A/N: this is alternate universe, seeing as Terry and the X-men could never
truly co-exist due to the time difference. Ah well, it's all good in the
fanfic world. Oh, and Lance doesn't get along with any of the X-men in
this, just for laughs.
Disclaimer: unfortunately, I don't own 'em. Too bad so sad. And if I've made any errors about the shows, my mistake, but this is an AU fic.
1 Chapter 2 – Invitations and Phone Calls.
"I warned you," Terry said dangerously. No one could taunt him with his full name and get away with it. He assumed one of the many fighting positions he knew, but waited until Lance threw the first punch so Terry could call the act self-defense if necessary, of course. The brown-haired boy fell right into Terry's plan as the new kid blocked the oncoming punch. The miniature bout was over in a matter of seconds as Terry landed a well- aimed knee in Lance's abdomen. The breath was knocked out of Lance and he wobbled away quite unsteadily muttering something to the effect of "I won't forget this!" Terry went back to his seat.
"That's what they all say," Terry remarked. There was an awkward silence and the boy looked up. "What?" he said to the gaping table. After Terry's gaze broke, the table cascaded into mutterings, some of which included "damn" (in a Mississippi accent), "geez" (in a German accent), and a soft whistle that seemed to be coming from Evan.
"What?" Terry asked again, only this time it was to clarify the reason for the palpable awe.
"That was totally amazing! Thanks a bunch," Kitty said, breaking through the barrier of mumbling.
"Ja, where did you learn to do that?" Kurt asked, amazed.
"I guess you guys have never really lived in a big city," Terry said quite honestly, but it felt wrong. Yeah, the Jokerz were a constant threat, but there were only a few occasions where Terry had needed self- defense against them. But, out of all the excuses he could've provided, that was the most believable one. Who would believe that this little nobody from Gotham had actually been Batman? And Terry wasn't about to say he had served time in Juvi.
"Really guys, it was nothing," Terry said dismissively. Somehow, though, it didn't seem like the group believed him.
"Hey, I have an idea," Kitty said. Everyone gave her their attention. "Why don't we invite Terry over in a little way to thank him and welcome him here?" The others mumbled or nodded in agreement.
"Wait," said Terry, "You all live together?"
"Well, yeah, duh," Evan said casually. Jean reached over and smacked him on the back of the head.
"What he means to say is yes, we all live in the Xavier Institution. Oh, don't worry," she added hastily, noting the look on Terry's face. To him, anything with the word "institution" was bad. "It's just a place where we can have more opportunity to learn and grow than if we were to stay at our homes." Terry still looked confused.
"I see," he said, not actually seeing anything at all. There was a moment of silence and then everyone burst out laughing. "I'll have to check with my mother but I'm sure it'll be shui with her." Terry said, slipping back into his Gotham slang.
"Shui?" Rogue asked.
"Uhh…yeah. You know, shui, like…what's that word…cool?" Terry said, trying to translate his terminology.
"Ah," she said as the lunch bell rang. The rest of the day went by quite uneventfully. Terry didn't get written up for fighting because, quite frankly, no one really cared if Lance got the crap beaten out of him besides his four friends, and they'd much rather get their revenge other ways. When the final bell rang, Terry thanked Scott for showing him around got the number for the institute, so he could call to confirm or deny the dinner plans.
When Terry got home he had the house to himself; his mother worked until five and his brother still had another hour at school. He glanced at the clock. 3:15. He figured Hamilton Hill would be out of school by then, so he picked up the phone to call Max. The phone rang a few times and Max picked up.
"Hello?" she queried.
"Hey, Max, it's Terry," the boy replied.
"Terry! How are you? How's…what's it called?"
"Bayville," Terry replied. "Boring as all. I did kick some punk's ass today, though."
"Already getting into trouble. What are we going to do with you?" Max said jokingly.
"Yeah, well. Anyway, what's the news? How's Dana and everyone?"
"Oh, they're fine. Chelsea and Nelson broke up…again. But they'll be back together soon enough. It's been kinda quiet around here with out you. Both of you, that is. The newscasters seem to think you've gone into hiding; they're losing stories. Oh, speaking of which, I started walking Ace in your absence, but Mr. Wayne still doesn't like me, and Ace is hard to win over as well,"
"Yeah, well, you should feel honored he's letting you in on any part of his life. He doesn't really like people that much," Terry said, not specifying quite which being he was referring to.
"Well that goes without saying. Hey Ter," she said, her voice suddenly going serious, "What if something happens? What if we need Batman? What are you going to do?"
"Then you'll have to do without me," Terry said, startling Max. "I can't be Batman anymore. I have an obligation to my mother and Matt, and I've decided not to risk my life anymore. Gotham will survive, it always has. I'm sorry, Max, but that can't be my life anymore," Terry spoke with such finality that it was clear that part of their conversation was finished. After a moment of silence, Terry spoke up again. "Perhaps I should let you go. You probably have homework or something to do."
"Right," Max replied. They both hung up and Terry crashed onto his bed. The last part of the phone conversation had been said purely to convince himself that it was the right thing to give up being Batman. Of course, Terry had been forced to move with his mother and brother, but there was always the possibility that he could continue being a vigilante. He shook himself. No, Terry thought, It's better that I'm not Batman. I can't afford to become obsessed with it; it was an after school job, that's all. An after school job that consumed my life, he continued to think bitterly. Terry didn't realize how tired he was as he drifted off into a light afternoon sleep.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Another chapter in! It'll get more exciting soon; I have great expectations for the next chapter. Thanks for your input, it really helps! Happy reading!
Disclaimer: unfortunately, I don't own 'em. Too bad so sad. And if I've made any errors about the shows, my mistake, but this is an AU fic.
1 Chapter 2 – Invitations and Phone Calls.
"I warned you," Terry said dangerously. No one could taunt him with his full name and get away with it. He assumed one of the many fighting positions he knew, but waited until Lance threw the first punch so Terry could call the act self-defense if necessary, of course. The brown-haired boy fell right into Terry's plan as the new kid blocked the oncoming punch. The miniature bout was over in a matter of seconds as Terry landed a well- aimed knee in Lance's abdomen. The breath was knocked out of Lance and he wobbled away quite unsteadily muttering something to the effect of "I won't forget this!" Terry went back to his seat.
"That's what they all say," Terry remarked. There was an awkward silence and the boy looked up. "What?" he said to the gaping table. After Terry's gaze broke, the table cascaded into mutterings, some of which included "damn" (in a Mississippi accent), "geez" (in a German accent), and a soft whistle that seemed to be coming from Evan.
"What?" Terry asked again, only this time it was to clarify the reason for the palpable awe.
"That was totally amazing! Thanks a bunch," Kitty said, breaking through the barrier of mumbling.
"Ja, where did you learn to do that?" Kurt asked, amazed.
"I guess you guys have never really lived in a big city," Terry said quite honestly, but it felt wrong. Yeah, the Jokerz were a constant threat, but there were only a few occasions where Terry had needed self- defense against them. But, out of all the excuses he could've provided, that was the most believable one. Who would believe that this little nobody from Gotham had actually been Batman? And Terry wasn't about to say he had served time in Juvi.
"Really guys, it was nothing," Terry said dismissively. Somehow, though, it didn't seem like the group believed him.
"Hey, I have an idea," Kitty said. Everyone gave her their attention. "Why don't we invite Terry over in a little way to thank him and welcome him here?" The others mumbled or nodded in agreement.
"Wait," said Terry, "You all live together?"
"Well, yeah, duh," Evan said casually. Jean reached over and smacked him on the back of the head.
"What he means to say is yes, we all live in the Xavier Institution. Oh, don't worry," she added hastily, noting the look on Terry's face. To him, anything with the word "institution" was bad. "It's just a place where we can have more opportunity to learn and grow than if we were to stay at our homes." Terry still looked confused.
"I see," he said, not actually seeing anything at all. There was a moment of silence and then everyone burst out laughing. "I'll have to check with my mother but I'm sure it'll be shui with her." Terry said, slipping back into his Gotham slang.
"Shui?" Rogue asked.
"Uhh…yeah. You know, shui, like…what's that word…cool?" Terry said, trying to translate his terminology.
"Ah," she said as the lunch bell rang. The rest of the day went by quite uneventfully. Terry didn't get written up for fighting because, quite frankly, no one really cared if Lance got the crap beaten out of him besides his four friends, and they'd much rather get their revenge other ways. When the final bell rang, Terry thanked Scott for showing him around got the number for the institute, so he could call to confirm or deny the dinner plans.
When Terry got home he had the house to himself; his mother worked until five and his brother still had another hour at school. He glanced at the clock. 3:15. He figured Hamilton Hill would be out of school by then, so he picked up the phone to call Max. The phone rang a few times and Max picked up.
"Hello?" she queried.
"Hey, Max, it's Terry," the boy replied.
"Terry! How are you? How's…what's it called?"
"Bayville," Terry replied. "Boring as all. I did kick some punk's ass today, though."
"Already getting into trouble. What are we going to do with you?" Max said jokingly.
"Yeah, well. Anyway, what's the news? How's Dana and everyone?"
"Oh, they're fine. Chelsea and Nelson broke up…again. But they'll be back together soon enough. It's been kinda quiet around here with out you. Both of you, that is. The newscasters seem to think you've gone into hiding; they're losing stories. Oh, speaking of which, I started walking Ace in your absence, but Mr. Wayne still doesn't like me, and Ace is hard to win over as well,"
"Yeah, well, you should feel honored he's letting you in on any part of his life. He doesn't really like people that much," Terry said, not specifying quite which being he was referring to.
"Well that goes without saying. Hey Ter," she said, her voice suddenly going serious, "What if something happens? What if we need Batman? What are you going to do?"
"Then you'll have to do without me," Terry said, startling Max. "I can't be Batman anymore. I have an obligation to my mother and Matt, and I've decided not to risk my life anymore. Gotham will survive, it always has. I'm sorry, Max, but that can't be my life anymore," Terry spoke with such finality that it was clear that part of their conversation was finished. After a moment of silence, Terry spoke up again. "Perhaps I should let you go. You probably have homework or something to do."
"Right," Max replied. They both hung up and Terry crashed onto his bed. The last part of the phone conversation had been said purely to convince himself that it was the right thing to give up being Batman. Of course, Terry had been forced to move with his mother and brother, but there was always the possibility that he could continue being a vigilante. He shook himself. No, Terry thought, It's better that I'm not Batman. I can't afford to become obsessed with it; it was an after school job, that's all. An after school job that consumed my life, he continued to think bitterly. Terry didn't realize how tired he was as he drifted off into a light afternoon sleep.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Another chapter in! It'll get more exciting soon; I have great expectations for the next chapter. Thanks for your input, it really helps! Happy reading!