Family Forgotten
Chapter 7: The Proposal
Have to admit that this felt weird, putting Kitty and I in a relationship would not only be different but I don't know how the others would take it. I know that my father and Ororo are going to get married but she is also in her thirties and Kitty is only in her twenties. Oh well I will have to see how he would deal with it and then decide what to do. I found my father out in the danger room training with the machines alongside Colossus. They were working hard keeping the weapons at bay but they were winning. The two of them were working in tag team, Colossus would take care of the equipment on the floor level while he would launch my father out to take on the higher weaponry. I could see from the window in the door that it was going well until one of the tentacles from the wall snuck up behind them and grabbed Colossus by the ankle. My father went to go and cut it but another caught him around the waist and held his arms while one of the laser guns took aim. The main door cannot be opened from the outside during a session so I unsheathed my claws and cut a large hole in the steel paneling of the door. I kept asking myself why the room wouldn't stop, there was a safety feature installed for a situation just in case someone could be killed by one of the machines. I finally got in and ran toward my father and Colossus in the center of the room, they were they bound in the center of the room with the one gun charging up an attack. I had two choices my father or the gun, I chose the gun and went for it as it blasted a shot nailing me right in the center of my chest.
"JACK!!!" my father cried as I flew back across the room making a dent in the far wall falling to the floor unconscious.
. . .
I awoke sometime later I was in a hospital bed in the medical wing of the mansion, tied to other machines and such. My body still ached, more so at base of my tail. Checking behind I looked to find that it was gone! I was probably out for about a day or so, so they must have removed it. I sat up a bit and watched as Hank walked in through the doors to come and check up on me.
"Oh, you're awake I figured you be out for a bit longer than that," hank told me holding a chart.
"How long have I been out?" I asked him swinging out over the bed. "Where are the others, better yet. How are the others?"
"Well about three days actually. That crash into the wall you took dented your adamantium spine and we needed to do a little surgery to correct it," he informed me checking the monitors. "You know you had Kitty and Logan both really freaked out by this little incident but they will be fine. Scott had come down and was able to help them before anybody got seriously hurt."
"Really? My father actually concerned about someone that's a first," I said to him chuckling a bit. "Don't get me wrong I'm still happy that no one was injured. And oh by the way why did you remove my tail?"
"When you hit the wall your tail was crushed and too badly damaged for your body to heal so we removed it while we fixed your back. We also pulled up a scan and you and found something really remarkable."
"What's that? Am I going to grow my tail back naturally or something?" I questioned jokingly.
"Well almost," hank said passing me the clipboard.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked taking the clipboard from his hands.
"Your body somehow rejuvenated and produced new forms of the X gene in your body..."
"So I might have another mutation, is what you're telling me," I said cutting him off.
"That is if it doesn't stay dormant," he added pulling up a chair.
"But how can my body produce new genes. That's all within my blood and I couldn't change it unless I was developing right from the beginning again."
"That's true, but we will take it with a grain of salt and continue from there. So far I think it might be because of the loss of your tail that might have affected it, having your body so used to it might have altered your DNA and triggered the growth of a new one. But I suggest you get dressed and meet up with the professor. I'm positive he would like to meet with you about this," Hank told me walking off.
I gathered my things a headed up stairs to the Professor's office over in the far wing of the school section of the mansion. The hallways were cold, but then again it could have been just me. I moved onward slowly stepping through the door to the elevator and there was Kitty waiting for me.
"Jack!" she yelled jumping into my arms.
"Nice to see you too Kitty," I told her setting her down.
"Don't you ever do that to me again! You could have been killed you know that!" she told me sternly.
"Yeah but at least I got there before my father was cooked."
"That's true...but still. Just don't do that again! Ok! You scared the shit out of me!" she went on embracing me in a hug.
"Kitty..." I began as she looked up at me. "I'm sorry," I told her giving her a kiss and leading her over to the elevator.
"By the way what do you think about not having your tail anymore?" she asked placing her hand where it used to be.
"It'll be different but I think I'll be able to get over it," I told her walking on.
From there we went up and walked about the mansion allowing me to stretch out a bit. A thought lingered in my mind though while we were moving about the halls in the house, why hadn't the equipment stopped for my father and Colossus. Who was in the control booth while they fought? I thought I should have a look up there before anything and see what was up. Kitty and I made our way over to the school section of the mansion and walked to the far end of the hall were the Professor's office was located. Stepping through the door he seemed pleased to see Kitty and I.
"Hello there Jack, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better and you have compensated with the loss of your tail."
"Thank you Professor, but not having a tail will take some time to get used to but I think I will manage," I told him taking a seat.
"Good the great to hear but we have to get on to business. About the new X-genes in you blood. We will have to monitor them closely considering that we don't know what will come of them and how your body will react to two mutating bodies within yourself," he told me. "So I am going to give you this..." he hands me a watch "...It is a monitor tuned to your genes. If one of your new X-genes becomes active it will alert you and then we will find something to do about it."
"Thank you Professor," I told him taking the watch and strapping to my wrist.
"Your welcome now lets get back to a normal day shall we," he tells me going back to his computer.
"What's normal around here?" I ask him jokingly walking out of the room with Kitty in hand leaving the Professor to laugh to himself.
Just outside the room we found Kurt moving about with Rogue close at hand talking about my accident. "Oh Jack I see you are up."
"Yeah just had a talk with the professor about my new X-genes," I informed them.
"What the Professor is going to start a clothing line or something?" Rogue questioned seeming confused.
"No, my X-genes the ones that allow me to heal and sustain my heightened senses."
"Oh those genes. Did you just say that you have NEW ONES?" she questioned looking at me funny.
"Yeah somehow when I was recovering new ones were produced and I may have a new mutation. But so far they are dormant and we are watching them to see when or if they are event going to become active," I told the two of them.
"You know that is a little weird. I mean your first mutation may have caused a second," Kurt says picking a dirt clod off the tip of his tail. "Yeah word got around that your tail had to be removed eh."
"Yeah, I know but like I've been telling everyone else I will get over it," I told the blue acrobat. "Well we better be off, I'm hungry as hell and I still need to speak with my father so I guess we'll see you guys around?"
"I guess so. Oh by the way what did the professor say to your new blood thingies?" Rouge asked.
"Well we're going to keep an eye on them. If these new genes go active he'll know about them."
"Oh ok, well I guess we'll see you guys later then,"
"Yeah see ya."
From there we went our separate ways and I had soon made my way down into the kitchen were I started to swallow almost any edible item that was placed in front of my face. And coincidentally ninety percent of that food made it back up due to the shrinkage of my stomach. To tell you the truth I wasn't sure Kitty was amused or either sickened by what I had made of the food. But give or take an hour later I was satisfied and my stomach could have never been bigger. Coincidently my father happened to walk through the door as we were about to leave.
"Ungh, Kitty would you excuse us for a bit, I'd like to have a word with my father in private if I would please?" I asked her.
"Yeah sure I'll just be outside if you need me," she replied stepping through and out the door.
"Thanks."
"So kiddo what do you need to talk to me about?" my father asked as I shut the door and walked over to sit at the table.
"Well it is about the whole me and Kitty thing. To tell you the truth I really don't know how to take it considering the age difference between the two of us," I explained to him.
"Yeah I know just how you feel but look at it this way you will just have to make a choice on the matter. Between Ororo and I we have thought it as a simple matter of do we really care for each other? We do, so we went further and started planning our wedding. You have to ask yourself that same question kid, do you love her?"
"Yes I do. We've been there for each other for the longest of times I wouldn't think of it any other way."
"Well then does the age thing bother you now, now that you yourself can say that you love this girl?" he asked looking at his son square in the eye.
"No, it doesn't bother me anymore..." I said slowly.
"There you go then, there is nothing wrong," he said sitting back in his seat. "How long have you been seeing each other?"
"Well, officially it has only been about a week or so but we have been close now for the past couple months," I informed him.
"Well then I would give it some more time before you go jumping into a marriage proposal, I mean I know that you feel this way about her but you should really just give it some more time and that way you can be sure that she is really the one and only for you," Logan told me getting up from his chair and moving to the fridge for something to drink.
"How long would you recommend?" I asked him as he drew a beer from a hidden compartment in the fridge.
"You know I think if you gave it say a year then you might have a better idea as to what you are looking at. Oh this might seem a little off topic but uh, what did Charles want to talk to you about?"
"Oh when I got banged up there those couple days ago you guys removed my tail and then when you ran another scan for damages they found that there were dormant forms of the x gene in my DNA. Long story short, I might have another mutation occurring," I told him as he stood there silent.
"Well if they have been there all a long they shouldn't be doing anything, they will stay that way up till you die."
"Well not true, a lot of the mutations that happen are sudden and they just happen. But there are others that kick in during high periods of stress say during an injury or emotional stress," I informed him getting up and walking to the door.
"Well I know that the professor will be watching you like a hawk, just so nothing serious happens to you."
"Yeah he gave me this monitor that will watch the genes in my body and it will relay a signal to him when something happens."
"Good cause this is a serious matter and we need nothing happening to ya," he said finishing off his beer tossing the can into the trash bin beside him.
From there we left this little discussion between the two of us and I watched and anxiously awaited the day when I could ask the woman I loved for her hand in marriage. The fear of my mutation slowly went away, as I began to focus on my new student body and what they were going to learn in the up and coming semesters. Seasons changed and times were quiet as we began to grow and more people began to accept us as people and not abominations. In fact there was a hearing to allow for mutant based content to enter the media and by a slim margin we got it.
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon and there were a few people watching tv while other students were off staying with their parents over the weeklong Easter break. Kitty and I were doing great and now the professor had allowed us to have a single bedroom on the other side of the dorm so we were now staying with each other and we were really enjoying ourselves. Yes I know what you're thinking can a man of my age really have great sex, I don't know you should really ask her about that. And guess what the answer is rhetorical. But that is beside the point, her and I were going to have a quiet diner just for the two of us and I think then is the time that I will propose.
As for the day it drug itself out which was nice because I wanted time to prepare the meal and set up the dining area. I used some of the mansion's finer china and cooked a beautiful steak dinner with peas and mashed potatoes with a loaf of crisp and buttered French bread. Also accompanying the meal there was a light garden salad with a nice vinaigrette dressing. The excuse for cooking the meal was that I hadn't done this in a while and that I though it would be a nice happening for the evening. We put on some nice clean clothes and made our way down to the dining room, as I opened the doors she couldn't believe her eyes at what lay before her on the table. The room was candle lit and a light aroma of the meal awaiting filled the room and our noses.
"You were right we haven't done this for a while."
"I know that's kind of the reason I went over the top and made this one extra special," I told her pulling out a chair of her.
"No kidding this is extra special there aren't many times where you will make a large meal like this just for the two of us...there are just two of us right? Right?" she questioned comically.
"Yes, I was just in the mood for cooking so that's what I did, I cooked."
"Oh...Well fine by me," she said as I laid her napkin across her thighs.
Pulling up a seat next to her we began our meal and the food was great, I even surprised myself at how well I had cooked this meal. Soon enough we were just talking and enjoying each other's company when I decided to go for it. Acting clumsy, which wasn't too far from the ordinary, I made it look as if I dropped a spoon on the floor. Getting out of my seat I went to go pick it up. Kneeling there I began...
"You know, I have a question to ask you," I said calmly and bluntly as I retrieved the spoon but didn't rise to my feet.
"Oh yeah, well shoot," she said looking down at me.
"Well...Katherine Pryde would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
She was speechless, she couldn't talk, even as I drew the ring from my coat pocket she still couldn't talk. Holding the ring up for her to see she finally was able to squeak those few words out...
"Holy shit, of course I will," she said holding her hand out.
I then took her hand and slid the ring into place, it was like magic. The tears slowly began to swell in her eyes as I got up slowly and gave her a light kiss, one that would surely be remembered for the rest of our lives.
"Oh thank you Jack, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect place," she said still crying.
"Your welcome, now how about we tell the others shall we?"
"Oh not yet, you and I have some business we have to attend to first."
"Oh and what could that be?" I asked as all she had to do was point up and I immediately got the message. "Right! That first, then we tell the others, I gotcha."
From here I won't go into any details but to make a long story short...it was a looong evening.
Chapter 7: The Proposal
Have to admit that this felt weird, putting Kitty and I in a relationship would not only be different but I don't know how the others would take it. I know that my father and Ororo are going to get married but she is also in her thirties and Kitty is only in her twenties. Oh well I will have to see how he would deal with it and then decide what to do. I found my father out in the danger room training with the machines alongside Colossus. They were working hard keeping the weapons at bay but they were winning. The two of them were working in tag team, Colossus would take care of the equipment on the floor level while he would launch my father out to take on the higher weaponry. I could see from the window in the door that it was going well until one of the tentacles from the wall snuck up behind them and grabbed Colossus by the ankle. My father went to go and cut it but another caught him around the waist and held his arms while one of the laser guns took aim. The main door cannot be opened from the outside during a session so I unsheathed my claws and cut a large hole in the steel paneling of the door. I kept asking myself why the room wouldn't stop, there was a safety feature installed for a situation just in case someone could be killed by one of the machines. I finally got in and ran toward my father and Colossus in the center of the room, they were they bound in the center of the room with the one gun charging up an attack. I had two choices my father or the gun, I chose the gun and went for it as it blasted a shot nailing me right in the center of my chest.
"JACK!!!" my father cried as I flew back across the room making a dent in the far wall falling to the floor unconscious.
. . .
I awoke sometime later I was in a hospital bed in the medical wing of the mansion, tied to other machines and such. My body still ached, more so at base of my tail. Checking behind I looked to find that it was gone! I was probably out for about a day or so, so they must have removed it. I sat up a bit and watched as Hank walked in through the doors to come and check up on me.
"Oh, you're awake I figured you be out for a bit longer than that," hank told me holding a chart.
"How long have I been out?" I asked him swinging out over the bed. "Where are the others, better yet. How are the others?"
"Well about three days actually. That crash into the wall you took dented your adamantium spine and we needed to do a little surgery to correct it," he informed me checking the monitors. "You know you had Kitty and Logan both really freaked out by this little incident but they will be fine. Scott had come down and was able to help them before anybody got seriously hurt."
"Really? My father actually concerned about someone that's a first," I said to him chuckling a bit. "Don't get me wrong I'm still happy that no one was injured. And oh by the way why did you remove my tail?"
"When you hit the wall your tail was crushed and too badly damaged for your body to heal so we removed it while we fixed your back. We also pulled up a scan and you and found something really remarkable."
"What's that? Am I going to grow my tail back naturally or something?" I questioned jokingly.
"Well almost," hank said passing me the clipboard.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked taking the clipboard from his hands.
"Your body somehow rejuvenated and produced new forms of the X gene in your body..."
"So I might have another mutation, is what you're telling me," I said cutting him off.
"That is if it doesn't stay dormant," he added pulling up a chair.
"But how can my body produce new genes. That's all within my blood and I couldn't change it unless I was developing right from the beginning again."
"That's true, but we will take it with a grain of salt and continue from there. So far I think it might be because of the loss of your tail that might have affected it, having your body so used to it might have altered your DNA and triggered the growth of a new one. But I suggest you get dressed and meet up with the professor. I'm positive he would like to meet with you about this," Hank told me walking off.
I gathered my things a headed up stairs to the Professor's office over in the far wing of the school section of the mansion. The hallways were cold, but then again it could have been just me. I moved onward slowly stepping through the door to the elevator and there was Kitty waiting for me.
"Jack!" she yelled jumping into my arms.
"Nice to see you too Kitty," I told her setting her down.
"Don't you ever do that to me again! You could have been killed you know that!" she told me sternly.
"Yeah but at least I got there before my father was cooked."
"That's true...but still. Just don't do that again! Ok! You scared the shit out of me!" she went on embracing me in a hug.
"Kitty..." I began as she looked up at me. "I'm sorry," I told her giving her a kiss and leading her over to the elevator.
"By the way what do you think about not having your tail anymore?" she asked placing her hand where it used to be.
"It'll be different but I think I'll be able to get over it," I told her walking on.
From there we went up and walked about the mansion allowing me to stretch out a bit. A thought lingered in my mind though while we were moving about the halls in the house, why hadn't the equipment stopped for my father and Colossus. Who was in the control booth while they fought? I thought I should have a look up there before anything and see what was up. Kitty and I made our way over to the school section of the mansion and walked to the far end of the hall were the Professor's office was located. Stepping through the door he seemed pleased to see Kitty and I.
"Hello there Jack, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better and you have compensated with the loss of your tail."
"Thank you Professor, but not having a tail will take some time to get used to but I think I will manage," I told him taking a seat.
"Good the great to hear but we have to get on to business. About the new X-genes in you blood. We will have to monitor them closely considering that we don't know what will come of them and how your body will react to two mutating bodies within yourself," he told me. "So I am going to give you this..." he hands me a watch "...It is a monitor tuned to your genes. If one of your new X-genes becomes active it will alert you and then we will find something to do about it."
"Thank you Professor," I told him taking the watch and strapping to my wrist.
"Your welcome now lets get back to a normal day shall we," he tells me going back to his computer.
"What's normal around here?" I ask him jokingly walking out of the room with Kitty in hand leaving the Professor to laugh to himself.
Just outside the room we found Kurt moving about with Rogue close at hand talking about my accident. "Oh Jack I see you are up."
"Yeah just had a talk with the professor about my new X-genes," I informed them.
"What the Professor is going to start a clothing line or something?" Rogue questioned seeming confused.
"No, my X-genes the ones that allow me to heal and sustain my heightened senses."
"Oh those genes. Did you just say that you have NEW ONES?" she questioned looking at me funny.
"Yeah somehow when I was recovering new ones were produced and I may have a new mutation. But so far they are dormant and we are watching them to see when or if they are event going to become active," I told the two of them.
"You know that is a little weird. I mean your first mutation may have caused a second," Kurt says picking a dirt clod off the tip of his tail. "Yeah word got around that your tail had to be removed eh."
"Yeah, I know but like I've been telling everyone else I will get over it," I told the blue acrobat. "Well we better be off, I'm hungry as hell and I still need to speak with my father so I guess we'll see you guys around?"
"I guess so. Oh by the way what did the professor say to your new blood thingies?" Rouge asked.
"Well we're going to keep an eye on them. If these new genes go active he'll know about them."
"Oh ok, well I guess we'll see you guys later then,"
"Yeah see ya."
From there we went our separate ways and I had soon made my way down into the kitchen were I started to swallow almost any edible item that was placed in front of my face. And coincidentally ninety percent of that food made it back up due to the shrinkage of my stomach. To tell you the truth I wasn't sure Kitty was amused or either sickened by what I had made of the food. But give or take an hour later I was satisfied and my stomach could have never been bigger. Coincidently my father happened to walk through the door as we were about to leave.
"Ungh, Kitty would you excuse us for a bit, I'd like to have a word with my father in private if I would please?" I asked her.
"Yeah sure I'll just be outside if you need me," she replied stepping through and out the door.
"Thanks."
"So kiddo what do you need to talk to me about?" my father asked as I shut the door and walked over to sit at the table.
"Well it is about the whole me and Kitty thing. To tell you the truth I really don't know how to take it considering the age difference between the two of us," I explained to him.
"Yeah I know just how you feel but look at it this way you will just have to make a choice on the matter. Between Ororo and I we have thought it as a simple matter of do we really care for each other? We do, so we went further and started planning our wedding. You have to ask yourself that same question kid, do you love her?"
"Yes I do. We've been there for each other for the longest of times I wouldn't think of it any other way."
"Well then does the age thing bother you now, now that you yourself can say that you love this girl?" he asked looking at his son square in the eye.
"No, it doesn't bother me anymore..." I said slowly.
"There you go then, there is nothing wrong," he said sitting back in his seat. "How long have you been seeing each other?"
"Well, officially it has only been about a week or so but we have been close now for the past couple months," I informed him.
"Well then I would give it some more time before you go jumping into a marriage proposal, I mean I know that you feel this way about her but you should really just give it some more time and that way you can be sure that she is really the one and only for you," Logan told me getting up from his chair and moving to the fridge for something to drink.
"How long would you recommend?" I asked him as he drew a beer from a hidden compartment in the fridge.
"You know I think if you gave it say a year then you might have a better idea as to what you are looking at. Oh this might seem a little off topic but uh, what did Charles want to talk to you about?"
"Oh when I got banged up there those couple days ago you guys removed my tail and then when you ran another scan for damages they found that there were dormant forms of the x gene in my DNA. Long story short, I might have another mutation occurring," I told him as he stood there silent.
"Well if they have been there all a long they shouldn't be doing anything, they will stay that way up till you die."
"Well not true, a lot of the mutations that happen are sudden and they just happen. But there are others that kick in during high periods of stress say during an injury or emotional stress," I informed him getting up and walking to the door.
"Well I know that the professor will be watching you like a hawk, just so nothing serious happens to you."
"Yeah he gave me this monitor that will watch the genes in my body and it will relay a signal to him when something happens."
"Good cause this is a serious matter and we need nothing happening to ya," he said finishing off his beer tossing the can into the trash bin beside him.
From there we left this little discussion between the two of us and I watched and anxiously awaited the day when I could ask the woman I loved for her hand in marriage. The fear of my mutation slowly went away, as I began to focus on my new student body and what they were going to learn in the up and coming semesters. Seasons changed and times were quiet as we began to grow and more people began to accept us as people and not abominations. In fact there was a hearing to allow for mutant based content to enter the media and by a slim margin we got it.
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon and there were a few people watching tv while other students were off staying with their parents over the weeklong Easter break. Kitty and I were doing great and now the professor had allowed us to have a single bedroom on the other side of the dorm so we were now staying with each other and we were really enjoying ourselves. Yes I know what you're thinking can a man of my age really have great sex, I don't know you should really ask her about that. And guess what the answer is rhetorical. But that is beside the point, her and I were going to have a quiet diner just for the two of us and I think then is the time that I will propose.
As for the day it drug itself out which was nice because I wanted time to prepare the meal and set up the dining area. I used some of the mansion's finer china and cooked a beautiful steak dinner with peas and mashed potatoes with a loaf of crisp and buttered French bread. Also accompanying the meal there was a light garden salad with a nice vinaigrette dressing. The excuse for cooking the meal was that I hadn't done this in a while and that I though it would be a nice happening for the evening. We put on some nice clean clothes and made our way down to the dining room, as I opened the doors she couldn't believe her eyes at what lay before her on the table. The room was candle lit and a light aroma of the meal awaiting filled the room and our noses.
"You were right we haven't done this for a while."
"I know that's kind of the reason I went over the top and made this one extra special," I told her pulling out a chair of her.
"No kidding this is extra special there aren't many times where you will make a large meal like this just for the two of us...there are just two of us right? Right?" she questioned comically.
"Yes, I was just in the mood for cooking so that's what I did, I cooked."
"Oh...Well fine by me," she said as I laid her napkin across her thighs.
Pulling up a seat next to her we began our meal and the food was great, I even surprised myself at how well I had cooked this meal. Soon enough we were just talking and enjoying each other's company when I decided to go for it. Acting clumsy, which wasn't too far from the ordinary, I made it look as if I dropped a spoon on the floor. Getting out of my seat I went to go pick it up. Kneeling there I began...
"You know, I have a question to ask you," I said calmly and bluntly as I retrieved the spoon but didn't rise to my feet.
"Oh yeah, well shoot," she said looking down at me.
"Well...Katherine Pryde would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
She was speechless, she couldn't talk, even as I drew the ring from my coat pocket she still couldn't talk. Holding the ring up for her to see she finally was able to squeak those few words out...
"Holy shit, of course I will," she said holding her hand out.
I then took her hand and slid the ring into place, it was like magic. The tears slowly began to swell in her eyes as I got up slowly and gave her a light kiss, one that would surely be remembered for the rest of our lives.
"Oh thank you Jack, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect place," she said still crying.
"Your welcome, now how about we tell the others shall we?"
"Oh not yet, you and I have some business we have to attend to first."
"Oh and what could that be?" I asked as all she had to do was point up and I immediately got the message. "Right! That first, then we tell the others, I gotcha."
From here I won't go into any details but to make a long story short...it was a looong evening.