A/N- All right, like I said, school starts for me on Thursday, so I will not be able to update daily anymore, as I am grounded off the computer during the week. However, I have a laptop in my room that is to be used for homewor, which is whereI actually write this, then tranfer it to my family computer that has internet accessAnd a huge collection of floppy disks, so you can definitely expect at least one update every weekend. Please don't lose faith in me, you are who make me fic! I hope you enjoy, this chappie in particular was a bitch.

Chapter 25

Anna's Story

"I was born in Albany. When I was two, my father died of a brain tumor. I didn't really understand what she meant, because death is so hard to comprehend at that age.

"Not even a year after his death, she began dating again. She'd leave me home alone constantly. She'd bring a new guy home almost every week. Some of them were rich, some of them were this, some of them were that, whatever. This pattern continued for about three more years before she brought home Frank." I said in a rush, standing up and beginning to pace the Berber carpet.

"She said he was special, that he was "The One". That I was going to have a daddy again. But I didn't want a new daddy. I didn't like Frank. He was big and menacing, but my mother couldn't see that. He looked at me funny, but I didn't tell her, because she seemed so happy.

"They got married about three months later.

"I was six or seven when he started coming into my room at night. At first, he'd just sit in the rocking chair that my daddy had built for me when I was first born and watch me. My mother said it was sweet that he wanted to spend time with me. I thought it was scary. He moved from the rocking chair to my bed. I'd pretend to sleep, but somehow, he knew I was faking it. He'd stroke my back sometimes, and my mother said that was sweet too. I knew something was wrong.

"I was eight when he first touched me. I had learned about what to do in school. I was supposed to tell an adult I trusted. So I went to my mother and I told her that I didn't like the way Frank was touching me. She did nothing.

"It got worse. He told me if I told my mother, she wouldn't love me anymore. I stopped saying my prayers at night, because in my eight-year-old mind, they were useless. I gave up on God entirely when I was nine. I told my mother again and she called me a lying whore. I didn't even know what that meant, but I figured it was bad, since she backhanded me out of my chair.

"The age of ten passed with Frank still doing things to my body. I learned to make myself numb to him and what he did to me. For a while, that worked. But the anger and the fear began to creep back in, and being numb ceased to work."

I took a deep breath. I couldn't bring myself to look at John I was so ashamed.

"One night, when I was eleven, he came into my room. I was so angry, so tired of it all, just being hurt and lied to… that when he sat down next to me, my mutation manifested itself for the first time and I electrocuted him. I didn't kill him, but he was badly shaken. He told my mother that I was a mutant, and they kicked me out of the house. I took my piggy bank, which had a grand total of $127.64, the teddy bear my daddy gave me when I was born, and a picture of he and I.

"I was in a foster home after that, but I got mad at some kid and shocked him. Then I ran away.

"Logan was the one who brought me to the Professor. I was walking somewhere in the city, and I saw him, and for some reason, instead of being afraid, I went over to him. I sat down next to him on a park bench, and some guy tried to mug him. I saw his claws and thought maybe he could help me. He drove me to the mansion, but he didn't come in with me. He said he'd see me again some day.

"I didn't see him again until the day he showed up with Rogue. I was elated beyond all words, because I hadn't seen him in three years…" I trailed off.

I looked up at John.

He was staring at me in disbelief.

"So, now you know why I called you Frank." I said quietly, sitting down in the alcove, looking at the trees in the backyard.

"Because I grabbed your wrist."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, John. I just… I didn't see you. I saw him, and I got scared." I tried to explain. I knew it sounded stupid, but that was what had happened.

He didn't say anything.

"I guess you think I'm completely fucked up now." I said quietly, focusing on a leaf that fluttered past the window.

"Why would I think that?"

"Because of what I let Frank do to me." I said, frustrated, glaring at him.

Boys can be so fucking dense; it's like they need EVERYTHING spelled out for them all the time.

John stood up abruptly and walked over to me.

"You didn't 'let' him do it. Don't you dare blame yourself for what that worthless piece of shit did to you. It's not your fault." John said firmly. "I did the same thing when I first got here. I blamed myself."

"Why did you stop? Blaming yourself, I mean." I asked, brushing a piece of lint off my shorts.

"Because I finally realized that I couldn't change anything about it." John said bitterly, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

I stared at him for a minute.

I stood up off the cushion I was sitting on next to the window and sat back down on the bed.

"John-" I started.

"Listen, don't you dare pity me. I hate when people do that. Storm and Jean did that when I first got here and I wanted to shoot them." he interrupted defensively.

"I wasn't going to, John. I wanted to say thank you." I explained shyly, uncrossing and recrossing my legs Indian style.

John sat down next to me on the bed again.

"I want to show you something." I said suddenly.

I pulled down the top of my camisole a little bit so John could see the scar on the top of my breast.

"He did that to you?" John asked, sucking in a sharp breath.

"With the edge of my mother's curling iron." I explained, quickly readjusting my camisole.

"I…" he trailed off.

For the first time in all the five years I had known John Allerdyce, he was speechless.

"I don't even know why I showed you, it was stupid of me." I apologized, putting my hands over my face.

"Hey, hey, chill out. It's okay." he coaxed gently, putting a tentative hand on my shoulder.

"You're saying that because you got a free show." I pointed out, lying back on the bed.

"Hey, I'm not a complete dick." he argued.

"I know, but still." I said, propping myself up on my elbows.

"I am not run solely by my penis, Anna, hard as it may seem for you to believe." he insisted.

"Whatever." I said, glancing at the clock, which read 12:43 A.M.

He followed my gaze.

"Shit, it's late." he said bluntly. "I'm gonna head downstairs to the couch." he said, standing up.

"John, wait." I said.

He stopped halfway to the door.

"Would you sleep with me tonight?" I asked, and then quickly realizing how that sounded as John cocked an eyebrow. "Not like sleep with me sleep with me. Just stay with me." I explained hurriedly.

"Why?" he asked, sitting back down on the bed.

"Because I felt safe with you last night in the car." I said truthfully.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I said, smiling.

"Alright, but keep your hands to yourself."

"Fuck you, Allerdyce." I said good naturedly as he lay down beside me.

"If that's what you really want me to do-" he started, before I elbowed him in the ribs.

"John, I'll de-ball you in your sleep." I said, as I lay my head on his chest.

He smelled really good, stupid as it may sound to even think. But I didn't care. I felt happy, and I was just about to drift off when I felt John gently kiss my lips.

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A/N- I did it! They had physical contact that didn't involve trying to hurt each other or tranqs!

Whadja think? R & R! Was it too MSish?