Epilogue
"Maybe we're approaching this all wrong." Scott looked up from the books spread across the table to check on Logan's reaction. Scott called it his 'independent study' course at school. When Logan only fixed him with a stare, Scott cleared his throat and continued. "I mean, the autism angle."
He pointed at a book before him, and leaned slightly closer to read the passage. "Autism is distinguished not by a single symptom, but by a characteristic triad of symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and restricted interests and repetitive behavior."
"Yeah, that rather sounds like her..." Logan's voice held a note of disappointment.
"No, it doesn't." Scott stressed again. "You said yourself she picked out the social hierarchy of the house just from photographs. She interacts perfectly fine with the rest of us, even if she doesn't -say- anything. And it's not like she fixates on one thing, ever. If anything, she's interested in everything." He groaned softly and pushed the books away. "Besides, Dr. McCoy managed to get her father to release all his medical records to us."
Logan looked up sharply at that. His eyes narrowed. No one had told him that. "And...?"
"And the only thing strange in her history is that she had multiple sclerosis as a child."
Logan furrowed his brow. That explained the wheelchair present in the drawing, but it helped with little else. MS was a neurological disease, not something that could be combated easily. He stared hard at Scott while he tried to wrap his brain around that. And finally, much to the teens relief, Logan stood and left the library without another word. Unleashing a sigh, Scott began to systematically close the books, and return them to their proper shelves.
Logan meanwhile, stalked the halls of the mansion, heading straight for the lower levels where Hank kept his science lab. He didn't bother knocking; it just wasn't his style. Instead, he opened the door and walked right in. Hank was hanging from one of the pipes on the ceiling, reading from a thick binder. Wolverine stood quietly and waited.
"Oh! Logan!" With a laugh, and a twist, the Beast was back on the floor, smiling broadly. "I was getting ready to find you!"
"Really?" Crossing his arms over his chest, Logan raised a brow and managed to make Hank feel sheepish. "Ol' One-Eye said you'd gotten Lex's file."
"Mmmm..." Hank flipped a few pages in the file and offered it to Logan. "From what I can tell, Essex was using Alexia as a guinea pig of sorts." He trailed off as Logan looked up from the file. "I mean, he was experimenting on her. Apparently, he actually triggered her X-gene with some manner of virus, in the hopes that it would stave off the ravages of MS."
Logan lowered the file. "So you're telling me, that freakshow did it all on purpose." To Beast's mute nod, Wolverine tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. He needed to control his rage right now, there was no one around to turn it against constructively. Breathing carefully, he finally looked at Hank again. The poor blue Beast seemed spooked.
"Okay, let me ask this: her mutant power, what did you call it?"
"True adaptive analogous metamorphosis," Beast supplied in the momentary silence.
"That. Yeah. Could it affect her brain too?"
Hank reached out to take the file back from Logan. Flipping through a few pages, he mulled the prospects over. "I suppose it could. Yes. Exposure to certain stimuli could affect the way her brain adapts."
To his surprise, Logan no only smiled, but he beamed. Clasping Hank on the shoulder, Logan patted his back warmly. "Exactly what I wanted to hear."
Without explaining, Logan turned and left Hank bewildered.
He found Xavier working with Jean no less than ten minutes later. Instead of interrupting, Logan lingered outside the door, waiting for their session to be over with. Jean needed the quiet and the control that Xavier helped impart on her. He'd seen the few times that Jean'd let loose, and it had never been pretty. He didn't like the idea of being on the receiving end of that ever again.
Unable to wait patiently, Logan paced up and down the hallway until he felt the little nudge at the back of his mind that told him they were waiting for him. Pushing his way into the room, he saw Jean causally push her hair back over her shoulder. She was sweating, obviously tired, but she managed a smile for him. Out of habit, Logan tipped his head, and touched an imaginary hat in response.
"Chuck, I think I figured it out." Logan wasn't one to beat around the bush. He got straight down to business whenever something was on his mind. "Lexie.. Carnal. You don't get any human thoughts because she's still relearning how to think like one. She's not autistic, or messed up... or even stupid. It's just how she copes."
Both Jean and Xavier gave him a momentary blank look. Something passed silently between the two of them. Logan wanted to bet it had to do with his sanity. Xavier steepled his fingers before him, and took a deep breath. "Explain further, Logan. I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying."
"She shapeshifts. But not voluntarily all the time. What if her brain shifted connections to deal with being treated like an animal?"
It made sense to Jean. The proverbial lightbulb came on over her head, and she gasped softly. "Who wouldn't want to shut off their higher functions, treated like she was? Oh, Professor, if you could have seen how we found her... that circus... those cages." Jean suppressed a shudder, and shook her head, unwilling to relive the experience herself.
"Exactly." Logan stated. He was awfully proud of himself, putting all the pieces together like that. "So all we need to do is keep treating her like a person... and she'll come around."
Xavier seemed to mull it over. Finally he nodded. "I trust you, Logan. I hope, for your sake, that this is the truth."
They had taken her friend away weeks ago. She didn't feel bereft; she had plenty of new friends to surround herself with. But when that one was near, she smelled of old memories, and half-forgotten laughter. She missed her already. At times that nostalgia waned, being replaced by warm wonder, and cool green thoughts. She listened, always. To everything, that was around her. Even lying out on the grass, under the warm August sun, she listened to the girls chat away.
Kitty was waxing poetic about some event happening tomorrow in the night sky. Rogue was trying to ignore her, and concentrate on the magazine held before her. Jean, her pale skin, and fiery red hair, accented by the colors of the bikini she wore, listened intently. Amara, the only girl left of the New Mutants, agreed with Kitty, that the event should be a whole-school one.
While the other girls lay out on reclining chairs, Alexia stretched out in the grass. This spot was freshly mown, and smelled of nothing but clean freedom. In fact, she could hear the riding mower as it made its way around the grounds, driven by the skillful hand of Logan. She would chase him later. Right now, it was fun to listen to the girls.
"We'll get blankets and pillows, and have snacks. No fire though, we totally won't see anything if there's too much light." Kitty's excitement was hard to contain; she clapped her hands together.
"We'll make sure the mansion is dark too," Jean agreed. "It'll be fun!"
"About as much fun as gettin' teeth pulled," Rogue muttered, sourly.
Alexia rolled from her back to her side, to tilt her head curiously at Rogue. She smelled like licorice, this one did. Sharp and spicy. Alexia knew from experience that she didn't like to be touched, so she twisted onto her other side, and extended a hand toward Kitty. Just as she always did, Kitty gave her a light tug, urging her up to sit on the edge of the patio chair with her.
"We should get Mr. Logan to watch with us," Kitty said quietly, reaching out to pull all of Alexia's hair back. "I bet you'd enjoy it, Lexie. Meteorites zipping across the sky. It's amazing."
With her back to Kitty, Alexia couldn't make the right face to answer, so she nodded slightly. Kitty wouldn't know if it was in reply to her actual words, or the excited tone of her voice. Carefully parting Alexia's thick black hair into three ropes, Kitty started to French braid it for her. It was a ritual for them, something comfortable that both of them enjoyed. Kitty hoped one day to teach Alexia how to braid as well, so the favor could be returned. Quietly, for the rest of the evening, Kitty plotted with her friends on what would be the fabulous Perseid get-together.
Logan had long preferred naps to an actual good nights sleep. Any time longer than two hours asleep invited nightmares of formless pain and shapeless terror. So when Half-Pint proposed to him the star-watching prospect, he agreed. He knew he would likely be up at that hour anyway. He had settled down for his late afternoon nap, leaving his door slightly ajar as he slowly became accustomed to doing. However, two hours had turned into three, as his internal clock didn't automatically wake him up. By the time he was supposed to meet the kids on the lawn, he was in the grips of night-terrors so savage they wouldn't release him.
Unable to bring herself to join the kids outside, Alexia hovered uncertainly by Logan's door. He left it ajar for her; he always did. Her favorite sleeping place was in his room, no matter how often, or how hard the others coaxed her into her own room. She was paused mid-push, having raised her hand to slide his door open just slightly more. His silent fear was a heady musk, making her feel dizzy and uncertain. His breathing rasped in his throat, but even in his terror he refused to cry out.
She crept across the carpet, her bare feet silent on the plush fabric. Alexia knew that fear would always bring out the worst in someone. But she also yearned to watch the stars. Logan's balcony doors were closed against the night; the front and back of the big house were likewise all locked up. Knobs still gave her difficulties; sometimes her hands simply refused to change enough to grip one. In his bed, Logan snarled, kicking the tangled blankets free from his legs.
Alexia dropped to all fours, and then froze instinctively. Her ploy seemed to work, for a few moments later, Logan's movement and unrest settled back down into an easier repose. Breathing deeply, she crept to the balcony door and peered out into the dark, moonless night. She reached out and found the handle for the balcony door, but hesitated before opening it. Turning back to the room, she straightened up, felt her legs and her back tense up with a dull ache. The pain soon passed though, as it always did, her body knit itself back together without being told how to. With a deep, steadying breath, she found herself a place to sit, directly on the edge of the bed.
Logan stirred as her weight settled beside him. He grumbled intelligibly in his sleep, and curled his fingers into a tight fist. Most normal people would have already walked away. But Alexia did not fear anything that Logan could do to her. She reached out, hesitated, her hand hovering above his bare, sweat-soaked chest. Finally, she touched him.
Beneath her hand, his heart raced. She splayed her fingers out against his chest, and gave him a little shake. Logan's face contorted in what appeared to be agony, causing her to yank her hand back quickly. Untouched once more, Logan's face eased, though his brow knit and his eyes squeezed shut. After a few moments, Alexia tried again.
She replaced her hand against his chest, but instead of shaking him, she leaned closer to him. Wetting her lips, and swallowing a lump of worry, she struggled to find the sounds she needed. She was smart; she understood things they didn't believe she could. The more they spoke to her, the more she remembered. Her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth, before finding the first, hesitant syllable.
"Lo..." He didn't move; he didn't even stir this time. His heart still raced beneath her hand; his eyes moved rapidly beneath tightly squeezed lids. Alexia's mind raced for the second part of his name, her lips tried a few faulty configurations before figuring it out once more. She took a deep breath, and started from the beginning.
"Lo... gan?"
He stirred this time in response, causing her to smile. Finally, she gave his chest a light shake, repeating his name for a third time. Logan let out a groan that seemed to rise from the soles of his feet straight through his core. Both hands rose from the twisted bedding to cover his face. Amazingly, there was no startling awake this time; the process was slow, as though he were crawling through a morass. When he finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Carnal smiling at him in the dark. Even more surprising was the fact that she was actually touching him. The palm of her hand was warm and steady against his chest.
She'd never initiated contact before. Did she see herself rising in the social hierarchy of the Mansion? Or perhaps, this was something different. He tried to blink sleep from his eyes, but he didn't want to move any further, to risk breaking the contact. She withdrew of her own accord though, lifting her hand fully from his chest before sliding it back into her own lap. For a moment, she wouldn't meet his gaze; instead waiting for him to sit up, and stretch.
Finally, she gave him a pointed glance, before turning her gaze to the balcony. Logan blinked.
"OH." Dragging himself out of bed, he grabbed for his shirt and jeans. He promised Half-Pint that he'd watch the meteor shower with them. And here he was, late! If Alexia hadn't woken him up... Wait. Alexia had woken him. He'd been sure in his sleep that he'd heard someone call his name. Lexie didn't speak, at least, not verbally.
The bed creaked quietly as Lexie stood up. In a few steps she had crossed the room to the balcony, and stood waiting patiently. But Logan hesitated, his shirt dangling from his fingertips. He watched her, studied her. After a few moments, she began to look concerned. He watched as she wet her lips, appearing thoughtful. And then it happened. What everyone else believed was impossible came true in a heartbeat.
She spoke his name.
It was clear as a bell. Unmistakable. Logan dropped his shirt out of shock, and leapt across the room to her. Without thinking, he scooped her up in his arms, and hugged her so hard he spun her around. After a moment, he released her, but still kept her within reach. Taking her face between his hands, he grinning broadly down at her confused expression.
"I knew you could, Lexie. I knew it!" He wanted to laugh, but felt his enthusiasm wane considerably when she pulled away from him. Her hand went back to the latch on the balcony door. Sobered suddenly, he retrieved his dropped shirt. Instead of heading to the balcony though, he pulled open the door to the hall. "C'mon. The stars won't wait..."
