Title: A Real Life Dream
By: X
X0832001@yahoo.com
PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I am getting no money
Chapter 2
Marie lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't really describe how she felt. She was lonely. She had her friends. She had Jubilee and Kitty to talk about girly things and go shopping. She had Bobby for the guy perspective and her frustration with her mutation. She had adults who cared about her too. Logan would protect her; keep her safe no matter the situation. The professor was always there with advice and guidance. He was working with her on her mutation, always trying new methods of control. He gave her hope that one day they'd find one that worked, that she could touch. But she was still lonely.
Despite everyone in her life someone was still missing. A connection had been unplugged, she missed John. Even before she'd found the first letter in his closet she'd felt this loss without him. It hadn't been a sense of loss like after her mutation developed and she lost all her friends back in Meridian. It was different; John hadn't been just another friend.
She wanted John, it was so frustrating. She wanted him, he wanted her. A stupid difference of opinion was what was keeping them apart. One different viewpoint made them go out and try and stop each other. It made both of them go home scratched and bruised, maybe worse. They were on opposite sides of a difference of opinion that was rapidly becoming the grounds of a war between humans and mutants. If the war came she was going to be on the side with the humans that hated them, and John was going to be with the mutants, trying to get rid of those people. It was a miserable no win situation.
"Mail call chicas" Jubilee called, smiling widely. Marie rolled her eyes. Across the room Kitty lay on her own bed. Did they really need this daily ceremony? Kitty got mail from her parents all the time. Jubilee was an orphan, everyone that meant something to her was here at the mansion. Rogue had written her parents once she'd gotten settled at Xavier's; but she'd never gotten a response. The only mail she ever got was an occasional credit card application or catalog. But it was more than Jubilee got. Jubes was thankfully too young for credit. When that changed the room was going to be buried by offers for the mall rat. Until then, there was need for Jubilee to go through this joyful mail distribution ceremony.
Needless to say Marie was shocked when a white envelope fluttered past her eyes and landed on her stomach. It was a small white letter envelope. Marie could count the number of letters she'd received on one hand of a clumsy carpenter. She ripped open the envelope without hesitation and unfolded her letter. She immediately recognized the neat, curvaceous writing as feminine. Wondering what woman was writing her a letter she scanned down to the bottom of the page.
It was from Mystique. Marie could feel the breath freeze in her lungs. Why would Mystique write her a letter? Was it about John? The image of his abused body slung over Sabertooth's shoulder assaulted her mind. He'd been so still; looked so dead. Magneto had said he'd live, but Magneto wasn't a doctor. He could have taken a bad turn. She couldn't breathe; it was like she'd been punched in the stomach. The image was frozen in her mind and wouldn't change. Tears filled her eyes and Marie bolted to the bathroom. She couldn't try and explain the flood of tears that would come if something had happened to John. An optimistic voice tried to assure her she shouldn't jump to conclusions; she hadn't even read what the letter said yet. But that voice was having serious trouble being heard over the logical reasoning that Mystique was the enemy, she wasn't going to drop a line just to find out how Marie was doing at school.
She settled herself on the counter next to the sink. That retched image; John swollen, oozing fresh blood as the dried version flaked from sick colored skin, refused to budge from her mind until she found out for sure what the letter said. With a deep, steadying breath she began to actually read what the shape shifter had written.
Rogue,
I know about the note you've asked Magneto to give Pyro. Call me a romantic but love is a beautiful thing. While we may disagree on many levels on many topics, I don't hate other mutants. I don't begrudge you any happiness. I learned of your situation and am providing you with information you may find useful.
You should know, the 16th of this month Magneto, Sabertooth and I will be away all day. Pyro will be alone at our current base, still located in the same Canadian city, number 246 on Regent Street. This information is for you alone. It is not meant to bring an attack from your X-men. It's for the sake of Pyro and yourself. I am giving you one day. We ship out the 17th. If you want time with the man you claim to love I've arranged the opportunity.
I don't suspect you'll throw away this chance; there won't be action from your teammates. Though I warn you, if I am wrong and your X-men descend upon this vulnerable young man, the retribution will be swift and devastating. I'm giving you a day, use it wisely.
Mystique
The letter was brief, to the point, but Marie re-read it three times before she understood what it said. She let out the breath she'd been holding after the first read through. She'd described him as vulnerable but John was fine, not dead. She read again and had to re-read the third time to be sure what she thought was actually true. She was going to be able to see John! She was going to see him in person, not across a battlefield or as he was laid in a car. Marie was going to be in the same room with him and able to talk.
Then a wave of anxiety hit her. They were going to talk. What would she say? She took a deep breath. Her head swam. She was nervous and excited, anxious and ecstatic. It was a weird bubbly feeling in her stomach. She popped down off the counter. Staying in the bathroom wasn't an option. Already she was going to need an excuse as to why she'd run in there, and what her letter had said. She clearly couldn't tell the truth. Even if Kitty and Jubilee didn't tell the others they would try and talk her out of going.
Rogue hated listening to all the John bashing. Right after he'd left it had been the worse. Marie hadn't participated, but she could understand their initial reaction. They didn't know John like she did. She knew what had happened in his life that made him choose the Brotherhood. He'd tried living with Xavier and believing the message of peace but it never stuck. Humans had treated him like scum, made him feel helpless for too long. He'd assumed a roll at the school, had his act, but wasn't like the rest of them.
When he was gone the "bad seed", "good riddance" muttering began. Rogue disagreed with all of it but understood they were just upset. But once the X-men began fighting the Brotherhood, complete with its new member, the things they said about John became vicious. These people had barely known John and they were ripping him apart. Those that did know him were more like Bobby, sad and confused. That's part of why Bobby kept that memorial to John until he was ordered to remove it, as a sign he wasn't on the bandwagon, that he didn't hate John. Rogue really respected Bobby for the strength of his friendship to John. She wondered if she could tell him about this secret rendezvous. Maybe after it was over
She didn't have too much time to waste. The 16th was in just a few days. She strode into her room, ignoring the looks from her roommates. She jumped onto her computer, quickly finding what she needed. Without the X-jet it was going to take at least 3 whole days to get there. The site claimed it was a 48 hour drive, not stopping for anything. She zoomed out on the little map that was being displayed and realized she had to get all the way across the country. It's no time at all by jet, but she doubted she could come up with a plausible excuse why she should be allowed to take the jet, alone, and without saying where or why she was going.
The 16th was Thursday, today was Monday. She had to leave, immediately. She jumped up from her chair and grabbed her book bag. Shoving in a shirt and heading back to the bathroom for her toothbrush she was blocked by Jubilee. "What is going on with you?"
"I gotta go" Pulling a very cheap trick she announced, "My Grandma died, I need to get back for the funeral." Jubilee immediately stepped aside; a grandparent's funeral was serious. Marie threw in the toothbrush, toothpaste, makeup bag, and hairbrush. That was really all she needed. Suddenly remembering her last run away experience she crammed a little blanket into the bag as well. Canada was a cold place. Turning back to Jubilee she asked, "Can you tell the Professor for me"
"Oh yeah sweetie, anything else you need us to do?" Marie felt bad lying to them, and when she was inevitably caught by this rushed series of lies she had no idea what she'd tell them. But she just didn't have time now. This was her one shot to see John. "No, that should do it." With that she was out in the garage, throwing her backpack into the back seat of the car. Jumping into the driver's seat she roughly pulled down the sun visor in search of the keys. Everything seemed to take entirely too long when she was this rushed. With the shiny metal in hand she gave a twist and brought the car to life. It started now. Regardless of what trouble she'd be in when she got back it was worth it.
It was one of the most boring road trips in history. Absolutely nothing happened. She didn't get lost, she didn't encounter anyone interesting, she spent the whole time in the car, alone. She had had plenty of time to think. She thought about a lot of things, mostly John. She reminisced about their late night talks, the times Bobby had cancelled and they wound up just hanging out with each other. It was funny she was nervous now because he always made her so comfortable.
It was an excited nervous though. Not like an "I so need to pass this math test" nervous, more like a "What do I say?" kind of nervous. She put the car in park and officially ended her journey. The address Mystique had specified was 4 houses down. She got out of the car and made her way down the street, her anxious mind flying through scenario after scenario of what she would find at the house.
Marie turned the knob and pushed. The door easily moved aside and gave her entry into the enemy's lair. The letter could have been a trap, trying to get her alone and vulnerable as part of some complex plan. It had happened before, with these very same players. But for some reason the total ease of the situation made her worry for John instead of herself. One of the Friends of Humanity could have walked right in and done God knows what.
The house looked like a normal 3 story suburban dwelling. Inside was a bit more chaotic than your average upper middle class home. Stairs to the right, the entry led to a kitchen. Off of the entry hall was the living room. The living room did betray this wasn't a family home. Maps decorating the walls instead of art, computers surrounded the couch and the coffee table was actually large and high enough to have been moved in from the dining room. It was clearly a base of operations. Proceeding to the kitchen she froze in the doorway. She'd assumed since he was recovering he'd be in bed, upstairs. She'd wanted to look around and get prepared before she saw him. After 3 days in a car, only stopping when the gas tank was on fumes and again late last night when she simple couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, she was a road weary mess. But there he was.
John, clad in T-shirt and sweat pants, was sitting at a rickety kitchen table eating a bowl of Corn Flakes. "John" she whispered, unable to say anymore than that. The spoon hit the bottom of the bowl with a clang.
"Marie! What are you doing here?" He was on his feet and next to her in an instant. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer. He successfully covered a wince at the sudden movement. Mystique had suggested he get moving again, as they were leaving just after midnight, but this was the first he'd been out of bed in days.
"God, Johnny…" she hugged him tighter and buried her face in his cloth covered shoulder. Being so close she felt him tense in pain. Without thinking she pulled back, grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it up. Bandages were wrapped around his ribs and bruises added a rainbow to normally healthy colored skin. "What did they do to you?" she cooed, tears welling up involuntarily.
John only pulled her close again, ignoring the pain and pressing his face to her hair. Considering the damage to his ribs he should have been screaming. But, this close to Marie, having her in his arms, he couldn't feel anything but happy. "I can't believe you're here." He mumbled. A familiar scent hit his nose. "You've been smoking"
She pulled back to look at his face. "It's your fault"
"Mine?"
"You get me all confused"
"The letter? I'd apologize for that muddled death bed confession, but it brought you here so…" he drifted away from his thought towards the concrete fact that his confession of love did not tell her where he had been staying, or that Magneto would be gone today. "How did you know to come here today?"
Marie smiled. "Mystique sent me a letter telling me it was safe to come. I couldn't believe she'd do something like that."
Now it was John's turn to smile. Suddenly the slightly unusual morning made sense. "That explains why she was so insistent that they get an early start. You should have seen the way she bullied Sabertooth into hurrying along."
"I started driving as soon as I got her letter so I could make it in time."
"You drove here?"
"Three days" He hugged her close again. She had spent three days driving alone in a car just to see him for one day. He couldn't believe someone would care enough to do that for him.
"You're amazing"
"You're worth it"