Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or basic storylines from the X-Men. I do, however, own Matthew. And yet, still I am poor beyond belief.
Authors Note: THANK YOU REVIEWERS! You all make me so happy.
'Thoughts'
Matthew
Chapter Fourteen: Recovery Missions
Rogue and Remy were shocked at all the bustle going on at the Mansion, as were Ororo and Kurt, when they all landed two hours later. Kitty and Jubilee quickly ran up to explain.
"We've found her," Jubilee said breathlessly as Kitty nodded vigorously.
"Found who?" Rogue asked slightly bewildered. As far as she knew, her darling little boy was the only one they were missing.
"Jean. When the Professor was looking for your son, he picked up Jean's essence. She's alive and in Los Angeles," Kitty explained, sending a wave of shock through the group.
It was too much for Rogue and her knees gave out, causing Remy to have to catch her.
"Dear Goddess she's alive?" Ororo whispered, clinging to Kurt, tears already in her eyes.
"Yep," Jubilee grinned excitedly. "They were just waiting for you guys to get back with the jet so that the team can go and get her. Scott's besides himself right now."
"Ah understand that," Rogue stated, knowing what it was like from recent personal experience to find out that someone you buried wasn't as dead as you thought they were. "When do we leave?"
"The Professor and the others are already waiting in the debriefing room. Isn't this just a wonderful day Rogue?" Kitty asked, hugging her friend.
"Yeah Kit it is," Rogue replied. Now if only they could find her son as easily.
"Let us go then," Kurt said, grabbing Ororo's arm and porting her to the briefing room while Rogue and Remy ran there, Kitty and Jubilee at their heels.
"Jean, dat be Scott's fille?" Remy asked curious.
"Yeah, the one that died savin' us," Rogue added, tears in her eyes as she remembered the event.
"Funny how she non contact us den," Remy mused as they stopped before the door to the conference room.
"Ah'm sure she had her reasons," Rogue replied as they entered to find Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Iceman and Beast waiting for them with the Professor. "Seems we both have some good news today don't we sugah?" Rogue asked, walking over and giving Cyclops a hug.
"I just can't believe it Rogue," he replied, tightening his arms around her. "She's alive."
"Believe meh Ah understand," Rogue smiled pulling back and looking at the Professor.
"If you two would just go and suit up, we can leave. Iceman, prepare the jet," he said as Rogue and Gambit took off to the locker rooms, he then turned to Jubilee and Kitty. "You girls are in charge of this place while we are gone. If anything happens I would like you to contact us immediately and place the mansion under lockdown is that understood?"
"Yes Professor," they said together, both remembering all too well what could happen while the core team was away.
"Very good. We shall not be long," he added as they wheeled out towards the jet. By the time it was prepped and ready for take off, Rogue and Gambit were strapped in with the rest of the team. He turned to Scott then with a smile on his face. "Lets bring her home."
xoxoxoxoxoxox
The X-Jet landed in a clear field outside of Los Angeles International Airport, and while they exited the aircraft, Iceman activated the cloaking device.
Charles held his fingers to his temples and concentrated. "She's taken a small boy to the Los Angeles General Hospital, but now she is heading to a place she knows as home," he concentrated for a moment before jotting down an address on a piece of paper that Hank handed him. "You will find them here."
"Aren't you coming with us Professor?" Cyclops asked, taken aback.
"No. Beast and I will go and check on the site where she used her powers. I am hoping to find some answers there," he looked reassuringly up at Cyclops. "Do not worry my son, she will be alright," he squeezed Scott's arm before they separated.
"I wonder why she has not tried to contact us," Storm mused as Charles left.
"I don't know Storm but I'm going to find out," Cyclops stated authoritatively. "You and Rogue go on and fly ahead. See if you can talk to her. We'll be there as soon as we can."
"Gotcha Cyclops," Rogue said, giving Gambit a quick kiss before taking to the air with Ororo.
"And be careful!" he called after them before looking at the rest of the group. "There may be a good reason she hasn't contacted us."
"Why do y' think mon ami?" Gambit asked as they started towards the apartment complex on foot.
"Maybe she doesn't want to be found," Cyclops said sadly as they trudged ahead.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
"I don't like it," Matty stated as Summer carried him into her apartment and set him down on the couch. "It tastes nasty," he stated holding his now casted right arm close to him.
"I know but it'll make you feel better," she said placing the medicine he was complaining about into the fridge.
"How?" he asked as he leaned back against the soft sofa. His face was bruised and swollen and his arm and ribs hurt. He had gotten to go into this cool X-Ray machine though, but had been sadly disappointed when Summer explained to him that it wouldn't make him a mutant. Then he thought about what she had did that night and brightened. "So you can become a flaming bird too?" he asked excitedly.
"Apparently," she replied bringing over some chocolate milk for the boy. "I'd never done it before."
"It was so cool," he stated, awkwardly taking the large glass and taking a big drink. "They were scared."
"You think so?" she asked amusedly.
"I know so," he stated matter-of-factly before turning back to his milk, finishing it off.
"Well, you don't have to worry about them anymore," she stated taking the glass and setting it on the table, watching as he let out a big yawn. "You've had a busy day today," she said soothingly. "We should get you to bed."
"I'm not tired though," he said as he yawned again.
"Oh I can see that," she teased giving his foot a slight shake. "Come on, it's late." She went to pick him up when a breeze blew and she sensed two other minds in the room, she turned to see two tall women standing before her dressed in black leather uniforms. One had snow-white hair and dark skin while the other simply had white streaks in her auburn hair. "Matty stay behind me," Summer said firmly, looking at the two intruders. "How did you get in here?"
"Jean it is us, don't you remember who we are?" the white haired woman asked, taking a step forward, her hands in front of her.
"Who are you?" Summer asked confused. Jean? Did she know that name? Was that her? Questions began to run through her mind, but none of that mattered now. What mattered is Matty's safety. "What do you want?" she growled as everything around the room began to shake dangerously.
"Easy sugah, we ain't here ta hurt ya," the girl with the streaks spoke, trying to sooth her.
Matty peeked around Summers legs then and was in complete shock at what he saw. Two of the X-Men, one of them his favorite, were standing before them. He pulled himself to standing on the back of the couch and walked to the edge tapping Summer on the back. "It's okay, they're the X-Men."
"What?" Summer turned and looked at the small, green-eyed boy, who was now wide awake and grinning excitedly.
"The X-Men, remember I told you? That's Storm and that's Rogue," he whispered Rogue's name in awe as she looked at him with a pair of green eyes of her own and winked at him. It was then something started to stir in Matty's memory, but he brushed it off as excitement and looked back up at Summer. "They're the good guys."
"He's right old friend, we mean you no harm," Storm said walking a little farther forward. "We just came to take you home."
"Do I know you?" Summer asked confused, the objects of the room settling back into place. As she spoke a loud knock sounded at the door.
"JEAN!" a muffled male voice called from the other side, causing Summer to scoop Matty up and back away from the women and the door.
"What do you people want?" she screamed.
Suddenly the door was blown off its hinges and a tall auburn haired man entered followed by three others. One held glowing cards in his hand, another had three sharp knives extending the back of each of his hands and the other was completely made of ice.
Summer's eyes began to glow once again as the Phoenix fought for control. "Leave now!"
"Jean pleas, it's me, Scott? Don't you remember?" Cyclops asked stepping forward, his hands reaching out for her.
"Stay away from us!" she yelled, curious as to why no one was coming to help her. Then, remember this wasn't the best of all neighborhoods, she figured out why. These people could kill them and no one would ever bat an eye. Her powers began to rage again as objects lifted into the air and began to circle the room.
"Easy darlin'," Wolverine began, re-sheathing his claws while next to him, Remy removed the charge from his cards. "We're just here to take you home."
"Cool Wolverine and Gambit!" Matty exclaimed, in awe at what he was seeing, unaware of any danger as he viewed the scene with a child's innocence. "Summer you never told me you knew the X-Men," he exclaimed looking at her.
"I don't ," she replied, her eyes never leaving any of them. "At least, I don't think I do."
"Storm best get to calling the Prof," Iceman said as she nodded and flew out the window for a little more privacy.
"My mind, Jean look into my mind," Cyclops said suddenly. "Once you do, you'll know we don't want to hurt you."
Summer hesitated, but there was a pleading to his voice that she could not deny, gently placing Matty down on the floor she walked over and looked at him. Afraid of what she might see, she slowly placed her hands on either side of his head and closed her eyes. After a few minutes she opened them, tears streaming down her cheeks.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Summer or Jean, whoever she was, did not know how to react as they all sat in her small living room, waiting for the Professor, who was apparently her mentor, to drive across town to see her. She had looked into Cyclops, no Scott Summers mind, and saw herself in a way that was more beautiful than she could have ever imagined. She sighed as she offered Storm some more tea, watching Rogue and Gambit fuss over Matty across the room, sensing they were reminded of their own son who they hoped to find.
"Pick a card petite?" Gambit held a handful out before the little boy who sat in Rogue's lap as she cuddled him.
"Um, that one," he said as he stared up at the man before him. He seemed so familiar somehow, but Matty just couldn't figure it out.
"Take it out and show it t' ma cherie," Remy encouraged and grinned as Matty did as he was told, showing the card to Rogue before placing it back into the deck. Remy shuffled them expertly, making sure to do every trick for the small boy with the busted arm, who had eyes just like his sons, before pulling out a card. "Dis be yer card non?"
"Yeah!" he took the Jack of Hearts from Remy and showed it excitedly to Rogue who grinned happily, hugging him closer, careful of his broken ribs. Matthew would have been about this age, was all she could think as she ruffled his auburn hair. "Oh, be right back," he exclaimed, climbing down from her lap and hurrying towards Jeans bedroom.
"Where's he goin?" Rogue wondered aloud as Jean smiled at her.
"Probably to get his new coat," she answered and sure enough the little boy emerged in a brown trench coat, which still had some work before it would be the right size, and a pair of dark sunglasses.
"Look," he said proudly, turning for the Southern couple.
"Well would y' look dere cherie?" Remy asked, impressed as Rogue clapped her hands.
"Just look at ya sugah," she smiled and walked over, picking him up gently. "Ain't ya just the spittin image?" she asked kissing his cheek. "Look at em Rems?" there were tears in her eyes as she looked over at Remy, both thinking about their own little boy out there somewhere. (AN: Dragging it out aren't I? Yeah, I'm cruel that way.)
Suddenly Matty's face dropped as he took off the sunglasses and looked at them each closely, stopping as he looked into Rogue's eyes. They were the same as his. The ones he got from his Mama. Next he looked over at Remy, who had called him petite earlier. Just like his dad used to. He began to squirm a bit. "I want down now," he stated.
Rogue looked shocked for a moment but quickly complied. "Alright sugah. Is soemthin' wrong?" she knelt down to his level and looked into his eyes. Her eyes and shock was plain on her face. "Is Matty short for somethin?" she asked looking at him harder and noticing Remy's high cheek bones in the young boy as well as his hair.
"I have to go to the bathroom," he said suddenly running into the other room.
"Chere?" Remy asked rising as everyone else in the room turned towards the couple. "What is it."
"It's him sugah," she almost whispered. "Don't ya see it?"
"Maybe you're both just seeing what you want to see?" Bobby said rather annoyed from the corner. He had reverted to his human form and was leaning against a counter.
"He has a picture," Jean suddenly spoke up, understanding the scene as only a psychic would. "It's pretty beaten up, but it's of him and his parents. He keeps it with him all the time. You might be able to recognize it."
"Remy he had the picture in his pocket that day. It wasn't in the pocket when ya found him," Rogue was practically frantic now as Remy looked at her levelly before striding across the room and into the bathroom, Rogue and the others on his heels. He opened the door to find it empty. They turned and noticed the widow leading to the fire escape was open. "Gawd Rems," she whispered, her hand going to her mouth as he looked down.
"Don't see 'em cherie, but Ah fahnd him," he said and was gone out the window and down the escape.
"Don't worry kid," Logan said resting his hand on her shoulder. "We'll take them both home tonight," he stated gruffly before following Remy into the street.
"Jean, perhaps you can find him?" Ororo suggested as the red head placed her hands to her temples and closed her eyes.
"He's gone to the park. It's not far from here, maybe two blocks. We go there a lot to play after school," she said after a minute, opening her eyes.
"Which way?" Rogue asked frantically already climbing out the window.
"East," Jean replied.
"Thanks sugah," Rogue answered taking to the air.
"They're his parents aren't they?" Jean asked Scott after the couple had left.
"Yes they are," a new voice answered from the doorway and Jean turned to see a balding man sitting in a wheelchair that was being pushed by a large, blue, apelike man. "Hello my dear."
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Rogue flew faster than she ever had in her life, landing near the swing set. Matthew had always loved the swings. He liked to pretend he could fly. And sure enough that's where she found him, a worn out picture in his hand.
Silently she walked up behind him and gave him a gentle push, noticing the tears on the picture of the three of them. She pushed him for several minutes before he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What did I do?"
"Nothin' sugah."
"Then why did you send me away? Was I bad?"
Rogue was in front of him in an instant, kneeling down to be at his level. "No you were never bad. You were mah perfect baby boy."
"Then why?"
"Baby we didn't send ya away. She took ya from us and gave us a dead baby in your place," Rogue was in tears now as she brushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "Ah could have nevah sent ya away. Ya were mah world," she pulled him into her arms and smothered him in kisses as he cried against her chest, wrapping his small arms around her as best he could with the cast. "Shh baby. Mamma ain't nevah lettin' ya go now," she soothed, anger, fear and relief all flowing through her veins. She had her baby back, but judging by his injuries, he'd had a hard rode to get to her. She vowed then and there that it would never happen again. And those who were responsible would pay. "Ah'm so sorry Matthew," she whispered, wiping her eyes as she looked at him, wiping his as well and she rose and sat on the swing, pulling him into her lap.
"What for Mamma?" he asked, snuggling closer to her and smelling the familiar scent of fresh cut flowers.
"That Ah couldn't stop her. That she took ya away. That ya knew what it was lahke ta be hit. Yer daddy and meh nevah wanted that," she said kissing the top of his head, and hugging him closer.
"Not your fault Mamma," he whispered closing his eyes and clinging to her, as he did when he was a baby.
Suddenly the swing began to move slowly and both turned to see Remy standing behind them, a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. "Bonjour mon petite," he whispered, stopping the swing.
"Daddy!" Matty practically jumped from Rogue's arms and into Remy's as he laughed and swung the young boy around.
"Rems be careful of his ribs!" Rogue chided, tears of joy in her eyes as Remy brought the boy down and embraced them both.
Across the park Logan watched the happy family, celebrating their reunion, and knew she was lost to him forever.
Authors Note: And I'm on a roll folks. Actually, judging from the reviews, I was afraid that some of you might lynch me if I didn't get this chapter up ASAP. That and I have to make up for all that time I left you hanging during school. Sorry about that. Anyway, hope you all liked this. And as usual, R&R and NO FLAMES.