Author's Note: I think I managed to get through the last chapter without making any stupid mistakes, at least no one pointed any out to me, so I'm feeling really proud of myself. In fact I think I'll treat myself to a cookie. ::eats cookie greedily::
Disclaimer: My foot itches.
Interesting Fact: Black people do not have black hair. Black hair is in actuality a deep/dark shade of brown.
The Damned, Episode 1
Chapter 14: Marie and Dominic Kissing in a Tree....
Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship--never
--Charles Caleb Colton
Aboard the Brotherhood jet:
Rogue looked at the detonator in her hands. Any second now she would get the order from Magneto to press the little red button. She grinned, looking at the building displayed on the screen in front of her. She had been given an advanced detonator with the ability to detonate a bomb from miles away, at that moment she was approximatly two miles away from the building she was going to destroy.
"Darlin' do ya really want to do that?"
Rogue's eyes snapped up and met the eyes of the ferocous Wolverine. She was not intimidated by his costume or demeanor, after all she was raised by Mystique. "What do ya want?"
He pointed, "that."
She looked at the detonator then back at him and smiled.
Wolverine fought the urge to shudder, the girl's smile reminded him of a carnivore.
"What's wrong Mistah Wolverine, afraid a lil' ol' gal like myself poses a threat?"
"Rogue who are you talking to?"
Rogue looked towards the jet's entrance then back to the spot directly in front of her, there was no body there. "Nobody."
Scarlet Witch shook her head, "How many times have I told you that talking to yourself is NOT healthy?"
"It's only unhealthy if you expect yourself to answer back."
"Rogue, now is the time," came the order over her communicator.
She pressed the red button and watched her monitor as the building fell to pieces.
Scarlet Witch whistled, "That was at least fifty lost lives."
Rogue nodded, "Not that it matters, they were mutant haters."
The Witch's hands began to glow, "Yes, and they deserved worse."
Days later:
Marie felt the Mississippi breeze rush through her window and fall against her naked skin. She felt at peace, nothing could interrupt her private moment.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
She sighed, maybe I was wrong.
She pulled on her PJs and threw her door open. "Dom what's up?"
He looked bashful, "I uh, I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the dance."
Marie felt her cheeks burn. The gossip mill at school had been all about her and Dominic. People were saying that she had dated him, dropped him and gone out with Gary. Others were saying Dominic was using Marie to make Mica jealous. Whatever the case, Marie was glad Dominic had come to talk to her.
"Alright, come on in."
Seconds later they were sitting, facing each other, on her bed.
"Marie," he began, "I know you must be confused," she looked away and he found himself fascinated by her smooth, white, skin, "Marie I really do love you. After all these missions, living with you, getting to know you, I can honestly say I love you."
Her emerald green eyes met his chocolate browns, "Dom we're only 15, how can ya know that ya love meh?"
Dominic smiled, "I knew you would say that."
"And Ah knew ya would say that."
They both laughed.
"Marie, we need to try this. If we don't," he licked his lips nervously, "we'll never know what could have been."
Marie smiled and placed her gloved hands over Dominic's exposed ones, "Ah do want to but what about Mica?"
"She said she wouldn't be upset didn't she?"
Marie nodded.
"Well there you go, problem solved."
"If only it was that easy." She looked as though she didn't know how to say what she needed to. "But Ah have too many issues Dom."
"We can work them out."
"Ah'm afraid of human contact."
"We'll just work on that."
"Ah get distant."
"I know, I live with you."
"Ah can get kind of shy."
"Oh, we'll break you of that."
Marie smiled, earnestly, "Well in that case, Ah would love ta go out with you."
"How about this Saturday?"
She nodded, "Ah would luv ta."
They laughed, at their own stubbornness, at their stupidity, and their newfound honesty.
Dominic awoke the next morning in Marie's bed. He recognized the soft cotton sheets immediately. He looked at the sleeping form next to him. Marie. His Marie.
She stirred in her sleep and for a moment Dominic was afraid she would wake up. He had slept in her bed several times before and each time he enjoyed watching her as she slept, enjoying the angelic beauty that graced her while she was sleeping.
Without warning she shifted in her sleep and managed to hit his arm.
"OW!" He yelled.
Marie awoke, her eyes opening wide at the howl of pain. "Dom what's wrong?"
He clenched his jaw and held his left arm.
Marie looked at the arm and realized, "Dom, your arm, ya broke it didn't ya?"
He nodded, his face almost completely red.
"During the fight with the X-Men?"
He nodded again.
"Why didn't ya say anything ya idiot!"
Through clenched teeth he muttered, "Don't ever use my left arm for anything, figured there was no point."
Marie hopped out of bed, "Come on Dom we're gonna go tell Erik."
Dominic did as he was told and within minutes they were standing in front of Erik.
"You what!" Exclaimed Erik. He shook his head, "Nevermind, lets get you to a hospital."
"Dressed like this?" Dominic asked, looking down at his flannel PJ pants and white t-shirt.
"Yes, now come on," Erik said urgently.
"I'll come too," Marie said.
Erik grabbed his keys off the kitchen counter, "No, you have to go to school." He turned to the boy, "Come on Dominic."
Marie bit the end of her pencil until she felt it splinter in her mouth.
"Marie that isn't very nutritious." Mica told her.
It was lunch, Marie's favorite part of the school day, "What, ya want meh ta go get some of that cafeteria food?"
Mica made a sour face, "Ew! No, just don't eat the pencil."
"Yeah," Carly agreed, "Here have part of my sandwhich."
Marie accepted, thankfully. She hadn't thought to pack a lunch, she had been too worried about Dominic.
"Earth to Marie," Mica called.
"Hmm?"
"Geez girl you've been out of it all freakin' day," Carly complained.
"Sorry, what were ya'll talkin' bout?"
Carly and Mica looked at each other and back at Marie.
"Only the hottest concert to come to our area," Carly informed her.
"Yeah, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are coming back for an encore performance so we're trying to figure out how to get our parents to let us go." Mica finished.
Marie contemplated this, "Where is the concert."
"Um," Carly hesitated, "Georgetown."
"Georgetown!" Marie exclaimed. "That's at least two hours from here!"
Mica rolled her eyes, "Marie you are always so wound up, you are lucky to have an easy going friend like me."
"Come on Marie, you know you want to go."
Marie nodded, "Yeah Carly but how are we gonna get there and back and how are we gonna get our parents ta let us go?"
Then, with a smile Marie did not like, Mica said, "Just leave that up to me."
"Mom this is the opportunity of a lifetime," Mica explained, "I could grow as a human being by not being dependant on my mother. I could experience Georgetown they way its meant to be."
Mrs. Goodes sat next to her daughter on their couch, "And this trip will be supervised by who?"
"Mom thats the point, for it to NOT be supervised." Mica faked a sigh, "Georgetown isn't really all that far and it had a lower crime rate than Caldecott. Plus, Marie and Cody are really really responsible."
"Honey I'll think about it."
Mica looked on as her mother's attention returned to the television.
"There is not way you are going all the way to Georgetown to go to some concert," Raven told her daughter.
Marie nodded, "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, there's obviously nothing Ah cahn do ta change your mind." Marie began to walk up the stairs.
"What do you mean by that?" Raven asked.
Marie turned around, "Ah mean you are very stubborn. Once ya decide something no one cahn change your mind, even if your wrong."
"Marie I have to talk to Irene about your going."
Marie shrugged, "Okay."
"Hey."
Marie looked up from her homework to see Dominic standing in her doorway. Immediatly a smile crept over her lips, "Hey." She jumped off the bed and gave him a hug. "So how's that warm?"
Dominic smiled sheepishly, "Turns out I didn't actually break it. I just sprained it." He looked at Marie, "They put it in a temporary cast, just to make sure I don't aggravate it." "When will ya be able ta take it off?"
"They said three weeks."
"That's it?"
He nodded, "They said it wouldn't take long to heal because I'm 'young' and my body 'should heal quickly' because of it."
"Ah hope so."
Dominic found his eyes concentrated on her lips, "Yeah, me too."
Marie felt his good hand traveling up her side gently, "Ah would hate ta think that ya couldn't go on missions with meh."
"Mhm."
His hand brushed auburn curls out of her face. Marie half closed her eyes as Dominic's lips came closer to her own.
"Dominic!"
They jumped apart.
Dominic turned around annoyed, "Yeah Wanda?"
"Have you seen my black nailpolish?"
"Why would I have your nailpolish?"
She pointedly looked at his right hand.
He looked at the fingernails on his right hand and blushed, "Its on my desk."
She rolled her eyes, "Why don't you just buy yourself a bottle?"
"You know Erik isn't gonna let me. 'Young men should not try to be young women.'"
Wanda and Marie laughed at his dead on impression.
"Kids, dinner!"
Wanda disappeared down the staircase.
Dominic smiled apologetically, "Guess we should go down there."
Marie nodded, her cheeks flushed.
"What is taking those kids so long?" Erik muttered.
Pietro and Wanda shrugged simultaneously.
"Don't do that," Erik ordered.
"Do what?" they asked in unison.
"That," he told them, "I know you've got that freaky twin vibe going on but please don't use it around the rest of us."
"Just out of curiosity," Raven started, "Can you two really communicate without talking, ESP and all that is rumored to come with being twins."
Pietro and Wanda looked at each other.
"Well?" Raven asked after a moment had passed.
"We're discussing it," Wanda explained.
The adult's faces visibly relaxed as they realized she was kidding.
"You kids are too much," Irene told them before yelling, "MARIE! DOMINIC!"
"We're right here."
Irene looked up to see the two already descending the stairs. "Good."
Once they were seated and eating, Raven began to talk, "So Marie I thought about what you asked."
Marie's ears perked up, "Yeah?"
Raven took a bite of her orange chicken before answering, "Yup. Irene and I decided you can go."
Marie let out an exclamation of happiness, "Thank ya both! Ah really love the Peppers and wanted ta go ta their concert!"
Pietro put his fork down, "Hey how come you're letting Marie go?"
Erik rolled his eyes, "Son if you would have given her time she would have gone on to tell you that although it was only Marie who asked to go, we decided to let all four of you go." Suddenly he was facing four smiling faces.
"But why let us go?" Wanda asked.
"Because we know how much it means to you," Irene told them, "and Marie made some incredibly valid points."
"Thank God for Marie's overly smart brain," Pietro said.
"Ah hope Mica and Carly were able ta get permission."
"They were," Raven told her, "I called their parents and they agreed to let them go under the same conditions I'm putting on you."
"Which are..." Dominic let his voice trail off.
"We hire a driver for you, someone who will more or less be responsible for your well being," Erik let them know.
"No problem." Wanda said, the other three agreed. "but can I take Cody?"
Erik visibly tensed, "We'll see."
"That means no."
"Dude, Wanda don't push your luck," Pietro warned.
Although Irene felt the smile on her own face she felt nothing close to happiness displayed on her face. Her line of work had always involved hidden agendas, why should raising her children be any different?
"Ah cahn not believe their actually letting ya bring Cody!" Marie exclaimed.
Wanda frowned, "Why? They're letting you go with Dominic."
"What's that supposed ta mean?"
"I see that blush."
They sat on the back porch, drinking Coke.
"Whatevah."
Wanda sighed, "Whatever happens with the two of you I hope you guys are really happy."
"Thanks." she sipped some of her soda, "That's tha nicest thang ya've evah said ta meh."
Wanda gave her a tight-lipped smile, "I know, and I'm sorry for that."
"No, Ah lahk ya just tha way ya are. Ya are ya own person."
"Thanks Marie." she paused, "So about that fight between Cody and Dominic..."
"Oh no, not you too," Marie groaned.
"I just wanted you to know that I don't care what happened. boys are stupid therefore they say stupid things." She looked at Marie, "I'm secure enough with myself to know that Cody isn't going to cheat on me or anything. I just didn't want anything to be weird between us. Especially cuz we depend on each other in the field, and for advice."
"Good."
With the wind blowing across their yard and the moon shining down on their petite forms, they sat silently and sipped their coke.
Dominic straightened himself out, smoothing out his clothes, making sure his hair wasn't too messy but not neat enough to throw him into the "preppy" category. He sprayed on some cologne and made sure he was wearing enough deodorant.
He left his bedroom and knocked on Marie's door. She answered the door and his heart skipped a beat. In her black stockings, jean miniskirt and long-sleeved, tight, turtleneck, she looked amazing. She was even wearing the skull bracelet and necklace he had given her.
"Marie you look great," was all he could manage to say.
"Thanks Dom, so do ya." She wasn't just being nice, she really did think he was drop dead gorgeous.
Dominic was wearing his usual jeans with a white shirt. Over the white shirt he was wearing a flannel, unbuttoned shirt with an additional jean jacket overlapping the t-shirt. It was just what she liked.
"You ready?" he asked.
She nodded and they began their date.
"Oh mah, that was soo funny," Marie laughed with Dominic until they felt their sides begin to hurt.
Dominic looked at Marie's laughing figure. Man she is gorgeous.
Their movie ended and they got up to leave the theater. As they left, Dominic slyly wrapped his arm around her. Marie did not protest.
"So do you want to get something to eat?"
"Definitely!"
"Yup, that's my Marie with the bottomless pit."
"Hey!" Marie exclaimed.
Dominic smiled, "Just teasing."
"You had better be." She faked a pout.
They both started laughing.
Mica watched, with Pietro, as Dominic and Marie entered the local McDonalds. Pietro saw the look on Mica's face.
"Oh no, don't tell me Marie didn't tell you...."
"No, she told me," Mica said, "Doesn't make it any less weirder."
"Good," Pietro said, "because I didn't go out tonight to run into stupid high school drama, I just want food."
"Yeah," Mica agreed, "too bad Carly couldn't make it."
"You're telling me." Pietro took a bite out of his Big Mac.
Mica wrinkled her face in disgust, "Pietro you have ketchup and mustard and mayo dripping out of that burger."
"Yup."
"Ew."
"Hey, they're taking their food to go."
"What?"
"Marie and Dominic I mean." He took another bite of the burger.
"Well what were you expecting? For them to come over here and chat it up?"
Pietro shrugged, "don't know."
Mica grimaced as he inhaled the remaining half of his burger.
"So," Dominic said.
"So..."
"I had a great time."
"So did Ah."
By this point they were standing in front of Marie's bedroom door. It was late, almost midnight so they were being careful not to wake their parents.
"I'm glad." He ran his right hand up and down her arm.
"Yeah," she replied absently as she felt his left hand playing with her hair.
He leaned in close, determined to kiss her good night. Marie felt her eyes growing heavy as he brought his lips closer to hers. The moment his lips touched hers she felt herself begin to melt. Dominic pulled away, not wanting to seem too eager.
"Good night Marie," he whispered.
"Okay so what else do we need," Mica asked as she began to load the car that would take them to Georgetown.
"Man," Pietro whistled, "I don't think Irene's Lincoln has ever had that much stuff piled into it.
"Well if we're going all the way to Georgetown I'm thinking we're gonna need snacks," Wanda said, "You of all people should be happy."
Pietro nodded, "I am."
"Okay kids, is everyone here?"
Pietro looked at Irene, "Not everyone. Marie and Carly are over at the gas station picking up some Gatorade."
"Where's Dominic?"
"Bathroom."
Irene nodded and looked at Wanda, "Too bad Cody couldn't go with you kids."
Wanda shrugged, "Couldn't get permission from his mother."
Mica rolled her eyes, "That woman needs to seriously take a chill pill, she's never let him do anything on his own."
"Let who do anything?"
They turned to see Marie and Carly walking towards them.
"Finally," Pietro muttered, "Now all we need is Dominic and we can be on our way.
As Dominic sprayed on some cologne he couldn't help but laugh. Pietro was the vain one, not him. Still, he had to smell good for Marie. As tolerant as she had always been of his lack of hygienic pride she sure as hell wouldn't want to sit next to some guy who smelled like an armpit.
"Dom!"
Speaking of the little devil...
He threw open the door, "Hey Marie, I'm ready to go."
She smiled, "Good."
As Irene watched the car drive further and further away she felt tears stinging her eyes. Those poor kids had no idea what they were going to meet in Georgetown.
Go chapter 14!
Down with this one. Whew, I'm getting closer to the end of this episode, can't wait! I'm sorry to all my readers for waiting three months to update but I've had no internet access since June and it was horrible. Its good to have my computer back and safe in my bedroom (with all new features) where I can continue writing my fanfiction.
Elrohirthewriter: Chemistry...that reminds me, my Chem final is coming up.....or maybe I'm taking Biology....Well that doesn't matter, all that matters is that you liked the chapter, as teenie bopperish as it might have been. Oh crap, you mean I have to give Marie a light? ::scratches head:: I'll have to work something out with the little man that lives in my brain....I'm just trying to scare you. Oh, and sorry I didn't update quickly.
spectra2: ::grins sheepishly:: guess I took long enough to update huh? Sorry, I promise my next chapter will be written (and posted) much faster.
demiducky25: Nice pen name, love it! Holy sht! Two sittings? I can barely stand reading my incessant ramblings that i pass off as stories for more than five minutes at a time! Then again I only have a five minute attention span ::thinks about it:: I'm starting to see a connection. Anyway, of all the villians I've ever put in a story, the X-Men were the most evil I've ever come up with. Rogue's manifestation seems to be on everyone's minds. I'll tell you this much, it won't be what you're expecting. Of course now that I've said that you probably will figure it out...or maybe you wont. I'm going to stop now. ....thanks for all the compliments but really its Bob, the magical elf in my wall, that deserves the praise.
Rogue151: What game?! I'm only asking because I only have one X-Men game and I've been looking for more. Thanks for the 411 on Mystique; I've never been too sure about her. As for the last part, yeah she killed a worker. But I'm glad that it got a response from you because it just proves the point that I've been trying to make in my gov't class all year, that not all people have been completely desensitized.
ishandahalf: Yeah, it was very Dawson's Creek...with mutants. Okay maybe with the killing it was more like a daytime soap opera but its all the same. You'll just have to stay tuned in to see how her murderous-ness progresses.
aniona: Yup, evil little Pookie Sanchez. Hope you continue to love my wickedness.
Panther Nesmith: Yeah had to give my real life attention too. I was surprised at how weird natural light really is. I've always been partial to Ororo's punker outfit and yeah it was about time the kids got their codenames.
Tammy: Hmmm, we'll just have to fix that part in the story about Mystique using Kurt's powers. I already know how I'm gonna do it too. I'm glad you thought it was sweet but don't get too comfortable with the sweetness. Believe me, the drama hasn't even begun.
Okay, on that note, that's all for the reviewers. But tune in for Georgetown!