To Err is Human
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "You are a cynical, suspicious man" "No I'm not! Who told you that?"
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L1701E - Your waiting paid off, you finally get to see Bobby's wrath, thanks for the idea again, it really helped :D
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Chapter 29 - Laying Siege
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"What do you mean 'Miss Tilby can't come to the phone right now?!!!"
Hank growled, pacing back and forth in the hallway, the note that had been attached to the babies crib in his hand. After returning to the mansion, he'd been greeted by Logan shoving a sleeping baby in his hands. A sleeping baby with blue hair. Logan had handed him a note, then announced he was 'going to get as drunk as he could', leaving without another word on the matter. The note was, indeed from Trish, stating that her career was not in the 'right place' to have any form of offspring. Besides, she continued, the child would be more comfortable with 'it's own kind'. The fact she'd refered to a living baby as an 'it' was bad enough, but leaving him on a doorstep was beyond terrible.
"She's WHERE? Cuba?!!!", he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "yes, yes I WOULD like to be patched through to her cell phone"
Hank drummed his fingers on the wall, glancing at the sleeping child. Unless Trish had a thing for sleeping with people with blue hair...there wasn't exactly a whole lot of contestation over parentage. But right now, it was a slightly large amount of information to swallow. After what seemed like an eternity, he got a reply from the other end.
"Yes?"
Hank blinked. Yes? As if nothing had happened? He shook his head, how on earth had he got himself tangled up with this woman?.
"Trish, would you PLEASE explain what is going on here?", he said.
"Oh, the baby got to the right address then"
....Hank blinked. She dismissed the baby as if he were a grocery order.
"Yes, he did", said Hank, "you could have given me some advance warning, you know"
He strained his ears, was that conga music in the background?.
"I didn't have the time", said Trish, "besides, I knew you would understand. I have a big promotion coming up, no time for..well..motherhood and stuff".
"But...", started Hank, trying desperately to see Trish's logic, and failing terribly.
"Look, you LIVE in your workplace", she said, "so you don't have to worry about babysitting"
"But Trish...", said Hank, then sighed defeatedly, "could you at least tell me his name?"
"Didn't pick one", said Trish, "oh, gotta go, conga line's coming my way!" (1)
"WHAT? Don't hang up!!", said Hank, then sighed as the line went dead, "....just...great"
He hung up the phone, picking up the sleeping child, who whimpered in his sleep, snuggling into Hank's fur.
"Something tells me your mother is not all that concerned about your welfare", said Hank, then smiled slightly, "but don't worry about it, I'll look after you"
"But I don't want to!!!!"
Hank arched a brow as Storm herded Forge, rather roughly, into the room.
"SOMEONE has to go with him", she said, then smirked, "take our daughter too"
Hank blinked at them.
"Someone has to go with him where?"
Forge sighed defeatedly as Storm put Imara into her pushchair, wheeling it to him.
"Baby shopping"
Hank blinked again.
"One isn't enough?"
"We're not buying A baby", said Forge, "we're buying things for YOUR baby"
"Oh", said Hank, blinking at the sleeping child in his arms.
"Besides, Charles wants to give him a health check", said Storm, plucking the baby from Hanks arms, walking off, "HAVE FUN!"
It took a few moments for Hank to gather his thoughts.
"That woman is getting more evil by the day, isn't she?"
"You've only just noticed this?", sighed Forge as they left the mansion.
-----
Shaw was not amused. His eyes moved to each person in the room, lingering on each before moving on.
"We have a mole, I am sure of that", he said, "what I do not know is WHO"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Whoever is being disloyal to me had better speak up now, or risk death when they get discovered".
"Sir", said Pierce, clearing his throat, "with all due respect, I think we should be more worried about getting a secure area, this could be comprimised at any moment"
Shaw stood up, banging his fist on the table.
"ALL areas are comprimised until we flush out our rat", he snapped, then frowned as a metalic hummm rippled through the building, "now what?!"
One of the Hellfire's footsoldiers raced into the room, his eyes wide with fear.
"Mr Shaw, mutants!", he said, "a whole group of them are attacking!"
Shaw narrowed his eyes, turning his head to Tessa.
"Get the girl out of the way, they will NOT take her, not after all the work I've done on her"
----
Xavier sighed as he finished his health-check on the newest eddition to the mansion. A D.N.A test proved that the child was, indeed, Hanks. The baby whimpered irritably from his makeshift crib, having not really enjoyed being poked and prodded.
"How is he?", asked Storm, entering.
"He's healthy", said Xavier, then frowned slightly, "...except..."
"Charles?"
Xavier sighed sadly, watching the baby for a moment, before looking over at Storm.
"He's..blind, Ororo".
Storm blinked, glancing at the infant.
"Blind?", she echoed, "oh....the poor thing....how?".
Xavier shrugged.
"From what I can gather, it's genetic", he said, "I don't think Hank has ever mentioned it in his family, so I assume it is from Miss Tilbly's side".
Storm shook her head.
"How could she just ABANDON a baby?", she said, thunder rumbling outside, "let alone a blind one, it's discracefull!".
"Yes, it is", frowned Xavier, "but he's safe now, he has a whole housefull to look after him".
Storm smiled slightly.
"Yes, I suppose he does".
"Chuck, we got a problem!".
Both mutants looked up as Logan entered the room, his cycle helmet tucked under his arm.
"You couldn't get drunk enough?", teased Storm, earning a glare, which she shot right back.
"We've found the Hellfire's hideout", said Logan, then frowned, "or, ta be honest, yer son found them".
Xavier blinked.
"Lucas?....what are you talking about?"
"Him an' his new 'group' are attackin' a private esatate just out of Bayville. It's on a cliffiside, by the coast", said Logan, "it's on the news, my guess is the Hellfire are hidin' there, unless Legion fancies a summer reteat".
"Gather the team", frowned Xavier, "we don't want an all-out-war starting"
"Who doesn't?", growled Logan, walking out, popping his claws out.
----
Meanwhile, oblivious to the events unfolding, Forge and Hank (and Imara) had made it to the baby store Storm had managed to max out three credit cards in.
"Hello Mr Munroe", said the assistant, "Have you returned to buy the other half of the store?".
"Nah, I'm here for my friend here", he said, pointing at Hank, "he's..err a new dad, so we need an emergency supply of stuff".
The assistant blinked at Hank.
"Have you considered childrens parties?", he said, "you'd make a GREAT Cookie Monster"
Hank blinked a few times.
"Errr.....I'll get back to you on that", he replied, giving the assistant a curious look, before walking along the shelves, dumping various things in his cart, "do I really need all this stuff?".
"Probably not", said Forge, "Imara hasn't used half the stuff 'Ro's bought her yet".
"What's this?", said Hank, holding up a strange contraption, "do I need this?"
"Hank, trust me, you don't need that", said Forge pointedly.
"Are you sure?", said Hank, "I want to have everything I need!!!"
"Hank...that's a breast pump", said Forge
"....Oh", said Hank, blushing and putting it back, "right"
While they had been talking, Imara had noticed her pushchair was very close to a shelf filled with stuffed animals. Now, unfortunately for her family (and extended family) Imara was proving to have her fathers brain..added with her mothers uncanny ability to be very, very sneaky when she so wished. Even at four months of age, she was proving a handfull. She glanced wairily out of the corner of her eye at the talking adults, before sneakily reaching her little arm out, grabbing her selected toy, dragging it into her pushchair. Unfortunately, sneaky as she was, her co-ordnation wasn't all that great yet, and she brought a good deal of the toy rack ont the floor durning her swipe, bringing Hank and Forge's attention to her.
"What have you taken THIS time?", sighed Forge leaning in, before backing away with a terrified squeak.
"Gah", said Imara happily.
She was hugging close a cuddly rabbit. It's body was more human, with two short, stumpy legs and two short stumpy arms. Pink in colour, it had lovely long ears, a whit fluffy tail and a slightly disgruntled expression on his sown-on features. (2)
"Awww, look it's a little rabbit", said Hank with a grin, "how cute"
"Notcute, notcute!", said Forge, looking at the stuffed animals helplessly before pulling out a blue cow, "Ooooooh, Imara, wouldn't you prefer Mr Moo-Cow?"
She danced the thing in front of her, making mooing noises. Imara blinked once, before snuffling, hugging the rabbit tighter.
"....I don't think she wants the cow", pointed out Hank, "looks like you're stuck with the rabbit".
"Oh....goodie", sighed Forge, "I'm not touching it, though"
"Wimp", smirked Hank, then looked at his full cart, "I think I have everything I possibly need"
Forge arched a brow.
"Yeah, and more besides", he said, "you're almost as bad as Ororo....almost".
He smiled.
"So, have you thought of a name yet?".
Hank blinked at him in confusion.
"A name?"
"Yes, you know, a name, something to call your baby by", said Forge, "...unless you're just planning to call him 'baby' for the rest of his life".
"Oh", said Hank, fornwing slightly, "I....I haven't thought of one. I should, shouldn't I?"
He glanced at Forge.
"Any ideas?"
Forge looked at him pointedly.
"I don't think you should be asking a man who named himself 'Forge' for name ideas".
"Good point", said Hank, frowning as he thought, before grinning, "I have the perfect name!"
"Oh no, he's going to be named after a Shakespeare character, isn't he?", he moaned.
Hank looked ruffled.
"Well.....yes, sort of", he admitted, "but it's a really good name, and I think it suits him"
Forge pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Go on"
"Toby", said Hank with a smile.(3)
Forge arched a brow.
"Toby?", he asked, then chuckled, "Toby actually doesn't sound that bad, actually, it sounds almost normal"
"Well, considering the house he'll grow up in", said Hank, "I believe 'almost normal' is as normal as he will get"
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By the time the X-Jet landed down in front of the old estate of the Hellfire's hideout, many news cameras were already poised at the gate. They could go no further, of course, because of the wall of fire seperating them from the action. Xavier frowned as he wheeled down the ramp of the jet, looking up at his son hovering ahead.
Lucas
Lucas blinked, looing down, smirking slightly.
Hello, Old Man, come tae watch the show?, he sent.
Lucas, stop this madness, Xavier sent, people are going to get hurt
No inocent people sent Lucas, then said aloud, "do ye even know what these people are doing? They're capturing mutants and enslaving them, creating their own private super-powered army!"
"Of that, I am aware", said Xavier, "but picking a fight is not the way...."
"The Inner Circle STARTED this 'war'", growled Lucas, "and now we're gunnae END it!"
Xavier frowed.
"Lucas, violence only begets more violence, no one will win this way".
"Maybe", said Lucas, "but at least no more mutants will be subjected tae slaverly".
Lizzie walked over to by Lucas, powered up, so her head was close to his hovering form.
"Are we doing this or what?", she said, "the others are gettin' restless".
Lucas smirked.
"Sure, tell them tae move", said Lucas, "even all of the Hellfire's soldiers cannae be a match for the whole team".
Lizzie nodded, giving a whistle. At the sound, Lucas's team appeared from their hiding place, heading towards the safehouse. Scott frowned, putting his 'game face' on, ready to call the X-Men to battle, take on his duty as field leader. He faltered, however, when his ruby-covered eyes fell on his brother.
"Alex?", he said in shock, "...w...what are you doing here?. Y..your parents are looking all over for you".
Alex frowned slightly, feeling a twinge of guilt.
"I've been here all the time", he replied, "well...with this team, anyway".
Scott blinked behind his visor, his face hurt.
"But...what about the X-Men?", he asked quietly, "I thought you wanted to join us...when you were ready?".
"And what, be in your shadow for all my life?", said Alex with a snort, "I'll never live up to you, you're the wonder boy, you always have been and you always will be".
"That's not true, Alex", protested Scott, "You wouldn't have to be anyone but yourself in the X-Men"
"You mean like Lizzie?", said Alex, gesturing to the Southerner, "yeah, right. Here, I'm not compared to anyone else. I don't have to follow anyone elses footsteps".
"But...", started Scott in shock, watching numbly as his brother turned away, heading off to carry out his mission.
"Scott?", asked Jean, giving him a gentle nudge.
Jean, take over command, sent Xavier, then sent gently to Scott, go back into the Blackbird, Scott
Scott blinked, before sighing, walking slowly into Blackbird his head hung low.
"How touching", said Lucas with a smirk, watching as the Hellfire Club came out, "oh look, we've got company"
"You have more than company", growled Shaw, before looking at the Inner Circle, "dispose of them".
From the side of the house, Tessa was sneaking away with Gina. She stopped near the Blackbird, turning the younger teen to face her. She closed her eyes, concentrating, trying to telepathically enter her mind, trying to purge the brainwashing Shaw had given her.
"Come on, Gina, snap out of it", she whispered softly, "you can be free, here"
Gina winced, whimpering slightly as the fog of her mind slowly began to clear. This action, however, didn't go unoticed.
"TRAITOR!", shouted a woman dressed in white Hellfire garb, pointing at Tessa, "Sebastian, my telepathy picked up out mole, it's Sage!".
Shaw turned his head in suprise, looking at one of the few people who'd gained his complete trust.
"You?", he asked, "you are the spy?".
Lucas smirked, taking advantage of him being off guard, sending a telekentic blast at him. Before it reached Shaw, however, a woman dressed in black grabbed him from behind.
"Hi there, handsome", she smirked, "I'm Selene, I'll be draining your life force for today"
Lucas cried out in suprise and pain as she began to drain his life force.
"LUCAS!", shouted Lizzie, stomping over, plucking Selene off him, gripping the older woman in her hand as she increased her size.
She squeased Selene tightly, bringing the sorceress up to her face.
"Let me make one thing clear, Lucas 'aint for sharin'", she said, tossing the woman away like a piece of litter.
That done, she glanced down at Lucas worriedly as he groaned, getting shakily to his feet, rubbing his head.
"That's gunnae hurt in the morning", he muttered, looking up at Lizzie, giving her a smile, "thanks".
"You okay?", she asked gently.
"Aye,. I'm fine", he said, waving her off, "go on, I'll be okay".
Lizzie gave him another glance before nodding, starting off after a few footsoldiers.
From the sidelines, Bobby watched this with a frown. It was bad enough that she'd abonded the team to fight on Lucas's side, but she'd gone after Lucas? Of all people, Lucas?. He narrowed his eyes, he would have happily done backflips for her, and yet she'd chosen HIM? Bobby clenched his fists as he tried to ignore the feeling of failure, hurt and anger boiling in his gut. But it couldn't be ignored that easily. He flicked out his hands, iceing the ground beneath her feet.
"What the....", said Lizzie, before giving a yelp, slipping along the icey path, falling on her back, before finally stopping just before the cliff edge.
She let out a sigh of relief, before blinking as the entire surface she was sitting on become solid ice. Lucas turned his head, watching wide-eyed as the ice began to crack under her large size.
"Amazon, power down, NOW!", he shouted.
Lizzie did as she was told, resuming her original state. But it was too late, the ice gave way underneath her, and she vanished down the cliffside in a flury of white.
"ELIZABETH!".
Lucas took to the air, still weakened from the attack by Selene, floating down the side of the cliff, trying desperately to find her.
Shaw narrowed his eyes, watching as both the X-Men and Lucas's team were disracted. He frowned, he was never one to give up a fight, but the teams outnumbered his own greatly, and with Selene down for the count....he didn't want to risk anything. He narrowed his eyes, storming over to where Tessa still stood guard over Gina, trying to free her mind. He grabbed her arm, pulling her away.
"You decietfull little snake", he hissed, "I trusted you, and you were one of them all this time".
Tessa narrowed his eyes, watching him defiantly.
"What you're doing is wrong, Sebastian", she said, "EVERYTHING you do is wrong".
"I'll kill you with my bare hands", he growled, wrapping his hands around her throat.
Tessa gasped, her link with Gina broken. Gina's eyes had been returning to their normal vibrant green, but now they dulled quickly, Tessa's attempts to bring her back to her own conciousness not yet complete.As Tessa fought for air, Shaw smirked viciously.
"This is what happens to those who decieve Sebastian Shaw", he smirked.
He screamed in pain suddenly as a red blast came from the Blackbird, Scott walking down.
"Let her go", he warned, sure, he hadn't a clue who this young woman was, but he'd been listening in, and if she wasn't on the Hellfire's side, he assumed her to be on his own.
Shaw dropped her, narrowing his eyes, making a grab for Gina.
"You X-Men will pay for this", he threatened, then glared at Tessa, "and you, you will pay with your life, traitor".
Scott frowned, starting forwards, only to have the woman in white hit him with a telepathic blast, knocking him to the ground. By the time he'd got to his feet, the Inner Circle had vanished, leaving only a few footsoldiers behind. Logan snarled, dropping the one he'd been happily beating up.
"This is starting to get on my nerves", he muttered.
Over at the cliff face, Lucas hovered back up, carrying Lizzie's unconsious form in his arms. He laid her gently on the floor, looking at her in worry.
"Let us take care of her", said Xavier gently, wheeling over, "she has a chance if we get her to our infirmary".
Lucas frowned, looking at his father before giving a defeated sigh, nodding.
"I'll be over tae check on her once I get my team back home", he said, giving her one last look, starting away, the rest of his team following silently after him. Lucas paused as he neared Bobby, narrowing his eyes at him.
"I....I didn't mean...", said Bobby quietly.
"I swear, if she dies", growled Lucas, grabbing Bobby by his uniform front, bringing him close, "I will kill ye with my bare hands"
He dropped Bobby uncerimoniously on the ground, walking off with the rest of his team. Logan frowned, pushing Bobby forwards.
"Get in the Jet, Drake", he said, "you have ALOT of explainin' once this is sorted out".
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(1) - Yeah, okay, so I probably made Trish a bit more of a bitch than she really is, but this is the sort of woman I see her as. Let's face it, dumping a guy because his apperance makes you look less good in your career is not 'nice people' behaviour. I am personally looking forwards to the day Trish Tibly dies, and I hope Hank dances on her grave, DANCES! Ahem.
(2) - This is a REAL toy. In fact he is MY childhood toy. His name is 'Rab', and I have had him since the day I was born. Obviously, after 21 years of love, he looks nothing like his description here. His ears are rags, his tail is flattened, his head is wobbly and he is more of a dark cream than a pink. But I still love the old thing, disgruntled expression and all :D
(3) - Toby is, indeed, a Shakespearian character, from the play 'Twelth Night'. Okay, so he was a drunk, but he was a FUN drunk.
And there is another chapter, is that the end of the suprises? Err...no, there are plenty of suprises left, and only about 4 chapters left. Yes, I know Sidney hasn't really played a very pivitoal role in this chronicle, but I wanted this one to focus on the new recruits. For the next chronicle, she'll play a much bigger part, I promise ;) Do review. Until next time...