THE BEGINNING OF A SPIRIT
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men. I wish I did.
Summary: Two months after the events of X2, a new mutant arrives at the institute. How will her presence affect the others?
Notes: This is my first ever fan fiction. Reviews extremely appreciated. Romance is on the way, but I like angst more, so it might take a while.
To all my reviewers out there, a big thank you! You're what keeps me writing! So long as I get one review each chapter, you'll see more of this story! Love you all!
Ok peoples, things are going to start getting interesting/complicated/whatever you can think of now. Brace yourselves! God, I love drama, lol.
This chapter picks up around where the last one finished. Now, there's a big surprise at the end. It wasn't originally going to happen until chapter 16-ish, but while writing this one, things changed. It just seemed to flow better. I'd love to know what you think.
Sorryfor thelong wait, but I had lots of factors working against me. Interruptions, schoolwork, writer's block, you name it.
Chapter 14
Scott had managed to get Beck to the car without being spotted. It was a good thing too, he didn't feel like having to explain why he was covered in blood, late at night, carrying an unconscious girl around. When he'd picked her up, he'd noticed her right hand was curled into a tight fist. Prying it open, he'd found a bullet. It was obviously the one from his stomach. He'd placed it in his pocket, not bothering to think about it just yet.
He had tied up their attacker with some rope he'd found in the alley, and then called the police. He'd left an anonymous tip, he wasn't sure if he had time to stick around and wait. Plus he knew how the police would react to them being mutants. It wasn't a nice thought, but it was true.
On his way to the mansion, speedingthrough the streets, he rang the Professor to explain the situation. Driving along, his head was full of all kinds of thoughts.
Is she going to be ok? Why did she do it? Is her power permanent? Or am I going to start bleeding any minute?
He tried to calm down and focus on getting back home safely. Eventually he saw the huge black silhouette of the school, and tore through the front gates. He hoped most of the kids were in bed, but being a weekend he doubted it.
He screeched the car to a halt, and ran to the passenger side. He opened the door and carefully pulled Beck out. She hung limp in his arms. As he reached the front doors they burst open to reveal Logan and Hank waiting for him, concern showing on their faces.
He rushed through to the medical lab, trying not to notice the horrified stares he was receiving. He heard whispering start up, and dreaded what stories the kids would create. But he didn't have time to worry about that now.
He got into the lab, and put Beck on the table, Hank and Logan hot on his heels. He stood back and watched as Hank checked Beck's pulse, and all sorts of other things. Then Hank moved onto Scott, checking his vitals. Eventually Hank spoke.
"She's going to be fine. And so are you."
Scott almost fell over with relief. Logan looked at the blood covering his stomach.
"What the hell happened, Cyke?"
So Scott explained. It didn't take as long as he thought it would. After he finished, Logan just stood there with a frown on his face, while Hank nodded gravely.
"The young boy probably guessed you two were mutants, and targeted you because of that. I trust he's being dealt with?"
"I hope so, Hank. I didn't really stick around to find out."
Logan finally snapped out of his thoughts.
"So she healed you? You were dying, and she healed you?"
"Yes, Logan," Scott sighed, "she healed me."
"Huh."
Scott would've laughed if he'd had the energy. Logan left to tell the Professor the details, and let him know everything was fine. Scott perched on a chair, and asked the question that had been bugging him.
"So how did she do it, Hank?"
"As far as I can tell, her power works a lot like Rogue's, only the opposite. Instead of taking someone else's life force, she gives them some of hers. That's why she passed out. Curing a gunshot, especially one as serious as yours, is no easy task."
"But if she goes around giving everyone her life force, wouldn't she end up dead?"
"Normally, yes. But part of her healing power means that she can regenerate her life force. In a few days she'll be back to normal. Until then, she'll be weak, and possibly quite sick. Her immune system is extremely low right now, and she already seems to have caught a random bug."
"But she'll be ok?"
Hank nodded. He started rummaging through some drawers, pulling out pills of different types.
"I suggest you go shower and get changed. You don't want to be sitting around in blood soaked clothing for too long. I'll call you when she wakes up."
Scott stood up and went over to Beck, taking a long look at her pale face. He leant down and kissed her on the forehead.
"Thank you," he whispered.
He said a quick thanks to Hank as he went upstairs. He rushed to his room and got out some clean clothes. Jumping under the shower, he let the scalding water wash most of the blood away. He scrubbed at the rest, making sure he got it all. Soon he was clean and dressed, so he went back down to the med lab. Hank chuckled when he saw him.
"Back so soon?"
"Yeah, sorry. I just don't want to leave her, you know?"
Hank brought over some pill bottles. He handed Scott a list.
"Give her these according to the instructions when she wakes up. Then again tomorrow morning, and night. Twice a day for the rest of the week. I assume you'll be with her most of the time?"
"Definitely. I'll take care of her."
"Good. If there are any problems come and see me. I'll warn you, she may not be quite right for at least a week. She'll have a fever, headaches, nausea….it might even be worse. But I can guarantee she will pull through. Her body just needs time to recover. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some paperwork to do. I'll just be in the office, come and get me if there's any problems."
Scott nodded. Hank left, shutting the door to the office behind him. Scott looked at the list of instructions. They seemed simple enough. He pulled a chair over, and sat next to the bed that Beck lay on, taking one of her hands in his. She felt so cold. He watched the rise and fall of her chest, and the way her eyelids fluttered. He couldn't believe what had happened in the last few hours. It had all moved so fast.
He'd wanted it to be the perfect evening. He'd been planning on telling Beck how deep his feelings for her had grown. He hadn't meant to get carried away in the alley, but he couldn't help it. She'd looked so beautiful, the moonlight hitting her skin. He looked at her now, so pale and broken. And she was like this because of him. Because she'd felt the need to save him. He was grateful she had, there was no doubt about it, but he wondered why she'd risked hurting herself all for one person.
His questions would have to wait however, as Beck was starting to wake up. He noticed her hand move first, and then her eyes slowly opened. He watched as she tried to figure out where she was.
"Scott?"
"I'm right here, Beck. How're you feeling?"
"Ugh, like I got hit by a bus. What happ-"
Scott saw her face go from confusion to panic, as she remembered the events of the evening. She tried to sit up, but only groaned in pain. She looked at Scott's stomach, noticing the lack of blood.
"It worked? You're gunna be ok?"
"I'm going to be fine. And so are you, eventually. Hank says your power took a lot out of you, and you'll feel sick for a few days. But nothing serious. You need to take these pills though. Want some help sitting up?"
She nodded, and he moved forward, putting an arm underneath her back. Carefully, he helped her move into an upright position. He gave her the pills, and she swallowed them without a problem. He placed the bottles back on the table, and spun around to see her watching him with tears in her eyes. One fell down her cheek, and he brushed it away with his fingers.
"What's wrong?"
"I thought I'd lost you. In the alley…I wasn't sure if my power would work. And even when you said it did, I couldn't believe it. I was just so worried you were going to leave me."
She broke down and started sobbing. He perched on the edge of her bed, and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm still here, and I'm fine. You don't have to worry about anything except getting better."
They sat there for a few minutes, until she calmed down. She dried her eyes, and gave him a small smile.
"You must think I'm crazy. Crying at a time when I should be happy."
"It's not crazy at all."
"Hmm, you're just being nice."
"Maybe," he laughed, "but you're going to have to endure the rumors that'll be flying around for the next few days. And they won't be so nice. I mean, if you saw one of your teachers carrying somebody inside, covered in blood, what would be running through your head?"
She laughed, and then jumped as the door to Hank's office flew open. She almost fell off the bed, but Scott managed to steady her in time. As they untangled themselves, Hank wandered over.
"Ah, I thought I heard you talking, Rebecca. How are you feeling?"
Scott paced and listened as Hank and Beck went through the routine again. Eventually he was told he could take Beck back to her room, but he'd have to stay with her overnight, just to make sure there were no complications. He let Beck lean on his arm as they went upstairs. They reached her room, and he waited as she went into the bathroom and got changed. After a few minutes, he heard a thud, and rushed to the door.
"Beck? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so," came the muffled reply. "I just got dizzy and fell."
"Is it ok if I come in?"
"Uh, yeah."
He opened the door, and couldn't help but laugh. She was wearing her duck pyjamas again. Well, half of them anyway, she hadn't changed her top, and was just wearing her bra. She was holding the pyjama top in front of her, trying to cover herself up. It was amusing, except for the fact that she was leaning against the cupboard, looking extremely pale.
"I think you've exhausted yourself, Beck. Can you get up?"
"No. Stop laughing! I'm too tired to push myself up. I said stop laughing!"
"Sorry, it's just…well, c'mon, you've got to admit its funny."
She glared at him, but didn't mean it. She tried again to heave herself off the ground, but it was no use. She looked up at Scott, a blush creeping over her face.
"Um, I might need a hand…"
He chuckled, but moved forward, and stretched out his hands. She extended her left arm only, as her right was still holding the top over her almost bare chest.
"Beck, your left arm is still weak from when it was broken. And you can't pull yourself up one handed."
"But…"
"Look, if you want I can close my eyes."
"How can I tell if you've got them shut through those glasses? Hey, I saw that smirk!"
She tried to kick him, but missed. She sighed, and looked up at him. She wedged the top under her arms, and tried to reach his hands. She made it, and he pulled her up towards him, but the top fell about halfway there. She froze, her eyes going wide.
The smirk left Scotts face immediately, as he looked at the girl in front of him. She was wearing a black bra, just a plain one, no lace or anything. But it still made his breath falter. He swallowed. She had goose bumps appearing all over her skin, but he wasn't sure if that was the cold or the fact that they were standing so close. As if in slow motion, his hand moved to her shoulder, touching the bare skin. She shivered.
So he did want any normal male would do. He kissed her. He'd expected her to pull away, seeing as she was so embarrassed about her current state. But she didn't. She responded to the kiss with a frantic passion. Perhaps the scare of him being shot earlier made her realize that every second counted. He ran his hands through her hair, and deepened the kiss. She moaned, and he pushed her up against the counter. Eventually they came up for air.
"Scott…"
"Hmm?"
"Don't stop. Please…"
She captured his lips again, and he thought he was going to die. It all just felt so right. But he had to make sure this was really what she wanted. He pulled away.
"Beck, are you sure? I'm mean, you're still pretty weak."
"I'm sure. I've never been surer of anything. You just may need to talk me through some things. But this is right. I…I love you Scott."
"God, Beck, I love you too."
It was all each of them needed to hear, and he kissed her again. He trailed his lips down her neck, onto her chest. She moved to undo his belt. It went on the ground, along with his shirt. Somehow they made their way to the bed. Clothes thrown around theroom,making a mess.
Nobody in the mansion knew what was happening in that room. Not even Logan. They didn't know that was the night that would change everything. But somebody else did. Somebody thousands of miles away. Somebody they thought was long gone.
In the frozen waters of Alkali Lake, that persons head was filled with the sounds of Scott and Beck taking their relationship to the next level. It was unbearably loud. In her watery grave, she thrashed and spun, trying to get the noise out of her mind. Her eyes snapped open. She screamed. Nobody heard.
But Jean Grey was awake. And she wasn't happy.