Gifts and Curses
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "You forget to make coffee this morning! Coffee is the only thing keeping Uncle's ancient heart beating! You want dead Uncle?"
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For those that loved my musicals, I have started again on the Nutboard, the link is in my author profile
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Chapter 13 – Family ties
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Later in the day, Todd was bemoaning his troubles over Franck with the rest of the Brotherhood.
"An' after we spent an hour arguin' over the chicken, we ended up with the stinkin' seafood platter anyway", he said, "an' Sid told me not ta pinch the pennies. I mean, come on, yo, why pay fer more when ya can get less?"
"I'm telling you, Todd, this guy is taking you for a ride", said Pietro, "dump him now, before he takes all your money"
"Can I give a woman's opinion?", asked Rosemary.
"I don't know, you know a woman to give one?", asked Pietro, then squeaked as Freddy smacked him over the head, "joking, joking!"
Rosemary shook her head then looked at Todd.
"You can't blame her for wanting a fancy wedding", she said, "I mean, she's probably been thinking about her wedding day since you started dating. It will be an important day of her life, one of the most important, actually, so you should let her have what she likes. It's not like you can't afford it, Sidney earns enough cash to pay for it"
"Yeah..but..but", Todd sighed, "after growin' up, spendin' time on the streets, livin' in orphanages…I got used ta watchin' the cash…I'm not used ta splurging"
"I agree with Rosemary", said Wanda, "just shut your trap and let Sidney have what she wants. Don't be such a control freak"
"And I suppose you already have most of your wedding planned?", asked Lance, arching a brow, then sighed, "I know Kitty has ours…but her father won't let me marry her until I've completely learned about Judaism. He's going to make me take a test in it….seriously"
"That's…frightening", said Wanda, "if I hadn't gone Wicca, I'd help you out. And no, I haven't got mine and St.John's wedding planned yet, I'm not a control freak"
"Hah!", laughed Pyro, then winced, backing away form Wanda's glare, 'I mean…err…."
He sighed. Nope, no getting out of this.
"I'm gonna pay for that one tonight", he muttered under his breath.
"I wouldn't mind so much if I could actually understand a word the guy was sayin'", said Todd, "but I can't, an' Sid seems to understand him easily"
"I'm sure you're over exaggerating, Toad", said Freddy.
"Imagine Nightcreeper, Tin-Man, an' Gambit's accents all rolled inta one", said Todd pointedly, "then cross it with a turkey"
Freddy blinked.
"Okay.. maybe you're not", he said, "so where is Sid now, anyway?"
"Gone ta find her Uncle", said Todd, "how she expects to get her uncle: The Assasin inta a tuxedo is beyond me"
"Very carefully, that's how", said Lance.
"More cats…goodie", said Freddy, "my sinuses will be blocked for weeks"
"You can save the wedding plans until later, you have a mission"
Everyone spun around to blink at Nick Fury, who was leaning on the doorframe, chewing a toothpick.
"How does he do that?", asked Pietro, "no, seriously…how?"
"What do you mean 'a mission'?", asked Lance narrowing his eyes.
Nick cleared his throat.
"We have a runaway mutant on our hands we need to find, before she hurts anyone, top priority", he said, "Her name is X23….."
"Logan's clone, project of HYDRA, we know", said Lance, "we talk more to the X-Men than you think"
"Oh", Nick blinked, "okay then. Well, she was presumed dead when the HYDRA headquarters went down. Turns out, Wolverine and the kid pulled the wool over our eyes. She was discovered a year ago, and she's been dodging us ever since, slowly making her way back to Bayville, and probably back to Logan"
"So?", shrugged Todd, "he's kinda family to her, let her be with him if she wants"
"She is a dangerous weapon", said Nick, "she's killed people. The big-wigs at S..H.I.E.L.D won't let her go. If they would, I would have dropped this already, for Logan's sake, but we can't"
He looked at them.
"She's been sighted in the Bayville area, last seen vanishing into the sewer lines", he said, "I know there's a bunch of mutants there, so I don't want to send in the troops unless it's absolutely necessary. The last thing we want is another Morlock massacre on our hands"
"So, what?", asked Wanda, "you're sending us in there to go get her?"
"No", said Nick, "I'm sending you there to find her location. Under no circumstances are you to engage in combat with her. Search, find and report back, that's all I expect you to do"
"What are you going to do with her…when we find her?", asked Freddy.
"That is for my concern, not yours", said Nick, "you just stick to what you've been told and don't ask questions"
"Aye, aye, captain", said Pietro with a salute, "and after that do you want us to swab the deck?"
"I really hate my job", muttered Nick, then looked at them, "be careful, team. She is a highly dangerous individual. You start tomorrow, first thing"
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The highly dangerous individual in question was, indeed, still living with the Morlocks albeit a little restlessly. She growled as she paced along a small patch of the Alley where she chose to sit, well away from the other Morlocks. Most of the Morlocks didn't seem to mind this arrangement one bit, being still highly untrustworthy of strangers, particularly those which looked normal like X23….when her claws where sheathed, anyway. Years of living rough had not eased her violent personality any, yet some nights, when hiding away from S.H.I.E.L.D under a pile of crates, or in some dark, dank alleyway…. she would cry. Of course, she would berate herself for doing so. She had been brought up without being allowed to show emotion, when she showed it as a child, with something as simple as a smile or a tear, she would be punished. She'd learned that showing her emotions was a BAD THING…and yet, free from HYRDA, she had been showing them a lot more recently. Ever since the day she met him. She never quite understood why Logan cared about her so much. She attacked him and the X-Men.. besides, she wasn't worth caring over…she was a monster.
"Food call"
She growled, she hated it when she didn't sense people coming, damnit, she had to stay more alert. She popped out the claws on one hand, spinning around.
"Okay, easy, easy", said Lucid, holding up his free hand in surrender, "I come bearing food, don't kill"
X23 narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, before sheathing her claws. Lucid smiled, offering her the tray of food.
"On the menu tonight, we have a delightful stack of hot dogs, with a side order of fries and…some stuff I assume is some sort of milkshake", said Lucid, grimacing, "…This is what happens when we let the teenagers pick the food"
X23 sniffed at it, still looking suspicious.
"Trust me, we're not going to poison you", said Lucid with a chuckle, "we only do that to Caliban"
X23 took the food carefully, before wolfing it down, she'd been used to eating fast.. in case she was caught.
"Take it easy, no one's going to steal it from you", said Lucid, arching a brow at her, "we Morlocks are family here, we don't take from one another"
"Family?", asked X23.
"Oh, she can speak", smirked Lucid, "and here's me thinking I'd imagined it, you've been that quiet since you've been here, you could get a job as a mime"
X23 blinked at him.
"Not one for jokes, are you?", chuckled Lucid.
"No", replied X23 then frowned, "you say you are all family… but you are not related"
"You don't have to be blood related to be family", shrugged Lucid, "most of us have no real family left. All we have is each other, so we stick together, you know?"
"Wouldn't you be less like sitting ducks if you lived alone?", she asked, "a whole group of you is asking for trouble. Weren't you all attacked a few years back?"
Lucid frowned, looking away.
"We were, a lot of Morlocks died, but that's no reason for us to split up", he said, "yeah, we could survive well enough alone, but this way, we have company, a community…you don't feel so alone. You get it?"
X23 frowned, shaking her head.
"I've always been on my own, I've never had family", she said.
"You and about half the Morlocks here", shrugged Lucid, "you should give it a try, trust me, we Morlocks won't turn anyone away"
X23 frowned.
"Thank you", she said quietly, "for the food"
Lucid gave her a smile.
"You're welcome", he said, heading back into the main part of the Alley.
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Over at the Institute, Jean and Scott had returned from their honeymoon. Jean gave a happy sigh as they walked through the door.
"As much fun as San Sebastian is, it's good to be back", she said.
"Yeah, nothing like returning to the house of madness", he said, then added with a smile, "Mrs. Summers"
"I agree", giggled Jean nuzzling, "Mr. Summers"
"Oh dear Lord, don't. Think of the children"
The couple blinked up, then down to where Shortpack was arching a brow at them, leaning on the door outside his house..
"Oh, hi Shortpack", said Jean, disentangling herself from around her husband.
"So, I take it the honeymooning went well?", asked Shortpack with a chuckle.
"Shorty, it was great fun, you should go to San Sebastian sometime, you'd be a star attraction", grinned Jean.
"No thanks", said Shortpack, "the thought of being near an active volcano doesn't appeal to me in the slightest"
"Your loss", shrugged Scott, "so, how are the new kids?"
"One's depressed, one's moody, one's a nervous wreak and the other's cocky", said Shortpack, then shrugged, "normal household, really"
"Great", said Scott, "I can't wait to whip them into shape"
"Didn't you say that about Paige?", asked Shortpack.
"Paige is the one that got away", said Scott.
"And Jamie", added Jean, "and Bobby, and….."
"Okay, okay", said Scott, "I know. But this time I'm going to be seen as an authority figure and respected by all"
The two telepaths looked at each other, before collapsing in a fit of laughter.
"I will!", protested Scott.
BAMF
Before anyone could register the sound, a very large flurry of rice tumbled down, covering everyone.
"Ah-hah!", laughed Kurt from where he hung by his tail from a chandelier, a large empty box in his hands, "I told you I'd get you!"
Scott sighed, brushing the rice off his shoulder.
"Hello, Kurt"
A small pile of rice on the table moved, before Shortpack's head poked out.
"You think you went a little overkill, Kurt?", he asked, scrambling out and looking around him, "it's like a blizzard of rice, here"
"I've been saving this rice since they vent on their honeymoon", said Kurt, "and now, my job is done"
He grinned, BAMFING down to the floor.
"And here's me thinking training in the clergy would make you more serious", said Jean.
Kurt gasped, holding a hand to his chest.
"Me? Serious? Never!", he said, then smirked, "think Whoopi Goldberg as a nun, but make her a blue, fuzzy, male German priest-in-training and you got me down"
"That…..is a slightly frightening mental image", said Scott.
"The priests throw a party every time I come back to America", said Kurt, "you think they'd vant to get rid of me"
"Imagine that", muttered Shortpack.
"Hey, I just happen to be a loveable ball of fuzz", said Kurt, "ask Amanda, vho, incidentally, I am now going to meet. Byyyye"
BAMF
"He's getting worse, isn't he?", asked Scott.
"Hoo yeah", said Jean, "we may be forced to kill him, one day, for his own good"
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Sidney sighed from where she was pacing in the outskirts of Bayville. Though she had accepted her Uncle's part in the Morlock massacre down to a bad decision, much like Gambit, there was still something uneasy between the two feline mutants. Sure, they still talked, and Sabertooth would always make a quick appearance during the holidays…but it wasn't the same bond they used to have. That upset Sidney, she only had Sabertooth and her more than slightly deranged cousin left as family, and she doubted Graydon would ever arrive with a gift basket somehow. She was determined that somehow she fix what was broken, she'd learned to value family a lot more since being on the road on tours than she had before. She was planning to keep the little family she had left close by.
"You know, you're gonna pace a hole in the floor if ya keep that up"
Sidney turned and smiled as Sabertooth walked over.
"Uncle Vic!", running over and giving him a hug.
Sabertooth blinked, a little taken aback, before smiling, hugging her back.
"No one's gonna die, are they?", he asked, "you haven't hugged me in years"
"No, no one's going to die", chuckled Sidney, smiling up at him, "I just realized how important family was. I missed you, Uncle Victor"
He smiled, ruffling her hair.
"I missed you too, kid", he said, "so…that's what you wanted ta see me about?"
"Yeah…among other things", said Sidney, giving a chuckle, "Todd proposed to me"
"About bleedin' time", said Sabertooth, "I thought he'd never get the balls ta do it"
"Yeah, I know…everyone seems to say that", shrugged Sidney then smiled, "we're getting married in five months, before I'm dragged off on tour again"
"Is this Sidney-speak for inviting me?", asked Sabertooth, arching a brow.
"No", said Sidney with a small smile, "that is Sidney-speak for asking you to give me away"
Sabertooth blinked.
"..Pardon?"
"Well, you're the closest thing I've had for a father for a long time", said Sidney with a shrug, "seems only right, really.."
"You sure?", asked Sabertooth, "I mean, I 'aint pretty in a tux….an' I'm not exactly wise on the whole etiquette thing"
"I'm sure", she said, "I wouldn't want anyone else to do it. Please?"
Sabertooth gave her a small smile.
"It'd be an honor"
"Thanks, Uncle Vic", said Sidney, "this means a lot to be. Besides, we're gonna have a great seafood platter there"
'Oh, then I'm totally sold", laughed Sabertooth.
"I thought so", said Sidney with a smirk, "and to think, Todd actually wanted chicken"
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Awwww, bonding is fun. My lordy, I don't have a single footnote! That's rare. Huh. ANywya, do review. Until next time….