To Err is Human
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Dad, I know what you're going to say, and believe me, I totally agree with you. There is no excuse for what I did. It was idiotic, immature, totally reckless, and I'm really sorry. I'm just hoping against hope that you will give me another chance, which I admit I don't deserve. If you could just find it in your heart to forgive me, I know I could earn your trust back......It's not like it was even our car".
---
Well, there have been a few ideas out there, but remember, the chronicles are fics that I very rarely take ideas for, this was an exception, I needed some way for Lizzie to get injured so this chapter could happen, and something to tie up the whole Bobby-Lizzie thing. Plus, there's not alot of chapters left to work with anymore ;)
Draco-Luver- Toby just has the hair on his head, he's not all hairy like his pop.
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Chapter 30 - Rage
----
A few hours later in the infirmary, Sam watched his sister with a sigh. Though now concious, she was sleeping on a bed.
With all those peircings out and her make-up gone, she looked like the sister he'd grown up with. He had been shocked when they brought her in, bleeding and unconcious, he had thought the worst. But she had pulled through, and Hank and the Professor had been running tests to be sure everything was fine. The infirmary doors opened quietly as Bobby stepped in. He frowned at Lizzie's still form on the bed, then looked at her brother.
"So...your kinda worried about Lizzie, then?", asked Bobby with a nervous laugh.
Sam didn't even look up from his place. Bobby blinked, relaxing slightly, stepping forwards.
"She'll be fine, she bounces back from most things", he smiled.
He gave a squeak of suprise as he was suddenly hefted up by the front of his shirt as Sam stood up and grabbed him in one motion. His feet didn't even touch the floor, he'd forgoten how tall Sam actually was.
"Err....Sammie...that kind of hurts", he gasped, trying to twist his shirt away.
"No kiddin'", growled Sam, "you have NO right to be down here, Bobby. YOU did this, no one else, a'h don't know why you did it and a'h don't rightly care".
"You're going to kill me now...aren't you?", squeaked Bobby.
"No", said Sam, narrowing his eyes, "Momma always taught me violence isn't the answer. But.."
Bobby's eyes widened.
"But?"
Sam's grip tightened ever so slightly.
"If you EVER step foot near ANY of ma'h family again, you'll find out exactly how easy ice can shatter when it's hit with a cannonball", said Sam ominously, before dropping Bobby on the floor, "get out".
Bobby numbly got up, frowning, dusting himself off.
"Fine, take her side, of course you would, you're family", muttered Bobby, stomping off.
Sam ignored him, going back to keeping watch over his sister. Yes, he was angry, and yes, he really, really REALLY wanted to hurt Bobby. But he wouldn't, no, Sam had been brought up better than that. It still hurt that Bobby, someone he'd considered one of his closest and most trusted of friends would do something like ths. Something was wrong with Iceman, that was plain to see, but Sam didn't want to know. In this case, blood was very much so thicker than water. He looked up as the door opened again, frowning, expecting Bobby back, but relaxed as Hank and Xavier came in.
"Is she gonna be okay?", he asked worriedly.
"The fall has broken a few ribs and her arm, but luckily her vital organs are all unharmed", said Hank before frowning, "but...there's something else"
Sam stood up.
"What?", he asked, "it's...it's nothin too serious is it?"
Xavier sighed, folding his hands, which did nothing to ease Sam's worry. Xavier only ever folded his hands when explaining about bad things.
"Sam", he started, before sighing, "her tests show, however, that her fall caused her to have a miscarriage"
Sam's head shot up, blinking in confusion.
"A miscarriage?", he said numbly, "you mean she was....."
Hank nodded grimly.
"And it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to know who the father was"
----
Outside the mansion, Jean was trying to comfort Scott near the fountain. Scott was still numbed over his brothers defection...well, okay, it wasn't a REAL defection, as Alex had never offically been an X-Man, but it didn't stop the fact from hurting.
"Scott, it's not your fault", said Jean gently, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Alex made his own choice"
"I...I don't understand", said Sott, his brow furrowing, "why would he join up with Lucas? I always thought he'd.."
He sighed hanging his head.
"I hoped he'd join the X-Men", he said quietly, "I was just waiting for the day he'd decide he was ready for it, and we could be together again, y'know? A real family".
He shook his head.
"And now he's joined Lucas?", he said quietly, "it's like I've lost him all over again".
"You haven't lost him, Scott", said Jean with a sigh, "he still cares about you, as you care for him"
She gave her boyfriend a small smile.
"Maybe he just wanted some space, to figure out his own path?"
Scott sighed sadly.
"Thanks, Jean, I know", he said, "it's just...hard, he's my little brother. I've been waiting for him to come back to the mansion since I found out he was still alive...and now all that's gone"
"Not gone, not completely", assured Jean, "he'll come to the mansion, Scott. When he's ready"
"I'm starting to think he'll never be ready", muttered Scott, before looking up, frowning as Tessa walked forwards, "what do you want?"
Tessa frowned, crossing her arms.
"There's no need to be so hostile", she said, "I'm on your side"
"Was that why you were in the Hellfire all this time?", said Scott sarcastically.
"Scott", warned Jean, before looking at Tessa, "sorry, he's had a hard day"
"I am sorry about your brother", said Tessa, then sighed, "look, I really am on your side. I have been an X-Man just as long as yourself".
Scott's head shot up.
"Come again?".
Tessa gave him a smile.
"The Professor brought me into the team secretly, shielding my presence from you all", she frowned slightly, "while all of you were destined to be a member of the team, it was my destiny to be a spy".
"The Professor recruiting a spy?", said Jean, confused
"Yes", said Tessa, "he knew that Sebastian Shaw was plotting things long before they were put into motion, it was my job to gain his trust, and deliver imfortation to the Professor telepathically".
She smiled.
"My mutation made me perfect for the job", she said, tapping her head, "you see, my mind is like a living computer. Everything I see, I remember with perfect clarity. Being a telepath helps too".
"All this time...the Professor was keeping you from us?", asked Scott, slightly hurt.
"He had no choice", said Tessa with a shrug, "a spy everyone knows about isn't much of a spy now, is she?".
"I guess", sighed Scott, then looked at her, "sorry you had to blow your cover"
"Are you kidding?", said Tessa, "I'm GLAD to be out of that hellhole. I can finally be..well, me again"
She smirked.
"And I don't have to wear that stupid eighteenth century garb anymore", she chuckeld, winking at Jean, "I'm telling you girl, Corsets: Not fun".
She laughed, before sighing.
"I just wish I could have freed that poor child", she sighed, "we haven't done much to stop him now"
"The news crews were there", pointed out Jean, "he can't do anything now without the press hounding him".
"We should talk to the Professor", said Scott, going into 'leader-mode', "get a team ready to free Gina when we find his new hideout".,
"I know the ones he showed me", said Tessa, then smirked slightly, "and the ones he didn't. The problem is, figuring out which one he's going to slink off to first".
-----
A shadow fell across the infirmary doors, opening them. It had been no challenge for Lucas to sneak past the mansions security. As he entered the infirmary, Sam began to stir from where he had been dozing next to his sister's bed, a vigilant point he had not moved from. Lucas quickly sent out a pyscic blast, knocking him asleep before he even woke fully. He walked silently over to the side of Lizzie's bed, his blue eyes looking over her unconcious form. He sighed, his fingers trailing through her hair, brushing a strand of the blonde locks out of her face, tucking it behind her ear.
"She will be fine"
Lucas didn't jump, he just frowned as the only telepath on the world stornger than himself entered the room. Xavier noticed the frown, but carried on, regardless.
"She has a broken arm, a few broken ribs, and has sustained a minor concussion, but she will recover" he said, before watching his son carefully, "she did, however, lose the baby, I am afraid"
Luca's frown disapeared into a look of confusion, before finally looking up at his father.
"Baby?"
Xavier sighed.
"You didn't know she was pregnant?"
Lucas shook his head, a look that Xavier could almost call compassion crossing his face.
"No....I didn't", he whispered, before sighing, "when can she come home?"
"As long as it takes", replied Xavier, "I feel it will be best for her to stay here, give her time to heal"
He frowned.
"I won't force her to stay, Lucas", he said, "she can leave as soon as she's well enough, you can have my word on that, and despite what your mother has said otherwise, my word is my bond"
Lucas looked at his father, unblinking for a moment, before sighing reluctantly, nodding, moving to the doors of the infirmary.
"Ye look after her, Da'", he said.
"We will", said Xavier, "you can stay until she wakes, if you want to".
Lucas frowned slightly.
"I'll be around", he said, "I'll be within pyscic range for when she wakes up. Somethin' tells me, I wouldn't be welcome around here by most"
"As you wish", sighed Xavier, watching his son leave.
Lucas sighed as he exited the mansion, mulling over what he'd just been taught. A baby?. Lizzie had been pregnant, and yet, he hadn't known, how could that be? Surely his powers would have picked up at least a LITTLE mental projection. He frowned softly. Why hadn't she told him? She knew he'd never turn her away for it, and she knew how he felt about her.
Or does she?
Lucas closed his eyes with a growl. Even if Xavier had, albeit unintentionally, sent both I an and David deep into Lucas's pysce, they were still there. Sure, they no longer had the ability to become the 'main mind' as it were, but they still existed, were still their own people. Lucas had control, now, but it came at a price. If he was mentaly or emotionally fatigued, the other two could commmunicate with him, well, Ian wasn't too good about it, but David...David was another matter.
Shut up, he sent with a telepathic growl.
Just making a point, is all, sent back David, you never actually TOLD her how you feel, did you?
I dunnae need relationship advice from a voice in my head
I'm demoted to just being a voice? You know I'm more than that, Lucas.
"Leave me alone!", snapped Lucas out loud, holding his hand to his head.
"I wasn't going near you".
Lucas spun around as Bobby came out of the mansion. He narrowed his eyes.
"You", he growled, hovering up into the air, "you're the reason she's in there now"
Bobby glanced at the door of the mansion, he could still make it through into the safety of inside, activate Defocon 4 and close the mansion up. Unfortunately, before he even put a step towards the door, he was surrounded by a ring of fire, blocking his escape.
"Ye can't hide things from a telepath", pointed out Lucas.
Bobby squeaked, huddling in the middle of the fire, further away from the flames. He HATED fire. It was in his very mutant nature to stay away from it. His body never coped well when he was exposed to extreme heat. (1)
"W...what are you doing?", he said, sending out a mental shout to the Professor for help.
"Gettin' payback", growled Lucas, then smirked, "my father didn't quite get that message, I blocked it off, not a problem is it?"
Bobby flinched away as the flames grew closer to him.
"I'm sorry I attacked Elizabeth, okay?", he snapped, "I was angry"
"Angry? ANGRY?", said Lucas, "you havnae SEEN angry. You low life, little murderer"
He grabbed Bobby up out of the fire telekentically, holding him above the flames.
"Murderer?", said Bobby, "but Lizzie's not dead, she's fine"
"I'm nae talkin' about Lizzie", snarled Lucas, telekentically throwing Bobby roughly against a wall of the mansion.
Bobby managed a grunt of pain, before iceing up, sending an ice blast at Lucas. It did not good, however, a burst of flame melted the ice into nothing before it even made contact.
"Ye just attacked her without thinking about the consequences of your actions", said Lucas, holding a hand up and closing his fist.
As Lucas made the action, Bobby gasped in pain. His icey form was cracking around him, crunching close to him squeasing his vital organs together. He tried to suck in a breath, but his windpipe was closing up too. He made a weak attempt to struggle away as he vision became blured. Then..suddenly, it all stopped. The pressure was released and he fell to the floor with a thud, gasping for breath.
"You're not worth the energy", growled Lucas, "but see that as a warning. If ye cross my path again, ye won't be so lucky".
With that, he flew off away from the mansion, not moving too far away....he wanted to know when Lizzie was awake again. Bobby gasped, getting shakily to his feet, powering down. Battered and bruised, he limped back inside the mansion to his room, a look of grim determination on his face.
---
"Do de do do doo, gonna get lucky, do de do do do, gonna be happy".
The Brotherhood watched in varing levels of interest as Pietro floated around the room, trying on aftershave for a face that hadn't so much as grown stubble yet.
"Pietro, you smell of something that drowned in a perfume factory", pointed out Rosemary, wrinkling her nose slightly.
"I don't care, evil-woman", said Pietro, "your opinion doesn't matter to me. Why? I hear you ask..."
"Actually, I didn't ask", pointed out Rosemary.
"Because", said Pietro, "you're just a human"
"So's Crystal", smirked Rosemary, "you know, your date for the evening"
Pietro blinked before groaning.
"I hate it when you're right. Okay, so what's your opinion".
"Sorry, don't feel like giving it anymore", smirked Rosemary, ushering Freddy out of the door, "have fun, Pie!"
"Freddy, stop her!", said Pietro.
Freddy arched a brow.,
"Given the choice of staying here watching my girlfriend help you survive this sucicide mission you're calling a date, or actually going ON a date with my girlfriend...what do YOU think I'm gonna pick?", said Freddy with a smirk, walking out with Rosemary.
"I hope your children are all fat, ugly pyschos!", shouted Pitero to their retreating forms.
He turned to look at Todd, smiling hopefully.
"Oh, lookit the time, I got a date with Sid, bye now", said Todd, making a hop for it.
"Wait for me!", shouted Lance, "I have a date with Kitty, she'll feed me muffins if I'm late!"
Pietro blinked.
"Does nobody love me?"
"I'll help you", said Pyro with a smile.
"Does nobody want to help Pietro?", sighed Pietro.
"I do, mate", grinned Pyro.
Pietro looked up at the celing with a grimace.
"Does anybody but HIM want to help Pietro?".
"Aww, come on, sport, I really can help with your date", grinned with Austrailian.
Pietro gave a defeated sigh.
"If I even so much as hear you breathe the word 'fire' I'm gone", he said, following him, before stopping, "waiiiiit, what's the catch?"
Pyro coughed, shuffling his feet.
"Catch? There's no catch, honest".
Pietro arched an unbeliveing brow.
"Okay, okay", said Pyro, "there is. If I help you get a sucessfull date with this sheila that hates you..."
"She doesn't hate me", pointed out Pietro, "she just hasn't learned to like me yet".
"Whatever", said Pyro, then sighed, "I want you to put a good word in for me with your sister"
Pietro blinked a few times.
"My sister? As in Wanda, my sister?", he asked, as Pyro nodded shyly, "seriously?"
"Yeah", sighed Pyro, "she's gorgeous and firey and..."
"Okay", said Pietro, holding up his hands, "SO don't want to hear the details"
He smirked.
"Okay, deal", he said, then added under his breath, "crazy Austrailian idiot".
Sure, he'd put in a good word for Pyro...and then sit back and watch his sister pummel him into the ground. Mmmm, he should buy some popcorn.
---
At the mansion, Lizzie moaned softly as she stiired. Sam was at her sides in seconds.
"Lizzie?"
She opened her eyes with a groan, focusing on her older brother.
"Sam?", she asked weakly, "w..what happened? Where am a'h?".
"You're in Xavier's", said Sam gently, "you..you got hurt real bad"
Lizzie tried ot shift positions, giving a wince.
"No kidding", she said, before glancing around worriedly, "where's Lucas?"
Sam frowned at the mention of his name, then sighed.
"He's somewhere nearby, he said he'd be here as soon as he knows you've woken up", said Sam, then looked at her worriedly, "Lizzie...you...you had a miscarriage".
Lizzie looked at her brother in confusion.
"What are you talkin' about, Sam?", she asked, "a'h wasn't pregnant"
"You were", said Sam gently, "The Professsor and Mr McCoy found that you'd lost the baby in the acident".
Lizzie blinked numbly, taking all of this in, putting a hand on her stomach.
"A'h was?...", she whispered, before shaking her head, "and a'h just thought a'h was comin' down with somethin'".
"Ah'm sorry, Sis", said Sam gently, giving her a carefull hug, not wanting to cause pain, "it'll be okay"
Lizzie nodded mutely, before looking up past Sam's shoulder, smiling slightly. Sam turned around, seeing Lucas stood by the doorway. Humph, he wasn't kidding when he said he'd get there when she awoke. He frowned, standing protectively by his sister.
"Ah'll be fine, Sam", said Lizzie, "just go"
Sam sighed, watching Lucas carefully before leaving the room. Lucas waited until the elder Guthrie sibling was gone before allowing a small smile to cross his face, walking over to Lizzie.
"Hey"
"Hey yourself", said Lizzie with a weak smile.
Lucas sat down on the edge of her bed, brushing a hand over her cheek.
"How're ye feelin'?"
"Like I got run over by a hummer", chuckled Lizzie, before sighing, "did...did your dad tell you about..."
Lucas nodded.
"Aye, he did", he replied quietly.
Lizzie sighed, hanging her head.
"A'hm so sorry, Lucas", she said, "a'h didn't know. A'h should have been more carefull....a'h shouldn't have gone out fightin'...."
She let out a small sob. Lucas blinked, before pulling her gently into a hug.
"It's nae you're fault", he said soothingly, brushing a hand over her back, "nothing's changed, Lizzie".
"It hasn't?", she asked, blinking at him.
Lucas gave her a smile, wiping away her tears, kissing her forehead.
"Not one bit".
"A'h don't tust him as far as a'h can throw him", said Sam, from where he watched outside the infirmary, then blinked at Xavier, "err...no offense"
Charles chuckled slightly.
"That's okay, Sam", he said, "your expected to be protective of your sister. And my son's track record isn't much to trust...but I can assure you, you have nothing to fear"
"You sure?", asked Sam, arching a brow.
Xavier smiled.
"Indeed", he said, "Not even the greatest of telepaths can mask the emotion of love"
---
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Storm groaned, trying to burry her head back into her pillow.
"Your daughter's awake", she said, her voice muffled by her pillow.
"Why is she always just MY daughter before sunrise?", muttered Forge sleepily.
"Because if you get up before sunrise, i don't kick you in the shins", replied Storm.
"Huh?", said Forge, before Storm kicked him in the shin, "hey owww! Quit it!. Okay, okay, i'm up"
He gave a sleepy yawn, falling out of bed and trudging into Imara's room. Imara stopped crying the instant she saw her father, cocked her head to the side and giggled.
"........You're as evil as your mother", said Forge.
"Gah bah nogh", replied Imara.
"Yeah, Gah bah nogh", said Forge with a chuckle, tucking her in, "now go to sleep".
Imara gave a happy baby giggle, holding out her hands to her father. Forge chuckled, knowing 'Imara speak' well enough to lean down and give her a goodnight kiss. Imara took the oportunity to hug Forge's head before grabbing her rabbit and holding him up. Well, her rabbit had to have a goodnight kiss too! Forge gave a small squeak at the sight of that rabbit toy.
"Yeah, he's nice", he tried.
Imara, though had inherited Forge's sturborn nature, she wasn't going to let him go with just THAT.
"Bah!", she said thrusting the rabbit in her fathers face.
Forge took a deep breath, closed his eyes and kissed the cuddly toy on the head. Satisfied, Imara snuggled with her teddy-rabbit into her crib. Her electric-blue eyes drifting closed. Forge smiled, watching his daughter sleep before giving her another kiss and walking to the door.
"Goodnight Sweetheart", he said, flicking the light off heading back to bed.
-----
By the time it was early morning, Lizzie had drifted off to sleep again. Lucas had forced himself to leave her, if only for a short while.
"Ya know, we have plenty of guest rooms here", pointed out Logan, watching him move for the door, "and in all technicallities, this IS your house".
Lucas shook his head.
"I don't belong here", he said, "this is the sort of world David belongs in, not me. Besides, I have tae check on my team"
Logan gave a rough chuckle.
"What?", said Lucas, turning to look at him, arching a brow.
"You're more like your father than you know", smirked Logan, "you both put your charges before yourself....and you both have that anoyin' stubborness that won't let ya quit".
Lucas blinked thoughtfully, before sighing, heading for the door.
"I'll check on Lizzie tomorrow", he said simply, flying off into the night.
Logan chuckled, shaking his head in amusement, before heading to Xavier's study.
"That kid of yours is a chip off the 'ol block", he said as he entered, "okay, he's a little more unballanced than you, but still..."
He paused, looking at Xavier, who was holding a note in his hand.
"Chuck?"
"It's Bobby", said Xavier, blinking at the note, "he's...gone".
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(1) - Okay, I'm not sure how true that is, I don't read alot of Iceman in the comics, but he did say in 'Cruise Control' that he didn't 'do' hot water.
Wow, that chapter was alot longer than originally planned.The addition of Lucas warring with his other personalities was added lst minute. I figured that they must still be in there, somewhere, they can't just vanish ;) Do review. Until next time...