Here's the disclaimer part. All the X-men characters are Marvel's, sue me and I'll be forced to sell my beloved used-tissue collection which would break my heart! David, Alex and Danny are mine, if you want to use them then go right ahead. Thanks to Andy (you know who you are)for the codenames. Oh, by the way, this story isn't set in any particular time period, I'm just using what characters I want to use and ignoring the ones that I don't. Please, please, please review! Cheers
Part 5
It was ten o'clock by the time Iceman poked his head round the entrance to his new-found friends door, "David?"
"Be right there Bobby," Came the reply, "Come in, make yourself at home, ack! Oh bugger."
"Are you alright in there?" The younger man asked, entering David's room and having a look around.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just still having trouble with razor blades that's all." David replied, coming out of the bathroom and holding a piece of tissue to a bloody spot on his chin. "Next time I'll probably slit my own throat." He mused, a sad-looking grin aimed his friend's way.
"Death by shaving huh? Doesn't sound like a way I'd want to go."
"I can think of worse," David said distantly, losing himself in his own thoughts. He shook himself back to reality and looked at Bobby. "So, what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Have you already forgotten last night? He asked incredulously, "The ladies got so tired of seeing you in the same old clothes, day in, day out, that their forcing you to go shopping for some new stuff."
David looked at his friend with a horrified expression. "Oh jeez, they were serious?" He absolutely, completely hated shopping. The last time he went was, well, he couldn't exactly remember the last time but he was sure he hadn't enjoyed it.
Bobby smirked, "Uh huh, you'd better believe it, you're in for it this afternoon. You never know it might cheer you up a bit. After all, there's worse things than going shopping with some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."
David gave out an amused snort, "Every woman in this bloody estate is beautiful, is it part of their mutation or something?"
"You know, you could be onto something there, we should probably pass it by Hank and see what he thinks."
David grinned, "Not after his reaction when he us told to hop it after interrupting him in the middle of what looked like a pretty big experiment just to find out if 'Shazam' could be used in scrabble. I don't think he'd take kindly to it at all."
"I believe his exact words were, 'Robert Drake if I ever find you within threatening distance of my lab I will smash you to small pieces and use you to cool down my drink', or something like that anyway!" Bobby smiled at his friend, he really did need some new clothes, it seemed that even Logan had more than him. But the main reason for this shopping expedition was that they had all realised that David was having a hard time coming to terms with the recent events in his life and he needed to get out and relax for a bit.
So much had happened to him in such a short space of time that he hadn't been able to fully come to terms with any of it and that it included the, however justified, killing of a fellow human being.
David eyed the younger man sneakily, "You know, I did save you from a fate worse than death back there in the lab. I reckon you owe me one."
"Owe you one, what?" Bobby asked warily.
"A favour Bobster, and I think the best time for you to pay me it back is right about now!"
Bobby cringed, "Oh no, you can't be serious."
David eyed him triumphantly, " Oh yes mate," He looked at the now visibly unhappy man, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "Look at it this way Bob," he said, grinning and strolling happily past Bobby and down to the ladies waiting in the hallway. "There's worse things than going shopping with some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."
***
Bobby got out of the car and cringed at the sight of the shopping mall, he hadn't even considered coming on this trip until David had roped him into tagging along, not that he could all together blame him. All in all six people had decided to come along and so they had used the people carrier to take them. Jean had driven while Ororo had taken the passenger seat. Kitty was in the middle beside Jubilee with David and Bobby sitting next to the doors.
"So, " Jean said , locking up the car and joining the group up to the entrance, "Where shall we go first?"
"We have gotta do something about David's wardrobe first." Jubilee said, casting a measuring look at the Brits clothes.
David rolled his eyes, resigned amusement clear in his expression, "Alright, alright I can take a hint, let's just this over with yeah?" He nudged Bobby, getting the man's attention and whispering to him, "I'm glad you're here to enjoy this experience with me!"
Bobby gave him an unhappy, beaten look and trudged behind them as Jubilee dragged the group towards the nearest men's shop.
***
Never had he been pushed into such an unbelievable amount of shops, never had he been forced to endure three hours of continuous shopping, but David had never managed to amass a bigger collection of clothes than the one that he and the rest of the group were desperately trying to hold onto as they moved towards the food court. He and Bobby, who had actually began to enjoy himself, were shown so many different items that his head had begun to spin with the confusion and, after a few protests from Jubilee who had wanted to carry on, they had decided to rest for lunch before returning to the mansion. Three of the ladies and Bobby had gone to buy the food while David and Kitty were left to find a table.
"So, " Kitty said as the two of them eventually found one and could finally put the mountain of shopping bags on the floor, "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Well it beats getting the shit kicked out of me by Logan in the Danger room," He replied grinning, "You know, I think that man enjoys fighting just a little too much to be healthy."
The young woman smirked and nodded in agreement with him, "You don't know how right you are, but when you have a healing factor as strong as Wolverine's, the need to take care of yourself never really comes into the equation. But we're not here to talk about Logan," She said, pausing to catch David's eyes with a concerned look, "We've all noticed you've become a little distant lately and we were wondering how your holding up?"
David stiffened at her words, "I'm fine cheers Kit." He said as bluntly as he could, hoping she would take the hint and change the subject.
"Bullshit," She snorted, in a tone that made it clear that she wasn't going to accept anything other than the truth. "It's hard enough to discover you're a mutant," She continued in a softer voice, "Let alone be forced away from your friends and family for something that you had no control over."
David looked into her eyes and knew that, whether she was telepathic or not, this was someone who would know when you were lying. He couldn't help but feel a certain empathy with Kitty, being roughly the same age helped things along between them but it would take a fool not to see that he was attracted to her in more than just a friendship way.
"Fine," David muttered, crumbling under her gaze, "What do you want me to say? I've killed someone, however mental they were, that man is dead because of me, do you think I should regret it? Cos I don't, not for an instant." He paused to see Kitties reaction but all he found was concern and an unwavering projection of understanding., shit, he thought, she's not gonna make this easy for me. He gave out a sigh and continued. "Granted, it would have been better for everyone concerned if he hadn't died but when all's said and done, he had tried to murder me and ended up crippling my best friend. In my humble opinion the bastard got what he deserved and can rot where-ever those kind of people go, although I'm sure I'll be seeing him again sooner or later."
"So you think that you are, for lack of a better word, damned for your actions?"
"Pretty much, " He replied, playing nervously with his hands, shame and guilt plastered on his face for all to see.
"You don't believe that a person can atone for his sins?" She asked trying to stay calm, wanting more than anything to show him just how wrong he was.
"It depends on the original sin," He replied matter-of-factly, "The only way you can truly atone for killing someone would be to resurrect them. However many other lives I manage to save in the future, I'll always be a murderer."
"You are not a murderer," Kitty interrupted, barely able to contain her frustration at his words, "However responsible you think you were for that man's death you had no control over your actions and therefore no say in the outcome." She moved her hand across the table to cover one of David's and carried on in a more soothing tone." If he had never attacked you, it would never have happened. You were defending yourself David, and don't you dare believe otherwise."
"As simple as that eh?" David caught her eyes, his mouth quirking upwards at the corners in a sad grin.
"Sometimes that's how it has to be, " Kitty said softly, keeping in eye-contact and griping his hand a little tighter, willing him to believe it.
"Hey, what's all this?" Bobby said as he approached the table with a mountain of food stacked up in his hands. "Don't I get to hold your hand as well?!" He joked as David quickly, but a little slower than was normal he noted, pulled his hand away from Kitties grasp and looked up at his friend.
"You can try but you'll find a, more than solid, force-field making speedy contact with your face if you even think about it." David mock-threatened. "Now where's my burger and chips?"
"Chips?" He said, getting confused, "I thought you wanted fries?"
David rolled his eyes, "I think you'd better sit down before you fall down Bobster," He replied jokingly.
Bobby, looking none the wiser, turned to Kitty and gave her a questioning look.
"He meant fries Bobby," Kitty said, trying to hide her amusement at her friend's confusion. "They call them chips in England."
After taking a moment to digest this latest titbit of information, Bobby nodded in understanding, "I getcha, jeez, and you fellas are the ones who were supposed to have invented this language."
"We did," David replied, making his way through the bags in search of his meal, "But then you lot came along and ripped it up a bit. The only yank I've met who uses it properly is Hank and he uses it better than most of us do." He joked.
"That's probably why I only understand about half of what he says!"
David looked at Kitty and grinned, "I still think he should sit down."
***
"So what's it gonna be then mister all-powerful mutant!?"
David grinned at Bobby and asked the group round the table pleadingly, "Do I have to have one? Can't I just use my name?"
"Well I for one ain't gonna start calling ya Dave in the middle of a fight." Jubilee stated.
"Jubilation is right," Ororo agreed, "It is a, if you will, necessary evil David, you really must have one. We can always decide for you but I think it would be preferable that you liked the codename as well."
"Oh all right," He said, resigned to the idea, "Have any of you got some suggestions?"
Bobby piped up, " What was it you said in your first Danger room session, Bizarro Air-Boy!?"
Kitty and Jubilee both tried to hold back an amused chuckle at the name. It had become something of a nickname since Bobby had first used it after coming out of the session.
David cringed, "Somehow I don't think so mate, anyone with a decent suggestion?"
"Well most of our names are related to the nature of our powers, " Jean said, "So how about 'Force'?"
"How about 'Field'!"
"Be quiet Robert," Ororo said sternly, "If you have nothing serious to add to the conversation I suggest you try not to contribute anything at all."
"What do you mean?" He grinned, a mock pained expression on his face, "It was serious!"
"Well, putting that aside for the moment," David replied, smiling at his friend, "It still isn't really my cup of tea."
"How about Air?"
"Vortex?"
"Pulse?"
David stopped them, "Pulse is good, I like Pulse, snappy yet forceful, mysterious yet strangely memorable!" He said, as if judging the name in a competition. "Yeah, I could go for that."
"Well then, it is settled," Storm said as she began to clear away the pile of rubbish left on the table, "May I suggest we put the waste in the bins and return to the mansion."
"You've got my vote." Bobby stated and began to pick up the remaining boxes and bags, eager to leave the mall as soon as possible. "I've had about as much of this place as I can take."
"Me too, " David agreed, getting to his feet and helping Bobby out. "Lets get the hell out of here."
***
Kitty Pryde came through the front door of the mansion, strolled down the hallway and into the mansion's kitchen. Finding no-one in the most common get-together site she moved through the school and noticed how suspiciously quiet it was for the time of day. She came upon the lounge, entering it she looked around the room and spotted a ever-increasingly familiar face lying on the sofa, his attention focused on the magazine he was reading. A mischievous grin lit up her face, she moved gracefully out of his line-of-sight and began to slowly creep up behind him. When she had managed to crawl right next to the end of the couch she sprang up shouting, "Dave!"
"Woah!" David jumped up like a cat on steroids and twisted round to see Kitty standing in front of him, hands at her hips and a wide grin etched on her face. "Bloody hell Kit," He said, still slightly shocked, his arm came up to cradle the heart that the young woman had so nearly stopped with her sudden outburst. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack or what?"
"Just thought I'd see if you were still alive." Kitty said, still holding the grin, "Although I suppose that article must be pretty good if I managed to get all the way up here without you noticing."
"You'd think so but I'm still pretty bad at that kind of thing." He said, returning her smile. "Every time I'm in the Danger room I get caught out by some git attacking me from behind. Logan and Gumbo are getting a bit frustrated with it I think."
"I see you've picked up Logan's nickname for Remy then?" She said, smiling at the gradually relaxing (and pretty darn cute - she added to herself) man. Kitty moved towards the sofa and David obediently shuffled further up so that she could sit down next to him.
"Yeah well, if I'm gonna be stuck with Bizarro Air-Boy for the rest of my stay here then I reckon I've got to take every opportunity to get something as bad for the rest of you." He said, grinning wickedly.
"I bet," She said as she flopped onto the sofa beside him. "So where is everyone? I've been through the whole place and there doesn't seem to be anyone else around."
"They've gone off on a mission or something," David replied casually as he flipped through the magazine he was holding. "I don't think it was anything too big and they said to tell you not to worry about not being here when they went." He added after seeing his friends expression turn into a mixture of worry and guilt for not be there.
Secretly pleased to be able to spend a quiet moment with the man, Kitty turned her attention onto David, "Ah well, I'm sure it's nothing they can't handle."
"You betcha," David replied, he sat up and moved to put what he was reading onto the coffee table in front of them.
Kitty reached over and took the magazine out of his grasp. "Four Four Two?" She inquired, smiling questioningly at David.
"It's a football magazine, " David stated simply, "It's about the only way I get to keep up with the news now that I'm in American football country. Unless, of course, I stay up until about three in the morning to watch some crappy half-hour long programme on it ." He said, unable to keep the slight bitterness out of his voice.
Kitty eyed him thoughtfully, "You miss it don't you?"
"What?"
"Home."
Her words hit him right at his weakest spot, "Yeah, I do," He said miserably, taking the magazine from her and randomly flicking through the pages. "All the time." David looked up to see Kitty waiting for him to continue." I just wish I could be there for Alex right now, just at the time that he needs me the most I have to run away to the other side of the sodding world."
Kitty didn't say anything, instead she pulled the young man closer to her and into a hug.
"I know that what you're going through must be tough, "She whispered into his ear, "But always remember that I'm willing to listen and help in any way that I can, and so are the rest of the team."
"Cheers Kit," David said softly, he moved into the embrace and held on for a while, enjoying the feeling of comfort it brought.
Hesitantly breaking away from the hug, Kitty looked at David and smiled. "How about a session in the Danger room? We could work on some of the problems your having." She asked.
"Yeah, alright," He replied, returning her smile, "Why not."
Whatcha think? Let me know!