A/N: I was reminded of updating this story by my Biology assignment--Mendelian Genetics! YAY! Side note: For speed, I now reply to reviews first on my blog, .com ;
if you don't want to look at a different site no problem, I'm still posting all answers here anyways. But if you have a question you can check there because it allows me to answer much
faster (rather than you having to wait till next chapter ;)
CHAPTER NOTE: Fun, floofy chapter, some emotional content, establishing characterization, yada yada.
Laura K. Howlett:
Actually the name-thing is intentional, but not a major plot concern. Laura calls him 'Keller' for the most part, but will call him 'Julian' on rare occasion when she's being 100% serious.
Or comforting him. Like a parent might use a child's full name. Just one of those little things...It does bring to mind though that she has a tendency to revert to 616 X-23 when
confronted with extreme stress. It's a natural reaction for her--the best examples were 1) 50-52 'the mark has been made' to 'we're in this together', and 2) 55 'broken'. I'm
sure more instances will come up. Also: Vol 2 ends with Chapter 80 (a wee little chapter).
zackslacker18:
Haha, can't tell if you're mad or just saying. Buuut in either case...that is not so! I can't tell too much--plot surprises and all, but Julian is not Cable. He's just Madelyn Pryor's son.
In this story, Madelyn Pryor did not have Cable for a son--she just had Rachel (Summer's daughter, who died, and it's safe to say now that she sacrificed her), Julian (William Keller's son)
and James (also William's son). Note: I think you might've read the blog. /happydance lol X-D little hint: look back at the kid's names.
On recons: (random rambling)
I've decided to not 100% recon, so I've borrowed some elements from the comics re: family connections, etc, but I haven't kept everything totally true. I mean, this is Julian's
AU that he created anyway...so some details are understandably different. Makes it a funner, fresher story. I just enjoy connecting some elements with comics (I've heard from
some people before *coughstraycough* that they hate recons). I don't like total recons either...and Volume 1 of Helix was running on a track where I had to recon a bit too
much to keep the story running; I prefer Vol 2 because it's more open. I did recon a fair amount with some storylines, but then I tossed in a whole bunch that came from
who-the-fuck-knows-where. I get alot of my ideas on the bus and walking home. I had another one today about the Shrimps--I totally pictured it. Bad thing is when I start
laughing in public with no visible reason to be laughing... o.o
(Volume: 2 Arc: "An Interlude of Pertinent Information" 10 Issue: 2/2 )
Chapter 67: relations
Laura suddenly bolted away from Julian as they were walking down the main stairs, on their way to Biology, which was held in the
East Wing of the building, main level.
" Mom!" she exclaimed. Julian blinked. There was Sarah Kinney, embracing her daughter. Both were all smiles. How weird, like Laura
just forgot she was still angry at her mother.
Sarah finally let her daughter go. "You're as big as a house," she said, looking at Laura's swell.
Laura wrinkled her nose. "Thanks." Snff. Her eyes widened. "Ohmigod! Megan's here?"
"She wanted to see you," Sarah said. "Her exact words were 'I want to see if I can startle her into premature labor'."
" That's awesome," Laura grinned. " I don't think Keller would be too happy though."
" No, I wouldn't," Julian said. " I'm actually enjoying the last few months of my life, thank you. They're incredibly precious."
Sarah smiled at him and her daughter. "I never got to really congratulate you! I want us to go to dinner. With Logan. He's here, right?"
Julian rubbed his neck. He'd always found it so odd that Laura's mother was so nice, and seemed to actually like him. And that his parents
had ended up being the complete assholes.
Laura nodded. "I can't promise he'll behave. He's so mean when he talks about you, sometimes."
Sarah smiled gently. "That's okay. I deserve it. He makes me consider my actions carefully. I'd rather he'd come and be angry than not
come at all. Oh, sweetheart, I missed you!"
She hugged Laura again. "You scared me so much when you called me, that one time, from Mexico."
" I'm sorry," Laura said. "I was...it was really confusing. I'll tell you what happened later, okay? I have class right now."
"Good," Sarah said. "When are you finished?"
" Four. Find Logan and meet us at our room. He knows where it is." Laura waved at her mother, all buttercups and sunshine. Julian grabbed
her hand when Sarah was out of sight.
" Why are you so nice to her now?" he asked, confused.
Laura frowned. "I...it was the whole Phoenix thing. The room. It showed me some things. I didn't like them. I appreciate Sarah a whole lot more now."
...
Julian opened their door, in the middle of a sentence to Laura. "--and could he have said the word 'anus' any more times? I swear to God, he must
have a fix--" A bucket of pennies had tipped over from the top of the door, and were falling with a tremendous crash to the ground.
"HAHAHA, you screamed like a little girl!" Laura pounded on the doorframe. "That was so awesome, Meggers!"
Her cousin was sitting on the bed, her hands folded. "Damnit, you didn't go into labor. Way to disappoint me."
"I could smell you down the hallway, coz," Laura said, grinning. "I think Keller almost went into labor, though. I'm impressed."
"Shut up." Julian rubbed his neck with a flush. His heart was still thumping. He swept up the pennies with a thought and dropped them into the bucket,
then slid it to Megan's feet. "Don't play with your life savings," he advised.
"Oho." Megan looked at Laura. "Where'd you find this one? I saw him at Christmas, but you weren't too keen on talking boys then. And, by the way, I
dumped Chris if you're interested." Megan had known Laura was pregnant, due to an abduction, but not more, as Laura had refused to acknowledge
Julian during their Christmas visit.
"I'm not," Laura told her bluntly. "And it found me. I assure you, I had no choice in the matter. I used every trick we ever learned, and it still wouldn't
go away. It's a heartwarming story, best saved for graphic descriptions while eating."
Megan looked delighted by this idea.
"How long are you guys staying?" Julian asked, feeling he wasn't going to enjoy this too much. One Laura was enough, he didn't need her sidekick too.
"Forever. I'm moving in with you guys," Megan teased.
"Good. You can be our cameraman for the sex tape we're trying to leak onto the school website. Brought your camcorder?"
"Laura!" Julian glared at the girl. She cackled.
"I always have it," Megan said seriously. "I'm determined to win a best-gag contest. Can we use your male unit as a test dummy?"
"You wish," Julian said, throwing his books down on his chair. "How did you get in anyways? I locked the door."
Megan held up a credit card. "I'm a professional, no worries."
"She taught me everything I know about jacking cars," Laura grinned. "OH MY GOD! Get this...you will not believe it...that yellow BMW, a few years
back? It. Was. His!" She pointed at Julian.
"HAHAHAHA!" Megan had a similar laugh to Laura's. "Oh, my god...we totally trashed that thing. My favorite part was when we drove it right through
the bakery and I grabbed those cinnamon buns..."
"Mmm, cinnamon buns," Laura said. "Yes, I remember. You worked them into the back seat in counter-clockwise motions..."
Julian glared at the girls. "If you fucking touch my car..."
"Our car, darling," Laura said, with a pleasant smile that scared the shit out of him. "I didn't notice you ask for a pre-nup."
"Laura!"
"Ohmigod--woah woah, you married him?!" Megan stood up. "What the hell is wrong with you, Laura?! We were unstoppable! Like Thelma and Louise!
You swore to me that that was how we'd go out too!"
"Look at it this way--I have a car now to do that with," Laura grinned.
"Laura!" Julian kept falling for her bait because he had no doubt she could get it in her head to do something just like that. He stood up and summoned
their jackets from across the room. "Aren't we supposed to meet the rest of your fucked-up family outside?"
"Mhmm." Laura held out her hands, and he tossed her jacket over.
"Does he do tricks?" Megan asked.
"Totally," Laura said. "He'll do anything for sex. Watch this, it's awesome." She grabbed his car keys, sitting on the table beside her, and hurled them
out the window. "Keller, FETCH!"
"ARRGH!" Julian ran to the window, shoving her out of the way, and just caught the keys before they disappeared from sight. "Laura...what the hell
is wrong with you?!"
"Oh boy--craft activity! Let's make a list! I'll get the materials, you dictate!" Megan said, excited. "I've been asking her that for years. In admiration, of course."
Julian rolled his eyes, jamming the keys in his pocket and zipping it up with a very final sound while glaring at Laura; she fluttered her eyelashes at him
and pulled on her own jacket. "Let's just pretend that didn't happen, and go," he growled at her.
...
"HELL NO!" Julian said, grabbing the keys again from Laura (who had somehow pick-pocketed him during a kiss in the hallway). "And you are not sitting together.
Your cousin in the backseat. You in the front, where I can keep my eye on you. NOW."
"Ohh, I like it when you're dominant," Laura teased. "Such a nice change."
Logan folded his arms, in the back seat already, beside Sarah. He did not like sitting beside her, at all. She had tried to smile at him hopefully. She wanted to
be friends. Fuck that. He was coming along only for Laura, who had appealed to his earlier decision of 'no' with a little girl pout. He couldn't say no to her when
she pleaded. She wanted a nice family dinner, she'd said, where she could pretend she wasn't 'just another clone'. For once in her life.
Manipulative little wench she was.
"Get in the car, Laura," Julian ordered sternly.
She rolled her eyes and complied. "Seatbelt," he snapped.
"Oh, god, fine--mom." Laura fastened the strap with an amplified click, glaring at him like a small, displeased child. Megan grinned in the backseat, leaned
forward and--thwip--flicked Julian's ear. He closed his eyes, ignored it and started the car.
...
"Oh, my god, they have lobster," Laura hissed, looking over Julian's shoulder at his menu. "Order it."
"Order it yourself," he replied, flicking the page irritably. Laura had been acting impossible again, this whole week; the only thing that kept him going was the knowledge
that the pressure would more than probably reach breaking point.
Which was usually quite memorable.
"You know if I have a whole lobster, I'll throw up," Laura mumbled in his ear.
"I don't feel like seafood."
"Someone here has to order lobster," Laura announced to the table. "Or I'll puke. Projectile vomit. I swear, I'll do it. I trained the babies."
Logan stared at her, distracted from his annoyance at Sarah. "Kid..."
"Isn't it weird how if one person pukes, everyone around them feels like puking too?" Megan grinned. She loved bothering people. "Do you think it's the smell, or the
appearance? Or is it the sound of gagging?"
"Megan, please," Sarah said calmly. "Laura, you could have asked nicely and I would be more than happy."
Laura rolled her eyes. "Sorry," she said a moment later.
"It's okay. There were many foods I wanted but couldn't eat when I was having you...I understand."
Logan eyed her warily. He had been silent for the whole ride here and the seating, his only words a grunt of 'thanks' to the Maître de. Julian felt awkward. He kept
forgetting that the man was part of Laura's family-even though she was his clone. And that now he was a part of his too. He had Wolverine for an in-law.
Joy.
"Did you have trouble with penile-shaped objects? That's what really sets me off."
"LAURA!" Sarah. Julian covered his face with his hand.
"A dinner's not a dinner if you don't mention p--"Megan started, but Julian kicked her under the table, in the shin. "Ow!" she yelped instead.
Logan sighed. Kids. Why was he working at a school? Kids annoyed the fuck out of him. And now-although not through any fault of her own (or so Hank said), Laura
was making more. He wasn't sure how involved he'd have to be-hopefully not very. He cared for Laura, but she could be quite wearing. He almost felt sorry for Keller,
who already had his hands full with the girl herself.
Almost.
Megan and Laura were whispering again. Laura giggled, and the hair on the back of Julian's neck stood up.
"What are you guys planning?" he accused.
"We're gonna order ten of the most expensive things on the menu, take a forkful of everything, then go smoke a joint in the washroom and climb out the window,"
Laura said, her tone completely serious. "Thereby leaving you to pay the bill. You want to come, Logan?"
"No thanks, half-pint," he grunted. "They got beer here?"
...
An hour later, when everyone was busy eating, Laura waved the waiter over with a cunning look. She leaned, cupped her hand to his ear, and began whispering hurriedly.
Logan stared at her, hearing every word.
"We couldn't--" the waiter began.
"I assure you, he has an excellent sense of humor," Laura whispered back, with a confident nod and a wink.
She couldn't be serious. He'd thought she and Megan were joking when they'd talked about it earlier.
...
Logan covered his face with one hand, as Laura and Megan stared at each other, trying to conceal laughter. A very old, cranky looking man-sitting alone across the room,
eating spaghetti, was being approached by the restaurant staff--with a birthday cake that had a hundred and fifty candles and a tombstone marker made out of icing.
"That's it, I can't take this any longer," he grunted, throwing his napkin down. "I'm going for a smoke."
Julian stared at him--then followed his gaze, glancing over his shoulder. The cake had nearly reached its target.
"I'll join you," he said. He knew--he could feel it coming--Laura had tied him into this somehow. He saw her grin.
"You don't smo--" Logan began.
"I do now," Julian cut him off, almost knocking a chair out of his way in his haste to escape. He could hear the waiters begin to address the old man. Oh my god. He beat Logan
to the doors just as his name was called; he didn't turn around.
...
"Having trouble with my clone, huh?" Logan asked when he'd lit his cigarette.
Julian was leaning on the railing, trying not to be annoyed and failing. What was even more annoying was that it was funny. He wanted to laugh and shout nasty things
at Laura--at the same time. And break stuff.
"You piss her off or somethin'?"
"No, she's always like this," Julian mumbled. "It's an occupational hazard."
"Damn." Logan blew out a smoke cloud. "Surprised you put up with it."
"What else am I supposed to do?" Julian asked, his hand in his hair.
Logan grunted. No, it was a small laugh. "Heh. You'll figure it out, kid."
"Soon, I hope." Julian looked down.
Logan squinted at the parking lot. "Hey--kid--isn't that your car?"
Julian started and stared at his car. It had toilet paper all over it, with hearts made out of silly string. It also sported the words "David + Julian 4ever".
"...she went to use the washroom! She was gone two minutes! How the hell...GRR!" Julian stomped into the parking lot, the gravel crunching under his
boots. He swept his hand over the car hood, and all the ornaments followed, sliding off the finish.
"Nice," Logan said from the patio, his arms folded.
"I learned to wax it after the first time," Julian said, in a flat voice.
...
"Laura-I have something to ask you," Sarah said, at the same time Laura said "Mom, could you do me a favor?"
They smiled at each other. Megan gawked. "Since when are you smiling at her?!" she asked in awe. "I thought you hated her."
"Be quiet, Meggers," Laura said, without looking at her cousin. "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Or something like that."
Sarah ignored the fact that Laura had just effectively called her a fly.
"You first," she said to her daughter.
"Well-it's hard to explain. But...I guess...in plain words...Keller's parents disowned him," Laura said bluntly.
"Oh," Sarah said, frowning. "That's terrible. Why would they do something like that?"
"Why wouldn't they do something like that?" Megan asked, holding up her finger.
"I agree. He's only the biggest disappointment ever," Laura said, nodding. "I don't know why he bothers being alive. Seriously. He's a waste of
air and space. I've been thinking about using him in the room as a decorating fixture."
Megan snorted. "Paint him hot pink and make him hold your cheetah-print bathrobe."
"Ohmigod! I just might!" Laura smiled evilly. "But, anyways, he needs a legal guardian to be allowed to stay at the school. I did some eavesdropping...his
mother got her revenge by bribing Social Services into making his an 'urgent' case. Emma took him for a bit...but they're now getting her. She had a class
of kids die under her care before. Anyways. I tried Logan...but, you know him."
"I'll do it," Sarah said. "I'll speak with Headmistress Frost tomorrow. You should really refer to the teachers by their proper titles, Laura. It isn't right to call
people you don't know intimately by their first names."
"Sez you," Megan answered for Laura.
"Megan."
Sarah cleared her throat. "Laura...I'm considering moving out here."
This stunned both girls. "WHAT?!" Megan recovered first. "You can't be serious! Your house is the best place to hide my crack!"
Sarah closed her eyes. "I don't want to intrude on your privacy...I thought there was a chance that you might want help, in the future."
"I--I don't know," Laura said, confused. She liked the idea--at the same time she hated it. She sat back. "Can I get back to you?"
"Of course," Sarah said. "Take your time. It's...been lonely, without you."
She smiled sadly at her daughter.
"Oh, my god, she's using a guilt trip! LAURA, RUN!" Megan exclaimed. Laura made a horrified face, slammed her chair out of the way and bolted for the doors.
Sarah sighed as Megan hunched over, slapping the table.
"SHE LOOKS LIKE A DUCK!" Megan squeaked after a moment.
...
"Laura. You can't keep doing this to me." Julian sat on the bed, his elbows on his knees. "You're impossible, sometimes."
She brushed her hair at the dresser, grinning. "You're a big boy, Keller. And you picked on everyone in this school for far too long before I got here."
"Oh, my god. Laura...we're kind of past that stage. I'm trying to grow up--aren't you?"
She frowned and shook her head.
"The only people who keep trying grow up are children," she said bluntly.
Julian looked down. He tried to calm himself with the idea that she would, in enough time, be busy with real children--and too occupied to think about
how she could make his life miserable.
"So my mother made this wonderful offer, to move here. She promised to snoop whenever possible, and hand-fold my underwear and socks, and live with
one eyeball to the keyhole. How would that sound to you?"
"Just what I needed?" Julian asked, stretching out on the bed and folding his arms behind his head. "Are you serious--did she really offer?"
"Yes." Laura looked at her brush in her hands. "I...I told her I'd think about it."
"Are you crazy? Of course she should. We need all the help we can get."
Laura grinned. "If you mean therapy, I agree."
Julian closed his eyes. "Laura..."
"I don't know how to feel! I'm still mad at her." Laura frowned. "But I got all mixed up by that...thing...that happened. In the...in the other place, she was
dead, and I missed her a lot. Here..."
"It's always easier to not be angry, Laura," Julian stated calmly. "Anger takes too much time and energy."
"You speak from experience," Laura said snidely.
"Yeah, well." He grinned at her. "I didn't say I wasn't a bit of a hypocrite. Someone once told me that all strong leaders are."
"A bit? Keller, you're so hypocritical that, by that proportion, you're a really weak leader," Laura grinned. "I'd say anemic, even."
"Come here, asshole." Julian sat up, caught her arm, and pulled her closer.