Chapter 10: Mr. & Mrs. Adam Kane-- Already?

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Almost as soon as the team arrived, everyone filed into the cafeteria for a meeting. Sure, everyone thought it unusual for one to occur so soon after a rescue operation, but nothing could have prepared them for what happened next in the room. After they had gathered around one of the tables, Adam remained standing as he said, "Everyone, I want to discuss something with you all." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sure that you know by now what my beginnings in science were. Eckhart most likely told you all about it, but I wish to clarify things about them.

"When I first started out, my motive was purely to correct any and all imbalances that occur inside human bodies. For instance, if one person had Cerebral Palsy, I would set out to find a way to put the needed chemistry to correct brain cell problems, correct bone structure, and arrange for physical therapy for the patient, like I had to do with Emma. Soon after the body and brain cells had recieved their proper treatments, however, Emma returned to me, explaining that something had happened to cause her to hear other people's thoughts.

"Upon looking at her follow-up CAT scan, I noticed that the areas in the brain that had been affected by Cerebral Palsy, which I had corrected, had mutated to extraordinary levels, and some of the chemicals had also escaped into the blood stream. They then went throughout her body and affected her heart, the result of which I suppose took her life during the battle when I came up missing.

"Once I realized that Emma and you all had special gifts, I knew that you would all be in danger one day. With that knowledge, I established Sanctuary, hidden in the mountains to keep men like Eckhart from getting their way and using you all for scientific research. At first, I had hoped to find ways to correct the imbalances which had occured within you, physically and mentally. But I soon realized that all of you who were already at Sanctuary had the common interest of wanting to use your abilities to protect other people, regardless of whether or not either they or you had any mutations.

"That is the reason I had decided to create Mutant X. You see, had word gotten out, by way of tabloids or newspapers or even Eckhart himself, none of you would be safe from anyone who might use any of you for financial, personal, or scientific gain."

After a few silent seconds, Hope said, "Adam?"

Looking right at her, he replied, "Yes, Hope?"

Hesitating for a milisecond, she said, "On the day before I escaped Genomex, I was cleaning out one of the rooms when I saw a piece of paper on the desk, with your handwriting. After I read it myself, I realized that it was a diary entry, written in the form of an apology letter. I then decided to take it with me to show your friends in hopes that its message would revive their trust in you.

I had heard Eckhart tell your friends about what you were just talking about, but he left out most of the fact, so I knew they needed encouragement. I, ah, hope you're not mad at me for giving it to them."

Adam's smile assured her as he said, "Don't worry about it, Hope! Actually, sometime last week, Eckhart tried to make me write a fake confession, meaning that I had to list for all of you the things that he did that he wanted me to take the blame for. I actually wrote two letters- the fake confession (I put his name where mine was to go and, since he hasn't read it yet, he doesn't know what he's gotten into) and the diary entry-style letter, which Eckhart tried to throw away.

"Thankfully he's so forgetful that he must have misplaced it and, because of that, you got the truth out before it was too late. Thank you very much- I will never be able to repay you." Placing his hand on her shoulder, as she was sitting next to him, his gesture told Hope that his gratitude was beyond words.

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That day, about midway through the afternoon, Adam and Aurora left together, claiming that they had a short errand to run outside of Sanctuary. Everyone thought that it was suspicious, but they decided to wait until they got back to ask. During their absence, Jesse, Shalimar, Brennan, Hope, and Darien sat in front of the wide-screen television in the entertainment room, watching another one of Hope's "Moon Girl" DVDs.

Lexa watched them, envious of their close friendships. When she was a little girl, her father and twin brother had been her only sources of comfort after her mother's death. All that changed the day that she learned that she was pyrokenetic. Leaving them to watch their DVD, she went into the control room and, sitting at her desk, started reminicing about that day, unaware that Jesse would soon be following after her.

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----Flashback----

The little girl Lexa sat dejectedly on a light yellow couch and cried uncontrolably. The corrective brain surgery had gone well, but now there was a new problem- she had set Dr. Kane's office window shade on fire by accident. Thankfully he had simply decided to give her a CAT scan, run a few tests, and send her home, explaining to Jeremiah Pierce, Lexa's father, that he wasn't sure if the surgery was completely successful. Upon their arrival at their house, Jeremiah sat her down and gently asked, "Lexa, sweetheart, what's the matter? What happened? Did Dr. Kane hurt you?"

With a sniffle, she replied softly, "No, Daddy- he didn't hurt me. I'm the one who-" another sniffle, "-the one who started the fire in his office, Daddy! I didn't mean to- I swear I didn't!"

"Sweetheart, you couldn't have started that fire- there weren't any matches or cigarette lighter!"

"I'm so different from the other girls, Daddy, because I can start fires simply by thought, not those things." Looking up at her father, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Daddy- I set Dr. Kane's window shade on fire because I was mad at Sandy Carlisle for making fun of me!"

Soon thereafter, Mr. Pierce took Lexa and her brother down to Genomex and left them there- and they remained there until the day they managed to escape, each on different days.

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----Flashforward----

A clickety-click from one of the other computers drew Lexa back into the present. Looking towards the sound, she realized it was Jesse, the phaser mutant. He looked back at her and nodded, so, in an attempt to avoid any conversation, she nodded back. Her attempt, however, failed to make Jesse forget why he was trying to talk to her.

"It might help to talk about it, Lexa," he said in a mix of concern and, surprizing even to him, a little bit of caring.

"Talk about what?" Lexa asked in an attempt to act disinterested.

"Whatever happened to you. Something has upset you, and I'm not going to give up until I know what happened." The caring was suddenly more evident than the concern.

"Then you'll have to wait for a long time, Jess, because I'm not going to tell you anything." She was scared- she wasn't feeling pesemistic anymore, but she was starting to feel- love?

"Then I will wait, Lexa." He knew it wouldn't be very long until she would tell him, so he sat there, still typing, still researching for somehow to make individual vehicles that would attach to and detach from the Double Helix- still waiting for Lexa to tell him what she had gone through and how she felt now.

An hour passed and there was still no sign of either Adam or Aurora, when Lexa whispered, "My father left my brother and I at Genomex when I was a little girl. I still feel betrayed, but I know he was probably afraid for my sake. I just don't know if I can forgive him or not." A tear went down her cheek, as she said, "I guess that's why I've been afraid of opening my heart to guys, because I think that they might betray me, too."

Then, as he slowly made his way to the computer she was at, Jesse softly replied, "Do you think I would myself, with as long as you've been around me?"

His voice was so gentle, a tone that sounded like he was handling a breakable item of precious value, that Lexa had to admit that it had melted the ice around her wounded heart as it healed it. Then, in a slightly shy voice, she honestly answered, "With the length of time that we've been around each other, I know that none of you would betray me- especially not you, Jess."

She stood as he reached her, shivvering, although this time without any fear of betrayal, as he leaned closer to her and whispered, "And I never- and I mean never- will betray you, Lexa." This time, without any time to doubt his words, Lexa allowed him to kiss her. It was so gentle that a tear sprung to her eye- a tear of ease and happiness. And, with his promise to her affirmed, she slowly broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. Concerned, Jesse asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Jess- you did something right, actually. You helped me to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that not everyone knows how to betray, regardless of whether or not they themselves were betrayed." Lexa said softly. "Thank you, for caring for me."

Jesse then cupped her chin in his hand and said, "You're welcome." And, with that, he kissed her again, a kiss to which she responded, before they went into the entertainment room hand in hand.

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"I think I know where they went, you guys," Hope said as she removed the DVD they had just finished watching. The "they" she was talking about were Adam and Aurora, who had been gone for what was going on three hours, making it around six o'clock in the evening.

"Oh, really?" Darien asked. "Then tell us, oh wise lady!"

Placing the DVD in its' case, she said, "They're going to Vegas to get married."

"WHAT!" The others shouted in utter astonishment.

Looking directly at the group, she said, "Come one, people; think about it! First, they were all starry-eyed when we started back after rescuing Adam. Then, as soon as we left the cafeteria after the meeting, they stayed behind, whispering and giggling like teenagers. And now, it's a little after six in the evening, and they're still not back yet! And, in addition to all of this, while we were returning, I spotted Adam signing the word 'Vegas' to my mom, to which she signed back 'Tonight' and he told her 'Yes!' I mean, put two and two together, you guys; wouldn't it be totally obvious by now that their absence wouldn't just be for a joyride or shopping for groceries or mall-hopping?"

The thought was beginning to make sense with the others- ever since Adam had returned, there had been some chemistry going on, and it wasn't just a combo of soda powder and vinagar.

"Hope must be right- when I was deaf, before Adam corrected it, I would often use sign language myself, to communicate with others," Darien said. "I even took a sign language class during my first year in college, where Hope and I just so happened to meet each other. And I saw them signing with each other, too, but I didn't really think anything about it until Hope spoke up."

"And Hope is absolutely correct, guys," came a voice from the visual communicator. Looking at the screen, they realized that it was Adam, who had aparently overheard their conversation. Right beside him was Aurora, who waved her left hand for everyone to see the ring on her finger. "We're returning to Sanctuary to get a few things and drop of the Helix, and then we'll be going on a week-long cruise."

"Wow!" Shalimar said in surprise. "We knew you'd get married soon, but we had no idea that you'd get married today; that's so cool! Congrats!"

"Thanks, everyone! Well," said Aurora, "we're leaving the Los Vegas city limit now, so we'll probably get there anywhere around ten or eleven, so don't wait up if you don't want to. Gotta run now- bye!" They hung up, leaving their startled pupils to their confusion.

"With the way they're acting right now, I'd say they totally miscalculated the time they'd be back on purpose," said Lexa. "It'll probably be around- I dunno, maybe midnight before they're back."

"And it's a good thing they did, Lexa." Hope chimed. Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she asked, "Anyone up for a surprise wedding reception, slash slumber party?"

Her plan was met with an enthusiastic, unanimous, "OH YEAH! PAR-TAY!"