___________________What Lies Beneath...The Mask__________________
AN: First off, I just want to thank my readers for baring with me and being patient while I struggled with the last chapter. And second of all, I want to thank my new readers for leaving a review to let me know that you read it. I wonder if some people don't leave a review?? Evil people!!! hehehhe!! *Cough* So, anyways, not much that you wouldn't expect I guess.
PS: Just so you know, I'm crazy. heheheheh....I'll make you a character in my fics and make you do all sorts of crazy stuff...bwahhahah!! And another thing: If the spacing is all weird and the lines that show scene changes are messed up: IT AIN'T MY FAULT! I put it in right but the web site messes it up!! I'm Innocent I tell you! Oh, and the quote from my muse is real. She said that on the phone to me last Tuesday. I tell ya, the world is full of crazy people. In fact I'm one of them...have I mentioned this? Oh, I have? Oh dear, I think I'm losing my memory too...
Muse PS: "Furry Elf, I need to be institutionalized! I've been talking to 3 people at once on the phone, I'm NOT watching Smallville with Clark *drool,* and is the legal limit of Advil 30 capsules?"
Muse name: Gambit Girl 2006. Gambit Girl would like me to place an ad here on her behalf. She would like the readers and writers to know that she is available for musing. In other words. You need a muse, Email her: mhoneycu@felpsis.net Tell her Furry Elf sent ya.
(jay): Thanks so much for reviewing! It's nice to have some people who are so happy about something I did! I'll apologize in advance if it takes me more than 2 weeks to get the next chapter, life is a wee bit hectic 'round here. :)
Miou: Yeah, German rocks! Help would be so kühl! I'll leave my addy in the bottom of this chapter so you can email me. : : :
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone except Sight. But you already knew that, right? Well, I'm telling ya again. So there. Don't own any of the X-Men or other Marvel stuff. Not making any money offa this *sigh*. Please don't sue me.
~ thinking ~ telephathy ^^ flashback ^^ # dream #
_____________________
~ Man, I really didn't want to havta do this, ~ was all Logan had time to think before setting his stance firm and putting both hands over his head to catch Tate's wrists. He used her momentum to twist and slam her into the base of one of the many tall oaks on the property. She hit her head hard and went unconscious. Her wings, since her mind had been temporarily shut down, slid into her back once more.
He heard quick steps behind him and turned to talk to Remy only to get a faceful of exploding pebbles and twigs. "Y' be leavin' de petite alone now, homme."
Remy had already pulled out four cards from the deck that he kept in one of the deep pockets of his trench coat. He held them between his fingers and charged them up, ready to throw.
Logan growled more in annoyance than pain and reflexively unsheathed his claws. The sound of metal on metal was unmistakable.
Remy stoped his advance and cocked his head at the claws that had become a new appendage. He turned his red and black eyes back to Logans' face, saw the healing flesh, and gave him a cocky smirk. "Y' be de Wolverine, oui? S'ormy said Remy should be watchin' out for y', guess Remy don' listen good, eh?" Logan half-grinned and let his claws slide back inside his arms, the wounds, as always, healing instantly, leaving not a scar.
"Ya got that right, kid. You better be sure yer on my good side before you stop lookin' over yer shoulder fer me."
"Oui, Remy'll do dat. An' y' betta be doin' the same." A few seconds of regarding each other passed before they heard the moan that came from Tate.
"Ugh....Ouch." Logan moved aside to let Remy help a scowling Tate to a standing position.
"Someone care to explain why Remy hasn't blasted you to kingdom come?"
"Remy don' t'ink the professeur would be lettin' us stay if Remy be blowing up de teachers."
"Ah, the Wolverine, correct?" A nod from Logan. "Huh...I thought you were a feral."
"One of the best."
"Really? Then how is it that I managed to sense you so quickly?"
Logan didn't say anything. How did she sense him?
"That's what I thought. Please be sure to watch your step from now on. Those who hide for seemingly no reason, almost always seem to have a secret to hide.
With that, Tate stalked off back into the mansion, dragging Remy with her. He shot a smile over his shoulder that didn't reach his eyes. Logan narrowed his for a moment.
~ Tough girl, ~ he thought. Logan smiled.
_______________
As Tate and Remy were entering the mansion again, they met up with Professor.
"Ah, there you are Tate, I was just looking for you."
Tate and Remy stopped just inside the doorway.
"Yes?"
"I have something for you...I think you might like it." He hands her a rectangle box.
"What is this for?"
"You'll see," he said cryptically.
Tate opened the box and pulled out, "A watch?" Puzzled, Tate turned her head in Xaviers' direction. Remy too, seemed perplexed. "What am I going to use a watch for?"
"Put it on, you'll find out." Breathing out heavily, Tate managed to get the watch on her left wrist. "Well?" Xavier keyed his chair closer and pushed two buttons on the side of the watch at the same time. There was a beep and Tates' image became that of a young -- normal looking -- girl in her teens. Remy took a sharp intake of breath.
"What is dis, Professeur?" "What? What's going on?"
"The watch you are wearing, Tate, is a holoimager. It's the same designe that Kurt uses to go to school without anyone seeing his fur or eyes. In other words, you don't look like a mutant any more."
"Wow, Remy wish y' could see y'self, petite.... Y' got dark blue eyes, and y' hair is blonde."
"Perhaps she can see herself... would you like to?"
"How?" "If you give me permission to enter your mind, you could see yourself through my eyes, or Remys' for that matter."
"Right.... just let you into my mind so you can do whatever you want to my mind? Go poking around in dark corners that you don't belong in? I don't think so."
"No, I would never alter someones mind...."
"Save it, Xavier. For someone who'll listen." Xavier sat back in his chair, defeated.
"Very well, I won't push the matter." Tate took the watch off her arm. "Don't need it anyways. I ain't going to school."
"We'll see about that, young lady."
"Non, Professor, y' got 'er wrong.... she don' mean she ain' goin' ta school.... she jus' mean she ain' got a reason ta. She finished 'er schooling three years 'go now. Remy think de petite be bored at de school."
"I see." The Professor didn't look very convinced at all.
"Very well. Then you shall both begin training exercises with Logan tomorrow morning while the others are at school."
_____________________
(Next Day)
"Chuck, I need to talk to ya." The man known only as Logan had just walked into Xaviers' office after a 2 hour long training session with Remy and Tate.
He was sweating heavily, though he had a towel around his neck. His practice uniform was shredded to a thousand pieces.
Charles put down the paper he had been grading and sat forward, hands forming the trademark steeple. Giving the older man his full attention. ~ This should be interesting. ~
"Something ain't right about that girl." Xavier raised an eyebrow.
Breathing out, Logan took a seat. "She's messed up in the head I think. She'll be fine and happy one moment, then angry and lashin' out at everyone the next. Remy seems to pretty much ignore it, but I can tell he's worried about her."
Logan waited for Charles to say something, when he didn't, he continued.
"She's a good fighter, when she found out about my healing factor, she had no problem whatsoever about kicking me in the gut. Or usin' her claws. She can fly pretty well off, needs more endurance though. Probably could stand to gain a few pounds, like Remy.
"She ain't afraid to hurt people. She's afraid of lettin' 'em in. I'm thinkin', the only person she would never hurt, even in her sleep, would be Remy. She's a hunter. A fighter. And she's scared. A scared animal is /not/ something you mess around with or provoke. She gets into a corner and she gets defensive. She'll protect Remy, no doubt, but I don't think she's always there, in her head all the time. She may not harm him, but she might harm one of the other students or teachers."
Logan stopped. Xavier regarded him for a moment. This was the most he'd ever heard Logan speak in one sitting. Other than training lectures that is.
Logan was right though. Charles himself had thought of these dangers, but still had felt the need to bring her in. He was certain that all she needed was the right mentor.
Charles smiled at this thought. Logan looked at him quizzically.
"Well Logan, you have not stated anything that I would not have already known or suspected about our guest. You are correct, she is like a frightened creature. Which is why I put her with you. Doesn't she remind you of a certain someone not to long ago? With the right training and mentorship, she could become quite pleasant company."
Logan gave him a look that could only be described as pure disbelief.
"You sayin' I gotta baby-sit the kid?"
"Well... I wasn't going to use that job description, but yes, I am."
Logan snorted. "No way."
"Logan - " Xavier started, but Logan stood up, cutting him off, "I ain't no baby-sitter. And I sure as heck ain't no mentor fer that kid. Ya want her slicin' everybodys heads off when I get done with her? Just 'cause she's got an attitude problem, don't mean I gotta be the one to get her ta snap outta it."
Logan had already turned to walk away, but Xavier wasn't done talking yet.
"Logan." He stopped. And instantly wished he hadn't. Something about the way Xavier could say one word and make it sound like a command. Mentally reminding himself to kick himself in the rear later, he turned back around to face Charles.
"Logan," he said again, all force gone from his voice this time, "She needs help from someone who can relate to her. She's a loner. Therefore she needs another like herself to talk to. I fell that she hides things from even Remy. He grew up around family, around people, and, if you could call it that, he grew up around love.
"Tate grew up in hate, in solitary, alone. He can't possibly know how to react to every single thing she does or says. You can. And you won't be in danger of death."
The last part Charles said with a glimmer of humor in his eyes. He could tell that Logan still wasn't convinced though. He needed to say something else, one more thing and Logan would be convinced, he knew it.
"Besides, she would be a great sparing partner when she gets mad. You said yourself that she isn't afraid to hurt you, that she gets backed into a corner and gets defensive. You start talking to her, trying to get in, get through to her and she WILL back into that corner. She WILL get defensive. She WILL fight you."
Logan stared at him long and hard. Then he got up and walked out of the room. Closing the door firmly behind him.
Professor Charles Fransis Xavier smiled.
________
Inside Tate's new room in the womens wing, Tate and Remy were sitting on her bed talking.
"You didn't have to lie to him."
"Eh, Oh well. It jus' be one 'lil lie, petite. Nobody gonna get hurt from it, non?"
"Besides, Remy, he be the master of lies."
"No doubt about that."
Silence.
"So, what Tate t'ink of dis place?"
"It's big. Too many windows. We're gonna have to talk to someone about puttin' a strip of tape or something on them. I'm afraid I'm gonna walk right through one."
"Oui, Remy be right on dat one. Y'r wish is Remy's command."
Tate grinned. "Sure, you're my magic genie."
"Oui, but y' get more dan trois wish t'ough." Remy smiled at her, even though he knew she couldn't see it. She always said that she could feel it somehow.
That's how it was in the beginning, when they first met. That's exactly what she'd said to him - right after he'd given her a good trouncing. The small train of thought grabbed more cars and kept on going uphill. Stopping to open the doors of many memories of days long past. Memories, he'd sooner forget than look at again.
But sometimes, you don't get to pick and choose your life.
Sometimes your life chooses you.
^^ Remy was climbing out of the skylight that these rich people had just installed in their fancy home. He said a silent thank-you to them for making his job that much easier. Skylights were the easiest in the world to get through. While regular windows were wired from the inside, skylights were wired on the outside. Yes, this made Remy's job much easier.
Although the racket all those people on the street were making wasn't helping at all (he'd had to cut his "shopping" short because the people in the house were waking up), but then again, they might help. With all the noise and excitement going down on the street... who would think to check for anything stolen at 2:00 in the morning?
Remy smiled. Yes, tonight was a good night.
His smile disappeared however as the sounds of the crowd drew closer. Too close.
He quickly walked, silent as a cat to the edge of the roof and checked out the scene.
He almost fell off the roof from all the anger seething from the crowd below. Did he mention this little empathy thing he had going on? Either he was tired or the crowd below him was really, really, REALLY angry.
"Merde, i' looks like a wi'ch-hunt down dere." And indeed it did. Even to the casual observer, one could tell quite plainly that this group of people was out for blood.
Mutant Blood.
"Com'on outta dere girlie.... we ain't gonna hurt ya none, we jus wan'a talk wi'cha"
The man speaking was from the hotel down the street that gave the left- overs to the street kids. Henri Couge. Remy knew this man. He was always careful not to let him see his eyes. Wearing sunglasses on even the darkest of days. Claiming he had eye problems.
This man was a racist. The worst that Remy knew. If you didn't speak Yat[1], you steered clear of him. And if you were black, you made SURE you didn't come within a 100 yards of HIS hotel.
Yes, Remy knew this man well.
Before Jean-Luc had adopted him.
Before the Guild.
This man was trouble. And if he had bothered to get up at 2:00 in the morning, to talk with a girl (whom he guessed was hiding in the alley besides him), to get a group of people together with.... was that a gun? Yes, it was a gun. Several guns. And anything else these people had handy to slash and bash.
~ Dis ain' gonna turn out well. ~
"Yeah, com'on out girl, we ain' gonna do nuttin' to ya...."
This from a woman only 5 years older than Remy himself. Remy was 16.
He shivered. That could be him down there, if not for a simple thing called genetics.
He still found it hard to believe that something so small as DNA could make such a big difference in his life. He shook his head. Now was not the time for spacing out and examining his life.
He needed to get down from this roof without being seen by this mob. Had it been in the day time, it wouldn't have been so hard. But at night, sunglasses would draw too much attention and his eyes always seemed to glow slightly when he was upset.
Remy LeBeau was definitely upset.
Remy checked out the scene below again. A few the people in the crowd had separated and were walked cautiously into the mouth of the alley.
A piercing, almost inadible scream filled the air. He backed away from the edge of the roof, his hands to his ears. The people who had started towards the alley ran back out, screaming. Blood was trickling down the sides of their heads.
Their eardrums had burst.
Glass was breaking into thousands of pieces everywhere: Shop windows, house windows, cars, reading glasses, everything.
The mob was in a panic now. Running everywhere.
"Remy." He could barely hear the voice over the screaming of the mob below. ^^
"Remy." Came that voice again. He looked up, startled.
Tate was looking at him expectantly. He realized she had been talking to him and he hadn't heard a word she'd said. Remy was grateful she couldn't see his face at the moment. Even though he knew she would be able to feel his embarrassment, he was still glad she couldn't see him.
Embarrassment makes you do funny things with your face that aren't at all charming.
He smiled all the same, "Sorry, chere, y' were sayin'?"
She gave him a funny look. "I said I don't like the way Xavier keeps tryin' to get inta my head. He's always looking at everything I say and do from a hundred angles. It's worse than being poked at by a doctor. Which, by the way reminds me that he said we HAD to see someone called McCoy for an evaluation. e-Valuation, sounds like figurin' out how much something is worth to sell."
"Yeah, Remy know, chere. He be seein' da way the Professeur be talkin' like he can tell us what, when, where, an' how, but we gotta stick to it, petite. If we don', den t'ings gon' get mighty hard f'r us."
Tate sighed, and slightly moved her head. Remy didn't even need his empathy to know this one. She was rolling her eyes.
You stay with someone long as they had and you learn all those little things that show what the mood of the other person is. Most of the time you don't even realize that you're doing something. But others notice.
Tate knew about Remy's reason for cracking jokes at strange times. He only did that when he was nervous.
His walk, and how his voice would lower a few octaves when he was charming someone.
His normal strut has a certain little hop to it that no one else has.
He knew about how her voice would suddenly get a slight slur to it when she was annoyed. How her eyelids would lower only a fraction of a centimeter when she didn't believe what was being said.
Normally, she would walk with her back straight, knees slightly bent and head tilted down with her hands showing her the way.
When she was in a mood, her stance would deepen, her eyes widened and she held her head up and titled to the side.
These things they knew. But that was on the outside. They knew many things about the inside too.
Like how Remy had to make his way on the streets. How he can't stand to see children on the streets because he knows EXACTLY what they do to survive.
How Tate was beaten countless times because she was a mutant. First by her family, then by complete strangers on the streets. This is why she doesn't like crowds.
Yes. They knew each well.
That is why Remy worries about Tate.
That is why Tate is so distrustful.
Why he always has a comment and acts the way he does around others.
Why she always keeps them out, and fights every helping hand.
Because they know that in the end, They can't trust themselves to do what's right.
________________
"Can you, like, believe the Professor actually, like, put her next door?"
"Ah know. Ah don't understahnd ehither, but, " Rogue looked uncertainly at Kitty, " it's HIS choice, not ohurs."
"Who says? Why do we, like, have to put up with HER attitude problem? I mean, come on, does the Professor, like, really think she's just going to, like, WANT to be friends?"
"Oui, why DOES the Professeur want Remys' sister, Tate 'round y' two?"
Both Rogue and Kitty whirled around on the couch in the rec room where they had been talking. Remy was leaning against the door frame in a seemingly casual manner, a small smile on his face, but his eyes were burning.
Rogue and Kitty just gaped open mouthed at him. Both were thinking the same thing: They hadn't heard him coming. And that they were in big trouble now.
"Uh.... I, like... um... I....just.... we wern't....uh...."
"We, just..... were...uhh...." Rogue stopped and looked sheepishly at Remy, "Geez, we're ahful sorry. We shouldn't have been tahlking laik thaht....sorry." she looked down, completely embarrassed to be even thinking of someone like she was Tate.
If anything, SHE should know that sometimes you just wanted some space, no matter how snappy at others you got to get it.
Kitty had closed her mouth and was thinking of something she could say along the lines that Rogue had, but found that she had forgotten how to use her mouth. Instead, she just looked down at her hands in her lap.
Remy looked at them both for a minute, wondering if he should let down his walls and let them actually FEEL his anger, not just see it. He mentally shook his head. He didn't want to give them a reason to hate him too.
He could work on them about Tate. A little. The rest would be up to Tate of course.
Remy pushed off the door frame and picked up one of the untouched sodas on the table in front of the Big-screen TV.
He didn't say a word as he walked out again to find one of the adults to ask about the windows.
Rogue and Kitty just looked at each other.
~ I can't, like, believe it! The cutest guy in the mansion and I had to, like, get him mad at me the very first day he's here! ~
~ Ah swear, Ah'm NEVEAH gonna talk bad 'bout someone in public ahgain! Oh, he seemed laik such a nice guy too.... guess ya neveah can tell. ~
Rogue got up first and went outside to be alone.
Kitty phased upstairs to their shared room and put on some music.
None of the three ever spoke of the incident again.
_______________
Logan was upstairs looking for Tate when Kitty appeared - literally- right under his feet. He didn't say anything to her and kept on walking. He really, REALLY didn't want to do this.
There wasn't a light on in Tate's room and door was closed, so he knocked loudly.
"Come in, Logan." That strange, throaty voice. He tried the doorknob and found it unlocked.
The room was pitch black, a heavy curtain had been put over the large window.
He closed the door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness.
She was sitting in the far left corner of the room. Facing the other corner. One hand lifted slightly to look at him, though her face remained unturned.
"Something you wanted?"
"Yeah, but first, how'd you know it was me? Got a good sense of smell?"
"No, I heard you on the stair case. You have very loud footsteps. And no one in this place would bang on the door like you do.
"Huh, right. Well, Chuck said we need ta have a little heart-to-heart," Tate snorted at this news. She'd expected as much from Xavier. Unperturbed, Logan went on, "I ain't thrilled about the idea anymore than you are, darlin', so lets just get this over with."
She shifted, facing him. Waiting for him to go on.
"Chuck seems to think that since we're both ferals, and loners, that we'll get along just peachie. I ain't sayin' that's my view, but I have ta agree that we COULD do some good fer each other."
Tate said nothing.
"If anything, Chuck thinks we'll be good sparing partners."
Still, Tate said nothing.
"Look kid, I already told ya I don't like the idea. But it's either that or you get to spend some quality time with the rest of the kids in the mansion. What's it gonna be?"
Tate stood up and walked right up to Logan. They were almost the same height.
She held out her hand to him. He shook it, then turned towards the door.
Before he closed it he said, "Meet me in the Danger Room tomorrow, at 4 a.m. sharp." Without another word he closed the door firmly behind him.
Tate walked to the table set beside the bed in the room. She didn't think of the room as 'hers'. There was a special clock that showed the time in rotating, raised numbers.
It was 8:30. Well past the winter sunset. She opened her window and lightly jumped onto the railing of the balcony.
A quick look, a deep breath and she jumped off, her wings ripping through her skin as she fell, catching the air in time to keep her from meeting the ground.
She flew straight up for several minutes. Until the air was just thick enough to breath, and stay aloft in, but thin enough to empty her mind.
She did this often, flying up to the highest point and letting her mind go hazy and sluggish. She liked it. It gave her a certain feeling afterwards that she couldn't quite name.
She never knew how long she would stay up there, just flying, slowly, not thinking, not quite feeling. Just being. It was wonderful and dangerous at the same time.
It was the one thing she could truly call 'hers'.
Her own personal,
free,
- LEGAL -
drug.
Forgetting was one good thing.
Remy was another good thing.
But remembering? Tate's memories weren't the best. Even the last few months with Remy, there were a few times she would sooner forget.
One didn't remember his far past, only his present past. The other, remembers everything. Every fist, every cut, Every. Drop. Of. Blood.
Both want to forget a lot of things. Both try to remember some things. Neither tries to hang onto everything.
Because the one thing that neither Tate nor Logan realized about Professor Xavier's true agenda in putting these two loners together was that our past, and our present, shape who we will become in our future.
Therefore, if we erase our past, where does our future come from?
_________________________________
Whew! Done. *takes a bow* That. Took. For-ever! And yes, I know, I am also working on my Perfect Match... still... *sigh*
But anywho... hope ya'll liked this chapter. I'm trying to kinda get outta the humorous stuff... (leave that for cameos of Bobby and Jubilee *wink wink*), and trying to really get deep in the main being of Logan and Tate. Possibly Remy as well. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a whole phsye ayalises of EVERYONE. *faints from the strain already* Guess that's all.. Review please! Tell me if I'm getting too dark or if I'm too light.... should I try to get Tate outside in public? Or should I keep her in her dark corners?? What do ya think? (Please note that I'm trying to get reactions to ideas and such... "do you think this goes with the character and such")
Later Days!
________________________________________
AN: First off, I just want to thank my readers for baring with me and being patient while I struggled with the last chapter. And second of all, I want to thank my new readers for leaving a review to let me know that you read it. I wonder if some people don't leave a review?? Evil people!!! hehehhe!! *Cough* So, anyways, not much that you wouldn't expect I guess.
PS: Just so you know, I'm crazy. heheheheh....I'll make you a character in my fics and make you do all sorts of crazy stuff...bwahhahah!! And another thing: If the spacing is all weird and the lines that show scene changes are messed up: IT AIN'T MY FAULT! I put it in right but the web site messes it up!! I'm Innocent I tell you! Oh, and the quote from my muse is real. She said that on the phone to me last Tuesday. I tell ya, the world is full of crazy people. In fact I'm one of them...have I mentioned this? Oh, I have? Oh dear, I think I'm losing my memory too...
Muse PS: "Furry Elf, I need to be institutionalized! I've been talking to 3 people at once on the phone, I'm NOT watching Smallville with Clark *drool,* and is the legal limit of Advil 30 capsules?"
Muse name: Gambit Girl 2006. Gambit Girl would like me to place an ad here on her behalf. She would like the readers and writers to know that she is available for musing. In other words. You need a muse, Email her: mhoneycu@felpsis.net Tell her Furry Elf sent ya.
(jay): Thanks so much for reviewing! It's nice to have some people who are so happy about something I did! I'll apologize in advance if it takes me more than 2 weeks to get the next chapter, life is a wee bit hectic 'round here. :)
Miou: Yeah, German rocks! Help would be so kühl! I'll leave my addy in the bottom of this chapter so you can email me. : : :
Disclaimer: Don't own anyone except Sight. But you already knew that, right? Well, I'm telling ya again. So there. Don't own any of the X-Men or other Marvel stuff. Not making any money offa this *sigh*. Please don't sue me.
~ thinking ~ telephathy ^^ flashback ^^ # dream #
_____________________
~ Man, I really didn't want to havta do this, ~ was all Logan had time to think before setting his stance firm and putting both hands over his head to catch Tate's wrists. He used her momentum to twist and slam her into the base of one of the many tall oaks on the property. She hit her head hard and went unconscious. Her wings, since her mind had been temporarily shut down, slid into her back once more.
He heard quick steps behind him and turned to talk to Remy only to get a faceful of exploding pebbles and twigs. "Y' be leavin' de petite alone now, homme."
Remy had already pulled out four cards from the deck that he kept in one of the deep pockets of his trench coat. He held them between his fingers and charged them up, ready to throw.
Logan growled more in annoyance than pain and reflexively unsheathed his claws. The sound of metal on metal was unmistakable.
Remy stoped his advance and cocked his head at the claws that had become a new appendage. He turned his red and black eyes back to Logans' face, saw the healing flesh, and gave him a cocky smirk. "Y' be de Wolverine, oui? S'ormy said Remy should be watchin' out for y', guess Remy don' listen good, eh?" Logan half-grinned and let his claws slide back inside his arms, the wounds, as always, healing instantly, leaving not a scar.
"Ya got that right, kid. You better be sure yer on my good side before you stop lookin' over yer shoulder fer me."
"Oui, Remy'll do dat. An' y' betta be doin' the same." A few seconds of regarding each other passed before they heard the moan that came from Tate.
"Ugh....Ouch." Logan moved aside to let Remy help a scowling Tate to a standing position.
"Someone care to explain why Remy hasn't blasted you to kingdom come?"
"Remy don' t'ink the professeur would be lettin' us stay if Remy be blowing up de teachers."
"Ah, the Wolverine, correct?" A nod from Logan. "Huh...I thought you were a feral."
"One of the best."
"Really? Then how is it that I managed to sense you so quickly?"
Logan didn't say anything. How did she sense him?
"That's what I thought. Please be sure to watch your step from now on. Those who hide for seemingly no reason, almost always seem to have a secret to hide.
With that, Tate stalked off back into the mansion, dragging Remy with her. He shot a smile over his shoulder that didn't reach his eyes. Logan narrowed his for a moment.
~ Tough girl, ~ he thought. Logan smiled.
_______________
As Tate and Remy were entering the mansion again, they met up with Professor.
"Ah, there you are Tate, I was just looking for you."
Tate and Remy stopped just inside the doorway.
"Yes?"
"I have something for you...I think you might like it." He hands her a rectangle box.
"What is this for?"
"You'll see," he said cryptically.
Tate opened the box and pulled out, "A watch?" Puzzled, Tate turned her head in Xaviers' direction. Remy too, seemed perplexed. "What am I going to use a watch for?"
"Put it on, you'll find out." Breathing out heavily, Tate managed to get the watch on her left wrist. "Well?" Xavier keyed his chair closer and pushed two buttons on the side of the watch at the same time. There was a beep and Tates' image became that of a young -- normal looking -- girl in her teens. Remy took a sharp intake of breath.
"What is dis, Professeur?" "What? What's going on?"
"The watch you are wearing, Tate, is a holoimager. It's the same designe that Kurt uses to go to school without anyone seeing his fur or eyes. In other words, you don't look like a mutant any more."
"Wow, Remy wish y' could see y'self, petite.... Y' got dark blue eyes, and y' hair is blonde."
"Perhaps she can see herself... would you like to?"
"How?" "If you give me permission to enter your mind, you could see yourself through my eyes, or Remys' for that matter."
"Right.... just let you into my mind so you can do whatever you want to my mind? Go poking around in dark corners that you don't belong in? I don't think so."
"No, I would never alter someones mind...."
"Save it, Xavier. For someone who'll listen." Xavier sat back in his chair, defeated.
"Very well, I won't push the matter." Tate took the watch off her arm. "Don't need it anyways. I ain't going to school."
"We'll see about that, young lady."
"Non, Professor, y' got 'er wrong.... she don' mean she ain' goin' ta school.... she jus' mean she ain' got a reason ta. She finished 'er schooling three years 'go now. Remy think de petite be bored at de school."
"I see." The Professor didn't look very convinced at all.
"Very well. Then you shall both begin training exercises with Logan tomorrow morning while the others are at school."
_____________________
(Next Day)
"Chuck, I need to talk to ya." The man known only as Logan had just walked into Xaviers' office after a 2 hour long training session with Remy and Tate.
He was sweating heavily, though he had a towel around his neck. His practice uniform was shredded to a thousand pieces.
Charles put down the paper he had been grading and sat forward, hands forming the trademark steeple. Giving the older man his full attention. ~ This should be interesting. ~
"Something ain't right about that girl." Xavier raised an eyebrow.
Breathing out, Logan took a seat. "She's messed up in the head I think. She'll be fine and happy one moment, then angry and lashin' out at everyone the next. Remy seems to pretty much ignore it, but I can tell he's worried about her."
Logan waited for Charles to say something, when he didn't, he continued.
"She's a good fighter, when she found out about my healing factor, she had no problem whatsoever about kicking me in the gut. Or usin' her claws. She can fly pretty well off, needs more endurance though. Probably could stand to gain a few pounds, like Remy.
"She ain't afraid to hurt people. She's afraid of lettin' 'em in. I'm thinkin', the only person she would never hurt, even in her sleep, would be Remy. She's a hunter. A fighter. And she's scared. A scared animal is /not/ something you mess around with or provoke. She gets into a corner and she gets defensive. She'll protect Remy, no doubt, but I don't think she's always there, in her head all the time. She may not harm him, but she might harm one of the other students or teachers."
Logan stopped. Xavier regarded him for a moment. This was the most he'd ever heard Logan speak in one sitting. Other than training lectures that is.
Logan was right though. Charles himself had thought of these dangers, but still had felt the need to bring her in. He was certain that all she needed was the right mentor.
Charles smiled at this thought. Logan looked at him quizzically.
"Well Logan, you have not stated anything that I would not have already known or suspected about our guest. You are correct, she is like a frightened creature. Which is why I put her with you. Doesn't she remind you of a certain someone not to long ago? With the right training and mentorship, she could become quite pleasant company."
Logan gave him a look that could only be described as pure disbelief.
"You sayin' I gotta baby-sit the kid?"
"Well... I wasn't going to use that job description, but yes, I am."
Logan snorted. "No way."
"Logan - " Xavier started, but Logan stood up, cutting him off, "I ain't no baby-sitter. And I sure as heck ain't no mentor fer that kid. Ya want her slicin' everybodys heads off when I get done with her? Just 'cause she's got an attitude problem, don't mean I gotta be the one to get her ta snap outta it."
Logan had already turned to walk away, but Xavier wasn't done talking yet.
"Logan." He stopped. And instantly wished he hadn't. Something about the way Xavier could say one word and make it sound like a command. Mentally reminding himself to kick himself in the rear later, he turned back around to face Charles.
"Logan," he said again, all force gone from his voice this time, "She needs help from someone who can relate to her. She's a loner. Therefore she needs another like herself to talk to. I fell that she hides things from even Remy. He grew up around family, around people, and, if you could call it that, he grew up around love.
"Tate grew up in hate, in solitary, alone. He can't possibly know how to react to every single thing she does or says. You can. And you won't be in danger of death."
The last part Charles said with a glimmer of humor in his eyes. He could tell that Logan still wasn't convinced though. He needed to say something else, one more thing and Logan would be convinced, he knew it.
"Besides, she would be a great sparing partner when she gets mad. You said yourself that she isn't afraid to hurt you, that she gets backed into a corner and gets defensive. You start talking to her, trying to get in, get through to her and she WILL back into that corner. She WILL get defensive. She WILL fight you."
Logan stared at him long and hard. Then he got up and walked out of the room. Closing the door firmly behind him.
Professor Charles Fransis Xavier smiled.
________
Inside Tate's new room in the womens wing, Tate and Remy were sitting on her bed talking.
"You didn't have to lie to him."
"Eh, Oh well. It jus' be one 'lil lie, petite. Nobody gonna get hurt from it, non?"
"Besides, Remy, he be the master of lies."
"No doubt about that."
Silence.
"So, what Tate t'ink of dis place?"
"It's big. Too many windows. We're gonna have to talk to someone about puttin' a strip of tape or something on them. I'm afraid I'm gonna walk right through one."
"Oui, Remy be right on dat one. Y'r wish is Remy's command."
Tate grinned. "Sure, you're my magic genie."
"Oui, but y' get more dan trois wish t'ough." Remy smiled at her, even though he knew she couldn't see it. She always said that she could feel it somehow.
That's how it was in the beginning, when they first met. That's exactly what she'd said to him - right after he'd given her a good trouncing. The small train of thought grabbed more cars and kept on going uphill. Stopping to open the doors of many memories of days long past. Memories, he'd sooner forget than look at again.
But sometimes, you don't get to pick and choose your life.
Sometimes your life chooses you.
^^ Remy was climbing out of the skylight that these rich people had just installed in their fancy home. He said a silent thank-you to them for making his job that much easier. Skylights were the easiest in the world to get through. While regular windows were wired from the inside, skylights were wired on the outside. Yes, this made Remy's job much easier.
Although the racket all those people on the street were making wasn't helping at all (he'd had to cut his "shopping" short because the people in the house were waking up), but then again, they might help. With all the noise and excitement going down on the street... who would think to check for anything stolen at 2:00 in the morning?
Remy smiled. Yes, tonight was a good night.
His smile disappeared however as the sounds of the crowd drew closer. Too close.
He quickly walked, silent as a cat to the edge of the roof and checked out the scene.
He almost fell off the roof from all the anger seething from the crowd below. Did he mention this little empathy thing he had going on? Either he was tired or the crowd below him was really, really, REALLY angry.
"Merde, i' looks like a wi'ch-hunt down dere." And indeed it did. Even to the casual observer, one could tell quite plainly that this group of people was out for blood.
Mutant Blood.
"Com'on outta dere girlie.... we ain't gonna hurt ya none, we jus wan'a talk wi'cha"
The man speaking was from the hotel down the street that gave the left- overs to the street kids. Henri Couge. Remy knew this man. He was always careful not to let him see his eyes. Wearing sunglasses on even the darkest of days. Claiming he had eye problems.
This man was a racist. The worst that Remy knew. If you didn't speak Yat[1], you steered clear of him. And if you were black, you made SURE you didn't come within a 100 yards of HIS hotel.
Yes, Remy knew this man well.
Before Jean-Luc had adopted him.
Before the Guild.
This man was trouble. And if he had bothered to get up at 2:00 in the morning, to talk with a girl (whom he guessed was hiding in the alley besides him), to get a group of people together with.... was that a gun? Yes, it was a gun. Several guns. And anything else these people had handy to slash and bash.
~ Dis ain' gonna turn out well. ~
"Yeah, com'on out girl, we ain' gonna do nuttin' to ya...."
This from a woman only 5 years older than Remy himself. Remy was 16.
He shivered. That could be him down there, if not for a simple thing called genetics.
He still found it hard to believe that something so small as DNA could make such a big difference in his life. He shook his head. Now was not the time for spacing out and examining his life.
He needed to get down from this roof without being seen by this mob. Had it been in the day time, it wouldn't have been so hard. But at night, sunglasses would draw too much attention and his eyes always seemed to glow slightly when he was upset.
Remy LeBeau was definitely upset.
Remy checked out the scene below again. A few the people in the crowd had separated and were walked cautiously into the mouth of the alley.
A piercing, almost inadible scream filled the air. He backed away from the edge of the roof, his hands to his ears. The people who had started towards the alley ran back out, screaming. Blood was trickling down the sides of their heads.
Their eardrums had burst.
Glass was breaking into thousands of pieces everywhere: Shop windows, house windows, cars, reading glasses, everything.
The mob was in a panic now. Running everywhere.
"Remy." He could barely hear the voice over the screaming of the mob below. ^^
"Remy." Came that voice again. He looked up, startled.
Tate was looking at him expectantly. He realized she had been talking to him and he hadn't heard a word she'd said. Remy was grateful she couldn't see his face at the moment. Even though he knew she would be able to feel his embarrassment, he was still glad she couldn't see him.
Embarrassment makes you do funny things with your face that aren't at all charming.
He smiled all the same, "Sorry, chere, y' were sayin'?"
She gave him a funny look. "I said I don't like the way Xavier keeps tryin' to get inta my head. He's always looking at everything I say and do from a hundred angles. It's worse than being poked at by a doctor. Which, by the way reminds me that he said we HAD to see someone called McCoy for an evaluation. e-Valuation, sounds like figurin' out how much something is worth to sell."
"Yeah, Remy know, chere. He be seein' da way the Professeur be talkin' like he can tell us what, when, where, an' how, but we gotta stick to it, petite. If we don', den t'ings gon' get mighty hard f'r us."
Tate sighed, and slightly moved her head. Remy didn't even need his empathy to know this one. She was rolling her eyes.
You stay with someone long as they had and you learn all those little things that show what the mood of the other person is. Most of the time you don't even realize that you're doing something. But others notice.
Tate knew about Remy's reason for cracking jokes at strange times. He only did that when he was nervous.
His walk, and how his voice would lower a few octaves when he was charming someone.
His normal strut has a certain little hop to it that no one else has.
He knew about how her voice would suddenly get a slight slur to it when she was annoyed. How her eyelids would lower only a fraction of a centimeter when she didn't believe what was being said.
Normally, she would walk with her back straight, knees slightly bent and head tilted down with her hands showing her the way.
When she was in a mood, her stance would deepen, her eyes widened and she held her head up and titled to the side.
These things they knew. But that was on the outside. They knew many things about the inside too.
Like how Remy had to make his way on the streets. How he can't stand to see children on the streets because he knows EXACTLY what they do to survive.
How Tate was beaten countless times because she was a mutant. First by her family, then by complete strangers on the streets. This is why she doesn't like crowds.
Yes. They knew each well.
That is why Remy worries about Tate.
That is why Tate is so distrustful.
Why he always has a comment and acts the way he does around others.
Why she always keeps them out, and fights every helping hand.
Because they know that in the end, They can't trust themselves to do what's right.
________________
"Can you, like, believe the Professor actually, like, put her next door?"
"Ah know. Ah don't understahnd ehither, but, " Rogue looked uncertainly at Kitty, " it's HIS choice, not ohurs."
"Who says? Why do we, like, have to put up with HER attitude problem? I mean, come on, does the Professor, like, really think she's just going to, like, WANT to be friends?"
"Oui, why DOES the Professeur want Remys' sister, Tate 'round y' two?"
Both Rogue and Kitty whirled around on the couch in the rec room where they had been talking. Remy was leaning against the door frame in a seemingly casual manner, a small smile on his face, but his eyes were burning.
Rogue and Kitty just gaped open mouthed at him. Both were thinking the same thing: They hadn't heard him coming. And that they were in big trouble now.
"Uh.... I, like... um... I....just.... we wern't....uh...."
"We, just..... were...uhh...." Rogue stopped and looked sheepishly at Remy, "Geez, we're ahful sorry. We shouldn't have been tahlking laik thaht....sorry." she looked down, completely embarrassed to be even thinking of someone like she was Tate.
If anything, SHE should know that sometimes you just wanted some space, no matter how snappy at others you got to get it.
Kitty had closed her mouth and was thinking of something she could say along the lines that Rogue had, but found that she had forgotten how to use her mouth. Instead, she just looked down at her hands in her lap.
Remy looked at them both for a minute, wondering if he should let down his walls and let them actually FEEL his anger, not just see it. He mentally shook his head. He didn't want to give them a reason to hate him too.
He could work on them about Tate. A little. The rest would be up to Tate of course.
Remy pushed off the door frame and picked up one of the untouched sodas on the table in front of the Big-screen TV.
He didn't say a word as he walked out again to find one of the adults to ask about the windows.
Rogue and Kitty just looked at each other.
~ I can't, like, believe it! The cutest guy in the mansion and I had to, like, get him mad at me the very first day he's here! ~
~ Ah swear, Ah'm NEVEAH gonna talk bad 'bout someone in public ahgain! Oh, he seemed laik such a nice guy too.... guess ya neveah can tell. ~
Rogue got up first and went outside to be alone.
Kitty phased upstairs to their shared room and put on some music.
None of the three ever spoke of the incident again.
_______________
Logan was upstairs looking for Tate when Kitty appeared - literally- right under his feet. He didn't say anything to her and kept on walking. He really, REALLY didn't want to do this.
There wasn't a light on in Tate's room and door was closed, so he knocked loudly.
"Come in, Logan." That strange, throaty voice. He tried the doorknob and found it unlocked.
The room was pitch black, a heavy curtain had been put over the large window.
He closed the door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness.
She was sitting in the far left corner of the room. Facing the other corner. One hand lifted slightly to look at him, though her face remained unturned.
"Something you wanted?"
"Yeah, but first, how'd you know it was me? Got a good sense of smell?"
"No, I heard you on the stair case. You have very loud footsteps. And no one in this place would bang on the door like you do.
"Huh, right. Well, Chuck said we need ta have a little heart-to-heart," Tate snorted at this news. She'd expected as much from Xavier. Unperturbed, Logan went on, "I ain't thrilled about the idea anymore than you are, darlin', so lets just get this over with."
She shifted, facing him. Waiting for him to go on.
"Chuck seems to think that since we're both ferals, and loners, that we'll get along just peachie. I ain't sayin' that's my view, but I have ta agree that we COULD do some good fer each other."
Tate said nothing.
"If anything, Chuck thinks we'll be good sparing partners."
Still, Tate said nothing.
"Look kid, I already told ya I don't like the idea. But it's either that or you get to spend some quality time with the rest of the kids in the mansion. What's it gonna be?"
Tate stood up and walked right up to Logan. They were almost the same height.
She held out her hand to him. He shook it, then turned towards the door.
Before he closed it he said, "Meet me in the Danger Room tomorrow, at 4 a.m. sharp." Without another word he closed the door firmly behind him.
Tate walked to the table set beside the bed in the room. She didn't think of the room as 'hers'. There was a special clock that showed the time in rotating, raised numbers.
It was 8:30. Well past the winter sunset. She opened her window and lightly jumped onto the railing of the balcony.
A quick look, a deep breath and she jumped off, her wings ripping through her skin as she fell, catching the air in time to keep her from meeting the ground.
She flew straight up for several minutes. Until the air was just thick enough to breath, and stay aloft in, but thin enough to empty her mind.
She did this often, flying up to the highest point and letting her mind go hazy and sluggish. She liked it. It gave her a certain feeling afterwards that she couldn't quite name.
She never knew how long she would stay up there, just flying, slowly, not thinking, not quite feeling. Just being. It was wonderful and dangerous at the same time.
It was the one thing she could truly call 'hers'.
Her own personal,
free,
- LEGAL -
drug.
Forgetting was one good thing.
Remy was another good thing.
But remembering? Tate's memories weren't the best. Even the last few months with Remy, there were a few times she would sooner forget.
One didn't remember his far past, only his present past. The other, remembers everything. Every fist, every cut, Every. Drop. Of. Blood.
Both want to forget a lot of things. Both try to remember some things. Neither tries to hang onto everything.
Because the one thing that neither Tate nor Logan realized about Professor Xavier's true agenda in putting these two loners together was that our past, and our present, shape who we will become in our future.
Therefore, if we erase our past, where does our future come from?
_________________________________
Whew! Done. *takes a bow* That. Took. For-ever! And yes, I know, I am also working on my Perfect Match... still... *sigh*
But anywho... hope ya'll liked this chapter. I'm trying to kinda get outta the humorous stuff... (leave that for cameos of Bobby and Jubilee *wink wink*), and trying to really get deep in the main being of Logan and Tate. Possibly Remy as well. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a whole phsye ayalises of EVERYONE. *faints from the strain already* Guess that's all.. Review please! Tell me if I'm getting too dark or if I'm too light.... should I try to get Tate outside in public? Or should I keep her in her dark corners?? What do ya think? (Please note that I'm trying to get reactions to ideas and such... "do you think this goes with the character and such")
Later Days!
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