Author's Note: Wow, I opened up the stats page on my page and what do I find? You all have broken the 100 review mark! You all have no idea what that means to me or how surprised it makes me. You guys are awesome.
Disclaimer: I bit my tongue
Interesting Fact: Once a taste bud bursts it become brown in color.
The Damned, Episode 1
Chapter 19: The Mission Matters.
"So ya actually lahk rap music?" Cody was asking.
Marie nodded, "But not all of it." She was leaning against her locker, holding her books to her chest and grinning at the confusion on Cody's face.
"But you've always been so into punk and ska, it doesn't make any sense."
"Yeah and Ah hate most rap but artists lahk Tupac actually voice their opinions. Ah've always lahked music that Ah felt spoke ta this generation."
"And a rapper talkin' about the ghetto speaks ta ya?"
Marie laughed, "Okay, maybe not that part. Tha only way Ah can think ta explain it is that," she paused, "when ya listen ta Tupac you feel his pain, his anger, his happiness. It's lahk tha music controls ya emotions."
Cody shook his head, "Okay, so you lahk Tupac, but what othah rap music out there could ya possibly lahk?"
"Not much else," she admitted, "Although some mindless crap lahk Kriss Kross always gets mah body body pumping."
Cody laughed, "So hardcore punker Marie actually lahks some mainstream stuff huh?"
"That's where you're wrong. Everyone just assumes that Ah lahk ta be hardcore cuz Ah've nevah lahked pop or country or any othah atrocity to poison music. Actually Ah'm very open ta new music….and experiences."
Cody was about to say something witty when the bell rang. "Grrr. Ah guess Ah'll just haveta talk ta ya aftah school."
"Yup."
Neither one made an attempt to move.
"See ya latah."
"Uh, huh."
Cody was painfully aware of how close they were standing. He looked as though he was going to say something; his lips moved slightly but no words came out. Marie tilted her head up in anticipation.
"Hey Cody."
Cody felt a hard slap on the back. He pulled away from Marie, "Um, hey Johnny boy."
John looked from Cody to Marie, "Was I interrupting anything?"
"No," Marie said quickly. She looked at Cody, "Ah'll see ya aftah school."
As soon as she left, John and Cody began to walk to their last class.
"So Cody what's up with you and turtle neck girl?"
"What do ya mean?" Cody asked, "And what do ya mean 'turtle neck girl?'"
"She wears a lot of turtle necks," John said simply. "But what's up with you two?"
Cody shrugged, "We're takin' things slow. Ah don't wanna spook her."
"Man, I've seen glaciers that move faster." John thought, "Wasn't your first date like a month ago?"
Cody shrugged nonchalantly.
John snapped his fingers, "Yeah, it was a month and a half ago and you still haven't even kissed her."
"Told ya, don't wanna spook her. Besides, we have lots of fun together. Why would Ah wanna mess that up bah makin an unwanted move?"
"But don't ya find the girl a little odd?"
"Odd people make tha world go round. Some of the strangest people in the world created some of the most unforgettable things."
"Oh that's right," John slapped his forehead, "You're one of those odd people too." He sobered, "Seriously man, why do ya think she wears so much clothing?"
"Part of her style?"
"Was that a statement or a question?"
"John shut up. She's a great person, fun ta be around and she's hot."
"Yeah, at least those clothes she wears are all skintight." John didn't miss the glare he was getting from Cody. "And what's with that bracelet she always wears anyway? The one with the skulls on it?"
"Fashion statement."
"And the white hairs?"
"What white hairs?"
"You've never noticed?" When Cody shook his head John went on. "If you stand really closely, like really closely, you can see these random white hairs mixed in with those brown curls."
Cody stopped abruptly, "Hey, when have ya evah been that close ta Marie?"
Scene Break Scene Break Scene Break
One week later:
"Toad, secure the perimeter."
"Perimeter secured."
Destiny turned from the monitor and nodded. Blob took his cue and left the jet. Three minutes later, after receiving confirmation from Blob, Avalanche and Scarlet Witch followed.
Rogue tapped on the side of her seat in frustration. It had been Mystique's decision to keep her on backup for this mission. She looked at the seats next to her where Pyro and Quicksilver were seated. At least she wasn't stuck with Toad and Blob.
"So Rogue, as long as we're stuck here, wanna play a game?"
She looked at Pyro, a faint look of annoyance graced her face.
"What's wrong Rogue? Ya look like you wanna kill me."
"Don't play stupid with meh."
Quicksilver observed this exchange silently. He knew what this was about, Pyro sleeping with Mica.
"Rogue, mate, ya have ta stop being so hostile to everyone. Its all good in the field where we have to intimidate and kill our opponents but among your own team," he tsked, "You should be ashamed."
Quicksilver wasn't sure even he could have ever moved as fast as Rogue did when she pinned the firey haired Australian to the side of the jet.
"Don't ya evah patronize meh!" Pyro's face was beginning to turn blue and Rogue tightened her grip on his throat. "If ya evah try ta talk down ta meh again Ah swear to ya, Ah'll kill ya slower and more painfully than Ah did ta some o' those SHIELD operatives." She let him drop to the floor and took her seat calmly.
Quicksilver just shook his head. "So Rogue have you decided what you're going to do about those gray hairs?"
She shook her head, "They're growin' in more white than gray, maybe people will just think its some kinda dye job."
"Maybe." He paused, "Did the doctor ever tell you why your hair might be growing in like that?"
She shook her head again, "He didn't exactly know but he said it might have something to do with my biological family. Since Ah don't know anything about them Ah guess Ah'll nevah know if it's just genetic."
Pyro spoke bravely, "Or maybe its just a mutation."
Rogue and Quicksilver looked at him blankly for a few seconds before bursting with laugher.
"Thanks Pyro, Ah needed that."
Scene Break
"Scarlet Witch, take them down!"
She obeyed Avalanche's order. He was acting field leader after all. Taking one easy shot she disabled most of the museum's guards.
"Good job."
She ignored him.
Avalanche pressed the button on his communicator, "Toad, have you found it?"
"Yup."
"Good, lets get out of her."
"Not so fast!"
Avalanche, Blob, and Scarlet Witch all sighed. They had come so close to completing a mission without having to put up with any of the Avengers, or SHIELD.
Avalanche spoke, "I'll take She-Hulk, Witch take Iron Man, and Blob take the SHIELD operatives."
Within minutes they had the situation under control, the enemies all lying on the ground.
"Good job team."
"Shut up Avalanche," Scarlet Witch responded.
Before he could respond, Toad came bounding into the room. "Bad news, about forty SHIELD operatives are crawling around the building."
"What?" Avalanche asked, "How do you know?"
"Destiny just contacted me, said they managed to jam the frequency of your communicators in here. The others are moving in to attack the operatives but we gotta get out of here before…" operatives crashed through the room's skylights. "too late."
Scene Break
"Mah, mah, mah, so they're sendin' in boys to do a woman's job."
The operative stared Rogue in the eyes before attacking. She easily overpowered him.
"Little tip sugah, don't lose ya tempah, it could get ya killed." She pulled his gun from his hands and sent a bullet screaming through his head.
She looked around her and smiled at the growing body count. Now this was the kind of action she had been itching for.
Scene Break
While Rogue's team took on the operatives on the outside of the building, Avalanche's dealt with the operatives who had managed to sneak into the building. Unfortunately, more had found a way into the museum than had been killed outside.
"Witch!" Avalanche cried out, "Help!"
She looked in the direction of his scream. He was cornered and unable to use his powers for fear of destroying the museum's collection of artifacts. His face was so covered in blood she couldn't tell where it was coming from, only that it was his. She quickly surveyed the remained of the room. Toad was fine, as was Blob. In fact the majority of operatives seemed interested in destroying Avalanche. She theorized this had something to do with a previous mission in which he had killed the majority of SHIELD agents sent to deal with them.
"Witch!" came the second cry.
She shut out his pained screams and walked away.
Scene Break Scene Break Scene Break
"That was the worst mission we have ever pulled," Toad whined, "we didn't complete our objective, we were overpowered and most of us look like some dog's chew toy."
Magneto looked at Avalanche curiously, "Yes, especially our walking earthquake here. What happened?"
"Why don't you ask the rest of my team?" he asked coldly.
They were debriefing in the jet while Destiny flew them over the South Atlantic.
Magneto looked from Scarlet Witch, to Toad, to Blob, in aggravation. "Why didn't you back your leader?"
"Why should we back him?" Scarlet Witch asked angrily, "Why should we back someone without so much as one ounce of kindness in him?"
Rogue looked at her in surprise, suddenly realizing what the lack of team cooperation had been about.
Magento realized it as well. "We can not let our personal lives interfere with our professional judgment!"
Avalanche slammed his fist on the arm of the chair, "Damn it, they could have killed me back there!"
"Would have been an improvement on the team," Quicksilver muttered.
"Why are you so mad at me anyway!" Avalanche yelled at Scarlet Witch, "She deserves to be treated however I've been treating her! She's white trash and you know it! Don't tell me it doesn't even bother you that she's seeing your ex. She does that, takes people's ex-boyfriends, that's how I ended up with her!"
"ENOUGH!" Magneto roared, "YOU ARE OUT OF LINE!"
Rogue said nothing, just watched the scene unfold in front of her.
Avalanche continued, "You know what I think? I think she really is a mutant. Maybe she's psychic. It would explain how she manipulates people into doing what she wants. Like making me date her, making me think she was a good person!"
Avalanche was neither prepared nor braced for the fist Magneto sent at his face.
"YOU DO NOT SPEAK OF YOUR TEAM MATES NOR HOUSEMATES IN THAT MANNER! AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION I HAPPENED TO HAVE RAISED THIS YOUNG LADY, SHE IS A BETTER PERSON THAN YOU WILL EVER BE!"
Quicksilver and Witch both looked stunned, they'd never seen their father so enraged.
Magneto quickly composed himself, "Now listen, and this goes for each and every one of you, do not ever let your personal lives interfere with your work. Do you know why you have field names?" No one answered. "To keep you separated from your work. When you're out on the field nothing matters, not your high school classes, not your friends, not your family. Do you want to know what the only thing that matters is? The mission matters."
Scene Break Scene Break Scene Break
"So why did ya protect meh a few nights ago?" Marie asked Wanda.
Wanda pulled her legs closer to her body, "Cuz he's being a jerk. Because you deserve more than what he's throwing at you."
"But ya were gonna let him die?"
"Maybe. I hadn't thought that far ahead. Maybe I would have stepped in to keep him from adding to our impressive body count but I can't promise that. He's been such dead weight in our missions lately we'd probably be better off without him."
"So, do all of ya feel lahk this?"
Wanda nodded, "All of us are on your side. We've heard the little catty comments he's made about your scars, about your mental health, and all of that. It's all uncalled for."
There was a moment of silence between them.
"Wanda?"
"Hmm."
"What do ya think about tha way tha media is portraying us?"
"It's disagreeable."
"But do ya think they're right?"
"What?" confusion crossed her face.
"Are we terrorists?"
"No, don't be stupid. Terrorist is such a vague term anyway. One used by several in high positions to belittle those trying to help others." Wanda observed Marie, "Are you having doubts about us, your family?"
"No, Ah just heard some folks talkin' at school an' thought about it too much."
"High school kids are stupid."
"Yeah."
"Get those negative thoughts out of your head before you become as useless as Dominic."
Scene Break Scene Break Scene Break
Sinister licked his lips with vigor. Soon his plans would be complete thanks to his helper. He observed the vial containing pink fluid. He had not only mastered the Legacy Virus years ago, he had mastered the art of creating mutants out of already born human beings. Soon, human born Marie would be transformed into the mutant alter ego he had encountered in an alternate dimension. He had to admit, the Rogues he had met in alternate dimensions were much better suited for mutations that the one being housed on Earth 616. Of course, he had to remind himself; those Rogues were born with mutated genes.
He grunted as he thought of the decades it had taken him to recreate the exact gene sequence that allowed the Rogues to absorb power. He couldn't quiet figure out how Rogue had managed to inherit only recessive genetics, after all both of her parents were powerful mutants. Still, this would work and Apocalypse's needs would be fulfilled.
"Remy have you done what I've asked of you?" he barked.
Empty, lost eyes looked back at Sinister, "Yes."
"And the girl?"
"She will never know."
Scene Break Scene Break Scene Break
One week later:
Marie looked at her reflection warily. She tucked her hair behind her ear before frowning and untucking it. No matter what she did there was no way to hide the horrendously graying hair. Mica told her it looked fine, that no one would notice it, not even someone as astute as Cody.
Still, Marie would prefer that some part of her body look normal.
"Marie! Phone!"
She picked up the phone on her nightstand, "Hello?"
"Marie you will never guess what just happened!" Mica squealed.
"What happened?" Marie asked warily.
"St. John and I were on the phone and when we were hanging up he said," Mica paused for the dramatic effect, "I love you!"
Marie was silent.
"Well?" Mica asked, "Aren't you going to say something?"
"That's terrific Mica, I'm happy for you."
The enthusiasm crept back into Mica's voice, "Oh this is so wonderful, today is such an awesome day I wish it would never end!"
Marie couldn't help but smile, her friend's enthusiasm was always contagious, "So has your mom figured out that you and him are…well….you know."
"Nope, she couldn't be the wiser, although I figure I'm going to have to tell her if I expect to go on the pill."
"Not necessarily," Marie told her, "You can go to a free clinic. Ah'm sure even this town has one."
"So what are you up to tonight?" Mica asked.
"Nothing really, Ah was gonna go out with Cody but mah mom grounded meh."
"For what?"
"For coming home after curfew the last tahm Ah went out with Cody." She paused, "Actually she only grounded meh cuz she doesn't want meh goin' out with Cody."
"What does she have against him?"
"Ah have no idea." Marie's ears perked, "Did ya hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Ah could have sworn ah heard something." She stopped talking. "There it is again."
"You're hearing things."
"No," Marie frowned, "Ah think someone's tapping on mah window."
"You should go get Erik."
Marie paid no attention to the girl on the phone. Instead she got on her bed and pulled her blinds open. No one was there. She was about to close the blinds when she realized where the sound was coming from. She began to laugh.
"Marie what is it?"
"It's your cute cousin throwing pebbles at mah window. Ah'll call ya back Mica."
"Okay, but make it snappy cuz we have to go over the details of the winter formal."
"No problem, bye." She hung up the phone and opened the window. "What are ya doing Cody?" She semi whispered.
"Ah know your mom grounded ya but Ah had ta see ya tonight mah Lady Love."
Marie giggled, "You are insane."
He held is arms out, "Come outside, we can still go out, your mom doesn't have to know."
"Ah can't, mah mom'll figure it out, she ain't stupid. An' people will see us around town."
"Marie, please, Ah need ta see ya tonight, we can go down to the far end of the lake. No one is evah ovah there."
Marie looked back into her room before climbing onto the ledge, "Catch meh."
Cody instinctively caught the falling teenager in his arms. "You're crazy, ya know that?"
Scene Break
Wanda watched as Cody and Marie ran off through the backyard and smiled. They were so cute together. She hoped, for Marie's sake, that Raven would not figure out that she was gone.
Scene Break
"Ah wish ah woulda changed mah clothes befoh we came out here." Marie admitted.
They sat, watching the flow of the river, watching the moon, and watching each other.
"Don't beh silly Marie, you are the most gorgeous girl Ah've evah met."
She blushed, "Even in mah old tattered jeans an' sweater?"
"Definitely."
Marie picked up a sandwich. Cody had definitely planned this well. Once they found themselves in his truck he told her that he had packed a special little picnic. In the picnic basket she had found all of her favorite snacks and sandwiches.
As Marie took a big bite out of her tuna sandwich she asked, "What made ya so sure Ah would go out with ya tonight?'
"Well who could resist mah manly body?"
Marie punched his arm lightly, "Funny little boy."
"Crazy hick gal."
They laughed and continued eating.
Scene Break
"Marie!" Raven yelled from the living room.
Wanda quickly sprang into action; she walked to the living room, "Raven she's asleep, she got bored." Wanda sat on the couch and changed the television channel to MTV, making it seem as though she came to the living room for some purpose other than protecting Marie.
Scene Break
"Looks lahk we've run out of food," Marie commented.
"Looks lahk we have," Cody felt himself being drawn in by her green eyes. "You know, ya have the most magnetic eyes Ah have evah seen."
"An' probably the fastest graying hair ya've evah seen," Marie told him, unable to raise her voice above a whisper.
"It's very pretty."
The honking of a goose interrupted their transe. They both laughed.
"Come on, we should get all this packed up," Marie told him.
They got up and packed everything back into his truck.
"Oh no!" Marie exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Cody looked at Marie who was looking at her wrist.
"Mah bracelet, Ah think it came unclasped back there."
"Come on, we'll find it."
They searched as thoroughly as possibly with no results.
"Dang it," Marie said.
Cody looked at her, standing in front of him clutching her gloved right wrist with her gloved left hand. "Was it special?"
She shrugged, "Someone Ah used ta know gave it ta meh a while back."
He placed a comforting hand on her arm, "Don't worry, we'll come back again tomorrow, when there's more light and we'll find it. Ah swear to ya."
Marie looked into his eyes and smiled, "You're very sweet but Ah don't think it really matters anymore. The bracelet wasn't worth much an' Ah haven't seen tha person who gave it ta meh in awhile."
"But if it meant something to ya…" Cody instinctively placed his arms around her waist.
Marie brought her green eyes up to meet his blue ones, "thank ya foh tha offer."
Cody's eyes closed as his lips came closer to hers. Marie felt her pulse quicken and she felt her palms begin to sweat. She felt her own eyes close and in that spilt second, they found each other.
End Chapter
Sorry for the short chapter everyone but its just the way it came out.
Now to my amazing reviewers who know I always love them:
Elohirthewriter: Nicely put but without torture I have no dramatic angle. So you think it's the diary that makes Dominic so cold towards his former flame, interesting. Pyro/Mica…hot…he he he. Would you believe it took me three tries to get that pun? Yes, I am that slow. BTW, I hope I got this chapter up quickly enough to satisfy your fanfiction needs.
Star-of-Chaos: No more BLOCK! We should all take turns smacking Dominic upside the head. That sounds like a good use of my Sunday night.
Demiducky25: LOL, yeah I had fun making old Maggie give his daughter "The Talk."
Cassandra Cheney: Glad you liked the chapter, I will definitely keep them coming as long as you enjoy them.
Puffy Marshmallow: Hmm, your pen name makes me hungry. I'm not sure when you are going to get to this chapter and read this but I really appreciate you reviewing!
enchantedlight: I plan on updating the next chapter soon so never fear, fanfiction writing girl is here!
Tammy: Well I'm guessing this chapter answered most of your relationship-based questions. Wait until the next chapter to find out even more.
Ishandahalf: So we have decided that you do not like Cody, got it. The sex talk scene was fun to write, I had to think of which parent would be the greatest at giving a sex talk and I settled on Magneto. I guess it worked out in the end. Oh, by the way, did Rogue tell you that I looked up the meaning behind your pen name and that I thought it was great? Sure I'll keep these chapter coming quickly only if you agree to keep reviewing quickly…maybe like a bunny on crack.
We're coming up on the end of this one people, by my count there are only two chapters left (That's subject to change of course) and then we start the second episode of this series. By the way, the second episode will be rated R (just to be safe) so it will not show up when you open the X-Men link (unless you scroll down to Rated R stories).
Next on The Damned: The aftermath of Marie's kiss with Cody.