"So you weren't here because of us?"
"Not exactly," replied Storm, seated in Nirambo's hut, where the Morlocks had gathered after returning from the battle.
"I was on my way to visit Nirambo," explained Storm. "Then I received a call from the Professor, stating how they'd seen you on the video tape, and he'd used Cerebro to trace you here, as well as the other Morlocks. I came to help."
"We're very grateful," stated Callisto. She was still wearing the tribal get-up the Hungan had forced on her, her old clothes probably lost in the conflagration. "If you hadn't shown up that fire could've gotten out of control."
"I am glad I could help," replied Ororo with a smile. "The Blackbird's all ready to take everyone home. Berzerker and Wolverine are taking care of the ship you stole, and the Professor says that since it was with the best intentions at heart, he is willing to make its owner 'mysteriously'," she quoted, using her fingers "Forget it was ever gone."
"I don't know what to say," replied Spyke, awed by his aunts generosity.
"A thank you is likely to suffice," commented Nirambo from the side.
"Thanks Auntie O," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "But we don't have to leave right away, do we? I mean, you wanted to visit Nirambo... we can stay here too... especially Callisto, she needs to recuperate."
"That's fine Spyke," she said. "I was planning to stay for only a few days."
"Scaleface can handle the others for that time," replied Callisto with a smile as she stood. "If you all will excuse me, there is something I must do," she said, as she left the hut. Spyke started to follow her, but a low rumble stopped him in his tracks, and with a blush he turned back to Nirambo.
"Uh, hey, anywhere I can grab some milk around here?"
"The family just a little ways to your left, they have some goats," replied Nirambo. "They can help provide you with some milk."
Spyke grumbled, his stomach growling in protest, but he had to have calcium, and soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Callisto was at the nearby river, washing away the white war-paint from her face, scrubbing it clean and watching in satisfaction as the hated mark of the Hungan was taken from her features. Grimacing, she splashes her cheeks again, checking her reflection in the water, and nodded in satisfaction. Though by no means a neat freak (being a Morlock tended to kill that habit pretty quick) she was rather happy now that she'd been cleaned off a bit. The clothes she could do without, and frankly she felt a little exposed in the midriff baring tribal gear, but she supposed they would do for now.
A tug at her wraparound skirt alerted her to Torpid, who was tugging at her leg, smiling up at her.
"Hey kid... I'm done here, what did you need?"
Torpid shook her head, pointing instead at Callisto.
"Don't need something... you wanted to give something to me?" she asked curiously. Torpid nodded.
Taking a short wooden stick, Torpid drew in the soft ground next to the river, as Callisto leaned in to get a better look. Though unable to speak, Torpid knew how to read and write, though the materials to do so were difficult to obtain in the sewers. A "C" and then an "E" and finally a great big heart, drawn around the two. Callisto's eye blinked, once, twice, as it fully impacted upon her.
"Callisto?!" came Spyke's distant call, and Torpid and she both glanced up uneasily as Spyke came blundering through the bush, his thick, sharp spikes snagging on the nearby trees, scarring them as the two women turned to meet him. Torpid scuffed her foot behind her, brushing away the markings she made in the ground.
"Oh hey, there you are..." he said, smiling. Callisto smiled as well. Torpid slinked back into the foliage, sensing the two of them wanted to be alone, so she made her way back to Nirambo's tribe and the other Morlocks. Callisto and Spyke hardly noticed, they only had eyes for one another.
"Uh, I just wanted to make sure you were okay," said Spyke nervously.
"I'm fine Evan," she replied, using his given name for the first time since he'd officially moved in with the Morlocks. "I just need to rest."
"I know a great place... if you want to, that is..." he started, but she smiled, making her way over to him and wrapping her arm around his.
"Sure, just lead the way," she said amiably, 'causing Spyke to blush further.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evan led Callisto to a place he'd only seen once before, when the Morlocks had first reached the tribe. It was a low cliff overhang on a small hill, just in the shade of the trees. From here, Callisto and Evan could see the entire African wilderness as far as the horizon stretched, 'til it met the burning red-golden sun as it set low in the distance. Evan and Callisto sat down, side by side, in companionable silence, just admiring the beauty.
Finally Evan broke the silence.
"So, uh, do you remember much of what happened to you while you were under the Hungan's control?" he asked, then mentally smacked himself for bringing up such a bad opening subject.
"Not really," she replied, casting her gaze skyward. "Mostly just vague images and the like... it wasn't all too clear."
"That's... that's good I guess," replied Evan, dropping his own gaze ashamedly.
"But I know who saved me," she added, resting a hand on Evan's shoulder (careful to avoid the spikes) and scooted in closer, smiling at him as he lifted his head. "And more importantly, I remember how they did it."
Before either could say another word their lips were preoccupied with a much more pleasant activity. Both were equally astonished, both were thinking it, had -been- thinking it since they'd been reunited at the river, but neither thought they had the guts to do it. Not that it mattered now. Eagerly they sought each other out, their lips sealed against one another's. Three eyes, two brown, one blue, closed as they leaned against one another, pouring out emotions they'd kept in check and to themselves since as long as they'd known each other. To Evan this was his first kiss, and with the girl he loved, and Callisto felt the same way, as they leaned into one another, unable to get enough.
Finally, slowly, reluctantly, the kiss broke, and they opened their eyes, gazing at one another, their lips still parted as they both took a few moments to catch their breath.\
"Callisto, I've been too scared to say this for a long time, but I love you," he said softly. "I've loved you since as long as we've known each other, since you saved my life at that skateboarding contest."
"I love you too Evan," she replied, equally soft. "Since you woke up in our sewers and said you wanted to help save us from a problem that wasn't yours."
Smiling, she leaned in, kissing him again, as Callisto gently leaned into Spyke, as he fell backwards onto the ground, drawing her down atop of him, as they lost themselves in the beautiful love of one another, which cleansed their souls of all the hardships, pain and suffering they'd gone through the past few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes:
Yay, Callisto/Evan kiss! Hehe, sorry to disappoint you all, but that's as graphic as this story is going to get. However, for those smut lovers, I am preparing a chapter that will not be posted concerning rather graphic love scene. Simply ask and ye shall receive. On a side note, some of you are doubtlessly confused by the ever interchanging of Spyke and Evan. Allow me to clarify. Spyke when he's serious, he's a guardian, he's a fighter, or when he's downright pissed. Evan when he's himself. Like the X-Men, the codenames are their hero selves. Since most of the Morlocks don't have codenames (or only have codenames) they're easier to pick for any given situation.
Todd fan: Glad you liked it.
Kukume: Oh definently, mothers always have that sense. Just like they can sense us raiding the cookie jar. Thank you for the compliment, I shall store it up in my tree with all the others I'm gathering for winter. There's one more chapter after this (not counting the special request omitted chapter) but that's it for now. I'm going to leave the Morlocks to their happy ending and wander off to torment some other characters.
Elrohirthewriter: How about this Callisto/Evan, eh?
Raliena: Glad you like.