A couple days later Evie woke up in the medical bay. She fell asleep after she was bundled into the Blackbird. Once at the manor she was kept that way to help her recover. When she woke she found herself in clean white clothes and was neatly tucked into a hospital bed. Bright lights surrounded her. At first she panicked, memories pouring back from her time in a mutant testing facility.
"Evie."
That voice. She knew it. Logan.
Blinking away the bleariness, she turned her head and found him standing over her with a sympathetic smile.
She looked at him for a while, trying to gather her wits
"How are you feeling?" He asked her, looking into her green eyes.
She took a moment to respond, flexing her muscles and trying to shift. Everything ached. She felt drained, fragile and powerless. As she pieced together the events that landed her in the medical bay a river of emotions welled up inside her. A mixture of despair and hatred swirled inside, mostly towards Magneto and how he exploited her, but also at her own weakness.
"Flaggin," she settled for.
Logan smiled slightly. He paused for a moment, deep in thought before beginning to speak. "What Magneto said-"
Before he could finish Jean and the Professor appeared, each with a friendly smile. "Good morning Evie," the Professor said quietly. "Welcome back."
Evie looked between them, trying to gather her thoughts. "The machine?"
"It was destroyed before any damage could be done." The Professor explained. "No one was harmed."
She sighed in relief.
He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I'm very sorry for what happened Evie. I should have foreseen Magneto's actions."
Evie gave him a weak smile. "No one could hav' predicted what he was going t' do." She shifted in her bed slightly so she could sit up, but winced as pain erupted from her ribs. "Did I fall from the statue of Liberty?" She asked sarcastically.
"The machine absorbed all of your power and your heart stopped beating after it was destroyed." Jean explained in a soft voice. "But we resuscitated you. You'll feel fatigued for a week or so but you'll recover with plenty of bed rest and good food."
"Uh," Evie began. "Would I be able to move to...my bedroom?" She asked tentatively, acknowledging that she may have her own bedroom in the mutant school. "I really don't like hospitals..."
The Professor nodded, "Yes of course." He looked at Logan and nodded.
Logan offered his hand to her. She took it and allowed him to ease her out of bed. Her muscles screamed in retaliation but she tried not to let it show. Her legs buckled under her as her feet landed on the floor but Logan held her steady. Placing his strong arm around her waist he slowly walked her out of the medical bay as Jean and the Professor went about their own duties within the mansion.
Silently he led her through the basement of the X mansion and took her to a lift. As they stepped inside Evie became acutely aware of their close proximity and even more aware of his warm hand on her small waist. They remained silent in the elevator. There was an odd tension between them. Both were at a loss for what to say to each other. Logan's face had a deep set frown like he had something to say but didn't know how. As for Evie, it hurt when she breathed let alone when she spoke.
Thankfully, Logan took the elevator all the way to the top of the mansion, close to the teachers dorms so she did not have to challenge the staircase or any curious looks. He led her to her bedroom and silently eased her into bed.
"Is there anything you need?" He asked, pulling the curtains closed.
"Got any weed?" She asked playfully.
Logan snorted, pleased that she still had her sense of humour.
Groaning Evie climbed under the sheets as Logan walked around the bed and sat on the end. It sunk under his weight. For a few moments he looked at the floor, his brow creased in a frown. Then he looked at her, his dark eyes finding her bright green eyes. "...I uh...I heard what Magneto said to you, on the statue..."
Evie went pale. She looked down unable to meet his gaze as a hard lump rose into the pit of her chest. His hand enclosed around hers, squeezing gently. "There aren't many people who will know what you're going through but...if you wanna talk about it..."
She nodded, biting her lip.
Smoothly Logan got to his feet and walked to the door. As he was about to close it, she called out to him in a quiet voice.
"Logan...thank you. For everything."
-
Evie gradually woke up from a dreamless sleep. She was too exhausted to dream. As she stirred she heard light footsteps dart from the bedroom. Her bedroom door was left ajar. She reached over to the night stand to turn on the light and realised there was something lying on her stomach. A piece of paper and a large object.
She picked up the paper and inspected it. It was a drawing of herself done by a child. It captured her brown hair and green eyes but added onto that her were tall, yellow ears and a long tail just like a Pikachu. Around her were lightning strikes. She looked at the object in her hand and realised it was a Gameboy. "Joshua," Evie muttered fondly, remembering the boy she met briefly.
She turned it on and began to play the game inside it. Pokemon Yellow. She smiled, pleased to connect to something of her past; something happy. For as long as possible she fought her sleepy eyes, but eventually she fell asleep with the console still in her hand.
Later on she heard someone enter her room. The bedside lamp was still on so she recognised her visitor.
"Hey sugar," a cheery southern voice said.
Evie smiled at Rogue, "'Ow do."
"I bought ya some food," the woman said, handing over a plate with a sandwich and some salad on it. She then placed some books on the bedside table. "I'll catch ya later," she added before leaving the room again.
Evie studied the sandwich in front of her, feeling her stomach churn. Just then heavy footsteps came down the hall, easily recognisable. Logan then came into the room, closing the door behind him. He looked at her briefly with a knowing look and strode to the other side of the room where he opened the curtains and the window wide open. She sat up in her bed, looking at him with a puzzled look.
With a sly grin he sat on the end of her bed and opened his jacket. He pulled out a cigar for himself and a joint for Evie. Chuckling she leaned in as he lit it then watched him light his own. They both inhaled deeply and enjoyed the forbidden substance.
Then without another word he got up and turned on the TV opposite the bed. Evie hadn't even noticed it was there. He tossed her the remote and pulled a chair next to the bed to sit on. She flicked through the channels quickly as she enjoyed her joint. She quickly found the movie Die Hard which had just started, so chose that. She put the remote down and inhaled more of her joint.
They sat for sometime enjoying the film and each others company as they finished smoking. Logan kept his senses directed on Evie read her as her mood changed in reaction to the high she was on. When she was relaxed but alert he handed her the food she had been given, knowing she was more likely to eat if she had the munchies.
He placed it in her lap, but Evie just stared at it. "...I don't think I can." She said eventually.
Logan sighed and leaned towards her. "You need to eat." He said simply. "Not just to get ya strength back but find some kinda' normality." He looked her straight into and spoke in a way that couldn't be argued with. He leaned back in his chair and lit a fresh cigar. "So eat it, or wear it."
Evie couldn't help but find his attitude amusing. He was rough and tough on the outside but deep down she knew him better, even if they hadn't known each other that long. Taking the sandwich she took a small bite and spent a long time chewing it before she could swallow.
It was hard. The trauma she had endured had taken away many things from her, including her interest in food. Of course she felt hungry, but most of the time food in front of her made her feel sick. Each mouthful felt like a mountain to climb but the narcotic awakened her taste buds and soon it began to taste good.
Long before the film finished Evie nodded off again. Logan quietly turned off the TV and slipped out of her room, satisfied that his plan was a success.
-
Five days after the incident at Liberty Evie was feeling better. She was still tired and didn't have energy to do much, but she was getting about the mansion with no help. Of course the X-Men treated her like a fragile, glass figure but at least they weren't asking questions.
She spent a lot of time thinking about Magneto.
It was a hard fact to face but she did admire him. Yes, he was a complete dickhead and she did not agree with his views of the world. But he was a man who had survived some tragic and painful experiences and chose to use those to fuel his hunger for change. He didn't bow down and accept the injustice done to him. He demanded and fought for justice for himself and his kind. He wasn't a victim.
One evening she spent sometime in the music room. She tuned some of the instruments then sat and played the piano for a while, clearing her mind. When her hands began to ache from the strain she stopped and decided to make her way to bed. She wandered through the mansion without having to meet anyone, all the students were in bed at this time. Before she made it to the stairs she passed through the rec room. Xavier, Jean, Scott and Logan were watching the news intently. They hadn't noticed her enter the room. Their behaviour caught her attention so she stopped and watched the TV silently.
"-These images were released today by the French government. A French journalist sneaked into London via the River Thames and photographed and recorded what remains of the capital. Viewers are warned that these images may be upsetting."
A cold chill ran down Evie's spine as a recording was broadcasted across national television. Of course, she had seen it all before but just like the camp she was held prisoner in, she had pushed the memories to the furthest part of her mind.
"We have been told by experts that the city suffered an onslaught of missiles, machine guns, grenades and several nuclear bombs."
-Flashback- Evie carefully picked her spot to start busking. It was a good area to set up as long as she wasn't too close to other performers. She set her guitar case on the ground and pulled off her wool gloves. As she leant down to pull out her instrument Big Ben began his famous chime, announcing midday. Before he had finished an almighty boom drowned it out. Every person along the Thames stopped and stood still. Down river a large tower of black smoke billowed up into the sky. The piercing roar of a fighter jet filled the unnatural silence that fell on the city. Suddenly a missile was launched and immediately struck Westminster bridge, directly next to Big Ben. Cement and metal flew up in the air along with cars, buses and people. The bridge was decimated. Chunks of debris scattered in all directions as crowds of people began to scream and flee. A large block of cement flew up high and tumbled back down, striking the London Eye. As people pushed past each other the Eye was destroyed. It was pulled off its stand and the large wheel rolled into the filthy river. People wailed for help from within their glass tombs but the eye sank, pulled down by the weight of its metal skeleton. Chaos consumed London. In such a short time the thirty-three bridges that crossed the Thames were obliterated, dividing the city in two. Every soul in the city fell into panic and despair. Evie was dragged into a horde of people that ran towards Waterloo station. She couldn't see through the crowd but she knew they were close. Gunfire and screams filled the air. The crowd dispersed into different directions. The people closest to the station fell like dominoes. As innocents dropped to the floor Evie saw military men dressed in black with a large coptic cross sewn across the chest. They held machine guns and fired them relentlessly into the crowd. [img] [/img] The Chauvinists. In that instance Evie knew what was happening. The radical political party that got into power five years a go had given up on controlling London. They were sick of the fighting and the riots and the resistance to their regime. Evie ran in a random direction, looking desperately for cover. In the madness she saw a pile of cement and debris from a shattered bridge. Like a hare looking for a rabbit hole she darted into it, hiding herself amongst all the rubble. She tried to conceal herself as best as she could, but with each explosion or blast she flinched and cried out. Her heart beating her like a ram she panted, sweat sticking to her skin and clothes despite the cold weather. Cries and pleas for help echoed all over the city. Sometimes when there was a break from gunfire and bombs, she could hear the wails of people across the river. After several hours of non-stop gunfire Evie was paralysed with fear. Her ears were ringing. Hysteria had taken it's toll on her and left her exhausted and dazed. The sky became black from the smoke of countless explosions and the air around her was thick with fumes and dirt. An eerie silence began to descend on the city. Slowly Evie climbed out of her shelter, struggling to find strength in her legs. She clambered over rocks and debris. It was deathly silent. Gradually she found her feet but was still disorientated. Smoke and poisonous fumes stung her eyes, causing tears to stream down her dirty cheeks. She stumbled around for sometime as a gentle wind swept through the city, clearing the foul air. As the smog dispersed Evie found herself beside the river Thames again. Her heart felt like a solid rock in her chest. Through the smoke Evie saw the desolation around her. Fires roared across the city filling the sky with black smoke. Most of the buildings had been flattened or destroyed. Everything was black or grey, burnt or burning. Houses of Parliament was burning and Big Ben beside it was missing some of its structure. The river was now full of wrecked cars and rubble. And bodies. So many bodies. Burnt, broken or drowned victims of the Chauvinists extermination. Unable to look away, Evie's eyes fell upon the body of a woman. The left side of her was black and red from horrific burns. In her desperation she must have jumped into the river to quell the burn, but for whatever reason she was unable to get out and so drowned. The rest of her body had turned a blueish colour, her one good eye stared blindly at the sky. Her face held the definition of terror. The other eye had melted in its socket. Shock and despair seized Evie. She fell to her knees. -
It was nearly noon when Evie left her small flat, carrying her acoustic guitar. She walked along embankment with the River Thames on her right. Up ahead the London Eye full of tourists, allowing them a terrific view of the capital. Across the river Big Ben stood high and proud.
"Oh my god, " Jean whispered, blinking and seeming dazed. The professor, Scott and Logan turned to look at her. "She was there." Jean whispered quietly, but everyone heard. The room fell silent.
Evie didn't want to hang around for someone to speak. She darted out of the room failing to fight back the tears that stung her eyes. Heavy footsteps closed in behind her. She made it as far as the staircase when Logan grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me!" Evie hissed angrily.
"Stop running and I will." He replied sternly, holding both of her arms.
Words failed her as angry sobs overwhelmed her. Weakly she pushed against him, trying to escape the confrontation. But it was pointless, he wasn't going to let her go. Quickly she gave up as uncontrollable tears poured down her face. Barely a moment later Logan pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her.
"You can't hide this any more." He said to her, feeling her shake against him. "You need to talk about it."
Evie's legs gave in but he held her tightly, refusing to let her fall. "Xavier can help you. Let him." He urged.
Still she sobbed, giving in to the horror of reality.
She fought it as long as she could. She suppressed the memories for as long as she could. It had been paramount to keep it all hidden whilst she was trying to find a new life.
But now she was sick of it. Sick of the running and constantly looking behind her. She was sick of the secrets, of being afraid. But most of all she was sick of being a victim.
-
A week had passed since London had been revealed to the world. It was all over the news, with each country demanding answers and justice for their lost ones.
Life at the school continued. Evie was just about recovered and she was eating at last. She had began therapy sessions with Xavier. Logan knew it was for the best. Stuff like that couldn't be contained for long.
As for himself, Logan had also participated in sessions with Xavier. As he promised he dove into Logan's mind and unearthed pieces of his lost past.
Logan stayed in the mansion as long as he could, but in the end he was a lone wolf and did not like being cooped up. He packed his bags and made his way downstairs. It was recess in the mansion so the halls were full of children. He walked down the staircase, glancing over the various faces for someone he recognised.
Music floated from the other side of the living room. Evie sat on a chair with a guitar in her lap, teaching one of the students to play. Her hands skilfully strummed away as she taught a student how to play.
Deciding not to interrupt the lesson he turned and walked to the front door. Just as he opened it Evie caught up to him, "Hey," she said in her soft accent to get his attention.
"You running off?" She asked, standing in front of him..
He stepped closer till they were standing merely inches away. It was then he felt awkward. He found it difficult to meet her gaze. "Not really...got some things to take care of up north." He muttered. He never said 'goodbye' to any woman before. Normally he took off before they woke up.
There was a tense moment between them. He was on edge and she was wired. They stood close to each other, lost for things to say. Her natural scent filled his nose, intoxicating him. He silently prayed she wouldn't beg him to stay.
But instead, she surprised him. "Okay," Evie said, her green eyes shining brightly at him. "Just...don't be a stranger."
He felt his heart leap in his chest. It was a strange feeling, something he hadn't felt before. In one smooth movement he pulled off his precious dog tag and put it inside her small hand.
"I'll be back for this." He said with his hand around hers. The tension between them was stifling. Evie felt her pulse quicken as he looked deep into her eyes for a very long, heated moment.
Then he was out the door.
It was that moment Evie made a life changing decision. Scott came into the hall, reading an essay.
"Oi, Scott tha got a minute?" Evie asked, standing in his path.
"Sure," he said simply, pulling his visor away from the papers.
She hesitated for a moment. "Er...I was wonderin' if you could teach me to control my powers," she asked cautiously. "I was thinkin' I could...perhaps...become a X-Man."
Scott smiled slightly, seeming pleased. "Sure, we could always use more X-Men. How's tomorrow morning?"
"Champion." Evie responded before walking off.
Scott stared at her, his brow creased in confusion. "Right." It would take him a while to get used to that Yorkshire accent.
-
Flaggin' – Very tiered
'Ow do – How are you?
Oi – Used to get someone's attention
Tha – You
Champion – Perfect
-
At last! This was a tough one. Hope you guys like it.
Oh and let me know what you think XD