disclaimer: The X-Men don't belong to me and neither does any of the songs
I've used. I thought it sounded like a neat idea, anyway, this is my first
fan fic so please be kind, and enjoy. (It's not my best work as I wrote it
in only about two weeks, but it's what I got.)
~ Part Two ~
"I don't understand it, Chuck. She was sitting there eating one minute, the next she was going into what seemed like a seizure. She finally stops convulsing, I reach to check her pulse and she jumps away from me like I just stuck her with my claws or something."
Professor Charles Xavier sighed. He'd been aware of her the moment she'd used her telepathy earlier, but he hadn't expected that reaction. He supposed Logan deserved to know as much as Cyclops did, though he had resisted revealing too much to Logan about the girl. Logan tended to be a little too passionate about things. He was the kind of man that felt things to the core. Charles took a deep breath, and released it. "She's not in complete control of her mutant powers, Logan. She's got some great gifts that she must learn to harness, but for now, they're barely under control. As for her reactions, she's seen inside your mind, seen memories and felt your pain, maybe even the adamantium graphing, I don't know for sure. It's startled her, and affected her heart. I wish that I could tell you more."
Logan ran a hand through his unruly hair. No matter what he did, it always went back to the wild look. He hated the thought of someone else knowing that pain. He hadn't talked to the professor about it and had done his best to keep the professor from finding it out. "Then it ain't no wonder why she broke down in tears. You gonna start her training?"
"I wish to start with her telepathy. If that's out of control, it'll distract her from her other training," he said calmly.
"Yeah. . . . Professor, is there any way you can erase that from her memory? I can deal with that s---, but she's just a kid!"
"I'm afraid I can't, Logan. Her mind is extraordinary. There is little I can do other than teaching her how to utilize her gifts. And young she may be, but she's twenty-one years old, and able to make her own decisions."
Logan arched a brow at him. "She's a kid, Chuck. She ain't any older than Rogue."
"And we all know about the past history there."
Logan hated that being thrown up at him. He knew his past mistakes better than anyone. "I've made my share of mistakes. Letting Rogue believe what she wanted to and going after Jean were two of them. I ain't about to make them mistakes twice."
"I see. I've already briefed Scott on this. Logan, we must be very careful," Xavier said with conviction.
Logan nodded. "I understand, Chuck."
"I know I can count on you Logan."
~ ~ ~
Rogue stood in Lizzy's room admiring the clothes that Evie had placed in the closet. The girl had some taste in clothes and accessories. There were some original designs by Bob Mackie, Gucci, and Pierre Cardin. She had everything from twenty or so pairs of shoes, designer outfits like pants sets and skirts, to gowns and even designer underwear. This wardrobe only proved what they'd thought about Evelyn Lockhart; she was loaded. She suddenly liked the idea that she would be spending the day with her, while the others trained. She was waiting now for Lizzy to finish in the shower.
Only moments later Lizzy entered the room. She was dressed in blue jeans with lace-up sides, a tight half-length-gathered sleeved shirt, with her heeled black boots. She was into fashion! "Thanks again, Rogue."
"No problem. Ah was just admiring your wardrobe."
"Nice, ain't it?"
"Very." Rogue looked at her. "Are yah all right, Gal? What happened down there in the infirmary?"
"I don't know exactly."
"Well, don't yah worry. You're safe and the professor will do whatever he can to help yah." Rogue reached out to pat her arm assuringly and Lizzy jerked away.
"Please, don't touch me!"
"Ah can't hurt yah none! Ah got my gloves on!"
Lizzy looked at her. "What? I see things when people touch me. I can't take any more of that right now."
"Oh. Then yah don't know about my mutation, yet?"
"No. Why?"
"Come on, let's get yah to the professor. He's been anxious to see yah."
~ ~ ~
Lizzy found herself being watched as she followed Rogue down the flight of stairs. She watched the people as she passed by them. The ages of the people varied, but they were all watching her as she walked just slightly behind and off to the side of Rogue. It was like they were afraid of her so something with the way they watched her. "Where's the professor?"
"His office, no doubt." Rogue led her through the hall and toward Xavier's office.
("Come on in, Lizzy. Rogue knows the way.")
Lizzy stared at the office door. She'd heard an unfamiliar but friendly voice and she knew just where to go. Making her way past Rogue she walked over and opened the office door. There in a large, lavish office was her grandmother, seated on a plush leather couch. Charles Xavier sat behind a desk, a relatively attractive older man. She studied him, wondering if he was as easy to read as Logan had been.
"No, Lizzy. It will be much harder to read my mind. Have a seat. Thank you, Rogue," Xavier said.
"No problem, Sugah. Ah'll be in the rec room if yah need anything."
Lizzy glanced at Rogue as she left the room then sat in the chair in front of Xavier's desk, instead of the couch beside her grandmother. She found Charles Xavier quite interesting, though she knew very little about him. She cocked her head to the side as she studied him.
"You can ask all the questions you like, Lizzy."
She smiled then. "So this is a safe haven for gifted children, and a boot camp for wanna be marine mutants?"
He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he looked at her. "That's one way of putting it, I suppose. Who told you that?"
"Nobody actually said it."
"Whose thoughts were they?"
She shook her head. "Everyone's, no one's. I don't exactly know. Who was the man that came after me last night? Why did he want me?"
"His name is Eric Magnus Lenshur. He goes by the name Magneto. He wants you because you have the potential to be the most powerful mutant in the world; if you learn to use your gifts. Do you know what all you can do?"
She shrugged. "I'm sure if I thought about it long enough that I could figure it out. So, this Magneto guy's a bad guy? What does he want with me?"
"He wants you to help him, make the entire mutant population rule the homosapien race. He doesn't wish to kill you, only manipulate your mind to his cause. Make you his puppet."
"And you don't?"
"Damaris Elizabetta!"
Lizzy glanced over at her grandmother, then back at the professor. "You want to help me, because you want me to join your team, right?"
"It's true that you could help my X-Men immensely, but I will help you with no strings attached. You may join my team if you wish, or leave here as an educated young woman. The choice is yours alone, and will remain yours, no matter what I learn in helping you to master them. Do you wish to learn to master your gifts?"
"I do."
Xavier nodded. "Then I will help you, but you must cooperate with me. It's a hard task which involves a lot of time and effort on your part."
"All right. Where do we start?"
Xavier smiled. He took Damaris to meet his team. Rogue made sure they were all gathered in the danger room. As soon as she was finished with the introductions Xavier would begin with her training.
Damaris looked around at the mutants that stood before her. None of them looked the same. They were however the same mutants that had watched her make her way to the professor's office. The same mutants that had sent their thoughts at her as she walked.
"These are my X-Men. This is Scott Summers or Cyclops, he was my first X- Man, and the field commander of the team. Scott possesses Optic Energy Beams. He thinks on his feet and takes his responsibilities seriously."
Scott extended his hand with a bright smile. "Welcome to the mansion, Damaris."
She smiled as she nervously shook his hand. "Nice shades. Call me Lizzy, everybody does."
His smile grew. "All right, then. Lizzy, I prefer to be called Scott. Opposed to Cyke, Bug Eye, Pretty Boy, or Teacher's Pet, which seem to be growing fads."
She smiled again. "At least you have a sense of humor about it. I'll have to remember that."
"I believe you've already met Logan. He's often called Wolverine." The two nodded at one another, neither wanting to repeat the events of the morning. "Logan possesses an Adamantium skeleton, as well as instantaneous healing and recovery. With a vast knowledge of hand to hand combat as well as several forms of martial arts, Logan trains the new recruits in self defense."
"He also possesses retractable Adamantium plated claws, that are housed in his forearms," Lizzy said.
"Yes," Xavier said with a smile. "And this is Ororo Munroe. We call her Storm, as she controls the elements. She's second in command."
The two women shook hands, an instant bond of friendship forming between them despite the ten year age difference. "Welcome to the mansion."
"Thank you."
"And this is Jean Grey. Only during dangerous field missions is she called Marvel Girl. Jean is a telepath, and possesses the ability to move objects with her mind."
"Telekinesis," Lizzy said as she and Jean shook hands.
"Yes," Jean said. "We've already met. I was the nurse in the infirmary with you last evening."
"Oh, yeah. You're in medical school, right?"
Jean stared at her. "How'd you know that?"
Lizzy smiled. "A wild guess."
Xavier moved down the line, apparently satisfied with the introductions so far. "And this is our beloved Cajun, Remy LeBeau. He's called Gambit. Gambit's mutation is harder to explain. He possesses the ability to change dormant energy into kinetic energy, which causes it to explode."
"Gambit also be an expert with the ladies," Remy said.
"Yeah, he's a legend in his own mind," came from one of the girls she hadn't yet met.
"Gambit, like Wolverine is an expert at martial arts. He wields a bow staff with great expertise. A deck of cards are his weapon of choice, though."
"Welcome to the team, Cher. If you ever need anything, let Gambit know; he take care of you."
She watched him as he kissed her hand. ("Thank you, Mister LeBeau. I'll be sure to remember that always.")
Gambit smiled. ("Gambit know he gonna enjoy havin' you here!")
"I'm sure," Lizzy said. "Gambit is any apparent sacrifice in expectation of later gain; it's a classic chess move. Do you play?"
"Gambit play lots of t'ings."
Xavier's look was scolding as he looked at Remy. "You met Marie this morning. Rogue, which she prefers to be called, possesses the ability to drain someone's very life force as well as incredible strength, the ability to fly and when she deams it worthy a great compassion and hospitality." The two nodded at each other and Xavier went on. "This is Morph, he goes only by Morph and we respect that. His mutation is in his name."
"Hi, Morph."
He smiled. "Hi." He shifted into Bashful, from SnowWhite and the Seven Dwarfs. His cheeks all red, and playing with his little hat.
Lizzy laughed. "That's very good. I'll bet you keep everyone in good spirits."
"I try. It's not always easy when Logan's around. 'Course, it can be harder when he's not." Morph looked meaningfully at Logan and then Rogue.
Lizzy glanced at them. "Oh."
"And this," the professor began interrupting them. "- is Jubilation Lee, whom we affectionately call Jubilee. She's the self-proclaimed princess of pyrotechnics."
Lizzy smiled. "Cool. Pyrotechnics. Can you do like fireworks?"
"Of course." Jubilee raised her hands in the air and filled the danger room with the visions of the fourth of July times ten.
"Cool!"
"I'm Ice Man," an attractive guy not much older than Lizzy said as he came forward.
Lizzy looked at him. "Ice Man? What do you do?"
Repeating an act he'd done several times, Bobby Drake made a statue of himself out of ice. Then handed Lizzy a rose made of ice. "My real name's Bobby Drake." wasn't quite sure what to say to him. "Oh."
"He's a show off. I'm Kitty Pride, everyone calls me Shadow Cat in the field. Welcome to the mansion. You're so lucky you don't have to share a room with anyone else."
Lizzy smiled. "Yeah. What do you do?"
"I phase through things."
"Like locked doors and secret chambers?"
Kitty smiled. "Yeah."
"Cool."
"Yes," Xavier said sarcastically. "You've already met Dr. Henry McCoy. He was the doctor that tended you last evening."
Lizzy turned her attention to the man Xavier indicated. "Yes. Thank you, Dr. McCoy."
"Call me Beast; everyone else does," he said, as he reached to shake her hand.
Lizzy was surprised at the size of Beast's hands. She hadn't noticed that about him the night before. "All right, Beast."
"And this Piotr. And he's called . . .(he shifted into his eight or so foot stature of metal) Colossus."
"Hello," Lizzy said straining her neck to look up at him.
He went back to normal. "Welcome."
She smiled at his accent. "Do you speak Russian, Piotr?"
He smiled, and they exchanged a few words before Xavier commanded her attention once again. "This is Ororo's nephew, Evan Daniels."
"Call me Spyke."
"Why?" He lifted his arms, and spikes came out of them. "Oh. I'll bet you come in handy when someone's trying to hang posters on the ceiling."
"They end up on his head," Kitty said smiling.
~ ~ ~
After a long day of training in the danger room with the professor, Lizzy sat down on the couch in one of the three living rooms and closed her eyes. She had such a headache. Xavier had used his mental suggestions to show her how to control her telepathy and telekinesis. They were well on their way to truly having them under control. All the brain work had caused her a nosebleed and Xavier stopped, but she was left with one hellacious head ache. She groaned as her head began to pound harder the more she thought.
"Long day?"
Lizzy lifted her head and turned around to find Logan sitting in a chair in a darkened corner of the room, not very far away. "Very. Got any aspirin the size of a bus laying around?"
"Sorry, kid."
Lizzy arched a brow. "I ain't a kid. I'm twenty-one years old, just like Rogue."
"She's a kid too. I've just learned not to call her that."
She could just imagine how he'd learned. Rogue seemed a little touchy. "Why do you hide out here all alone?"
"Would you want to sit in a room full of rugrats, when you can hear a pin drop in spite of the noise?"
Lizzy's face scrunched up. "No way."
"Lizzy! You've got a phone call!"
Lizzy's face scrunched up again. Who'd be calling her? She hadn't told anyone where she was going. And the last thing she wanted to do when she had a headache was talk to someone on the phone.
"That's Jean, she's outside the rec room," Logan said.
Lizzy smiled as she got to her feet. "Maybe having super senses isn't such a bad thing." Just then the phone floated into the room. Lizzy laughed. "Thanks, Jean!"
"No problem!"
She took the phone and placed it to her ear. "Hello?"
As Logan sat not too far from her, he could hear her conversation. There was a man on the other end of the phone. Logan watched her from the shadows, listening to both sides of the conversation. "Are you okay, Beth?", She smiled. "I've got a headache, but I'm okay. What's going on in London?", "Nothing. I regret telling you to leave.", "I don't. I'm learning a lot here. Professor Charles Xavier is teaching me to use my gifts, how to control them, not let them control me. It's awesome!", "They aren't gifts; they're mutations! It's good that you can learn to control them, but they're still mutations. They set us apart from everyone else. There is nothing awesome about them!", "They don't set me apart from you or anyone here!", "They set us apart from everyone!", "Warren, I don't want to fight about it.", "Then stop acting like they're good. They aren't!", "That's your opinion, Warren.", "It's the truth!", "I gotta go, one of the girls ordered take out for dinner, and it's here." Lizzy laid the phone down on the couch, then pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face there. They could faintly hear the doorbell, and Jean getting the pizza. Logan watched her, surprised. He hadn't even known the pizza was here already until he'd heard the bell sound. The phone rang again, and Lizzy looked at it. She picked it up and placed it to her ear. "Hello? . . . I'm getting it now. Goodbye, Warren." She turned the phone off and jumped to her feet.
"Angry boyfriend?"
She turned and looked at Logan. "Hyper-critical childhood friend. He hates his mutation."
He nodded. "I'll see if I can't hunt you up something for your head, Amethyst, but don't let it get around that I'm nice."
"Amethyst?"
"They call Jean Red because of her hair, Gambit's Cajun, Cyclops gets Cyke, Pretty Boy, Bug Eye. You got purple eyes. It just works!"
She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. You've got a reputation to protect after all."
He winked at her and walked out of the room.
Lizzy stood there a minute smiling. Logan called someone by a nickname, because for whatever reason he respected that person, or cared about them. She could deal with that. Maybe it would become her X-Man call sign. She walked into the kitchen where they would all be eating. Rogue handed her a plate of food. "Thanks."
"No problem. Yah get it when it first gets here or you're out of luck, unless of course you're Logan. Nobody messes with his food," Rogue said, as she grabbed two sodas out of the fridge and they headed into one of the livingrooms.
Just as they sat down in the livingroom Lizzy and Logan had been in just moments before, Logan came through the doors carrying his pizza and a couple of aspirin for Lizzy. "Here you are, kid."
Lizzy laid her head back on the couch and looked at him. She extended her hand and he dropped the two pills into her palm. "Thanks, Logan."
"Don't mention it. (pause) I mean it! Don't mention it!"
Lizzy smiled as she popped the top of her soda and took the aspirin. "No worries."
~ ~ ~
Knowing of Lizzy's hyperactivity, Xavier bought her a stash of candy to keep in her room just for her. When he gave her the large bag full of candy, while they sat in his office, she smiled. "Your grandmother spoke to me about your condition. It must be due to your mutations that it hasn't slowed down by now."
"Thanks. I've heard that it never goes away, though it does slow down on some people." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. She grabbed a sucker, then stuffed it in her mouth.
Xavier smiled. "Maybe Beast could run some tests to find out more."
Lizzy arched a brow. "No offense to Beasty, but I'm not into tests. Maybe at a later time or something, but I just ain't ready for a bunch of tests."
"That's all right. When you are just let Beast know and he'll take care of it."
"Will do." She turned then and walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder. "Thanks again, Professor Xavier."
~ ~ ~
About a week later, Logan looked at her. every time he'd seen her she was eating some kind of candy. She'd come to the danger room with a piece of candy in her mouth. "What is it with you and candy? Have you got PMS or something?"
Lizzy stared at him. "I'm hyper. A stimulant calms me down, and I'm allergic to ritalin. It causes my powers to rage out of control."
Logan arched a skeptical brow. He'd buy that ritalin caused her powers to rage, simply because it was the drug of choice in 2002, but that sugar calmed her down?
Beast was intrigued by what he'd heard. "You're allergic to ritalin? Have you ever tried another medicinal stimulant?"
"Nope. Couldn't risk it, Hank. The doctor who treated me to start with refused to see me when I reacted badly to the ritalin. Stimulants calm hyperactive people, so Gran started giving me candy and soda." She sat on the couch with her legs curled up beside her, with a sucker in her mouth.
"Mail call," came from Bobby Drake who was followed in the room by Kitty, Spyke, and Jubilee. "Here you go, Lizzy."
She leaned her head back and reached for the letter, but Bobby handed her several letters and a small box. She set them in her lap.
"You get a lot of mail."
She glanced at Spyke, then turned to her mail. The small box had her attention as she studied the writing.
Logan reached over and snatched the box right out of her lap.
"Hey!"
"There's no return address on it! You can't open it!"
"You wanna bet on it," she demanded jumping to her feet.
"The professor doesn't allow us to open packages that aren't labeled. It doesn't have a return address," Kitty said.
Logan shook it and lost his grip. As the box hit the floor, the contents of it broke; he heard it shatter.
"You jerk!" Lizzy yelled. She dropped to her knees where the box had fallen and picked it up. "I know who it's from! His name's Kurt Wagner. There isn't a return address, because he didn't send it from home!!"
Many of the mansion's occupants gathered in or near the room including Xavier. Lizzy opened the shipping box, among the packing foam popcorn was a smaller gift wrapped box. She opened the attached note first. Tears filled her eyes as she picked the box up, knowing it was broken. As she removed the wrapping then opened the box she found a spun glass carousel, broken beyond repair. The tears welled in her eyes and silently spilled over. She touched the broken glass.
"I'm sorry, Amethyst."
She slowly got to her feet and looked him in the eye. "Don't you ever call me that again! You're a ba- . . ." She put her hand up as she stopped mid- word. She shook her hand a sec then turned and walked out of the room.
"It was an accident," he yelled.
"So was my existence," came her reply.
Everyone stared. Rogue knelt down and picked it up. "It was beautiful."
"We'll just ask the man to send her another," said Beast, as he stood near Logan.
"It's not that simple," Rogue said. "He ain't got a phone."
"Then we'll send for another one," Xavier said.
Logan laughed. "Her friend lives in Austria. How long do you think that'll take?"
Evie took the box from Rogue and held it to her chest. "Kurt doesn't get mail. This is their way of communicating. He sends her his thoughts in post cards or little trinkets."
"How does she talk to him?"
"A phone call that comes about three times a year." Evie touched Logan's arm. "It was an accident, Logan. Just give her some time and she'll be all right."
~ ~ ~
"This was the dumbest idea I've ever had," Logan said as he trudged through the snow. Flying all the way to Austria to find this mutant friend of hers. At least Evelyn had gotten in Cerebro and warned the man that he was coming.
"Are you looking for me?"
Logan turned to see a blue-faced, furry, unhuman looking creature standing there staring at him. His claws came out on reaction. "Who are you?"
"Kurt Wagner - most call me Nightcrawler."
Logan stared. He had expected some pretty boy, like Cyclops, or even a not so pretty rich kid, not a blue-faced monkey-looking mutant, hiding behind monks clothing.
"You are Wolverine?"
"That's right."
~ ~ ~
Lizzy was staring out her window as the rain beat against it. The one thing that had been constant in her life, other than her grandmother, was Kurt Wagner. Even Warren Worthington had been less than a good friend. He'd called her back a couple of days after she'd hung up on him and the moment she had told him how much she was enjoying learning to use her gifts, he'd gotten all rigid and upset with her. That had been the end of their friendship, or so it seemed. He hadn't called, or even sent her a letter. Maybe she hadn't handled the situation in the right way, but she almost never saw Kurt anymore. And his phone calls were less and less frequent. She figured that was partially due to where she was at. He probably felt funny about calling her at the mansion with there being a lot of different people that could answer the phone or think something was going on there that wasn't - and wouldn't ever be. He was the only man in her life who hadn't let her down. There came a knock on the door. "Go away," she hollered.
"Before you take my head off, will you at least open the door?"
She groaned, it was Logan. What did he want now? She got up off her bed and opened the door. He stood there looking truly sorry. "What?"
He lifted his hand and in his palm was a carousel identical to the one that had gotten broken. "It came from a little glass shop in Italy. Your friend picked it up while visiting his folks there. The lady said it was a two in a million piece of artwork. I guess it's a one in a million now."
Lizzy stared at him as she took the trinket. "How-?"
"An all day trip. I'm sorry I broke the other."
Lizzy threw her arms around Logan's neck and hugged him. "Thank you."
He pulled away. "Put it up before it gets broke."
Lizzy smiled, walked into her room and set it on a shelf. When she turned back around to ask Logan what he thought, he was gone. She stared at the open place where he'd been, disappointed that he was gone now. She took a deep breath and turned back around only to come face to face with Kurt Wagner. She stared at him, then hugged him, very grateful to see him.
~ ~ ~
Kurt and Lizzy sat in her room talking for a long time, hours after the others had gone to bed. They hadn't left the room in several hours, other than when Lizzy ran down to the kitchen to get something for them to drink. With Logan's room being next to hers, he listened carefully to them. He was interested in their conversation, and what it was about the blue-faced monkey looking guy that she liked. Not that he was so awful to be around, he just wasn't exactly what Logan would call interesting.
"So, Fraulein, what's happened to Warren?"
"The same thing that always does. He's mad because I'm here and enjoying learning about my gifts. Besides there was never anything between us," she said.
Ruffling plastic coated paper. She was stuffing another sucker in her mouth. Wouldn't she get fat from that? He hadn't missed the talk about Warren though it meant little to him. Her friend sure thought there was something between them.
"Fraulein, what has you so irritated?"
"I'm scared, Kurt. Professor Xavier says I have the potential to be the most powerful mutant to ever exist. What if I mess up? You and I both know how far from perfect that I am. It's not hard to see how I could mess up."
"You worry too much, Fraulein. Let our Lord be your guide."
Oh, great! A preacher! He'd gone and picked up a preacher! That was just what they needed! Logan rolled his eyes. If that's what they would be discussing, he was getting another room! There was no way he was going to lay here and listen to that blue-faced monk talk about a God that had given up on them a long time ago.
"It's not that simple for me, Nightcrawler. You came to God because you needed Him . . . I don't know what I need."
"You need faith."
~ ~ ~
Scott flew Nightcrawler home the following day. Nightcrawler had convinced Lizzy to try the vitamins Beast suggested she take for her hyperactivity. 24 hours without sugar and she was bouncing off the walls. Nothing could keep her attention for more than five minutes at a time. Not even the danger room. She was running around driving everyone nuts, especially Logan. "You wanna sit down?"
She grabbed him up by the front of his shirt. "You wanna eat my shorts?"
Logan stared at her, surprised.
"I want candy!"
Logan's eyes were huge, and he realized she was shaking. Beast had told her she had to lay off the sugar if she expected the vitamins to help. "You wanna let go of my shirt?"
"Sorry," she said. (Just like Cyke in the movie when he lands the Blackbird)
"Chill out. I'll see if there isn't something stashed around here."
"No, you won't," Scott said. "We've cleaned the mansion out of all goodies and candy."
"Are you crazy," Logan demanded.
"She hasn't been without candy in 8 years," Beast began. "She has to stop or the vitamins won't help."
Lizzy sat on the couch with her arms folded over her chest. "That's just wrong!"
"But how it has to be. In a week you can have it again, in moderation, but it won't have the same affect on you," Beast warned.
"It's not fair, Hank! All I want is a sucker, no a candy bar, that shouldn't affect it."
"One won't satisfy your taste for it," Beast said. "I promise that within a few days you won't crave it anymore."
Lizzy rolled her eyes. "I don't care what happens in a couple of days, I just want some candy now!"
"Here, ya go, Hon," Rogue said. She handed Lizzy a bowl of cantaloupe.
Lizzy looked at it, then at Rogue. "What's this?"
"Eat it! It's sweet, it should help."
"Fine." To her surprise Rogue was right. "Thanks, Mujer."
Mujer? Logan thought to himself. "Woman? That girl ain't any older than you are."
"Exactly," Lizzy said, her eyes a little larger than normal. "I can't call her Chica, cause she ain't a girl anymore. So if she ain't a Mujer, or a Chica, what is she?"
"Rogue," Logan said.
"You're such a dork, Hombre!"
Logan arched a brow like he always did, when contemplating something.
~ Part Two ~
"I don't understand it, Chuck. She was sitting there eating one minute, the next she was going into what seemed like a seizure. She finally stops convulsing, I reach to check her pulse and she jumps away from me like I just stuck her with my claws or something."
Professor Charles Xavier sighed. He'd been aware of her the moment she'd used her telepathy earlier, but he hadn't expected that reaction. He supposed Logan deserved to know as much as Cyclops did, though he had resisted revealing too much to Logan about the girl. Logan tended to be a little too passionate about things. He was the kind of man that felt things to the core. Charles took a deep breath, and released it. "She's not in complete control of her mutant powers, Logan. She's got some great gifts that she must learn to harness, but for now, they're barely under control. As for her reactions, she's seen inside your mind, seen memories and felt your pain, maybe even the adamantium graphing, I don't know for sure. It's startled her, and affected her heart. I wish that I could tell you more."
Logan ran a hand through his unruly hair. No matter what he did, it always went back to the wild look. He hated the thought of someone else knowing that pain. He hadn't talked to the professor about it and had done his best to keep the professor from finding it out. "Then it ain't no wonder why she broke down in tears. You gonna start her training?"
"I wish to start with her telepathy. If that's out of control, it'll distract her from her other training," he said calmly.
"Yeah. . . . Professor, is there any way you can erase that from her memory? I can deal with that s---, but she's just a kid!"
"I'm afraid I can't, Logan. Her mind is extraordinary. There is little I can do other than teaching her how to utilize her gifts. And young she may be, but she's twenty-one years old, and able to make her own decisions."
Logan arched a brow at him. "She's a kid, Chuck. She ain't any older than Rogue."
"And we all know about the past history there."
Logan hated that being thrown up at him. He knew his past mistakes better than anyone. "I've made my share of mistakes. Letting Rogue believe what she wanted to and going after Jean were two of them. I ain't about to make them mistakes twice."
"I see. I've already briefed Scott on this. Logan, we must be very careful," Xavier said with conviction.
Logan nodded. "I understand, Chuck."
"I know I can count on you Logan."
~ ~ ~
Rogue stood in Lizzy's room admiring the clothes that Evie had placed in the closet. The girl had some taste in clothes and accessories. There were some original designs by Bob Mackie, Gucci, and Pierre Cardin. She had everything from twenty or so pairs of shoes, designer outfits like pants sets and skirts, to gowns and even designer underwear. This wardrobe only proved what they'd thought about Evelyn Lockhart; she was loaded. She suddenly liked the idea that she would be spending the day with her, while the others trained. She was waiting now for Lizzy to finish in the shower.
Only moments later Lizzy entered the room. She was dressed in blue jeans with lace-up sides, a tight half-length-gathered sleeved shirt, with her heeled black boots. She was into fashion! "Thanks again, Rogue."
"No problem. Ah was just admiring your wardrobe."
"Nice, ain't it?"
"Very." Rogue looked at her. "Are yah all right, Gal? What happened down there in the infirmary?"
"I don't know exactly."
"Well, don't yah worry. You're safe and the professor will do whatever he can to help yah." Rogue reached out to pat her arm assuringly and Lizzy jerked away.
"Please, don't touch me!"
"Ah can't hurt yah none! Ah got my gloves on!"
Lizzy looked at her. "What? I see things when people touch me. I can't take any more of that right now."
"Oh. Then yah don't know about my mutation, yet?"
"No. Why?"
"Come on, let's get yah to the professor. He's been anxious to see yah."
~ ~ ~
Lizzy found herself being watched as she followed Rogue down the flight of stairs. She watched the people as she passed by them. The ages of the people varied, but they were all watching her as she walked just slightly behind and off to the side of Rogue. It was like they were afraid of her so something with the way they watched her. "Where's the professor?"
"His office, no doubt." Rogue led her through the hall and toward Xavier's office.
("Come on in, Lizzy. Rogue knows the way.")
Lizzy stared at the office door. She'd heard an unfamiliar but friendly voice and she knew just where to go. Making her way past Rogue she walked over and opened the office door. There in a large, lavish office was her grandmother, seated on a plush leather couch. Charles Xavier sat behind a desk, a relatively attractive older man. She studied him, wondering if he was as easy to read as Logan had been.
"No, Lizzy. It will be much harder to read my mind. Have a seat. Thank you, Rogue," Xavier said.
"No problem, Sugah. Ah'll be in the rec room if yah need anything."
Lizzy glanced at Rogue as she left the room then sat in the chair in front of Xavier's desk, instead of the couch beside her grandmother. She found Charles Xavier quite interesting, though she knew very little about him. She cocked her head to the side as she studied him.
"You can ask all the questions you like, Lizzy."
She smiled then. "So this is a safe haven for gifted children, and a boot camp for wanna be marine mutants?"
He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he looked at her. "That's one way of putting it, I suppose. Who told you that?"
"Nobody actually said it."
"Whose thoughts were they?"
She shook her head. "Everyone's, no one's. I don't exactly know. Who was the man that came after me last night? Why did he want me?"
"His name is Eric Magnus Lenshur. He goes by the name Magneto. He wants you because you have the potential to be the most powerful mutant in the world; if you learn to use your gifts. Do you know what all you can do?"
She shrugged. "I'm sure if I thought about it long enough that I could figure it out. So, this Magneto guy's a bad guy? What does he want with me?"
"He wants you to help him, make the entire mutant population rule the homosapien race. He doesn't wish to kill you, only manipulate your mind to his cause. Make you his puppet."
"And you don't?"
"Damaris Elizabetta!"
Lizzy glanced over at her grandmother, then back at the professor. "You want to help me, because you want me to join your team, right?"
"It's true that you could help my X-Men immensely, but I will help you with no strings attached. You may join my team if you wish, or leave here as an educated young woman. The choice is yours alone, and will remain yours, no matter what I learn in helping you to master them. Do you wish to learn to master your gifts?"
"I do."
Xavier nodded. "Then I will help you, but you must cooperate with me. It's a hard task which involves a lot of time and effort on your part."
"All right. Where do we start?"
Xavier smiled. He took Damaris to meet his team. Rogue made sure they were all gathered in the danger room. As soon as she was finished with the introductions Xavier would begin with her training.
Damaris looked around at the mutants that stood before her. None of them looked the same. They were however the same mutants that had watched her make her way to the professor's office. The same mutants that had sent their thoughts at her as she walked.
"These are my X-Men. This is Scott Summers or Cyclops, he was my first X- Man, and the field commander of the team. Scott possesses Optic Energy Beams. He thinks on his feet and takes his responsibilities seriously."
Scott extended his hand with a bright smile. "Welcome to the mansion, Damaris."
She smiled as she nervously shook his hand. "Nice shades. Call me Lizzy, everybody does."
His smile grew. "All right, then. Lizzy, I prefer to be called Scott. Opposed to Cyke, Bug Eye, Pretty Boy, or Teacher's Pet, which seem to be growing fads."
She smiled again. "At least you have a sense of humor about it. I'll have to remember that."
"I believe you've already met Logan. He's often called Wolverine." The two nodded at one another, neither wanting to repeat the events of the morning. "Logan possesses an Adamantium skeleton, as well as instantaneous healing and recovery. With a vast knowledge of hand to hand combat as well as several forms of martial arts, Logan trains the new recruits in self defense."
"He also possesses retractable Adamantium plated claws, that are housed in his forearms," Lizzy said.
"Yes," Xavier said with a smile. "And this is Ororo Munroe. We call her Storm, as she controls the elements. She's second in command."
The two women shook hands, an instant bond of friendship forming between them despite the ten year age difference. "Welcome to the mansion."
"Thank you."
"And this is Jean Grey. Only during dangerous field missions is she called Marvel Girl. Jean is a telepath, and possesses the ability to move objects with her mind."
"Telekinesis," Lizzy said as she and Jean shook hands.
"Yes," Jean said. "We've already met. I was the nurse in the infirmary with you last evening."
"Oh, yeah. You're in medical school, right?"
Jean stared at her. "How'd you know that?"
Lizzy smiled. "A wild guess."
Xavier moved down the line, apparently satisfied with the introductions so far. "And this is our beloved Cajun, Remy LeBeau. He's called Gambit. Gambit's mutation is harder to explain. He possesses the ability to change dormant energy into kinetic energy, which causes it to explode."
"Gambit also be an expert with the ladies," Remy said.
"Yeah, he's a legend in his own mind," came from one of the girls she hadn't yet met.
"Gambit, like Wolverine is an expert at martial arts. He wields a bow staff with great expertise. A deck of cards are his weapon of choice, though."
"Welcome to the team, Cher. If you ever need anything, let Gambit know; he take care of you."
She watched him as he kissed her hand. ("Thank you, Mister LeBeau. I'll be sure to remember that always.")
Gambit smiled. ("Gambit know he gonna enjoy havin' you here!")
"I'm sure," Lizzy said. "Gambit is any apparent sacrifice in expectation of later gain; it's a classic chess move. Do you play?"
"Gambit play lots of t'ings."
Xavier's look was scolding as he looked at Remy. "You met Marie this morning. Rogue, which she prefers to be called, possesses the ability to drain someone's very life force as well as incredible strength, the ability to fly and when she deams it worthy a great compassion and hospitality." The two nodded at each other and Xavier went on. "This is Morph, he goes only by Morph and we respect that. His mutation is in his name."
"Hi, Morph."
He smiled. "Hi." He shifted into Bashful, from SnowWhite and the Seven Dwarfs. His cheeks all red, and playing with his little hat.
Lizzy laughed. "That's very good. I'll bet you keep everyone in good spirits."
"I try. It's not always easy when Logan's around. 'Course, it can be harder when he's not." Morph looked meaningfully at Logan and then Rogue.
Lizzy glanced at them. "Oh."
"And this," the professor began interrupting them. "- is Jubilation Lee, whom we affectionately call Jubilee. She's the self-proclaimed princess of pyrotechnics."
Lizzy smiled. "Cool. Pyrotechnics. Can you do like fireworks?"
"Of course." Jubilee raised her hands in the air and filled the danger room with the visions of the fourth of July times ten.
"Cool!"
"I'm Ice Man," an attractive guy not much older than Lizzy said as he came forward.
Lizzy looked at him. "Ice Man? What do you do?"
Repeating an act he'd done several times, Bobby Drake made a statue of himself out of ice. Then handed Lizzy a rose made of ice. "My real name's Bobby Drake." wasn't quite sure what to say to him. "Oh."
"He's a show off. I'm Kitty Pride, everyone calls me Shadow Cat in the field. Welcome to the mansion. You're so lucky you don't have to share a room with anyone else."
Lizzy smiled. "Yeah. What do you do?"
"I phase through things."
"Like locked doors and secret chambers?"
Kitty smiled. "Yeah."
"Cool."
"Yes," Xavier said sarcastically. "You've already met Dr. Henry McCoy. He was the doctor that tended you last evening."
Lizzy turned her attention to the man Xavier indicated. "Yes. Thank you, Dr. McCoy."
"Call me Beast; everyone else does," he said, as he reached to shake her hand.
Lizzy was surprised at the size of Beast's hands. She hadn't noticed that about him the night before. "All right, Beast."
"And this Piotr. And he's called . . .(he shifted into his eight or so foot stature of metal) Colossus."
"Hello," Lizzy said straining her neck to look up at him.
He went back to normal. "Welcome."
She smiled at his accent. "Do you speak Russian, Piotr?"
He smiled, and they exchanged a few words before Xavier commanded her attention once again. "This is Ororo's nephew, Evan Daniels."
"Call me Spyke."
"Why?" He lifted his arms, and spikes came out of them. "Oh. I'll bet you come in handy when someone's trying to hang posters on the ceiling."
"They end up on his head," Kitty said smiling.
~ ~ ~
After a long day of training in the danger room with the professor, Lizzy sat down on the couch in one of the three living rooms and closed her eyes. She had such a headache. Xavier had used his mental suggestions to show her how to control her telepathy and telekinesis. They were well on their way to truly having them under control. All the brain work had caused her a nosebleed and Xavier stopped, but she was left with one hellacious head ache. She groaned as her head began to pound harder the more she thought.
"Long day?"
Lizzy lifted her head and turned around to find Logan sitting in a chair in a darkened corner of the room, not very far away. "Very. Got any aspirin the size of a bus laying around?"
"Sorry, kid."
Lizzy arched a brow. "I ain't a kid. I'm twenty-one years old, just like Rogue."
"She's a kid too. I've just learned not to call her that."
She could just imagine how he'd learned. Rogue seemed a little touchy. "Why do you hide out here all alone?"
"Would you want to sit in a room full of rugrats, when you can hear a pin drop in spite of the noise?"
Lizzy's face scrunched up. "No way."
"Lizzy! You've got a phone call!"
Lizzy's face scrunched up again. Who'd be calling her? She hadn't told anyone where she was going. And the last thing she wanted to do when she had a headache was talk to someone on the phone.
"That's Jean, she's outside the rec room," Logan said.
Lizzy smiled as she got to her feet. "Maybe having super senses isn't such a bad thing." Just then the phone floated into the room. Lizzy laughed. "Thanks, Jean!"
"No problem!"
She took the phone and placed it to her ear. "Hello?"
As Logan sat not too far from her, he could hear her conversation. There was a man on the other end of the phone. Logan watched her from the shadows, listening to both sides of the conversation. "Are you okay, Beth?", She smiled. "I've got a headache, but I'm okay. What's going on in London?", "Nothing. I regret telling you to leave.", "I don't. I'm learning a lot here. Professor Charles Xavier is teaching me to use my gifts, how to control them, not let them control me. It's awesome!", "They aren't gifts; they're mutations! It's good that you can learn to control them, but they're still mutations. They set us apart from everyone else. There is nothing awesome about them!", "They don't set me apart from you or anyone here!", "They set us apart from everyone!", "Warren, I don't want to fight about it.", "Then stop acting like they're good. They aren't!", "That's your opinion, Warren.", "It's the truth!", "I gotta go, one of the girls ordered take out for dinner, and it's here." Lizzy laid the phone down on the couch, then pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face there. They could faintly hear the doorbell, and Jean getting the pizza. Logan watched her, surprised. He hadn't even known the pizza was here already until he'd heard the bell sound. The phone rang again, and Lizzy looked at it. She picked it up and placed it to her ear. "Hello? . . . I'm getting it now. Goodbye, Warren." She turned the phone off and jumped to her feet.
"Angry boyfriend?"
She turned and looked at Logan. "Hyper-critical childhood friend. He hates his mutation."
He nodded. "I'll see if I can't hunt you up something for your head, Amethyst, but don't let it get around that I'm nice."
"Amethyst?"
"They call Jean Red because of her hair, Gambit's Cajun, Cyclops gets Cyke, Pretty Boy, Bug Eye. You got purple eyes. It just works!"
She smiled. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. You've got a reputation to protect after all."
He winked at her and walked out of the room.
Lizzy stood there a minute smiling. Logan called someone by a nickname, because for whatever reason he respected that person, or cared about them. She could deal with that. Maybe it would become her X-Man call sign. She walked into the kitchen where they would all be eating. Rogue handed her a plate of food. "Thanks."
"No problem. Yah get it when it first gets here or you're out of luck, unless of course you're Logan. Nobody messes with his food," Rogue said, as she grabbed two sodas out of the fridge and they headed into one of the livingrooms.
Just as they sat down in the livingroom Lizzy and Logan had been in just moments before, Logan came through the doors carrying his pizza and a couple of aspirin for Lizzy. "Here you are, kid."
Lizzy laid her head back on the couch and looked at him. She extended her hand and he dropped the two pills into her palm. "Thanks, Logan."
"Don't mention it. (pause) I mean it! Don't mention it!"
Lizzy smiled as she popped the top of her soda and took the aspirin. "No worries."
~ ~ ~
Knowing of Lizzy's hyperactivity, Xavier bought her a stash of candy to keep in her room just for her. When he gave her the large bag full of candy, while they sat in his office, she smiled. "Your grandmother spoke to me about your condition. It must be due to your mutations that it hasn't slowed down by now."
"Thanks. I've heard that it never goes away, though it does slow down on some people." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. She grabbed a sucker, then stuffed it in her mouth.
Xavier smiled. "Maybe Beast could run some tests to find out more."
Lizzy arched a brow. "No offense to Beasty, but I'm not into tests. Maybe at a later time or something, but I just ain't ready for a bunch of tests."
"That's all right. When you are just let Beast know and he'll take care of it."
"Will do." She turned then and walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder. "Thanks again, Professor Xavier."
~ ~ ~
About a week later, Logan looked at her. every time he'd seen her she was eating some kind of candy. She'd come to the danger room with a piece of candy in her mouth. "What is it with you and candy? Have you got PMS or something?"
Lizzy stared at him. "I'm hyper. A stimulant calms me down, and I'm allergic to ritalin. It causes my powers to rage out of control."
Logan arched a skeptical brow. He'd buy that ritalin caused her powers to rage, simply because it was the drug of choice in 2002, but that sugar calmed her down?
Beast was intrigued by what he'd heard. "You're allergic to ritalin? Have you ever tried another medicinal stimulant?"
"Nope. Couldn't risk it, Hank. The doctor who treated me to start with refused to see me when I reacted badly to the ritalin. Stimulants calm hyperactive people, so Gran started giving me candy and soda." She sat on the couch with her legs curled up beside her, with a sucker in her mouth.
"Mail call," came from Bobby Drake who was followed in the room by Kitty, Spyke, and Jubilee. "Here you go, Lizzy."
She leaned her head back and reached for the letter, but Bobby handed her several letters and a small box. She set them in her lap.
"You get a lot of mail."
She glanced at Spyke, then turned to her mail. The small box had her attention as she studied the writing.
Logan reached over and snatched the box right out of her lap.
"Hey!"
"There's no return address on it! You can't open it!"
"You wanna bet on it," she demanded jumping to her feet.
"The professor doesn't allow us to open packages that aren't labeled. It doesn't have a return address," Kitty said.
Logan shook it and lost his grip. As the box hit the floor, the contents of it broke; he heard it shatter.
"You jerk!" Lizzy yelled. She dropped to her knees where the box had fallen and picked it up. "I know who it's from! His name's Kurt Wagner. There isn't a return address, because he didn't send it from home!!"
Many of the mansion's occupants gathered in or near the room including Xavier. Lizzy opened the shipping box, among the packing foam popcorn was a smaller gift wrapped box. She opened the attached note first. Tears filled her eyes as she picked the box up, knowing it was broken. As she removed the wrapping then opened the box she found a spun glass carousel, broken beyond repair. The tears welled in her eyes and silently spilled over. She touched the broken glass.
"I'm sorry, Amethyst."
She slowly got to her feet and looked him in the eye. "Don't you ever call me that again! You're a ba- . . ." She put her hand up as she stopped mid- word. She shook her hand a sec then turned and walked out of the room.
"It was an accident," he yelled.
"So was my existence," came her reply.
Everyone stared. Rogue knelt down and picked it up. "It was beautiful."
"We'll just ask the man to send her another," said Beast, as he stood near Logan.
"It's not that simple," Rogue said. "He ain't got a phone."
"Then we'll send for another one," Xavier said.
Logan laughed. "Her friend lives in Austria. How long do you think that'll take?"
Evie took the box from Rogue and held it to her chest. "Kurt doesn't get mail. This is their way of communicating. He sends her his thoughts in post cards or little trinkets."
"How does she talk to him?"
"A phone call that comes about three times a year." Evie touched Logan's arm. "It was an accident, Logan. Just give her some time and she'll be all right."
~ ~ ~
"This was the dumbest idea I've ever had," Logan said as he trudged through the snow. Flying all the way to Austria to find this mutant friend of hers. At least Evelyn had gotten in Cerebro and warned the man that he was coming.
"Are you looking for me?"
Logan turned to see a blue-faced, furry, unhuman looking creature standing there staring at him. His claws came out on reaction. "Who are you?"
"Kurt Wagner - most call me Nightcrawler."
Logan stared. He had expected some pretty boy, like Cyclops, or even a not so pretty rich kid, not a blue-faced monkey-looking mutant, hiding behind monks clothing.
"You are Wolverine?"
"That's right."
~ ~ ~
Lizzy was staring out her window as the rain beat against it. The one thing that had been constant in her life, other than her grandmother, was Kurt Wagner. Even Warren Worthington had been less than a good friend. He'd called her back a couple of days after she'd hung up on him and the moment she had told him how much she was enjoying learning to use her gifts, he'd gotten all rigid and upset with her. That had been the end of their friendship, or so it seemed. He hadn't called, or even sent her a letter. Maybe she hadn't handled the situation in the right way, but she almost never saw Kurt anymore. And his phone calls were less and less frequent. She figured that was partially due to where she was at. He probably felt funny about calling her at the mansion with there being a lot of different people that could answer the phone or think something was going on there that wasn't - and wouldn't ever be. He was the only man in her life who hadn't let her down. There came a knock on the door. "Go away," she hollered.
"Before you take my head off, will you at least open the door?"
She groaned, it was Logan. What did he want now? She got up off her bed and opened the door. He stood there looking truly sorry. "What?"
He lifted his hand and in his palm was a carousel identical to the one that had gotten broken. "It came from a little glass shop in Italy. Your friend picked it up while visiting his folks there. The lady said it was a two in a million piece of artwork. I guess it's a one in a million now."
Lizzy stared at him as she took the trinket. "How-?"
"An all day trip. I'm sorry I broke the other."
Lizzy threw her arms around Logan's neck and hugged him. "Thank you."
He pulled away. "Put it up before it gets broke."
Lizzy smiled, walked into her room and set it on a shelf. When she turned back around to ask Logan what he thought, he was gone. She stared at the open place where he'd been, disappointed that he was gone now. She took a deep breath and turned back around only to come face to face with Kurt Wagner. She stared at him, then hugged him, very grateful to see him.
~ ~ ~
Kurt and Lizzy sat in her room talking for a long time, hours after the others had gone to bed. They hadn't left the room in several hours, other than when Lizzy ran down to the kitchen to get something for them to drink. With Logan's room being next to hers, he listened carefully to them. He was interested in their conversation, and what it was about the blue-faced monkey looking guy that she liked. Not that he was so awful to be around, he just wasn't exactly what Logan would call interesting.
"So, Fraulein, what's happened to Warren?"
"The same thing that always does. He's mad because I'm here and enjoying learning about my gifts. Besides there was never anything between us," she said.
Ruffling plastic coated paper. She was stuffing another sucker in her mouth. Wouldn't she get fat from that? He hadn't missed the talk about Warren though it meant little to him. Her friend sure thought there was something between them.
"Fraulein, what has you so irritated?"
"I'm scared, Kurt. Professor Xavier says I have the potential to be the most powerful mutant to ever exist. What if I mess up? You and I both know how far from perfect that I am. It's not hard to see how I could mess up."
"You worry too much, Fraulein. Let our Lord be your guide."
Oh, great! A preacher! He'd gone and picked up a preacher! That was just what they needed! Logan rolled his eyes. If that's what they would be discussing, he was getting another room! There was no way he was going to lay here and listen to that blue-faced monk talk about a God that had given up on them a long time ago.
"It's not that simple for me, Nightcrawler. You came to God because you needed Him . . . I don't know what I need."
"You need faith."
~ ~ ~
Scott flew Nightcrawler home the following day. Nightcrawler had convinced Lizzy to try the vitamins Beast suggested she take for her hyperactivity. 24 hours without sugar and she was bouncing off the walls. Nothing could keep her attention for more than five minutes at a time. Not even the danger room. She was running around driving everyone nuts, especially Logan. "You wanna sit down?"
She grabbed him up by the front of his shirt. "You wanna eat my shorts?"
Logan stared at her, surprised.
"I want candy!"
Logan's eyes were huge, and he realized she was shaking. Beast had told her she had to lay off the sugar if she expected the vitamins to help. "You wanna let go of my shirt?"
"Sorry," she said. (Just like Cyke in the movie when he lands the Blackbird)
"Chill out. I'll see if there isn't something stashed around here."
"No, you won't," Scott said. "We've cleaned the mansion out of all goodies and candy."
"Are you crazy," Logan demanded.
"She hasn't been without candy in 8 years," Beast began. "She has to stop or the vitamins won't help."
Lizzy sat on the couch with her arms folded over her chest. "That's just wrong!"
"But how it has to be. In a week you can have it again, in moderation, but it won't have the same affect on you," Beast warned.
"It's not fair, Hank! All I want is a sucker, no a candy bar, that shouldn't affect it."
"One won't satisfy your taste for it," Beast said. "I promise that within a few days you won't crave it anymore."
Lizzy rolled her eyes. "I don't care what happens in a couple of days, I just want some candy now!"
"Here, ya go, Hon," Rogue said. She handed Lizzy a bowl of cantaloupe.
Lizzy looked at it, then at Rogue. "What's this?"
"Eat it! It's sweet, it should help."
"Fine." To her surprise Rogue was right. "Thanks, Mujer."
Mujer? Logan thought to himself. "Woman? That girl ain't any older than you are."
"Exactly," Lizzy said, her eyes a little larger than normal. "I can't call her Chica, cause she ain't a girl anymore. So if she ain't a Mujer, or a Chica, what is she?"
"Rogue," Logan said.
"You're such a dork, Hombre!"
Logan arched a brow like he always did, when contemplating something.