Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men
Copyright: I own Jarek so please ask if you wish to use him.
Author's note: This part and all succeeding parts are for all of the people who have been reading, reviewing and enjoying my story. Thanks a lot people these next parts are for you.
A New Beginning Part 9 (Family Ties)
More than a week had passed since Christmas Day and Jarek was fully recovered from his ordeal. His ribs were fine and he was feeling his normal self if he could really be called normal. The day was the day after New Year's Day and he had stayed at the mansion on New Year's Eve when the X-Men had went out to party. He had stayed and started to build something in the woods surrounding the mansion.
The rest of the students had had their own little party. They had bought a bunch of soda pop and chips and such. They had stayed up until the New Year and had their own little party. It was great fun for the whole school but Jarek had not been in the mood to party that was why he had went into the woods and worked on what he was building.
He was building a forge deep in the woods. He was going to make himself some swords and knives so that he didn't have to keep buying them. Kitty had insisted on helping him with the forge so he had made a point of getting back to the mansion before the New Year so that she could join in the party. Jarek had stayed at the party but had not had any fun. He had wanted to be out working on his forge. He endured the party for Kitty's sake as well as his other friends.
Rogue, Jubilee, and Kitty had wanted him to go to the party and he had for their sakes since he knew that they would feel bad if he didn't. He knew he had a soft spot for girl's but he just couldn't help it. He had been brought up to respect girl's and he had read books about knights and such and integrated their behavior into his. He couldn't disappoint them.
Jarek was a person who just didn't get along with a lot of people and that was why he didn't like parties. Jarek also didn't know how to have fun. It was something foreign to him and he had just recently learned that even he could have fun. So he had went to the party and drunk the pop and ate chips and had been quiet when everyone else had yelled Happy New Year.
Jarek wasn't thrilled with a new year. All it meant to him was more pain and death. Each year had been nothing but pain. At each New Year something bad had always happened and he hoped that this year was going to be different. He had a home and friends and he hoped that nothing was going to happen to any of them.
On the day after New Year's though Jarek had decided that he needed to do something that he had told his cousin he would do. He owed his sister a brother and he would give that to her. He owed her a life since hers was going to be taken away from her if he didn't. She was going to take his place as the government's ultimate weapon. She was to be the government's assassin in place of Jarek since he had run away. He couldn't let her take his place because he was her older brother and he owed it to her to protect her.
Jarek spent the day packing a bag full of what he would need. He would need a change of cloths and his knives. That was about it since he didn't plan on being there too long. He would stay outdoors instead of in town so he didn't have to worry about money for a motel room. What he needed was a ride from the X-Men to where his sister was. He needed to go to Nebraska. He needed to go to Omaha where he was sure his family was.
Jarek after getting packing the few things that he would need decided to go in search of Xavier and ask to see if he could have one of the X-Men take him on the jet to Nebraska. It was a long way to walk or drive and Jarek had no wish to go that far so slow. He needed to get there as fast as he could so that he could help his sister.
Jarek found Xavier in his study talking to Cyclops, Storm, and Jean. They stopped talking as Jarek came in and he wondered what they had been talking about. He could have listened outside the door but he would not do such things to his friends. His gifts were not to spy on those who you cared for and so he had just knocked and walked in when told to enter.
He walked up to the desk that Xavier was seated behind and decided to get right to it. "Professor I need to ask a favor of you and the rest of the team. I would ask that one of you fly me to Nebraska. I need to go to Omaha and I don't have time to drive there and I can't use a commercial airline since I am taking my knives," Jarek asked with sincerity.
"Why do you need to go to Omaha Jarek. Can you tell us that," Xavier asked.
"I need to go there so that I can help my sister. She is to take my place as a soldier. She is to become the puppet for the U.S. government. I can't allow her to take my place," Jarek said fiercely.
"Wait a minute Jarek I didn't know you had a sister. How come you have not told us until now," Cyclops asked.
"I didn't know that the girl was my sister until a I was captured by Magneto. My cousin was there and he told me that his little sister, or at least who I thought was his little sister was really my little sister. My parents had given her to my Uncle and Aunt when she was born so that the government wouldn't know about her. They wanted to keep her safe. All that time I had thought that she was my cousin and know I find out that she is really my sister," Jarek said.
"Can you explain to us what you meant by her taking your place," Jean asked.
Jarek nodded his head and told them everything that his cousin Fireball had told him. The story was short for there was not that much to tell but Jarek found himself adding things that he didn't know that he had known. When Jarek frowned Jean asked, "Jarek what is it. You look as if you are saying things that you didn't know you knew."
"That is because I am saying things that I didn't know I knew. Like I know now that I had manifested my powers before the time I killed that kid. I was a mutant before then. I also remember things about my past that don't fit with other things that I remember," Jarek said.
"I wonder why that is," Jean mused.
"I don't know but I can tell you this much. Sabretooth slammed my head up against the wall and I felt something break. It wasn't my skull but it was something else. After that was when I started to have memories that I didn't know I had," Jarek said.
Jean frowned and then said, "That could be because when you were younger there was a chip planted into your brain. If that is the case it would have had to have been organic. It could have been used to block your powers but then you mutated again and the chip wasn't designed for your new mutation. That is all I can come up with."
"That is all right Jean I am sorting them out and I don't care about what was done to me. I care about protecting my sister and I am asking you to please fly me there," Jarek said with a note of worry in his voice. It was something that none of those present but Jarek himself picked up on and it made him hate himself. He had never worried in his life for anyone and yet here he was worrying for his little sister that he had never really known.
"Cyclops, Jean, you will take him and help him out in any way that he asks. You will leave at dark so that you make it there at dark. You will land outside of Omaha somewhere so that no one knows that you are there. Are there any questions," Xavier told them.
"No sir," Cyclops said as they left the room to get ready. Before they filed out of the room though Jarek stopped them.
"You won't need to stay. I shall call you when I need you to help me. I have to do this on my own. Please let me do this on my own," Jarek asked.
"Very well Jarek they shall drop you off and if you need our help you have but to call. Now everyone who is going get ready," Xavier said. Storm and Jarek left the room and as Scott and Jean were getting ready to leave he called to them. "Scott, Jean when you go to Omaha stop and have a date. You have not had one in a while and it would be good for the both of you," Xavier said smiling.
As they left they were both thinking that the professor was right. They figured that they would have a date and then they would come back tot he mansion. It was something that they were looking forward to as they got ready for the trip.
* * * * *
Jarek went back to his room to wait and there he found sitting on his bed both Kitty and Rogue. Jubilee was not there but that was not surprising since she was out on a date with Gambit. Jarek felt a hard lump form in his stomach when he saw the way Kitty was looking at him. It was the look that he had seen many women give their boyfriends and it was a look that Jarek had never seen directed his way. It was the look of saying that he was in trouble. He knew he was but there was nothing he could do about it. So he just walked over to the chair at his desk and sat down.
Kitty broke the silence like he knew she would. She had a way of not liking anything quiet but Jarek liked the quiet just fine. "You were just going to leave and not tell me," she demanded. Jarek almost smiled. No one had ever had the guts to use that kind of tone with him before yet here was Kitty, just a tiny little lady and she was demanding things of him.
"Yeah," was all Jarek said. His time with her hadn't changed him that much yet. He was still his old self. He didn't like to explain things he liked to act. He was also not a warm person though the girls were still trying to change that aspect of him.
"Well can you tell me where you are going," Kitty asked more gently this time knowing that she couldn't get an answer out of him unless he was going to tell her anyway.
"I am going to Omaha Nebraska," Jarek said trying to keep his answers short. He knew he should tell her the rest but he just couldn't. He had always been a person who kept to himself and volunteered little in the way of his doings.
"Come on Jarek tell us why you are going there. You know that we want to know," Rogue said.
"I am going there because I have to help my little sister. She is in trouble and in need of help," Jarek told them.
They both stared at him. They hadn't known that he had a sister either. He knew the next question that they were going to ask and so for the second time that day he told what his cousin had told him about Jarek's little sister.
They listened and said nothing when he was done. They didn't know what to say so they thought it best to be quiet. Kitty stood up then and went over to Jarek and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You be careful and make it back in one piece this time O.K. Also please don't be gone too long," Kitty said to Jarek. She then turned and left the room for it was nearing the time that he was to leave.
Rogue stayed and looked as if she was struggling with something. Jarek didn't like to see a lady like that so he decided to ask her, "Rogue is there something that you want to say. If there is you can tell me. I shall keep it to myself if that is what you want."
Rogue looked over at Jarek and he could tell that she had made up her mind. Jarek was glad that she had for to keep something to oneself had a way of destroying them. Jarek knew all about keeping things to oneself. He was a master at it and would be until the day he died. He knew though that other people couldn't deal with things that were hard on their hearts or their thoughts. He wanted Rogue to talk about it since it would lighten the load.
She stood up and then to Jarek's surprise, which was not easy to do she floated up to the ceiling of his room. She then came back down to the floor level. "Jarek I have retained the woman's power to fly. I don't know how or why but I have and it scares me Jarek. I am telling you because I knew that you could listen and maybe even tell me what to do. You are the first person that I have told. I felt that it would not be good to tell anyone else," she said rather fast.
Jarek knew that she had wanted to get it all out as quick as possible because it would be easier that way. He knew what she was feeling and so he told her the only thing that he could, "Rogue don't fear your power or that you have retained that woman's power. If you do your power will rule you and you will be it's slave. You are scared but fear is nothing but a tool to be used by those who know its uses. Rogue you are a strong individual. You can deal with this. Don't fear to tell the professor or Jean. They are your friends and they won't judge you. They will try to help you understand, but the decision is yours. Tell who you want or keep it to yourself, but let me just say this. If you keep it to yourself it will start to eat at you, secrets always do. I know."
"I know that you are right Jarek, but I am still scared to tell anyone else. I don't know how they will react to me being able to keep another mutants powers," Rogue said quietly.
Jarek walked over to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. She placed her head on his chest and he could feel her body shaking. She was crying and Jarek didn't know what to do about it. He knew he had to say something. "Rogue look at me please," Jarek said. Rogue looked up from his chest and he said, "Rogue I am here for you. I am your friend and I will always try to help you if I can."
"Thanks Jarek. I am glad that you are my friend. Your opinion means a lot to me. I will be going now so that you can head to the hanger for your trip," Rogue said as she headed for the door.
"Rogue wait, don't trust my opinion. Don't trust anyone's opinion but your own. You rule yourself. Believe in yourself. Listen to others but always trust yourself for you are the only person that you can truly count on," Jarek said to Rogue in all seriousness.
With those words Rogue left the room. He had given her something to ponder he knew but it was how he truly felt. His departing words were something that he had taught himself about life. He would always follow them. He would never allow someone to hurt for him. It was the way he was.
Jarek left his room shortly after Rogue did. He went to the hanger where Jean and Scott were waiting for him. They didn't say anything to him and he didn't say a word to them. He was going to think during the flight and they knew to let him do it. They boarded the jet and Cyclops took the helm. Off they flew to Nebraska and to Jarek's home.
* * * * *
It was about 11 p.m. when the jet touched down in a field a mile or so from Omaha. The three onboard went outside to get some fresh air. They had been on the jet for only a short while since it flew so fast but Jarek was not a person that liked to be cooped up at all. He loved the outdoors and such.
"Well I will head into town to see if my parents live in the house that I never got to live in. I am sure that is where they will be," Jarek said as he took off for the city.
Jean looked over to Scott and said, "Boy he doesn't waste any time when he sets his mind to something does he."
"No he doesn't. He is a person of action. I don't believe he thinks to much but acts on instincts Jean," Scott answered her.
"Well be that as it may I thought that we were going to have some fun tonight before we went back to the mansion," Jean said a bit playfully.
"We are Jean it is just that I don't want the farmer to come out and find our jet here, that would not be good," Scott said worriedly.
"Don't worry Scott he is probably sleeping, now let's go into town. It ain't that far so I think we can walk and enjoy the night," Jean said as they walked arm in arm following the direction Jarek had went. They thought that they weren't that far behind Jarek but they never saw him in their walk to the city. It was as if he disappeared or more likely didn't walk but ran.
That didn't concern them though for they were going to have fun on their date. It was the first one that they had been on in quite a while and they wanted to have fun. After a short while they forgot all about Jarek and were their thoughts were absorbed by nothing but each other.
* * * * *
Jarek as soon as he was out of the sight of Scott and Jean had started to run at full speed. He needed to get away from them. He was feeling weird and he didn't want to be near them if something happened to him. Jarek didn't know what he was feeling but he could guess that it was homesickness. He didn't know why he would be feeling homesick since he had never been treated like a loved child but more like a soldier. Jarek shook his head as he ran. He needed to get to the city and see if his family was in the house he had been told about.
Jarek came to the city which was still alive with people. It was nothing like New York and Jarek was glad for that. He couldn't deal with another New York. There was too much in a city like New York that Jarek couldn't stomach. The rapes were the main thing. He hated rapists and every time he saw one he killed the man. Jarek figured it was one less man that the taxpayers had to deal with and one less man that women had to fear.
Jarek walked through the city and came to a part of the city where the richer people lived. He knew that his parents were well off since they were scientists for the government but he hadn't thought that they were as well off as they were. He knew the address of the home he figured they were at since they had told him that one day he would live there but not until he had grown up and become a valuable member to society. They had also said that they would move there when he turned sixteen. He knew they were there he just had a feeling.
Jarek walked down the street until he came to the house with the address that he remembered. He moved into a crouch and started towards the house. He needed to see if his family was there or if some other family had bought the house. He moved from lighted window to lighted window. Finally he found the family in the living room watching T.V.
The first person he noticed was the woman who had given birth to him. She had not changed in the years since he had left. She was still her tall regal self. She was still decent looking. She was almost six feet tall with long blonde hair. Her eyes were dark colored. She was reading a book and had her glasses on. Sitting in a chair was the man who claimed to be his father. The man stood near six feet tall with black hair and a goatee. He had blue eyes that reflected his personality. Jarek was not a person who liked to be lied to.
The third person in the room was laying down in front of a fireplace reading a book. The young lady Jarek could tell nothing about since she was covered in a blanket and had her head turned away from him. That was alright though for Jarek knew that he had the right house. Now all he had to do was wait for her to go to school so that he could follow her. Jarek found a tree near the front door and climbed into it. He then decided to wait out his sister.
The morning came and Jarek was still awake. He had decided that he didn't need any sleep since he had slept the night before. He watched as his sister came out of the house and jumped into a car with some guy. Jarek frowned not believing that his sister had a boyfriend.
The guy was driving a corvette convertible with the top up. Jarek didn't think that he liked the guy already because of what he drove. People who drove corvettes were usually people who thought themselves better than everyone else. The guy Jarek thought had better hope that he doesn't harm Jarek's sister or he would answer to Jarek himself.
Jarek hoped down from the tree and followed the car. Jarek could run faster than most due to his mutation so it was no problem keeping up with the car. He kept his distance so that they wouldn't know that he was following them. He just wanted to find the school that his sister went to so that he could stake it out and figure out what his sister's schedule was.
The car pulled up to a high school in a better part of town. Jarek stopped behind a building and peered around it to see his sister get out of the car. Now he could see her and she had grown up to be quite the looker he noticed. She stood in at about five and a half feet tall. She had shoulder length blond hair and eyes that were green. She was beautiful and Jarek knew that she was a popular kid in school. He hated himself at that moment and what he was going to have to ask her to do.
She went into the school arm in arm with the guy. Jarek looked at him and guessed that he was a basketball player from the way he moved. He was tall and lean though muscled. Jarek could tell he was fast but Jarek also knew that he could beat the kid in a fight with ease.
It was at that moment Jarek reverted to his days as an assassin. He observed from many different places around the school and around the house. He watched her and noted that the guy she was dating was a bit possessive and could get angry at times. Jarek filed the knowledge away. He watched his sister and noted who her friends were and noticed also that one or two of them appeared to be mutants. He didn't think that they were but they acted like they were and that was different.
Jarek spent a few days watching his sister and at that time he was pondering whether or not to approach her. He knew that she would be angry with him and perhaps she didn't even remember him. He didn't really care about that what he did care about was keeping her safe from the fate that was intended for him.
He hadn't made up his mind when it was made up for him. He was sitting on a bench where he had for the last two days. School had just gotten out and he was waiting to see his sister when she didn't come out of the building by the front door. He wondered what the deal was but it didn't worry him too much since she probably used one of the other doors.
He waited at his bench reading a book that he had bought. The book was one about martial arts and the growing popularity of it. He was to a fairly interesting part when a girl ran up to him. When she got to him she was breathing hard and she was hopping from one foot to the other.
"Help me please mister," she begged.
Jarek frowned what was the deal here. "What do you need help with," Jarek asked.
"It is my friend she is in trouble. Her boyfriend is roughing her up a bit. She wouldn't put out for him and so he is trying to teach her a lesson," the girl cried.
"I will help but tell me who is your friend," Jarek asked the girl trying to calm her down.
"Her name is Andrea," the girl said not volunteering the last name but Jarek already knew it. It would be the same last name as his. The girl had said his sister's first name and then he had looked a bit more closely at her. She was one of his sisters friends. His sister was in need of help and he would help her.
"Lead the way girl," Jarek said.
The girl lead Jarek into an alley not far from where he was at. It was in the back of the school though and that was why Jarek had not seen his sister come out of the building. He hoped that she was alright and started to wonder why it was that he was always having to deal with men who thought they were tough because they could hit a girl.
As Jarek came into the alley the first thing that he noticed was that it was a dead end. It ended in a brick wall. He didn't see anyone but he smelled that there were at least a half dozen people in the alley with him and the girl. It was at that moment he heard a whisper of movement behind him and Jarek rolled forward as a lead pipe whistled above him.
Jarek came to his feet and stood there as he turned to look at who had tried to hit him. It was the guy who was his sister's boyfriend. As he watched a few more people came out of hiding and one of them was his own sister. She had a look on that Jarek could read and it said she was not a happy person.
She stepped forward and her boyfriend stepped with her. He came up to stand next to Jarek with the pipe held in his hands. His sister stopped about a dozen paces from Jarek and she demanded, "Who are you and why have you been following and spying on me. Tell me now or we will deal with you."
Jarek stood his ground and gave his half-smile. "I can't tell you those things in front of all these people," Jarek said.
"Yes you can they are my friends and you can tell them anything that you tell me," Andrea said.
"You are too trusting of people and that will be your undoing, but I have a question for you first. Tell me how you knew I was spying on you and following you around. I am curious," Jarek asked wondering how she would answer.
"Fine if I answer then so must you. I have been trained to be a fighter and soldier. I have been for the last seven years. It was my training that eventually allowed me to figure out that you were spying on me," Andrea said.
Jarek nodded his head for he had thought as much. "That is an impressive feat even though I was slacking off the last couple of days. Tell me how long have you known that I was spying on you," Jarek asked again avoiding saying anything about himself.
"I have known now since yesterday after school. Now you have to answer my question who are you," Andrea demanded.
Jarek shrugged his shoulders and said, "It doesn't matter. You are nothing like I thought you would be and so I shall be leaving," Jarek said as he took a step towards his sister and the exit.
The boyfriend brought the lead pipe down across Jarek's shoulders. Jarek fell forward to his knees and stayed there for a second. "What the hell are you doing!? I didn't tell you to hit him," Andrea yelled.
"He was going towards you. He didn't answer your question and so I felt that I had to do something," the boyfriend said from behind Jarek.
Jarek's lips turned up in a snarl and a low growl escaped from his throat. Before anyone could even move Jarek was to his feet and he spun around knocking the pipe from the kids hands. He yanked him forward and in the same movement pulled one of his knives from his back sheath. Jarek placed the edge of the knife to the kids throat and hissed into his ear, "If you ever hit me again you make sure you kill me boy or next time I kill you. Got it."
The kid nodded his head as he gulped from fear. The whole group was stunned that Jarek had first moved so fast and second that he could move at all from being hit with a lead pipe across the shoulders. It never crossed any of their minds that he was a mutant they were so scared.
"Please release him," Jarek's sister almost pleaded as she held out her hand to Jarek.
Jarek shoved the kid away from him in disgust. He was feeling the beginnings of coldness creep into his voice and his feelings. He was back to his old self at that moment and he reveled in the feeling. He felt that he would tell his sister just what she wanted to know about him.
"You want to know who I am well let me tell you then. Seven years ago I ran away from home. I had found out that I was a mutant." At that statement none of them even blinked an eye and it made Jarek wonder if one of them wasn't a mutant and they knew how to deal with one. He didn't especially care though until it came to him that his cousin had said that his sister was also a mutant. No wonder it is not a shock to them he thought as he continued. "My parents then took in the daughter that they had given away to my Uncle and Aunt. She was my sister and I had never even known that I had a sister. That is until just a week ago," Jarek finished.
They were all staring at him and wondering who he was, all except for Andrea who at that moment knew who he was. "You are dead I was told so," she said with a bit of fear in her voice for she didn't know what he wanted with her.
"I never died though many have tried sis. I am alive and well," Jarek said softer than before as he knew that she had figured out who he was.
"Sis? What is going on here Andrea who is this guy," her boyfriend said from her side.
"He is my older brother," she said simply.
"I thought that you didn't have a brother," one of her friends asked.
"I don't anymore. He ran away from his family," then she looked at Jarek as she said. "I wish that you had died somewhere so that I didn't know that you were alive and well."
"You and me both sis. I wish that I was dead as well and that way I wouldn't have to deal with your disappointment in me or with all the pain that life has brought me. I am here though on your behalf. I am here to save your life from one of utter servitude," Jarek said.
"What the hell are you talking about utter servitude," she asked.
"The reason you have been trained is to take my place as a government assassin. You have been trained just like I was and now that you are sixteen they are going to come for you. That was the time limit on you and me both but I ran and they couldn't find me," Jarek said.
"Are you sure about this," she asked and Jarek could tell that he was swaying her.
"Yes it's true I can say," her boyfriend said as he pulled a gun out of his coat pocket and put it near her head.
"What are you doing Jason," she asked frantically.
"I am taking you in. I was assigned to get you to love me so that when it came time to get you to join the team you would with little resistance. We had not counted on Jarek here showing up and messing it all up," Jason said as he gestured to Jarek.
"Hey boy didn't I tell you something about me. I hope you were told all about me or else you are dead where you stand," Jarek growled.
"Jason let me go please I don't want to be a government agent. I thought all my training was for self-defense. I didn't know I was to become a weapon for the government. I want to have a normal life," she pleaded with Jason.
Jarek didn't know what her power was so he couldn't rely on his sister for her help. He was wondering if she was wanting him to put down the gun because she cared for him and she didn't want Jarek to kill him or what. He inched closer while his sister had him involved in conversation.
"Sorry lady but you have to go with us to the headquarters where we will start the process of erasing your memories and giving you what we want you to remember. It is a good process and one that was partially done to your brother though when we did it to him we used a chip and it suppressed his powers for awhile," a man said from atop the brick wall behind Jarek.
Jarek turned around and saw that it was a man who Jarek recognized. His name was Sentry and he was the top dog for the governments secret projects. "Sentry I remember you. You and I have a bit of history and I think that I will do something about it," Jarek said to him.
"I don't think so Jarek for if you do anything to me your sister dies isn't that right Jason," Sentry said as Jarek heard a click behind him as the gun hammer was cocked.
Before anyone could react Jarek whipped around and threw his knife which was still in his hand. The knife flipped through the air and buried itself in the shoulder of Jason. Jason fell back and released Andrea. Jarek ran forward and picked Jason up and pried the gun from his hand before he could use it. Jarek then hit Jason in the side of the head and knocked him out. Jarek turned back to the wall and saw that Sentry was gone. He knew it would be useless to try and find him for he would have had a car waiting for him down below.
Jarek looked around and went over to his sister. "You alright sis," he asked her.
"Yeah I am fine but what about Jason," she said as she went over to him.
"He will live but be in pain when he comes to," Jarek said as he reached down and yanked the knife that Logan and Rogue had given him out of the guys shoulder.
"What are you doing," Andrea demanded as the blood started to flow.
"Hey I am not leaving my knife just cause you like some guy," Jarek said.
"Fine," she said as she stood up and started to walk from the alley.
"Where are you going sis. You have to come with me so that I can protect you like I am supposed to," Jarek said. All of his sisters friends had left the alley a bit before Jarek and Andrea had.
"I am going home Jarek. You are coming with me so that our parents can see you and their grief can be lifted from them thinking that you are dead," she said.
"I don't think so. I am not going home for they never loved me sis. They loved you but I was just a creation not a child that was born from love. They had me for the main reason that the government told them to and they wanted to see if they could create the ultimate living weapon," Jarek said angrily.
"You are coming with me or I will not go anywhere with you how's that brother," she said raising an eyebrow.
Damn he thought. She does that girl thing and since she is my sister she knows that I will not deny her. "Fine I will go home but I promise you that they never did love me. I was just a means to an end."
* * * * *
Jarek was standing out in front of his parents house and he was not a happy man. He had not wanted to come here but his sister had made him. He was standing beside his sister when she opened the door and went into the house. She gestured for him to follow and so he stepped into the house behind her.
"Mom, dad I am home," She called out.
"We're in the living room honey," Jarek heard his mother call back.
Andrea started to move towards the living room and Jarek didn't move. She turned back to Jarek and gestured and Jarek shook his head. He wasn't going in there. His sister came back and pushed him from behind. Jarek started to walk then and she took the lead again.
She wondered why she was acting like he was her brother when she had said that she didn't have a brother right to his face. She felt it was because he had come back for her when he claimed that he didn't know that he had a sister. When he had saved her without a second's thought was the second she realized that he must have been telling the truth and the moment that she decided that she didn't hate him she was just mad that he had never known that she was his sister.
She lead Jarek into the room where their parents were and when they stepped in Jarek noticed that his parents didn't even look up. The reactions of amateurs Jarek thought for a real survivor would have looked up or at least glanced at the people who entered the room.
"Mom, dad I want you to meet someone," Andrea said. Their parents looked up from what they were reading and stared at Jarek. He knew what they were looking at. He had a bit of blood on his cloths but that couldn't be helped.
"Who is this Andrea," Their father, Derek, asked curiously.
"This daddy is someone that you should both know. He ran away from home seven years ago, and then you took me in as your daughter like you had always wanted to remember," she said.
That was when their parents frowned and it was Jarek's mother who gasped first. Her hand came up to her mouth to cover it like most people's do when they are experiencing great emotions. "Jarek," she asked her voice shaking with emotion.
Jarek just stood there for a couple of seconds and then finally he nodded. "I am," was all Jarek said.
His mother jumped up and ran over to him and threw her arms around him. She gave him a motherly hug, a hug that Jarek had thought that he would never feel again. He almost hugged her back but he restrained himself.
Louise who was Jarek's mom released him then and stepped back as his father came forward to give him a hug as well. Jarek stepped back and hissed, "Don't touch me father."
"Why what did I do son that was so bad," Derek asked.
"You aren't my father. At least not my biological father anyway. You and mom created me at the behest of the government for a project. From the time I was born all you cared about was making me a living weapon and getting your names in the history books," Jarek said coldly.
"Who told you that there was no way that you should have known . We didn't want you to know. We thought it was best for you that way," Jarek's mother said.
"My cousin told me and that is something that I am grateful for since I now know that the government now wants my little sister to take my place. That is something that I will not allow. I am her older brother and as such I owe her. I owe her a brother and I don't know if you can be forgiven for not telling me that I had a sister," Jarek said.
"Jarek you weren't created. We strained the best parts of different men and used that to get me pregnant with you. We wanted you to be the best," Jarek's mom said.
"I am the best," Jarek said in response to that.
"Jarek we were wrong to do that. We started out to do it because they wanted a weapon you are right but we grew to love you. We still love you but we had thought that you were dead these past years," his father said.
"Love is worthless father. It doesn't do anything for anyone except make a person foolish," Jarek said.
"Jarek you have to have love in your life or you are nothing but a cold person," Andrea said.
"Very good sis you have just summed up my life right there. I am nothing but what they wanted me to be. I have become a cold killing machine. I have no equal when it comes to dealing death to people," Jarek said.
"That is not what we wanted," Jarek's mother cried.
"Well if it wasn't then that is too bad for I thought that I had finally made you happy with me," Jarek said shaking his head.
"We were always happy with you Jarek, what made you think that we weren't," Jarek's father asked.
"Neither one of you ever said I did a good job at anything that I did. You always told me how to do it better and never once gave me a compliment. That is what made me think that and it still does," Jarek coldly replied.
"We are proud of you Jarek for the man that it seems you have become," his mother said.
"Jarek why is it that you won't forgive our parents for their mistakes. They were young and they are sorry. They have told me many times that they wished they could see you one last time to make it right," Andrea pleaded with Jarek hoping to make him see that their parents were really sorry.
"There is no need to forgive them sis. I knew that I was not loved and I accepted the fact. I don't care if I have anyone in my life to love or who loves me. Life has taught me that. Life has also taught me that the government still wants me alive to study or do something with," Jarek said musing to himself.
"What do you mean Jarek," his father asked.
"I mean that the government caught me at one point and held me for a couple of months doing nothing but torturing me to see just how much I could take. It was fun for them. They just loved to watch me bleed. They also ran all sorts of tests on me and my guess is that they wanted to see if they could duplicate my mutation in a normal person so that they could control that person," Jarek said.
"Our government would never do that," his mom said.
"Oh really. Aren't they the ones that now want my sister for the reason that I was intended. They want to make her a living weapon. Just like they wanted to make me. The only problem with that is that I will kill them all before I let them have my little sister," Jarek said.
"Why are you so protective of me Jarek," Andrea asked curiously.
"Because all my life I had wanted a sister. I had wanted someone that I could protect since I was never protected. I wanted to be useful and I thought that if I had a sister then I could be useful," Jarek said lowering his gaze to the floor.
"Really you always wanted a sister," Andrea asked.
Jarek just nodded his head at that remark. He was a person who at that moment wished that he could show his feelings or discuss them or something! He was cold and feelings didn't come to him very often and when they did they were strong. He loved his family no matter what he thought he did know that much.
"We're sorry Jarek," Jareks mom said.
"It is alright mom. I . . . I am sorry as well. I have forgiven you for doing nothing. Everything was from me and from having to run from home. Then I was told what my life would have been had I stayed and it all just came crashing down. I just want to have a family again. I have always been alone and yet I felt whole. The thing is mother that I missed knowing that I had a family. It is important that a person have family," Jarek said as he sat down on the sofa.
His mother came and sat next to him and put her arms around him and pulled him close. For once in his life Jarek let his defenses down and allowed himself the luxury of being held. He allowed himself to feel warmth and it was a change that he liked from being cold all the time. Of course he knew that he wasn't a person who would allow himself to feel warmth very often. He was cold by nature and that was just the way it was.
He talked with his family all night long and actually enjoyed himself. Jarek slept in the house with his family and a word came to his mind unbidden. The word said home and he knew though that he wasn't home. The mansion with the other X-Men and the students was his real home though now he had another place that he could call a friend's place.
In the morning Jarek woke up early like he always did and found that he was the first person up. He went outside and did his stretching and such. He noticed someone watching him and he looked around. He saw his family standing there and a couple of his sister's friends. They were looking at his body appreciatively. Jarek gave his half-smile and continued his workout.
"What are you doing," his sister called after a few minutes.
"I am keeping in shape," Jarek called back.
He stopped and walked over to where his sister was standing. She was wearing normal cloths and had a couple of bags with her. Her friends were talking to her telling her bye and such. They were there to see her off since last night his sister and parents decided that it was best if she left with Jarek since if she was near him they would try to get him instead of her. They still wanted him after all. That and they thought that she might be able to learn something about being a mutant though they had agreed that she would come home to visit often and his parents could come and visit.
Jarek picked up his shirt and put it on. He noticed that his sister's friends were still looking at him and it was starting to make him uneasy. He was a fighter and didn't like being looked at like that. "Is there something that I can help you ladies with," Jarek asked.
Jarek heard some laughing and he turned to see his parents laughing at him. Jarek shook his head not understanding but he didn't really want to. "Yeah you can go on a date with me," said one of the girls.
"Sorry there but apparently I am spoken for already," Jarek said hoping that would be the end of the story. Luckily it was at least for the moment. He went into the house and got his things which were his knives and nothing else. He went back outside and said I am ready.
His family all loaded in the car with a lot of cries of, "Come see us soon," and, "Bye have fun," and other such things to his sister.
They drove off and he could see tears streaming down his sister's face. "Don't worry sis. My friends will make you right at home and you can come back anytime that you wish. Don't feel bad for your aren't abandoning anyone you are just broadening your horizens," Jarek said.
His family drove to the airport and they all climbed aboard his parents plane. It was a small two engine but it would get them where they were going. Jarek hoped that his sister didn't stay in the mood she was in. He wanted her to be herself and not try to be anything else.
During the flight Jarek told her about his friends and the X-Men and his sister changed her outlook on going there. She seemed to really want to go and that was good. He wanted her to be happy. It was a pleasant flight and then they landed in New York. That was when Jarek wondered what the reactions would be at the mansion when he showed up with his sister. His parents weren't going to the mansion yet because they had to get back. They didn't want to disturb their daughters first day at the new place and so they decided that they would come and see her and Jarek some other time in the near future. They waved to their kids and took off back for home. As they flew off they had tears in their eyes for they had known that they would lose their daughter. The only thing is they were extremely happy that she had went with Jarek instead of to the government.