------
Author's Note:
Greetings.
This seemed like a decent spot to end this fic. As you read this, you'll probably notice I've left a few loose ends. Rest assured there will be a sequel. Keep those comments coming and don't hesitate to e-mail or instant message me if you wish. :)
I have two sequels in progress, 'The Long Road' and 'Queen's Side Castle.' Details can be found on my author's page, but the short version is that the first one will concentrate on Pietro's healing process, getting inside his mind; the second will introduce a new threat to the X-Men.
Cheers, folks.
Jack
------
"...and then we landed in the hangar at the Institute.
"Mr. McCoy and Doctor MacTaggart were waiting for us when we arrived with several stretchers and wheelchairs. His hand was bandaged, but he seemed to be in a great mood. Glad someone was. The two of them whisked Pietro, Wanda, Lance, Rogue and the Professor to the clinic almost before you could blink.
"Scott was also there, along with Alex. I went to him as soon as the plane landed. He wrapped his arms around me and just held me, not saying anything at first. I knew there was a reason I loved him. He didn't spout any false words of comfort or try to sound patronizing. Just held me as I cried my eyes out. I'd done my best to fill his shoes and it wasn't quite enough. I asked later how he'd gotten back to New York so quickly. He said that Alex's foster parents footed the bill, but he was going to have to work a long time to pay that back.
"Alex insists that Scott doesn't have to do that, but we all know how Scott's sense of morality works. If he feels he owes a debt, it will get paid.
"A week after we returned to school, CNN covered a massive explosion at a Shasta Beverages, Inc. installation in northern California. Apparently someone blew up a section of the bottling plant. I don't know if it was Magneto or this group Gambit is attached to, but I guess we don't have to worry about drinking pop any time soon.
"Logan healed completely before we touched down in New York. He looks the same as ever and is just as grumpy. Apparently he hadn't been worried about being hit with five ten-gauge slugs. Said it had happened before. All he needs is a good night's sleep and he'll be ready to go back to training the rest of us with his customary abruptness. I wish the man would stop coughing up lead shot, though. He keeps spitting out these tiny little pellets at the dinner table and it's really disgusting.
"Gambit - Marshal Remy LeBeau - disappeared before we got in the air. I think Professor Xavier would have wanted to talk with him, but he never got the chance. No one is really sure if he's a part of that new Federal super-hero team. I don't know if we're better off with him as a cop or as an enemy. I do know that we owe him big time.
"Not unexpectedly, Warren went back to the City the morning after we returned. Working with a team was a nice change of pace, he told me, but he preferred working alone. I think he was uncomfortable working with a bunch of people who weren't even old enough to vote. Maybe he'll team up with that Spider-Man or Daredevil who've been in the papers lately. Or maybe he'll just go back to his solitary ways. There's something eating at his conscience, but I didn't ask or pry. I hope he finds happiness soon.
"Doug and Rahne are getting along fabulously. Out of all of us, I think they're the only ones who came out more or less intact. I caught them the other night in the rec room watching a Monty Python movie or something with John Cleese in it. Maybe 'A Fish Called Wanda.' Whatever it was, she was surprised that he hadn't been introduced to British comedy and was having a lot of fun starting his education. Doug hasn't quite got a firm grasp on his powers, however. Every once in a while we catch him talking with a thick Scottish accent, using words he couldn't possibly have learned in Middle America. It's driving Scott up a wall, since there isn't a dictionary lying about.
"I think he'll fit in just fine.
"Sean and Doctor MacTaggart have offered to stay at the school for the upcoming year. Now that the danger is more or less passed, it's fairly obvious they're an item. Something about seeing the two of them together sets the Professor's teeth on edge. He won't talk about it, though. I'm beginning to wonder if Professor Xavier wasn't involved romantically with Doctor MacTaggart at some point in the past. Oh well. It's really none of anyone's business.
"For his part, the Professor is fine. Magneto hadn't bothered to do anything worse than drug him senseless most of the time. Apparently his helmet is sufficient protection from the Professor's highly-powerful mind. The drugs were mostly for the benefit of the White Queen and that other British woman, Psylocke. Apparently the Professor did indeed wipe the psychic floor with them during the fight that started this whole mess. Magneto was just trying to keep his women intact.
"No one has heard from Magneto since the fight. S.H.I.E.L.D. is holding his Acolytes in their most secure facility. Doesn't look like they're a problem for the time being. Still, with Magneto and the White Queen on the loose, we can be sure that something nasty will pop up. The Professor is worried about the Queen's involvement. He seems to know her from somewhere and doesn't like the fact that she sided with Magneto. Maybe he'll enlighten the rest of us one of these days. I've never seen him so brooding before.
"We found Bobby lying behind a canister of jet fuel. He's been in a coma ever since. "The Professor thinks one of Magneto's tame telepaths did something to him. He's been probing deep into Bobby's mind for several hours a day ever since we returned. No luck so far, but he's optimistic as usual. He promises that Bobby will be fit enough to start the new school year.
"Kitty and Kurt both got treated for shock. Sean told me that Fred is dead and that Kitty found the body. I guess it was just too much for her, because she's now having counseling sessions with the Professor. Kurt seemed to have pulled through ok, though. I just wish he'd get out more. He's spent all his time in the basement clinic sitting beside one or another of the people laid up down there. He's starting to withdraw more than usual, which is never a good sign. On the other hand, he hasn't bothered wearing his image inducer since we got back. Perhaps it just hasn't crossed his mind.
"Rogue was up and about a couple days later. The wings she'd grown receded on the plane, where she collapsed. The bloody holes in her back were a sight I'll never forget. It didn't take long for her to find a practical application for her power, however, because the first time Logan visited her in the clinic, she stole a little of his healing power and moved back upstairs. Unfortunately, she also managed to grab just the teensiest part of his personality as she did so. The rest of us had to avoid her for a while because that girl suddenly had a mouth on her. More so than usual, I mean.
"Kitty started complaining that their shared bedroom was starting to smell like cigarette smoke, so I guess that means she also picked up one of Logan's filthier habits too.
"We didn't find any sign of Pyro or Todd. There's still hope, I think.
"Wanda and Lance were both treated by Mr. McCoy with an anti-venom. They're both fine. They didn't use their powers at all once they'd figured out that it meant tearing themselves apart. Smarter than I'd pegged either of them. Wanda in particular has been spending most of her waking hours at Pietro's bedside. Lance spends most of his sitting on the cliff in the backyard. Neither of them is willing to talk about what Magneto did.
"Neither of them has gone back to the Brotherhood house, etiher. Scott and Alex went over there a few days ago to gather some items. Scott in particular looked positively ill. Apparently the boys and Wanda have been living in a hovel. He's going to ask the Professor if the three of them can move into the school. He hasn't said as much, but I know Scott and have no doubt that he's just building himself up for the right moment. It's just something he would do.
"We pulled the needle out of Pietro's back before getting on the airplane. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. Doctor MacTaggart turned out to have a medical degree as well as several others and she went ballistic when we got him back to the institute. The argument she had with the Professor was behind closed doors, but we're all aware that she's really torqued at "the idea of sending children into battle." Her words, not mine. Magneto's weapon had pierced several organs on the way through Pietro's body but, more devastating, it also bruised his spinal cord. He woke up a couple days after the first surgery, screaming. We could hear him throughout the entire mansion.
"Doctor MacTaggart said last night at dinner that he'll have to go through rehab if he wants to walk again. The table went very quiet and no one had much of an appetite after that. I think everyone who was there in the hangar was under the delusion that Magneto could have redirected the needle. I know better. I saw his eyes. I don't think there's any trace of the man the Professor calls Erik Lensherr behind the mask any more.
"There's only Magneto."
------
Finis.
------
Coming soon:
'Queen's Side Castle:' A field trip to upstate New York turns sour when the Hellfire Club makes an appearance on the scene. Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw are up to no good. As usual.
'The Long Road:' Pietro finds himself laid up for months as his spinal injury heals. Professor Xavier and the rest of the students do their best to integrate the remaining Brotherhood into their world, but it's a very rough time all around.
Author's Note:
Greetings.
This seemed like a decent spot to end this fic. As you read this, you'll probably notice I've left a few loose ends. Rest assured there will be a sequel. Keep those comments coming and don't hesitate to e-mail or instant message me if you wish. :)
I have two sequels in progress, 'The Long Road' and 'Queen's Side Castle.' Details can be found on my author's page, but the short version is that the first one will concentrate on Pietro's healing process, getting inside his mind; the second will introduce a new threat to the X-Men.
Cheers, folks.
Jack
------
"...and then we landed in the hangar at the Institute.
"Mr. McCoy and Doctor MacTaggart were waiting for us when we arrived with several stretchers and wheelchairs. His hand was bandaged, but he seemed to be in a great mood. Glad someone was. The two of them whisked Pietro, Wanda, Lance, Rogue and the Professor to the clinic almost before you could blink.
"Scott was also there, along with Alex. I went to him as soon as the plane landed. He wrapped his arms around me and just held me, not saying anything at first. I knew there was a reason I loved him. He didn't spout any false words of comfort or try to sound patronizing. Just held me as I cried my eyes out. I'd done my best to fill his shoes and it wasn't quite enough. I asked later how he'd gotten back to New York so quickly. He said that Alex's foster parents footed the bill, but he was going to have to work a long time to pay that back.
"Alex insists that Scott doesn't have to do that, but we all know how Scott's sense of morality works. If he feels he owes a debt, it will get paid.
"A week after we returned to school, CNN covered a massive explosion at a Shasta Beverages, Inc. installation in northern California. Apparently someone blew up a section of the bottling plant. I don't know if it was Magneto or this group Gambit is attached to, but I guess we don't have to worry about drinking pop any time soon.
"Logan healed completely before we touched down in New York. He looks the same as ever and is just as grumpy. Apparently he hadn't been worried about being hit with five ten-gauge slugs. Said it had happened before. All he needs is a good night's sleep and he'll be ready to go back to training the rest of us with his customary abruptness. I wish the man would stop coughing up lead shot, though. He keeps spitting out these tiny little pellets at the dinner table and it's really disgusting.
"Gambit - Marshal Remy LeBeau - disappeared before we got in the air. I think Professor Xavier would have wanted to talk with him, but he never got the chance. No one is really sure if he's a part of that new Federal super-hero team. I don't know if we're better off with him as a cop or as an enemy. I do know that we owe him big time.
"Not unexpectedly, Warren went back to the City the morning after we returned. Working with a team was a nice change of pace, he told me, but he preferred working alone. I think he was uncomfortable working with a bunch of people who weren't even old enough to vote. Maybe he'll team up with that Spider-Man or Daredevil who've been in the papers lately. Or maybe he'll just go back to his solitary ways. There's something eating at his conscience, but I didn't ask or pry. I hope he finds happiness soon.
"Doug and Rahne are getting along fabulously. Out of all of us, I think they're the only ones who came out more or less intact. I caught them the other night in the rec room watching a Monty Python movie or something with John Cleese in it. Maybe 'A Fish Called Wanda.' Whatever it was, she was surprised that he hadn't been introduced to British comedy and was having a lot of fun starting his education. Doug hasn't quite got a firm grasp on his powers, however. Every once in a while we catch him talking with a thick Scottish accent, using words he couldn't possibly have learned in Middle America. It's driving Scott up a wall, since there isn't a dictionary lying about.
"I think he'll fit in just fine.
"Sean and Doctor MacTaggart have offered to stay at the school for the upcoming year. Now that the danger is more or less passed, it's fairly obvious they're an item. Something about seeing the two of them together sets the Professor's teeth on edge. He won't talk about it, though. I'm beginning to wonder if Professor Xavier wasn't involved romantically with Doctor MacTaggart at some point in the past. Oh well. It's really none of anyone's business.
"For his part, the Professor is fine. Magneto hadn't bothered to do anything worse than drug him senseless most of the time. Apparently his helmet is sufficient protection from the Professor's highly-powerful mind. The drugs were mostly for the benefit of the White Queen and that other British woman, Psylocke. Apparently the Professor did indeed wipe the psychic floor with them during the fight that started this whole mess. Magneto was just trying to keep his women intact.
"No one has heard from Magneto since the fight. S.H.I.E.L.D. is holding his Acolytes in their most secure facility. Doesn't look like they're a problem for the time being. Still, with Magneto and the White Queen on the loose, we can be sure that something nasty will pop up. The Professor is worried about the Queen's involvement. He seems to know her from somewhere and doesn't like the fact that she sided with Magneto. Maybe he'll enlighten the rest of us one of these days. I've never seen him so brooding before.
"We found Bobby lying behind a canister of jet fuel. He's been in a coma ever since. "The Professor thinks one of Magneto's tame telepaths did something to him. He's been probing deep into Bobby's mind for several hours a day ever since we returned. No luck so far, but he's optimistic as usual. He promises that Bobby will be fit enough to start the new school year.
"Kitty and Kurt both got treated for shock. Sean told me that Fred is dead and that Kitty found the body. I guess it was just too much for her, because she's now having counseling sessions with the Professor. Kurt seemed to have pulled through ok, though. I just wish he'd get out more. He's spent all his time in the basement clinic sitting beside one or another of the people laid up down there. He's starting to withdraw more than usual, which is never a good sign. On the other hand, he hasn't bothered wearing his image inducer since we got back. Perhaps it just hasn't crossed his mind.
"Rogue was up and about a couple days later. The wings she'd grown receded on the plane, where she collapsed. The bloody holes in her back were a sight I'll never forget. It didn't take long for her to find a practical application for her power, however, because the first time Logan visited her in the clinic, she stole a little of his healing power and moved back upstairs. Unfortunately, she also managed to grab just the teensiest part of his personality as she did so. The rest of us had to avoid her for a while because that girl suddenly had a mouth on her. More so than usual, I mean.
"Kitty started complaining that their shared bedroom was starting to smell like cigarette smoke, so I guess that means she also picked up one of Logan's filthier habits too.
"We didn't find any sign of Pyro or Todd. There's still hope, I think.
"Wanda and Lance were both treated by Mr. McCoy with an anti-venom. They're both fine. They didn't use their powers at all once they'd figured out that it meant tearing themselves apart. Smarter than I'd pegged either of them. Wanda in particular has been spending most of her waking hours at Pietro's bedside. Lance spends most of his sitting on the cliff in the backyard. Neither of them is willing to talk about what Magneto did.
"Neither of them has gone back to the Brotherhood house, etiher. Scott and Alex went over there a few days ago to gather some items. Scott in particular looked positively ill. Apparently the boys and Wanda have been living in a hovel. He's going to ask the Professor if the three of them can move into the school. He hasn't said as much, but I know Scott and have no doubt that he's just building himself up for the right moment. It's just something he would do.
"We pulled the needle out of Pietro's back before getting on the airplane. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. Doctor MacTaggart turned out to have a medical degree as well as several others and she went ballistic when we got him back to the institute. The argument she had with the Professor was behind closed doors, but we're all aware that she's really torqued at "the idea of sending children into battle." Her words, not mine. Magneto's weapon had pierced several organs on the way through Pietro's body but, more devastating, it also bruised his spinal cord. He woke up a couple days after the first surgery, screaming. We could hear him throughout the entire mansion.
"Doctor MacTaggart said last night at dinner that he'll have to go through rehab if he wants to walk again. The table went very quiet and no one had much of an appetite after that. I think everyone who was there in the hangar was under the delusion that Magneto could have redirected the needle. I know better. I saw his eyes. I don't think there's any trace of the man the Professor calls Erik Lensherr behind the mask any more.
"There's only Magneto."
------
Finis.
------
Coming soon:
'Queen's Side Castle:' A field trip to upstate New York turns sour when the Hellfire Club makes an appearance on the scene. Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw are up to no good. As usual.
'The Long Road:' Pietro finds himself laid up for months as his spinal injury heals. Professor Xavier and the rest of the students do their best to integrate the remaining Brotherhood into their world, but it's a very rough time all around.