Blix: I'm working on it as fast as I can! Lol. It's hard juggling four X-men stories at once. What the hell was I thinking?!
Snoob: Thanks. I hope I never have to spend a month away again. I was having severe withdrawal symptoms. Lol.
L.Harma: Thank you so very much. It's reviews like your Chp7 one that really keeps me typing on. And I already emailed you about your story. I hope you got it.
Vegeta: Hey, married people need their action. Lol.
Chapter Eight
Cries of a Child
Logan prowled the halls of the school, utterly pissed. His solid, stiff body and angry scowl was a warning to back off or risk having a meeting with his claws. Yet, despite his hard eyes and clenched jaw, he didn't look as threatening as he would like. It was difficult being a bad ass when you were holding a toddler on your hip.
Charlie found his father's rampage amusing, squealing with joy whenever Logan would stomp up or down a staircase. He would wave at the students who scurried by, babbling about anything and everything in vain. He didn't understand why no one would stop and answer him.
They were passing Xavier's office when Charlie suddenly yelled: "Daddy, stop! Stop, pwease!" He wiggled in his father's arms, desperate to back track.
Logan eyed him oddly, but obliged the young child. "What is it?"
Charlie pointed to the thick oak door. "In there, daddy. Go in there, pwease."
Logan growled, frustrated. "Why? He's not home, yet. He won't be in there."
Charlie clenched his jaw and hissed, sounding much like Wolverine. "Daddy," he half-whined, half-scolded. "Pwease. Go in there. Gwanpa says so."
Logan wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. "Your grandpa ain't here."
"I hear him. He says go in there." Charlie sighed, fed up with trying to explain himself.
Logan tapped Charlie's forehead. "Do you hear him up here?"
"Yes! Now, pwease, go in there!"
Logan, slightly amazed and startled, nodded. "Sure thing, bub." He stepped back and opened Xavier's door, peering inside. "I don't see nothin'."
Charlie frowned, seemingly listening to something Logan couldn't hear. And then he shrieked, his cry bloodcurdling and piercing. Logan nearly dropped the baby, his sensitive ears ringing sharply. He clasped a hand over Charlie's mouth, desperate to silence the screeching, and ran down the hall.
Ahead of them, Jubilee came bursting out of a bathroom, startled. She saw Logan rushing towards her, his hand over Charlie's mouth. The baby was shrieking in pure terror. "Logan," she cried out and then raced down the corridor, bursting into one of the classrooms.
Instantly, Rogue came flying out, her face frightened.
Logan handed Charlie off to her. With his mouth now free, Charlie's screaming was earsplitting. Logan covered his ears, wincing in pain.
Rogue cradled her baby to her, rubbing her hand down his back and through his hair. "Shh, baby, shh. Mommy's here. Mommy's here. Please, please, shh. Calm down, Charlie. It's ok, sweatheart." She glanced to Logan, dazed and lost – not too mention scared shitless. What was wrong with her son?
Charlie buried his face into his mother's shoulder, his screaming turning into wails as tears cascaded down his chubby cheeks. Rogue nuzzled her cheek against his downy head. "Shh, it's ok, baby. Mommy is here. Mommy will take care of you."
Logan his head bowed, hands still covering his ears, glanced up at her stunned.
Rogue stared back at him. "What the hell happened," she mouthed.
Logan shook his head, slowly removing his hands. "I don't know," he said. "He told me he could hear Xavier in his head telling him to go into his office. We poked our heads in. There was nothing there. And then Charlie just started screaming."
Rogue licked her lips nervously. She kissed Charlie's hand that was clutching a handful of her hair. "It's ok, baby. Let's go upstairs."
Logan trailed behind her as Rogue led the way to their bedroom. He was baffled, but more importantly he was afraid. A child didn't just shriek like that for any reason. Something had truly petrified him.
Rogue lay on the large bed, cradling Charlie against her. Logan hesitated before gently joining them, laying on the opposite side of Charlie, the small child shielded between his parents. He looked to Rogue for a course of action.
Rogue smoothed down Charlie's shirt. "Baby, what's wrong? Can you tell Mommy what happened?"
Charlie, his face pressed into her bosom, shivered, shaking his head. "No," he sobbed. "Daddy's in the water."
Rogue's eyes flicked up to her husband's questioningly. Logan shrugged. He didn't have any idea as to what Charlie meant. He reached out and stroked Charlie's back. "No, buddy, I'm right here. I ain't in the water."
"No! Daddy's in the water scweaming."
"What else do you see," Rogue prodded tenderly.
"Bwood. Sharp things. Bad men."
Logan gasped, his breath lodging in his throat. Dear God, please no. Anything but this.
"What else," Rogue whispered, fearing his answer.
"Daddy's in the water. Bwood. Scweaming. Men laughing." Charlie wept, shaking his head over and over again. "Mommy! Mommy save him! Save Daddy, pwease! Pwease, save him!"
End Chapter Eight