Of God and Man

Disclaimers: See chapter 1

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. This chapter is much darker than the previous chapters. Carolyn's life is becoming more complicated and a confrontation in town and at the mansion changes everything.

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Chapter 9: Expected and Unexpected Enemies

Carolyn decided to start Rogue's classes the next day with an in depth introduction to the Catholic Mass. The service can be very confusing to a neophyte. The confusion will make the Mass meaningless.

For what she wanted to do, she would need several books. Logan refused to allow her to leave the mansion to get them and wouldn't go himself so she made the rounds, trying to find someone to go for her. Scott surprised her and agreed to get what she needed.

Scott Summers hadn't been in a religious bookstore for many years. He found that things had changed since the last time he went to Mass. Books were now written in plain English and were easier to understand. The Catholic Church had a reputation for keeping it's members in the dark about many things. In the past twenty years, the veil had fallen and most of the doctrine had been revealed. People weren't expected to take the word of the church hierarchy any more. Rome actively encouraged debate among the masses and challenged them to reinterpret the teachings that had been set in stone for thousands of years. They were still behind the times. An organization the size of the Catholic Church can't move very quickly but there have been radical changes to his eyes.

He went through her list fairly quickly. She only needed basic instructional texts. His own curiosity had him giving several books the once over. A book on the history of the Catholic Church and a short tome on the practices of the church made their way into his basket.

"Let me know if you have any questions," Carolyn told him when she saw the books.

The sun was shinning brightly as Logan drove Rogue, Carolyn and a pouting Remy back to the church for Mass on Sunday. Remy didn't want to come but Logan insisted. There needed to be someone inside and outside to protect Carolyn. He wasn't Christian and had no business attending a Christian service so Remy was elected. Logan would watch the doors and keep danger from going in. Remy was to monitor the congregation.

Remy went through the motions of the Mass, sitting, standing and kneeling when the others did but he didn't pay attention. He was too busy watching everyone else to take in the Mass.

At the Gospel, he began to feel the pressure of someone watching them. A quick scan of the crowd didn't reveal any overt threats but he couldn't shake the feeling. When Carolyn went up to the front for communion, he went with her, still scanning the crowd for threats. He took the host but tucked it into his pocket. He felt like a hypocrite. He had done too much to be entitled to take communion.

As they returned to their pew, he noticed a heavy set blond woman looking at Carolyn with so much hate in her eyes that his steps faltered. He waited until she had finished her prayer before mentioning the woman.

"There's a woman on the left side, five pews up from us that has been watching us," he murmured to her. "Do you know her?"

Carolyn followed his eyes and gasped in recognition.

"Who is she?" he asked in a low voice.

"My Aunt Theresa, The Mother Superior of my convent," she whispered. "Remy, she knows."

"Let's go," he hissed. He stood and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the pew.

"Wha..." Rogue squeaked.

"Out, chere. Now"

They made their way through the crowd heading up for communion and left the church. Logan was smoking a cigar, leaning against a tree near the front door.

"What's up, Gumbo?" he growled.

"Trouble," Remy told him.

"You have some nerve," a regal voice said from behind them.

"Aunt Theresa," Carolyn sighed as the turned to face her.

"You have no right to come here," Sister Theresa hissed. "You are the spawn of Satan. God doesn't want you in His house."

"Back off ya bitter old bat," Logan growled.

"I'm as much a child of God as anyone else. I have every right to the sacraments."

"You gave up that right when you accepted power from the devil."

"God gave me my powers," Carolyn told her. "He has helped me to control them and use them for the good of all mankind."

"You made a deal with the devil," Sister Theresa shrieked. "You are damned to hell for all eternity." She lifted her arm, intending to strike Carolyn.

With a flurry of movement, the X-Men went into action. Rogue caught Sister's arm in an unbreakable, vice like grip. Remy pulled a card from his trench coat and charged it, holding it up menacingly. Logan grabbed Carolyn, pushed her behind him and popped his claws in the face of her tormentor.

Theresa quieted immediately. Her expression switched from anger to loathing in a flash.

"You're all freaks, just like her," he hissed.

"We may be freaks like you say," Rogue said calmly, "but we treat people like human beings."

"Obviously, you don' have any Christian values," Remy said, his voice deceptively light but his eyes flashed in anger.

"Ya better git," Logan told her, making his dislike clear.

She stepped back and Rogue released her. "This isn't finished." He voice was low with threat. She turned and marched to the parking lot.

"She's gonna be trouble," Remy remarked as he withdrew the charge he placed on the card.

"She hates you," Rogue said.

"She's grieving," Carolyn corrected. "She's been like a mother to my since I was eight. She never got the chance to have children of her own so she transferred her maternal instincts to me. When she found out, it was like I died. She can't get over that."

"Oh fer heaven's sake," Logan exploded. "Quit rationalizing her behavior. She's a dried up old prune and she hates yer guts. Ain't nothin' ya can say that'll change her mind."

"Let's get outta here," Rogue said, looking around as the church doors opened to disgorge the celebrants. "We're pretty exposed here."

Logan dragged a protesting Carolyn back to the car and pushed her into the back seat with Remy. He told Rogue to take up a position three hundred feetin the airand watch for threats. They both pulled comm badges out and pinned them to their chests.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Carolyn demanded, exasperated. "Sister Theresa is going to attack the car on the way home?"

"She ain't alone," Logan growled.

"Clear," Rogue called over the comm unit.

Logan started the car and drove away from the church. If anyone was going to follow them, he didn't want to lead them back to the mansion. He made several sudden turns and doubled back a few times. If there was a tail, he had lost it. He drove back to the mansion using the back roads.

Rogue landed as they were pulling into the mansion driveway.

"There was a car on the interstate pulled over ta the side," she told Logan after he'd parked the car. "Ah didn't go in for a closer look butAh think they were waitin' for ya."

"Damn," he swore. "They knew we were goin' ta Salem. I'd better tell Chuck."

"Get inside Carolyn," Remy ordered. "We still look like an ordinary school from the outside but you'll give us away if she sees you here."

Carolyn sighed and followed Remy into the house.

"Remy," she said, hesitant to provoke him again, "may I speak with you?"

Remy looked at her, deciding if he wanted to address their problems, then nodded slowly. The den was full of chattering students so they went to the kitchen. He poured her a cup of coffee and sat down at the counter. She slid onto a stool and kicked her shoes off, trying to make herself more comfortable.

"Why do I make you uncomfortable?" she asked.

Remy struggled with his thoughts. "Remy was raised in New Orleans," he began. "We Cajun's have a long history wit' de church, but we also got a long history wit' de Voodoo. Most of us believe in both. When a woman is rejected by de other women, she's bad juju. She bring bad luck to everyone, 'specially de ones dat live wit' her. Sometime, she bring de devil down on dem. Now you got powerful people lookin' for you. Remy don' want friends hurt 'cause we take you in."

"I don't want them hurt either," she told him. "I pray to God every night to protect the X-Men and the children from the people who want the get me."

"If you're gone, dey won't come here," he argued.

"But..."

"You can' leave. Sinister wan' you bad. We can' let him get your DNA. I know all this. I don' hafta like it."

"Remy," she said sadly, "we will never be friends. I hope we can live with each other peacefully for Rogue's sake. I know you love her and I care for her as well. Can we put aside our differences for her?"

"Remy'll give it a try."

"Thanks," she said as she slid off the stool. "I'm going to change into some comfortable clothes."

'Carolyn,' Charles' mental voice called. 'Could you come to my office right away?'

"Well, I was going to change," she mumbled. "I'll see you later Remy."

"This is about Sister Theresa," she said as she went into the office.

"What kind of power does she have over you?" Charles asked.

"I was never officially released from the convent," she told him. "I'm considered an AWOL nun. She's still my superior and has the power to order me to return to Holy Angels. I doubt she'd do that. The convent generally doesn't go after runaway nuns."

"Would you go back if she ordered you?" Charles asked.

"Yes."

"What fer," Logan demanded. "She threw you out. Why in the hell would you ever go back?"

"I took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. If I disobey her orders, I break my vows and make my entire life a lie. I can't do that."

"Stop it Logan," Charles admonished. "Is there any way of releasing you from your vows without her help?"

"I could petition the Mother General," she told him. The phone on Charles' desk rang, startling her.

"Yes?" Charles answered the phone. "A call for you Carolyn. It's Fr. Ryan." He handed her the phone.

Logan stewed as she talked to the priest. Why would she go back to them? They couldn't accept what she was two years ago, what makes her think it would be any better now? Sometimes he just didn't understand her.

"Fr. Kevin spoke with Sister Theresa after Mass today," she told them after she'd hung up. "She told him about what happened in Bakersfield. She also told him that she was now attached to the Mother General's office as a special secretary. What that means is anyone's guess. I figure that she has access to all of the mail and any letter I send won't make it to the Mother General's desk.

He also said that it isn't safe for me to go back. He offered to come here and say Mass. I told him I would ask you."

"He is welcome to come," Charles said. "Is it possible for him to release you?"

"No," she said. "Only the convent and death can release me."

"Intruder alert," Cerebra chimed. Alarms were blaring through the mansion. The rumble of feet was heard in the office as the X-Men responded to the threat and the students took cover. "Identified. Mutant designate: Nathanial Essex, codename Mr. Sinister. Mutant group designate: the Nasty Boys. Location: back lawn."

Logan was out of the room before Cerebra was finished identifying the intruders.

"Cerebra, secure the office," Charles barked. Adamantium plated steel slammed over the doors and windows. Carolyn could hear humming from the walls as the force field snapped up. They were as safe as they could be considering there was a full scale mutant war going on outside on the lawn.

"Carolyn, link with me," he said "Let's give them some help."

She nodded and closed her eyes, allowing Charles to enter her mind. They saw the battlefield as if they were there. Storm, Jean and Rogue were airborne. Wolverine, Cyclops, Iceman, Gambit and Jubilee were attacking from the ground. Cyclops and Gambit were blasting away at Sinister. Cyclops was doing some damage. Gambit was not. Sinister was popping in and out of portals, keeping himself from getting too much damage. Wolverine was having a grand old time slashing at Hairbag. Iceman had Ruckus nearly frozen solid. Rogue had Gorgeous George by the hair and was carrying him aloft over the trees with the obvious intention of dropping him when she was high enough. Jubilee was dancing around all of them, tossing high powered paffs in the faces of anyone she could get to, keeping them blind and off balance. Storm was raining lightning bolts down all around them, driving them into a clump. Jean had a tight telekinetic hold on the vocal cords of Gorgeous George, preventing him from using his mutant power. The mansion security system, aimed by Beast, was firing lasers whenever he had a clear shot.

'I want you to pull out your worst fear and push it at Sinister,' Charles told her mind.

'Fear?' she asked. 'Wouldn't that make him more dangerous?'

'Not if you amplify it as much as you can. It will either paralyze him with terror or kill him by frightening him to death. I want him too afraid to come after you again.'

'I don't want to kill him,' she protested.

'I will try to prevent that,' Charles assured her. 'A very thin shaft of pure fear should do it.'

She gathered her biggest fear into a fine thread of emotion and pushed it toward Sinister, amplifying it as much as she dared.

Cyclops had just taken aim on Sinister again when he saw thewhite facedmutant collapse to the ground, hands clasped over his head. He hadn't seen a blow so he wasn't sure what was going on.

'He's terrified,' Jean told him through their link. 'Carolyn has sent a shaft of pure fear into him. She's keeping it below the levels high enough to kill him but if she doesn't stop soon, she will drive him insane.'

Carolyn evidently heard her. Sinister suddenly relaxed and started to shake. Scott stepped up to the quivering man and looked down. He stank of urine after loosing control of his bladder from fear.

"Leave," Scott ordered, his voice hard. "Leave and never come back. You'll never get her. She won't allow it."

Sinister jumped up and ran, opening a portal as he went. He leapt through and was followed quickly by the Nasty Boys.

"Whoohoo," Jubilee yelled after the portal snapped closed. "That was great. Carolyn could put us all out of a job. Did ya see Sinister pee his pants? It was awesome!"

"Hellfire had to have seen it," Scott said grimly.

"No way they'd miss it," Logan said as he fired up a cigar. "'Bout a subtle as a solar eclipse."

"Shaw won't want ta mess up his pretty little brain," Rogue said as she landed. "Selene might want ta come after her but Carolyn's religious zeal might put a bad taste in her mouth."

"Why is that?" Jubilee asked

"De Black Queen's a demon," Remy told her. "And a witch.

"Witch with a 'B'?" she giggled.

"Non, p'tite," Remy told her seriously. "She is a witch with the power given ta her by da devil."

"Fer real?" Jubilee squeaked. Remy nodded. "Whoa!" she breathed.

"Let's go in," Scott told them. "Logan?"

"Be in after I have my smoke," he told him.

"War Room in fifteen," Cyclops said as he walked back to the house.

"I don't think he'll come back unless he wants revenge for making him look bad," Jean said. "He was scared nearly to death."

They were all gathered in the war room, debriefing after the fight. Logan was extremely pleased with the skills and control of his latest student. Carolyn did very well.

"I think he knows Carolyn can beat him," Jubilee piped up. "That was some power!"

"He won't want ta take ya now but that don't mean he won't come back fer a DNA sample," Logan told her. "He won't hesitate ta kill ya now."

"I agree," Charles said. "Hank, I want all of her blood and tissue samples destroyed immediately. Carolyn, you will need to use a new toothbrush, hairbrush and comb each time. Once they're used, they must be incinerated. All used feminine hygiene products as well."

"Eeew," whispered Jubilee.

"Your clothing must be laundered daily. Hank will be responsible for charting your menstrual cycle. You must remain on grounds from now on. You may not leave the house for any reason while you are ovulating." He stopped as dismay and anger flashed across his mind.

"You're putting me in a prison!" she gasped. "Charles, I can't live like that again."

"Your DNA cannot leave this house," he told her calmly. "And you're projecting."

Jean and Charles heard a mental clang as she slammed her shields up, hard. The others felt relief as the emotional torrent ceased.

"You will have full use of the mansion," he assured her. "I only ask that you restrict your toilet needs to your own bathroom."

"A gilded cage is still a cage," she said, her voice rough. She looked Charles in the eyes. She wasn't projecting but he could see she was very angry. She straightened and swept out of the room with all the dignity she could muster.

"Wow," Jubilee said loudly. "That was harsh."

"Her anger will cool in time," Charles said.

"I was talking about you," she told him. "You've taken a smart, beautiful woman and put her in prison because of her genes. Talk about hypocrisy!"

"Jubilee," Scott said, his tone rising in warning.

"Shut up, Cyke," Logan growled. "She's right and you know it."

"Charles, you can't do this to her," Jean protested. "You'll smother her and make her resent us."

"Having an omega level empath resent you is not a good situation," Hank said. "She was kept close by the sisters for so long that now that she has some level of freedom, she may react very badly if you curtail her activities."

"She has the power to refuse to do what you want," Jean told him. "The only one who could stop her is Rogue."

"And I won't," Rogue said, her arms crossed in defiance. "She's my best friend. I won't betray her by stoppin' her if she wants ta do somethin'."

"I can see my decision is not a popular one," Charles sighed. "The only way this will work is if the X-Men help. Will you?"

"Not on your life," Rogue told him.

"You've got to be kidding," from Jubilee

"I'm sorry, Charles, but no," Jean said.

"It is not in the best interest of the X-Men to do this," said Beast.

Remy shook his head and Logan laughed like Charles was crazy.

"Scott," Charles asked the leader.

"I'll help you," Scott said. "But it will be on my terms," he yelled over the objections of the team. When they were quiet again he spoke. "We will attempt to contain her DNA here in the mansion by burning her hygiene products and lab samples but I won't curtail her movements outside the mansion. She will be allowed to leave the mansion as long as she is escorted by at least two alpha level team members. Logan can tell when she's ovulating so he can give us a heads up when we need to be extra careful. I don't think we should track her cycle like some kind of dairy cow. That's just too humiliating. She is suspended from field missions until further notice. If she is attacked, the mission is to get her safely back to the mansion. Lethal force is authorized if needed, and Logan, it better be needed. We must try and keep her trips outside of the mansion to as few as possible."

"What are ya goin' ta do if we're called out on a mission?" Rogue asked.

"I'm going to recall Kitty and Kurt to the mansion," he explained. "They will be responsible for her safety while we are gone. Any other questions?"

"I got somthin' ta say," Logan said. "Cyke and Chuck know this but the rest of ya don't. Carol asked me ta kill her if it looks like she's gonna fall inta enemy hands."

"And you agreed?" Rogue demanded.

"Yeah," he said. "She also asked that Jubilee destroy her body immediately."

"I don't know if I can do that Wolvie," she said in a small voice.

"Yer the only on who can darlin'. Yer gonna hafta draw deep but ya got it in ya ta do it."

"I don't mean my powers, I don't think I can do IT. She's a friend Wolvie. I can't slag her body like some piece of meat."

"It's what she wants. She doesn't want some crackpot a hundred years from now diggin' up her body and usin' her DNA ta clone her."

"Is DNA still viable after so long?" Jean asked.

"DNA in teeth is viable for quite a long time. Scientists have been able to extract DNA from the teeth of 'Lucy' and her corpse is millions of years old," Hank told them. "Her fears are justified. Theoretically, it is possible to grow a clone from DNA of advanced age."

"I can't believe y'all," Rogue yelled. "How can ya think 'bout killin' a friend and fellow X-Man? Don't ya gotta heart?"

"I'll do it 'cause she's asked me to," Logan told her calmly.

"Remy'd do it chere," Gambit said softly.

"That's 'cause ya don't like her," Rogue yelled.

"Non," he said. "Remy'd do it 'cause it's what she wan' and 'cause she's right. I know what Sinister'll do ta her. Remy won' let that happen to anyone ever again."

"But she's mah friend," she said, her voice trembling.

"I know chere," Remy said softly. He put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "She love you an' don' wan' to hurt you but if her choice is fallin inta Sinister's hands and dyin', she'd be better off dead. She don' wan' us ta hafta fight her clone years down the road. We don' wan' ta fight her clone. We'd loose. An omega mutant in Sinister's hands without God to pull her back is too awful ta t'ink about, 'specially one wit' her potential. Remember chere, she hasn't had a power up yet."

"Oh God," Rogue whispered, horrified.