Title: Family Ties That Bind
Author: Monica
A/N: Part three is designed to confuse you. Hopefully I can figure a way out of the mess I made in the next chapters. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Per requests, I am updating sooner. See, I listen. So please review and tell me what you want to see, who you want to see, and what you don't want to see. Thanks!
Disclaimers: All recognizable characters belong to Marvel. I'm not making a dime.
"Where are you going?" Jean asked as Scott sauntered towards the front door. He had his leather jacket zipped to the top even though it was warm. He looked agitated. They had been working on math homework together when he suddenly leapt up from the table and disappeared.
"I'm going to stop trouble. Meaning my-soon-to-be-dead brother." Scott was checking the halls for professors that would stop him. All he had to do was get away from Jean, and then he'd be on his way. Unfortunately, it looked as if that wasn't going to be so easy.
Jean smiled. "How do you know he's getting into trouble?" Scott was so overprotective sometimes. It was kind of cute, in a way.
"Because he is no longer inside my head." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Scott realized how telling they were. Well, hell.
"A 'path, huh? And I bet Professor Xavier doesn't know." Jean knew she scored as Scott remained stubbornly silent. That was information for later, though. "Anyway, that doesn't mean he's in trouble. He's out…"
"With your sister." He nodded as the ramifications finally hit her. "I'm telling you, he was planning something that he knew I wouldn't like. Instead of listening to me rant and lecture him and then do exactly what he wanted in the first place, he simply went and did it."
"What, exactly, did he do?" Her voice was cold. If that little bastard hurt her baby sister…
"Well, I don't know and I'm not going to figure it out by standing around here."
"I'm coming with you."
"I don't think so, Red. Stay here just in case I'm wrong and he brings your sister back on time."
"I don't think so."
"Yeah, I don't think he will either. At least bring her home on time. Can't you do your little mind thing and ask her what's going on?" Scott was moving towards the door. He was racking his brain, trying to figure out where the brat would go. New York was a big city.
"I don't like to do that. It freaks Marie out because of all the voices in her head already."
"Fine, then sit here clueless. I'll be back later." And he simply left, leaving her staring at the closed door and trying to figure what went wrong. Damn the man!
Remy knew the minute he closed the link to his brother that Scott would be on his tail. That was why he didn't do it until he was seated in first class on a United airplane straight to Paris, France. He was still tapping his fingers nervously on the armrest. Then he glanced at his companion.
"Somet'ing wrong?" Marie was gripping the seat so hard that her knuckles were turning white.
"I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe it. I'm going to be sick." Marie glanced at Remy and realized that she would be getting no sympathy from him.
"You're fine. We haven't actually moved yet. If you want to get off…" She looked away from his hopeful face.
"Not on your life." Remy sat back against the seat and closed his eyes. Marie studied his face. He looked so young and vulnerable like this; silent and still. He had beautiful lashes that were long and curled. A delicate bone structure that wasn't quite feminine, but still soft. If only he would shut up, Marie thought, he could be the perfect guy.
Marie? The thought jarred her away from her musings.
What? You know, this is not the best time for a conversation. I'm on a date. Jean had sounded worried, which made her feel guilty. Maybe she really should get off the plane.
I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Marie shook her head. And then she had to go and play mother. Jeez, Jean.
I'm fine, Jean. I just want you to let me be alone every once in a while. Marie erected her shields and ignored the little voice in the back of her head. Well, Jean's and the one that said she should go home.
"Are t'ey already lookin' for us?" Remy asked, resigned. He didn't even bother to open his eyes.
"Seems like it."
"Well, unless Scott has learned t' fly, he couldn' get here before the plane takes off. Even if he knew exactly where t' go."
"That's reassuring." Great, no hope for a rescue.
"On the ot'er hand, our lil' vacation is probably goin' t' be cut short. Scott is annoyingly intuitive about where I'm gonna go. And wit' y' hangin' around…"
"My sister will hunt me down. And probably try to kill you. That will be fun to watch." Remy snorted and didn't look the least bit worried.
Marie squeezed her eyes closed as a voice filled the cabin from the overhead speakers. Remy shook her head and ordered a whiskey from the stewardess. He was going to try and get tanked before the plane hit the ground again. Anything to forget this day. And what he was running from.
"He is in Paris, Creed," Nathanial Essex said, his back turned toward the other man. He missed the look in Victor Creed's eyes. He missed the feral look of pleasure. Essex was concerned with only one thing. He wanted Remy back within his reach. He had plans for the boy.
"Do I bring him back here, or to the school?" He wanted to be able to bring him back to the lab. Essex could easily fix up whatever harm Creed had done to him. Remy was so much more fun than Scott. He was looking forward to the hunt.
"Take him back to the school. Make it seem as if he just decided to return." A low growl escaped Creed's throat, but he nodded curtly to his boss. He would arrive in Paris before the next evening.
"They're at the Xavier Institute. They think they're safe from me!" Jasper Grey yelled, his hands clenched in fists at his side. His drinking buddies, all members of the Friends of Humanity, egged on his feeling of outrage. He had no secrets. His friends knew that his two brats were filthy muties. They knew that they were thrown out of his house as soon as he knew. And they knew that he was very eager to end all "dirty" relationships. He was willing to kill his daughters.
"The Xavier Institute is a haven for those freaks! I say we make some plans and find a way to get rid of that place! As long as people accept muties, then we normal folk don't have a chance!" The leader of this section of the FOH nodded proudly at his followers. It was men like these that would give his people a chance. It was men like these who would do the dirty work for men like him.
At around two in the morning, Jean got tired of waiting for Remy, Marie, or Scott to come back. Apparently Xavier knew of their disappearance, and was quite angry. This wasn't the first time the boys had run off. Adding Marie into the equation was something new, though. Jean couldn't tell if Xavier was worried or angry with her. She hoped he was mad.
Just as she had decided to do a little sneaking out of her own, Jean saw a large car entering the grounds. Xavier and Logan went out to greet the person in that car. Perhaps she could hold off for a little while.
"Good Evening, Dr. Essex," Xavier said formally. "It seems as if your sons have taken off again. I cannot be held responsible if anything happens to them. I warned you the last time…"
"Perhaps the conversation should be taken indoors, Professor," Essex said smoothly. He straightened his cloak and led the way to the large double doors of the mansion. Logan and Xavier had no choice but to follow him.
Essex knew the way to Xavier's office, having been there numerous times when his boys got into trouble. He waited until everyone filed in, and then took over the conversation.
"I do not understand how it is that a fifteen year old boy continues to get the better of you. I am paying extra for you to keep them under your thumb. I thought that was what Logan was hired for. I offered to send my personal body guard down to watch over the boys, but you said that you would take care of it," On the exterior, Nathanial Essex was clam and cool, but on the inside he was roiling in anger. He hated dealing with incompetence.
"You lied to me, Essex. Remy has telepathy. You failed to mention this to me when the terms were set. How the hell am I supposed to contain the child if he can change the memory of everyone he meets? Logan was watching him, but your son sent him to occupy Scott. The only way for me to keep him under guard is if I watch every second of the day with my shields up at their maximum," Xavier was not doing quite a good job of keeping his cool. His voice rose with every other word. Pretty soon, Jean didn't have to plaster her ear against the key hole to hear what was going on.
"He's that strong? This must be explored," Essex muttered to himself. "Where's Scott?"
Xavier shook his head. "We'll find him with Remy. We didn't even bother trying to keep him in. We know where Remy went. He kidnapped another student and took her to Paris. Betsy is on her way over seas and Logan is scheduled to leave tomorrow. We'll have him back in two days."
"Never mind that. I sent Victor to bring him back here. When he arrives, I expect that he will be punished sufficiently. I will collect him at the discussed time. I do expect that he will be here." With that, Essex strode to the door. Jean had barely managed to hide behind the staircase before the door was flung open.
Well, I guess I don't have to go anywhere. She thought, heading upstairs to get ready for bed.
-----------------------
Scott was swearing every foul word and phrase he had ever learned. He was going to kill Remy. His father could put him back together without trouble.
Hey, Scottie. Y' pretty pissed? Remy was cautious. The last time Scott had lashed out through his mind he had a headache for a week.
Yes. Scott sent the images of Remy's death to him. Yelling at the kid never did anything useful. After fifteen years, Scott knew exactly how to scare him.
Jeez, Scottie. I'm sorry. I just needed to get away for a lil bit. I'm, uh, on my way back home. Scott didn't miss the faint panic that flared up. Remy had always been a touch sensitive.
Why? There was a long pause. Scott was beginning to think that Remy had simply disconnected, but then his voice was back in his head.
She started to cry.
Why?
She was scared about being so far. Worried about her sister. Scared about how much trouble she was in. God, I hate crying. Remy's voice shook over the connection. Anyway, father probably sent Victor to bring me back anyway. I'd rather not run into him.
Now you start thinking. We'll talk more when your ass is in New York. When should I pick you up?
Scott started to go back home. Since it was about four in the morning, he figured he could get about thirty minutes of sleep. It would have to do.Tomorrow morning at seven.
Victor grinned. Just who should be at the airport other than Ms. Betsy Braddock. She was a classy bitch from the Institute. If she thought that she was going to get her hands on Remy before he did, she was sadly mistaken.
He hated France. The sights, the smells, the bloody people were the worst. Figures the brat would go to the one place he knew that Creed hated. That would make this hunt even sweeter. To get the "kill" on the prey's home turf.
"Doesn't anyone use cell phones any more?" Marie grumbled as Remy informed her of the latest plans. He grinned and she felt her insides begin to melt. No, no, no. Not this time.
"I told him that you cried." She didn't feel that melty feeling any more. Nope. In fact, she wanted to smack him.
"You WHAT?!"
"He was not goin' t' believe t'at I didn' go t' Paris at all! I had t' make an excuse as t' why we're back in New York so soon."
"You're a bastard, you know that?"
"So's Scottie. My pere didn' marry neither of our mothers."
"Just shut up."
"Why? Y're so cute when y'r nostrils flare and y'r eye shoot sparks."
Marie poked him in the ribs. Hard. She smiled when Remy grunted. The airport was only a couple more blocks away.
"Why did you lie to your brother?"
"'Cause he expected me t'. About once every six months I run away and he has t' track me down before anyone else does. It's kinda tradition."
"Then why did you tell him where you're going to be?" Marie asked, thoroughly confused.
"Stop asking questions. T'ings are different now."
"I think your plan was ruined by my appearance. I think you couldn't take the chance that I'd tell anyone, so you had to take me along. I think…""Or you're just lying to me like you do with everyone else."
Remy fell silent.
"Well it's nice to know that one of you is finally thinking," Scott said, leaning against a sign that told visitors where to stand. "Now, what I'd like to know is if you're coming from a plane, why are you on the outside of the airport?"
"Merde."