Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men:Evolution or it's characters. Just my OC, Molly Callum/Creature and any original characters/background characters that may pop up from time to time.
AN: Fun fact: I had to go back through this WHOLE thing because in one of the last chapters, I bothered to look to see if I had the names for Xavier's son correct. No. David was Lucas, Legion was just Legion and not Lucas, and Ian was David. The sad part is I just watched the episode a few weeks ago. Thank heavens for the find and autocorrect feature in notepad!
The chilly October wind blew through Molly's hair as they walked through the security gates to the well protected facility where some of their most powerful enemies were being held indefinitely. Juggernaut, Sinister and the villain known as Legion AKA Lucas, Charles son, were all here. Ever since they had detained Legion, Charles had been working with him a few times a week, trying desperately to find any trace of his son inside the mind of the madman somewhere. As it turned out, there were residual traces of him. Legion had been wrong. David was not gone forever. Like a computer, the information of the mind was never completely erased. It was always there, hidden away. Sometimes it took years to unlock, but it was always there, retrievable. Ian had been erased some months ago, for keeping him in David's phsyche would've been too difficult.
So, today, Charles needed the X-Men as back up as he once again attempted to pull his son out from the sordid mind of the Scotsman. Anything could happen, so they had to be there and ready. Charles sat in the middle of a metal room while the X-Men stood around him in a circle formation. Molly was already morphed into tiger, muscles coiled, ready to protect Charles at a moments notice.
Charles placed his hands on either side of Legion's forehead, concentrating. Everyone watched as Legion slowly changed back to David.
"Dad? Am I really-"
"Shh, David...just a moment..." Charles instructed tensely.
Everyone watched tensely as David' face morphed back into Legion for a few moments, then changed back, stabilizing itself.
"I'm... I'm back. I'm me!" David said, shocked.
"Jean, please do a scan of David' mind. I was thorough, but I need you to double check," Charles ordered.
Jean seemed to look inside the young man's mind for several minutes. "I can't find any residual minds, Professor. I think we did it,"
Molly changed back. "I want to check his scent," She walked over to them, turning into a bloodhound and breathing in deep. There were no other scents intermingling with David, just his own. "He's clean. No other scents on him."
"Fantastic," Charles smiled, motioning the guards to undo the metal restraints around his sons wrists, "You'll come back to the Institute with us for a couple weeks to rest up. I'll call your mother, so she can see you again. Make you both comfortable, and we'll...we'll get to make up for lost time." A few tears escaped Charles' eyes.
Molly's heart swelled. The team knew how much getting his son back meant to the Professor.
"Sounds good, dad. I'm kinda hungry myself, even after all that. I don't remember much, but the food here probably wasn't that great.
Anybody else up for a burger?" David looked around at the team, hopeful.
"Hey, a man after my own heart!" Kurt smiled, pointing a thumb to himself, tail curling happily.
So burgers it was.
The Annex, along with Scott and Jean's house had been finished in just a couple short weeks, so the mansion had breathing room again. Molly was going to miss having Marissa around, but they were at least within walking distance, still able to hang out at anytime. So, with that and some of the older students having moved out recently, there were some rooms available for David and his mother to stay in. Charles and a few of the others, (Molly, Jean, Scott, Rogue, and Remy), showed the boy to his room, helping him get settled in. David had aged considerably since Jean, Scott and the others last saw him, according to Jean, having gone from seventeen to twenty in the time his body had been locked away. There was some scientific explanation, but Jean didn't go into details. Molly was glad it wasn't like books and movies where, in similar situations, characters didn't age unrealistically. That would've been kind of freaky.
"If you need anything, intercoms are located sparsely down the hallways. And, as always, my office is in the middle. The X-Men and other students will be at your disposal, they know their way around quite well," Charles explained.
"Thanks, uh, dad," David abashedly put a hand to his neck, "I need a good shower. They kept Legion clean enough, but it feels like too long."
Molly felt revulsion for David' mind prison. How evil had Legion been to keep they poor guy locked up for _years_. Granted, Molly and the others had been on the receiving end of Legion's attacks and mind games, so they knew how he was, but it was all just a brush with the psychopath. Molly didn't want to know what lengths Legion had gone to commit heinous crimes in between the time Charles lost him, and he joined up with Loki to try and overtake the world. Pretty sick guy, all in all.
Jean floated some towels and a bathrobe onto the bed from the closet in the hall.
"Egyptian cotton," Jean explained, "Nothing but the best for us."
Everyone giggled, but David giggled awkwardly. Molly felt bad for him, having to see his dad he barely knew take excellent care of other people's kids and not him, but Molly thought he would adjust with time.
"I'll be in my office if anyone needs me," The professor left, along with everyone else while David headed to the men's bathrooms.
Remy squeezed Molly's hand.
"So, baby, we got the most important thing out of the way. Now we can go back to focusing on us. What's next on the wedding agenda?"
"Uh, a lot. I made a list. We've gotten a lot taken care of, but, there's still a ton to do in seven months, even with everything we did at the Boutique with Gretchen last month! Here," Molly handed Remy a list from her jeans pocket.
His eyes went wide, and he got a little pale as he saw the list.
"Schedule engagement photos, research ceremony and reception venues, research wedding dress styles and plan a shopping trip, book ceremony and reception venues, book officiant, book vendors, create and finalize guest list, research hotels and book for out-of-town guests, choose bridesmaid attire and gifts, and, lastly-for _this_ month-register for gifts." Remy read off the extra long list. "Okay, okay. We can do the big stuff today and space out the little stuff in the rest of the week. Or, uh, next two weeks from the looks of it."
"I know, it's overwhelming. I'm sort of regretting trying to squeeze it all into eight months," Molly winced, "Most people have a year or two to plan these things out, not _months_! At least the boutique will call for the engagement photos for us...after we pick a photographer! Ugh!"
"Cherie, it's okay. I don't want to have to wait years to marry you," Remy held her shoulders, "Seven months is plenty of time to put a wedding together. We already have the boutique doing a lot of stuff for us, but it shouldn't take long to do everything else. We just have to take it one step at a time. Besides, I had a good idea. After all the Professor has done for us, I think it's only right for him to perform the ceremony, don't you? It'll be one thing off of our list."
Molly's mouth hung open. The clear, best answer to their officiant had been in front of them the whole time! "Ohh, Remy, that's a fantastic idea! Just great!-But you think it's too much to ask him after this morning?"
"Everything's settled, and he's in the best mood right now. No better time for it, my love." Remy led Molly to Xavier's office.
Remy knocked and they were invited inside.
Charles sat there writing out checks. "Yes? What can I help you with, Remy?" Charles put down his pen to focus on two of his best former charges.
"We have something important we wanted to, uh, ask you," Remy said.
"I'm listening," Charles smiled, putting one hand over the other, elbows on the desk.
"We would be happy if..." Molly started.
"You could officiate our wedding. It would mean a lot to us," Remy put an arm around Molly.
"... Oh. Remy, Molly. I'm sincerely touched you'd ask me that. To even consider me is...it's very heartwarming," Charles had a soft look on his face, "Of course I will. But I have never performed a wedding before. It's not exactly in my wheelhouse."
"Thank you, Professor. We know you'll do more than fine. Flying colors all across the board." Remy said, waving his hand dramatically.
"The boutique we picked has plenty of scripts, you just have to put your own spin on it," Molly explained, "We...we just thought...you've done so much for us...well, it's only fair that you start our new beginning in life together." Molly wiped her eyes.
"Dear, if not for you and Remy, I wouldn't be here today. To officiate your wedding is a privilege and an honor. I'm glad to do it." Charles smiled.
The couple left the room quite happy with their choice. Molly knew the Professor was perfect for the job.
Molly and Remy decided driving around to check out venues and reception areas would be best, then decide on what type of food to have and look at vendors, then come home and create the guest list and Molly would research dress styles.
The next day would be saved for booking hotels, looking at bridesmaid dresses, and if there was time, plan the shopping trip with Jean and the rest of the girls to try on the bridesmaid dresses. Everything else could wait, even the wedding gift registry.
The couple started with a local hotel. It was one of the better ones in Bayville with a four star rating and several ballrooms to hold weddings or receptions. The followed as a slim dark haired woman in a blue vest led them around and into a large four hundred square foot ballroom with cream tile floors and windows on every wall on the right side, overlooking a lake outside. "This is our second the best ballroom. It seats three-hundred and the cost is nine-hundred with no time limit. What was your budget?"
Molly and Remy looked at each other. They never had exactly worked that out for any part of this. They'd just rushed into all this head on, not quite thinking it through. They'd already spent over thirty thousand so far, not including venues or clothes.
"Twenty-five?" Molly threw out a number.
"Uh, I'm not sure that's going to get us anywhere. How about fourty?" Remy suggested.
Molly swallowed. Okay, it was only a budget. They weren't going to spend 40,000 like a drop in the bucket.
"Okay. Fourty."
After all, they had yet to pay for the caterers, venues, dress, tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses and gifts, and include tips for everyone.
It was a giant, immense undertaking. Enough to give Molly a migraine.
"I'll leave you alone to chat," The woman left them.
"Nine hundred for an empty room," Molly scoffed, "Ridiculous! Let's go somewhere else."
"I'm almost inclined to agree, but no time limit is really worth the money and it can do double duty for the reception," Remy said,
"Let's put it on the list at least."
"... Fine," Molly sighed.
They went to the next spot. A beautiful outdoor garden with a room for the reception, located near a pizza place...and a meat packing plant. "I can't deal with the smell!" Molly covered her nose, "It smells like...like..."
"Rotting cow intestines, we're well aware," Their guide, a fifty-something man with gray hair and a mustache, said, "I'm terribly sorry. We know it's a slight inconvenience, but many happy couples have had outstanding reviews at our garden. Our prices can't be beat. Five hundred for the area before tips, six hour time limits, and we clean up for you."
"...It's a nice place, but not for us. Thanks for your time," Remy pulled Molly away and back to the car.
Remy scrolled through his phone, looking for their next potential venue.
"I don't know," Molly sighed, "Maybe having it at the Institute is best. No fees, plenty of room, no time limit. And hey, no traveling or getting lost."
"No, no. We can do this. We'll find somewhere perfect, Petite, it's just going to take a little time and a lot of patience. And, uh, money." Remy insisted.
They went to five more places. A rustic Victorian era house...that was attached to a clown college. Another garden that was wedged between two loud, gross, immature fraternities. An arboretum across from a prison. A lake sandwiched between a weight loss camp for kids and a retirement community for 90 year old men and their 22 year old blonde, buxom sugar babies. And lastly, A hotel that turned out to be a run down, rat infested trap surrounded by sorority houses and one large mansion that Molly wasn't so sure wasn't a front for money laundering or an illegal cock fighting ring.
"Okay, last place on the list before we go get lunch," Remy said, "Bronson's hotel and bar."
"Sounds fine," Molly sighed, "Do you want Hans or Claudia as our photographer? I have to call the Boutique and let them know."
"Claudia. Good resume', excellent references," Remy said.
Molly dialed the number. "... Hey Gretchen, it's Molly Callum. Remy and I decided to go with Claudia as our engagement photographer.
... Uh-huh.-Uh, next week?-Saturday afternoon have any openings?-Two o'clock works great.-Okay, thanks. Byyye!"
Molly hung up, "Saturday afternoon. We're going to meet with her. Gretchen said the park is a good choice to take pictures, but they'll have a list of approved places. I'd like to do some at the Institute too, if they can swing it."
"I think that's a great idea, Molly. Where do you want to go for lunch?" Remy asked.
"Tomato Garden or Papa's soup kitchen. I've been in the mood for soup," Molly said.
"Soup sounds good," Remy nodded.
Eventually, they reached the hotel. Molly was impressed. It had everything! Dark espresso floors, A chandelier overhead, a grand staircase at the front with a deep red carpet and gold accents, two white polished marble check in desks and a concierge desk near them. Also an upscale polished wood bar and small 24-hour restaurant off to the back, filled with brown tables and chairs, a few customers inside eating and chatting, since it was near lunchtime. There were ballrooms upstairs and downstairs, four pools outside, and the whole place was busy with bellhops, customers and employees rushing around doing their jobs like a beehive. And as opposed to their last picks, it was only surrounded by a pizza place, a funeral parlor, a dry cleaners and a Burger Bomb. A manager in a gold vest with bright red hair and a beard led them into one of the ballrooms. It looked similar to the first one they'd seen, except it had a white piano and a bathroom in the back. And space for a coat closet.
"This is beautiful! How much?" Molly remarked.
"Just four hundred, Miss," The manager said in a thick deep south accent, "You just have to watch out for the langoliers in this hotel. They're _everywhere!_"
"...The what?" Molly's face fell.
"Langoliers. Gremlins!" The man held his hands out like claws, "We're overrun with them. But that's okay. Bigfoot comes to stay once a year and that seems to scare them off.'
"Remy?" Molly fake smiled, "Sidebar?"
The couple huddled.
"This place is gorgeous, but, ah, gremlins? Bigfoot? We were that close!" Molly was frowning, her whole body tense with frustration. The muscles down to her hands felt tight and unsettled with grimace.
"It's alright Petite. We can work around it," Remy reassured her.
"No. I don't want to work around it. I want whatever place we pick to not have anything weird about it. I want it to be the right place," Molly frowned.
"Alright, understandable, but this place is _really_ nice and it seems to be within the budget. It's close to the mansion too. Would you be too opposed to using it for out-of-town guests? We need to pick a hotel anyway, and there aren't that many in Bayville that are this sophisticated and upper class. Gremlins and the crazy manager not withstanding," Remy said quietly.
"You think they'd be cool with it?" Molly looked at the floor, digging her toes in.
"We don't have that many out-of-town guests to invite. Henri and them have faced a lot worse than this, I know. It'll be fine, sweetheart," Remy smiled.
"Okay, let's do it. I didn't want to spend hours searching for a right hotel anyway. We'll finalize the guest list and call them later on today," Molly nodded. They left for lunch feeling satisfied with their choice.