Lunchtime Lancitty
Disclaimer: Same as before. I don't own the Five Satins In the Still of the Night
~ ~ ~ ~
After a lengthy time the two fighting groups were separated while the repair unit fixed the damage done to the Blackbird and the airfield and Kilo Two Zero combined with their intelligence element, David Falk and Jose Hedaya of mission India Three One, prepared their presentation for the X- men and the Misfits on the enemy they were facing. Bilby had pulled Lance aside to talk to him for a while during lunch.
"Lance, I know this situation with Kitty is seriously pissing you off, but at least you have her around to talk to." Bilby replied.
After living with Bilby for a few weeks, Lance knew a little bit about what Bilby was referring to, "Akima." He said knowingly.
"Yeah." Bilby replied. They were sitting in the Enlisted Club and were waiting for their order.
"What happened on the Titan mission and Akima?" Lance asked.
Bilby's eyes grew steely and cold, all of the mirth and warmth in them fled before the terrible coldness, "Do not ever ask me that again."
Lance stood up to leave in a huff. Bilby watched him leave and had a change of heart, "It was raining that night." Bilby replied.
Lance came back to the table. "Throughout the course of six weeks, with our help, the Titan universe was able to fight back against the Heartless. The Resistance had done many effective hit and run missions that hurt the Heartless' control over many areas. We had helped them carry out this goal. Akima was one of the more successful leaders of the Resistance." Bilby continued.
"What happened between you and Akima?" Lance asked.
"I was teaching a couple members of her resistance cell the finer points of sniping when one of the other cell leaders approached me and said that since several other cell leaders had been killed by the Heartless during seeming lulls in action that we needed to train members of each cell as bodyguards. Akima, being the independent sort, the sort of girl who can take care of herself and is totally self sufficient just bore with this bodyguard crap to maintain the support of her cell. I took over that post after her bodyguard had been killed. Then I broke a couple rules." Bilby replied, with a sad smile.
"What were those rules?" Lance asked. "First was the rule of the bodyguard, never get too close to the person you're protecting." Bilby replied, "The second is a rule that all units in our military operate under, never fall in love with someone from another dimension. Violation of that rule carries the penalty of execution or exile. Officers usually are shot, enlisted men are hanged. For officers, they are executed; enlisted guys like me are sometimes offered exile. Big emphasis on the sometimes."
Lance was dumbstruck, his new friend was a grief stricken man for whom tragedy suddenly and violently and etched away part of his soul. He could see it in the way Bilby's eyes grew cold at the mention of the Titan mission, in the way he tried to reign in the violent agony that was simmering underneath whenever he told his story, and also in the way he'd wake up late at night and wander around the pit, searching for solace and surcease of what ailed him.
The waitress came in with three orders, "One Swiss cheese and mushroom melt burger with fries and a coke." She said, indicating Bilby.
"Two garden burgers, French fries, and milkshakes." Said the waitress.
"I didn't order two garden burgers, ma'am, I only ordered one." Lance replied.
"That's what it says on this order." The waitress replied.
"I did." Bilby replied.
"Why?" Lance said, "Work up a big appetite talking to Psyche Out?"
"I'm not that hungry, mate, take a look to your left." Bilby replied.
Lance turned and saw Kitty walking into the enlisted club, looking around for Lance. "I made the order before you arrived, and I talked Xavier into letting her spend some time with you. That's more than my romance with Akima was ever given." Bilby replied.
Kitty walked up to the table, cradling Lockheed, who was sound asleep, in her arms. "Today's excitement kind of wore him out." Kitty said, "Hi Lance."
"Hi Kitty." Lance grinned back, shyly.
"I'll mind Lockheed. Now if you don't mind, it's time for a strategic withdrawal." Bilby replied.
Lockheed stirred as Kitty moved him into Bilby's arms, "Mommy's gonna talk to Lance for a while, say hello to Mr. Bilby." Kitty said.
Lockheed yawned a big toothy yawn and went back to sleep, cuddling into the crook of Bilby's arm, "I think he likes you." Kitty giggled.
Bilby took a table two tables away and watched Lance and Kitty bond in their clumsy adolescent way. Despite himself, he grinned, it actually felt good to talk about what had been hurting him, instead of repressing it like he had been doing throughout the past year. Almost in the back of his mind he could hear Akima talking to him, saying, "You did a good thing for Lance today."
"That's more of a chance than you and I ever had." Bilby breathed.
He continued to eat his meal, feeling like the table for two was three times larger than it was before. "A table for one is always a lonely one." Bilby replied.
"I don't know about that, sometimes a table for one can be fun." Cover Girl said, joining him, "This seat taken?"
"If there's anyone in it, he's well camouflaged." Bilby replied.
"Very funny." Cover Girl replied, sarcastically.
"I take it this was your idea?" she asked, indicating Lance and Kitty who were talking and laughing over something or other.
Catching Bilby's sad smile she said, "You really miss her don't you?"
"Who?" Bilby asked, catching himself.
"Don't give me that crap." Cover Girl replied, "Akima."
Taking note of the retro fifties ambiance of the enlisted club he said, "She would have loved this place." Bilby replied, "She always had a thing for Earth history and nostalgia. Losing a planet will do that to you."
Someone made a selection on the juke box and the lyrics to In the Still of the Night began to play. It brought bittersweet memories to Martin Bilby's heart.
"In the still of the night. I held you. Held you tight. 'Cause I love. Love you so. Promise I'll never. Let you go. In the still of the night." The old, somewhat scratchy juke box sounded.
Cover Girl put a comforting arm around Bilby, he was trying not to show it, but that's what he needed. She could tell even after a year losing Akima had really torn the heart right out of his chest. Every time he'd get that far away stare, the gleam of unshed tears shone in his eyes. She wondered how she'd cope with things if she found her soul mate, found out there were rules keeping them apart, and lost him in that same span of time.
It seemed that Bilby losing his soul mate had been so agonizing that he was slowly giving way to nothing more than a desire for revenge. She could see that cold hearted desire for blood that crept into his eyes whenever they would go on missions against the Heartless. But she also saw the agony that assailed him at all hours of the day, an agony that until then had no release, for if he were to have revealed this to his unit he would have been facing court martial and jail time at a minimum because of the age of the offense or even execution since the Titan universe no longer existed and exile was not possible.
She almost didn't catch his next statement, "I still feel her presence sometimes. Usually it happens when I go out on my lone patrols at night. I am one with my feelings and my soul when I patrol the wilderness in the night. It helps me ease the pain."
The old jukebox continued playing as they talked, "I remember. That night in May. The stars were bright above. I'll hope and I'll pray. To keep your precious love. Well before the light. Hold me again. With all of your might. In the still of the night. In the still of the night."
"It must hurt you whenever you see people in love." Cover Girl replied.
"It does." Bilby replied, "Every time I hear a song like this, I remember her somehow, some way. Then I think of how I lost her to the Heartless and am filled with both rage and sadness."
"So before the light. Hold me again. With all of your might. In the still of the night. In the still of the night. In the still of the night." The jukebox continued.
Cover Girl watched as Bilby fingered the picture in his hands, she caught a glimpse of a slender, dark haired girl with a wry smile and a kind yet strong disposition. He put it away when he saw her staring. "Well I've gotta help Shipwreck with the babies." She said and left.
As she left, she considered her love life. All her life, ever since she hit puberty she had boys and men fighting and vying for her attentions. She was equally sweet and personably to all of them, even to Shipwreck somewhat, but she never had found that special someone like Bilby had. She left, wondering what would she prefer, this constant men vying for her attentions or Bilby's situation, finding his soul mate and then losing her forever.
Bilby watched Lance and Kitty talk, and grinned as Kitty's hand slid up to Lance's hand. She seemed to see that there was more to Lance than his rough childhood and time with Magneto. Of all the X-men Kitty seemed the most willing to accept the former Brotherhood members, even if all of them got on their nerves at some times. That meant there was some hope for the group.
~ ~ ~ ~
"So who's your friend Lance?" Kitty asked.
"He's one of those soldiers from another dimension I told you about." Lance said.
"You mean those guys fighting those creepy shadow guys that try to break into the Institute?" Kitty replied.
"The Heartless?" Lance replied.
"He looked pretty sad when that song was playing." Kitty observed.
"That's because he lost someone he really loved a year ago." Lance replied, "Hey, he at least pointed me in the right way. Even if things between you and I aren't going very well with Metal Muscles and company getting in the way, at least I still have you to talk to."
"Lance, you've changed." Kitty replied, "You've like, gotten more mature."
"Hanging around the Joes will do that to you." Lance replied, "Even if some of them are about as mature as some of the kids, especially Shipwreck."
"Whatever it is, keep it up." Kitty replied.
"I will." Lance replied, "You know, even with the mass device, I still miss you sometimes. Late at night especially after a hard day's training, when I can't really sleep but really want to, I think about you and I fall asleep. You've been the only person I know that's even cared to look past what's outside..."
Bilby had been so preoccupied by first his talk with Cover Girl and then his observation of Kitty and Lance that he lost track of Lockheed. "Oh shit." He mumbled.
Kitty, Lance, and Bilby as well as the entire enlisted club became aware of Lockheed's whereabouts, "YEOOWWWCCCCHHHH!!!"
A distant shout sounded and all three of them converged on the source of the scream. It sounded like Beach Head screaming in pain. It was as if a dozen elephants or one hyperactive baby dragon was after him. Considering their distance from a zoo it was very likely the latter.
Lance and Kitty got there first and witnessed the sight of Beach Head running for his life across the road with Lockheed spraying fire onto his butt. Lance started to laugh. "It looks like Sergeant Hardass has found himself a new playmate!"
"I heard that Avalanche! Wait till I get my hands on you punks! OWWWWW!!!" Beach Head shouted as the dragon clung to his rear end with its teeth.
Beach Head stormed past Lance and Kitty into the enlisted club. When he was out of earshot Kitty said, "Is it just me or do Beach Head and Scott sound like they've been molded from the same mold."
"Believe me, he and Summers are probably long lost brothers or something." Lance replied.
Kitty giggled somewhat as they walked back inside to watch Beach Head, with Lockheed securely clamped to his behind, walk up to Bilby, who casually took another sip of his soda. He was suppressing a grin with all of his ability. "BILBY!"
"Yes Satan." Bilby replied with a wry grin and a somewhat lilting sarcastic tone, thinking, 'Akima would have thought this was hysterical.'
"I heard that jackass. Does this belong to you?" Beach Head replied.
"Actually, I believe that is a rare and endangered..." Bilby replied.
"Cut the crap Bilby." Beach Head snapped.
"And also he's the property of the young lady right there." Bilby replied, indicating Kitty, fast approaching.
"You bully!" she shouted as Beach Head hit Lockheed and threw a heavy tray at his head.
"Did that mean masked man hurt you pumpkin?" Kitty said to Lockheed as he scampered into her arms with his best, 'I'm innocent as a newborn dragon' look.
"I hate my life." Beach Head groaned as Kitty and Lance walked out of the enlisted club holding hands with Lockheed in tow, curled up on Kitty's shoulders.
~ ~ ~ ~
Up next, training with GI Joe. What happens when the X-men try to go through GI training again? The results won't be pretty.
Fetterman: I hope they manage to last through day one.
Bilby: They will sir. At least the Misfits. I don't know about Xavier's pretty boys, especially that Summers kid.
X-men: I HEARD THAT.
Fetterman: Good. I mean drat.
Bilby: I wonder how they're gonna react once they find out they've got two weeks of training with us as well as GI Joe.
Hears a chorus of groans from the X-men.
Pietro: Oh C'mon guys, you'll love crawling around in the mud, running around with a 70 lb. rucksack, and all that other fun stuff we've been doing.
Scott: Who's bright idea was this.
Logan whistles as he walks off the stage.
Logan (with an evil grin.): I'm not telling.
Disclaimer: Same as before. I don't own the Five Satins In the Still of the Night
~ ~ ~ ~
After a lengthy time the two fighting groups were separated while the repair unit fixed the damage done to the Blackbird and the airfield and Kilo Two Zero combined with their intelligence element, David Falk and Jose Hedaya of mission India Three One, prepared their presentation for the X- men and the Misfits on the enemy they were facing. Bilby had pulled Lance aside to talk to him for a while during lunch.
"Lance, I know this situation with Kitty is seriously pissing you off, but at least you have her around to talk to." Bilby replied.
After living with Bilby for a few weeks, Lance knew a little bit about what Bilby was referring to, "Akima." He said knowingly.
"Yeah." Bilby replied. They were sitting in the Enlisted Club and were waiting for their order.
"What happened on the Titan mission and Akima?" Lance asked.
Bilby's eyes grew steely and cold, all of the mirth and warmth in them fled before the terrible coldness, "Do not ever ask me that again."
Lance stood up to leave in a huff. Bilby watched him leave and had a change of heart, "It was raining that night." Bilby replied.
Lance came back to the table. "Throughout the course of six weeks, with our help, the Titan universe was able to fight back against the Heartless. The Resistance had done many effective hit and run missions that hurt the Heartless' control over many areas. We had helped them carry out this goal. Akima was one of the more successful leaders of the Resistance." Bilby continued.
"What happened between you and Akima?" Lance asked.
"I was teaching a couple members of her resistance cell the finer points of sniping when one of the other cell leaders approached me and said that since several other cell leaders had been killed by the Heartless during seeming lulls in action that we needed to train members of each cell as bodyguards. Akima, being the independent sort, the sort of girl who can take care of herself and is totally self sufficient just bore with this bodyguard crap to maintain the support of her cell. I took over that post after her bodyguard had been killed. Then I broke a couple rules." Bilby replied, with a sad smile.
"What were those rules?" Lance asked. "First was the rule of the bodyguard, never get too close to the person you're protecting." Bilby replied, "The second is a rule that all units in our military operate under, never fall in love with someone from another dimension. Violation of that rule carries the penalty of execution or exile. Officers usually are shot, enlisted men are hanged. For officers, they are executed; enlisted guys like me are sometimes offered exile. Big emphasis on the sometimes."
Lance was dumbstruck, his new friend was a grief stricken man for whom tragedy suddenly and violently and etched away part of his soul. He could see it in the way Bilby's eyes grew cold at the mention of the Titan mission, in the way he tried to reign in the violent agony that was simmering underneath whenever he told his story, and also in the way he'd wake up late at night and wander around the pit, searching for solace and surcease of what ailed him.
The waitress came in with three orders, "One Swiss cheese and mushroom melt burger with fries and a coke." She said, indicating Bilby.
"Two garden burgers, French fries, and milkshakes." Said the waitress.
"I didn't order two garden burgers, ma'am, I only ordered one." Lance replied.
"That's what it says on this order." The waitress replied.
"I did." Bilby replied.
"Why?" Lance said, "Work up a big appetite talking to Psyche Out?"
"I'm not that hungry, mate, take a look to your left." Bilby replied.
Lance turned and saw Kitty walking into the enlisted club, looking around for Lance. "I made the order before you arrived, and I talked Xavier into letting her spend some time with you. That's more than my romance with Akima was ever given." Bilby replied.
Kitty walked up to the table, cradling Lockheed, who was sound asleep, in her arms. "Today's excitement kind of wore him out." Kitty said, "Hi Lance."
"Hi Kitty." Lance grinned back, shyly.
"I'll mind Lockheed. Now if you don't mind, it's time for a strategic withdrawal." Bilby replied.
Lockheed stirred as Kitty moved him into Bilby's arms, "Mommy's gonna talk to Lance for a while, say hello to Mr. Bilby." Kitty said.
Lockheed yawned a big toothy yawn and went back to sleep, cuddling into the crook of Bilby's arm, "I think he likes you." Kitty giggled.
Bilby took a table two tables away and watched Lance and Kitty bond in their clumsy adolescent way. Despite himself, he grinned, it actually felt good to talk about what had been hurting him, instead of repressing it like he had been doing throughout the past year. Almost in the back of his mind he could hear Akima talking to him, saying, "You did a good thing for Lance today."
"That's more of a chance than you and I ever had." Bilby breathed.
He continued to eat his meal, feeling like the table for two was three times larger than it was before. "A table for one is always a lonely one." Bilby replied.
"I don't know about that, sometimes a table for one can be fun." Cover Girl said, joining him, "This seat taken?"
"If there's anyone in it, he's well camouflaged." Bilby replied.
"Very funny." Cover Girl replied, sarcastically.
"I take it this was your idea?" she asked, indicating Lance and Kitty who were talking and laughing over something or other.
Catching Bilby's sad smile she said, "You really miss her don't you?"
"Who?" Bilby asked, catching himself.
"Don't give me that crap." Cover Girl replied, "Akima."
Taking note of the retro fifties ambiance of the enlisted club he said, "She would have loved this place." Bilby replied, "She always had a thing for Earth history and nostalgia. Losing a planet will do that to you."
Someone made a selection on the juke box and the lyrics to In the Still of the Night began to play. It brought bittersweet memories to Martin Bilby's heart.
"In the still of the night. I held you. Held you tight. 'Cause I love. Love you so. Promise I'll never. Let you go. In the still of the night." The old, somewhat scratchy juke box sounded.
Cover Girl put a comforting arm around Bilby, he was trying not to show it, but that's what he needed. She could tell even after a year losing Akima had really torn the heart right out of his chest. Every time he'd get that far away stare, the gleam of unshed tears shone in his eyes. She wondered how she'd cope with things if she found her soul mate, found out there were rules keeping them apart, and lost him in that same span of time.
It seemed that Bilby losing his soul mate had been so agonizing that he was slowly giving way to nothing more than a desire for revenge. She could see that cold hearted desire for blood that crept into his eyes whenever they would go on missions against the Heartless. But she also saw the agony that assailed him at all hours of the day, an agony that until then had no release, for if he were to have revealed this to his unit he would have been facing court martial and jail time at a minimum because of the age of the offense or even execution since the Titan universe no longer existed and exile was not possible.
She almost didn't catch his next statement, "I still feel her presence sometimes. Usually it happens when I go out on my lone patrols at night. I am one with my feelings and my soul when I patrol the wilderness in the night. It helps me ease the pain."
The old jukebox continued playing as they talked, "I remember. That night in May. The stars were bright above. I'll hope and I'll pray. To keep your precious love. Well before the light. Hold me again. With all of your might. In the still of the night. In the still of the night."
"It must hurt you whenever you see people in love." Cover Girl replied.
"It does." Bilby replied, "Every time I hear a song like this, I remember her somehow, some way. Then I think of how I lost her to the Heartless and am filled with both rage and sadness."
"So before the light. Hold me again. With all of your might. In the still of the night. In the still of the night. In the still of the night." The jukebox continued.
Cover Girl watched as Bilby fingered the picture in his hands, she caught a glimpse of a slender, dark haired girl with a wry smile and a kind yet strong disposition. He put it away when he saw her staring. "Well I've gotta help Shipwreck with the babies." She said and left.
As she left, she considered her love life. All her life, ever since she hit puberty she had boys and men fighting and vying for her attentions. She was equally sweet and personably to all of them, even to Shipwreck somewhat, but she never had found that special someone like Bilby had. She left, wondering what would she prefer, this constant men vying for her attentions or Bilby's situation, finding his soul mate and then losing her forever.
Bilby watched Lance and Kitty talk, and grinned as Kitty's hand slid up to Lance's hand. She seemed to see that there was more to Lance than his rough childhood and time with Magneto. Of all the X-men Kitty seemed the most willing to accept the former Brotherhood members, even if all of them got on their nerves at some times. That meant there was some hope for the group.
~ ~ ~ ~
"So who's your friend Lance?" Kitty asked.
"He's one of those soldiers from another dimension I told you about." Lance said.
"You mean those guys fighting those creepy shadow guys that try to break into the Institute?" Kitty replied.
"The Heartless?" Lance replied.
"He looked pretty sad when that song was playing." Kitty observed.
"That's because he lost someone he really loved a year ago." Lance replied, "Hey, he at least pointed me in the right way. Even if things between you and I aren't going very well with Metal Muscles and company getting in the way, at least I still have you to talk to."
"Lance, you've changed." Kitty replied, "You've like, gotten more mature."
"Hanging around the Joes will do that to you." Lance replied, "Even if some of them are about as mature as some of the kids, especially Shipwreck."
"Whatever it is, keep it up." Kitty replied.
"I will." Lance replied, "You know, even with the mass device, I still miss you sometimes. Late at night especially after a hard day's training, when I can't really sleep but really want to, I think about you and I fall asleep. You've been the only person I know that's even cared to look past what's outside..."
Bilby had been so preoccupied by first his talk with Cover Girl and then his observation of Kitty and Lance that he lost track of Lockheed. "Oh shit." He mumbled.
Kitty, Lance, and Bilby as well as the entire enlisted club became aware of Lockheed's whereabouts, "YEOOWWWCCCCHHHH!!!"
A distant shout sounded and all three of them converged on the source of the scream. It sounded like Beach Head screaming in pain. It was as if a dozen elephants or one hyperactive baby dragon was after him. Considering their distance from a zoo it was very likely the latter.
Lance and Kitty got there first and witnessed the sight of Beach Head running for his life across the road with Lockheed spraying fire onto his butt. Lance started to laugh. "It looks like Sergeant Hardass has found himself a new playmate!"
"I heard that Avalanche! Wait till I get my hands on you punks! OWWWWW!!!" Beach Head shouted as the dragon clung to his rear end with its teeth.
Beach Head stormed past Lance and Kitty into the enlisted club. When he was out of earshot Kitty said, "Is it just me or do Beach Head and Scott sound like they've been molded from the same mold."
"Believe me, he and Summers are probably long lost brothers or something." Lance replied.
Kitty giggled somewhat as they walked back inside to watch Beach Head, with Lockheed securely clamped to his behind, walk up to Bilby, who casually took another sip of his soda. He was suppressing a grin with all of his ability. "BILBY!"
"Yes Satan." Bilby replied with a wry grin and a somewhat lilting sarcastic tone, thinking, 'Akima would have thought this was hysterical.'
"I heard that jackass. Does this belong to you?" Beach Head replied.
"Actually, I believe that is a rare and endangered..." Bilby replied.
"Cut the crap Bilby." Beach Head snapped.
"And also he's the property of the young lady right there." Bilby replied, indicating Kitty, fast approaching.
"You bully!" she shouted as Beach Head hit Lockheed and threw a heavy tray at his head.
"Did that mean masked man hurt you pumpkin?" Kitty said to Lockheed as he scampered into her arms with his best, 'I'm innocent as a newborn dragon' look.
"I hate my life." Beach Head groaned as Kitty and Lance walked out of the enlisted club holding hands with Lockheed in tow, curled up on Kitty's shoulders.
~ ~ ~ ~
Up next, training with GI Joe. What happens when the X-men try to go through GI training again? The results won't be pretty.
Fetterman: I hope they manage to last through day one.
Bilby: They will sir. At least the Misfits. I don't know about Xavier's pretty boys, especially that Summers kid.
X-men: I HEARD THAT.
Fetterman: Good. I mean drat.
Bilby: I wonder how they're gonna react once they find out they've got two weeks of training with us as well as GI Joe.
Hears a chorus of groans from the X-men.
Pietro: Oh C'mon guys, you'll love crawling around in the mud, running around with a 70 lb. rucksack, and all that other fun stuff we've been doing.
Scott: Who's bright idea was this.
Logan whistles as he walks off the stage.
Logan (with an evil grin.): I'm not telling.
