Gifts and Curses
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Because nothing sucks worse than feeling alone, no matter how many people are around"
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Chapter 17 – Frostbite
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"Sam, ye not dead!"
Sam winced as Rahne hugged him tightly.
"Yeah, so you've said ten times already", he said, "..a'hm glad to see you too, but can ya not squeeze so hard? A'hm still recovering"
"Oh..sorry", said Rahne sheepishly, letting go of her bear-hug on him, curling up next to him on the bed, "I thought you'd gone…I..I really had"
"Hey, shhh", said Sam gently, brushing a thumb over her cheeks, "it's gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me…."
He frowned.
"…Actually, nothing will get rid of me"
Rahne arched a brow.
"You've got immortality and you're complaining about it?".
"A'h don't know", said Sam quietly, "sure, it's nice to know ah'll be around for you guys but…forever? Ah'd have to outlive every a'h care about, including an' above all, you"
"Och, Love", said Rahne, snuggling close to him, kissing his cheek, "I know it seems hard now, but it'll get better, ye just have tae give it time"
"A'h hope so", said Sam, resting his head against hers, "a'h really do"
The pair were interrupted by a small cough, they turned to see Josh hovering in the door-way, looking uncomfortable.
"Umm…the Professor suggested I come over and help heal Sam's wounds", he said, "….he said I needed the practice"
"So you're the Omega-Class healer Paige has been prattling on about", smirked Sam, then shrugged, "go ahead, can't do me any worse damage"
Josh nodded, walking over, putting a golden hand on Sam's chest, a small glow flickered from them as his wounds began to knit together again.
"So, I heard form Jamie ye were on the other side", said Rahne, watching him, "something about Donald Pierce…"
"I'd rather not talk about it", said Josh with a frown, "it's in the past. I screwed up"
"You're still young", said Sam, "you're allowed to make a few mistakes in life. Not many of the X-Men know it, but a'h almost got roped into working for Piece mahself"
Josh blinked at him.
"…You're kidding", he said, "you're one of the most loyal team-members. You lead the New Mutants!"
Sam shrugged.
"A'h was working in the mines to help ma'h family. Pierce offered me a better salary", he said, "luckily, Xavier got to me before a'h got to fully accept his offer" (1)
"I think what he's tryin' tae say is that it's okay tae stray from the path now and again", said Rahne, then looked at Sam pointedly, "as long as ye find you're way back"
Sam blinked at her.
"You want me to talk to Bobby, don't you?"
"Aye", said Rahne, "he really is sorry, Sam. He's your best friend, give him a chance"
"He was ma'h best friend", said Sam, "past tense"
"Just talk tae him", said Rahne, "please…to at least make ye peace"
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Meanwhile, Hrimhari had been dragged down into the Danger Room, Hank leaving to 'call and old friend', who he assured Xavier could deal with the werewolf….and it wasn't just Hank who talked to an old friend that night…
"DUDDITS!"
Doug barely managed a 'squeak' as Kitty collided into him, giving him a bear hug. (2)
"Oh, wow!", she squealed, "when Warlock said he was dating a Doug, I didn't think it was you!. This is so cool!"
"Heh…Kitty", said Doug with a nervous laugh, trying to pry himself free, "I know you lived here…and yet, I wasn't prepared….heh heh"
"Duddits?", asked Ray amusedly.
"We grew up together, shut up", said Doug, glancing over at Warlock, "help me"
Kitty, choosing to ignore Doug's plea babbled on happily.
"Oh yes, Doug was my very first taste tester", she said proudly, "when we were eight, I had an Easy Bake Oven, and Doug ate my cookies, didn't you Doug?"
She got a muffled sob in reply.
"Ahhh, memories, huh?", smiled Kitty, not noticing Doug had developed a tic under his eye.
"Well, that explains his phobia about baked goods", said Warlock, blinking.
"That poor, poor soul", said Tabby, miming taking a hat off her head and putting it on her chest.
"Just vhen I thought it vasn't bad enough for him, dating an extra…OWWW!"
Kurt turned to look at Warlock, who was whistling innocently, his arm moving back to normal size from where it had stretch across the room to pinch the tip of his ear. Kitty blinked, looking at Doug.
"You don't know about Warlock, yet?"
"….What about Warlock?", asked Doug.
"That he's weird!", cut in Roberto quickly.
Doug looked at him flatly.
"I share a room with him and date him…I picked that much up already"
Kitty twitched, before giving the alien a glare.
"Warlock, buddy, a word?", she said, physically pushing him from the room, "you haven't told him yet?"
Warlock gave a nervous laugh.
"It….has not come up?", he tried weakly.
Kitty narrowed her eyes, causing Warlock to squeak, flinching away.
"Please do not phase through me", he said, "it really, really, really hurts" (3)
"Warlock, I grew up with Doug, he's like the brother I never had", said Kitty crossing her arms, "and if you care about him, you'll tell him"
"Oh, and what am I supposed to say to him?", said Warlock, "I love you, Doug, oh by the way, I happen to be an alien from another planet, that will not be a problem, will it?"
"There's no need for sarcasm", said Kitty, then arched a brow, "you love him?
"I think…I do not know", Warlock shrugged, "my species is not supposed to have feelings of love, as I am the only one with any such emotions, I am not entirely sure"
"Okay, fine", said Kitty, then raised a warning finger, "you're going to tell him. This week. Or I will hunt you down and go Ripley on your ass, got it?" (4)
"…..Yes?", tried Warlock.
"Right answer", said Kitty, then sighed as shouting came from the common room, "what now?"
The 'what now', they soon discovered was Bobby and Lucas having a staring match in the entrance hall, with neither seeming ready to back down.
"Ummm….a'h think now would be a good time to go home", said Lizzie, giving Lucas a nudge in the direction of the doors, trying to break it up.
"Better listen to her", sneered Bobby, "wouldn't want me kicking your ass around again"
Lucas' eyes flickered slightly.
"Watch yeself, Drake", he warned, "the X-Men might forgive ye, but I'm never going tae. I see ye for what ye really are, and ye cannae change that"
"Oh, and what am I?", asked Bobby, "I can't be any worse than someone who'd kidnap his own multiple-personalitied physce and hold him for ransom"
"Oh you two are a pain in the ass!", snapped Lizzie, "geez, you're as bad as each other"
"I'm nothing like him!", snapped Bobby and Lucas in unison.
"Yeah…sure", said Lizzie dryly, "you're both arrogant, moody and stubborn as mules. Well, a'hm too tired an' emotionally beat up from havin' ma'h brother die and come to life to clean up any mess you guys make with a fight, so can we just go home?"
Lucas narrowed his eyes, watching Bobby, before frowning.
"Come on, Lizzie", said Lucas, leading her to the door, "it just got too cold for comfort here"
He narrowed his eye in Bobby's direction before walking out of the building, Lizzie in tow.
"Well, at least your son didn't try to kill him", said Hank unhelpfully.
"Humph", said Paige, "we're better off without them around. Lizzie's not the innocent party, she led Bobby on"
"…Err no, she didn't", said, Jean, "where'd you get that idea from?"
"From knowing what my sister's like", said Paige simply, "she has a habit of leaving trails of broken hearts around her. I bet you she'll drop that Lucas guy as soon as he loses his appeal"
"….They'd been dating for five years", said Kurt, 'If the appeal was going to go, it vould have gone by now"
"Yeah, whatever", said Paige, then looked at Bobby, "I'd have frozen her"
"No, thanks", said Bobby, "I'm over that now"
"Heloooo", said Paige, "she used you, remember?"
"Errr….not exactly", said Bobby with a cough, "we..err.. had our wires crossed. I'm not that innocent either"
"Damn right you're not", growled Rogue, narrowing her eyes.
"Easy, Stripes", said Logan, then looked at Bobby, "Popsicle.."
"Iceman", said Bobby, "I'm not a student anymore, I don't need a nickname"
Logan smirked.
"Sorry, I forgot you were a 'Big Boy' like Evan"
Bobby smirked back.
"If you have to use a nickname, call me Icicle, I like that"
Logan frowned.
"I choose the nicknames, not you", he said, "you're Icicle"
"But I just…", started Bobby, before sighing, defeated, "yes, Logan, I'm Icicle"
"How can you people talk to him as if he's welcome here?", snapped Rogue, "he tried to kill us? You people remember Sapphire Twilight, don't you?"
Bobby frowned, looking away.
"Someone had to say it eventually", he said, then sighed, "I know what I did, I have it on my conscience. I don't need reminding about it every time I run into one of you"
"Then you should have thought of that before you tried to off us", said Roberto.
"Hey, I just stopped Rahne from making mincemeat out of that werewolf guy", said Bobby, "what more can I do to prove I'm not trying to kill you people anymore?"
"Get out of here, Drake, you have no right to be here", said Rouge, narrowing her eyes, "unless you want to try to kill us all over again"
"What right do you have to judge me, Rogue?", asked Bobby, "you started out as a member of the Brotherhood, remember? You screwed up and you were given forgiveness, is it too much to ask that I have the same thing?"
"You bet your life it is", said Rogue starting to move away.
Bobby growled, walking over and grabbing Rogue's arm.
"Let go of me!", snapped Rogue, trying to pull herself free.
"You want to judge me?", he asked harshly, "you want to make snippy comments, tell everyone how 'evil' I am, everything I've done to you? Maybe you should learn the whole story first, huh?"
He put his bare hand on her bare cheek. Rogue shuddered as her powers drained his, taking in his memories. Bobby groaned, falling to the floor with a thud as Rogue whimpered, putting her hand to her head.
"Noooo", she groaned, closing her eyes, as Bobby's physce flooded over her own, "they..turned their back on me…couldn't take.. it…no one to turn to…alone"
She cried out in pain, a bolt of ice shooting from her hands, slamming into a wall, freezing it completely.
"…Hoo boy", said Hank, watching as a Ming vase froze and shattered, 'here we go"
The ice on the floor reformed into water, swirling around for a moment before freezing into a solid spear of ice, ramming itself into a wall, narrowly missing Roberto and Ray. (5)
"Rogue", said Xavier, wheeling over, "please, get control of Bobby's physce and ability"
"No!", snapped Rogue, holding her head, "stay out…stay out".
Xavier sighed putting a hand to his temple and sending out a gentle blast, dislodging Iceman's physce from Rogue. Rogue blinked numbly, then looked at Bobby who was sitting up groggily.
"Bobby…a'h.."
"Save it", muttered Bobby, "I don't need your pity"
"Bobby, I know that all those years must have been hard on you", started Xavier.
"You have no idea, Xavier", said Bobby, narrowing his eyes as he stood up, "and the other X-Men turned on me for making one mistake, when I lashed out in anger. As if the rest of you have never done something like that before. Okay, how I reacted was wrong, but I wasn't in the right mind then. I just wish you'd all let it go, but you can't can you? You think you're so high and mighty, but you're not, not when you won't even let me move on with my life"
Xavier opened his mouth to speak and Bobby cut him off.
"And don't you dare psycho-analyse me", he said, "I know I'm still angry, but at least I'm better than I was five years ago. So just let it go, and let me live my own life. Just because I'm not a member of your precious X-Men anymore doesn't make me an enemy. Get off your high-horse, Xavier, and look around to the people you are supposed to be protecting once in a while, huh?" (6)
With that, he stalked off towards the gardens at the back of the house..
"Well…that was..interesting", blinked Logan
There was a small knock at the open door as Lila, Shan and Terrel stepped in.
"We came to get Bobby", said Shan, glancing around, at the frozen common room, "guess he already got here, huh?"
"You have a talent for guessing the obvious", quipped Hank.
"Yup, definitely a trademark Bobby hissy fit", said Lila, brushing her fingers over the frozen wall.
"Actually, it was me", said Rogue sheepishly, "…a'h absorbed him…by accident"
"Remind me never to touch her", said Terrel, jutting a thumb at Rogue, "ever, ever, ever"
Xavier smiled at her, then blinked.
"Oh……you posses minds", he said.
"And you're telepathic", quipped Shan, "I thought you didn't go into peoples minds without permission"
"Oh no…I apologise", said Xavier, "I didn't mean to pry, I just..picked it up"
He frowned.
"One of my…staff has issues concerning your power", said Xavier, then looked at Logan, whatever you do, do not let Shortpack in here.
Logan arched a brow.
"Why?", he chuckled, "there's not much that Stuart Little can do, lets face it, he 'aint much to…"
Just keep him away, for his own sake, Xavier narrowed his eyes.
"You know, for a telepath, you really lack tact, sometimes", said Shortpack, from where he was sitting on the coffee table, "next time you guys want to talk about me, scan around the room first, huh?"
"See, this is why really little people shouldn't be allowed in the world!", snapped Logan.
"Sorry", said Xavier with a slightly embarrassed cough, "I was just worried you'd be a little upse…."
"I'm fine", said Shortpack simply.
"You don't look 'fine'", said Logan, "you look like you need a drink"
"I'm fine", said Shortpack icily, hopping off the table, "but drinking myself into a stupor doesn't sound like that bad a plan"
Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose as the miniature mutant stomped off.
"Go and keep an eye on him", he said tiredly, "just in case anyone steps on him"
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Meanwhile, Bobby had gone to freezing, thawing and re-freezing the statues in the Institutes gardens. He paused, however, when he heard a polite cough behind him.
"..Hey", said Sam quietly.
"Hey", said Bobby, leaving his work alone, "so, you found my hiding place, huh?"
"You're not that hard to find, Bobby", said Sam with a small smirk, "a'h only had to follow the frozen trail and, hey presto, there you are"
"So, you're gonna bitch and whine at me too?", asked Bobby, arching a brow.
"No", said Sam, then sighed, "thank you…for looking after Rahne…a'h appreciate it. A'h don't think she would have lived with herself if she'd killed that guy"
"No matter how much he deserved it, huh?", said Bobby, looking away.
"…Yeah, well, this had to come up eventually", said Sam, sitting down, "don't mind me, Josh healed me up, but a'hm still pretty beat"
"I'm not shocked", said the Ice-Maker, "you were mauled by a huge werewolf"
Bobby frowned slightly.
"Funny, thought I'd get a bit of a different reception after what I did to you"
Sam glanced over his shoulder at the ice-maker.
"What's the point?", he asked, "you can't kill me".
Bobby sighed, sitting down, though keeping a short distance away from his old friend.
"Yeah, they told me about that whole External thing", he said, "man, immortality, what I wouldn't give for one of those".
"Really?", said Sam, then shook his head, "a'h don't want it. A'hm never gonna die, Bobby. A'hm never gonna grow old. A'hm gonna have to watch everyone I care about die, ma'h family, Rahne, the X-Men…you. A'hm gonna outlive every one of you. If a'h have kids, ah'll outlive them too"
"The only thing wrong with immortality is that it tends to go on forever", quoted Bobby.(7)
Sam gave him a sidelong glance, arching a brow.
"What?", said Bobby, "I do learn SOME stuff, you know. Besides, you won't outlive everyone. What about Logan and Josh, they have healing factors, Warren too. Warlock hasn't aged since he landed here, but you don't hear him whining about it"
"…A'h guess you have a point", said Sam quietly.
"I know I have a point", said Bobby, then frowned, "look at it this way, future generations will always have an Original X-Man to talk to. Who knows what sort of future they'll have, they'd need someone like you, who'll remember stuff like that" (8)
"Look at you, all wise", chuckled Sam.
"That's what years of pain and suffering does to a person", said Bobby, then looked down, "I'm sorry Sam…for everything I did"
"Forgotten", said Sam simply, "considerin' how long a'hve got ahead of me, it seems pretty pointless to hold a grudge".
Bobby smiled, giving a small chuckle.
"Missed you, Buddy"
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Logan had finally tracked Shortpack outside trying to 'hide' by the angel fountain.
"Ya know, you are very hard ta sniff out", he said gruffly, sitting down, at the fountain's edge, "so, what's eatin' ya Stuart Little?"
"Nothing", said Shortpack.
"Uh huh", said Logan, "an' Kurt's gonna stop eatin' Gut Bombs any day now. What's this stuff about people who take possession of others?"
Logan arched a brow, lighting a cigar.
"Your telepathy keeps ya safe from that, don't it?"
"I haven't been possessed", said Shortpack quietly, "….but I knew someone who could do it"
"Oh?", asked Logan.
"I met her while working in Xavier's underground spy networks", said Shortpack.
"Spy?", asked Logan, nearly chocking on his cigar.
"What?", said Shortpack, "you thought Tessa was Charles' only undercover agent?"
He chuckled.
"The house of X holds more secrets than even you know, Wolverine", he said, "he always needed mutants that couldn't be linked back to the Institute, I was one of them"
"What did you do", asked Logan, "no offence, 'Pack, but you're not exactly big enough ta do field work"
"I was a field handler", said Shortpack, "I sent telepathic messages to his agents, worked with Intel, kept an eye on them".
He sighed.
"I screwed up loyally on my last one, though"
"..I'm takin' it this is the 'she' that has somethin' ta do with the whole possession thing?", asked Logan.
Shortpack sighed and nodded.
"My agent's name was Prudence Leighton", said Shortpack, "I worked with her for a long time…..we grew close…"
"Close bein' Shortpack-eese for fallin' head over butt for her?", smirked Logan
"Yeah", said Shortpack, "but before I could tell her, she was burned to a crisp before my eyes by a pyrotechnic arms dealer named Steinbeck"
"That must have sucked", concluded Logan.
"It gets worse", said Shortpack, "Prudence could take possession of minds, much like that Shan girl. She took over Steinbeck, without anyone realising it. Needless to say, having to share a physce with a nut like Steinbeck messed her up. She blamed myself and Charles for what happened to her"
He sighed.
"She tried to kill me, using Steinbeck's powers….I was lucky to get out alive", he said, "she overloaded Steinbeck's system though…and died…again". (9)
"Ouch", said Logan, "yeah, you definitely need a drink"
"You're telling me", said Shortpack, "anyway after that..incident, Charles sent me off to Tortola to recuperate. Storm found me and brought me back, the rest is history"
"Sucks to be you", concluded Logan.
"Oh gee, thanks for those grand words of wisdom", said Shortpack dryly, "my life has been truly enriched being in your presence"
"See, it's stuff like that that's gonna get you smacked with a fly swatter", said Logan, then looked up as a car pulled into the drive, "well, about time!"
A portly man with red hair, most of it vanishing from the top of his head, and boxy glasses stepped out of the car, walking over, smiling, offering Logan a hand, clearly not seeing Shortpack.
"Hello", he said, "I'm Dr. Patronete, Henry called and said he had some work for me" (10)
"That's the crypto-zoologist Hank was rambling on about?", asked Shortpack.
Patronete blinked at Shortpack, then squeaked stepping back.
"Oh!"
"Aww, don't worry about Shorty", said Logan, "he doesn't bite…usually"
"O…kay", said Patronete, looking at Shortpack uneasily.
"Come on, Doc", said Logan, heading for the mansion, "boy, do we have a case for you"
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(1) – This is slightly altered from Cannon, in which Sam did work for Pierce before joining the X-Men, even fought against them when they first met. Josh, of course, joined Pierce in the Academy X comics, back when it was the second series of New Mutants. Roberto pointed out the fact Josh had this in common with Sam in the last New Mutant reunion (where no mention was made of Warlock, which was sad, considering Rahne knew he was still alive).
(2) – Kitty and Doug are (or rather, were) old friends in the comics. How far back they go, I'm not sure, so I made them childhood friends, because I'm evil like that sometimes.
(3) – Yes, it does. She did it once while she was pissed off at him (during the Douglock escapade), and it made him go into the melty-gooey form he has when he's close to death. Poor 'Lock.
(4) – Ripley is, of course, the character that goes about busting aliens in the 'Alien' movies.
(5) – Bobby's powers evolved in Black Ice, if you're wondering.
(6) – Thanks to L1701E for the inspiration to this little speech, poor Bobby.
(7) – Quoted by Herb Caen
(8) – Ahh, foreshadowing. After the 10th and last Chronicle is over, I will be starting a new set of chronicles following the lives of the next generation of mutants in the chronicle world. Oh yes.
(9) – This is pretty much the Mystique storyline, with Mystique and Forge taken out of it. Yup, poor Shorty. Prudence was a loopy bitch.
(10) – You guys remember Patronete, right? The Doctor that was on the Bigfoot expedition in Retreat. I'm just assuming he's a crypto-zoologist, considering he seemed to be an expert in Bigfoots (or should that be Bigfeet?). Man, what a cool job, if it paid better cash, I would SO do that as a job.
One more chapter before this night is over, but if you think the fic is at an end, you're very wrong, there's a lot more to come yet, bwahahaha! Do review. Until next time…