Disclaimer: The X-Men and Highlander characters belong to their prospective owners and not me. I only wrote this fanfic for my own entertainment and I'm making no money so don't sue me. It would be a waste of time.
Of Mutants and Immortals
By Animefreek
**denote thoughts
Chapter Fourteen cont.
Duncan couldn't believe his tired eyes as Cassandra's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud. He also couldn't believe his eyes when he saw what was happening to Cassandra's quickening.
Catherine had just rushed out the door fearing the worst as she heard the familiar hum of an approaching quickening. Her gut was in knotts as she prayed that it wasn't her father or one of the other immortals present. As far as she knew she'd already lost her mother, she didn't want to lose the rest of her family. Her heart shattered as she recognized the fallen female body. A scream flowed thru the air. "Cassandra! Cassandra no!" Catherine's screams quickly turned into a sob. Methos turned his head to her direction and smiled. A blue electrical haze quickly blanketed the inn and surrounding areas of battle.
The ground beneath them creaked and tore, trees uprooted themselves, glass from the inn shattered in all directions. As Cassandra's quickening rose from her limp body the most amazing of events happened, Cassandra's quickening split into two distinct forces of lightening, one black and the other the purest of white. The black energy flowing into Methos and the white energy flowing into a very surprised Catherine.
Duncan couldn't believe his eyes as both Methos and Catherine were simultaneously swept into the air, both bodies lerching from the force of Cassandra's power and knowledge. It seemed as if nature itself was raging at the death of the centuries old witch. Duncan couldn't believe his eyes. Could his daughter be an immortal now, did something happen inside the inn? He didn't sense a new presence and Methos would have said something just to gloat.
Catherine wanted to scream as the force entered her body, but something held her back and told her not to scream. She heard Cassandra's voice and laughter and something told Catherine that that her godmother was with her forever now.
Methos' quickening on the other hand was much darker. His features contorted in pain as Cassandra's pain and his own joined in a torturing blast. His screams were monsterous and inhuman sounding.
And then there was silence. Not even an insect was heard. The two forms hit the ground with a heavy thud. Gambit and Cyclops were in shock. The professor and Macleod had explained to the X-Men what a quickening was, but nothing could have prepared them for the actual event or the mystery of how a child who wasn't even an immortal yet could receive a quickening.
Duncan quickly gathered his senses and yelled for Scott and Gambit to gather the now unconcious Catherine and get to the plane. Logan followed suit with a very distraught Richie heading for his car. Storm misted the green battlefield once again and the team departed.
Back at the mansion alarms blarred as Xavier told the others to be ready to receive causalties in the med lab. Bobby jumped up as his ached at the idea that one of the casualties might be Catherine. His fears weren't wasted as Gambit ran from the docking bay carrying a much too still Catherine to the med lab.
In the med lab it seemed as though everyone was in the way as Beast hovered over the unconcious girl in awe. From what described as he rushed back to the mansion on the blackbird Hank was expecting Catherine to have extensive burns an to be barely alive. On the contrary what they brought him was a young girl who was sleeping peacefully with a strong pulse and some badly burnt clothes. "Is this some kind of joke? Hank said with an irritated tone. She is fine, there is no possible way this young girl could have made contact with a natural phenom such as lighting without being at least scratched." Hank was about to refute thier assumptions when Duncan chimed in.
"You won't find any marks from a quickening." Dunca said. "A quickening is pure energy and knowledge, its meant to heal, not hurt." Duncan fell silent. "Scott what happened in the inn? Did she die?" Dunan said after a brief pause when he was wincing from pain. He'd heal from his wounds, but that didn't mean he wouldn't ache for a few days. "Only immortals can receive quickenings. When did my daughter die?" Duncan was getting more upset by the second. Scott and Gambit were susposed to protect her instead they let her get killed. Scott and Gambit looked at each other in confusion.
"She didn't." Was all that Scott could say. "She had to have died how else could she have recieved that quickening." Duncan was becoming more and more perlexed by the moment when Xavier decided to chime in.
"Duncan perhaps since Catherine came about in a rather unusual manner some of your rules don't apply." Charles said. "I don't know Charles, but this may change everything I thought about my world and maybe yours." Duncan said matter a factly.
On the other side of the room Catherine was still unconcious and from the movement of her eyes, dreaming.
--------Catherine's Dream----------------------
"Is anybody here? Can anybody here me?" Catherine yelled. **Where the hell am I? The last thing I can remember was stepping out of the door of the inn and something hitting me. How did I get in the middle of a forest?** "You ask a lot of questions little one, but I guess thats why I love you so much." A familiar voice said. "Cassandra, Cassandra is that you?" Catherine stared ahead of herself in amazement. Suddenly standing in front of her was Cassandra only her features seemed younger somehow, more childlike. "Always so full of questions, but never quiet enough get any answers." The much younger Cassandra said while taking Catherine in a warm embrace.
Catherine pulled away from the embrace of her much younger looking god mother and took, for the first time, a closer look around. She had to be dreaming. Everything except the for the leaves on the trees that surrounded them and Cassandra's hair was in shades of gray and black. If things weren't so confused and jumbled in her mind this place would almost be beautiful. Catherine felt a sharp pain as memories flooded into her head. "Cassandra you're dead." Catherined stated as tears started to well in her eyes. "Yes, but not gone. I'm a part of you now. You recieved half of my quickening. Everything that was good in me and all of my other abilities are with you now. Use them well." Cassandra said with a smirk.
"But how I'm not an immortal yet, am I?" Catherine questioned. "No not yet, but you my dear aren't susposed to be here. You simply aren't playing by the same rules as the rest of us. You my dear are the beginning of something new. A new kind of immortal for a new kind of world." Cassandra gave Catherine that "I know why this happened, but I'm not telling look. "Cassandra you're no help at all." Catherine spat.
"I'll miss you too love." Cassandra said as she started to turn and walk away. "Where are going, what about Methos? He got a quickening too." Catherine yelled as Cassandra seemed to get further and further away from her. "Like you he also got my quickening as well, but he received all my faults and weaknesses. It'll prove useful to you in the days to come." Cassandra's voice was sad and calm and even though she was almost out of sight her voice sounded as if she were standing right next to her god daughter. "Cassandra tell my mother I love her." Catherine yelled. Cassandra yelled back, "Tell her yourself she's not on this side and you won't be here for long yourself."
Catherine was about to ask another question when another bought of pain hit her head.
-------------------End Dream----------------------------
Catherine slowly began to open her eyes as the pain in her head started to increase. If this was the after effect of a quickening she didn't want any more of it. "Where am I now?" She managed to say out loud. Bobby and Duncan managed to both look very confused at the question. If the situation wasn't so dire they would quite comical. "You're safe in the mansion." Bobby said with a relieved smile. As her eyes cleared and adjusted to the light she noticed that she was in the medlab with one of those god awful medical gown with the back out. "The least you could have done was put me in my own night gown." She growned. Bobby smiled as he remembered putting her in the medical gown.
"Pervert." Catherine said to Bobby and Duncan's surprise as she hit Bobby lovingly on the back of the head. "What was that for?" Bobby whined. "For that picture of me naked!" She shouted. "What? I thought about that." Bobby said turning red as Duncan about to reach for his throat.
"You have naked pictures of my daughter!" Duncan yelled loud enough to attract the other X-Men. Gambit and Logan came running to the medlab in time enough to see Duncan trying to strangle Bobby and a very awake Catherine trying to pry them apart. Needless to say they were on the floor when Jean came in to check on Catherine. When Jean walked in she quickly used her telekinetic power to separate the two men and to sort out the confusion.
"It would seem that we have a new telepath in our mist." Jean said with a relieved smile. " The picture you saw in your head came from when Bobby was dressing you in the medlab, which doesn't excuse him for the thought, but is an explination of what you saw. I think as soon as you are fully recovered we'd better start training you on how to control your new abilities." Jean said in a very doctorly tone. Catherine thought she sounded like Hank in his lab. Jean smiled and went to get the girl something to eat from the kitchen.
"So how long have I been out?" Catherine chirped. Duncan got a sad look on his face and turned to Catherine. "Three days. I don't know if you remember what happened the other night....." Duncan said lowly . Catherine cut him off. "Dad I know that Cassandra is dead and I know what happened to me and Methos she told me in my dream." Duncan stared at his daughter, puzzled at how calm she seemed. He thought it must be an after effect of Cassandra's quickening, she was always the calm and cool one at least when Methos wasn't concerned.
Catherine continued. "Cassandra told me in my dream that she was a part of me now. I have all the abilities she hid from both the mortal and immortal world. Cassandra was a true witch." Catherine searched her mind for the words to explain more. "Or at least in her day thats what they called her, now they'd call her a mutant. I have her telepathic and pshycic abilities now not mention some other things that are still a bit fuzzy in my head. She also told me that Methos got all of her weaknesses and that we should remember that in the coming days." Catherine didn't tell Duncan about Amanda, she didn't want to raise his hopes on something that could have been her musings in her three day slumber.
After eating, much to the distress of Hank and Jean, Catherine made her way to her own room and clothes and the danger room to practice with her sym program. Duncan smiled at the fact that Catherine was so much like him and her mother that it was almost scary. She was strong, independent, and hard-headed. Those traits would either get her killed or make her the last immortal, the idea that she might be the last was scary in and of itself. What would the world be like. He bet a lot better than what it was now.
Catherine's spirits were much higher and she wondered when she'd see her mother again. Bobby caught Catherine alone after one of her early morning sessions. "Why the big smile beautiful? I know I'm good looking and all but....." Bobby said sarcastically. Catherine smiled and keep walking toward the professor's office. She loved teasing her new boyfriend and wondered when he'd start teasing back. "I'm going to the prof.'s office he said he wanted to see me as soon as i felt up to it. He has some news to tell me. I'm hoping its good." Catherine said while putting an exagerated bounce in her step as Bobby followed closely behind.
The professor was waiting in his office when he got a mental message from Catherine. She was learning how to use her new gifts with amazing speed. He accredited it to the quickening she recieved. Although how she was able to recieve it was still a mystery they had yet to figure out. Catherine bounced into the office closely followed by Bobby. To her surprise the others were all there as well. Bobby had a big grin on his face that made Catherine glare at him. "I'm not going to get chewed out again by Mr. "Stick up his ass " Summers again am I? Catherine smiled at Scott. Over the past few days they had seemed to come to grips with each other and a friendly banter had started between them. " No Kate I'm not. We'd like to welcome you officially to the team." Scott said warmly. Catherine suddenly summersaulted across the space between herself and Scott and produced a hidden dagger from her sleeve. Quickly pointing it at the tip of Scott's nose she said,"Call me Kate again you'll have to kick me off the team."
"I should have told you she hates being called anything except Catherine, after all she is one of the aristocrats of the criminal world." Duncan said with a smile. Catherine then bowed from the waist and tucked the dagger back in it's hiding place. Jean walked over and handed Catherine a box with the X-Men's seal on the top. She opened it reveal a new uniform. Like the last one it was a stylized cat suit with black thigh high boots that laced in the front to go with it and gold X communicator. Unlike the other one it zipped in the front and had a built in spinal sheath for her sword. It also had an array of gadgets like dagger sheaths on the biceps of her arms and a pouch at the side for her lock picks and smoke bombs. **Man would you get a look at this get up Amanda would freak if she saw all this stuff. This is so me.**
Duncan interupted her thoughts. "I have another surprise for you my dear. Guess who's back from Asia." Duncan was practically chirping. "Hey doll, what's up?" Joe's voice came from behind Catherine in a corner. She didn't see him when she came in, she'd have to practice watching watchers for a while. She was out of practice in that department. "Joe when did you get back? Did you find Conner?" Catherine asked hugging him. "Yeah doll face and something extra." He said gesturing to the door. There in the door stood a tall Sandy haired blonde man with the most striking blue eyes. He was the same height as Duncan and almost the same build.
"You must be Catherine, I'm Conner and it's a pleasure." He said as he quickly took the young girl's hand and brushed a galant kiss across her knuckles. "I can see where I get my charm from Dad." Catherine said over her shoulder. Duncan grimmaced and shot Conner a jealous look as did Bobby. Conner smiled at them both and put an arm around his cousin. Catherine flirtateously held him close and shot a look at Bobby who was forming small icicle darts between his fingers. Conner laughed and motioned her toward the door again. "Like I said kid I found something extra in Asia I thought you might like it." Joe said with a mischievous look in his eye.
"Joe what are you up to?" Catherine said in her most suspicious tone. "Why does he have to be up to something? A familiar voice said from just out of sight. Cassandra and your teachers were right, you do ask a lot of questions." Catherine's knees started to go weak as the figure stepped into view. "MOM!" Catherine said bounding into her mother's arms. Catherine was crying and practically screaming with joy. Amanda could see a million of Catherine's questions stream across her face and geared herself for the upcoming barrage. To her surprise her opinionated daughter was completely quiet. "You've changed love." Amanda said smiling. "You have no idea mother." Catherine said with a smirk.
Chapter Fifteen
Amanda and Catherine spent the rest of the day and night filling each other in what had gone on in the month they were separated from each other. Catherine seemed to go on forever about the X-Men and there cause and her training, and especially her new powers. Being immortal and a mutant was going to be a real challenge. Amanda and Joe hadn't heard about Cassandra's death or the strange quickening that occurred as a result until making it back to the mansion. Death is a hard card to be dealt even for an immortal and Amanda was going to miss her friend.
"Mom what happened to you? Why didn't you contact any of us?" Catherine questioned. "Its a long story Catherine." Amanda amended. She really didn't want to get into it right then. "I've got the time if you do." Catherine smirked.
------Flashback to Athens-------
Amanda was sure that Methos was on her heels and she wasn't about to get caught. She started ducking and dodging thru alleys and side streets, unfortunately she ducked into a dead end. From behind she heard a man's voice that wasn't Methos'. "Amanda! There's no use in running, stand down and accept your fate." As Amanda slowly turned and unsheathed her sword recognition slowly glinted in her eyes. The man she was dodging now wasn't Methos but an immortal by the name of Marcus Drake. She and Drake had once been partners but after a jewel heist Drake got greedy and tried to take Amanda's head. (Funny how a twenty-three carrot diamond can turn friends against each other. :) Needless to say Amanda managed to get the diamond back from him and not have to kill him which only made him madder.
"Marcus its nice to see you again, but I don't think this is the proper place for a "reunion"." Amanda said gesturing to the alley way filled with greasy rags and what seemed to be old oil and chemical drums. Obviously someone decided to dump them illegally and was storing the drums here until nightfall. "Its all in the game Amanda, are you ready to die?" Marcus said with a confident grin. Amanda was getting annoyed with the young immortal and his attitude. It was one of the reasons she hadn't killed him before, the thought of having that attitude of his lurking around in her head was revolting beyond words. Marcus was at least a thousand years her junior and cocky beyond words. He wouldn't live very long.
Amanda was brought out of her thought as Marcus swung his sword barely missing her throat. Their swords clashed and sparked in the small alley. Marcus didn't seem to mind the idea of being blown up, Amanda on the other hand had already learned that being blown up wasn't the most pleasent way to die. WWI had been enough bombs to last her a life time and then some. Marcus was persistant and Amanda had no choice but to defend herself. He was still a sloppy swordsman after all these years. With an almost flawless swipe to his forearm he was disarmed and Amanda took his head.
Amanda knew she had to get out of that alley before the quickening started she frantically ran away from the oil and chemical drums only to look behind herself and see the energy pulsing around her in a furious light show. She cursed inwardly. **Shit, this is going to hurt. And I still feel another immortal around, I won't be able to defend myself after this. Goodbye Catherine.** The quickening over took her as she neared the far end of the alley. All around the drums exploded as windows and building caught on fire and crumbled. Amanda's body was thrown into the street as merchants and tourists scattered no one noticed a lone figure running toward the temporarily dead immortal.
------------End Flash back---------------
"Well love after that I don't remember much, if you want to know the rest of the story you'll have to ask Conner." Amanda said in an amused tone. She loved to tease her daughter, knowing that it was one of her pet peeves. Catherine sighed. She wasn't sure how to approach the other highlander. As charming as he appeared there was something very tortured behind his eyes, it scared her a little. As if reading her mind Amanda put a hand on her daughter's shoulders and decided to change the subject to something more pleasent. "So tell me about Bobby. Amanda said with a grin. I know you're going to be an immortal someday, but isn't he a little old for you?" Catherine began to snicker uncontrolably. Amanda looked at her daughter confused. "Mom, you haven't been officially introduced to Bobby so let me put it this way, if anything I'm more mature than Bobby will ever be." Said Catherine in her business woman voice.
Amanda was smiling from ear to ear. "Ok, then tell me my dear, does Bobby have any cute birthmarks?" Catherine turned shades of red that Amanda didn't think existed anymore. "Good, that tells me Bobby isn't a pervert." Amanda said sounding like a mother. With that done Catherine hugged her mother and asked her to join her, Duncan, and Conner in the Danger Room the next morning and ran for the nearest exit. Amanda grinned to herself and wondered when she'd get to talk to Bobby alone. She really wanted to scare to young man a bit before she accepted him into her family. Amanda rolled over and started to think of ways to amuse herself with the X-Men.
The next morning Conner, Duncan, Amanda, Catherine, Bobby, and Remmy were the first ones downstairs for breakfast. Bobby was amazed that Remmy was out of bed before noon and made if known to anybody who would listen. Scott and Jean were amazed too as they came out of the kitchen and were greeted by the group talking in front of the bay windows that lit the dining room with morning sunshine.
Amanda stared at the X-Man called Gambit sure he had seen him somewhere before. She just couldn't place him right know. All through breakfast she stared and smiled at the cajun much to the annoyance of Rogue. Then it hit her, and she knew this little secret was better kept to herself for now. Remmy on the other hand was enjoying the attention he was getting for a little while, then his skin started to crawl. He recognized Catherine's mom from somewhere, but where? **I know d'petite momma, but where, she look so f'miliar.**
Conner was sitting next to Orroro and admiring the view very much and gauging the other X-men. He'd heard about Xavier and his X-Men from various contacts in his new business and from news reports. He'd have never predicted that he'd be eating breakfast with them. He glanced around with an amused smile. Of all the X-Men he had come to like the one called Logan the best. He could always smell a fighter and respected the man's stoic demeanor and need for space. He himself was once like that, battling demons at every turn and wondering whether or not the cause he was fighting for was worth anything at all. Then again most his causes turned into wars and eventually that is what was going to happen between normal humans and mutants.
Catherine sensed the serious and brooding air start to take over the table and decided to have some fun at the exspense of Bobby and Amanda. "So Bobby, mom wanted to know if you had any cute birth marks." Catherine said nonchalantly. Without missing a beat Bobby said, "Sure, after breakfast I'll be glad to show you mine if you show me yours." Catherine wasn't about to shown up by anyone, at least not in this word game. "Oh I'll show you a lot more than that if you give me half a chance." Catherine said in her most seductive voice. With that said she won as Bobby choked on his scrambled eggs and Amanda wondered if there relationship had just jumped to the next level. Everyone else was in shock. Duncan growled something under his breath as Amanda put a hand on his shoulder. Catherine then got up and walked to the hall and wiggled her finger for Bobby to follow. A very wise Bobby didn't follow.
When everyone recovered from shock Conner announced that Catherine was definately her mother's daughter and a Macleod. The immortals shrugged in agreement along with Xavier. Catherine decided with a shrug to go and practice with her sym program since Bobby wasn't following. She never thought he would though, immortals were always intimidating especially ones that were protecting there daughters.
The sym program was getting too predictable and Catherine knew that she'd have to start sparing with Duncan and Amanda again; maybe even Conner although the thought of coming up against an immortal with the power of illusion was rather daunting. Conner seemed to have an air about him that was almost tortured. He'd seen a lot she could tell and those experiences had left permanent scars. He was a lot like Logan in that respect. "Sym program off." Conner said from behind Catherine. **He snuck up on me. I'll have to watch him a little closer. Everyone says I can trust him, but he reminds me of Methos a little. He's all smilles and hugs when the opportunity comes but his are kind of cold like Methos' when he thinks no one is looking.** **Ahhh! Listen to yourself girl you're getting paranoid.**
Conner stood in the Danger Room watching his cousin spar. **She hasn't noticed me yet, this could be a problem.** "Sym program off." Conner said in an emotionless voice. **I'm intimidating her; good. She'll be more cautious next time.** " You really should be more careful, you're never really safe until you're on holy ground." Conner said in the same monotone manner. "Another tip, now that you have mutant powers use them, any advantage is better when used and used correctly." With that said Conner walked out of the Danger Room.
**He's a strange one. Maybe he'll be the one to get Methos off my back and if he can do it without killing anybody then that'll be great.** Catherine thought to herself before going to find her mother.
Catherine made it about half way down the hall before her head began to hum and everything went black. She woke up in the medlab or at least she thought she was awake. One second she was lying in the bed the next she was standing in that strange clearing in the wood where she'd last seen Cassandra. "Cassandra! Cassandra are you here?" She yelled out. "Yes and there's no need to shout." A laughing voice said from behind and then in front of her.
Cassandra stood smiling in front of the confused teenager. "Okay Cass, what's going on here? One minute I'm trying to find my mother the next my head is splitting I black out." Catherine was not amused. "Sorry but its the only way that I can get you to use my powers until you learn how by yourself." Cassandra said matter of factly. "I'm not sure what all your powers are yet, mind filling me in." Catherine said. "You'll know everything in time, I can't tell you everything. Where would the fun be in that?" Cassandra said smiling.
"Then can you tell me how I got here and where here is?" Catherine said with a tone similiar to anger. "Your mind. This is your most peaceful place. In all the chaos of your life this is the place that you can escape to." **Cassandra must be telling the truth, she's so calm.** Catherine thought. "What do you want to tell me?" Catherine was trite. "He's coming back soon and he has a new companion. His companion has plans of his own for you. Don't let your guard down." Cassandra faded away and once again Catherine awoke with headache and hugh group of worried family and extended family huddled over her.
Okay Its a little abrupt again, but hey its my world and you're just reading it. Let me know what you think. Oh yeah, who do you think should be the new alli? A Marvel villian or a Highlander villian.
Of Mutants and Immortals
By Animefreek
**denote thoughts
Chapter Fourteen cont.
Duncan couldn't believe his tired eyes as Cassandra's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud. He also couldn't believe his eyes when he saw what was happening to Cassandra's quickening.
Catherine had just rushed out the door fearing the worst as she heard the familiar hum of an approaching quickening. Her gut was in knotts as she prayed that it wasn't her father or one of the other immortals present. As far as she knew she'd already lost her mother, she didn't want to lose the rest of her family. Her heart shattered as she recognized the fallen female body. A scream flowed thru the air. "Cassandra! Cassandra no!" Catherine's screams quickly turned into a sob. Methos turned his head to her direction and smiled. A blue electrical haze quickly blanketed the inn and surrounding areas of battle.
The ground beneath them creaked and tore, trees uprooted themselves, glass from the inn shattered in all directions. As Cassandra's quickening rose from her limp body the most amazing of events happened, Cassandra's quickening split into two distinct forces of lightening, one black and the other the purest of white. The black energy flowing into Methos and the white energy flowing into a very surprised Catherine.
Duncan couldn't believe his eyes as both Methos and Catherine were simultaneously swept into the air, both bodies lerching from the force of Cassandra's power and knowledge. It seemed as if nature itself was raging at the death of the centuries old witch. Duncan couldn't believe his eyes. Could his daughter be an immortal now, did something happen inside the inn? He didn't sense a new presence and Methos would have said something just to gloat.
Catherine wanted to scream as the force entered her body, but something held her back and told her not to scream. She heard Cassandra's voice and laughter and something told Catherine that that her godmother was with her forever now.
Methos' quickening on the other hand was much darker. His features contorted in pain as Cassandra's pain and his own joined in a torturing blast. His screams were monsterous and inhuman sounding.
And then there was silence. Not even an insect was heard. The two forms hit the ground with a heavy thud. Gambit and Cyclops were in shock. The professor and Macleod had explained to the X-Men what a quickening was, but nothing could have prepared them for the actual event or the mystery of how a child who wasn't even an immortal yet could receive a quickening.
Duncan quickly gathered his senses and yelled for Scott and Gambit to gather the now unconcious Catherine and get to the plane. Logan followed suit with a very distraught Richie heading for his car. Storm misted the green battlefield once again and the team departed.
Back at the mansion alarms blarred as Xavier told the others to be ready to receive causalties in the med lab. Bobby jumped up as his ached at the idea that one of the casualties might be Catherine. His fears weren't wasted as Gambit ran from the docking bay carrying a much too still Catherine to the med lab.
In the med lab it seemed as though everyone was in the way as Beast hovered over the unconcious girl in awe. From what described as he rushed back to the mansion on the blackbird Hank was expecting Catherine to have extensive burns an to be barely alive. On the contrary what they brought him was a young girl who was sleeping peacefully with a strong pulse and some badly burnt clothes. "Is this some kind of joke? Hank said with an irritated tone. She is fine, there is no possible way this young girl could have made contact with a natural phenom such as lighting without being at least scratched." Hank was about to refute thier assumptions when Duncan chimed in.
"You won't find any marks from a quickening." Dunca said. "A quickening is pure energy and knowledge, its meant to heal, not hurt." Duncan fell silent. "Scott what happened in the inn? Did she die?" Dunan said after a brief pause when he was wincing from pain. He'd heal from his wounds, but that didn't mean he wouldn't ache for a few days. "Only immortals can receive quickenings. When did my daughter die?" Duncan was getting more upset by the second. Scott and Gambit were susposed to protect her instead they let her get killed. Scott and Gambit looked at each other in confusion.
"She didn't." Was all that Scott could say. "She had to have died how else could she have recieved that quickening." Duncan was becoming more and more perlexed by the moment when Xavier decided to chime in.
"Duncan perhaps since Catherine came about in a rather unusual manner some of your rules don't apply." Charles said. "I don't know Charles, but this may change everything I thought about my world and maybe yours." Duncan said matter a factly.
On the other side of the room Catherine was still unconcious and from the movement of her eyes, dreaming.
--------Catherine's Dream----------------------
"Is anybody here? Can anybody here me?" Catherine yelled. **Where the hell am I? The last thing I can remember was stepping out of the door of the inn and something hitting me. How did I get in the middle of a forest?** "You ask a lot of questions little one, but I guess thats why I love you so much." A familiar voice said. "Cassandra, Cassandra is that you?" Catherine stared ahead of herself in amazement. Suddenly standing in front of her was Cassandra only her features seemed younger somehow, more childlike. "Always so full of questions, but never quiet enough get any answers." The much younger Cassandra said while taking Catherine in a warm embrace.
Catherine pulled away from the embrace of her much younger looking god mother and took, for the first time, a closer look around. She had to be dreaming. Everything except the for the leaves on the trees that surrounded them and Cassandra's hair was in shades of gray and black. If things weren't so confused and jumbled in her mind this place would almost be beautiful. Catherine felt a sharp pain as memories flooded into her head. "Cassandra you're dead." Catherined stated as tears started to well in her eyes. "Yes, but not gone. I'm a part of you now. You recieved half of my quickening. Everything that was good in me and all of my other abilities are with you now. Use them well." Cassandra said with a smirk.
"But how I'm not an immortal yet, am I?" Catherine questioned. "No not yet, but you my dear aren't susposed to be here. You simply aren't playing by the same rules as the rest of us. You my dear are the beginning of something new. A new kind of immortal for a new kind of world." Cassandra gave Catherine that "I know why this happened, but I'm not telling look. "Cassandra you're no help at all." Catherine spat.
"I'll miss you too love." Cassandra said as she started to turn and walk away. "Where are going, what about Methos? He got a quickening too." Catherine yelled as Cassandra seemed to get further and further away from her. "Like you he also got my quickening as well, but he received all my faults and weaknesses. It'll prove useful to you in the days to come." Cassandra's voice was sad and calm and even though she was almost out of sight her voice sounded as if she were standing right next to her god daughter. "Cassandra tell my mother I love her." Catherine yelled. Cassandra yelled back, "Tell her yourself she's not on this side and you won't be here for long yourself."
Catherine was about to ask another question when another bought of pain hit her head.
-------------------End Dream----------------------------
Catherine slowly began to open her eyes as the pain in her head started to increase. If this was the after effect of a quickening she didn't want any more of it. "Where am I now?" She managed to say out loud. Bobby and Duncan managed to both look very confused at the question. If the situation wasn't so dire they would quite comical. "You're safe in the mansion." Bobby said with a relieved smile. As her eyes cleared and adjusted to the light she noticed that she was in the medlab with one of those god awful medical gown with the back out. "The least you could have done was put me in my own night gown." She growned. Bobby smiled as he remembered putting her in the medical gown.
"Pervert." Catherine said to Bobby and Duncan's surprise as she hit Bobby lovingly on the back of the head. "What was that for?" Bobby whined. "For that picture of me naked!" She shouted. "What? I thought about that." Bobby said turning red as Duncan about to reach for his throat.
"You have naked pictures of my daughter!" Duncan yelled loud enough to attract the other X-Men. Gambit and Logan came running to the medlab in time enough to see Duncan trying to strangle Bobby and a very awake Catherine trying to pry them apart. Needless to say they were on the floor when Jean came in to check on Catherine. When Jean walked in she quickly used her telekinetic power to separate the two men and to sort out the confusion.
"It would seem that we have a new telepath in our mist." Jean said with a relieved smile. " The picture you saw in your head came from when Bobby was dressing you in the medlab, which doesn't excuse him for the thought, but is an explination of what you saw. I think as soon as you are fully recovered we'd better start training you on how to control your new abilities." Jean said in a very doctorly tone. Catherine thought she sounded like Hank in his lab. Jean smiled and went to get the girl something to eat from the kitchen.
"So how long have I been out?" Catherine chirped. Duncan got a sad look on his face and turned to Catherine. "Three days. I don't know if you remember what happened the other night....." Duncan said lowly . Catherine cut him off. "Dad I know that Cassandra is dead and I know what happened to me and Methos she told me in my dream." Duncan stared at his daughter, puzzled at how calm she seemed. He thought it must be an after effect of Cassandra's quickening, she was always the calm and cool one at least when Methos wasn't concerned.
Catherine continued. "Cassandra told me in my dream that she was a part of me now. I have all the abilities she hid from both the mortal and immortal world. Cassandra was a true witch." Catherine searched her mind for the words to explain more. "Or at least in her day thats what they called her, now they'd call her a mutant. I have her telepathic and pshycic abilities now not mention some other things that are still a bit fuzzy in my head. She also told me that Methos got all of her weaknesses and that we should remember that in the coming days." Catherine didn't tell Duncan about Amanda, she didn't want to raise his hopes on something that could have been her musings in her three day slumber.
After eating, much to the distress of Hank and Jean, Catherine made her way to her own room and clothes and the danger room to practice with her sym program. Duncan smiled at the fact that Catherine was so much like him and her mother that it was almost scary. She was strong, independent, and hard-headed. Those traits would either get her killed or make her the last immortal, the idea that she might be the last was scary in and of itself. What would the world be like. He bet a lot better than what it was now.
Catherine's spirits were much higher and she wondered when she'd see her mother again. Bobby caught Catherine alone after one of her early morning sessions. "Why the big smile beautiful? I know I'm good looking and all but....." Bobby said sarcastically. Catherine smiled and keep walking toward the professor's office. She loved teasing her new boyfriend and wondered when he'd start teasing back. "I'm going to the prof.'s office he said he wanted to see me as soon as i felt up to it. He has some news to tell me. I'm hoping its good." Catherine said while putting an exagerated bounce in her step as Bobby followed closely behind.
The professor was waiting in his office when he got a mental message from Catherine. She was learning how to use her new gifts with amazing speed. He accredited it to the quickening she recieved. Although how she was able to recieve it was still a mystery they had yet to figure out. Catherine bounced into the office closely followed by Bobby. To her surprise the others were all there as well. Bobby had a big grin on his face that made Catherine glare at him. "I'm not going to get chewed out again by Mr. "Stick up his ass " Summers again am I? Catherine smiled at Scott. Over the past few days they had seemed to come to grips with each other and a friendly banter had started between them. " No Kate I'm not. We'd like to welcome you officially to the team." Scott said warmly. Catherine suddenly summersaulted across the space between herself and Scott and produced a hidden dagger from her sleeve. Quickly pointing it at the tip of Scott's nose she said,"Call me Kate again you'll have to kick me off the team."
"I should have told you she hates being called anything except Catherine, after all she is one of the aristocrats of the criminal world." Duncan said with a smile. Catherine then bowed from the waist and tucked the dagger back in it's hiding place. Jean walked over and handed Catherine a box with the X-Men's seal on the top. She opened it reveal a new uniform. Like the last one it was a stylized cat suit with black thigh high boots that laced in the front to go with it and gold X communicator. Unlike the other one it zipped in the front and had a built in spinal sheath for her sword. It also had an array of gadgets like dagger sheaths on the biceps of her arms and a pouch at the side for her lock picks and smoke bombs. **Man would you get a look at this get up Amanda would freak if she saw all this stuff. This is so me.**
Duncan interupted her thoughts. "I have another surprise for you my dear. Guess who's back from Asia." Duncan was practically chirping. "Hey doll, what's up?" Joe's voice came from behind Catherine in a corner. She didn't see him when she came in, she'd have to practice watching watchers for a while. She was out of practice in that department. "Joe when did you get back? Did you find Conner?" Catherine asked hugging him. "Yeah doll face and something extra." He said gesturing to the door. There in the door stood a tall Sandy haired blonde man with the most striking blue eyes. He was the same height as Duncan and almost the same build.
"You must be Catherine, I'm Conner and it's a pleasure." He said as he quickly took the young girl's hand and brushed a galant kiss across her knuckles. "I can see where I get my charm from Dad." Catherine said over her shoulder. Duncan grimmaced and shot Conner a jealous look as did Bobby. Conner smiled at them both and put an arm around his cousin. Catherine flirtateously held him close and shot a look at Bobby who was forming small icicle darts between his fingers. Conner laughed and motioned her toward the door again. "Like I said kid I found something extra in Asia I thought you might like it." Joe said with a mischievous look in his eye.
"Joe what are you up to?" Catherine said in her most suspicious tone. "Why does he have to be up to something? A familiar voice said from just out of sight. Cassandra and your teachers were right, you do ask a lot of questions." Catherine's knees started to go weak as the figure stepped into view. "MOM!" Catherine said bounding into her mother's arms. Catherine was crying and practically screaming with joy. Amanda could see a million of Catherine's questions stream across her face and geared herself for the upcoming barrage. To her surprise her opinionated daughter was completely quiet. "You've changed love." Amanda said smiling. "You have no idea mother." Catherine said with a smirk.
Chapter Fifteen
Amanda and Catherine spent the rest of the day and night filling each other in what had gone on in the month they were separated from each other. Catherine seemed to go on forever about the X-Men and there cause and her training, and especially her new powers. Being immortal and a mutant was going to be a real challenge. Amanda and Joe hadn't heard about Cassandra's death or the strange quickening that occurred as a result until making it back to the mansion. Death is a hard card to be dealt even for an immortal and Amanda was going to miss her friend.
"Mom what happened to you? Why didn't you contact any of us?" Catherine questioned. "Its a long story Catherine." Amanda amended. She really didn't want to get into it right then. "I've got the time if you do." Catherine smirked.
------Flashback to Athens-------
Amanda was sure that Methos was on her heels and she wasn't about to get caught. She started ducking and dodging thru alleys and side streets, unfortunately she ducked into a dead end. From behind she heard a man's voice that wasn't Methos'. "Amanda! There's no use in running, stand down and accept your fate." As Amanda slowly turned and unsheathed her sword recognition slowly glinted in her eyes. The man she was dodging now wasn't Methos but an immortal by the name of Marcus Drake. She and Drake had once been partners but after a jewel heist Drake got greedy and tried to take Amanda's head. (Funny how a twenty-three carrot diamond can turn friends against each other. :) Needless to say Amanda managed to get the diamond back from him and not have to kill him which only made him madder.
"Marcus its nice to see you again, but I don't think this is the proper place for a "reunion"." Amanda said gesturing to the alley way filled with greasy rags and what seemed to be old oil and chemical drums. Obviously someone decided to dump them illegally and was storing the drums here until nightfall. "Its all in the game Amanda, are you ready to die?" Marcus said with a confident grin. Amanda was getting annoyed with the young immortal and his attitude. It was one of the reasons she hadn't killed him before, the thought of having that attitude of his lurking around in her head was revolting beyond words. Marcus was at least a thousand years her junior and cocky beyond words. He wouldn't live very long.
Amanda was brought out of her thought as Marcus swung his sword barely missing her throat. Their swords clashed and sparked in the small alley. Marcus didn't seem to mind the idea of being blown up, Amanda on the other hand had already learned that being blown up wasn't the most pleasent way to die. WWI had been enough bombs to last her a life time and then some. Marcus was persistant and Amanda had no choice but to defend herself. He was still a sloppy swordsman after all these years. With an almost flawless swipe to his forearm he was disarmed and Amanda took his head.
Amanda knew she had to get out of that alley before the quickening started she frantically ran away from the oil and chemical drums only to look behind herself and see the energy pulsing around her in a furious light show. She cursed inwardly. **Shit, this is going to hurt. And I still feel another immortal around, I won't be able to defend myself after this. Goodbye Catherine.** The quickening over took her as she neared the far end of the alley. All around the drums exploded as windows and building caught on fire and crumbled. Amanda's body was thrown into the street as merchants and tourists scattered no one noticed a lone figure running toward the temporarily dead immortal.
------------End Flash back---------------
"Well love after that I don't remember much, if you want to know the rest of the story you'll have to ask Conner." Amanda said in an amused tone. She loved to tease her daughter, knowing that it was one of her pet peeves. Catherine sighed. She wasn't sure how to approach the other highlander. As charming as he appeared there was something very tortured behind his eyes, it scared her a little. As if reading her mind Amanda put a hand on her daughter's shoulders and decided to change the subject to something more pleasent. "So tell me about Bobby. Amanda said with a grin. I know you're going to be an immortal someday, but isn't he a little old for you?" Catherine began to snicker uncontrolably. Amanda looked at her daughter confused. "Mom, you haven't been officially introduced to Bobby so let me put it this way, if anything I'm more mature than Bobby will ever be." Said Catherine in her business woman voice.
Amanda was smiling from ear to ear. "Ok, then tell me my dear, does Bobby have any cute birthmarks?" Catherine turned shades of red that Amanda didn't think existed anymore. "Good, that tells me Bobby isn't a pervert." Amanda said sounding like a mother. With that done Catherine hugged her mother and asked her to join her, Duncan, and Conner in the Danger Room the next morning and ran for the nearest exit. Amanda grinned to herself and wondered when she'd get to talk to Bobby alone. She really wanted to scare to young man a bit before she accepted him into her family. Amanda rolled over and started to think of ways to amuse herself with the X-Men.
The next morning Conner, Duncan, Amanda, Catherine, Bobby, and Remmy were the first ones downstairs for breakfast. Bobby was amazed that Remmy was out of bed before noon and made if known to anybody who would listen. Scott and Jean were amazed too as they came out of the kitchen and were greeted by the group talking in front of the bay windows that lit the dining room with morning sunshine.
Amanda stared at the X-Man called Gambit sure he had seen him somewhere before. She just couldn't place him right know. All through breakfast she stared and smiled at the cajun much to the annoyance of Rogue. Then it hit her, and she knew this little secret was better kept to herself for now. Remmy on the other hand was enjoying the attention he was getting for a little while, then his skin started to crawl. He recognized Catherine's mom from somewhere, but where? **I know d'petite momma, but where, she look so f'miliar.**
Conner was sitting next to Orroro and admiring the view very much and gauging the other X-men. He'd heard about Xavier and his X-Men from various contacts in his new business and from news reports. He'd have never predicted that he'd be eating breakfast with them. He glanced around with an amused smile. Of all the X-Men he had come to like the one called Logan the best. He could always smell a fighter and respected the man's stoic demeanor and need for space. He himself was once like that, battling demons at every turn and wondering whether or not the cause he was fighting for was worth anything at all. Then again most his causes turned into wars and eventually that is what was going to happen between normal humans and mutants.
Catherine sensed the serious and brooding air start to take over the table and decided to have some fun at the exspense of Bobby and Amanda. "So Bobby, mom wanted to know if you had any cute birth marks." Catherine said nonchalantly. Without missing a beat Bobby said, "Sure, after breakfast I'll be glad to show you mine if you show me yours." Catherine wasn't about to shown up by anyone, at least not in this word game. "Oh I'll show you a lot more than that if you give me half a chance." Catherine said in her most seductive voice. With that said she won as Bobby choked on his scrambled eggs and Amanda wondered if there relationship had just jumped to the next level. Everyone else was in shock. Duncan growled something under his breath as Amanda put a hand on his shoulder. Catherine then got up and walked to the hall and wiggled her finger for Bobby to follow. A very wise Bobby didn't follow.
When everyone recovered from shock Conner announced that Catherine was definately her mother's daughter and a Macleod. The immortals shrugged in agreement along with Xavier. Catherine decided with a shrug to go and practice with her sym program since Bobby wasn't following. She never thought he would though, immortals were always intimidating especially ones that were protecting there daughters.
The sym program was getting too predictable and Catherine knew that she'd have to start sparing with Duncan and Amanda again; maybe even Conner although the thought of coming up against an immortal with the power of illusion was rather daunting. Conner seemed to have an air about him that was almost tortured. He'd seen a lot she could tell and those experiences had left permanent scars. He was a lot like Logan in that respect. "Sym program off." Conner said from behind Catherine. **He snuck up on me. I'll have to watch him a little closer. Everyone says I can trust him, but he reminds me of Methos a little. He's all smilles and hugs when the opportunity comes but his are kind of cold like Methos' when he thinks no one is looking.** **Ahhh! Listen to yourself girl you're getting paranoid.**
Conner stood in the Danger Room watching his cousin spar. **She hasn't noticed me yet, this could be a problem.** "Sym program off." Conner said in an emotionless voice. **I'm intimidating her; good. She'll be more cautious next time.** " You really should be more careful, you're never really safe until you're on holy ground." Conner said in the same monotone manner. "Another tip, now that you have mutant powers use them, any advantage is better when used and used correctly." With that said Conner walked out of the Danger Room.
**He's a strange one. Maybe he'll be the one to get Methos off my back and if he can do it without killing anybody then that'll be great.** Catherine thought to herself before going to find her mother.
Catherine made it about half way down the hall before her head began to hum and everything went black. She woke up in the medlab or at least she thought she was awake. One second she was lying in the bed the next she was standing in that strange clearing in the wood where she'd last seen Cassandra. "Cassandra! Cassandra are you here?" She yelled out. "Yes and there's no need to shout." A laughing voice said from behind and then in front of her.
Cassandra stood smiling in front of the confused teenager. "Okay Cass, what's going on here? One minute I'm trying to find my mother the next my head is splitting I black out." Catherine was not amused. "Sorry but its the only way that I can get you to use my powers until you learn how by yourself." Cassandra said matter of factly. "I'm not sure what all your powers are yet, mind filling me in." Catherine said. "You'll know everything in time, I can't tell you everything. Where would the fun be in that?" Cassandra said smiling.
"Then can you tell me how I got here and where here is?" Catherine said with a tone similiar to anger. "Your mind. This is your most peaceful place. In all the chaos of your life this is the place that you can escape to." **Cassandra must be telling the truth, she's so calm.** Catherine thought. "What do you want to tell me?" Catherine was trite. "He's coming back soon and he has a new companion. His companion has plans of his own for you. Don't let your guard down." Cassandra faded away and once again Catherine awoke with headache and hugh group of worried family and extended family huddled over her.
Okay Its a little abrupt again, but hey its my world and you're just reading it. Let me know what you think. Oh yeah, who do you think should be the new alli? A Marvel villian or a Highlander villian.