OK First Chapter to this... Hope you like it! Some routine things first... then
onto the story.
Disclaimer I do not own any characters from Marvel, X-Men or otherwise. I
own the characters you don't recognize. I also own the plot.
"...." = speaking
'....' = thoughts
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Chest heaving with panic, I sat straight up in bed. The open window beckoning the cool breeze that washed over me. My heart struggled to slow down from the terror my brain had just conjured. I glanced through my auburn hair that was plastered to my face, at the glowing digits on the clock. 4:19 am. Damn. I shook my head, as if I could rattle the images from my mind. 'Why does he keep haunting me like that?' I wonder. Those damn pictures of my dad strolling through the house like when I was a little kid. I'm about seven when I watched him walk out the door. Chasing after him, my dream self throws open the door and runs out, not looking where I'm going and I fall. I keep falling and falling into darkness, screaming for him. Then before I hit the ground and I wake up, I always wake up before I hit the ground. The covers are draped over me, blocking just a little bit of the chilly Chicago wind. My eyes fall upon the clock again. It's too late to go back to sleep and it's too early to go to work. I sighed and roll out of bed, my only solution being to actually go out and get breakfast before work.
Strolling down the loft and into the kitchen, I threw my business jacket over my grey blouse and search for my purse. My keys lie on the counter, of course next to my wallet. I roamed the kitchen and spotted my purse lying under a chair. No idea how it got there, but at least I have it. I stuffed my wallet inside and snatched my briefcase off the counter. My keys hooked around my finger as I bustled out of my loft, shut and locked my door. Dropping my keys in my purse, I strode to the elevators and rode the first one down.
Once I got to the lobby, the doorman, on a surprisingly early shift, politely greeted me and hailed a cab. I gave a nod of thanks while climbing into the cab. Telling the driver my destination for an early morning muffin, I get situated in the uncomfortable back seat. I glanced out the back window and spot a white van. I can't see anyone in the driver's seat and it looks like some kind of utilities van. A chill traveled down my spine and made me shiver. I quickly forget about the van however, when the busted clasp on my briefcase popped open and dribbled out all of my case papers. The van gets smaller and smaller as the cab pulled away and I scrambled to put all of the folders into the case. ---------------------------------------
Sauntering into my office building heals clicking on the linoleum floor, I flashed the guard my ID badge and headed upstairs, breakfast in hand. The cheap hotel looking carpet muted my heels as I made my way to my desk. I work in a bland office building with carpet that I think has been there since the building was opened. My job is to handle and organize child custody cases. I've been trying to get promoted to social worker though.
Sitting down at my cubicle, I relieved the briefcase of its contents and placed them on my desk. I dropped the briefcase at my feet and a picture framed on my desk caught my eye. My mom sitting in a window, edged by a warm wood picture casing. My mom was the best when I was little. She handled my dad leaving so well. Not freaking out into hysterics, she took things into her own hands and raised me like a mother should. It sounds extremely clichéd but she was my best friend. I was heartbroken when she passed away a couple years ago. I had already lost one parent at the age of eleven, and had to lose my other one at 23. I don't know if I could classify my dad as a parent though. He was constantly working. Hidden in his private office, he strayed away from family dinners and game nights. I would be sitting on the floor playing with my dolls when he would come home. Glancing up at him with a smile plastered on my face, I would only get a hair ruffle in return. I was forbidden to go into his office sanctuary long before I could really even read. I think that's why I was sadder when my mom died that when my dad left.
Breaking the glance from my mom, I shuffled papers, trying to get them in order. Out of the corner of my eye I see my breakfast bag being lifted off of my desk and an intruder rifle through it.
"Chase, I brought you a muffin, too. Don't worry." I address the thief. He looked up from the bag and smiled at me.
"Good thing too, or I would have eaten yours." He replied while pulling out a blueberry muffin from the brown bag. Leaning against one of the cubicle walls, Chase unwrapped the muffin and took a bite out of it.
"I know that. That's why I bought you one." I said to him, snatching the bag out of his hand. "Why do I buy you breakfast anyway? And why aren't you out working instead of bugging me?"
"I am working, Vala. I just decided to take a break and see my favorite person in Chicago." That earned an eye roll from me. "Besides, I just have to deliver this package to this complete asshole over on Main. He can wait a couple hours for it."
Chase Anderson, probably one of my best friends in the entire city. He never really grew up after high school. He's a bike messenger for a living and mostly slacks off and hangs around my office. He says it's to visit with me, but I really know it's to scope out my fellow female co- workers. They enjoy leading him around like a little puppy. Especially when he wears his biking outfit, a bright yellow spandex jumpsuit. Which of course he was wearing today.
Chase's attention was drawn from his muffin when the office slut, Blanche, strolled by, swinging her hips exaggeratedly. I snapped my fingers in front of his face after his eyes glazed over at her swaying behind. He jumped out of his trance and smiled nervously at the glare I gave him.
"What?? Can't a man just look?" Chase declared in defense. I just shook my head and chuckled.
"Just go. Don't even try, man."
Chase mocked a hurt look as he backed away, munching on his muffin. I rolled my eyes again and shouted at his back.
"Oh! By the way, you know you look like a walking banana?" That gave me a backwards wave from him. I shook my head again and turned back to the latest case I had to organize. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- A/N I know this chapter doesn't really tell you too much right now, but it was getting really, really long! I'll post more later, because I'm getting into a groove lol. Hope you enjoy this! Review, and remember reviewing means more chapters. No reviews = no more chapters. But I'll give ya'll a while for that lol. Have fun and Happy thoughts! Cheers! Pendragon4
Chest heaving with panic, I sat straight up in bed. The open window beckoning the cool breeze that washed over me. My heart struggled to slow down from the terror my brain had just conjured. I glanced through my auburn hair that was plastered to my face, at the glowing digits on the clock. 4:19 am. Damn. I shook my head, as if I could rattle the images from my mind. 'Why does he keep haunting me like that?' I wonder. Those damn pictures of my dad strolling through the house like when I was a little kid. I'm about seven when I watched him walk out the door. Chasing after him, my dream self throws open the door and runs out, not looking where I'm going and I fall. I keep falling and falling into darkness, screaming for him. Then before I hit the ground and I wake up, I always wake up before I hit the ground. The covers are draped over me, blocking just a little bit of the chilly Chicago wind. My eyes fall upon the clock again. It's too late to go back to sleep and it's too early to go to work. I sighed and roll out of bed, my only solution being to actually go out and get breakfast before work.
Strolling down the loft and into the kitchen, I threw my business jacket over my grey blouse and search for my purse. My keys lie on the counter, of course next to my wallet. I roamed the kitchen and spotted my purse lying under a chair. No idea how it got there, but at least I have it. I stuffed my wallet inside and snatched my briefcase off the counter. My keys hooked around my finger as I bustled out of my loft, shut and locked my door. Dropping my keys in my purse, I strode to the elevators and rode the first one down.
Once I got to the lobby, the doorman, on a surprisingly early shift, politely greeted me and hailed a cab. I gave a nod of thanks while climbing into the cab. Telling the driver my destination for an early morning muffin, I get situated in the uncomfortable back seat. I glanced out the back window and spot a white van. I can't see anyone in the driver's seat and it looks like some kind of utilities van. A chill traveled down my spine and made me shiver. I quickly forget about the van however, when the busted clasp on my briefcase popped open and dribbled out all of my case papers. The van gets smaller and smaller as the cab pulled away and I scrambled to put all of the folders into the case. ---------------------------------------
Sauntering into my office building heals clicking on the linoleum floor, I flashed the guard my ID badge and headed upstairs, breakfast in hand. The cheap hotel looking carpet muted my heels as I made my way to my desk. I work in a bland office building with carpet that I think has been there since the building was opened. My job is to handle and organize child custody cases. I've been trying to get promoted to social worker though.
Sitting down at my cubicle, I relieved the briefcase of its contents and placed them on my desk. I dropped the briefcase at my feet and a picture framed on my desk caught my eye. My mom sitting in a window, edged by a warm wood picture casing. My mom was the best when I was little. She handled my dad leaving so well. Not freaking out into hysterics, she took things into her own hands and raised me like a mother should. It sounds extremely clichéd but she was my best friend. I was heartbroken when she passed away a couple years ago. I had already lost one parent at the age of eleven, and had to lose my other one at 23. I don't know if I could classify my dad as a parent though. He was constantly working. Hidden in his private office, he strayed away from family dinners and game nights. I would be sitting on the floor playing with my dolls when he would come home. Glancing up at him with a smile plastered on my face, I would only get a hair ruffle in return. I was forbidden to go into his office sanctuary long before I could really even read. I think that's why I was sadder when my mom died that when my dad left.
Breaking the glance from my mom, I shuffled papers, trying to get them in order. Out of the corner of my eye I see my breakfast bag being lifted off of my desk and an intruder rifle through it.
"Chase, I brought you a muffin, too. Don't worry." I address the thief. He looked up from the bag and smiled at me.
"Good thing too, or I would have eaten yours." He replied while pulling out a blueberry muffin from the brown bag. Leaning against one of the cubicle walls, Chase unwrapped the muffin and took a bite out of it.
"I know that. That's why I bought you one." I said to him, snatching the bag out of his hand. "Why do I buy you breakfast anyway? And why aren't you out working instead of bugging me?"
"I am working, Vala. I just decided to take a break and see my favorite person in Chicago." That earned an eye roll from me. "Besides, I just have to deliver this package to this complete asshole over on Main. He can wait a couple hours for it."
Chase Anderson, probably one of my best friends in the entire city. He never really grew up after high school. He's a bike messenger for a living and mostly slacks off and hangs around my office. He says it's to visit with me, but I really know it's to scope out my fellow female co- workers. They enjoy leading him around like a little puppy. Especially when he wears his biking outfit, a bright yellow spandex jumpsuit. Which of course he was wearing today.
Chase's attention was drawn from his muffin when the office slut, Blanche, strolled by, swinging her hips exaggeratedly. I snapped my fingers in front of his face after his eyes glazed over at her swaying behind. He jumped out of his trance and smiled nervously at the glare I gave him.
"What?? Can't a man just look?" Chase declared in defense. I just shook my head and chuckled.
"Just go. Don't even try, man."
Chase mocked a hurt look as he backed away, munching on his muffin. I rolled my eyes again and shouted at his back.
"Oh! By the way, you know you look like a walking banana?" That gave me a backwards wave from him. I shook my head again and turned back to the latest case I had to organize. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- A/N I know this chapter doesn't really tell you too much right now, but it was getting really, really long! I'll post more later, because I'm getting into a groove lol. Hope you enjoy this! Review, and remember reviewing means more chapters. No reviews = no more chapters. But I'll give ya'll a while for that lol. Have fun and Happy thoughts! Cheers! Pendragon4
