Flashbacks of the Present
CHAPTER 10
…Now…
"Jesse!" Marie screeched. She took him by the arm and spun him round. "What. The. Heck?" she asked. "Is something wrong with you?"
"No. That guy's been lying to us, mom. To you!" he said, trying to prove his point. "He could still be lying till now. He's here to hurt us!"
"He's here to save you!" she replied. "Jesse. Please. Will you just…trust mom, huh? She's got this," Marie said quietly. "Trust me. I trust your father. So trust us 'cause we're just trying to protect you."
"He's on Magneto's side. Am I wrong, or was I raised to believe that those guys were the bad guys?" Jesse asked, knowing he was already defeated. It didn't matter.
"He's not on Magneto's side, Jesse," Marie said, frustrated. "Your skulls as thick as his!" she said. Then she smiled a little as Jesse looked at her, amused. "I'm. Your dad is on Magneto's side. Okay? Listening? Let me explain. He never ever wanted to come back to us," she said, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. "He thought it'd be better that way, plus he didn't want you to grow up or live around that sort of influence. It was either the smartest thing he's ever done, or the most hypocritical one. But when the subject of them wanting you to join them, and when he realized that you were heading down a bad path…well," she said, shrugging. "Here he is. Trying to make it right. Now you didn't know him like I did before, but this is like…something miraculous for John Allerdyce to do. Something miraculous for Pyro to do." She paused. "So. Trust us?"
"He's gonna die, isn't he?" Jesse asked instead. His mouth hung slightly open.
"Yeah, well, always knew it'd end that way," John replied, coming out of the Infirmary as well. "Me. Dead." He cast off the surprised glanced from Jesse. "Get your act together, kid. Or else it's ending this way for you too." He smiled slightly. "So."
"So, short relationship then, huh?" Jesse asked both of them.
"We haven't decided on that yet," John said, painfully. Marie looked up at him appreciatively.
"Why? You're a good guy now, right?" Jesse asked. "And mom loves you. And you love mom. And I'm making myself sick right now. And my head aches and standing on my feet hurts my…feet. I need to sit down," he concurred. They walked out of the hall way quickly and into Jesse's bedroom for their stay. He dropped onto it, sighing.
"I have to go for a while," Marie said. "Storm kinda called me earlier…"
She left, and Jesse properly laid himself down on the bed as John took a seat in a nearby chair. They were quiet for a while. Jesse stared at the ceiling, thinking thing out, finally saying, "Is Magneto gonna kill me? Are they gonna kill mom?" He didn't sound like a pompous jackass. He didn't sound like the next Pyro. He didn't sound cocky or anything. He sounded like a little boy, scared. Wanting some sort of assurance that everything would be all right. But he knew inside. He wasn't a little boy anymore. He knew that things would probably end up badly if not very badly.
"I'm not gonna let him," John replied sincerely.
"How different do you think it would've been?" Jesse asked. He looked up slightly at his dad. "If you had stayed?"
John looked at him compassionately. "Very."
"It wouldn't have been possible, would it?"
"No. Not really. They wouldn't…the Brotherhood would've made sure of that…"
He sighed.
"I don't. I don't want to die," Jesse said suddenly quietly. "And. And I don't want. I don't want to see mom die. Or you. Dad, what if I help you?"
"You know you can't."
"You could train me."
"Nah. I got this. I'll take care of it on my own."
"But –"
John cut him off. "Someone needs to stay with your mom. Nice girl. No defenses." He smiled. Or cringed, either way, he went on, "She needs someone to protect her, Jess, and that's gonna be you if I you know." He tilted his head slightly. "Go."
Silence again.
Another outburst. "Well, that sucks! I mean – big time!" Off John's confused – and perhaps bemused – reaction, he added, "I got this power and I feel it flowing in me and you know – power…ing. And I can't use it. I can't help. It kills me. Am I ever gonna get to use it? I mean, I wanna really do that." He grinned and had a far away glance in his eyes. Imagining the possibilities.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't be able to use your power. Us Allerdyces…not good with that much power." He gestured at himself. "Maybe it'd be better for you too."
Jesse scoffed.
"Don't worry, I mean, you will learn. To use it. In a good way."
"D'you wish you did?"
John pursed his lips and thought. "Hm. Never thought of that." Pause. "Possibility," he added. He let the issue go. "You'll learn."
Silence once more.
"What happens if everything goes well?" Jesse asked. "Would you stay?"
John shrugged.
"Would you want to?"
He looked uncomfortable, then said in an awkward outburst, "Hey, what's with all the emotion-y talk?!"
"You don't want to stay," Jesse concluded. "Do you?"
"I want to, Jess," John said. "But I can't. You know I can't. Wanted man. Running from the law. Too many enemies."
"Yeah, but you can beat them back, right?"
"Jess, I wanna stay. Trust me. But. I don't know if I will. I'm not that dad type."
"Then why are you here? Right now, what you're doing – makes you the dad type."
John cringed once more then smiled. "I'm sorry." He continued, "I'm sorry if I don't end up staying."
Jesse nodded.
Silence.
The door opened slightly. "Hey." It was Storm. She looked at Jesse, examining him with her own eyes to see if he was all right. He waved slightly. "Can I talk to you?" she then asked, directing her gaze at John, who nodded in agreement. He got up, gestured at Jesse that he'd be gone for a moment, then followed Storm out the door and far into the corridor. She stopped suddenly and turned to him.
"John. Magneto's set up base just outside the city. We've seen some of his lackeys. The city's sorta…pouring with them."
"Good," he said, relieved. She looked at him painfully.
"And I know you've changed. I can see it in you, Allerdyce. The professor once said that you'd always come back. Join us. But you can't be here."
"I know," he said, trying to understand where the conversation was going.
"So you have to leave. I'm telling you this because we've heard slash seen some of the Brotherhood members gathering at the opposite side of the city. Regrouping after Magneto's encounter with Jesse. It'd be the perfect time for you to leave. They wouldn't be able to see you or hurt you. It'd make things better." He was amazed at how she managed to say that emotionlessly and in one shot. More like taken aback. Wow. Storm finally went less…Storm. He gaped at her.
"And Marie?" he asked. "Does she know?"
The Weather Goddess shook her head mournfully.
"Right. So. Me. Gone." He gritted his teeth, trying to find a way to react. He then shrugged. "Fine." He turned around, and started to walk.
Then Storm's heartlessness faltered and she became the same compassionate teacher he used to have and called out his name, but he signaled her off with two fingers, a back wave if you will, and continued to walk away. She waited for a long while, and then heard the door shut behind him. She then took a breath and turned, walking back to her office. It was a good thing. It was the right thing.
Wasn't it?