A New Hope

Chapter Ten

By: Lily Handle

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Author's Note: Hi again. Any questions about the Hope Series, email me at sighed into her first cup of coffee as she sat outside on the Institute's front steps. She had taken to waking up early and watching the sunrise from the steps. It was better for her health, or that's what Hope kept telling herself. She spent her mornings on the steps because she wanted to be there when Logan came back. Two weeks had gone by since Hope had been attacked, two weeks since Logan had taken off on his motorcycle into the dead of night and Hope felt something was missing. Not just in herself, but the whole Institute seemed to have a gaping hole in it. Hope sighed again as the sun peeked over the walls of the Institute, brilliant and cheerful. Hope certainly didn't feel brilliant and cheerful. Her latest study had been turned down by her original publisher, and now every trip she took to her P.O. box was filled with dread. If one thing was going right it was that the Brotherhood was ignoring her completely. They didn't even like to look at her if they happened to pass her on the street, thank God. Action, Hope thought, just what I envisioned my life being. Hope got to her feet, the coffee in her hands no longer warm, and stepped to the side. She had heard the thunder of teenage footsteps before the door was thrown wide and kids came rushing out.

"Morning, Doc!" Half of the mass called as they made their way towards the gates of the school. Hope gave them a nod and smile in reply. The nickname had settled in with the whole school, only increasing the longing Hope felt for Logan. She even missed his suspicious looks and glares.

"Fancy finding you here," Hank appeared, a cup of coffee in his large, furry hand. "Seeing off the masses?"

"You could say that," Hope answered, sipping her cold coffee, "I thought I should get some air before I locked myself in the infirmary and worked myself to the bones."

"You're not sleeping well," Hank tried to comment off handily, but Hope caught on quickly and let him know with a sigh, "Forgive my concern?"

Which made Hope feel lower than scum, "It's not your fault, Hank." She said and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, "I haven't been myself lately, have I?"

"For two weeks to be exact," Hank smiled behind his coffee mug, trying to hide it from Hope's eyes. Hope could easily tell what Hank was insinuating, and felt like sighing again, but held herself in check. "There's still no sign of him. The Professor tried to locate him, with no luck."

"Hank, how much do you see around here?" Hope laughed a little, but it quickly turned back to frowning into her reflection.

"I'm good enough friends with Logan to tell when something is bothering him, and I've known you for years, you can't hide from me." Hank reached up and gave Hope's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You shouldn't worry, Hope, Logan can take care of himself."

"Of course he can, he can heal himself." Hope pressed her free hand into her eyes, "I shouldn't care any ways, I can bet he's not worried about me."

"You never can tell with Logan," Hank said before he turned and went back inside. Hope stayed outside, looking towards the little parts of the street that she could see between the iron bars of the gate. Off in the distance Hope could hear the wail of an ambulance siren. What would be rolling into Charity? Hope wondered, home sick for the hospital. Suddenly Hope had a light bulb moment. It was time for her to visit Charity and spend some time among old friends. Hope burst through the front door with renewed energy and was practically sprinting back to her room. Throwing on her shoes Hope grabbed her shoulder bag from the back of the chair and turned towards the house intercom. At this hour Charles would be in his office, so Hope patched the message to that room.

"I'm going to visit Charity today, Professor," Hope said when the answering machine picked up instead, "I'll be back before curfew, and I'll have my phone with me." Hope walked out the door with a smile, the first smile she'd had in day. Her car was still in repairs, and Hope knew Forge wasn't just banging the dents back into place, but probably adding in bullet proof, shatter proof glass and armor siding. But that was okay with Hope, if that kept her from being attacked then Forge could make her a tank. Humming while she walked Hope thought about how big of a wrench she would throw into the works of the ER. A large, rusty one, Hope thought with a rueful grin. There was always so much to do in the ER in one day. It was smooth running, but it would always be frantic. Hope remembered watching TV. shows like the amply named 'ER' in the lounge when things slowed down, that show was good, but almost truthful. Hope paused as she waited for the bus, her thoughts running towards the news broadcast of her 'accident'. People vaguely recognized her from it, but no one could pin point it was her who had crawled from the wreckage of the Honda, or that she had been rescued by mutants. Hope believed her father's influence had something to do with it along with Charles' own powers. Hope hated it when daddy came to the rescue. Shaking her head Hope climbed aboard the bus, paid the fair and sat near the back. Hope liked to do things on her own, but now. Hope cast a glance towards her hands, maybe there was somethings that others could help her with. Once Charles had called her to his office, and probed into her mind, looking for what he called, the Trigger. Hope understood the theory behind it, there was a 'switch' that was triggered by the need to survive, when the 'switch' was flipped it would turn on the X-gene and the power. When I was attacked, Hope thought, I felt a little jolt that was the signal. She'd lied to Charles during the session, he'd asked her to go over the attack and Hope had gone from detail to detail, but she'd been selective. I didn't mention the broken ankle, Hope thought, twisting her ankle. She had been healed, almost completely, but she hadn't hurt anyone. Hope took a deep breath, closing off the part of her brain that was focusing on the attack.

Hope stepped off the bus and smiled up at the imposing facade of Charity Hospital. Hope felt her heart pick up the pace as she stepped through the front doors. Instantly Hope felt more at home with chaos running around her, still unspotted Hope just absorbed the air and feelings around her.

"Oh my Lord!" Hope turned when she heard Berry's astonished exclamation. "Is that you Dr. Chandler?"

"It's so good to see you, Berry!" Hope rushed forwards and caught the nurse in a hug. "Oh, I needed a break!"

"Teenagers were always the hardest to treat," Berry shook her head. "Now look, why don't you go hide behind the counter and just chill, hmm?" And she was off, and Hope was off also. She slid easily behind the desk, calling out hellos to passing nurses and staff. Good to be home, Hope thought, leaning her elbows against the counter top.

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"Who do you think you are?" Kitty yelled, causing Lance to stumble backwards a few steps. He always expected these fights, they happened after the Brotherhood and the X-men clashed, every time. Normally, Lance would placate Kitty with some tough boy charm, while mentally praying she didn't walk away for good.

"Oh come on, Kitty, can't you show a little sympathy? I just got back on my feet," Lance tried his most charming tone, but that caused Kitty to bristle.

"You just got back on your feet? Do you have any idea what kind of funk, Doc Hope as been in since you and... and your pals pulled your little stunt?" Lance had seen Kitty mad before, most of the time he found it utterly... sexy, but this version of angry Kitty was more terrifying than hot.

"Look, we were just following orders," Lance pitched his voice low, there were people standing not to far off, and their ears were turned towards his conversation with Kitty. "Can't we talk about this somewhere else? Maybe at a better time?"

"No, Lance," but Kitty lowered her voice, but you'd have to be blind to miss the anger in her eyes, "What does Mystique want with Doc Hope?"

"You think I'm going to tell you?" Lance might let his feeling for Kitty get in the way of his sometimes loyalty to the Brotherhood, but when Mystique had gave them her yelling fit after losing the Doc, Lance had the impression that this was more serious than it seemed.

"Yes," and Kitty stood toe to toe with him, glaring right into his eyes, "Because Doc Hope can't defend herself from the likes of you and your friends."

"I don't know what this is about," Lance said through gritted teeth, "She didn't tell us why, just keep an eye on the doctor."

"Kitty," Summer's, Lancer groaned, and turned towards what he thought of as his arch rival. "We've got a problem." Summer's shot Lance a look of disgust and hate, "Charles can't find the Doctor." Lance groaned inwardly as Kitty shot him another one of the death looks. "Let's go." Lance walked Kitty walk away, looking up at Summer's and wasn't surprised that the ground began to shake and tremble. It wasn't Summer's Lance was mad at, Mystique had some explaining to do.

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"Hope, I'm so glad you're here," Dr. Dominguez said from behind Hope. Hope turned and smiled at the fellow doctor, and her friend, "I just got off my shift, want to get brunch with me?"

"Of course, Rodger, I've got nothing but time," Hope said, spring up from the stool she was sitting on and picking up her shoulder bag.

"Great, we'll head over to the little cafe down the street." Dr. Dominguez shucked off his jacket, tossed in under the counter and started towards the door.

"Wait, don't you want to punch out?" Hope asked, quickly following after him.

"I've got some loose change on me, come on!" Hope wondered what was up with Dr. Dominguez. Normally he was laid back, so calm Hope recalled that the staff use to make jokes about how if he relaxed anymore he'd be dead.

"Are you under investigation by risk management or something, Rog, because you really seem out of it." Hope caught up with the taller, longer legged doctor, "Or were you just with a tough patient?"

"I just worked a rough shift, that's all." Dr. Dominguez seemed to notice Hope's struggle to keep up with him and slowed down, "Sorry to take it out on you." Dr. Dominguez slipped his arm around Hope's shoulders and smiled. "Tell me about your new job."

"Oh, well it's a nice place to work. The pace is more sedate than when I worked at Charity." Lies, Hope thought, all lies! The pace was sometimes more fascinating, and often more frantic than at Charity, but lately Hope had a slower pace. Without Logan kicking around the students there wasn't much but the occasional sprain, and large bruise.

"What's wrong?" He must have picked up Hope's quick sigh.

"Oh, nothing. Just nice to see you is all." Hope smiled quickly, if it was a little forced, Dr. Dominguez pretended not to notice. "So, what's on your plate for this year?"

"Just a little bit of everything," He turned Hope towards an alley between two buildings "This is a short cut. I'm thinking about moving to plastic surgery, more money you know."

"You just want to move to where it's warm," Hope tried to joke, but she was feeling unease as the street noise fell away, and there was no one back here but the two of them. Maybe Logan's paranoia was getting to her, Hope wondered, only half listening to Dr. Dominguez's chatter. But try as she might, Hope couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but it was too late. Two men stepped out in front of their path, two men behind.

"Stay back," Hope threw an arm out to stop her before Dr. Dominguez could make the mistake of letting his temper get the better of him. But it wasn't Dr. Dominguez Hope's arm came in contact with this was someone completely different. Her skin was blue, her hair red, and her outfit black. "What? Where's Rodger?"

"Never here," the woman laughed, a cold and chilling sound, "Now, Doctor, some one has a few questions to ask you."

"I don't even know who you are," Hope challenged tossing her head back defiantly, "Why do you think I will go with you?" One of the men stepped forward, and Hope recognized him. He had attacked the down town area, had caused an alarm in the Institute, and now he was face to face with Hope. Sabretooth.

"You don't have much of a choice," And Hope admitted she didn't. In her study of the men in front of her, she had forgotten the men behind, and one of them took the time to plunge a syringe into the base of Hope's neck. The world around her was slowly going black, vaguely Hope had a thought they might have used potassium cyanide and prayed she wouldn't die.

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Author's Note: Blah, blah, blah. Tee hee, hee, I'm nuts aren't I? Just trying to work off nerves from starting college. Sigh, I'm a freshman again.

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