change in the wind. Right now, the way she felt, Tyron simply had a crush on his leader. If it was really going to work, something would have to happen to bring them closer together.