And here's the final chapter of this story. Enjoy!
Scrambles chapter ten: Back From the Past
Logan had left then, leaving the number for the institute with Fawn. He returned the bike, paid for any extra miles, and went to wait on his flight. The whole trip home he wondered if he had done the right thing. If confronting Spotted Fawn in person had been the right choice. He hadn't really known what he was doing when talking to her, but he had known the way the two had looked at each other. How torn they had been when she had left for the hunt. And the look in both pairs of green eyes when Fawn had forbidden them. The look of pain, a pain that couldn't be described, in his eyes when he had promised to stay away from her emotionally.
All of a sudden Logan's head hurt, deep in his right temple. 'Guess I've been thinking too much.' he thought and rubbed his eyes. He sat back against the seat, hoping to get some sleep.
It was close to morning when Forge, assisted by Kurt, Rogue, Gambit and Irona, finally flipped the switch, trying to bring the Pack back. As before with both Kurt and Rogue, Gambit had to use his powers to fuel the invention. It took a few minutes and there was a bright flash of light, brighter than the one that had cast the Pack into the past. Another loud pop and cloud of smoke appeared. When it had disappeared, the Pack, all eight, were back, none the worse to look at. There was a large cheer that all took part in.
"What happened, Forge?"
"This invention malfunctioned, Alex. It needs to be destroyed. If anyone wants to relive their pasts, just think back to it."
"How are you planning on destroying it?" Saber asked clinging to Sean's arm. This brought back questions Shadow wanted to ask.
"Follow me." Forge insisted. So they all did, and joined him outside. "Jean, would you toss this into the air, please?"
"My honor, Forge." By now the rest had come out to the porch, including the professor. So Jean telekenetically took the invention and heaved it into the sky way above the trees.
"Alex, if you would do the honors?"
With a smile on his face, he said, "Sure," and lifted his hand into the sky. A bright string of electricity shot from his fingertips and collided in a blast with the invention, causing it to explode. "Now the wrist bands," and all of them were thrown and destroyed in the same way. When all of the commotion was gone the Pack retired to the living room. There James brought refreshments for all. They were sitting on the chairs and couches in a circle. "Okay, so who went where?" Shadow blurted out. "What poor soul had my past?" She looked around the sitting area until she seen none raise their hand. That's when she looked to Dodger sitting beside her on the love seat. He response was going to be to laugh at whoever, but the fact that Dodger had been the one to experience her past, in any part, startled her. "Poor you," was all she could manage.
"And who were you, pet?" Dodger asked of her.
"Siberia's cold!" she screamed. "No, I was on a ship sailing to America." She glanced at Sean and Illya on the opposite couch. "I didn't know you two met on the ship before you got here."
"He found me hiding and gave me some food. Nothing much." Saber answered.
"Uh, huh. Sure." Shadow breathed. "Where were you, Illya?"
"Back at the reservation. Sean, where were you?" Saber questioned.
"The Hooper Mansion. Man, you were young when you were a thief." Alex bowed at the compliment. "Where were you?"
"Ireland."
"You were in Sean's body and he in yours?" Dodger asked.
"Not exactly. The other Hanrhan, and I do not want to talk about it." Morgana laughed. "Ladies, don't ever say I don't know what you're going through." Morgana was dying and when it hit the other ladies, they joined in the howling.
"I'm guessing by the way Morgana's cracking she was with you."
"Yeah. I was Sean. Congrats on the baby sister. I've never delivered a human child before." Oh, yeah, she heard him sigh and laughed.
"Who else was who?" Shadow asked. "This is interesting."
"Remember a garden snake, and a kiss, Darian." Hydro laughed. "And evil Sister Lucy." Dodger just hung his head at the memory.
"You were in a convent?" Gabby asked.
"I was raised in a Catholic boarding school. I didn't exactly get along with the nuns. I was kind of a...trouble maker then." Shadow eyed him, and whispered, "What happened?" "So who was Hydro?"
"I was." Gabby announced. "Is that everyone?" She asked. "Let's see." said Pixie. "Hydro was Dodger. Dodger was Shadow. Shadow was Saber. Saber was Nature. Nature was Hunter. Hunter was Quinn. Quinn was Demoness. And Demoness was Hydro. Full circle."
"And you came back to visit each of us." Alex said to Irona. "I don't know about anybody else, but I'm tired."
"Yeah, Alex, I'll walk with you. I've got something to ask you."
"Not about your sister."
"No. Not about my sister." So the two men walked off. The others dispersed as well. Sean and Alex ended up put at the stables.
"So what did you want to ask me?" Quinn questioned.
"Two questions. Who's Manny and what's he not got the hang of?"
"That's two questions." Alex chuckled. Sean gave him a look. Quinn went on. "He's my cousin, and he has difficulties controlling his powers. Next question."
"I remember you saying once that you were an only child. It hasn't always been that way, has it?" Sean tried to be gentle.
"No. It hasn't." Alex went almost pale.
"I don't want to bring up bad memories, I've got my own," that caused him to stop. "I just wanted you to know I'm sorry. For what happened. It wasn't your fault."
"Yes, Sean, it was." The color hadn't returned. "If my mother hadn't been so stressed about me she never would have gotten sick." They stood there a moment in the silence. "Did you know I was to name him if it turned out to be a boy?" Sean shook his head. "I was going to call him 'James Simon'."
"I'm really sorry, Alex."
"No. I'm sorry, Sean. When Morgana and I were stuck in Ireland, it dawned on me that I know little about you and your family. I'd like to change that."
'Wu, no one on the field.' he thought. "Sounds good to me."
After showering Gabby had asked to meet with Luke. He arrived in the gardens on time and greeted her with a smile and hug.
"Luke, I...I didn't know you never knew your mother until you were eleven."
"That's what you went back to?"
"Yeah. What did you do after woods? When she left the second time?"
"Stayed there, grew up, went to high school, went to college. Finally ended up in Ireland. Been with you ever since." He looked at her face, her eyes. "What's wrong, Gabs?"
"Since we were at the reservation, trying to find Shadow and Nature, I've seen you looking at the pixie."
"Oh, you have?"
"Luke, are you falling for her? Please tell me if you are."
"I really don't know, Gabby. Honest."
"Well, when you do, tell me." and she left.
Later that evening, after everyone had settled into resting, Dodger felt restless. He decided to visit the piano in the study.
Shadow was restless. Still stunned that Dodger was the one who had experienced her past. Her thoughts were interrupted by piano music. She knew the tune. She headed down the stairs to the study with the piano. The door was pushed, but not closed. She snuck in like her namesake.
Dodger was seated at the Grand Butterfly piano, grey sweat pants that had a Scotland Yard shield on the left thigh, and a white A-shirt on. She padded over softly and slide in next to him, her bare arm touching his. He said nothing, then she began to play.
"I didn't know you could play." he said, not missing a note.
"I didn't know you were in a Catholic school."
"Not memories I want to remember."
"Join the club." she laughed.
"Where did you learn to play? And 'Music of the Night'?"
"You'd be amazed at what Sinister had me learn. Sinister wanted me to play piano, so I played piano. I got to choose one, and only one, that I could learn for my own benefit. I liked this one." She smiled, and they ended the song. He stretched, and she saw him tense when his arms were fully raised. "What's wrong?"
"A pain between my shoulders. Shadow," he lowered his arms, turned to face her and took one of her hands in his. "What I went through, in your past, if there were days worse than that, I'm amazed at how you survived."
"What exactly did you experience?" Shadow asked and sounded a little scared.
"I woke up in a cell. Then this Dozer guy came and got me. He threw me in front of Sinister." Dodger looked to her eyes, and went on. "Then he made me do a bunch of push ups."
"Warm up."
"Yeah," he smiled. "Then I...we...I guess, insulted him, and he grabbed a hold. The burning was intolerable." She looked down remembering, feeling it again. She felt to the brand on her back. "I've never noticed it before."
"I keep it hidden well," she smiled weakly.
"Can I see it?" he asked gently. She turned around and he fingered the back of her shirt down enough to clearly see the skull and wings. Remembering the pain, he softly brushed over the scared area, fingers lingering. She was feeling funny. Something about the way he was touching her, even on the scar, felt good. That feeling scared her, but she didn't let on or pull away. She reached back and grabbed his hand, leaving it and hers laying on her shoulder. Seeing at least one of her hands was occupied, he took his opportunity. Thanks to reading her diary, he knew right where she was ticklish. He went for the attack.
"Hey, hey! Stop! That tickles! Stop! Please, Darian, have mercy! Stop!"and he did after the tears had started and she was laying pressed up against his chest. "How did you learn where I was ticklish?"
"Still have that little leather bond book? I accidently laid on it after Rockle patched me up." When he mentioned that name, she went silent. "I'm sorry. Did I say something..." she sat up and faced him.
"Rockle was the only one that cared about me when I was with Sinister. She was the last straw."
"What do you mean, Shadow?" he asked pushing a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear.
"When Sinister had her killed, that was it. It pushed me over the edge. I escaped that day. Didn't want to get close to anyone again."
"Did you?" She just looked at him. "Shadow," he lifted her chin, their eyes locking, "you can talk to me. You know that, right? Anytime, anything. I'm here for you."
"Thank you." Was all she could muster through her emotions. He pulled her close to him, wrapping her in a comfortable embrace. "Thank you, Darian."
He stood, pushed himself away from the bench, then stooped to pick her up. "It's late, pet. We've both been through a lot today." He carried her up the stairs and stopped at her door. Inside they saw Luke talking to Irona. 'Well,' Dodger thought, 'Can't talk there.' "To your place, then." She said breaking his thoughts.
"Yeah, I guess." So they headed that way. "Here you go." He set her down next to the bed. He went to the closet and pulled out a long sleeve flannel shirt. "It's kind of big on me, so it should fit fine."
"Thanks," she took the shirt and walked into the bath room. When she came back out, in the shirt sleeves rolled up, she saw him laying on the bed, reading a book.
"Interesting read?" she asked. Rebel had some how gotten in and was laying on a pile of clothes. "Hey, baby," she stroked the cubs chin.
"So," he closed the book, bookmark in place. "Feel better?"
"Shower and change of clothes always feels good." she said sitting down on the other edge of the bed. "You didn't answer my question." He gave a 'what?' look and laid the book down on the night stand. "Interesting read?"
"Not as interesting as the one I started yesterday."
"Oh, yeah. What was it about?" she asked snuggling in close to him.
"It's about this girl, very young mind you. She had a very difficult life. Some how she can deal with it well."
"What happens to her?" Shadow asked as he pulled the cover over them. She grabbed his arm before he could put it behind him. That stunned him, but he didn't complied. "I don't know. I didn't get t finish it."
"Maybe you will someday." They fell asleep, safe in each others arms.
The End?
See ya next time!