Dougie
Part 7: The Spire

By
The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- I don't own any familiar characters, they all belong to Marvel. As does the plot that this chapter is based on.

Shout Outs-

Darkstorm500- Thanks for your reviews. I was afraid that I wrote Rahne a little too OOC.

Risty- You know that somebody's gonna show up and spoil the fun. More Moira and Jamie coming right up, and then some!

Lia Fail- Hee! Besmirched is a funny word isn't it? I don't know what it means though.

Agent-G- Yay for Rahne and Doug! Roug, Dahne, whatever you want to call it. Everything will be made clear in this chapter.

Notes: A dedication goes to the first person that guesses which issue of which X-Title this chapter is based upon.

Muir Island Research Centre-

Moira, Ororo and Jamie are sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Sitting with them is a man with red/blonde hair; this is Sean Cassidy, Moira's fiancé and the former X-Men known as Banshee.

Rahne enters the kitchen and walks over to the cupboards, searching for something to eat. Doug isn't far behind her.

'Did ye both have a pleasant night?' Moira asks.

'Oh aye.' Rahne replies. 'Its nice tae have me auld bed back.'

'And I trust that there wasnae any shenanigans during th' night.' Moira asks.

Rahne turns around and fixes her foster mother with a glare.

'Moira! How could ye say such a thing? We wouldnae dare do such a thing!'

'I'm only teasin' ye.' Moira replies. 'I know that Dougie wouldnae try such a thing. Oh, by th' way, this is Sean Cassidy. Say hello Sean.'

'Nice tae meet ye Dougie.' Sean replies. 'Rahne couldnae have picked a nicer boyfriend!'

'Thanks Mister Cassidy.' Doug replies. 'I try my best.'

Then they all sit down for breakfast. Rahne is about to tuck into a plate of bacon when someone else walks down into the room.

'Ah Terry.' Sean says. 'Nice of ye tae join us!'

'Mornin' all.' Terry replies, ignoring her father all together. 'Mornin' Jamie.'

Jamie Madrox chokes on his juice as Terry squeezes his butt.

'Let me guess.' Doug says. 'You guys are together.'

'Oh aye.' Terry replies. 'Who wouldnae wantae be wi' a guy that can multiply hisself?'

Terry then sits down beside Jamie and joins them for breakfast.

Later-

Rahne is walking outside the research centre with Doug. They are about to head out shopping with Terry and Jamie. Rahne halts as she sees something in the distance.

'Rahne, what's the matter?' Doug asks.

'I dinnae know.' Rahne replies. 'I think I saw something in th' distance. I'm going tae switch tae my transitional form to get a better look.'

Doug watches as fur starts to sprout over Rahne's body.

'Can you see anything yet?' Doug asks, squinting his eyes to try and look into the distance.

'I think I saw something over on th' mainland.' Rahne replies. 'It looked like a fire, or and explosion. I cannae really tell.'

'Do you want me to go get Miss Monroe?' Doug asks. 'She's attuned to nature so maybe she'll be able to tell us what's up.'

Doug then leaves Rahne on her own while he goes to get Ororo. He returns a short while after with her in tow.

'What seems to be the problem, Rahne?' Ororo asks.

'I think I saw a fire over by th' mainland.' Rahne replies. 'I cannae really tell so I thought you might be able tae tell.'

Ororo closes her eyes and senses the environment around her. From the ground at her feet to the sky above her head. Her eyes snap open suddenly.

'Goddess!' She gasps. 'A fire! His is no ordinary fire, however. I think it was started psychically.'

'Like someone did this on purpose?' Doug asks. 'My money's on Pyro!'

'I do not think that Pyro is the one responsible.' Ororo replies. 'Rahne, go and get Sean or Theresa, we need to get over there to make sure that no one is hurt.'

Rahne does as she is told and rushes away. She returns with Terry hot on her heels.

'What's up?' Terry asks. 'Have we got trouble?'

'There's a fire on the mainland.' Doug replies. 'We have to get over there to make sure nobody's hurt.'

'Theresa, you carry Douglas while I carry Rahne.' Ororo says. 'We do not have time to catch a boat.'

Terry does as she is told and picks up Doug, flyin up into the air. She follows Ororo to the mainland.

Upon reaching the mainland they find the trees ablaze. Ororo and Terry drop their respective passengers a safe distance away. Ororo then flies once more up into the air and douses the flames with a brief burst of rain.

Rahne sniffs the air as she catches an unfamiliar scent.

'Miss Monroe's right.' She says. 'This fire wasnae started by Pyro, look!'

The others look in the direction that Rahne is pointing in and sees a young girl huddled under the remains of a burnt-out tree.

'That lass must be frightened half tae death.' Rahne says. 'She's most probably a local lass tae, I'll gae an' talk ate her.'

Rahne cautiously approaches the young girl and crouches down beside her. 'Hello.' She says in a soothing voice. 'My name's Rahne, what's yuirs?'

The young girl looks up at Rahne through tear-filled eyes.

'M-m' name's Bridgit.' The girl replies.

'I hope ye dinnae mind me sayin' but that isnae a local accent.' Rahne says.

'M' family moved tae Kinross from Edinburgh a short while ago.' The girl replies.

Rahne reaches out to put a hand on the girl's shoulder, but she girl pulls her arm away.

'Don't! I'm a mutant, stay away!'

'That's alreet.' Rahne says. 'I'm a mutant tae.'

'Arnae ye scared aboot it?' The girl asks. 'Bein' a mutant I mean? When I found out that I was a... mutant, I wanted tae hide it. I still woulda hid it if someone hadnae found oot. The Reverend in Kinross, he saw me lightin' some candles wi'out a match. He locked me in th' church wi' him and told me that I was the spawn o' Satan an' that I disgraced m' parents an' that he'd dae whatever he could tae drive me from the town, from th' Earth if he could.'

Rahne's face darkens in anger as she recognises the man in question.

'Reverend Craig!' She hisses.

Later, after they have taken Bridgit over to the Research Centre for a check up-

Rahne, Doug and Ororo are walking through the village of Kinross. One of the village's main features is a church with a huge dark spire, casting a long dark shadow over the whole place.

'I've got a bad feeling about this.' Doug says. 'Everybody's staring at us.'

'Let 'em look.' Rahne replies. 'I'm nae ashamed of what I am.'

'I must say Rahne.' Ororo says. 'Ever since Illyana gave you that makeover you have changed, grown up even. No longer are you the scared little Catholic girl that you once were.'

The three of them walk over to the church and stop outside.

'He's in here.' Rahne says. 'I kin smell him.'

'I know that you are angry child.' Ororo says. 'But are you sure that this is the right time for a confrontation?'

'Yuir right that I'm angry, Miss Monroe.' Rahne replies. 'But there's no' going tae be a right time tae do this, only now.'

'Are you positive that you want to do this?' Doug asks, putting his hand on Rahne's shoulder in comfort.

'I have tae do this Dougie.' Rahne replies. 'That man has been doggin' my mind for as long as I can remember, I wilnae let him to that tae everyone else. That man hunted me Dougie. He almost burnt me at th' stake. I was fourteen Dougie, fourteen years old! I'm ready tae face my demons!'

Doug and Ororo watch as Rahne throws open the doors to the church and walks in.

Inside-

Rahne walks into the shadowy silence of the vast church. The shows are barely broken by a small border of candles around the place. The door slams behind her, sounding like thunder in the vast expanse of the church. The man standing in the pulpit turns around and fixes his eyes on Rahne. This is Reverend Craig!

'Get yuirself from th' house o' God!' He yells.

Rahne is shaking from head to toe in fear but she stands her ground.

'I have as much right tae be here as you, Reverend.' She says.

'Ye have nae right, devil child!' The Reverend hisses. 'Yuir presence here poisons the Lord's kindness. Get out!'

Ignoring the gnawing feeling in her gut, Rahne still stands her ground. She looks up at the Reverend and looks at him straight in the eyes.

'Is that what ye said tae yuir newest target?' She asks. 'Th' wee lass that moved tae Kinross from Edinburgh, is that what ye said tae her? Did ye call her devil child when she found out she was a mutant and did ye promise tae kill her like ye almost did wi' me?'

'We should've burned ye when we had th' chance!'

'Maybe ye should have, Reverend.' Rahne replies. 'All those years I spend as yuir ward, never questioning getting m' head filled wi' yuir thoughts. Maybe ye should have burned me before I met Moira. She never filled m' head wi' thoughts, she showed me to tae find things oot f'r m'self.' Ye offered nothing but indoctrination, but I found education. I know that Brigit is a mutant, just like me. We havnae got anything tae do wi' th' Devil. And after all the time I've been away, every sleeping thought filled wi' you an' yuir thought on how I was a demon, I knew that there was only one thing that would scare me away from ye, information. I know all about ye. Ye havnae always been in Kinross have ye Reverend?'

Reverend Craig's face drops as he realises what Rahne is on about.

'Nae.' She says. 'Ye started yuir ministry in Ullapool, didn't ye? That's where ye met m' mother.'

'A dock worker's whore!' The Reverend spits.

Rahne continues regardless.

'So ye say. Ye made her yuir special project, didn't ye? Och, she was a wild one my mother, she danced on tabletops late night in bars. So ye determined tae save her soul with all that fire an' brimstone that you do sae well, praying over her all sweaty an' determined, an' then she 'betrayed' ye by fallin' pregnant wi' me.'

Rahne's face suddenly turns sad as she remembers the mother that she never had a chance to know.

'M' mother died in childbirth and, somehow, ye became m' guardian. Why was that, Reverend? Why bother with the child of such a woman? Unless...'

Reverend Craig covers his face with a hand as he begins to weep. Rahne continues.

'But ye were pulled oot o' Ullapool by th' church an' relocated tae Kinross. Some considerable distance away. Why was that? Why do ye hate me so much? Why do ye hate that wee lass tae, who also has red hair like m' mother an' I, so I noticed.'

Rahne looks up at the pulpit as she hears the Reverend sobbing.

'Are ye weepin', Reverend?' She asks. 'Ye will tell th' poor lass's parents that ye made some dreadful mistakes. Yuir spectre has hung over me f'r years, Reverend Craig, I've dreamt aboot yuir hatred an' fiery torches f'r too long. This is my fiery torch, reverend Craig, I know about ye!'

Reverend Craig looks down from his pulpit and looks at the young girl standing triumphantly before him.

'May God strike ye down.'

Rahne just turns and leaves the church. Leaving Reverend Craig alone in a darkened church where the candles hardly make a difference.

Outside-

Rahne walks out of the doors and slumps against the wall in exhaustion. Doug hugs her triumphantly.

'You kicked butt in there Rahne!' he grins. 'You sure showed that bigot who's boss!'

'I cannae believe it!' Rahne says. 'I finally did it.' I told Reverend Craig off! I'm free!'

Doug and Ororo watch in amazement as Rahne punches the air triumphantly.

'I'm free! Yippie!'

Rahne grabs Doug in a huge hug.

'Do ye know what this means, Dougie?' She asks. 'I no longer have tae be ashamed aboot th' feelings I have f'r ye! Now I kin do this...'

Doug is taken by surprise as Rahne grabs him by the collar and plant a smacker on his lips.

After several seconds of smooching his brains out, Rahne finally lets Doug go, leaving him with a goofy smile on his face.

'W-wow!' He mumbles. 'That was... wow!'

'I am glad that you have finally laid your demons to rest, Rahne.' Ororo says. 'Now, I believe that you and Douglas have a date that you were supposed to be going on.'

Rahne smiles broadly and takes Doug's hand in his and leads them all back home.

END...

NEXT: Back home in Westchester, Rahne and Doug finally go on their first OFFICIAL date and a certain feline 'friend' crashes the party.