NightFlight - Wow! Thanks! This was just a "what-if" story that wouldn't get out of my head...I really appreciate the compliments! Please, keep reviewing!
NachtcGleiskette - I know. But, at least they are together..... ;-)
Jeanne - Thanks for all the feedback! Sorry about the "thru." I get nailed for that a lot! ha ha! I may go back and correct previous chapters, but right now, I am more focused on the chapters coming up. Your question about the advert for the vet is a good one. Here's the answer: When you read back, Jemaine comments that they couldn't afford a FULL-time vet. That is why the advert was for a "part-time vet," which, believe it or not, is pretty common. In chapter 4, I didn't actually write it into the story, but I tried to imply that Rachel had offered the owners of the Munich Circus far more than they had asked for. They were only hoping to find a part time, i.e. cheap, vet. Instead, Rachel volunteered to be a full time, on site vet, pro bono. I hope that answers your question. I try to make things flow as realistically as possible, but I won't say there are not going to be a few times that I ask you to suspend reality. ;-)
Pen Pen - Glad to see those reviews are still coming! Thanks!
2_lay_z - More? You got it!
Sinowa - I told y'all the first chapter was going to tie in? Would I lie? :-D
Sashi - Thanks for the reviews!! Glad you're enjoying the story. Please keep reviewing!
Sicklepod - There you are! "Flowerpot men" That's pretty funny!
ronlover - Like I've told others, you reviewed! Now, I know you're there! That's worth it's weight in gold to me!
Wow everyone! Now, I'm starting to get nervous! I got to make sure I keep living up to everyone's expectations! Thanks y'all!
*********************
Rachel handed Kurt a change of clothes out of her suitcase and brought him up to date, as they drove. She had drugged Ben, much the same way he had had Kurt drugged. She had used the medetomidine hydrochloride that she had used on Shiva, months earlier. She told Kurt that Ben had finally gone over the edge, and demanded that she return to the US with him in return for Kurt's freedom, but neglected to tell Kurt the price she had almost had to pay to get Ben to take her to him. It had been degrading enough just having to live through it. She suspected Kurt knew he wasn't being told everything, but for the time being, he seemed to let it pass. She ditched Ben's BMW at the Frankfurt Airport. She explained that her uncle had arranged everything else, including the rental car. Now, they were headed to Cuxhaven and out of the country.
"So, exactly, HOW are we going to get out of Germany?" Kurt asked. Germany had been his home, all his life. And, in truth, he didn't want to leave. But, like so many other things in his life, what he would have preferred was irrelevant.
Rachel pointed straight ahead as they pulled into the parking lot of the small airport in Cuxhaven.
The sunrise was bright and clear as it peaked over the eastern horizon. A huge black Boeing 747 loomed on the runway, "Donivan Enterprises", written on the tail in brilliant, elegant gold lettering, radiant in the early morning light. Kurt was impressed. "Wow."
Rachel had to smile as she nodded. "Compliments of Donivan Enterprises. We're in the home stretch. Now we just have to wait for the OK to take off."
Joe had made arrangements for the plane to be ready, but they were early. When Rachel went to check on the plane, it was still being maintenced and fueled. But, it would be ready within the hour. Fortunately, the tiny airport was empty this early in the morning, but still, Kurt stayed out of sight in the pilot's lounge restroom, till time to leave. Rachel hung an "out of order" sign on the door and waited with him.
Kurt easily balanced himself on the narrow lavatory. He was sitting with his legs drawn up on either side of him, his forearms resting lightly on his knees. Rachel leaned against the counter, facing him, cleaning his wounds with a clean wash cloth and warm water. He could have done this himself. In truth, he would have rather done this himself. He was afraid of Rachel becoming upset at the lacerations and bruises he had obtained while he was a "guest" of the Donivan Research Facility. But Rachel had been insistent that she wanted do this. And, in truth, her touch was soothing to his mind and body.
With his indigo fur, it was hard to tell the extent his injuries, but as she routinely rinsed out the wash clothe, the water in the basin became a deeper and deeper shade of pink. She let the water out and filled it up again. They were silent in the small, dim room.
"Do you suppose there's a way to get this thing off?" Kurt asked, fingering the tight metal collar around his throat.
Rachel nodded; her voice was small and tired. "We'll probably have to take it apart." That was not going to be easy. "It could take a while. Can it wait till we're in the air?"
Kurt nodded, agreeably. "Of course, it can."
They fell back into silence, each trying to find the words to comfort the other and to come to terms with the past three days. Finally, Rachel just laid her head against Kurt's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. He put his arms around her and laid his head on top of hers. The only sound was that of the running faucet.
"What happened back there, Blue?" Rachel asked, watching the water basin fill back up. "What did they do to you?" A lump rose up in her throat
Kurt did not answer, at first. The time he spent in that torture chamber had been a continual nightmare of needles and tests and torment. "It doesn't matter." He consoled her.
She pulled away enough to study him for a moment, then looked back at the basin and responded, quietly. "Yes, it does."
They were silent for a few more moments, then Kurt shook his head and turned the tables. "When are you going to tell me?"
Rachel knitted her eyebrows. "Tell you what?"
"Whatever it is that you haven't been telling me." He smiled at her startled look, but his eyes were serious. "More has happened than you are willing to let on." He stared at her for a moment, then frowned. He took her chin in his hand. His eyes narrowed on the rapidly darkening bruise around her swollen bottom lip. He couldn't believe he had just now noticed it. "How did this happen?" His tail curled angrily.
Rachel averted her eyes and turned away from him. Without something to distract her, she could still feel Ben's weight and his touch on her, smell his scent in her nose and it made her feel soiled and dirty. She turned off the water and dunked the washcloth in the clean water. Then wrang it out, as if she were choking it.
Kurt studied her carefully, then reached out and took her arm, turning her back towards him. "Schatz.... Do not keep secrets from me. Tell me what happened."
Suddenly she felt, regardless of the circumstances, she would rather the ground open up and swallow her whole, than tell Kurt what had taken place with Ben. "I'll make you a deal, Blue." She offered, still unwilling to meet his gaze. "I won't ask you what happened in that lab. You don't ask me what happened in Ben's office."
That was the wrong thing to say. Instead of curbing Kurt's insistence, that only made it ten times worse. He came off the counter in a heat. "What happened?!?!" He demanded, taking her by the shoulders, more roughly than he meant. She dropped the washcloth into the sink, and recoiled from him. "What did he do to you?" He commanded an answer, which Rachel would not give. There was something very wrong. He felt certain that if Ben had just hit her, she'd tell him. So, what was she hiding? Why wouldn't she tell him what had happened? Then, as he, carefully, turned her face towards his, he saw the haunted look in her eyes. No.... "Mien Gott, Rachel. He didn't...force you...." Kurt's voice dropped to a horrified whisper. He couldn't finish.
Rachel shook her head earnestly. It hadn't gone, entirely, that far. "No! He wanted to...." Her face turned crimson with shame. As she spoke, she could feel his hands all over her again. She took a deep breath and tried, desperately, to pull herself together. "He got angry instead." She motioned to her lip. She picked the washcloth back up and wrung it out in both hands. Twisting it so tightly, her knuckles were white.
Kurt took the cloth out of her hand and took what little self-control she had with it. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want Ben to have that kind of power over her. But, as Kurt pulled her close, she realized Ben DIDN'T have that kind of power over her - her Blue did. Giving up all pretenses of composure, she started sobbing and buried herself in the safety of his waiting arms. Her life, up to this point, had not prepared her for this nightmare. And, nothing could prepare for her for what was to come.
******************************
Kurt held her till she calmed down. They ended up sitting on the worn floor, leaning against the door. She was curled up against him, her head on his chest. He stroked her soft dark hair and whispered soothing things to her as his mind raged. Catholicism, like all Christian faiths, mandated that 'thou shall not kill. ' That was just about all that was keeping Ben Gammon alive.
They both tensed as they heard the lounge door open. "Rachel?" A husky voice called.
Rachel dried her eyes. "Uncle Joe?" She whispered. "Damn it!" She cursed. "I told him NOT to come here." She had wanted him as uninvolved as possible. Finally, she sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to meet the rest of my family." She smiled up at Kurt.
"Does he know...." Kurt left unfinished questions hanging in the air.
Rachel nodded, as she stood up, a little shaky. "I wrote him when we got married. When I was a little girl, I would come home at the end of every summer and tell him about you, but I have a strong feeling he always thought I was making you up." She grinned slightly at the memory. "Or, at least greatly exaggerating the truth."
Kurt stood up with her, in one thoughtlessly graceful move. But, he wasn't smiling. He knew what to expect. "Rachel, don't you think your uncle will be....alarmed?" He motioned to his appearance.
With all her heart, Rachel wanted to say 'No.' Joe had always been her hero. But, Kurt was right. "Maybe, I should explain things to him first?" She offered.
"I'll stay here." Kurt sighed, sitting up on the sink again. He always thought that one day he'd get used to this. So far, that day hadn't come.
Rachel smiled reassuringly and took his hand. "Uncle Joe will love you." She encouraged Kurt, "Just like I do."
Kurt laid his free hand against her stomach and kissed her, lingeringly. "Hopefully, not JUST like you do." He grinned devilishly. She couldn't help but grin back.
Rachel opened the restroom door and stepped into the lounge. When Joe saw his only niece, he grabbed her up in a great hug. "Thank God, you're safe." He said, sighing a great breath of relief.
"Thanks to you." Rachel answered, returning the hug. "Now, what the Hell are you doing here??"
Joe Donivan was a great bear of a man. And, his silver gray hair only served to make him that much more handsome. He motioned Rachel towards a sofa. "My favorite niece runs away and joins the circus, writes me a letter and says she getting married to an acrobat, then calls on the phone, crying and saying she in trouble and you ask - 'why am I here???'"
Rachel sat down on the old worn sofa and couldn't resist teasing. "I'm you ONLY niece, Joe."
He sat on the sofa next to her. "I want some answers, Rachel." He demanded, gingerly examining her bruised swollen lip and red, teary eyes. "Did your husband do this??" He asked, dangerously.
Rachel could only imagine Kurt's expression in her head, as he had to over hear that. She shook her head. "No, Ben did this."
"Ben?" Joe asked, but not at all surprised. "Tell me what's happened. I want to know everything."
Rachel started to recount everything that had transpired to bring her to this point, including the project Ben was working on, the visit from Professor Xavier, and the impending addition to the family. Joe seemed taken back by that last part, especially, but pleasantly so. However, she omitted one very important point. Which she brought up, now.
"Uncle Joe, there is one more thing I should tell you." She started. She fidgeted with her gold bracelet for a moment.
"My God!" Joe ran his fingers through his hair. "You mean there's MORE?"
Rachel nodded. "Do you remember when I was a little girl, how you always told me that we shouldn't judge people by how they look? That it is what a person is like inside that counts?"
Joe nodded.
"Do you REALLY believe that?"
Her uncle nodded again.
"My husband....." She bit her lip, careful not to reopen the split. How should she approach this? "Kurt isn't....he's not..." She stopped, scratched her head, and started again. "I don't know exactly how to-"
"It's all right, Rachel." Joe smiled. "I know."
"Know what?" Rachel asked startled.
"Do you really think I'd just let my only niece run off to Europe and never even check up on her?" He smiled, slyly.
"You've been spying on me??" She was irked at that thought.
Joe held up his hands in defense. "Not spying. Just checking in, every now and again. To make sure you were ok." He laughed good naturedly at Rachel's disapproving gaze. "Ok, I was spying. But I really did just want to make sure you were ok." He thought back on her story. "Obviously, not often enough! But, I know who...and what Kurt is." He stood up and called around the room. "It's all right Kurt. You can come out."
Slowly, the door opened and the mutant stepped out, cautiously approaching Joe. He was used to being feared by strangers. This was new territory for him. The two men stared at each other for a moment. Then Joe extended his hand. "Welcome to the family, Kurt."
NachtcGleiskette - I know. But, at least they are together..... ;-)
Jeanne - Thanks for all the feedback! Sorry about the "thru." I get nailed for that a lot! ha ha! I may go back and correct previous chapters, but right now, I am more focused on the chapters coming up. Your question about the advert for the vet is a good one. Here's the answer: When you read back, Jemaine comments that they couldn't afford a FULL-time vet. That is why the advert was for a "part-time vet," which, believe it or not, is pretty common. In chapter 4, I didn't actually write it into the story, but I tried to imply that Rachel had offered the owners of the Munich Circus far more than they had asked for. They were only hoping to find a part time, i.e. cheap, vet. Instead, Rachel volunteered to be a full time, on site vet, pro bono. I hope that answers your question. I try to make things flow as realistically as possible, but I won't say there are not going to be a few times that I ask you to suspend reality. ;-)
Pen Pen - Glad to see those reviews are still coming! Thanks!
2_lay_z - More? You got it!
Sinowa - I told y'all the first chapter was going to tie in? Would I lie? :-D
Sashi - Thanks for the reviews!! Glad you're enjoying the story. Please keep reviewing!
Sicklepod - There you are! "Flowerpot men" That's pretty funny!
ronlover - Like I've told others, you reviewed! Now, I know you're there! That's worth it's weight in gold to me!
Wow everyone! Now, I'm starting to get nervous! I got to make sure I keep living up to everyone's expectations! Thanks y'all!
*********************
Rachel handed Kurt a change of clothes out of her suitcase and brought him up to date, as they drove. She had drugged Ben, much the same way he had had Kurt drugged. She had used the medetomidine hydrochloride that she had used on Shiva, months earlier. She told Kurt that Ben had finally gone over the edge, and demanded that she return to the US with him in return for Kurt's freedom, but neglected to tell Kurt the price she had almost had to pay to get Ben to take her to him. It had been degrading enough just having to live through it. She suspected Kurt knew he wasn't being told everything, but for the time being, he seemed to let it pass. She ditched Ben's BMW at the Frankfurt Airport. She explained that her uncle had arranged everything else, including the rental car. Now, they were headed to Cuxhaven and out of the country.
"So, exactly, HOW are we going to get out of Germany?" Kurt asked. Germany had been his home, all his life. And, in truth, he didn't want to leave. But, like so many other things in his life, what he would have preferred was irrelevant.
Rachel pointed straight ahead as they pulled into the parking lot of the small airport in Cuxhaven.
The sunrise was bright and clear as it peaked over the eastern horizon. A huge black Boeing 747 loomed on the runway, "Donivan Enterprises", written on the tail in brilliant, elegant gold lettering, radiant in the early morning light. Kurt was impressed. "Wow."
Rachel had to smile as she nodded. "Compliments of Donivan Enterprises. We're in the home stretch. Now we just have to wait for the OK to take off."
Joe had made arrangements for the plane to be ready, but they were early. When Rachel went to check on the plane, it was still being maintenced and fueled. But, it would be ready within the hour. Fortunately, the tiny airport was empty this early in the morning, but still, Kurt stayed out of sight in the pilot's lounge restroom, till time to leave. Rachel hung an "out of order" sign on the door and waited with him.
Kurt easily balanced himself on the narrow lavatory. He was sitting with his legs drawn up on either side of him, his forearms resting lightly on his knees. Rachel leaned against the counter, facing him, cleaning his wounds with a clean wash cloth and warm water. He could have done this himself. In truth, he would have rather done this himself. He was afraid of Rachel becoming upset at the lacerations and bruises he had obtained while he was a "guest" of the Donivan Research Facility. But Rachel had been insistent that she wanted do this. And, in truth, her touch was soothing to his mind and body.
With his indigo fur, it was hard to tell the extent his injuries, but as she routinely rinsed out the wash clothe, the water in the basin became a deeper and deeper shade of pink. She let the water out and filled it up again. They were silent in the small, dim room.
"Do you suppose there's a way to get this thing off?" Kurt asked, fingering the tight metal collar around his throat.
Rachel nodded; her voice was small and tired. "We'll probably have to take it apart." That was not going to be easy. "It could take a while. Can it wait till we're in the air?"
Kurt nodded, agreeably. "Of course, it can."
They fell back into silence, each trying to find the words to comfort the other and to come to terms with the past three days. Finally, Rachel just laid her head against Kurt's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. He put his arms around her and laid his head on top of hers. The only sound was that of the running faucet.
"What happened back there, Blue?" Rachel asked, watching the water basin fill back up. "What did they do to you?" A lump rose up in her throat
Kurt did not answer, at first. The time he spent in that torture chamber had been a continual nightmare of needles and tests and torment. "It doesn't matter." He consoled her.
She pulled away enough to study him for a moment, then looked back at the basin and responded, quietly. "Yes, it does."
They were silent for a few more moments, then Kurt shook his head and turned the tables. "When are you going to tell me?"
Rachel knitted her eyebrows. "Tell you what?"
"Whatever it is that you haven't been telling me." He smiled at her startled look, but his eyes were serious. "More has happened than you are willing to let on." He stared at her for a moment, then frowned. He took her chin in his hand. His eyes narrowed on the rapidly darkening bruise around her swollen bottom lip. He couldn't believe he had just now noticed it. "How did this happen?" His tail curled angrily.
Rachel averted her eyes and turned away from him. Without something to distract her, she could still feel Ben's weight and his touch on her, smell his scent in her nose and it made her feel soiled and dirty. She turned off the water and dunked the washcloth in the clean water. Then wrang it out, as if she were choking it.
Kurt studied her carefully, then reached out and took her arm, turning her back towards him. "Schatz.... Do not keep secrets from me. Tell me what happened."
Suddenly she felt, regardless of the circumstances, she would rather the ground open up and swallow her whole, than tell Kurt what had taken place with Ben. "I'll make you a deal, Blue." She offered, still unwilling to meet his gaze. "I won't ask you what happened in that lab. You don't ask me what happened in Ben's office."
That was the wrong thing to say. Instead of curbing Kurt's insistence, that only made it ten times worse. He came off the counter in a heat. "What happened?!?!" He demanded, taking her by the shoulders, more roughly than he meant. She dropped the washcloth into the sink, and recoiled from him. "What did he do to you?" He commanded an answer, which Rachel would not give. There was something very wrong. He felt certain that if Ben had just hit her, she'd tell him. So, what was she hiding? Why wouldn't she tell him what had happened? Then, as he, carefully, turned her face towards his, he saw the haunted look in her eyes. No.... "Mien Gott, Rachel. He didn't...force you...." Kurt's voice dropped to a horrified whisper. He couldn't finish.
Rachel shook her head earnestly. It hadn't gone, entirely, that far. "No! He wanted to...." Her face turned crimson with shame. As she spoke, she could feel his hands all over her again. She took a deep breath and tried, desperately, to pull herself together. "He got angry instead." She motioned to her lip. She picked the washcloth back up and wrung it out in both hands. Twisting it so tightly, her knuckles were white.
Kurt took the cloth out of her hand and took what little self-control she had with it. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want Ben to have that kind of power over her. But, as Kurt pulled her close, she realized Ben DIDN'T have that kind of power over her - her Blue did. Giving up all pretenses of composure, she started sobbing and buried herself in the safety of his waiting arms. Her life, up to this point, had not prepared her for this nightmare. And, nothing could prepare for her for what was to come.
******************************
Kurt held her till she calmed down. They ended up sitting on the worn floor, leaning against the door. She was curled up against him, her head on his chest. He stroked her soft dark hair and whispered soothing things to her as his mind raged. Catholicism, like all Christian faiths, mandated that 'thou shall not kill. ' That was just about all that was keeping Ben Gammon alive.
They both tensed as they heard the lounge door open. "Rachel?" A husky voice called.
Rachel dried her eyes. "Uncle Joe?" She whispered. "Damn it!" She cursed. "I told him NOT to come here." She had wanted him as uninvolved as possible. Finally, she sighed. "Well, I guess it's time to meet the rest of my family." She smiled up at Kurt.
"Does he know...." Kurt left unfinished questions hanging in the air.
Rachel nodded, as she stood up, a little shaky. "I wrote him when we got married. When I was a little girl, I would come home at the end of every summer and tell him about you, but I have a strong feeling he always thought I was making you up." She grinned slightly at the memory. "Or, at least greatly exaggerating the truth."
Kurt stood up with her, in one thoughtlessly graceful move. But, he wasn't smiling. He knew what to expect. "Rachel, don't you think your uncle will be....alarmed?" He motioned to his appearance.
With all her heart, Rachel wanted to say 'No.' Joe had always been her hero. But, Kurt was right. "Maybe, I should explain things to him first?" She offered.
"I'll stay here." Kurt sighed, sitting up on the sink again. He always thought that one day he'd get used to this. So far, that day hadn't come.
Rachel smiled reassuringly and took his hand. "Uncle Joe will love you." She encouraged Kurt, "Just like I do."
Kurt laid his free hand against her stomach and kissed her, lingeringly. "Hopefully, not JUST like you do." He grinned devilishly. She couldn't help but grin back.
Rachel opened the restroom door and stepped into the lounge. When Joe saw his only niece, he grabbed her up in a great hug. "Thank God, you're safe." He said, sighing a great breath of relief.
"Thanks to you." Rachel answered, returning the hug. "Now, what the Hell are you doing here??"
Joe Donivan was a great bear of a man. And, his silver gray hair only served to make him that much more handsome. He motioned Rachel towards a sofa. "My favorite niece runs away and joins the circus, writes me a letter and says she getting married to an acrobat, then calls on the phone, crying and saying she in trouble and you ask - 'why am I here???'"
Rachel sat down on the old worn sofa and couldn't resist teasing. "I'm you ONLY niece, Joe."
He sat on the sofa next to her. "I want some answers, Rachel." He demanded, gingerly examining her bruised swollen lip and red, teary eyes. "Did your husband do this??" He asked, dangerously.
Rachel could only imagine Kurt's expression in her head, as he had to over hear that. She shook her head. "No, Ben did this."
"Ben?" Joe asked, but not at all surprised. "Tell me what's happened. I want to know everything."
Rachel started to recount everything that had transpired to bring her to this point, including the project Ben was working on, the visit from Professor Xavier, and the impending addition to the family. Joe seemed taken back by that last part, especially, but pleasantly so. However, she omitted one very important point. Which she brought up, now.
"Uncle Joe, there is one more thing I should tell you." She started. She fidgeted with her gold bracelet for a moment.
"My God!" Joe ran his fingers through his hair. "You mean there's MORE?"
Rachel nodded. "Do you remember when I was a little girl, how you always told me that we shouldn't judge people by how they look? That it is what a person is like inside that counts?"
Joe nodded.
"Do you REALLY believe that?"
Her uncle nodded again.
"My husband....." She bit her lip, careful not to reopen the split. How should she approach this? "Kurt isn't....he's not..." She stopped, scratched her head, and started again. "I don't know exactly how to-"
"It's all right, Rachel." Joe smiled. "I know."
"Know what?" Rachel asked startled.
"Do you really think I'd just let my only niece run off to Europe and never even check up on her?" He smiled, slyly.
"You've been spying on me??" She was irked at that thought.
Joe held up his hands in defense. "Not spying. Just checking in, every now and again. To make sure you were ok." He laughed good naturedly at Rachel's disapproving gaze. "Ok, I was spying. But I really did just want to make sure you were ok." He thought back on her story. "Obviously, not often enough! But, I know who...and what Kurt is." He stood up and called around the room. "It's all right Kurt. You can come out."
Slowly, the door opened and the mutant stepped out, cautiously approaching Joe. He was used to being feared by strangers. This was new territory for him. The two men stared at each other for a moment. Then Joe extended his hand. "Welcome to the family, Kurt."