Disclaimer: Yes, I own them all. I bought them off Marvel for $3.50 and a piece of belly-button fluff. g Then again, we have reality…
Logan dreamed, flashes of memory.
Pacing while his daughter gave birth; labor was a 'woman thing', and he wouldn't have gone in there even if Silver Fox had let him. Fox coming out to tell him; he'd already known, the scent of his daughter had changed, faded. The child in her arms - his grand-daughter, blue skinned and yellow eyed, her visage suddenly changing into a dark-haired little girl. His little Raven.
Raven at thirteen – "Look, Grandpa!", climbing the highest tree and then shifting into the form of a bird, swooping down. Always telling her off – she was never careful enough. Hunting with Raven in the shape of a wolf; her sense of smell in that form as good as his own.
Angry Raven, later on. Angry because she was never allowed to go anywhere, because he feared for her. Screaming fights and tempers flaring on both sides; Silver Fox, the white creeping into her hair, nursing another headache and telling him his grand-daughter took after him.
The world changing around him. Fox getting older, and he just wasn't. Still the strongest, if not the fastest. Still the one who people spoke of, when a good tracker was needed. And the white in Fox's hair kept creeping on.
He didn't remember what had started the fight; but at some point she screamed something about him wishing she'd never been born and he'd replied, quite calmly.
"Maybe. If you weren't born, your mother would still be alive."
Leaving, hunting. Immersing himself in the smell of the woods and the joy of the chase. And when he returned, the world had changed again. Fox and Raven were dead, they told him. Drowned in a flash flood on the Miramachi. And now she was back; taunting him. He would swear she had something to do with his wife's death – and if that was true, then family or no, he'd gut the little bitch.
Kitty poked her head into the Med-lab – through the wall.
"Ah, my intangible friend. I see the effect of Sinister's unethical medication has reversed itself?"
Shadowcat smiled. Hank and her were old friends – they'd been recruited at about the same time; her, from her home, with her understanding but unable to cope parents – her mother sent her fifty dollars and a card for her birthday and Christmas and that was about it – him, found by Xavier running from yet another mob. They'd bonded over coffee and complaints about Jean – sure, she was nice, just a little uptight. And if dating Remy couldn't even fix that...
"I'm all better, Hank. How is Jean?"
He frowned. "She lost a significant amount of blood; luckily no major damage was done. I am sure our telepathic friend will be up and around and giving bossy orders in no time."
Kitty laughed at that. "Perhaps it's better she doesn't come along for this mission – I don't know that she could cope with seeing Remy hurt"
"And given the numerous times you have suggested that you – ah – 'push his ass into a wall and leave it there' – I would suggest that you do not share her concern."
"Hank! I like Remy, he's a friend. An irritating friend, but a friend. Jean loves him – it's different."
"Whatever you say, Kitty"
"I am so going to hide your Twinkies!" she screeched in return.
"Hush, Shadowcat. Jean still requires rest. Let me know when the Professor locates our Cajun team-mate."
Muttering something about unflappable blue geniuses, Kitty disappeared back out through the wall.
Mystique and Rogue sat watching a late-night movie. Rogue picked up a piece of popcorn, watching it glow, then threw it into the air, where it exploded.
"Ah love this power" she said, grinning.
"How is your side?" asked her mother.
"Oh, fine. He barely grazed it."
"I'm very proud of you, by the way. You showed a lot of courage in the battle."
"Thanks Momma." She leaned her head against Mystiques shoulder, which was covered by a blanket. Little rituals, ones they'd had since she'd been a young teen and Raven had taken her in.
"Love ya, Momma."
"I love you too, Rogue."
Remy woke up, and groaned. He felt like a truck had hit him. ~Yeah, and it had Mississippi license plates.~
His arms were chained so that he couldn't reach anything to charge – but his legs were free. Mebbe he could kick something up, catch it, charge it up, and use that to free himself.
Only problem with that elaborate scheme was that the floor of the room he was in was smooth and unremarkable; there wasn't anything at all that he could see, not even so much as a pebble. ~Merde.~
Alright then. It wasn't as if he hadn't been in bad situations before – trouble with the Thieves Guild, that whole bunch of shit he'd gone through with Sinister, Jean with PMS – he usually managed to find his way, through skill, luck, or charm, out of most problems.
Suddenly the door creaked, and a boy crept in with a glass of water. Looking closer, Remy could see that 'boy' wasn't quite the right word – he was probably seventeen or eighteen, which made him close to the ages of most of the X-Men; hell, Jubes went on missions and she was only fifteen. He was skinny, though, which made him look younger – he wore only a pair of trousers laced with holes, and Remy could see not only his ribs, but a number of bruises, some older, some new and fresh. He also wore some kind of device 'round his head; it was unsettling, because it made it impossible to see his eyes properly.
He held the glass out, and Remy drank gratefully, wondering what the hell the boy was doing here. Another captive? If so, why was he apparently roaming around freely?
"T'anks, homme. Y' want t' tell Remy y' name?"
The boy shook his head, placed one finger to his lips.
"Can Remy have a little more water, den?"
He nodded, and held out the glass once more.
"Why y' got dat t'ing round y' head?"
"I… I have to. It's too dangerous without it." The boy looked around, suddenly scared. "Please don't talk anymore. You'll get me in trouble."
"Y' not allowed t' talk?"
Silence was his reply.
"Remy t'ink y' already in trouble. Dey been hitting y'?"
"Only if I'm bad. Please don't talk anymore…"
"Oui, oui, Remy get y' in trouble, he know. Y' don't look like much t' Remy. He can't imagine what y' do dat so wrong."
"Can you keep a secret?" The boys voice wavered.
"Sure."
The throbbing in his head was forgotten as Scott explained his past. Sacre bleu, the boy had been through more on the street than even Remy had; and he thought he had a pretty impressive record. Impulsively, he decided he was not getting out of here without taking Scott with him.
"Y' maybe able t' get Remy loose? He take y' away from here, t' a good place. No one hit y' dere, Scott."
Scott looked uncertain. "I don't think Betsey would like that."
Oh, for crying out loud. He was about to lose his temper and start yelling at the idiot, when suddenly Scott crumpled to the ground, revealing the form of Betsey behind him.
"I do not appreciate you trying to corrupt my Puppy, Gambit." she said, kicking Scott in the stomach. "He's been very good lately, and then you come along…" she stalked towards him, giving Scott the chance to scramble away to the corner.
"Y' damn bitch, Psylocke. Remy don' know what y' do t' de boy, but he gonna…"
"He is going to do nothing, X-Man." Remy felt a sudden pain and then blood running down his cheek. "Rogue does not have all that much patience. She will play with you, for a while, and then kill you."
Suddenly Betsey's head turned, hearing what all of them were; the sound of thunder, and the screaming of a pissed-off Goddess.
"We will continue this conversation later." she said, dragging Scott bodily out of the room behind her.
Storm screeched, letting off another bolt in the direction of what had been a table; now a twisted smoldering piece of metal surrounded by smoking pieces of wood.
The other members of the Sisterhood had disappeared; let it never be said her sisters were stupid. And Kitten had been left behind; no doubt he'd be back before morning, but having nothing but inanimate objects to take her anger out on was pissing her off.
Sinister had got away, the bastard. He'd disappeared down a hole, knowing she couldn't follow – although she'd sent Kitten down after him, the mere thought of that dark, small, place.
A growl slipped out from between her lips. Kitten either hadn't been fast enough, or had been too stupid, because he'd let Sinister get away. No doubt he was taking his time getting back – hoping she'd find someone else to take her anger out on.
Stalking through the mansion, she noticed the form of a man hanging from chains in one of the rooms. Perfect. He looked up at her, defiant; his eyes were the eyes of a demon – and vaguely familiar, not just as one of the X-Men. Perhaps she'd known him; had he been another captive of Sinisters? She growled again, not wanting to think of that time.
Instead, she walked right up to him, letting the lightning arc between her hands. He spat in her face; she retaliated with a shock of lightning – she'd gotten good at controlling the power, nothing that would kill him, just enough to damn well hurt. To her disappointment, he didn't scream or cry, just grunted a little as the lightning passed through him.
She leaned forward, wiping the spit from her face.
"Scream for me," she whispered. "Sooner or later, everybody does."
With the exception of Hank and the Professors (left behind to take care of Jean and guard the younger children at the mansion), the X-Men were out in full force. Jean and Remy were co-leaders, but Kitty was doing a fairly good job in their absence, Logan thought.
"We want this to be quick, in and out. Either I can phase him through the wall, or Kurt can teleport him out. Everyone else on defensive; Kurt, you'll also need to be on casualty duty, getting out anyone who is badly hurt. We're going in to get Remy, not too kick their asses." She paused. "Although that would be fun too."
There was general agreement with that sentiment.
Jubilee whistled from the cockpit when they approached the co-ordinates.
"Holy shit; check it out!"
The Sisterhoods 'lair' was actually a spacious mansion on the coast – it gleamed white and new.
"Guess they've been putting poor Warren's money to good use." was Bobby's comment.
Kitty frowned. "It's going to be difficult to find Remy in there."
"Here's an idea, darling." said Logan. "Why don't we kill them all, and then look for LeBeau in our own time?"
"Here's another." she replied. "We stick to the same plan. Me 'n Kurt on search and rescue, the rest of you keep the Sisterhood busy."
"Sounds like fun, darling."
The mansion was suspiciously quiet; it was a few minutes before Kitty contacted the rest.
"Found him! Two levels down – he's in pretty bad shape,
but I think…"
The communication suddenly cut off, then Kitty's voice was replaced by the voice of Storm.
"Such a pretty little girl. I think my Kitten will like her."
Bobby rounded the corner first, only to be almost hit by Kitty, who flew down the corridor and hit the wall instead of going through it – not a good sign. Behind her, Storm, wearing an unnerving smile, prepared another lightning bolt; she was joined by the rest of the Sisterhood, behind her.
Betsey tried to propel a young boy to the front; she did something that made his visor slide open, but inside his eyes were tightly closed. She was saying something to him, low and threatening. Meanwhile the X-Men were trying to deal with Storms lightning strikes and charged objects thrown by Rogue, who seemed to be getting a good hold on her stolen power.
Suddenly the boy wrenched his head up, and red beams emerged from his eyes, hitting not the X-Men, as had obviously been Betsey's intention, but the ceiling, bringing down rock that buried Storm, himself, and Betsey, and separated Mystique and Rogue from them.
They could hear Remy calling; he was in one of the rooms to the side; as Shadowcat had said, he was in pretty bad shape, but at least able to stumble along. He took one look at the carnage in the corridor, seeing the three unconscious shapes, he immediately said "Get the boy. We're taking him with us."
Logan shrugged, pulling a few rocks off the boy and slinging him over a shoulder. He was tempted to just unsheathe a claw, deal with Storm and Psylocke once and for all, but that wasn't his style. Screeches and bangs from the other side of the blockage let him know that Mystique and Rogue would be through it fairly soon; Kurt had already taken Kitty out to the Blackbird, and now returned; Logan handed him the boy, and helped Remy out.
Later, watching Bobby nurse Remy, Kitty and the boy – 'Scott' – with surprising tenderness and efficiency, he could see why Remy had insisted they bring Scott with them. The boy was a mass of bruises – true, some were from the ceiling falling in on him, but many more were not. And bruises weren't the only thing; he could smell dried blood on the boy, and fear.
He growled out a choice curse; screw Raven. As far as he was concerned, she could consider herself disowned. Besides, he had other family now; his eyes lit on Kurt – that was going to be interesting, when he found out. Unfortunate that Remy had heard Mystique refer to him as Grandfather – and she'd done that on purpose; like him, Mi'kmaq and French were her preferred languages, not English.
And he'd never met a LeBeau who could keep his mouth shut yet.
He made a silent promise; to Kurt, to the boy, to the goddamn X-Men, even.
~I will protect you all. With my strength, with my knowledge, with my life.~
A/N: Yeah, I nicked the 'Scream for me' thing off the movie, so sue me (actually, don't, I have no money.) Up next; Scott adjusts to life at the mansion, and Jean and Logan do something really, really, stupid. g Review, and I'll love you forever.