Disclaimer: Okay… I… Don't… Own… X-men…
A/N: Okay there are some spoilers in this story in case you haven't seen 'Mindbender' or any of the episodes after that and don't want it to be ruined then I guess don't read. The storyline wont be exactly the same as the episodes, of course, but still if you don't want to know, then don't read. ^_^ This is also a little more into what Ripley's life was like in the 'Real World'. So now that I have gotten that out… please read. (Lol)
~*~
"Oh my God…" I whisper staring out the window of the X-jet my mouth hanging open as I watch the on going spectacle on the ground below me.
Everyone was fighting each other; it was as if I was watching the episode of 'Mindbender' live! I watched Beast and Kurt fight each other, Beast pleading with Kurt to snap back to his senses as Kurt kept 'porting them somewhere else on the carnival's grounds. Evan, meanwhile, was shooting spikes at Rogue who was doing her best to dodge them and plead with Evan as Beast was with Kurt. Logan meanwhile was standing by himself with his claws unsheathed; I giggled covering my mouth knowing full well what was in store for him. As if on queue, Kitty emerged from the ground and stood before him staring at his feet.
I could see Logan's lips moving but couldn't hear him so out of sheer boredom, and because I thought it was funny, I filled in the blanks.
"Ah twerp. You know I could never hurt you." I smirked as he retracted his claws and Kitty kicked him in the shin then fazed through him, "OW!! This is why I don't like to play nice!" I watched him hop around for a while then turned and walked back to my seat bored with watching.
This had all started earlier when Beast had found out the information on the rings. Turns out that they were Tibetan artifacts, from the early Han dynasty. I sighed leaning my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes, 'maybe I should help them stop Mesmero unlock the second door… Wonder when that's going to be?'
I let myself drift to sleep forgetting about what was going on outside at the moment.
~*~
"You can't always get what you want, Ripley," Hissed the woman sitting in front of an younger looking Ripley, "We're broke ya know? So pick one Cedar Point or the video?" The woman took a drag of her cigarette and frowned.
"You can't do that! Dad promised me that I could go! He also promised that he'd get the tape!!" Ripley shouted close to tears from arguing with her evil Stepmother for so long, "Dad!" Ripley cried turning towards her father who was leaning up against the sofa also smoking a cigarette.
He looked over at the woman sitting at the table and sighed, "Why can't she get both?" He started and the woman shook her head glaring at him.
"I can't believe you!" She shouted, "No! One or the other!" She shouted back at Ripley.
Rebecca and Eric both walked out of their room, "What's going on?" Rebecca asked while searching her pockets for something.
"I've been promised that I could go to Cedar Point with my class in a couple of weeks and Dad said he'd get me an X-men tape. But now she wont let me!" Ripley scowled at the woman.
"Jesus Christ mom! Let her get the damn tape, you're not going broke and you know it!" Rebecca shouted pulling out a pack of cigarettes and turned to Eric for a light, "Thanks babe." She said softly then turned back to the conversation.
Having enough of this Ripley stood up from her seat, "I can't believe you!" She shouted and ran into her room slamming the door shut and then flopped down on her bed. Going to Cedar Point meant everything to her, it would be the first time she's ever been there! And she had also been promised a week earlier that she would be able to get that tape she had been looking forward to getting.
She sobbed into her pillow, okay maybe it wasn't being able to get the tape that was bothering her, it was the fact that her father wasn't standing up for her. There were a few muffled yells coming from the other room then a knock at the door. Ripley didn't lift her head when the door opened and She walked in, breath reeking of beer.
"Fine you can have both." She said in mock sympathy, "Ya brat, you happy now?" She hissed and Ripley refused to move for fear of saying something that she would later regret.
Her father called for the woman and she left then minutes later her father walked in and closed the door. He sat down on the edge of the bed, "Hey hun, I'm sorry about that." He said softly and Ripley shook her head then sat up.
"You can go to Cedar Point, I'll give you the money," He smiled as Ripley nodded, "And you can get that tape, just don't tell her, okay?"
Ripley smiled and nodded and he hugged her, "You all right?" he whispered.
"Yea, it's just…"
"I know."
~*~
"Hey kid, wake up!"
I startled forward slightly groggily waking up from the dream I had just had, or more like flashback, and looked up at Logan who stood scowling over me.
"We're back at the mansion. Chuck wanted me to wake ya and bring ya to his office. We got that conversation ta finish, remember?"
I nodded absent-mindedly climbing to my feet and followed the angry Canadian out of the Jet.
'Wonder why he's always so angry… eh, never mind.'
I silently followed him back into Professor Xavier's office then waited for someone to say something.
"What was your life like back at home, Ripley?" The Professor asked suddenly catching me off guard.
This was defiantly not what I had thought we were going to talk about, apparently neither did Logan.
"What does that have to do anything, Chuck?" He looked down at Professor Xavier with a raised Eyebrow.
Professor Xavier simply held up his hand silencing Logan then nodded towards me, "Go ahead." He said softly.
Normally I would have found this funny, the Professor giving Logan the 'talk to the hand' gesture, but this wasn't 'normally'.
"What… what do you mean?" I asked rubbing the back of my neck.
"Were you happy?"
'This is like being at the counselor's office when I was a kid.' I mused to myself then decided that I should probably answer his question.
"Kinda. Well… not really." I sighed still trying to figure out where this was going.
"Why are you here Ripley?"
Logan looked down at the Professor looking completely stunned, "Chuck-" He started sounding a bit angry.
"I don't know," I sighed cutting him off, "I don't know…"
~*~
A/N: Okay! What do ya think? Oh, just as a side note, Ripley's Stepmother and her Father's names wont ever be mentioned due to the fact that they're based off of real people. The other's, Rebecca and Eric their names have been changed so it wouldn't be so confusing. Please Review and tell me what you think.
^_^
